somehow it breaks my heart, the staggering naivete of that quote.  as if the "luck" of the West were just random dumb luck like finding a ten dollar bill in the gutter or happening to be awake for a spectacular sunrise -- rather than being the cousin of the casino owner with the rigged wheel... or Mama Corleone.  as if the poverty of a family in Burkina Faso or wherever were wholly unrelated to the wealth of the family in Birmingham (whether AL, US or UK).

sigh


The difference between theory and practise in practise ...