Taking Bets on the powerball preacher

[FireWitch]

Starting today, I'd like to lay even (albeit virtual) money on the probability that the recent powerball winner from pig knuckle depot W.Va. will be either...

A. Embroiled in a scandal after he's caught with a 15 year old boy (or girl) he paid for sex. :smack:

B. Stone broke from giving his winnings to his church, that is in need of a constant supply of paper fans and serpents. ;j

C. Shot dead by a jealous and scorned lover or employee after denying thier demands for compensation whilst in the midst of an attempted blackmail. :wally:

or

D. His pick-up truck will be struck by a speeding freight train after getting stuck at the crossing in the rain, while en route to the prison with his mama to pass out fudge and bible tracts to the inmates. :wally:


100 virtual bucks and all of my hope on "D"

[Mockingbird]

Okay... and why do you feel this way, and where is the debate in this vile post of yours?

[KSO]

I'll be glad when school is back in session. FireWitch , do your mommy and daddy know you're using their computer?

[Kalt]

he's not a preacher, he's owns a small construction company. He did give 10% of his winnings to the church and say "thank you god for letting me win." Had he lost, he wouldn't be thanking god for letting him lose. Meanwhile, his church just got $17 million which will surely be squandered. Oh well, at least someone won't have to pay taxes on all this lottery money.

that being said, i don't see any debate here.

[Monty]

Strange take on the situation there, Kalt. For one thing, the winner elected to take his prize in one lump sum and paid a huge tax bite for doing that.

[Duck Duck Goose]

One vote here for moving this non-debateable thinly disguised rant to the Pit.

[Siege]

Uhm, firewitch, first of all, no bet. Second, my best friend lives in that town in West Virginia. Third, from all the reports I've seen, he sounds like a pretty decent, respectable, well-balanced type. Buying a helicopter and donating 10% to charity sounds like a pretty good balance between fantasy and practicality to me, and one doesn't run a successful business without a lot of practicality.

CJ

[Gaudere]

[Moderator Hat ON]

I see more of a rant than a great debate here, so I am moving this to the Pit.

[Moderator Hat OFF]

[Duck Duck Goose]

I admit, his CNN profile does sound like one of those Reader's Digest "Profiles in Courage" inspirational stories...

"...Single grandmother raises 16 grandchildren while battling floods, famines, brush fires, and Evil Developers who want to take the family land, while slinging hash at the diner and studying for her law degree on the side.

Plus she had brain cancer.

...but it must be true. The man's apparently a saint, and as for the money "being squandered" by "his church", he's giving it to three different churches and they're going to set up a fund.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/12/27/whittaker.profile.ap/
The pastors -- in Hurricane, a bedroom community between Charleston and Huntington; in Jumping Branch, Whittaker's hometown near the Virginia border; and a third who now lives in California -- will administer a fund he wants to create to help the poor.

[Elza B]

Originally posted by cjhoworth
Uhm, firewitch, first of all, no bet. Second, my best friend lives in that town in West Virginia. Third, from all the reports I've seen, he sounds like a pretty decent, respectable, well-balanced type. Buying a helicopter and donating 10% to charity sounds like a pretty good balance between fantasy and practicality to me, and one doesn't run a successful business without a lot of practicality.

CJ

And one of my best friends is from that town, I went to college 30 minutes away, and I saw this guy on TV last night---he seems like a respectable, nice guy. Good for him.

By the way, not *all* churches in WV are serpent-laden. Oh, and many of them have air-conditioning! Go figure!

Putz.

Ava

[E-Sabbath]

This guy is a real American. The kind of capitalist that you want to see in your town. It makes me proud to hear about it. Seriously.

Self-made millionaire, gets more money... and he uses it to hire people he had to lay off back. AND he, fully in a voluntary fashion, sets up a fund for the poor... wisely, with three local churches so he knows where the money goes.

Ayn Rand would be proud, before she went raving loonie.

[Splanky]

I agree with most of you. I'd rather see this guy win than some hobo who hasn't worked a day in his life. This guy is hard working, compassionate, practical, and generous. I'm glad he won.

[Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor]

Originally posted by E-Sabbath

Ayn Rand would be proud, before she went raving loonie.

Waddaya mean, "went"?
Ms. Rand--"NATHANIEL! MORE GIN! BRING ME MORE GIN!!!!

That barking-dog she-troll merely inverted Communism, except for the athiesm, & put her name on it. :wally

[Jurhael]

Yea, he seems great. Too bad most people AREN'T like him. :(

[Missy2U]

On top of the donations he said he was going to do, he also said that he was going to hire back some 25 people who he had to lay off from his construction company - it seems to me that's a pretty laudable aim. Firewitch, what's your problem? I'm not being mean, I'm really curious.

[Fenris]

Sooooo, from your OP, we can figure that you're stupid AND jealous, FireBitch?

[Sunglasses]

Thanks for moving this to the Pit, Gaudere, so I can tell the OP what freaking, bigoted moron he is.

FireWitch, I live approximately ten miles from "Pig Knuckle" Depot, WV. This is NOT a state full of ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots, though we have our share like any other state (yours, maybe?)

You ignorant ass!

[quixotic78]

I gotta admit, when I first read the article about how this guy was praising God for the winning ticket and was going to give the money to his church(es), I was cynical, just like the OP. I had a knee-jerk reaction of, "Well, I bet he didn't curse God for all the other times he spent $100 and didn't win." Which is still probably true, but it's no longer relevant. The guy does seem like a good fellow, and he's being as responsible as anyone could ask of him, considering he just won an unimagineable windfall.

So I guess this atheist isn't too big to admit that he was apparently wrong. Good on ya, Mr. Whittaker, and keep up the good works.

Quix

[Avalonian]

Originally posted by Missy2U
Firewitch, what's your problem? I'm not being mean, I'm really curious.

I'm guessing sour grapes, and FireWitch is off burning all the the lottery tickets he/she purchased that were losers. :wally

[truthbot]

Tut, tut FireWitch. You're talking about the man I love!

Gadzooks! I'm channeling Ana Nicole!

[Blueberry Buckle]

Originally posted by FireWitch
...the recent powerball winner from pig knuckle depot W.Va. ...


Since this is the pit, HEY YOU CRUD INFESTED BRAIN-DEAD HOG-HUMPING RECTUM HEAD, the correct town name is SCOTT Depot West Virginia (I grew up in the town, like it really means anything to anyone, anyway). If your going to rant, at least get the damn town your bitching about, correct.

On another note, I have had the opportunity to meet this man on one occasion. I won't go into details, but I assure you he seemed to be a genuinely nice, respectable person.

[FireWitch]

This, is great. For one person to type, for 19 people to respond, really gives one perspective, a better look into the power of the written word. Of course, I didn't mean a word of what I wrote, though my poorly received and tepid attempt at comedy really riled a few of you. That alone is worth the price of admission here, and the reason in general these types of forums are great.

Now for some of you, who at this foolish and sophomoric attempt at 43.5 seconds of written sketch comedy, unleashed your collective and unbridled fury, I cannot help but respond thusly...

Fenris said:
Sooooo, from your OP, we can figure that you're stupid AND jealous, FireBitch?

Well Fen, I doubt that the 'we' you speak of is any more than 'you' but I'll humor you.
1. No, I am not stupid, my writings were, just as they were designed, yet I, thankfully am far from stupid.
2. Yes indeed I am a bit jealous, who wouldn't like a free 315 million dollars, but the reality is that any jealous leanings I have did not fuel my writing.

Firebitch? Please, let's not throw stones about being stupid Fenris, an original attempt at an insult is appreciated more than you know.

Sunglasses added...
Thanks for moving this to the Pit, Gaudere, so I can tell the OP what freaking, bigoted moron he is.

FireWitch, I live approximately ten miles from "Pig Knuckle" Depot, WV. This is NOT a state full of ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots, though we have our share like any other state (yours, maybe?)

You ignorant ass!

Agreed, GD was probably not the place for this post, my bad.

SunglASSes, good for you, I hear Pig Knuckle Depot is beautiful this time of year. For the record, I never did say, no, not ever once, that your state was, and I quote "full of ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots" You said that.

However I could point to several vital statistics for your fair state such as the WVA Dept. of Health and Human Services 1999 statistic that tells us that there were 23 children born to parents between 10 and 14 years of age, and in that same year, that number jumped to 889 children born to parents between 15 and 17 years of age.

I could also point out that crime statistics for your state, versus those of a similar state, say Maine for instance, are considerably higher, to wit;

1999 saw a population in W.Va. of 1,808,344 while in Maine, the population was 1,253,040, this will illustrate the similarities. While there is a difference of 555,304 people, the statistics are unlikely to bear a markedly different result, though my thought process here is not even remotely scientific.

examples:

W.Va. in 1999 saw 6,336 violent crimes, with 79 murders, 337 forceable rapes, 749 robberies and 5259 aggravated assaults.

Meanwhile, Maine in 1999 saw 1,404 violent crimes, with 25 murders, 239 forceable rapes, 243 robberies and 897 aggravated assaults.
This, of course, is not scientific, but then I don't really know if there is a scientific theory that could produce an accuate number of "ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots" that live in a state, much less what that states' particular 'share' happens to be.

Indeed, Illinois has it's share of morons, fewer "ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots" and more drug dealing, gang-banging, carjacking idiots. Being from Chicago, I don't see too many of the other variety.

An ass? Me? Possibly. But ignorant? No, not even a little.

Missy2u,
See the the first paragraph.

Avalonian,
I don't buy lottery tickets, generally, I consider them a tax on those with poor mathematic abilities, and please, try to refrain using 'witch' and 'burning' in the same sentence. :D

At the end of it all though, I'm happy for Mr. Whittaker, though no where near as happy as I'd have been for a single mom with two kids and three jobs who WASN'T ALREADY A MILLIONAIRE!!!
It does make me wonder though, if the winner is so anxious to help the poor, what has he done with his successful businesses to help the poor, aside from lay off some employees, and with his meager 117 million he hopes to "buy a helicopter, and maybe hire a few of them back" This is just a question, one I have not the answer for, though maybe someone does...

[Jurhael]

Hoo boy...I can see this thread go on for about four pages. What say you?

[Neurotik]

So, basically you're saying you're a troll?

[E-Sabbath]

All I'm going to say here, really, miss, is that more people like this man, and W. VA would be a much better place. Not that there aren't a lot of them around. We see them, now and again. Usually when we need them. In disasters and terror. Until then, they're just your next door neighbor. This man has shown the good, honest, even noble side of human nature in the even rarer case of a massive blessing upon one man.

What's he done to help the poor? Well, for one, sewage treatment is very important to prevent disease. For a second, he's, from what I understand, a self-made millionaire. So he's made a company for himself, which employs people, which stops them from being, well, poor.

I'm not saying he's perfect or anything. I don't know the man. But I think this can certainly be a person I strongly respect.

[Monty]

Let's see if I have this right, Firewitch: you posted an absolutely basis and prejudiced OP and are now griping when it's pointed out to you that the OP's absolutely basis and prejudiced. "Does that about sum it up?"

[Monty]

Dratted misspellings. "basis" should be "baseless" in both instances in the previous posting.

[Cubsfan]

Now I don't wanna be dragged down into the abyss that witch created, but shouldn't we wait until he actually DOES some of the stuff he mentioned that he's gonna do before we start sucking him off?

[HelloKitty]

I would just like to take a moment to thank God for allowing me to pick the wrong numbers and thus causing me to LOSE the lottery...

[Splanky]

there were 23 children born to parents between 10 and 14 years of age, and in that same year, that number jumped to 889 children born to parents between 15 and 17 years of age.

Do you realize what you're saying? You're basically saying more post puberty teens get pregnant than pre-puberty teens. Are you in any way suprised that there are less pregnant ten year olds than pregnant teens at or near the age of consent? Most children in the first category can't even get pregnant, let alone be in such position that may lead to pregnancy.

[Bryan Ekers]

FireWitch's defensive backpedalling reminds me of someting Johnny Carson said on The Tonight Show a while back:

"You can tell that you're a cruel person by the numbers of times you have to say 'I'm only kidding'."


Of course, in FW's case, I'd go with "stupid" over "cruel".

[Silentgoldfish]

Originally posted by Neurotik
So, basically you're saying you're a troll?

Of the "it was a social engineering experiment aren't I a genius" species.

[Triskadecamus]

Well, let's take a poll,

If you had to choose, would you populate the area around where you live with people like Mr. Whittaker, or folks like Firewitch?

Tris

[Typo Negative]

Originally posted by FireWitch
2. Yes indeed I am a bit jealous, who wouldn't like a free 315 million dollars, Well, not free. He DID have to pay the $100 bucks for the tickets.

[Typo Negative]

Originally posted by Stinkpalm
Now I don't wanna be dragged down into the abyss that witch created, but shouldn't we wait until he actually DOES some of the stuff he mentioned that he's gonna do before we start sucking him off? Sucking him off?????:eek::eek: :eek: :eek:

[jackelope]

The winner was from Scott Depot? Cool; I didn't know that! I've got a grandmother and several other relatives in Scott Depot!

Re. the OP, let's all just keep quiet and watch him/her self-destruct...

[Fenris]

Originally posted by FireWitch
This, is great. For one person to type, for 19 people to respond, really gives one perspective, a better look into the power of the written word. Of course, I didn't mean a word of what I wrote, though my poorly received and tepid attempt at comedy really riled a few of you. That alone is worth the price of admission here, and the reason in general these types of forums are great.


Congratulations: In one paragraph you've admitted to trollish behavior AND have used two of the standard excuses (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=87747). At the same time.


Excuse #2: It Was An Experiment: "As a trained sociologist, I designed my post with proper controls and safeguards such that I could delve into the psyches of the Teeming Millions and learn of their inner turmoil."

Excuse #3: I Was Only Joking: "When I said that I was glad your kid had cancer and hope he dies, it was clearly meant to be funny. A joke. Get it? I guess you don't have a sense of humor. :rolleyes:"


That must be some new sort of record.

Fenris

[norinew]

what has he done with his successful businesses to help the poor, aside from lay off some employees, Ummm, maybe this didn't occur to you, but I believe that what he has 'done with his successful business' is to employ people, keeping said people from being impoverished/jobless. And perhaps, by laying off some folks, he was keeping his business afloat and viable, thereby ensuring that it continued to supply some jobs, and bring money into the area.:wally I must be pretty mellow. This is the very first time I think I've ever used that particular smiley.

[Duck Duck Goose]

Yes indeed I am a bit jealousGood! More fuel for your fire.

http://www.wtap.com/news/headlines/164881.html
Vienna Powerball Winner!
Denise Alex

While many people are still talking about Thursday's biggest lottery winner out of Hurricane, WV, a Valley man is also making Powerball history.

20-year old Josh McClead of Vienna won West Virginia's only $100,000 lottery prize.

The winning Powerball ticket was bought at the Citgo station in Lubeck by Josh's father Larry.

The sophomore pre-pharmacy major at West Virginia University says he'll use the winning money to pay off his education.
http://www.powerball.com/102602in.shtm
John & Elaine Higgins
October 26, 2002
Indiana

John Higgins of Evansville turned in his quick-pick Powerball ticket today to claim his $83.5 million jackpot.

He and his wife of 41 years don’t have any major plans for the prize money except to help family members. They have three children and six grandchildren. Higgins is on special medications and has dialysis three times a week so this money will help with medical expenses.

"Me and my eight brothers and sisters grew up in the depression," Higgins explained. "Now I can make sure my grandchildren won’t have to know what that is like."

"We are excited for the family that we can leave something behind," Elaine Higgins said. "But we aren’t too worked up. We aren’t going to do anything extravagant. I still plan on going around and turning off the lights."

Elaine Higgins even worked her double shift yesterday at the LSP nursing home.
http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20021228-58556.shtml
Hobbs mom wins $100,000 Powerball prize
Associated Press

HOBBS, N.M. -- So Debbie Elliott wasn't the big Christmas Powerball jackpot winner.

But the struggling, single mother from Hobbs doesn't mind. She had New Mexico's only second-prize ticket worth $100,000.

And the win couldn't have come at a better time for Elliott, who works full-time as a nurse's aide and also holds down a part-time job.

"The day after Christmas was my 40th birthday," she said. "It changed everything. It's been a rough year."

Elliott said her first priority would be to repay her parents who bought her a car earlier this year after she lost her van in a fire and needed transportation to work. Then, she said, she plans to pay bills, buy cars for her kids and save the rest.

Elliott also said she plans to keep her part-time job at the Yucca Bar.
http://www.powerball.com/032702la.shtm
Jerry Berggren & Cathy DeMuynck

March 27, 2002

A self-employed Kenner man and his fiancée pulled up to the Louisiana Lottery corporate offices in a long white limousine Tuesday and left a short time later $17.7 million richer.

Berggren, who operated his own appliance repair business, said after confirming that he had the winning numbers, "I said to myself, 'Self, you're no longer employed. You just retired.'"

"We chose to take the lump sum rather than the annuity payment because I'm 54 and Cathy is 50, so we're going to enjoy life from now on. We are through working and are now retired. We plan to spend some of the money and invest some. We also plan to make sure some of our family members are taken care of for life," Berggren said.

http://www.powerball.com/022002nm.shtm
Isabell & Rafael Delgado
February 20, 2002
New Mexico

The pair chose the lump-sum cash option payment of nearly $17.9 million before taxes.

The couple has been married for 25 years. Mrs. Delgado works as a clerk typist for the City of Las Cruces’ Benavidez Community Center and plans to keep her job. Mr. Delgado had been employed by Raley’s Supermarket, until the California chain closed its Las Cruces stores last summer. He has since gone back to college at New Mexico State University and now plans to finish his degree in mechanical engineering technology. A more immediate plan looms, however.

“We’re going to Disneyland,” Mrs. Delgado said. “I’ve promised my kids for years that when we had the money, or if I ever won the Lottery, I could afford to take them to Disneyland.” Her three children range in age from 16 to 29, and she also has grandchildren. Additionally, she plans to help her children buy homes. Her husband plans to invest as much of the prize as possible so that their children and grandchildren can attend college and to assure the family’s financial security.

[Jurhael]

OH WOWOOW!! That's great for them! I'm happy for them, especially for the College Student and the one who has medical expenses!

:D

[JeffB]

Originally posted by Fenris
Congratulations: In one paragraph you've admitted to trollish behavior AND have used two of the standard excuses (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=87747). At the same time.
You missed the part where FireWitch chastised you for doing a play on his/her user name and then turns around and does it to Sunglasses:

Originally posted by FireWitch
Firebitch? Please, let's not throw stones about being stupid Fenris, an original attempt at an insult is appreciated more than you know.

<snip>

SunglASSes, good for you, I hear Pig Knuckle Depot is beautiful this time of year.

[techchick68]

Originally posted by FireWitch
At the end of it all though, I'm happy for Mr. Whittaker, though no where near as happy as I'd have been for a single mom with two kids and three jobs who WASN'T ALREADY A MILLIONAIRE!!!
It does make me wonder though, if the winner is so anxious to help the poor, what has he done with his successful businesses to help the poor, aside from lay off some employees, and with his meager 117 million he hopes to "buy a helicopter, and maybe hire a few of them back" This is just a question, one I have not the answer for, though maybe someone does...

Unfortunately, that logic is skewed, in my opinion, bolding mine of course.

Business owners make tough decisions every damn day. Most importantly when times are tough, what to do to keep the business afloat when things are rough. They can't win. If they asked each employee to take a pay cut, the business owner would be looked upon as a greedy bastard. If he or she lays people off, still a bastard.

I am so sick of people blasting business owners, especially small business owners that make very heart-wrenching decisions that most of them don't want to do. However, with that said, Mr or Ms business owner makes those decisions to keep their company from going into bankruptcy. They make those decisions to keep 100 people employed rather than 125 (or whatever the case may be.)

Because his company makes millions doesn't mean he's worth millions. My dad's company (yeah, I always bring personal items up because it suits my need to help other's understand) brought in about $23 million a year in window sales. That didn't mean my dad was worth $23 million that year, he had taxes, various ummm unbelievable but salaries to pay to his 215 employees, building (real estate) fees, truck purchases and insurance, manufacturing equipment to maintain, product to buy to make windows to sell, etc...it takes a damn hell of a lot to run even a small business.

These people create a lot of jobs. From the suppliers to the people that finish the product. It's a cycle and to blast a small business man for winning the lottery is just crap.

My dad didn't have a family while he was in business, we were second to his business. He worked very hard for every damn dime he made. In fact, it was so much so that the business my grandfather started, my dad bought from him, is now out of business because he retired and no one truly appreciated the work he put into helping the economy on a local level.

If my dad had won that jackpot, I would have been extremelly happy for him even though he doesn't need it. He lives a very comfortable life. But why would he not be as deserving as a single mother?

That single mother made choices in her life. So did my father. So did the man that won this jackpot of cash. You make choices and frankly, I don't think anyone is more deserving than the next.

Our choices in life, yes, they are choices, make us have the circumstances we live in. Single mom of three that is working two jobs is not *more* deserving in my eyes than a man who owns a company and does make difficult decisions he probably doesn't want to make.

It makes no sense.

The poor playing this game are not likely to be able to afford it anyway and should focus on feeding, clothing and keeping a roof over their heads than playing a game of chance.

Whatever, this whole, he's not deserving is not for us to judge but rather hope that he uses the money in a way that is positive for others. Apparently he plans on doing that. Only his heart can prove that he is willing to do more than just spend the money on only his heart's desires.

[masonite]

Maybe the folks who are so unhappy about a successful, comfortable person winning the lottery should reflect on whether a lottery is a good idea at all.

It's supposed to be random, you know. That means Bill Gates has as much of a chance as any of us - more, if he buys lots of tickets with his great wealth. He probably doesn't - people generally don't get rich making a lot of bad bets, which is what buying a lottery ticket really is.

I don't suppose more than a very few people actually think the money should be withheld from Mr. West Virginia Business Owner, and redistributed to the truly needy? If that's your political philosophy, how does a lottery fit in with that at all? Why not just have the government act as Robin Hood until all the wealth is evenly distributed, if you're truly interested in achieving that goal?

I think lotteries are a bad idea for many reasons. But if we're going to have them, expect surprises like this. Hate the results? Work to get rid of the lottery altogether, don't resent the accidental winner.

[senor]

Hola!

I hate when anyone but myself wins the Powerball, but at least this guy seems to be a good guy who is interested in helping others in the community. The redneck is a millionaire already.

Speaking of rednecks, the last winner of one of these big assed jackpots was a 20 year old girl from Georgia, who won 50 million. That makes me sick.

SENOR

[Jurhael]

The lottery has never bothered me because while it's true that a wealthy person might have an advantage, I highly doubt that many millionaires bother anyway.

From what I've seen, most people who go for the lottery and win are anything but wealthy. *shrug*

I'm just glad for him, yanno? It's like watching people you don't know win something at the Price is Right. You can't help but route for the contestants. Heh

[Liberal]

Firewitch wrote:

An ass? Me? Possibly. But ignorant? No, not even a little.Plenty of ignorant people arm themselves with facts and figures — all worthless as tits on a bull hog.

[Duck Duck Goose]

* cough *

Er, it's "useless as tits on a boar".

snappier, doncha know

Carry on.

:D

[FireWitch]

I've always heard 'tits on a bull' but that's just me...

So, I've been called trollish, stupid, ignorant, and accused of backpedaling and covering my tracks using the standard "excuses" Yet, (and I know someone will now do it) I haven't, at least in this case, been called wrong.

Yes, indeed it was a bit of comedy, and no, I am not a sociologist attempting to delve into the collective psyche of the teeming masses, still it seems that is exactly what I have done, and while in the doing, have pissed a few of you right off. Good. Gathering that kind of ire shows you mean what you say, especially when you stick up for someone you've never even met.

Lib, I admit, it's true, plenty of ignorant people arm themselves with facts and figures, most of them we elect, and all of them openly claim some kind of fervent political affiliation.

Further, (Techchick) I didn't attack all small business owners, just this chap, and I did so because I question his motivation, I do not believe it is right or wrong, but I merely question.
I did indeed NOT say who deserved and did not deserve to win the thing, I personally am happy for anyone who, by whatever means, can lift themselves out of commonality and do things to help themselves and others, yet my opinion remains that I am happier when someone who desperately needs it, gets it.

Splanky, I was making reference to the possiblity that W.Va. like many other states, did indeed have it's "share of ignorant, incestuous, child molesting, bible thumping idiots" and I did so using the states own statistics. It frightens and angers me that there are ANY pregnant 10-17 year olds, period. If that's not child molestation, I'm not sure what is.


Regarding this fellow...I've done quite a bit of reading since I've been held over the coals here in the pit, and have learned quite a bit about Mr. Whittaker, though as I read, I am not necessarily compelled to believe. Still, I'd LIKE to believe he's as gold-clad as the stories indicate, but that would be naive. I'm pretty sure that after 12 years in emergency services that I've stared the nature of humanity dead in the face, and am well acquainted with most sides of man, even more so than the sociologist.

Dealing en masse with the faithful; generally, I think faith is a good thing, yet at the same time, believe that religion is the root cause of very many problems in the global society. I see, from my own vantage point, the church as a whole as being a lecherous middleman, who skims first from the donations of the able and then from the hearts and minds of the downtrodden. Religion allows no room for free thought, or the questioning of authority, and in the process, is oppressive in its' demands. Faith and positive personal action, I believe, are the only necessary components to achieve salvation, nirvana, summerland etc. So I suppose my negative bent toward religion has skewed my view of this possibly very nice person...






...but I doubt it.

[Typo Negative]

Originally posted by FireWitch
Yes, indeed it was a bit of comedy, But wasn't very funny, and sounded downright mean.

[Podkayne]

Originally posted by FireWitch
It frightens and angers me that there are ANY pregnant 10-17 year olds, period. If that's not child molestation, I'm not sure what is.

Riiiiight, 'cause no teenager ever got pregnant by screwing another teenager. They all got knocked up by pedophile preachers.

[ioioio]

According to their web page, Scott Depot WV has a population of 5,893, and yet...
cjhoworth: my best friend lives in that town
avabeth: one of my best friends is from that town
sunglasses: I live approximately ten miles from [there]
Blueberry Buckle: I grew up in the town.
jackelope: I've got a grandmother and several other relatives in Scott Depot!

Anybody else want to claim some connection to the guy who just won $315 million? :D

posted by FireWitch Well Fenris, I doubt that the 'we' you speak of is any more than 'you' but I'll humor you.
Now that's funny.

[jackelope]

Originally posted by lainaf
jackelope: I've got a grandmother and several other relatives in Scott Depot! That's pretty amazing, seeing as how we're both Memphis-area Dopers. I've got a grandmother and an aunt and uncle there. And a terrible scar on my forehead which I received in Scott Depot about 20 years ago, come to think of it.

[Siege]

Actually, when I posted, I was referring to the town where the ticket was bought and where I understand he lives, not Scott Depot, WV. When I posted, I hadn't heard anything about Scott Depot. I don't know how much of that applies to others.

CJ