Bribery and corruption

I read today in the FT that Mr. and Mrs. Netanyahu are charged with receiving gifts, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in Partagas cigars and pink Dom Pérignon champagne, in return for favours. Perhaps tweaking the regulatory regime applicable to a donor's big business. Which struck me as a very curious form of bribery. I have heard of tins of tuna fish amounting to currency in our prisons now that the use of tobacco has declined and might well be nominally forbidden, but cigars and champagne in the wider world is a new one.

I used to smoke fancy cigars myself from time to time and have never come across this particular brand - which is in itself curious, as Bing tells me it is one of two world leading brands. He also tells me that they are rather strong, so maybe they would not suit. And that they come in at upwards of £20 each, not that unreasonable for a once a week activity. The champagne looks rather dearer at £150 a bottle for a decent one and possibly a lot more for a good one. Even so, one would need to get through a lot of the stuff to tot up hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Perhaps the Israeli parliament building has a king size, super luxury smoking lounge, complete with dancing girls and so on and so forth. Perhaps a version of the fancy smoking lounge which I had thought was part of the offering at the Arts Club in Dover Street - or at least would be when it is open again. A place which has doormen in top hats and very expensive cars parked outside. Not to be confused with the Mayfair Club in the same street - of references 1 and 2 - as I did earlier today; a place intended for the young rather than for the rich. But sadly, while the Arts Club is clearly very grand, I can't find the smoking lounge on their web site (at reference 3) any more.

Reference 1: https://www.guestlistspot.com/london.

Reference 2: https://psmv4.blogspot.com/2020/03/science-of-thrills.html.

Reference 3: https://www.theartsclub.co.uk/.