Its at a Billion (1 Viewer)

[hotel3alpha]

All,

So, yeah I went to buy my lottery ticket cause the jackpot is at a BILLION smackarollies and there was a line at the ice house of potential billionaires. Simply put, its fun to pay a dollar for a dream.

Good luck!

John from Texas

 

[villagehorse]

Sort of getting struck by lightning twice on clear Blue day, what are the chances, but good luck anyway. ^&grin, Robin.

 

[hotel3alpha]

All,

Well, since nobody won, its now 1.6 BILLION...aye chiwawas.

John from Texas

 

[nysoldiers]

I know there is almost no chance of winning but for me its like going to a movie or concert......you get to have a few days of entertaining yourself mentally fantasizing about what you would do with all that money!
Donating to great causes, traveling in private jets and of course more toy soldiers and more space to display them.

 

[Go for Broke]

On a TV news show, they said you have a better chance of being elected president of the USA then winning the lottery. Winning ten million would be plenty for me.^&grin

 

[villagehorse]

One interview that has stuck in my mind, after winning $380 million, he gave a tidy sum to his relatives and friends, but once they had blown this, they all came back and asked for more as they felt he could afford it. When he said 'no', none would have anything to do with him. So winning suggests you lose all those around you and I guess you buy a whole lot of new ones. , Robin.

 

[Combat]

You have to wonder where all this lottery money goes. If the payoff is over a billion dollars, then they must be taking in an unimaginable bundle every week. And given that no one has won recently, the inflow of money piles up. I don't see much in the way of societal improvements with all this cash (which is effectively voluntary taxation on the poor and uneducated who are most prone to play regularly). Why isn't every kid offered a free college education and every road paved in gold with so much money rolling in via the lottery on top of taxes? Even when someone finally wins, about a third goes right back to the government in taxes. Imagine the scheme in which the odds of winning are so slim and the government takes in billions of dollars, and then when someone does win, they take a third of the winnings. And then the supreme irony is that apparently a lot of "winners" are unprepared for the wealth, get hounded to death for handouts creating a lot of stress, and then often blow it or get ripped off by someone.

 

[nysoldiers]

Lottery money goes to different government activities state by state. Mostly it goes to education (NY) and environmental initiatives. But it does not necessarily increase the spending on these budgets because legislators figure in the lottery income and decrease the tax revenue allocations accordingly.
In fact spending on education has gone down even with the huge lottery windfalls.

 

[hotel3alpha]

Lottery money goes to different government activities state by state. Mostly it goes to education (NY) and environmental initiatives. But it does not necessarily increase the spending on these budgets because legislators figure in the lottery income and decrease the tax revenue allocations accordingly.
In fact spending on education has gone down even with the huge lottery windfalls.

That is absolutely true. A few years back while in grad school one visiting Professor we had was extremely critical of the Texas budget and noted that since the lottery in Texas, the operating budgets for say computer services doubled. In other words, the lottery funds no longer made an impact because spending doubled or tripled on State services thus forcing lottery funds to contribute to those budgets. Basically, the idea that the lottery was solely for education went out the door and just like that teachers were out of work.

It was an eye opener because you think the lottery would pave the streets gold, but no spending gets higher and so do our property taxes. Its the American way.

John from Texas

 

[hotel3alpha]

You have to wonder where all this lottery money goes. If the payoff is over a billion dollars, then they must be taking in an unimaginable bundle every week. And given that no one has won recently, the inflow of money piles up. I don't see much in the way of societal improvements with all this cash (which is effectively voluntary taxation on the poor and uneducated who are most prone to play regularly). Why isn't every kid offered a free college education and every road paved in gold with so much money rolling in via the lottery on top of taxes? Even when someone finally wins, about a third goes right back to the government in taxes. Imagine the scheme in which the odds of winning are so slim and the government takes in billions of dollars, and then when someone does win, they take a third of the winnings. And then the supreme irony is that apparently a lot of "winners" are unprepared for the wealth, get hounded to death for handouts creating a lot of stress, and then often blow it or get ripped off by someone.

I agree with you 100% and yes there are more lottery points of sale in poorer neighborhoods that wealthier neighborhoods. Yeah, and here in Texas you never see a public project or school project highlighted by "proceeds of the Texas State Lottery". Its is a black hole and I can't imagine where the money would go if marijuana was legalized. Can you imagine all of that tax money?

John from Texas

 

[Mirof]

Don't get it

Is education including Universities not completely free as in Belgium ?

 

[lancer]

Don't get it

Is education including Universities not completely free as in Belgium ?

Not hardly. University education in the USA is very expensive. Private universities are horrendously expensive and even state universities can be very pricey, especially if the student is an out-of-state student. -- Al

 

[Alexander the Great]

Not hardly. University education in the USA is very expensive. Private universities are horrendously expensive and even state universities can be very pricey, especially if the student is an out-of-state student. -- Al

….private high schools are not cheap either...Georgetown prep anyone?...it is only USD $54K per year!!!!

 

[Mirof]

I checked for 2018 - 2019
Inscription fee at Université Libre de Bruxelles ( ULB)/year
For Belgian, all European Communities, third world 835€
For USA etc 4175€

Allowed to follow al cursus

Food, books, room at student charge
An idea Syllabus, books labs : from 260€ +
Room : circa 400€/month
Meal at University restaurant : 6€
Transportation by tram, bus if your room is a bit far : 120€/year


Best

 

[lancer]

I checked for 2018 - 2019
Inscription fee at Université Libre de Bruxelles ( ULB)/year
For Belgian, all European Communities, third world 835€
For USA etc 4175€

Allowed to follow al cursus

Food, books, room at student charge
An idea Syllabus, books labs : from 260€ +
Room : circa 400€/month
Meal at University restaurant : 6€
Transportation by tram, bus if your room is a bit far : 120€/year


Best

Mirof, the university I attended in the early 1970's, the University of Maryland (a public university), has a tuition of $10,622 for the 2018-19 school year. That is for in-state students. The out-of-state student tuition is $35,243. Keep in mind, this is tuition only. Does not include room, board, books, transportation, etc. Just to the south, in Virginia, the University of Virginia charges $17,211 for in-state and $49,362 out-of-state tuition. In Washington, DC, just across the state line from me, George Washington University charges $55,140 for tuition. If one was to chose such a school as Harvard University, the estimated cost for tuition, room, board, fees, is $67,580 for the academic year 2018-19. -- Al

 

[Alexander the Great]

Mirof, the university I attended in the early 1970's, the University of Maryland (a public university), has a tuition of $10,622 for the 2018-19 school year. That is for in-state students. The out-of-state student tuition is $35,243. Keep in mind, this is tuition only. Does not include room, board, books, transportation, etc. Just to the south, in Virginia, the University of Virginia charges $17,211 for in-state and $49,362 out-of-state tuition. In Washington, DC, just across the state line from me, George Washington University charges $55,140 for tuition. If one was to chose such a school as Harvard University, the estimated cost for tuition, room, board, fees, is $67,580 for the academic year 2018-19. -- Al

Not to mention that in most European universities the undergraduate degree takes 2 years vs. 4 in the good old USA and the Masters 1 year vs. 2!!!