Not sure I agree completely but I have one very important question:
    Who is Jimmy Stuart and why do we not any more of him?

My tongue was very firmly in cheek...


> -----Original Message-----
> From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On
Behalf
> Of James Newtons Massmind
> Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 5:19 PM
> To: 'Microcontroller discussion list - Public.'
> Subject: RE: [OT]: How many ways
> 
> > Actually, the lottery is worse more than is obvious at first blush.
> > Consider this:
> >
> > In our state (USA-Georgia), the lottery proceeds go to
> > college scholarships for students with B or higher grade
> > averages regardless of income/wealth.
> > More lower income/wealth people tend to buy lottery tickets.
> > More upper income/wealth people tend to go to college.
> >
> > So, lower income/wealth people tend to be paying for upper
> > income/wealth people to go to college.
> >
> > But wait, I'm not done...
> >
> > With more people being able to afford to go to college
> > because of the lottery, the cost of college has gone way up
> > for everyone  (the immutable law of supply and demand).  And
> > since part of the colleges costs is borne by the taxpayer,
> > our taxes are going up.
> >
> > So the lottery is really a "lose-lose" proposition for "poor"
> > people and taxpayers!!
> >
> > This is one example of the "Law of Unintended Consequences".
> 
> > It's more like "Take from the poor (with their active
> > participation) and give to the wealthy."
> 
> Not in my opinion. Very strongly.
> 
> Funding college tuition from lottery profit is "take from the stupid
and
> give to the smart."
> 
> And I do not judge the stupid for being stupid; quite often, they have
had
> no choice in the matter.
> 
> Nor am I saying that everyone who plays the lottery is stupid. That is
a
> different argument.
> 
> And I am not happy about having to say this. I wish it were not the
truth
> (as I see it).
> 
> But: If you fail to make it fun for the stupid to loose their money,
then
> they will retain it and spend it in ways that influence the market
> stupidly.
> Sadly, it is bad for everyone in the long run to NOT separate the fool
> from
> his money.
> 
> After all, it is also a sad fact that "who has money, runs the show."
If
> the
> stupid have money, they decide what products will be made, and by
whom.
> The
> opiate of the masses should be chosen well, and they will not.
> 
> I don't like it, but it seems that there is no choice.
> 
> On another level, I despise the removal of personal responsibility
that I
> see so often in this country and at the same time, the interference of
> others in the wishes and desires of each "free" man and woman.
> 
> If I want to gamble, drink, shoot up drugs, smoke, eat worms and even
die,
> who are you to tell me I can't? As long as I do not harm others, it
ain't
> no
> bodies business if I do.
> 
> Now, given that there are people who will gamble, drink, etc... it is
the
> right, nay, the responsibility of others, especially our leaders, to
> service
> those vices in a way that does some good for the students if it is the
> choice of the consumers to do bad to themselves.
> 
> Of course, the best possible thing is to provide education at a lower
> tuition cost in the hope of turning some of the stupid into the smart.
And
> that is exactly what the lottery funding of the educational system
does.
> 
> In a perfect world, from behind rose colored glasses, everyone would
get
> an
> education, free of charge, that mandates a solid understanding of
> statistics, probabilities and critical thinking. This is also, sadly,
not
> the reality of the situation. Some people are simply... Well, let us
just
> go
> on and say it: too stupid to learn. And even if they were, our school
> system
> does not really attempt it.
> 
> Most religions tell the faithful not to gamble, (drink, smoke, etc...)
but
> that may be as much cutting out the competition as helping the flock
keep
> their wool. And the church may do some good with its cut of the stupid
> tax,
> but how many Jimmy Stuarts and Sistine Chapels do we really need?
> 
> No, the funding of education from the lottery is the best answer I can
see
> in a sad world.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry if this approaches politics... If anyone complains, I'll send
myself
> a
> stern letter and... Whatever...
> 
> ---
> James.
> 
> 
> --
> 
> View/change your membership options at
> http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist


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