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Lotteries are a tax on people who are bad at math.
Your chance of winning big is infinitesimal, one in millions. And they're like slot machines, where the "house" takes a cut. That means that for every dollar spent, the state keeps 10 or 15 cents (I don't know the exact amount, presumably it varies from place to place), and only pays out 85 or 90 cents. So over time, you're not likely to even win back the price of your tickets.
Are there senior centers in your area? Some have pools.
Some public pools also have "adult swim" times when kids aren't allowed.
Can't help you with the chlorine, except to say you could ask if there's a public pool that uses salt water.
I'm old enough to remember when the lottery began in CA. It was a ballot measure and the good folks of the state voted to approve it.
To gain votes, the lottery was advertised as needed to save the school system. You know, it's "for the children". Schools were never again going to lack for money. Teachers would be paid more, new schools would be built, students would have ample supplies and class room sizes would be decreased because of the millions of dollars the lottery would bring in and dedicated to schools.
In reality what happened was when the lottery was approved, politicians promptly cut the schools budgets so any money the lottery brought in would do little else than make up the shortfall. So yes, the lottery ended up being a self imposed tax on the people of CA. It was a very clever and well planned bait and switch with taxpayer money.
Last edited by marino760; 09-01-2022 at 06:24 AM..
. So yes, the lottery ended up being a self imposed tax on the people of CA. It was a very clever and well planned bait and switch with taxpayer money.
Same with Oregon "It's for the kids" and other lies. It all just went into the general fund. Then PERS demanded more.
I'm old enough to remember when the lottery began in CA. It was a ballot measure and the good folks of the state voted to approve it.
To gain votes, the lottery was advertised as needed to save the school system. You know, it's "for the children". Schools were never again going to lack for money. Teachers would be paid more, new schools would be built, students would have ample supplies and class room sizes would be decreased because of the millions of dollars the lottery would bring in and dedicated to schools.
In reality what happened was when the lottery was approved, politicians promptly cut the schools budgets so any money the lottery brought in would do little else than make up the shortfall. So yes, the lottery ended up being a self imposed tax on the people of CA. It was a very clever and well planned bait and switch with taxpayer money.
They used the same line in Texas - was for the schools.
People win. All the time. It doesn’t change the odds. My friend in the cubicle next to me won a $1 million dollars in a scratcher about 5 years ago, here in Virginia. It didn’t change his life at all, just made his retirement a bit more secure. He didn’t even retire any earlier. He ended up with less than half, after all taxes paid. It was still cool, of course.
About a year after he retired, a bunch of us all retired in the same group when the company offered a nice early retirement package. We meet occasionally for a retiree breakfast. At one of them we were talking about the lottery and he turned to me and said “You know how you felt when the ERP was announced? Same feeling when you win the lottery.” I think he was right on the money! (Pun intended)
"Lap swim will be available at Thornden Park Pool, beginning Monday, June 27. Hours will be Monday–Friday, 6:30–9:30 a.m. Lap swim admission is $3 for adults ages 16–64 and free for 65 and older."
People win. All the time. It doesn’t change the odds. My friend in the cubicle next to me won a $1 million dollars in a scratcher about 5 years ago, here in Virginia. It didn’t change his life at all, just made his retirement a bit more secure. He didn’t even retire any earlier. He ended up with less than half, after all taxes paid. It was still cool, of course.
About a year after he retired, a bunch of us all retired in the same group when the company offered a nice early retirement package. We meet occasionally for a retiree breakfast. At one of them we were talking about the lottery and he turned to me and said “You know how you felt when the ERP was announced? Same feeling when you win the lottery.” I think he was right on the money! (Pun intended)
Yes - probably more shocking when you win 100 million or so.
Your chance of winning big is infinitesimal, one in millions. And they're like slot machines, where the "house" takes a cut. That means that for every dollar spent, the state keeps 10 or 15 cents (I don't know the exact amount, presumably it varies from place to place), and only pays out 85 or 90 cents. So over time, you're not likely to even win back the price of your tickets.
Actually it's much worse than that. For those big multi-million-dollar, multi-state lotteries, only about 50% goes to the prize pool and the other 50% goes back to the states.
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