Jeff Sachs tells this story (mentioned in the Journal of Economic Literature), which could be used with respect to his great efforts in Russia: Sachs, Jeffrey. 1996. "Growth in Africa." The Economist (29 June): pp. 19-21. "In the old story, the peasant goes to the priest for advice on saving his dying chickens. The priest recommends prayer, but the chickens continue to die. The priest then recommends music for the chicken coop, but the deaths continue unabated. Pondering again, the priest recommends repainting the chicken coop in bright colours. Finally, all the chickens die. `What a shame,' the priest tells the peasant. `I had so many more good ideas'." -- Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University Chico, CA 95929 Tel. 916-898-5321 E-Mail [EMAIL PROTECTED]