Welcome
- John Coyne and Marian Haley Beil are happy to present Peace Corps Worldwide, an online community and resource for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs), their friends and families, and all who share a desire for international understanding. Peace Corps Worldwide is a project of the non-profit Peace Corps Fund, and is in no way associated with the Peace Corps.
Sister J. -- The Famous Runaway Bride of Christ - Posted 1 day ago to John Coyne Babbles
Yesterday in the New York Times I read that Jacqueline G. Wexler has passed away at the age of 85. The TIMES called her, "Ex-Nun Who Took On Church." Indeed she did, and successfully. Sister J. as she was fondly called by her students back in St. Louis, had a slight connection with the Peace Corps during its early days. She was a famous liberal nun in the late Fifties and early Sixties and in 1965 she spoke to a packed room.. (Read More)
Taxes Take Political Center Stage - Posted 1 day ago to Your Money: In the New Economy
Back last fall I predicted that the election this year will focus, not on jobs, but on taxes. And as I predicted in my blog on Tuesday, in his State of the Union Speech, President Obama proposed a new tax on the "rich." This time he proposes that anyone who earns over $1 million should pay a 30% tax. Funny the tax rate for income in that range is already 35% which kicks in at $350,000,.. (Read More)
University of Denver - Josef Korbel School of International Relations and the Peace Corps Community Welcomed Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams (Dominican Republic 1968 -1971) to Denver - Posted 1 day ago to Peace Corps: Public Records
RPCVs had the opportunity to meet and greet the Peace Corps Director at the Denver University reception, on Tuesday, January 24th. As the crowd gathered, Williams agreed to talk about Peace Corps Response. I introduced myself as a blogger on John Coyne's Peace Corps Worldwide, with some questions. Williams said, "Fine, I know John Coyne, everybody knows John Coyne." Then, all I had to say was "Peace Corps Response," and Williams launched into a speech about the.. (Read More)
Donna Shalala again raises eyebrows at U. of Miami - Posted 2 days ago to John Coyne Babbles
Donna Shalala (Iran 1962-64) is back on the front page of the paper. Remember last August 2011 when there was a brief flare up about one of the fancy donors to her college-- University of Miami where she is president--who was in jail. He said he had 'paid off' football players with gifts? Well, now the story on the front page of the January 20, 2012, The Chronicle of Higher Education says that she made almost a half.. (Read More)
The Reality of Income and Taxes - Posted 3 days ago to Your Money: In the New Economy
In his State of the Union speech tonight, the President is expected to address income disparity in the USA and current tax rates with a proposal to raise taxes on the "rich." We now know that entrance into the top "1%" comes at household, not individual, income of over $350,000. That group receives about 20% of current income but pays 40% of all Federal Income Taxes. The top 10% pays 70% of the Federal Income Tax. .. (Read More)
Mark Shriver speaks about his father at the Peace Corps - Posted 3 days ago to John Coyne Babbles
Last week marked the first anniversary of the passing of Sarge Shriver. His son, Mark Shriver, was invited by Director Williams to be one of the speakers in the Loret Miller Ruppe Series of talks given at the agency. Here are Mark's comments if you were not at the Peace Corps, or have not read them. • WHEN MY FATHER DIED, my siblings asked me to give the eulogy at his.. (Read More)
Review of The Orawan Poems - Posted 3 days ago to Peace Corps Writers
The Orawan Poems by Gerry Christmas (Thailand 1973–76; Western Samoa 1976–78) The Yuletide Press 148 pages $14.95 (paperback) 2011 Reviewed by Tony Zurlo (Nigeria 1964–65) THE LOVE EXPRESSED by Gerry Christmas in The Orawan Poems, for Orawan, one of his students in Thailand, embarrasses and shames me. Can there be such perfect love in this life? In these poems, Christmas reveals that for him this romantic Shangri -La of pristine.. (Read More)
Kevin Quigley writes to put me in my place! - Posted 4 days ago to John Coyne Babbles
[My friend Kevin Quigley, President and CEO of the NPCA, emailed me late today to tell me I was all wrong about the blog I posted over the weekend that drew attention to his organization.. You might remember how I wrote that their offices were moving to a higher space because they were running out of money and couldn't afford stay on the lower floor. Not true says Kevin. I also said that they wouldn't take a stand against.. (Read More)
Love That Rich Southern Cooking - Posted 4 days ago to Environment - Light, Not Heat
What you eat may not be directly related to the environment but a healthy diet is close to the hearts of those who yearn for a healthy planet. Much is being made of the avatar of Southern cooking, Paula Deen, admitting that she has diabetes. Her recipes are usually pointed to as the kind of high calorie, high fat foods that lead to obesity which is the "usual supect" for type 2 diabetes, high blood.. (Read More)
Year of the Dragon Stir-Fries - Posted 4 days ago to Cooking Crocodiles & Other Food Musings
My friend Ellen Loughlin in Allentown, PA, who, with her family, has spent some years in China, just sent me a beautiful Chinese New Year greeting festooned with bright red Chinese lanterns, reading: “We wish you prosperity and good fortune in the Year of the Dragon.” Which got me thinking… The Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese Zodiac, begins today, January 23, and lasts until February 9 of next year. In ancient China,.. (Read More)
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Recent Comments
- Leo Cecchini: John, So you studied with the Jesuits, that explains alot. St Louis U has a large campus in Madrid where a good friend of mine works. My brother has his master's degree from Webster. I guess St Louis has something more than a good baseball team [more...]
- Dennis Grubb: A class act for God,John! I shared a flight with her (DC-St.Louis), she oon her way to Webster, I to SIU to train PCV's. I believe it was the white wine that was the bond or was the higher power? A class act. [more...]
- lorenzo: Joey- Distinguida compañera, Obama va a triunfar en su re-elección, Sin embargo, el problema fiscal va a seguir. Para que siga el Cuerpo de Paz, hay que enfocarse en reformar. [more...]
- lorenzo: Agreed. So, jump on that new legislation. Contact the 4 Congressmen who were at our lunch- former volunteers. [more...]
- Joey: LORENZO Por favor, please listen to me. Peace Corps is "qualquieras," anybody's. If the White House changes parties in 2012, Williams will be gone the day of the Inauguration. The new Director can change all of the policies that Williams instit [more...]
- lorenzo: He might have supported it once written but you are missing an important point: he could have done it all himself with in-house reform. Right now, he could propose the next budget incorporating ideas involving the better use of technology for manage [more...]
- Joey: Aaron Williams was absolutely in favor of the Kate Puzey legislation. He had put into practice some of its provisions before the passage of the law. He supported passage of the bill in the Congressional Hearings of May 11, 2011. Before the Agenc [more...]
- Tom Gee: The President did call for passage of his jobs plan, with emphasis on infrastructure, and offered the 30% minimum tax for the richest among us as a way of paying for it. Now, let's take Romney, for example, He paid 13.9% last year. That makes him the [more...]
- Leo Cecchini: Thanks John. In this case there is clearly a "conflict of interests." [more...]
- John Coyne: Boy--I wish I hadn't posted this item! Donna is, according to the article on the front page of The Chronicle, "on the boards of two different companies headed by members of Miami's Board of Trustees. In effect, her role as director at a national m [more...]
- lorenzo: Do you think Williams was in favor of the recent legislation concerning violence against volunteers? Personally, I doubt it. During his testimony, he said that the PC never put volunteers in danger. That new law was a great example of what they call [more...]
- Leo Cecchini: Since we are into the realm of legal "hair splitting" did the article say she was on the boards of companies whose CEOs are trustees of "The University of Miami" or simply university trustees? [more...]
- John Coyne: David--according to the lead article in The Chronicle of Higher Eduction the point was, as they state, "Such board service is fraught with potential conflicts of interest, because a university president may be disinclined to question or oppose an ind [more...]
- Joey: Realistically, Lorenzo, nothing will pass Congress without the support of Williams, right now. There are RPCVs looking at the history of the Five Year Rule and the employment of RPCVs with a view to proposing legislation. The IG will release its re [more...]
- Bradford Whipple: Joey- this is the first return to this page since the 8/23 post above. Where are you now and would you contact me at the email address above? [more...]
- lorenzo: I suggest that you contact Congressmen and/or women to propose legislation which simultaneously exempts the PC from current hiring standards and, requires that the PC give preference to RPCVs, Do not expect the Washington staff to do anything-especia [more...]