Gambling

[silverdollar]

>Up here in Canada the large casinos are run by the
>government who also happen to gather up millions in profits
>from the operation.
>
>Something wrong with this picture.
>
>If prostitution is legalized, will the government start
>running brothels?


Here in the states, all of our s are in congress or the senate.
x(

 

[Broompilot]

Lot of Info Commercial watching going on here with the assumptions of the Stock Market and Large Mega Church's.

Does one attend a Church on a regular basis or base ones ideaas with no facts to back up ones words? Or this just from hear say about Pat Robertson and the likes (which I would agree is a business). But you said ALL Church's are run like business which I would ask back up your Facts. The Church I attend which is much like many in this Coutnry, runs operations to the poorest Counties in NC also doing Missions work. We also help financialy to shelters, and those who just do not have the resources to care for themselves such as the Elderly.

One of the Greatest Gifts I have is to be able to donate to causes that benefits man kind. I choose to do this thru my Church but accoriding to your post this is some kind of waist of my hard earned dollars. Did I miss read what was written here? "Church is a business" Was the quote not close to, "its a waiste of families hard earned $"

Comparing the Stock Market to Gambling. Than again Infomercials those get rich quick ideas that they try to sell you on TV for a half an hour are nothing but rips offs, I understand how one could come to such a conslusion but its just not facts comparing the two.

Invest into solid companies, over a long period of time. The Total Stock market has averaged over 11% in its History. If one buys the Total Stock Market the $ doubles every 7 years based on History. Investing takes time. Thats not gambling its called Investing, now buy into a Hot Stock that promises quick fast returns thats Gambling, there is a difference

Apples to Oranges, I am not the one who brought the subject of Churches into the topic, with that though I will defend it, and just curious just how many familes has the church destroyed, vs how many Gambling debts have destroyed families?

Casinos have armored cars pulling out of them everyday. Going back to the original point, I am accusing Casinos of not recycling $ it takes from any Community beyond its property lines, utilities, employees and advertsising. Where as any company has all of those, plus all of the other companies it shares services and products to make a widget, including Trucks in and out to support its on going buisness. Any company in any community turns the dollar over on average ten times in a Community before it finially dissipears, vs a Casino right out the door never to be recycled cause its 100% profit. And as for the tax they pay so does any Company on its profit.

 

[simon says]

Gambling is an illness sponsored by cities like Detroit, as the auto industry goes into the toilet. Look around, every place that has casinos, has a declining infrastructure and jobs base. Don't forget that the Casinos all know that.
Personally, I have never so much as bought a lottery ticket in my life. In fact, I went to Las Vegas because my girlfriend wanted to go and we met here brother there who drove up from L.A. I went to the local natural history museum instead. The only good thing was a jazz club and all the great quantities of food and inexpensive meals. I won't go there again.

However, if you see me parked at a Casino in K.C. or Council Bluffs, it's because either there are no close truckstops, or, the food is good, the bands/bar are fun, and the parking is free & easy for trucks. Inside, they smell like the worst truck stops anywhere for all the cigarette smoke!

 

[unorthodoxneon]

Me i like gambling but i know when to quit. Most the time i go for the fun of it slash something to do. me and the g/f can go with a hundred bucks, eat a good meal and be there for 3-4+ hours. Now most places you goto cost a fortune. Movies is usualy a quick $40 and you eat pop corn and candy and watch a movie. Add a nice dinner to that and such and you could be pushing the hundred mark. Plus atleast at a casino there maybe a chance of walking out with some money.

 

[Packmule]

Take away the Casinos, the lottery, Texas hold em on TV,Bingo parlors,and the Horse and dog tracks....There will still be Gambling.
People will find some way to find something to bet on.
There are those who are born with a desire to blow their hard earned money trying to get rich quick. Let those who need to do it ...do it!!
For those who can use control and can afford to blow a few bucks on a night at the Casino, or a bet on the ball game, I say go for it!!!
There are worst ways to blow your money.

Danny

 

[cheri1122]

I agree - gambling is not a problem for most people, and they have the right to spend their money on whatever they like. Casinos offer more than just gambling, which would be the reason I'd go to one, if I went. I was just commenting on how much of a profit they appear to make - clearly, they aren't gambling themselves, when they offer the hope of a jackpot.
The hypocrisy I mentioned earlier, relative to the government and the church, is that neither was intended to generate a profit, and their sponsorship of gambling is a direct opposite of what they purport to be trying to accomplish. For government, that's the protection and promotion of civilized behavior. For the church, isn't their mission to save souls, and to help the unfortunate, and to do "good"?
Excellent point about the stock market, too - call it investing if you like, but it is still gambling. You risk a loss, hoping for a gain - that's gambling, no?

 

[davebeckym]

Casinos are the American Indian's revenge on the white man!

I have seen people loose their homes to this addiction. Then when they applied for a job, there was a warrant out for their arrest. They wrote a bad check at the casino. They were no longer welcome in Mt Pleasant, so they drove up north. Wrecked the car after gambling all night.

Yes, they have created a lot of jobs and turned Mt pleasant into a tourist town. But at what cost? How many lives and families have they destroyed?

I've been to a casino about three times. My father, mother, and brother all at one time worked at the Saginaw City Rescue Mission. After seeing so many families destroyed I decided the casino wasn't getting another dime out of me, no matter how good the food and entertainment.

 

[lanier1]

I was going to stay out of this but I just can't help myself.

I play on line poker most every day for stakes that are comfortable to me and at the same time fun. I have been doing this for two and a half years. The last time I had to add money to the on line account was in June and it was $25.

Today I went to the Argosy near Cincinatti and lost $60 in the poker room. A sum I could afford to lose and then left. This place was packed and I am sure there were people there that shouldn't have been. Is that really my problem and should I not have access to this form of entertainment because of them?

 

[jaminjim]

Well I was going to stay out of this untill someone said something about those lovley strip clubs. Come on now that is recylcled at it's best (or worst) and I don't mean the money. }>

 

[nightcreacher]

>I just do not get it Post, Rich M told a great story about
>its affect on some drivers and WE are suppost to bail out
>the addict.
>
>
>How many signs do we see promiting this Industry? What is
>its true cost to Society? I do not have the answer but I
>know its BIG, bigger than any of us could comprehend.
>
>This is one thing I know about Gambling and you may
>dissagree and than I will tell my story on a personal
>expirence. Gambling creates no jobs beyond the table and
>the person who counts the $ after you throw it on the table.
>
>In short someone builds a shed in there back yard, $ was
>spent on Materaials that supported the local lumber yard,
>that employed several people, the truck that transported the
>lumber, from the Mill, the driver who and lumberjack who
>transported and cut the tree down and the owner of the
>property that invested into the land and trees, the metal
>mfg that made the nails, and the shingles all transported by
>TRUCKs, now all that $ was either invested back into the
>local economy or spent on groceries, fuel, etc....
>
>Casinos reinvest into nothing beyond its emplyees and
>advertsing, thus the BUCK STOPS THERE is the simple way to
>explaine it. This is a cruel way to make a $ stripping
>people of the pay that should go into raising there
>families, but since thats not possible ME AND YOU get to
>support the difference for them since they cannot support
>themsleves due to the Gambling Addiction that sucks them in.
> Think this is a joke what I writing? Look at any Gambling
>sign in small print it states "those with a gambling problem
>1-800 XXX XXXX) like this relieves them from the slime they
>bring to society.
>
>I love Casinos, for entertainment, food, and watching all of
>those deer in the headlights pulling the lever every time
>they put another hard working dollar into the machine and
>LOOSE over the long term you cannot win unless your a
>cheating professional or card reader.
>
>
>Now for my expierence, 15 years had a great set of Tennants
>outside of Detroit, never late on a payment never any
>problems. Than Windsor came alone so did late rent
>payments. Than Detroit opened its Casinos and it just
>stopped, I was forced to Evict these people and there
>children from what had become HOME. And guess who the bad
>guy is? Me the owner of the property, heck its all my fault
>they spent every last dime in the Casinos I did it I threw
>them out, but was suppost to be sorry.
>
>I cannot fault anyone for enjoying dropping a couple of
>bucks, but the additciton that this industry wants us to
>consume is sickening. Build it bigger, better, brighter,
>feed em drinks and they will never know who much they threw
>away. Sound familar?
>
>And our States are even in on it, heck we call it EDUCATION
>LOTTERY? Yeah right its called DIVERSION or better yet
>stealing from the uneducated, who plays lotteries over and
>over? College Educated well established people right?
>
>Did you know that people who win a Lottery are 4 times more
>likely to get divorced. I wonder what the same odds for
>those who Gamble who cannot afford or should not do so are?
>
>Sorry for the lenght and the topic.


do you know most of those that have won the lottery have gone bankrupt

 

[are12]

I must disagree with this statement:

<<<<Casinos reinvest into nothing beyond its emplyees and advertsing, thus the BUCK STOPS THERE is the simple way to explaine it.>>>>>


Here is an article from our local paper about the casino that just opened up in our area:

-------
Officials mull over what to do with gaming money

BY MICHAEL P. BUFFER
STAFF WRITER

The state this week gave Plains Township its first slice of gaming revenue as home of the state’s first casino, and more gaming money is coming to Luzerne County.


State and county officials say they still don’t know when the county’s portion — expected to be at least $10 million a year — will become available and what it will fund.

State Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Hazle Township, said he hopes some of that money can help fund a proposed project in his district — a $1.6 billion cargo airport near Hazleton.

Plains Township expects to get at least $2.2 million annually, and this week received a $295,800 check, which is based on business at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs from its opening Nov. 14, 2006, through Dec. 31, 2006.

The township’s share goes directly to the township, but the county’s cut won’t go directly to the county. The state Department of Community and Economic Development is collecting the county’s share and will spend the money on public safety and economic development projects in the county, officials said.

“We have to sit down, the leaders of the legislative delegation and the county, to somehow identify projects,†Eachus said. “The project I am most interested in is the airport. That would be the one on the top of my list. I am hopeful we can find ways to take advantage of multiple projects, in Wilkes-Barre on the waterfront, in Pittston. We have got to take a look at the resources and rank the projects.â€

Gladstone Partners LP of Butler Township has proposed the airport development project as a partnership with the state and county. Funding details could be finalized and disclosed after the county creates an authority to run the airport.

“I am not familiar with the cargo airport,†state Sen. Raphael Musto, D-Pittston Township, said.

The proposed airport site is in Musto’s state Senate district.

“Sooner or later they are going to have to talk to me,†he said. “I am just not going to be a rubber stamp. I will have to take a look at this. I support funding for projects that give back ... I do not want to use $10 million a year for some private entity.â€

Musto said, “It’s a little early†to decide where the money should go. He said the state Department of Community and Economic Development “is the proper agency†to decide how to spend the gaming money in the county.

The department is collecting the county’s share in an escrow account and has to finalize regulations on disbursing the money, county Commissioner Todd Vonderheid said.

“I think we make a mistake to start assigning money out to specific projects,†Vonderheid said. “I have a hope, and (Commissioner Greg Skrepenak) has a hope, there’s some sort of agreement with the state delegation. That process hasn’t taken place yet.â€

Minority Commissioner Stephen A. Urban said he wants the gaming money “used for economic development throughout Luzerne County.†All state representatives and state senators from the county should work with the commissioners to recommend projects, Urban said.

State gaming legislation says public safety and economic development projects in Plains Township and the nine municipalities that border the township will “be given priority,†Vonderheid said.

[email protected]

-----

I have nothing against casino's, actually I like to go to them every now and then. Since the above casino opened in our area, we have been there once. Spent about 6 hours there but did not spend a ton of money. I don't plan on going back until they build the new casino.

Jim and I just went over to W Wendover, NV, last weekend, had a blast! We parked at the Trucker's Lounge, got a 2 for 1 discount coupon for the buffet (Rainbow has THE best food!!), spent 10 hours walking around, dropping some money here and there, was exhausted by 10:00 pm, went back to the truck and went to bed!

For anyone that has never been there, if you get a chance, you must stop - even if you don't gamble- stop for the meal. The Trucker's Lounge has a little gift shop, free showers, free coffee and a laundry facility.

 

[hedgehog]

BROOMPILOT SAID:
"Invest into solid companies, over a long period of time. The Total Stock market has averaged over 11% in its History. If one buys the Total Stock Market the $ doubles every 7 years based on History. Investing takes time. Thats not gambling its called Investing, now buy into a Hot Stock that promises quick fast returns thats Gambling, there is a difference"

If one buys the Total Stock Market the $ doubles every 7 years based on History.????????????

BPilot: Do you purchase insurance for your life, truck, home, auto, etc., etc?? That too is a gamble. You are betting you are going to have an accident...the insurance company is betting you will spend more money on your premiums than what they will ever pay out.

Don't ever think the stock market is bullet-proof, I made lots of money by "playing" with options, and then lost it all (and then some)on sure fire bets such as HP and Coca-Cola option calls in 1998.

If I have any worthwhile advice to you: Sell your truck and buy the ENTIRE STOCK MARKET, and in seven years your money will double. Or...sell your truck.. take the equity and play one hand of blackjack.

Be safe.

 

[Broompilot]

>"
>
>If one buys the Total Stock Market the $ doubles every 7
>years based on History.????????????
>
>BPilot: Do you purchase insurance for your life, truck,
>home, auto, etc., etc?? That too is a gamble. You are
>betting you are going to have an accident...the insurance
>company is betting you will spend more money on your
>premiums than what they will ever pay out.
>
>Don't ever think the stock market is bullet-proof, I made
>lots of money by "playing" with options, and then lost it
>all (and then some)on sure fire bets such as HP and
>Coca-Cola option calls in 1998.
>
>If I have any worthwhile advice to you: Sell your truck and
>buy the ENTIRE STOCK MARKET, and in seven years your money
>will double. Or...sell your truck.. take the equity and
>play one hand of blackjack.
>
>Be safe.

This is the dumbest comment I have honestly ever read posted here in my two and half years. You even admitt you played Hedge games (options) which is totaly against what I said thats not investing its greed and you sir got Greedy. If you would have followed my advice you Sir Would still have all of your $. Its this menatality what I am trying to warn others about but to you ITS SOMEONE ELSES FAULT cause its just all gambling vs investing. You played the Fools game, made my point even more clear and LOST. PS my $ has doubled twice in the last 15 years in my IRA and I still have it ALL.

As for insurance, all of the insurance you stated except Life Insurance is MANDATORY by the States to drive a vehicle. So your suggestion is I give up my job and just walk. As for Health Insurance or Life Insurance its not gambling any fool that could afford Health Insurance and had any net worth for the risk vs premium. You can make up games in your head, but I am going to protect my family the best and least expensive way I can.

The point of the post is Casinos take in huge amounts of money, pay out very little, and only rienvest into the communities when its Politically correct for them. Others blast big companies for not donating more and more of there profits. I have never seen anyone getting into the faces of the Casino owners about what to do with there profits, but now Exon etc...

I would challange any one of you to go and Donate a little time at one of these Crises Centers, or man a phone line for one of the 800s on the Billboards vs. spending some $ or time at a Card Table. Eduction, its a great learning tool.

As much as it seems I am condeming those that use these I could care less, but alot of people seem to be offened by the facts that they can destroy families. That these GIANT Corporations that back them can with $ buy themselves into almost any community at any time. The Gambliing industry has gotten so big and powerfull in this Country and hardly anyone has noticed. 5% of the adult population is addicted to gambling of one type or another according to Gamblers A.
The industry acknowledges this and preys even harder to hook more of us. Example, how many Billboards in LA does one have to see before putting 2+2 together, come win a car every weekend in March, showing all of those $100 bills on pillow tops.

You do what you want I choose to get rich slow, manage it properly and be proud of what I have earned and accomplished over time vs gambling it all at once (as suggested here earlier) than get it all at once and keep trying to double it over an over until one finially ends up loosing more than what they started with (Options, Puts, or Put it all on Black). Have fun.

PS as for the comments about Wilkes Scranton, we all know what any Politician will do for $. I have learned to accept when it comes to $ and Politics not to believe most of what is said or printed. You made a point, but what about the peoples who lives or destroyed is that worth the risk? It would be great if I did not care about others, or would it be?

 

[hedgehog]

BPilot:

Congratulations. You are going to be the second expediter on this website to make a million in xx years.

Be safe

 

[cheri1122]

Hedge, I'm not disagreeing with you, except about the insurance - it's not much of a gamble for the insurance companies, when they can raise your rates if you ever have the audacity to make a claim, but I admire Broom's dedication to family first, then community. I share his priorities, though my actual achievements rank on a much smaller scale. It's the attitude of "I got mine, to hell with everyone else" that I don't agree with.
Compulsive gamblers, the ones who lose it all for the hope of the jackpot, need help, same as alcoholics. Identifying them, and allowing the rest of us to enjoy what we can be moderate about, makes sense to me. Which means the government will not do a very good job of it, sigh.

 

[Turtle]

Insurance companies take in premiums, and then largely invest it into the stock market.

Investing in the stock market involves some risk, and some parts of it are more risky than others (options, penny stocks, commodities), but it's not betting on games of chance, which is something very different. The stock market involves calculated risks based on many factors, and research into the marketplace and into the different companies can reduce a lot of that risk. You can do all the research in the world on the history and science of flipping a coin, but when you lay money on it, it's still a 50/50 chance.

As for casinos ruining lives, uhm, I don't think so. People simply need to take responsibility for their own actions. When you curse the casinos for ruining people's lives, what you should be doing instead is looking those people straight in the eye and asking them why they ruined their lives at a casino. Yeah, I know, gambling is an addiction, an illness, but that still doesn't give you a free pass to keep from taking responsibility for what you do.

 

[hedgehog]

Cherri wrote:
"Compulsive gamblers, the ones who lose it all for the hope of the jackpot, need help, same as alcoholics. Identifying them, and allowing the rest of us to enjoy what we can be moderate about, makes sense to me. Which means the government will not do a very good job of it, sigh."

I say:
Compulsive gamblers do need help. However, they are near the bottom of my list of "victims." Nobody forced these victims into casinos.
Are we so naive to think that if we ban all legal casinos that family and community problems will be better off ??

At the top of my victim list are the families of the alcholics who destroy their families by abusing the drug alcohol on a weekly/daily basis. The innocent children of parent(s) who must live under these conditions until they reach the age of 18.

Victim? A victim is someone who doesn't have a choice.

Be safe.

 

[cheri1122]

Ban the casinos? Heaven forbid - what would my elderly mother do for entertainment?
I was making the point that compulsive gamblers are NOT a reason to deny the rest of society the form of entertainment they enjoy, same as alcoholics are not a reason to ban alcohol. It is in society's best interest to make a serious effort to prevent addicts from harming innocent people, and this is where the government is failing. The usual response of government is some kind of BandAid, like banning the sale of alcohol on Sundays, which does nothing to deter the addict, just inconveniences the rest of us. The alcoholic will make certain to lay in a supply on Saturday, while I will find, should I have a desire to mix a pitcher of margaritas on a summer Sunday afternoon, that I cannot buy the alcohol - it's against the law.
Laws that make sense are not what our government does best.

 

[wallytrucker1]

broom no need to send me anymore private e-mails. i use this forum for mostly expediting topics, but your rants provoked me to respond. i assume by your e-mail you did not appreciate my opinion, so you chose to e-mail me. if you choose to communicate with me any further, please you this public forum so that others can discover what i have ; YOU ARE A COMPLETE IDIOT..

 

[x06col]

The question. IS there anuther Woodychuck in our midst???? Hmmmm