I suggest watching "Tony Seba: Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation". If you have not watched Seba before, watch the first 15 minutes, you'll likely watch the rest. Even if he is only half right, the implications are profound.
You buried the "lede". Indeed, "Syria has become a moral dilemma." Great column.
Unpalatable as it is, perhaps doing “nothing” is not only the preferable but the only prudent course. Problem is, the “American Way” is to be “proactive.”
Vicious, vicious comment! Whereas, my line about "getting a better class of friends" was just a flip comment. Although, come to think of it, who couldn't use more and better friends?
Prof. Cole's column, and your reply to my comment, both are completely humorless. It's just the lottery you guys, lighten up!
As some of the further comments show, we live in an era of Casino Capitalism (see SAC Capital Advisers, et al.). The lottery is just part of this ethos. Sort-of Casino Capitalism for the rest of us.
Also, our state governments take a cut of over 50% of the amount wagered from every lottery drawing. The worst casino game takes much, much less. Talk about exploiting the poor and downtrodden! Taking over 50% off-the-top is criminal.
This column gave me a good laugh when Prof. went off the rails.
"The first thing that happens when you win the lottery is that you typically lose all your friends." Followed by this gem, "...winning the lottery just doesn't make most people happier, and in many cases makes them miserable."
I think that everyone who has thought about it agrees that lotteries are essentially a tax on the poor. Still, it's much, much better to be rich & miserable than poor & miserable. Plus, there is a good chance that by winning the lottery you will graduate to a better class of friends.
So, despite the impossible odds, I will be buying a Powerball ticket and hope to win $500 million or whatever tonight and take my chances by being miserable if I win.
I suggest watching "Tony Seba: Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation". If you have not watched Seba before, watch the first 15 minutes, you'll likely watch the rest. Even if he is only half right, the implications are profound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b3ttqYDwF0
The "Voting Rights Act" of 1964?
You buried the "lede". Indeed, "Syria has become a moral dilemma." Great column.
Unpalatable as it is, perhaps doing “nothing” is not only the preferable but the only prudent course. Problem is, the “American Way” is to be “proactive.”
Vicious, vicious comment! Whereas, my line about "getting a better class of friends" was just a flip comment. Although, come to think of it, who couldn't use more and better friends?
Prof. Cole's column, and your reply to my comment, both are completely humorless. It's just the lottery you guys, lighten up!
As some of the further comments show, we live in an era of Casino Capitalism (see SAC Capital Advisers, et al.). The lottery is just part of this ethos. Sort-of Casino Capitalism for the rest of us.
Also, our state governments take a cut of over 50% of the amount wagered from every lottery drawing. The worst casino game takes much, much less. Talk about exploiting the poor and downtrodden! Taking over 50% off-the-top is criminal.
This column gave me a good laugh when Prof. went off the rails.
"The first thing that happens when you win the lottery is that you typically lose all your friends." Followed by this gem, "...winning the lottery just doesn't make most people happier, and in many cases makes them miserable."
I think that everyone who has thought about it agrees that lotteries are essentially a tax on the poor. Still, it's much, much better to be rich & miserable than poor & miserable. Plus, there is a good chance that by winning the lottery you will graduate to a better class of friends.
So, despite the impossible odds, I will be buying a Powerball ticket and hope to win $500 million or whatever tonight and take my chances by being miserable if I win.