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Random Thought Thread

dontpanicbobby said:
I'm pretty any vice can lead to a lucrative exploitation strategy. How do you feel about alcohol and tobacco advertising?
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There are major restrictions on tobacco companies in terms of where they can advertise, and their obligations for packaging, as to what goes on them to portray the effects of smoking. That's exactly as it should be. And yeah, I'd have a problem working for a tobacco company, knowing my product was killing people.

lunatic59 said:
Do you have the same objection to breweries or distilleries, knowing that there are many out there with alcohol problems? While gambling doesn't have any intrinsic value other than entertainment and the livelihoods of those employed in the industry, it doesn't create the problem. Anything can be abused or used excessively to the detriment of those using it or those around them.

While I'd never probably work in the gambling industry primarily because I find it incredibly boring, I don't think i have any moral objection to those who do.
I don't really have any objection to prostitution, either as long as BOTH (or however many there are in the transaction :eek:) parties are willing and agreeable.
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I have mixed feelings towards alchohol. It's obviously enjoyed by a vast number of people, and while not quite so toxic as smoking, is still potentially harmful to health, and open to abuse. But then, I think any self-respecting landlord would actually stop serving someone who had clearly drunk themselves legless, thus preventing possible major health consequences. I don't think the same could be said for someone pumping £1000's into a betting terminal in a gambling shop, and being prevented from losing their life savings.
 
LV426 said:
I don't think the same could be said for someone pumping £1000's into a betting terminal in a gambling shop, and being prevented from losing their life savings.
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Except it's clearly obvious when one is blind staggering drunk. It's not quite so clear as to when one is down to their last penny. I'm not sure how you'd be able to regulate that, or even know it in time to stop that sort of thing.

People have lost their life savings from shopping beyond their means as well.

Don't get me wrong, I am not defending gambling -- I think it's stupid. Still, at what point do we all have to take responsibility for ourselves and our loved ones?
 
lunatic59 said:
Except it's clearly obvious when one is blind staggering drunk. It's not quite so clear as to when one is down to their last penny. I'm not sure how you'd be able to regulate that, or even know it in time to stop that sort of thing.
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There could have been technological solutions to enforce limits on these machines. In any case, the UK govt have acted to legislate, and reduce the maximum stake on betting terminals. But that's what it took to protect people.

People have lost their life savings from shopping beyond their means as well.

Don't get me wrong, I am not defending gambling -- I think it's stupid. Still, at what point do we all have to take responsibility for ourselves and our loved ones?
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[/QUOTE]

It's a good question, but unfortunately some people are more vulnerable, and maybe they don't even have others around them for guidance. They turn to things like excess gambling, alchohol, drugs etc as a way out, or some kind of release. What can we do to protect people like that?
 
LV426 said:
What can we do to protect people like that?
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To quote scripture (sorry, growing up with a minister father has all kinds of problems, including, unfortunately, being able to quote scripture.)

Synopsis ... woman shows up with expensive ointment and uses it on Jesus. Disciples berate her for wasting in on Jesus when she could have sold it and given the money to the poor.

"The poor you will always have with you. but you will not always have me." -- Matthew 26:11

This has two interpretations. The first (and most common, and probably wrong) is Jesus saying that poverty is so pervasive that there's nothing anyone can do about it so just accept that you can help, but you can't eliminate it. There's nothing wrong with being a little extravagant now and then.

Or, and in the context of the first century Judaism I think this is more likely, Jesus is saying that I'm not going to be here all the time to do it for you, so get up off your holier-than-thou keisters and do it yourself.

So ... as long as we ask questions like this without acting in answer to them and looking to "the other guy" (the govt. in this case) to fix it for us, then it is always going to be a problem.

[/pulpit]
 
lunatic59 said:
So ... as long as we ask questions like this without acting in answer to them and looking to "the other guy" (the govt. in this case) to fix it for us, then it is always going to be a problem.
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I wouldn't look to the gov't to solve gambling problems (or alcohol and drug as I watch politicians in MA fawn over pot shop revenues). If regulated casinos had odds of winning gov't run lotteries do, they would be fined out of business. :rolleyes:
 
olbriar said:
As for working for an industry that their prey is the weak
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Except I don't think the gambling industry at large is out to target the vulnerable per se. I think they just don't care one way or another where the money comes from as long as it keeps coming. Unfortunately, that could be said for a lot of industries and institutions.

Let's look at it from the other direction. What about the overly medicated society we live in? Just because modern medication helps a group who do need it, the pharmaceutical industry is overjoyed that they can also convince people who don't need it that it would benefit them and thus further fill the coffers. Is it any better that big pharma profits from the sector of the public that is prone to hypochondria than gambling profits from those with an addiction?
 
^^^^ A great example of an industry that reaps profits from the weak. At least some of their profits are no doubt invested in research keeping the end cost down for those that actually need the aid.
 
LV426 said:
Pay day lenders with extortionate interest rates? Vicious circle of the poor getting into debt, and never being able to get out.
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The credit industry thrives off of the poor. There is no intention to assist the struggling.

Unforgiven said:
I think an argument can be made for any industry having a downside. Toy companies exploiting the weaknesses of children? Lula Row exploiting the weakness of my wife?
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I'm afraid that when we evolved from need to desire, many clever men devised means to extract dollars from our wallets.
 
Weren't the Romans brilliant? They beat everyone in wars and had better helmets! But the most brilliant thing that Romans did was eat until they were full, then sick it up, and then start eating again.
They just did it for a laugh like rugby players.
Aren't rugby players fantastic?
The Romans, yeah, beat the whole world at war, except there wasn't much of a world to beat.
No Americans or Japs or Egyptians.
Cleopatra fantastic! She died when a snake bit her on the asp! You'd think someone would've noticed! And then they buried her in a pyramid. Aren't pyramids fantastic?! How do they build 'em? They had it on that programme "How Do They Do That?" where they show you how they do do it, how they do do that .
.
 
psionandy said:
Weren't the Romans brilliant? They beat everyone in wars and had better helmets! But the most brilliant thing that Romans did was eat until they were full, then sick it up, and then start eating again.
They just did it for a laugh like rugby players.
Aren't rugby players fantastic?
The Romans, yeah, beat the whole world at war, except there wasn't much of a world to beat.
No Americans or Japs or Egyptians.
Cleopatra fantastic! She died when a snake bit her on the asp! You'd think someone would've noticed! And then they buried her in a pyramid. Aren't pyramids fantastic?! How do they build 'em? They had it on that programme "How Do They Do That?" where they show you how they do do it, how they do do that .
.
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Brilliant!!

brilliant.jpg
 
Question: What causes a hole in a fuel primer bulb like this? Looks like a Xenomorph dripped acid blood on to it.


fuel_primer.jpg
 
lunatic59 said:
Will brake fluid do that to rubber? That looks like someone dropped hot metal on it. @Mikestony would know. Heck, he's probably done it. :)
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Some rubber compounds, apparently, yes it will. I'm still searching for links which back that up.
Tyre rubber is obviously not affected, but the internal engine components aren't supposed to be in contact with it.
 
Unforgiven said:
I wouldn't look to the gov't to solve gambling problems (or alcohol and drug as I watch politicians in MA fawn over pot shop revenues). If regulated casinos had odds of winning gov't run lotteries do, they would be fined out of business. :rolleyes:
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The two pot shops in Massachusetts have the highest retail taxes on any product in MA. None opened in the capital though. I think my state government has no idea to do with all that potential revenue.

I'm wondering why pot is taxed higher than cigarettes when cigarettes say right on the package they will kill you?
 
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