Snoopy & others, thanks for the links.
“Play much SimCity?”
KC, my kids have SimThemePark (?) but no, I don’t. Why? I like Steely Dan if that helps.
I am a keen sports and racing gambler but read with interest a recent article about a town rejecting a casino. What struck me as particularly funny was that the casino operators affered to fund additional police out of their profits and the campaigners against the casino used that fact as proof that even the casino knew crime would increase.
I googled community rejects casino and came up with
http://news.mainetoday.com/indepth/casinos/020423casino.shtml
http://www.ellsworthamerican.com/archive/edit2002/05-02/ea_edit2_05-23-02.html
Come to Australia to see how not to handle gambling. Nearly every pub in NSW now has poker machines. Not surprisingly the biggest earners are in the poorest suburbs. I think the advent of these machines is shameful.
I have been to every casino in Australia, in fact I went to Star City on wednesday night to watch the football, but my total lifetime betting is $20. I bet several thousand dollars a year on sport and racing.
By the way. Goodonya mate.
I just never say the “Not in my backyard” made into an acronym except in that game.
You want story? I got story:
Gal that works in the cubbie right next to me - 2 or 3 weeks after we hire her, cops show up to the office to arrest her. Why? Apparently, she bounced a check, and when she did, they noticed a check she’d bounced a year ago that had never been reported paid.
She had no idea her account was overdrawn. Her husband went to the bank, took out $200 and headed over to the new riverboat casino in Boonville while she was working. He lost it all, so he went to the ATM machine right there on the boat and took out $20 more. Lather, rinse, repeat, until he’d lost $500 (daily loss limit, or he’d probably have taken more). Same time this is happening, she drops her checks in the mail to pay bills. Checks with her signature on them bounce, 'cuz he took all his in cash. He didn’t bother to tell her.
Why did she bounce a check a year ago? (It had been paid, BTW, just never reported as paid to the prosecuting attorney.) Because this was the second time he’d done this to her. The first time, he had to drive to St. Louis because that was where the closest boats were. Now they’re only 40 minutes away.
Since her arrest, he’s done this twice more. The first time (since she started working here - actually the second time since they’ve been married…that I know about, anyway), she took his checkbook and ATM card. The second time, she went to the bank to tell them not to let him make any withdrawls. The third time, she closed her bank account.
Gambling. Good for state revenues, bad for women who make poor choices in men.
Dependent on the game, most gambling is pure luck.
Not sure how to say this without honking off gamblers because I know some outstanding people who indulge.
Gambling is a weakness. The desire to get something for nothing is a powerful addiction. Over time, it will bring with it a support group that caters to this weakness.
It can be very destructive to a community. I have not been impressed with the areas surrounding the riverboats I’ve visited. If the State gets a positive benefit from gambling, it is not reflected in the lifestyles of the people involved.