Get rid of online gambling

[Railbird]

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July 22, 2002

Push Renewed to Ban Online Gambling
By Stuart Shepard, correspondent


Gambling opponents in Congress are trying to get House leaders to bring up an Internet gambling ban for a vote.

Internet gambling is on track to become the most common form of gambling in America. Concerned about the resulting flood of bankruptcy, divorce and crime, some members of Congress are working to cut off the money supply.

The congressmen say it is practically impossible to go online or even check your e-mail without being pelted with ads for Internet casinos. With a click of the mouse, Internet users can play a computerized slot machine or place bets on a virtual roulette wheel. But the money being lost is very real, according to Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala.

"Gambling targets people in desperate financial situations; it lures them with the promise of easy money," Bachus said. "People find out it's never easy and all gambling games, even state lotteries, are rigged for the house."

Bachus is co-sponsoring a bill that would shut off the power supply for online gambling.

"It prohibits the use of any bank instrument, such as a credit card or a check or electronic funds transfer, for Internet gambling," Bachus said. "Essentially, when they (Internet gaming sites) don't get paid, they don't want to gamble with you."

Guy Clark, a spokesman for the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, said a bill to restrict Internet gambling is past due.

"But when the lobbyists get going for the casino industry, then legislators find lots of reasons to oppose such a bill," Clark said.

Bachus said he's especially concerned about teenagers and college students for whom the Internet is a familiar part of life. He said they may have a false sense of security, not realizing the businesses are actually offshore, often operating in the shadows. There are now an estimated 1,500 Internet gambling sites.

Bachus said he hopes public support will spur the House leadership to bring the Unlawful Internet Gambling Funding Prohibition Act to a vote.

[neilm]

Isn't Bachus Mr. McGoo?

[Total Square]

hey railworm,

did you read the retraction from your pal L.(oser) Brent Bozell had to write to Mister McMahon of the WWE???

if you didn't, i will cut and paste it below for your reading pleasure. what a lying bunch of ;losers!!! he also had to pay Mister McMahon $3.5 million. was any of that your cash???


http://www.parentstv.org/Main/letters/wweretraction.asp


PTC RETRACTION TO WWE AND TO THE PUBLIC

Media Research Center (MRC), Parents Television Council (PTC), Dr. Delores Tucker, Mark Honig and I have in the past made statements regarding so-called wrestling deaths—children killed by other children alleged to be mimicking “professional wrestling” moves they saw on television. We made such statements to members of MRC and PTC, the media, advertisers on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Smackdown! program, retailers that sell WWE-related toys and merchandise, public officials and the public. MRC and PTC also produced a videotape as part of a fundraising campaign in connection with its “National Campaign to Clean Up TV Now!”, which advanced the notion that the murder of Tiffany Eunick was caused by the influence of professional wrestling on Lionel Tate. The videotape included interviews with Lionel Tate’s lawyer advancing the notion that the murder of Tiffany Eunick, the victim, was directly caused by the impact that professional wrestling had on Lionel Tate.

We based our statements on media reports and source information. We now believe, based on extensive investigation and facts which have come to light since making those statements, that it was wrong for MRC, PTC, their spokespersons and myself to have said anything that could be construed as blaming WWE or any of its programs for the deaths of the children. Simply put, it was premature to reach that conclusion when we did, and there is now ample evidence to show that conclusion was incorrect. I now believe that professional wrestling played no role in the murder of Tiffany Eunick, which was a part of our “Clean Up TV Now!” campaign, and am equally convinced that it was incorrect and wrong to have blamed WWE or any of its programs for the deaths of the other children.

Because of our statements, PTC, MRC and the WWE have been in litigation since November 2000. WWE vigorously advanced its position that neither it, nor “professional wrestling” lead to these deaths. WWE also contended that MRC, PTC, their spokespersons and I had misrepresented the number of advertisers who withdrew support from WWE’s Smackdown! television program after receiving communications from the PTC, some of which regrettably connected the WWE and Smackdown! to the deaths of children. As such, WWE exercised its right to initiate this litigation, during which facts came to light that prompted me to make this statement.

By this retraction, I want to be clear that WWE was correct in pointing out that various statements made by MRC, PTC and me were inaccurate concerning the identity and number of WWE Smackdown! advertisers who withdrew support from the program. Many of the companies we stated had “withdrawn” or pulled their support had never, in fact, advertised on Smackdown! nor had any plan to advertise on Smackdown! Again, we regret this error and retract any such misleading statements.

Finally, concerning the statements about child wrestling deaths, it was wrong to have stated or implied that WWE or any of its programs caused these tragic deaths. Specifically concerning the Lionel Tate case, recent developments lead us to believe that others and we were given, and relied upon, false information provided by parties close to the case. The information that we were given and relied upon may have been designed to make a national example of the Florida murder trial, pinning the blame on WWE. For example, we were told by a source that Lionel Tate was watching a WWE program when he assaulted Tiffany Eunick. In fact, Lionel Tate was watching the “Flintstones” and a cartoon entitled “Cow and Chicken.” We were also told, by a source, that Lionel Tate killed Tiffany Eunick while executing a wrestling move unique to a WWE character called the “Stone Cold Stunner.” We have since learned that this was not true, nor was there any evidence that it was true.

It is now well documented that after the Tate trial concluded, the presiding Judge said that it was “inconceivable” that Tiffany Eunick’s injuries were caused by Lionel Tate mimicking wrestling moves. Indeed, since the trial ended, Lionel Tate’s new lawyers have filed court papers in which they admit that the “wrestling defense” was, in their words, “bogus.” Given these facts, WWE was within its rights to be angry at the MRC, PTC, their spokespersons and I for contacting WWE’s advertisers to go beyond complaining about WWE content but passing along accusations which we now know were false. Because I feel a simple retraction is not sufficient, I have personally extended my apology to Vince McMahon and the WWE on behalf of MRC, PTC, Dr. Tucker, Mr. Honig and me. Through this letter, I now make this apology public and specifically directed to the advertising community that has in the past, is currently or may in the future consider advertising or sponsoring WWE programming.

The PTC can have its concern with the content of WWE’s television programming – though these concerns have been reduced significantly over the past years as a reflection of WWE’s changed standards. But nowhere in that debate, including in the correspondence and statements to the advertising community, should there have been any discussion of “wrestling” deaths. I regret this happening, it wasn’t fair to WWE. And I say this emphatically: Please disregard what others and we have said in the past about the Florida “wrestling” death. Neither “wrestling” in general, nor WWE specifically, had anything to do with it. Of that I am certain.


Sincerely,

L. Brent Bozell, III

cc: Vince and Linda McMahon

[Michael Cash]

Replace the word gambling in that post with Alcohol, Crack, Cigarettes, etc.

Beer targets drinkers and cigarettes target smokers. It's called marketing, get used to it. I like Ferrari's and I will be damned if it doesn't seem like "they" are trying to get me to rob a bank to buy one. You know that I actually had a dream where a Ferrari was chasing me? IT'S OUT OF CONTROL, HHHEEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!

Get serious for a second. Gambling or beer or anything else aren't the cause of the problem. Eliminating anything will only cause people to seek another vice to develop and addiction to. Humans are by nature compulsive about their passions. No way around it.

If you do away with gambling them some of us may become work-a-holics and I don't think any of us want that. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Just me 2 cents...

MC

[Lootmeister]

Cats outta the bag. They can only hope to regulate, not kill it.

[pmj18]

Face it, the Gov't is only pissed at the offshore gambling for one reason, they don't receive any taxes, like they do with lotteries, horse racing etc...

[four corners]

I think we should get rid of religion. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/img]

[Hartley]

Speaking of religion, the Pope is in Toronto for World Youth Day festivities and they have parts of the city closed down. Security and police are everywhere and there are police helicopters everywhere in the sky.

Funny - when the Chief Rabbi of Israel was here a while back I don't recall them shutting down the city or going through so many security measures.

[count zero]

What four corners said. And fvck L. Brent Bozeau. Spirituality is one thing, hiding behind God to advance your weak-minded political views is another.

[BetMore]

What pisses me off is that they want to ban online gambling because "Concerned about the resulting flood of bankruptcy, divorce and crime, some members of Congress are working to cut off the money supply. " So explain me... because some people are stupid enough to gamble so much that they reach bankruptcy, you should ban it?????? What about all the folks that are intelligent enough to control themselves and gamble for fun? Give me a break.

[alysheba88]

Agree Betmore. If thats their logic they had better shut down the stock market too

[TTinCO]

<< Speaking of religion, the Pope is in Toronto for World Youth Day festivities and they have parts of the city closed down. Security and police are everywhere and there are police helicopters everywhere in the sky.

Funny - when the Chief Rabbi of Israel was here a while back I don't recall them shutting down the city or going through so many security measures. >>



They just want to be sure that the ambulance can get in and out of there as quickly as possible. The pope has looked like he was on his final day for months now.

[four corners]

"The pope has looked like he was on his final day for months now. "

No kidding. I've had him in my Dead Pool for the last 5 years. One of these years I'm gonna be right.

[vega007]

Actually the Pope looked much stronger and healthier than he has had in recent times.

On a side note, it would be much appreciated if we could leave the religion bashing to other people in other forums, eh lads? I may not go to mass on account of NFL, but I am a good Irish Catholic.

[Railbird]

Maybe Mr Ashcroft will just go after all the agents and westernunio, credit card companies. Jay Cohen and Sacco in the can is a good start anyway.

[vega007]

You morons elected the monkey that appointed that wingnut, not me.

[Total Square]

ashcroft is your kind of guy, right worm?

[JC]

Railbird,

If you are against gambling, that's fine and good for you. But, you and your ilk should not try to cram your narrow view of what is and isn't acceptable on the rest of us. Have you ever heard of freedom or is that just another of those annoying 1776 words?

What is your position on the stock market? Do you consider that gambling?

More specifically, how do you fell about cash settled S & P 500 futures that allow people to speculate (bet) on the outcome of the index for a specific duration?

FTR- I am opposed to mini vans for multiple reasons, however I am not seeking legislation to outlaw them for everyone.

[Railbird]

JC,


Thats funny you talk about freedom, gambling is the opposite of freedom. Gambling is bondage. Freedom can only be achieved through Jesus Christ. Standfast therefore in the liberty in which Christ has set us free and do not be a yoke of bondage.

JC,

You claim you have NEVER gambled. So you know nothing of being in bondage from gambling, there is no such thing as a successful gambler. The successful gambler is in complete bondage and doesnt even know it. The losing gambler has tithed to corruption, the winning gambler is stuck in bondage and is not free.

Stockmarket the money is in an investor pool, and everyone is on the same team. You are backing a company and there is a diffrent spirit involved. Hopefully you are backing a Christ centered company.