Tribal Gaming and Gambling

Calvin Cheung
Melissa Flores
Angela Khai
Ali Sander

The dictionary definition of gambling is “to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance.” This risk and the adrenaline rush that comes with it, has been a part of people’s lives for thousands of years. Evidence of gambling, such as ancient dice, has been found from ancient China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. It was first brought to the United States in the 1600s when the English colonies were established. The first types of gambling were lotteries and betting on horse races. Casino gambling with dice and card games was not fully established and accepted until the 1800s. However, scandal and cheating by professional gamblers was prevalent, and this eventually led to gambling prohibition in some states. Click here to learn more about the history of gambling, and the experience of gaming in one of California's Indian casinos.

The Tontine

Belinda Uy
Jenny Lien
Tanya Kim

Q: Why do people take part in a tontine?

A: For money.

Q: Well, is there a special reason? Or is that the only reason?

A: We need money. That’s it.

Q: For bills? For anything in particular?
A: For getting money. That’s it! Simple. We need it. We get it.

Does anything dealing with money simple? In this capitalist society money ensures survival. Without it, some of life’s rewards, luxuries, and even necessities shall be denied. Money as the American cultures knows it; is one, if not the, facet that determines one’s status in life. However, a practice a few centuries old, have allowed people to accumulate riches. That practice is named, tontine. Tontine, in its purest form, really does bring truth to the statement that time truly does mean money. Those who come together for a tontine all share and invest their riches, but after time passes, the last person in the pact, gains all the money. To better comprehend tontine, its history must be understood. The history reveals the origins of the scandals and deceit tontine has bestowed upon the world. Its dramatic past only confirms the varied and complex behaviors that money has over people. Along with the many reactions, also comes with the many forms of tontine. This paper shall showcase the Cambodian Tontine and divulge the intricacies within it. The Cambodian Tontine allows people to realize that the evolution and goals of tontine varies within every culture and even with every group that takes part in one. It is a reminder that certain traditions, customs, and practices can not be forgotten, but certainly modified. Click here to learn more about tontines.

Tipping

Gianna Linnert
Angelina Fierro
Debbie Anderson
Angela Cheng
Daniel Jimenez
Janali Torres

Despite it being commonplace, there is an air of ambiguity within the current tipping culture in Orange County. This ambiguity is best demonstrated when these current tipping practices are juxtaposed to tipping practices of different countries and/ or different eras. The current tipping practices remain unchanged through time and cultures in the duality of being both personal and impersonal because of monetary exchange for services. The following history and interviews explore how the tipping practices, specifically at restaurants, can and have been personalized and whether or not this personalization should occur. The interviewees in this collection of ethnographic accounts are individuals who are either senior citizens or recent immigrants, selected in order to gain a perspective of current tipping practices in Orange County across different cultures and periods of time. Click here to learn more about tipping practices across time, space and culture.

Recycling and Cash Redemption Value

Nancy Hagan
Raquel Gutierrez
Subhana Nisar
Jeff Schauer
Walter Wu

Money can set you free. Money can imprison you. Or, it can do both simultaneously. The drastic range of reactions to the entity which permeates our lives (money) demonstrates its plurality, and its conceptual existence, parallel to (but often-overlooked in everyday life) its entrances and exits from our wallets. From Georg’s Simmel’s early twentieth century tract on “The Philosophy of Money,” to the musings of a twenty-first century former-cab driver at an Albertson’s car park, opinions on money run the spectrum. However, not all uses of money are straightforward transactions in the way that we often think of them. The practise of recycling provides a framework for analysing not only different uses of money (and ways of obtaining it), but different conceptions of it as well. In the course of several interviews, and a tour of a recycling centre, we gained some insight into how people view the money behind recycling, in the form of the California Redemption Value (CRV) deposit, and were able to explore their rationales for partaking in activity that is both obviously global and intensely local. Recycling and its corresponding hidden monies can keep individuals or families in neighbourhoods from total destitution, but can also generate international concerns over labour exploitation. Recycling relates to locally-based initiatives, but also to the international “green movement”. A diverse range of experiences puts recycling, CRV, and money into perspective. Click here to learn more about CRV and the strange economy of recycling.

The Money of Love

Kelly Forster
Debby Blumenthal
Saba Arastu
Paul Lee
Shelley Dutt
Claire Hayati

As a group, our aim was to figure out whether or not money can buy love in person, or more recently, via the internet. We explored various avenues such as culturally general matchmaking services, culturally linked online dating services, general online matchmaking services, as well as mail-order brides. We found that money can buy love in some situations, but chemistry comes from within and not from a dating service. Click here to learn more about modern-day matchmaking.

The Wedding Dollar Dance: Monetary Practices at Wedding Receptions

Janis Martinez
Ana Urzua
Magaly Guerra

“Will you take this dance to be in your wedding?”

A wedding checklist can include such things as; facility, decorations, flower arrangements, bartender, caterer, but in addition many couples have to decide if they want to include the “Dollar Dance” in their wedding reception. “Dollar Dance”, “Money Dance”, “Bridal Dance” or and “Apron Dance” are various names for this very popular custom performed in many wedding receptions all over the world. The origin of the dance is credited to Poland in the early 1900’s by most sources but there is not solid evidence that verifies the specific location where it originated. The concept of the “Dollar Dance” is that male guests asked for permission from the groom to dance with his bride by “paying” for the privilege and the female guests pay for the privilege to dance with the groom. The guest form one line for the groom and one line for the bride, usually the best man and maid of honor are at the head of each respective line to help collect the money. The father of the bride would lead the dance by pinning money on her dress, followed by the best man and groomsmen and then other male guest. On the side of the groom, his mother will reciprocate by pinning the money on his suit, followed by the maid of honor and bridesmaids and other female guests. As tradition goes, the money collected should be used by the newlyweds as extra cash for their honeymoon or to set up their household expenses. Our research explores the differences of the “Dollar Dance” in various cultures, the significance of gift money and gender in the dance, as well as the critiques and benefits that take place. We conducted interviews on individuals from the Punjabi and Mexican culture to find out the significance of the “Money Dance” in their culture, the personalization or depersonalization of money in their customs, the importance of gift exchange in their social life and how the dance has evolved throughout the years. Click here to learn more about the wedding dollar dance.

Credit or Debit?

Ann Medina
Jamie Luong

Within our society today, there are many ways to make a payment. Purchases are made during every moment of the day and many have opted for an alternative solution to paying for goods and services other than cash, such as with credit and debit cards. Both have many meanings within our society, and have different positive and negative connotations that are based on the influences of age and class. The existence of debit and credit cards has made a definite impact within our society economically, socially, and politically. These cards are often a substitute for cash. They have quickly become widespread all around the world. Click here to learn more about people’s everyday experiences of and ideas about the differences between credit cards and debit cards.

Sting Operations: The Dirty Side of Your Dollar

Nick Rockoff
Erica Christensen
Chris Gutierrez
Kalpan Patel
Brett Kohout
Emre Gurol

As a man dressed in all black approaches the target, officer Hoyt whispers into his microphone, “Everyone stay put until the transaction has been made.” The man quietly removes a couple of hundred dollar bills from his wallet, and offers them to an unsuspecting drug dealer. The drug dealer casually reaches into his pocket and reveals a plastic bag containing a white substance, offers it in exchange for the money, and walks away. Five seconds later, police sirens sound and the man is quickly subdued, handcuffed, and arrested. What this unlucky criminal was unaware of was that the man dressed in all black was, in fact an undercover officer, and that he had unknowingly been the target of a “sting operation.” For over 40 years, modern law enforcement agencies have been using sting operations to catch criminals in the act. During this span, agencies have devised hundreds of different ways to mimic real life situations in hopes of learning about and preventing different types of crime from occurring. Click here to learn about how law enforcement uses money to catch criminals, and how criminals use money to try to hide their tracks.

Barter: Let's Trade!

Dominic Adam
James Grant
Jon Heston
Connie Hsu
Brandon Nguyen
Alice San

Barter and Trade

Barter is better defined by what it does rather than what it is; it allows agents to create value. Not necessarily value from fiat, but value from negotiation, bargaining, comparison, turmoil, haggle, and stress; all forms of labor and personal interaction. However, barter has one requirement—a double coincidence of wants (Hayashi, 1994). And from this stance we can presume that the earliest encounters with trade and bartering occurred when people first created items and wanted other items. What better place to start an exploration of barter than with the ancients of 500 B.C. Click here to read the complete paper, including a barter experiment on Ring Road that turned a pile of junk into $248 worth of goods and services.