Dear Rigoberto,

Thank you again for the book; it was a learning experience about your country - so rich in background, history, culture. It was said about Henry Hazlitt that he was an economist ' who could also write' and it is a joy to know that you belong to the same class. While reading the chapter on "Asian Tigers versus Latin American House Cats" I had some mail from an old friend in Norway who happened to bring up his puzzlement about the Asian miracle as opposed to other areas - and there I was armed to the teeth with solid information from an economist ! (As for the Welfare State of Norway, my friend says that the boat is leaking and Everybody knows it. I may throw in his quip about the rumor that our new ruler, Bush, is dyslexic, saying that' Norwegian politicians are not dyslexic; it only seems that way'.)

Your chapter "The Rights of Human Beings" - starting with a quote from Ayn Rand, was stirring. Yes, there is confusion everywhere about "rights". (There Ought To Be a course for elementary school (private) children on that subject - by a qualified teacher, if such exists ?) Rand once narrowed it down to - as verbatim as I can recall:" Right - is a moral concept, defining and sanctioning individuals' freedom to act in a social context". Your island example is wonderful - lonesomeness is a high price to pay for running around naked.

Liberty (which I take to be freedom with restrictions) is also confusing to many, for as my penpal in Poland mused when he wrote "In Poland people think freedom means 'getting things for free' ", there is much re-education needed.

Thank you, Rigoberto, for having added value to my modest, but good, library ! I'll be reading excerpts from Limon Real in our Toastmaster Club. And a very Merry X-mas to you and yours, and may Limon Real be born soon !

Hug from

Trude Blomsoy