Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!henry From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) Newsgroups: can.politics Subject: Re: Lotteries Message-ID: <5778@utzoo.UUCP> Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 12:35:17 EDT Article-I.D.: utzoo.5778 Posted: Thu Jul 11 12:35:17 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 11-Jul-85 12:35:17 EDT References: <1121@ubc-cs.UUCP> <1110@mnetor.UUCP> <695@lsuc.UUCP> Organization: U of Toronto Zoology Lines: 17 > ... A rational person who knows something about probability and has > alternative ways to improve his or her situation does not buy lottery tickets. I think I fit this description, and I occasionally buy a lottery ticket. I don't expect to win; the cost is filed under "entertainment expenses" rather than "investments". Mind you, my lottery-ticket budget is $20/yr, and I've underspent it for the last decade or so... I generally agree with the rest of Jim's comments. Lottery advertising is particularly obnoxious, and is obviously aimed at convincing the stupid and poor that their lucky day is just around the corner. I'm not sure that I consider the lottery business out-and-out morally wrong, since the reasoning for this would apply to many other forms of advertising hype as well, but it's definitely on the sleazy side. -- Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry