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From: fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams)
Newsgroups: can.politics
Subject: Re: Lotteries
Message-ID: <1278@mnetor.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 12-Jul-85 09:38:12 EDT
Article-I.D.: mnetor.1278
Posted: Fri Jul 12 09:38:12 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 12-Jul-85 10:17:07 EDT
References: <1121@ubc-cs.UUCP> <1110@mnetor.UUCP> <695@lsuc.UUCP> <1218@mnetor.UUCP> <702@lsuc.UUCP> <1243@utcsri.UUCP> <1268@mnetor.UUCP>
Reply-To: fred@mnetor.UUCP (Fred Williams)
Distribution: can
Organization: Computer X (CANADA) Ltd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Lines: 36
Summary: 

In article <1268@mnetor.UUCP> clewis@mnetor.UUCP (Chris Lewis) writes:
>That's silly.  I KNOW that the probability of winning is virtually nil.
>I also am doing quite well financially thank you.  And, I'm rational (so 
>far as I can tell! :-)).  But, the occasional "waste" of a couple of bucks 
>doesn't hurt me in exchange for some minor entertainment/excitement and 
>the off chance (certainly remote) of getting rich.
>
	OK Chris, so you found a counter example of someone who was
not destitute, still rational, (nnyyeeeaaaaahhhh, *just kidding*),
and buys lottery tickets. However, just because you occasionally do
it, doesn't make it moral. 
	I was talking with Sophie yesterday, and admitted that even
I have bought the occassional wintario ticket. I consider them
donations, (3 in my life), to some of the causes they support. But
I did win $25 and that leaves me about $10 ahead. I doubt I'll buy
any more. Now if I want to donate to a local hockey team I'll look
them up and give them the money directly, and feel better about
doing it.

>the general Government taxation pot - but none of them (to my knowledge)
>do.  Consider lottery revenue voluntary contributions to programs and 
>following the same argument, alcohol should be considered immoral.  Same
>for horse betting.  As would card games and other such "vices".  Are you 
>a member of the WCTU or something?  I know Fred isn't.  
>
	Alcohol, horse betting, betting for cash, playing cards for
cash, etc. *are* immoral.  This doesn't mean I'm getting rid of the
wine in my cellar. I do have my vices, believe it or not, but you'll
never see me drunk.

Cheers,		Fred Williams.

PS: Chris, I know what you're comment will be so I'll leave it in
from the previous posting.

>Sheesh!