OT Gambling

Actually, I'da thought a smart (as in "savvy") bartender would be

*more* common in "dives". At upscale places, they behave as they have been *told* to behave (wash the glasses every X hours, use this setting, etc.) And, their tips are "average" (for that clientele).

At the bottom end, folks are tighter with their money. More likely to convince themselves NOT to drop something in the tip jar: "The beer was flat" (no, it just didn't have a proud head!) "The glass was scummy" etc.

"Cheap tricks" can make a bartender *look* a lot better to these sorts of folks -- "Ah, would you look at the head on that beauty?"

The guy who "enlightened me" was just such a bartender. One that the locals were happy to revisit -- over and over again! His pay always sucked. Tips was the gravy!

(think about it: bars are *so* common. Esp dives. You need to make people *want* to come to YOUR "dive")

15 minute drive. (This is actually nice, she's 14 now and we can have 'real' conversations.) I hang out in town and have a beer at a local tavern. Tonight I went to a place that was more of a dive. (Dive = rundown, cheaper beer.) But not a big deal I can share a beer with anyone. There were a dozen people in the place, all ~middle aged. There was also a few TV screens with the instant 'bingo' gambling. A new game every minute or so. And in the corner was a scratch off vending machine. During the hour I was there I think ~1/2 the people hit up the vending machine and another 1/2 played the TV 'bingo' game several times. Maybe 1/3 of the conversation concerned gambling and what numbers to pick. I found it very depressing. Gambling seems like a stupid tax. My state (New York) has just passed a new gambling bill.... more casinos. (I voted against it.) Gambling produces nothing, how is it economic development? Sorry for the rant, I feel better now,

George H.

If you ever come to Australia then, keep away from hotels and recreational clubs on the south or east coast. Typically, hundreds of poker machines (Aus: "Pokies") crammed into every available space. All you hear if you're in there for a quite drink and a chat is the electronic bleeps and bloops from the machines. A lot of the obsessive clientele are blowing money that they can't afford, all the statistics indicate that a fair percentage of the revenue generated is from 'problem gamblers' - although of course the gaming industry dispute that. An attempt by the federal parliament a couple of years ago to apply some sensible controls was almost completely torpedoed by a massive campaign by the pubs & clubs.

It sounds like you have the disease in a very mild form. Be thankful.

Casinos here (US) have ATM's inside to *facilitate* getting you cash (from *YOUR* bank account, of course!). I think you can even arrange to transfer title for car/house to pay off debt. :<

In many localities, gaming isn't allowed. But, invariably, there are "grey area" machines in many locations (esp "clubs"). The games are played with and issue "credits" -- non-monetary "tokens" (often just numbers on a screen). Typically, someone affiliated with the "club" converts cash to and from credits -- though never under the watchful eyes of strangers (cops??).

At the other extreme, amusement devices (e.g., pinball) are often restricted in what they can offer the player. I.e., a "free"/bonus ball -- but not a "free game"!

Old pin tables were gaming devices: "games of chance". Send ball up and see what hole it fell into (which would surreptitiously determine your "payout"). When these were outlawed, flppers were added to convert them into "games of skill" (as the player now had control over the outcome! :> )

[look for the words "A Game of Skill" on old/antigue machines!]

OTOH, is it better to have the corner bookie make money or the state? Should it not be one's choice to pay more tax? It's not a simple issue. I tend to no like lotteries and liked living where there weren't such. I don't get worked up, either way.

Then there's the "payday loan", "title loan", and "check cashing" sharks...

Varies by state.

"This one's on the house."

I knew a bar owner that absolutely forbade his bartenders from buying a drink (on him) at any time for any reason. When he was in the bar he was always quite generous with the freebies, though. He always reached into his pocket for the money, though. It was one of the better run small bars I've ever been in.

That's true of the entire restaurant business. Waitstaff make no money from their employer (sometimes $2ish/hr) but can make very good money from tips. We know a college student who waits in an Italian restaurant, five nights a week (four or five hours a night) who can easily make $700-$1K/week. Professionals in high-end restaurants can make well into six digits. That's not coming from the boss.

It's circular, too. People come for the other people. There is a reason for "ladies night". If they want to get sloshed it's far cheaper (and safer) to do it at home.

There used to be usury laws, too.

--

John Larkin                  Highland Technology Inc 
www.highlandtechnology.com   jlarkin at highlandtechnology dot com    

Precision electronic instrumentation 
Picosecond-resolution Digital Delay and Pulse generators 
Custom timing and laser controllers 
Photonics and fiberoptic TTL data links 
VME  analog, thermocouple, LVDT, synchro, tachometer 
Multichannel arbitrary waveform generators

Maybe the federal government can take that business over, too.

On Saturday, November 16, 2013 1:27:26 AM UTC-5,

There's a reason they mix gambling with alcohol. You take a stupid person a nd get him/her inebriated, you have a complete total utter moron on your ha nds. The disease here in U.S. far surpasses anything Australia has, the U.S . has LasVegas and Atlantic City, and every state has bunches of games they sell these lamebrains, then the Native Indians have jumped on the bandwago n with their reservation casinos. The total industry here in U.S. is pushin g $100 Billion.

Australia is only $5 Billion (dunno if they normalized to US$)

So is smoking. So is drinking. So is drugs. So is domestic violence. What is not?

How many affluent people do you know who gamble in the lottery? Then tell me how many people who are just scraping a living out of the dirt are buying the tickets? If you have statistics, please provide a reference.

Gambling goes to the issue of *hopes*. The *dream* (delusion!) that things can magically get better! Followed by the inevitable depression as those dreams evaporate a few seconds later (for interactive activities).

I've been involved with the design of a few gaming devices. So, spent some time observing "gamblers" (using similar devices -- human activities (poker) being different).

What struck me most was how NO ONE was smiling in these places! (whether it's a local "fraternal organization" or a big glitzy casino). Even the folks who are *winning*!

Instead, even HUGE wins tend to get a "sigh of relief" reaction instead of the "joy of playing with a puppy" sort of reaction. I guess the same is true of all addictions? E.g., drug users and alcoholics "enjoy it", initially. Then, *depend* on it, almost grudgingly! :<

These do directly affect others.

Are you saying that affluent people shouldn't have the same choice as the poorer people? Could you be that dense?

taxes people pay and call that the 'only tax'.

Federal.

Easy; there are several taxes loaded in to each utility bill, electric, telephone, water, sewage, trash pickup, natural gas (does not apply everywhere, and heating oil or coal has plenty of taxes at the consumer level).

?-)

Sorry to jump through like this, but y'all have to reslize that nothing is moral or immoral.

Those concepts are totally within your own mind.

I hope I didn't destroy anyone saying that...

Hi Don, I read what you wrote over the week end, but never had the time to finish a response.

Yeah hard to know how I'll respond till it happens. I guess I've half prep ared myself for the late night phone call to come pick her up from a party because her 'ride home' is too drunk, (or otherwise impared) for her to fee l safe getting into the car.

Hmm, I smoked for ~10 years. (well ten years of ~a pack a day.) there were several years where I'd just have one (maybe a cigar) sitting around with the 'boys' playing cards or other games.) My lovely wife got me off of the m. When I asked her out on a date she said she'd go out with me, but could n't take me seriously if I smoked. I gave 'em up before our first date. B est move of my life! (in more ways than one.) Disgusting habit. Though I do miss, a bit, the act of smoking. Sitting in the woods, contemplating t he day, if gave my hands and mouth something to do.

Yeah STD's.. my only answer is education.

d,

k

Rightfully so! Once you are an 'adult' you need to behave responsibly! (Rarer than one would like... and I've had my own 'irresponsible' moments.)

Grin... I had a classmate who would get stoned *before* doing HW. He didn; t do very well on the exams.

I think I have a more 'addictive' brain. I've got to keep an eye on the be er. I go fishing with the 'boys' every year. (Lake fishing in a boat, not trou t fishing which is a much more private endeavor.) As I tell people it's an excuse to drink beer in the morning. (We might have a joint too.) I was going to say more about marijuana use, but that's probably not such a good idea on a public forum.

Well for myself I guess it can be an escape. I'm perhaps fortunate to hav e lots of escapes.. (Hmm maybe I'd be better dealing with things rather tha n escaping... OK that would be too long a discussion :^) So I escape into books, computer games, my kids, the woods, my wife (when work is bothering me.), into work (when home life is stressful) into sports (Finally 'my' buf falo sabres look to have turned things around.) Physics can be a huge escap e! Those can all turn into 'addictions' for me.

I did mushrooms a few times in college. (Once with my wife... a gorgeous s pring day in Tennessee. Spring in TN still is magical to me.. and not just because of taht one experience.) I think it 's OK to try (being safe and

*responsible*) but once every decade or so is plenty.

Grin.. we have quite a 'drug' culture her in the US and I'm not talking abo ut the illegal ones.

Yeah.. again hard to know what I'll do till it happens. I do tend to react emotionally at first, and then 'cool down'. I assume she will overindul ge. Hopefully she will have good friends around so that the after effects will not be too serious.

Do you have any kids Don? This father-daughter 'interaction' seems very co mmon. Every one seems to expect that I'll feel the same way. Maybe I'm we ird? Maybe it will 'turn-on' when she brings her first boyfriend home. I certainly hope she won't be hurt physically or emotionally. ... hmm scratc h that, emotional pain with love seems impossible to avoid. You are either wounding someone else... or being wounded yourself... or both!

George H.

No 'smart bartender'! People go to dives mostly from habit (I think). I had my Genny (Beer) in a bottle.

George H.

It's a state by state thing here in the US. I was in Montana a few years ago. Slot machines where everywhere!

George H.

Did I mention that Aspies are by definition sociopaths?

Absurd.

Only any credibility you might think you had.