BIG BROTHER STRIKES AGAIN

China has made it a crime for adult children to neglect their elderly parents. Millions of Chinese workers now live thousands of miles away from their parents, and the tradition of filial piety has lapsed. Under a law that took effect last week, those who fail to visit or call can be fined. The law doesn’t spell out how many visits are required, though, so it’s up to disgruntled parents to lodge complaints. Almost immediately, vendors on Taobao, China’s largest e-commerce website, began offering to send strangers on filial visits. “We offer services such as chatting, celebrating birthdays, and even performances,” one vendor told the Shanghai Daily.