Rising price of our hobby

[Tom Geiger]

Be kind Steve... that was the woman's retirement plan!  

[StevenGuthmiller]

Be kind Steve... that was the woman's retirement plan!  

I'd be willing to bet that it's going to be a rough retirement.

 

Steve

[Mark]

The woman ahead of me had a stack of Powerball tickets as thick as your arm & the poor girl at the register was forced to check them all to see if there were any winners.

Lottery: a tax on the inability to comprehend odds.

Over the years, a lot of the people I have worked with who were (self-described) "poor" or "broke" usually blew a ton of money on the lottery, or were frequent visitors to the casinos.  A few others I worked with cashed their paychecks at the bar or got smoked up over the weekend, and would be trying to borrow money on the following Monday.  When the boss wasn't in a mood to give them an advance (he usually did, he was a soft touch) they'd make the stupid mistake of approaching me.  The gamblers in particular would be the first ones griping about someone else having a newer car than they had.  Priorities, folks, priorities.... 

[Tom Geiger]

I'm always amazed at how stupid people spend their money..    There is a cable show called "Life or Debt"  where a financial expert tries to help couples who are hopelessly swimming in debt.  There are couples who want to do better, and work with the expert, and those who rebel and argue their "point" to rationalize their frivolous spending.   There was an episode where a couple hadn't made a mortgage payment in two years, but the lady had a makeup artist come to her house to do her makeup every morning.. "gotta look good!"   to the tune of $600 a month they didn't have.  That was the couple that the expert walked out on.    Interesting show to watch.

Edited August 13, 2016 by Tom Geiger

[SfanGoch]

Lottery: a tax on the inability to comprehend odds.

Over the years, a lot of the people I have worked with who were (self-described) "poor" or "broke" usually blew a ton of money on the lottery, or were frequent visitors to the casinos.  A few others I worked with cashed their paychecks at the bar or got smoked up over the weekend, and would be trying to borrow money on the following Monday.  When the boss wasn't in a mood to give them an advance (he usually did, he was a soft touch) they'd make the stupid mistake of approaching me.  The gamblers in particular would be the first ones griping about someone else having a newer car than they had.  Priorities, folks, priorities.... 

Use the power of vig. Six for five. Don't make me look for you on payday, see?

[martinfan5]

I'm always amazed at how stupid people spend their money..    There is a cable show called "Life or Debt"  where a financial expert tries to help couples who are hopelessly swimming in debt.  There are couples who want to do better, and work with the expert, and those who rebel and argue their "point" to rationalize their frivolous spending.   There was an episode where a couple hadn't made a mortgage payment in two years, but the lady had a makeup artist come to her house to do her makeup every morning.. "gotta look good!"   to the tune of $600 a month they didn't have.  That was the couple that the expert walked out on.    Interesting show to watch.

I am surprised people watch all these scripted "reality" shows ,  and I even more surprised that people actually believe that crud is real.

Edited August 13, 2016 by martinfan5

[SfanGoch]

You mean to tell us that The Jerry Springer Show is fake? 

[StevenGuthmiller]

You mean to tell us that The Jerry Springer Show is fake? 

Now I'm really bummed!

I was positive that "Pawn Stars" was on the level!

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

Lottery: a tax on the inability to comprehend odds.

That's extremely funny!

And absolutely true!

 

Steve

[plastic-mechanic]

I am surprised people watch all these scripted "reality" shows ,  and I even more surprised that people actually believe that crud is real.

just wait until november 5

[Mike999]

Speaking of expensive hobbies...back in the 1990s, a family friend was looking good for retirement. He had about $200,000 in personal savings plus his 401(k) etc.  He was always conservative with his money and locally famous as a tightwad.

Then the Video Poker craze swept South Carolina. In an incredibly short time, he had vaporized all his savings, borrowed from his 401(k), and ended up filing bankruptcy. I couldn't believe that. But it happened.  The state banned Video Poker in 2000.

For many years I lived in Los Angeles, a pretty short drive from Vegas. I'd be Trump-rich if I had a dollar for every time somebody told me about a sure-fire scheme to beat the casinos.  Always some can't-fail Blackjack card counting scheme, or doubling down on Roulette, etc. etc. Forgetting that the casino has virtually unlimited time and money, and the gambler does not.

There's an old story about a woman in a Harrah's casino.  She lost a lot of money, and saw Bill Harrah himself on the casino floor.  She went over and complained to Harrah that his slot machines weren't paying off.  Harrah said something like: "Sure they are!  See that expensive carpet you're standing on?  See those crystal chandeliers up there?  Don't tell me those slots aren't paying off."

[Mark]

Casinos are a gamble only for the schmucks who walk through the front door...for the people who run them or regulate them, they're a sure thing.

[Dave Van]

Casinos are a gamble only for the schmucks who walk through the front door...for the people who run them or regulate them, they're a sure thing.

Wait a minute........I am a big winner and I only been in one casino!!!!!

In 2014 the HET National convention was held at a resort that had a small casino. One day we had about two hours to kill....the casino was ice cold (it was almost 100 outside) so we went in the casino......never been to one since I was in Vegas with my folks at age 5.

put a dollar in the penny slot machine.....played for almost two hours....walked away with $1.78....almost doubled my money!!!

[Rob Hall]

Lots of casinos around here, not my thing...find them too noisy and too much smoking smell.    I've been to one local one a few times for corporate events and concerts and it does have some decent restaurants, though. 

[StevenGuthmiller]

Lots of casinos around here, not my thing...find them too noisy and too much smoking smell.    I've been to one local one a few times for corporate events and concerts and it does have some decent restaurants, though. 

Gambling has never been my thing either.

I work too hard for my money to piss it away like that.

The wife & I went to Vegas once many years ago.

I enjoyed seeing the sights, eating in some interesting restaurants & spent a couple of afternoons enjoying an auto museum & the "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit that happened to be in town.

Never even dropped a quarter in a slot machine.

Didn't feel like I missed anything either.

 

Steve

[High octane]

My wife and I occasionally play at the casinos, but very little lately. Sometimes we would go to the "riverboat" and play, or if we're on a cruise ship we'll play, and our trip to the southwest ended up in Vegas this past June and we played a bit. However we do it for entertainment purposes only. Sometimes we won't play for a year or so. People who think they're gonna win "big money" are fools, as the odds are against them. Why is Las Vegas still "booming" after all these years, because there have been lots of lucky gamblers walkin' away with big money??? Guess again.

[XJ6]

My wife and I occasionally play at the casinos, but very little lately. Sometimes we would go to the "riverboat" and play, or if we're on a cruise ship we'll play, and our trip to the southwest ended up in Vegas this past June and we played a bit. However we do it for entertainment purposes only. Sometimes we won't play for a year or so. People who think they're gonna win "big money" are fools, as the odds are against them. Why is Las Vegas still "booming" after all these years, because there have been lots of lucky gamblers walkin' away with big money??? Guess again.you are a loser fool blah blah

I lived in Las Vegas for many years when Vegas was Vegas 

Edited August 13, 2016 by XJ6

[StevenGuthmiller]

I have nothing against people who like to gamble.

I guess you could say it's a hobby like anything else.

Someone who likes to gamble might think that guys who waste their money on little plastic cars are the fools.

But there are far too many people who take it too the next level, become addicted & spend money that they don't have or can ill afford to support that addiction.

Building models is not addicting...........is it?

 

Steve

[SfanGoch]

If you constantly buy and stash large numbers of kits of any type, with no realistic expectation of building any of them within your lifetime, that's indicative of a compulsive personality. You're a hoarder. It could also describe women who buy and own so many shoes or handbags that they'll never wear/use most of them.

[StevenGuthmiller]

If you constantly buy and stash large numbers of kits of any type, with no realistic expectation of building any of them within your lifetime, that's indicative of a compulsive personality. You're a hoarder. It could also describe women who buy and own so many shoes or handbags that they'll never wear/use most of them.

Good!

That means that I'm not addicted.

I do plan on building everything I buy.

 

Steve

[cobraman]

Lots of casinos around here, not my thing...find them too noisy and too much smoking smell.    I've been to one local one a few times for corporate events and concerts and it does have some decent restaurants, though. 

I'm with you Rob. I have one about 10 minutes away down 51 st and have been there once in almost ten years I have lived here.

[High octane]

I lived in Las Vegas for many years when Vegas was Vegas 

Guess you deserve a pat on the back. I have cousins living there for over 50 years.

[SfanGoch]

Do they know where "Blue Jaw" Magoon is buried? Seems that the boys misplaced him somewhere in the desert. You know how that goes.

[kitbash1]

Gambling has never been my thing either.

I work too hard for my money to piss it away like that.

The wife & I went to Vegas once many years ago.

I enjoyed seeing the sights, eating in some interesting restaurants & spent a couple of afternoons enjoying an auto museum & the "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit that happened to be in town.

Never even dropped a quarter in a slot machine.

Didn't feel like I missed anything either.

 

Steve

When my mother-in-law was still alive and pissing me off, she would go to Vegas once a year with her sister. Those two old bittys were the luckiest two on the planet. One time she won 5 grand on the second pull of the handle on a slot machine. Another time she won 25 grand playing Roulette, and on the same day she won 10 grand at the Blackjack table. She would go down with about 2 grand and planed to not bring anything back, but the two of them always came back with 10 to 20 grand between the both of them. 

[XJ6]

Guess you deserve a pat on the back. I have cousins living there for over 70years.

no pat on the back just saying ?