You know what I noticed, and it's a sad observation.

In this community, cronyism has been institutionalized. The cross-over between the private and public sector is not just blurred, it's non-existent. In the past our city has promoted real estate ventures which have not followed the appropriate public airing, which means a select group within the community were following business ventures that most people in the community didn't even realize had government backing. It didn't help that many of them took leadership positions where they were in the best place to steer their neighbors in the direction that followed the city's agenda, without divulging too much information about the illegitimate ties.

This is what I noticed: Corruption, when it becomes endemic to a community, keeps the people who are part of that crooked network energized and engaged. For some, it keeps them looking young, though many of them are hitting their eighties. You would think that losing peace of mind would eventually sap someone of their strength, but I swear, it's like a youth potion for some.