Although we enjoyed watching reruns of Upstairs, Downstairs on public television, my wife and I had never thought of ourselves as people who needed staff to get along. Living in the unpretentious Midwest, having domestic help was regarded as uppity, and unbecoming to good Methodists and Lutherans whose lot in life was to maintain their …more

The U.S. news media has bombarded everyone for years with their oft-repeated tales of drug cartel violence and headless bodies littering the roadside. The corruption of law enforcement, the involvement of government officials. It makes their readers’ hair stand on end. I don’t know. I guess it sells newspapers during the day and antacids on …more