By Ed Nicholson

Today's a "Jeans Day" at Tyson Foods Corporate HQ. For five bucks, we can violate the company's dress code sans guilt, and wear denim. The money goes to a good cause.  A couple times a year it's hunger relief; today it's the local chapter of Big Brothers, Big Sisters.  It's really quite astonishing how much money is raised so we can have this pecadillo absolved.

It's a device that goes back to the Middle Ages, when the indulgences helped build a lot of really nice buildings in Europe.  All for a good cause, of course.  Maybe except for the fact it was easier for rich people to afford the ticket out of Purgatory...

People will pay a lot to sin.  Might be difficult for governements to provide schools and roads without alcohol, tobacco and gambling taxes. 

I read last week of a library in Pflugerville, Texas that was forgiving fines for a donation of food to local food pantries.  That seems like a good concept. 

One of our departments has a "cuss jar," during the United Way drive, into which offenders throw a quarter if a bit of profanity slips (or is thrown) out. 

How else have you seen the concept of indulgence for charity work?