Mega Millions Lotto

cruiter · 03-07-2007, 10:12 AM

I woke up this morning and turned on the TV to hear there were two winning tickets and one of them was in Georgia. Not thinking I was lucky enough, I went through the normal process of showering, dressing, walk the dog, make coffee etc.

Having won a few hundered dollars a couple of years ago, the Georgial Lotto has me on their mailing list and I occasionally get an offer in the mail with six tickets free if I purchase 6. Usually I take advantage of this (really the advantage of lotto commission as I haven't won a dollar again) and buy six more.

No Joy!!! At least the Mega Millions, wasn't me!!! But I wanted to see how many people would view this post. I suppose if I won, all of you could be my potential best friends, what do you think?

Since I didn't, are you still my friends? Just curious

.

Jim

wwhopper · 03-07-2007, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruiter

I suppose if I won, all of you could be my potential best friends, what do you think? Since I didn't, are you still my friends? Just curious

.Jim

We were your friends before, and are still your friends now.

The question would have been, once you were rich and famous, would you have remembered the little people on SegwayChat?

The other question is: Does Money Buy Happiness?

Look at that guy that won the big lottery about 5 or 8 years ago in West Virginia, how it tore his family apart, or look at Anna Nicole Smith. None of that looks happy to me. But then again, none of them had Segways!

So maybe that is the key to happiness, Segway Ownership!

KSagal · 03-07-2007, 10:21 AM

I do not believe that money buys happiness.

It does however, buy a very comfortable unhappiness.

If people have some discomfort borne from finances, mega money can buy you the opportunity to distance yourself from some of those problems. Most people are not smart enough to take adantage of this, and tote their problems with them every where they go...

cruiter · 03-07-2007, 10:27 AM

I guess I could have phrased it better. Even though my wife has serious medical issues, we are blessed with the many friends we have and the comfortable life we live.

I'm familiar with the storys of un-earned wealth and how it tears folks apart. When we lived in FL, a family two homes down the street from us won over 25 million in a lotto and probably never saw more than $20k family income prior. The neighbors sort of gave them the name "Clampets" as it was apparent they were not in their league. Big house, big 1.5 million motor home, fancy Harleys, boat at the marina,. You get the picture? When we moved up here, they were trying to sell the house and other toys to pay bills. They will probably be in debt the rest of their lives.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwhopper

We were your friends before, and are still your friends now.

The question would have been, once you were rich and famous, would you have remembered the little people on SegwayChat?

The other question is: Does Money Buy Happiness?

Look at that guy that won the big lottery about 5 or 8 years ago in West Virginia, how it tore his family apart, or look at Anna Nicole Smith. None of that looks happy to me. But then again, none of them had Segways!

So maybe that is the key to happiness, Segway Ownership!

wwhopper · 03-07-2007, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruiter

I guess I could have phrased it better. Even though my wife has serious medical issues, we are blessed with the many friends we have and the comfortable life we live.

Someone, somewhere has it worse.

We have to all be thankful for what we have, health is for sure a major one. But everytime I see folks like some of our DRAFT members, I think, boy they could have just curled up and given up, but they sure don't.

So Spirit has to count for something too.

Cruiter, no matter if you are rich or poor, we still like hanging out with you. Now if you get rid of the Segway, and go for that big RV, boat and multi-million dollar house..... We might reconsider!

So keep the Segway! Oh yeah and keep the wife too!

cruiter · 03-07-2007, 10:47 AM

When I get "two for one's" in the mail, I'll keep matching them. Just six bucks. But if I win big, I will have the big toys, but inside the motor home will be at least two X2's with spare batterys just in case

.

And our church and some select friends in bad sorts despite their best efforts would realize the warm side of our hearts. I'm a believer in helping those that at least try to help themselves and our gifts generally go in that direction.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wwhopper

Someone, somewhere has it worse.

Now if you get rid of the Segway, and go for that big RV, boat and multi-million dollar house..... We might reconsider!

So keep the Segway! Oh yeah and keep the wife too!

hellphish · 03-07-2007, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSagal

I do not believe that money buys happiness.

It does however, buy a very comfortable unhappiness.

If people have some discomfort borne from finances, mega money can buy you the opportunity to distance yourself from some of those problems. Most people are not smart enough to take adantage of this, and tote their problems with them every where they go...

I'm curious about this. Everyone knows that statistically you have a near zero chance of winning the lottery. But Karl seems to know enough lottery winners to comfortably form beliefs about those winners.

My company did a pool, but I don't think we won.

However if we did, I will buy i2 parking stands for everyone!

KSagal · 03-07-2007, 01:15 PM

Actually, I do know a couple lottery winners, and Cruiter's story is not uncommon. I do not need to know them personally to know the statistics...

I have not heard updated statistics lately, but several years ago I read that lottery winners of over $ 1mil have a greater than 75% chance of declaring bankruptcy within 5 years.

Regardless of this, and lottery specific statistics, the human condition has not changed significantly, and those whom the lottery appeals to most are often those who can least afford it, and taken a step further, have a larger likelyhood of not having good fiscal practices. (I have always said, and continue to say, "Winning the lottery is my plan, but buying lottery tickets is a fool's errand."

So, poor fiscal practices, inadequate fiscal experience, and money gained by not earning it all conspire to make the situation less than ideal.

And I stand by my statements. Money or not, most people are their own worst enemy. They carry more baggage than they need, and I dare say members of this chat are not exempt.

For me, I suspect that I would be a similar A$$ if I had more money than I am now. I would just do it in posher places. And of course, I'd have a segway in every port.

Sharkie · 03-07-2007, 01:19 PM

I'm also a believer that money can't buy happiness, however, I've heard it said that it certainly can make misery more enjoyable! :-)

Having said that, and rarely having had more than a few coins to rub together at a time, I can't speak from experience. I have seen money ruin other people's lives, and hopefully if I were to come into some money I could learn from their mistakes. The old saying is "the love of money is the root of all evil", but sometimes I wonder if the shortened version is actually correct.

Jim

Desert_Seg · 03-07-2007, 03:12 PM

When I was getting my Business Degree I had the fun task of conducting a statistical study of "money won businesses" and the social ills they caused. This included both casinos and lotteries.

I was shocked when the study resulted in large number of money winners who lost most of their winnings within a short period of gaining it and / or who had also fallen to social ills (alcoholism, drug addiction, even gambling addiction). From poor investments to wild spending to swindlers, the amount of money these folks had lost was huge. Even more bothersome was the amount of these folks who had gained an addiction that had also resulted in huge losses.

In the lottery's case, and by a large majority, the folks who had kept their money or had not fallen prey to addiction where those who lived in states that provided a form of financial counseling prior to giving the money, those who remained anonymous, and those who did NOT take lump sum.

Unfortunately, casinos had a whole different set of problems that was (and still is) even more devastating to communities as a whole.

Money won isn't necessarily happiness.

Steven

03-07-2007, 10:12 AM	#1
cruiter Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Cumming, GA USA Posts: 634	Mega Millions Lotto I woke up this morning and turned on the TV to hear there were two winning tickets and one of them was in Georgia. Not thinking I was lucky enough, I went through the normal process of showering, dressing, walk the dog, make coffee etc. Having won a few hundered dollars a couple of years ago, the Georgial Lotto has me on their mailing list and I occasionally get an offer in the mail with six tickets free if I purchase 6. Usually I take advantage of this (really the advantage of lotto commission as I haven't won a dollar again) and buy six more. No Joy!!! At least the Mega Millions, wasn't me!!! But I wanted to see how many people would view this post. I suppose if I won, all of you could be my potential best friends, what do you think? Since I didn't, are you still my friends? Just curious . Jim __________________ Jim in Cumming, GA Proud to be a Redneck " We know that communication is a problem, but the company is not going to discuss it with the employees." (Switching supervisor, AT&T Long Lines Division)

03-07-2007, 10:21 AM	#3
KSagal Glides a lot, talks more... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pelham, NH, USA. Posts: 10,356	I do not believe that money buys happiness. It does however, buy a very comfortable unhappiness. If people have some discomfort borne from finances, mega money can buy you the opportunity to distance yourself from some of those problems. Most people are not smart enough to take adantage of this, and tote their problems with them every where they go... __________________ Karl Ian Sagal To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Well done is better than well said." (Ben Franklin) Bene factum melior bene dictum Proud past President of SEG America and member of the First Premier Segway Enthusiasts Group and subsequent ones as well.

03-07-2007, 01:15 PM	#8
KSagal Glides a lot, talks more... Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pelham, NH, USA. Posts: 10,356	Actually, I do know a couple lottery winners, and Cruiter's story is not uncommon. I do not need to know them personally to know the statistics... I have not heard updated statistics lately, but several years ago I read that lottery winners of over $ 1mil have a greater than 75% chance of declaring bankruptcy within 5 years. Regardless of this, and lottery specific statistics, the human condition has not changed significantly, and those whom the lottery appeals to most are often those who can least afford it, and taken a step further, have a larger likelyhood of not having good fiscal practices. (I have always said, and continue to say, "Winning the lottery is my plan, but buying lottery tickets is a fool's errand." So, poor fiscal practices, inadequate fiscal experience, and money gained by not earning it all conspire to make the situation less than ideal. And I stand by my statements. Money or not, most people are their own worst enemy. They carry more baggage than they need, and I dare say members of this chat are not exempt. For me, I suspect that I would be a similar A$$ if I had more money than I am now. I would just do it in posher places. And of course, I'd have a segway in every port. __________________ Karl Ian Sagal To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Well done is better than well said." (Ben Franklin) Bene factum melior bene dictum Proud past President of SEG America and member of the First Premier Segway Enthusiasts Group and subsequent ones as well.

03-07-2007, 01:19 PM	#9
Sharkie Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Posts: 291	I'm also a believer that money can't buy happiness, however, I've heard it said that it certainly can make misery more enjoyable! :-) Having said that, and rarely having had more than a few coins to rub together at a time, I can't speak from experience. I have seen money ruin other people's lives, and hopefully if I were to come into some money I could learn from their mistakes. The old saying is "the love of money is the root of all evil", but sometimes I wonder if the shortened version is actually correct. Jim __________________ Stupidity is the only crime that carries its own punishment!

03-07-2007, 03:12 PM	#10
Desert_Seg Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Posts: 2,533	When I was getting my Business Degree I had the fun task of conducting a statistical study of "money won businesses" and the social ills they caused. This included both casinos and lotteries. I was shocked when the study resulted in large number of money winners who lost most of their winnings within a short period of gaining it and / or who had also fallen to social ills (alcoholism, drug addiction, even gambling addiction). From poor investments to wild spending to swindlers, the amount of money these folks had lost was huge. Even more bothersome was the amount of these folks who had gained an addiction that had also resulted in huge losses. In the lottery's case, and by a large majority, the folks who had kept their money or had not fallen prey to addiction where those who lived in states that provided a form of financial counseling prior to giving the money, those who remained anonymous, and those who did NOT take lump sum. Unfortunately, casinos had a whole different set of problems that was (and still is) even more devastating to communities as a whole. Money won isn't necessarily happiness. Steven

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)