Mega Millions.
Offline If you're a California resident, the Mega Millions jackpot is up to $640 MILLION for tonight's drawing.
Wrap your head around that for a second...
Ok, now that you're done drooling, imagine the good you could do with that kind of dough. I never play the lottery, but this time, I bought a few quick picks not only because it would be nearly criminal to not get in on the possibility of winning, but also it's the highest jackpot in lotto history. If no one wins tonight, the jackpot for next week could reach well into $1 BILLION. A BILLION. That kind of wealth is staggering and many people claim they can handle it, but I'm not so sure anyone could that has never dealt with that kind of cash before regardless of how they operate in every day life, if their morals are just or even if they plan on donating a sizable portion of it to worthy causes to help make this world better.
Suffice it to say I have big plans if I win, very slim though those chances may be, but I have no illusions; it would be such a shock to my system that it would take a long time to fully adjust. I'm also fully against money and how it decimates and erodes our social systems every day, but with $640 million, at least you could find a way to put cushions under those that are falling every day and are trying their best to deal with the iron dildo being shoved up their asses for just trying to live.
Having wealth is a test, not a privilege. People think that if they grow up being well off that they have the golden ticket to treat others like dog shit. In fact, it's the opposite and those that spit on the less fortunate that weren't so lucky have failed that test. Life is about helping each other and making sure we're all cared for. If another person has it better, and you can help out someone that is struggling, then you do it. There's no judgement or reason to be snide or snooty; you just do it. That would be my goal with that kind of cash. I'd devote a lot of my money to creating sustainable systems to where people can build on physical ideas and actually get creations off the ground to where our daily routines wouldn't be such a pain in the royal ass and people that aren't making it would be able to contribute their talents and time other than trying to rob, steal, kill and make other individuals miserable. I know, it sounds wishy-washy, but I'm just tired of my surroundings; shit has to change. With $640 million, I could make a serious dent.
What are your thoughts on all of this? What would you do? Also, any California residents here that are going to play?
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Florida is not part of the network for this lotto. I thought about going up to Georgia to get some tickets but it really wasn't worth it for me. I couldn't see taking eight hours out of my day driving up across the border to get a few tickets giving me 1:175million chance of winning.
Don't blame you on that one. I live within ear shot of about five mini-marts so, I figure fuck it, and what's $5 for a chance at a fortune? The jackpot is just too much to simply ignore. I never play the lotto, though.
I would have bought $20 bucks worth. How much are tickets? $5? $1?
I put down $1 each on our four games every week. I never pay attention to the jackpot size. It's always fun to think of what you would do. It's a nice 1o min monthly daydream for me. Have you ever watched "how lottery changed my life" All kinds of fucked up stories from dimwits. My favorite was these backwoods rednecks in Missouri. They won millions and started by adding on to their mobile home. I thought it was a fake story until the broad was driving her lambourghini down her dirt road and was bragging how the suspension goes up n down was so great for her fucked up road. And then her kids were on there telling how they have to homeschool now cuz the kids were treating them so different.
I wouldn't buy many extravagant things except for transportation. Shit only entertains you for a while. I would entertain myself by having many jesters. I'd probly even make a tv show from it. Having enough money to pay people to do absolutely anything I wanted has always been my most selfish dream. The possibilities are truly endless and I can't ever see myself getting bored.
I would like to employ as many good people as I could. Having a rewarding and meaningful job is the best thing for a person. Helping individuals on a personal level is the only practical charity I can see being truly effective. I do give to St. Jude. It would be hard for me to anonymously help people I didn't know cuz people are such idiots and are beyond help. I really hate people like Oprah who give money and show it off to the world. Fuck her and her angel foundation.
I can't buy people rational minds but I would do all i could to make the world aware of the poisonous lies of religion. I guess donating to the education of science is the best way to accomplish that.
Of course I'll have to find a way to accomplish all this from my private island with my family of dogs and female clones.
"...but truth is a point of view, and so it is changeable. And to rule by fettering the mind through fear of punishment in another world is just as base as to use force." -Hypatia
Did you win?
I didn't even get the mega ball; lost on every line. I only matched one number. Meh. Gambling was never in my favor. Earlier this week, went to the local casino and my friend won $180 and I won $0. Every time. He hit bonus after bonus and I kept getting fucked. Another reason I don't gamble. Oh, well.
Oh, each pick is $1 a line, sorry for not getting back to you sooner.
Looks like some one in Marylyn won...
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-29/megamillions-jackpot/53872762/1
The day I win a big lotto is the day I write a will. Because I doubt I'll have much time left. Breaking the luck bank isn't a good thing.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
Um I think you meant Maryland
Maybe now that they are rich enough they can buy the Redskins and get rid if their current horrible owner. FYI they may be called the Washington Redskins, but they play in Landover Maryland, 15 minutes driving northeast of Washington DC.
I was thinking I would buy them if I won.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I don't play the lottery often, I did buy a couple of tickets yesterday both of which are not worth the paper they are printed on. If I ever did win a large jackpot I imagine I would continue to do what I do now except on a grander scale. Many times I have been talking to someone who is passionate about what they do and wished I had the cash to simply invest a couple hundred thousand in their dream without thinking about it. There are a couple people I know that I would invest in right away. Mostly, I would just continue being an evil capitalist exploiting the poor workers to make more money, invest in more companies that hire- I mean exploit- more workers while pushing pointless american consumerism, destroying the planet and being the root of all evil.
I might buy a few things for myself but I would probably stay in my current house. I would travel more, drink more expensive booze, leave larger tips and play higher stakes poker. Oh, and I would hire a hot and smart secretary to take care of all the paperwork/bills/details/bullshit so I only get bothered by the important stuff.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Illinois, Kansas and Maryland are confirmed so far; roughly $210 million or so before taxes. Guarantee that money will go to waste.
I heard that it would be more like 140 after taxes.
640\3=213
213*36%=136
I'm guessing the government will take out 36%.
I'm awful at math so, glad you can somewhat calculate that because I wouldn't even want to lol.
Even after taxes, shit, that's a hell of a pay day. If those fools are smart, which none of the winners EVER are, they'll keep this to themselves and disappear for awhile because shit will follow them around for quite some time.
"I don't need to buy a lottery ticket to confirm that I'm a loser" -@clarkekent
It would be 35% for the feds plus 2.9% medicare HI for a total of 37.9%, plus you have to max out your social security tax if you don't max it with your current job so you have to pay around $11,400, plus whatever for state taxes which is somewhere around 4-10% although several states don't tax lottery winnings- I guess lottery winners are somehow less deserving of punishment than people who actually produce something for a living. And if your city has an income tax probably another 1-2% on top.
So for example, I would have to pay a combined rate of about 44.9% so around $96 million in taxes leaving $117 million. Still a nice chunk of change, at a 3% interest rate you could spend $350k a month for 60 years before you ran out of money.
Paying the government $96 million would make me pretty homicidal. You could defer the taxes by putting them into certain qualified investments so you don't pay taxes until you actually take the money out, allowing you to earn interest on taxable money. However, since tax rates are unlikely to be lower anytime in the next 50 years, you are probably best off taking all the cash and paying off uncle sam now imo.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
I'm pretty sure Canada doesn't tax lotto winnings because the funding for those winnings comes directly from purchasee's, who already paid income tax on the money they earned. Taxing the lotto is equivalent to doubling the income tax on every dollar that is spent in the lotto.
Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.
There was a really cool article I found but the link was too long and I didn't pay attention to the previous "tutorial" on how to post such links.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/congratulations-mega-millions-winners-youre-part-of-the-1-percent--but-dont-get-cocky/2012/...
More like "congratulations, mega millions winners, you'll do nothing with your cash and forever be hounded for the wealth that you didn't really earn. Oh, and welcome to the 1% until you become bankrupt or in debt for being a greedy pile of horse manure and, news flash, you'll never really be accepted into the elitist fold because you aren't tabloid jerky and not a snotty cunt celebrity."
I'll always remember this guy... rags to riches to rags...
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/10/05/once-famous-lottery-winner-now-broke/
OH MY GOD THEY'LL BE DESTITUTE!
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
Yeah right?
I have always told my wife that I'd be happy winning 30 or 50k. This is why I prefer to play the smaller pots.
The mega money pot is no more than 2 million but the odds are way better at winning (1 in 3 million)
the fla lotto is usually in the 20 million range but is (1 in 14 million).
The fantasy5 is usually no more than a million and is (1 in 7 million).
So why play the big ones? Yeah, if they get really huge, but I usually avoid the lower winning percentage games.
Whenever I "play", I "play" for World Domination in the most James Bond-esque sense of the word.
Of course, 640 mil or 1 bil is hardly sufficient in this regard, but it can make for a nice 'commercial base'. Spend all of it on gold or platinum, and watch your wealth literally duplicate itself overnight. Mind the burst investment bubble that might occur later on. (Hopefully you liquidated and bought more 'permanent' wealth later on.)
"Let's see here... how much do I need for a total acquisition of the deBeers cartel, and do they have any 'genuine' replicas of the Hope Diamond in their private vaults?"
"How much money do I need to finance the private colonization of Mars, Total Recall-style?"
"How much money to emboss the word 'Kapkao' on the Moon in gold legibly to every 'naked eye' on Earth?"
How much do I need to have the human race screaming "You're the bastard of civilization, Kapkao/Robert/Mr. Hester", save for (a newly revived) Palestine...
"Priceless"
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
I would not expect anything less of you.
But here is the problem Beyond, you have a GREAT sense of humor and you DID lock yourself out of your own vehicle far away from your second set of keys, and for that I DO feel sorry for you.
BUT as much as you'd like to think that people like me are selling fear about the pay gap, and as much as I love you outside our economic differences, YOU ARE SOOOOOOOO FULL OF SHIT.
I will not say that you are "evil" as a conspiracy or plot, but I DO think you falsely think that anything outside your own yard you don't affect.
As balls to the walls you are in defending your position YOU'D BE THE FIRST person I would replace the Redskins owner with. But as far as looking outside your own bubble, I just wish you'd do more to understand that you are NOT the only class in the world.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
The lottery exploits desperation and irrationality and worse it channels the legitimate frustration people have with a system where wealth distribution is grossly unequal into pointless fantasy.
There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine
H.P. Lovecraft
Which is why you never see anything good come out of these winners. They can't handle that kind of payload and what ends up happening is that they just piss away their jackpot for fear that if they don't have things, the money will lose value or that they'll remain in a perpetual state of middle class forever. They have to surround themselves with possessions no matter what the cost or travel all the time or just make really bad business decisions that can see their entire winnings go away in less than two years.
until someone wins. If someone doesn't win, it's mostly a 'visionary' form of entertainment.
Frankly, I'm a little lost how heroine/opiates for recreational use should be legalized, yet a vice where the bad effects are largely avoidable (gambling) is somehow "bad". I mean, I can easily conceive that most past and present heroine/dilaudid addicts would prefer bankrupcy or $x less cash in their wallet over the sheer dread of experiencing a withdrawal. I don't see how one really destructive vice is more tolerable in one's 'back yard' or state than a vice that has minimal destructive effects 1/1000000Xth of the time, and the isolated times it could be destructive... has easily avoidable personal risks.
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
Just because I think something is a bad idea that doesn't mean I want people to be criminally sanctioned for it.
There are twists of time and space, of vision and reality, which only a dreamer can divine
H.P. Lovecraft
That's ok. I think willful ignorance of context is "bad", but I don't think anyone should be sanctioned for being a moron, either.
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
I effect a lot of people outside my own yard. Everyone I pay and everyone who pays me. The difference is that I believe I effect everyone in a positive way. When I hire an employee, they now have a job and an income which is a good thing. I no longer need to perform the job they are doing for me, which is a good thing. If I invest in someones business they get funding that would otherwise be unobtainable to them. That is a very good thing for them. My goal is to get even more money from them later when the business is a success. Which is a good thing for me. When a customer buys a product they are getting something they value more than whatever price they are paying, which is a good thing. The customer has become wealthier in a real sense that they now have something they want more than the money and I helped provide it. That is a good thing. Money has no value as money, it is only valuable because it can be traded.
You constantly view every economic transaction as a win/lose scenario. In reality, the vast majority of economic transactions are win/win scenarios. So if I have hundreds of millions I would effect a lot more people, all in a very positive way. I would provide jobs to people who wanted them, I would provide funds to people capable of producing and I would make large profits by providing customers with products more valuable to them than the money they give me. The whole time I would be attempting to make as much profit as possible by paying as little as possible to others and getting people to pay me as much as possible. I expect them to do the same and the result is the true value of my contribution to their lives and their contribution to mine.
I don't truly understand the mindset of you and your type that considers it "exploitive" and "greedy" and bad. But I have been accused of being such all my life so I will embrace the terms while I munch on my BBQ kittens.
If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X
Not "bad™", just misguided until you faithfully accept Jesus Christ™ as your Lord and Savior™, repent for your sins then take The Big Holy One right up your dirt chute until you scream "Oh Come On Ye Faithful".
Oh, wait... sorry. RCC already has a monopoly on violate sodomy. Of children, no less. My mistake.
“A meritocratic society is one in which inequalities of wealth and social position solely reflect the unequal distribution of merit or skills amongst human beings, or are based upon factors beyond human control, for example luck or chance. Such a society is socially just because individuals are judged not by their gender, the colour of their skin or their religion, but according to their talents and willingness to work, or on what Martin Luther King called 'the content of their character'. By extension, social equality is unjust because it treats unequal individuals equally.” "Political Ideologies" by Andrew Heywood (2003)
I see the crazy lady from Maryland lied. Three school workers came forward to collect $35 million (after taxes). They kept their names anonymous and went back to doing their jobs. All three had more than one job/part time. They loved what they did and decided to continue doing what they wanted to do.
Good for them. I think that is awesome.
The last winner has not come forward yet. Unfortunately they will not be able to keep their identity a secret. Their state does not allow for anonymous winners, which I think is truly stupid.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/loony_loser_is_still_lying_XtfDEIDBSCg6VtX5C61duJ?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=National
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2017951685_megamillions11.html
The lottery is a surtax on stupidity. Also a way to placate the unwashed masses with false hope.
It does play upon the same thinking that religion uses. An an extreme long shot, but people can be duped into having faith that they will win.
Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen