Post-holiday thoughts on the value of gifts
The enormous holiday season is pretty much over; we went from Halloween to Elvismas with a whole bunch of fun and cookies packed in between. Another seasonal standby is the article about the value of presents, both in religious and in economic terms. Many cultures have different ways of compelling people to redistribute wealth and/or [...]
Bribery and Transparency
Today’s New York Times had a great article about new efforts to expose bribery in developing countries. All it takes is a little exposure. People sometimes justify bribes by dismissing them as gifts or tips. It’s part of the culture, they say. I was a waitress for a while in college, and I can assure [...]
