http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/ ... 7917.shtml

 

(CBS/AP) President Bush signed into law a bill Friday to help prevent terrorists from sneaking a nuclear, chemical or germ weapon into the United States inside one of the 11 million shipping containers that enter the U.S. each year ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Ã

Repost from about ... long enough ago *shrug*

 

Then again, tipit moves a lot slower than every other forum out there :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: Better mention that it's always been illegal, really. This bill is actually doing something about it.

He didnt really sneak it in, its been in the press about this for weeks possible months. Most online gambling should be banned imo, its very dangerous and its undoubtedly ruined some peoples lives.

He didnt really sneak it in, its been in the press about this for weeks possible months. Most online gambling should be banned imo, its very dangerous and its undoubtedly ruined some peoples lives.

 

 

 

Agreed. People think they can play and win real poker just because they won online.

I know you don't like Bush, or Americans, but like others said, he didn't sneak it in. The act had to pass congress first - and it did, long before Bush signed it. Oh, and like rick` said, online gambling was always illegal since they're not licensed jurisdictions.

Oh great...My dad won't like this...>_

 

Agreed. People think they can play and win real poker just because they won online.

 

 

 

As opposed to what, "pretend" poker? There's plenty of examples of people who've made silly amounts of money from playing internet poker, and the biggest reason it's "dangerous" is the same reasons "RL-poker" is, not because it makes people overestimate their own abilities.

 

 

 

Well, not overestimate their own abilities more than a RL poker game requires anyway.

^ Precisely. If you play PartyPoker and make money, with their crappy 'fairness policy', you're a good player in my book.

 

Agreed. People think they can play and win real poker just because they won online.

 

 

 

As opposed to what, "pretend" poker? There's plenty of examples of people who've made silly amounts of money from playing internet poker, and the biggest reason it's "dangerous" is the same reasons "RL-poker" is, not because it makes people overestimate their own abilities.

 

 

 

Well, not overestimate their own abilities more than a RL poker game requires anyway.

 

 

 

I think he was just saying that real life poker has a totally different dynamic than internet poker.

 

 

 

Ever seen the movie rounders? Matt Damon calls every person's hand at a table based on their facial expressions/the way they act. Of course it's a fictional movie but really good poker players are able to read other players - on the internet, a really good real life poker player doesn't have that ability any more, and has to make a call based on cards alone.

What exactly makes online gambling so much worse than real life gambling?

I was wondering when someone was going to post about this. :P

 

 

 

Prices of stocks of large online poker businesses fell 28% to even 64% in some cases...

What exactly makes online gambling so much worse than real life gambling?

Because money on a computer is just a number, you dont realise how much you are spending compared to irl

In my defense, I live in Holland, so not every bit of news about American politics reaches me. I only found out when an online friend who plays semi-professionally started ranting at me that he couldn't log in anymore. The way the article described the process, it kind of seemed like the episode of The Simpsons where Krusty becomes a congressman and they sneak in a ban on airplanes flying over residential areas by attaching it to a 'Flags for Orphans' bill.

In Necro's defense, I somehow hadn't heard it either. :)

 

 

 

I think this is silly. Then again, if you've seen me on tip.it ever, I oppose most laws that limit freedom instead of expanding it. I think people can decide for themselves if they want to gamble or not. Some people get far too into it, addicted, and play unhealthily, it's true - but banning the whole thing just because some people abuse it surely is not a smart solution. Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

 

 

 

So you expect the government to let us do whatever we want and then spend money to fix us when we abuse it?

Then again, if you've seen me on tip.it ever, I oppose most laws that limit freedom instead of expanding it. I think people can decide for themselves if they want to gamble or not.

 

 

 

WHAT!? Since when!?

Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

 

 

 

So you expect the government to let us do whatever we want and then spend money to fix us when we abuse it?

 

There are plenty of addiction help services not only run by the government. Just because a few get addicted or whatever Bush's reason for illegalizing internet gambling doesn't mean that it should be ruined for everyone. Unfortunately, that's how everything works in this country. Unless they already have some control over it. Then it's another story.

Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

 

 

 

So you expect the government to let us do whatever we want and then spend money to fix us when we abuse it?

 

 

 

Yeah, pretty much. The government should allow us freedom, but provide education to help us use that freedom better, and rehabilitation for when we misuse that freedom, and then stop wasting money on MOST other things. It'd be a kind of ideal world, eh? :D

 

 

 

The thing is, you have to deal with problems directly. "Cars cause a lot of accidents, so let's ban all cars!" is not an effective solution. Online gambling websites isn't the problem - the problem is the people who abuse those websites. By banning just the medium, you're banning good along with the bad, and surely that's not the role of the government, to just block everything good AND bad until the government prescribes everything (think Soviet Russia).

 

 

 

For the same reason, I believe guns should be legal and available :)

Ugh...why? I don't see how internet gambling is any worse or more detatched from real gambling. There are problems with both, sure, but why ban one which lots of people just play recreationally without getting hooked or anything. I remember reading an article about housewives who'd gamble a few dollars everyday, they liked the anonymity and non-sex biased aspect that internet gambling provided. Okay, so it's potentially dangerous if you get addicted, but so are so many things that are legalised, why ban this one?

The government just didn't like not being able to tax it since the gambling companies were based off-shore.

Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

 

 

 

So you expect the government to let us do whatever we want and then spend money to fix us when we abuse it?

 

 

 

The thing is, you have to deal with problems directly. "Cars cause a lot of accidents, so let's ban all cars!" is not an effective solution.

 

 

 

It's a different solution though. Getting in car accidents is not addictive :P in that situation, the problem lies solely with the people. In a situation such as drugs, there are properties within the drugs themselves that are the problem.

 

 

 

With gambling it's sort of a grey area as to whether or not the problem lies solely with the individual or not.

Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

 

 

 

So you expect the government to let us do whatever we want and then spend money to fix us when we abuse it?

 

 

 

The thing is, you have to deal with problems directly. "Cars cause a lot of accidents, so let's ban all cars!" is not an effective solution.

 

 

 

It's a different solution though. Getting in car accidents is not addictive :P in that situation, the problem lies solely with the people. In a situation such as drugs, there are properties within the drugs themselves that are the problem.

 

 

 

With gambling it's sort of a grey area as to whether or not the problem lies solely with the individual or not.

 

 

 

Gambling isn't the kind of addiction that drugs are. I say, if you choose to gamble, than you're signing a release form saying that you will take full responsability for your losses or gains. Gambling can get addicting, but in this case, you have the power to stop yourself. It's usually the, 'the next time could be the jackpot' thought that breaks people down.

 

 

 

That's why gambling, if you can get into it, is such a good buisness.

Gambling isn't the kind of addiction that drugs are. I say, if you choose to gamble, than you're signing a release form saying that you will take full responsability for your losses or gains. Gambling can get addicting, but in this case, you have the power to stop yourself. It's usually the, 'the next time could be the jackpot' thought that breaks people down.

 

 

 

That's why gambling, if you can get into it, is such a good buisness.

 

 

 

The physical act of gambling doesn't alter your brain like drugs do, you're right. But once it becomes an addiction, it's exactly the same as using drugs. Drugs are easier to become addicted to because they will mess with the chemicals in your brains no matter what, whereas gambling can affect some people and not affect others. But addictions are addictions - period. No one has found any chemical difference in the brain between the two various types of addictions except that drugs, because they are being put into your body, also cause various physical problems.

Gambling isn't the kind of addiction that drugs are. I say, if you choose to gamble, than you're signing a release form saying that you will take full responsability for your losses or gains. Gambling can get addicting, but in this case, you have the power to stop yourself. It's usually the, 'the next time could be the jackpot' thought that breaks people down.

 

 

 

That's why gambling, if you can get into it, is such a good buisness.

 

 

 

The physical act of gambling doesn't alter your brain like drugs do, you're right. But once it becomes an addiction, it's exactly the same as using drugs. Drugs are easier to become addicted to because they will mess with the chemicals in your brains no matter what, whereas gambling can affect some people and not affect others. But addictions are addictions - period. No one has found any chemical difference in the brain between the two various types of addictions except that drugs, because they are being put into your body, also cause various physical problems.

 

 

 

Maybe not in the brain no... But if you examine the bloodstream, you'll find some extra stuff in there.

 

 

 

The "excitement" people get when doing something daring, like gambling(amounts depend on different people). The "excitement", or what some people call adrenaline rush, is what people get addicted to.

 

 

 

Like the people who eat to feel better, the brain releases endorphines when you eat to represent satiety. Endorphines are the body's way to reduce pain or feel good or the like.

 

 

 

Gambling is like eating a ton, it affects the chemistry of your blood and body, thus people who are addicted are addicted to rush of certain chemicals in their body.

In Necro's defense, I somehow hadn't heard it either. :)

 

 

 

I think this is silly. Then again, if you've seen me on tip.it ever, I oppose most laws that limit freedom instead of expanding it. I think people can decide for themselves if they want to gamble or not. Some people get far too into it, addicted, and play unhealthily, it's true - but banning the whole thing just because some people abuse it surely is not a smart solution. Instead, provide more education and support for people who have addictions of all types.

 

 

 

Should people not also have their freedom to spend their money on the services and goods which they personally see fit. Why should tax payers money be spent to educate idiots who lack responsibility and self control?.