I'm suprised CNN is pushing this agenda. I wish they had the ability to make comments on the stories, because obviously the "victim" in this case could have just as easily been betting on Horse Racing or the Lottery and had the same results.

Dear Lara Farrar- (you dumb beeeatchhh)

In order to protect you from yourself we have decided to cut off all your fingers (no more shoving them down your throat). Also, we are petitioning Congress to ban silver spoons and pink plastic bags.

Your welcome.

Noley

<H2>Perspective: My story: Reflecting on life as a bulimic</H2> <H4>Lara Farrar</H4> Issue date: 3/3/06 Section: Opinion
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<SCRIPT language=Javascript> function goPage(newindex) { currentLocation = getThisPage(); cleanedLocation = ''; // If this is an SHTML request. if (currentLocation.indexOf(".shtml") > -1) { // Detect if this is a request that already has a page specification. if (currentLocation.indexOf("-page") > -1) { cleanedLocation = currentLocation.substring(0, currentLocation.indexOf("-page")) + '.shtml'; } else { cleanedLocation = currentLocation; } // Only add the "-pageX" suffix when the page index is higher than 1. if (newindex != 1) { cleanedLocation = cleanedLocation.substring(0, cleanedLocation.indexOf(".shtml")) + '-page' + newindex + '.shtml'; } } else { // Only add the "-pageX" suffix when the page index is higher than 1. if (newindex != 1) { cleanedLocation = currentLocation + '&page=' + newindex; } else { cleanedLocation = currentLocation; } } document.location = cleanedLocation; } function getThisPage() { currentURL = '' + window.document.location; thispageresult = ''; if (currentURL.indexOf("?page=") > -1) { currentURL = currentURL.substring(0, currentURL.indexOf('?page=')); thispageresult = currentURL; } else if (currentURL.indexOf("&page=") > -1) { currentURL = currentURL.substring(0, currentURL.indexOf('&page=')); thispageresult = currentURL; } else { thispageresult = currentURL; } // Make sure the URL generated by this fuctnion is compatible with mirror image. thispageresult = thispageresult.substring(7, thispageresult.length); thispageresult = thispageresult.substring(thispageresult.indexOf('/')+1, thispageresult.length); thispageresult = basehref + thispageresult; if (thispageresult.indexOf('sourcedomain') > -1) { thispageresult = thispageresult.substring(0, thispageresult.indexOf('?')); } return thispageresult; } </SCRIPT> Welcome to the life of a bulimic. On my right rests a grocery bag stuffed full of empty boxes. Boxes once containing chocolate-coated cakes with miniature candy eggs nestled cozily amidst milk chocolate flakes.

Now the milk chocolate pastries sit mished and mashed within my bowels, joined by strawberry breakfast sweets, chocolate-coated cookies, cream-filled mini rolls and sugary chocolate cake bars. In front of me sits a pint of vanilla ice cream.

I eat this right before it is time -- time to stick a silver spoon so far down my throat that my reflexes give in and my protruding stomach finds relief, as particles of discombobulated food sink slowly into the toilet bowl.

Yet tonight the toilet bowl isn't an option, as my other roommates are close by. A pink plastic trash bag inside my room will have to do, and I still have one more pint of ice cream to go before I can unload this emotional pain.

It's a horribly written article that's starts off with an anonymous victim (you think that person exists or is it just a composite of what she has heard?). She deserves everything she gets. CNN sucks ass for publishing that garbage. Did you gain 1 piece of knowledge from reading it? It's written like a high school paper. Pathetic.

I disagree with your statement "it isn't the government's job to regulate how tax payers spend their money"

(My response applies to everything)

The government has a obligation to protect the weak, otherwise all tax payers end up fronting the bill "it's call public assistance".

People (individuals) don't lose millions in the stock market, thousand of people who invest in the stock market lose, these are the same people who have no business in the stock market that lose.

For the average person this is how the stock market works: A trusted friend calls tells me they have good information on a stock "if I have $1,000 or $2,000 I can double my money in under 30 days". Where did you get this information from? My first cousin's second brother third uncle who has Friend who works for the stock exchange who overheard a conversation in the bathroom in a coffee shop at 3 am.

So I invest my $2,000

My $2,000 investment along with many other similar investments has no affect on the stock, the large block holders/market makers decide how much you win or lose.

I do agree with your statement "taking care of this the old fashion way" speak into a politician's listening.

I truly understand the problem, I lost a couple of hundred the first few weeks I played online, money that I could NOT afford to lose at that time. I ended up borrowing money from friends for food and rent and got myself into a very difficult situation. Lucky for me, I learnt my lesson pretty quickly but it took me a few weeks to get out of the hole. I set a limit of around 200 dollars a month but a certain site has given me a 6000 dollar credit limit, which is a ridiclous amount of money to risk for a novice player just starting out.

But it can be a tough lesson to learn, for me a few hundred, others maybe thousands and they will be in debt for the rest of their life. Anyway, its a difficult decision to make for the law makers. I'd say its 50/50 right now for the ban.

to take your stock market example one step farther.... you said that the people who lose alot of money in the stock market prolly shouldnt have been in the market (because they dont know what they are doing?) to invest in the stock market and be successful long term you have to be smart and know what you're doing... sure some people get lucky and get a big gain here and there, but eventually they dont know enough to sustain a "bankroll" in the market... how is this any different from poker?? You have good players who are smart enough to consistently win money and have good money management skills that do well... the rest of the people that come on and play may occasionally get lucky but eventually they will lose. but the gov't doesnt outlaw stocks, cuz they are getting thier cut.
and horse races and lotteries... y do they allow these ones... oh cuz there is so much skill involved in picking a winning horse or numbers... the govt is shit... i understand getting rid of online blackjack and online slots, because those are mathematically programed to have the house win,

im sorry, maybe i am naive because i am taking the learning process one step at a time and 6 months later i am still on my first deposit of $55, but IF you lose alot of money real fast doesnt it click in your head that:
1.) MAYBE youre not good at this and/or 2.) maybe i should learn more about HOW to play first. or 3.) maybe i will find another scam that will make me millions, like a pyramid scheme. lol. or 4.) hmmm i can play FREEEEEEEE to learn how to play BEFORE i spend my rent money and then work my way UP one level at a time.
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looking back on my short life at 40, losing money on investments and CREDIT CARDS and such were the only way to LEARN future lessons in life that there is no shortcut to quick success in ANYTHING -unless you hit powerball by luck. my dad made me make my own decisions for myself and making a mistake was the best way to prevent continual future losses due to bad preperation. Having made mistakes allowed me to start a company and run it quite well for 5 years before selling it but i would have failed without having made previous mistakes.

At some point in life its better to lose a big chunk once than to lose continual money all thru life. I dont trust anyone who hasnt learned thru making a mistake before because they wont know how to overcome problems thru experience. This teaches the value of money much faster, despite its pain.
gambling is entertainment, if i become good enough to ever make a living off a hobby then great, but have a backup plan. Its like a kid not studying and just playing basketball because he thinks he will be in the NBA one day so he doesnt have to bother. There are only a few hundred people making a living in the NBA so maybe it could fail if you have NO TALENT or preperation skills.
Have other things you do as well and take weekends off. just like at the barscene, real pros play during the week, weekends are amateur hour. recharge and have something else to do so youre not a complete addict with one thing. take up golf or something. but its your choice, you hear me government trying to take away my choice of being able to make a mistake or not?!

using caution can only lead to more enjoyment with a long term view, there are no short term riches in poker. you cant walk in and bet johnny chan and walk away with a million bucks. you have to play more hands that expose what a donkey you are in his eyes. lol.

thats just one donkeys advice because this isnt my first time around the block in life but its not my last mistake either. poker will still be here after you learn how to actually play it.

the followers that we elect wouldn't be pushing this agenda so hard if they thought they had a lot of support. All the events of the last week are contrived. That doesn't mean it likely won't work. Just its contrived.

<SPAN>It boils down to taking personal responsibility for your own actions. This is no different than the fat asses suing McDonald's because they made their Big Macs to good to refuse (I also include all of the tobacco litigation in with the personal responsibility argument). What next? Are we going to start banning pornography? It caused me to have an illicit affair, spend thousands of dollars on hookers and loose my family. I want half your honor!

If you cannot control your actions be it because of poker, porn, food, drink or drugs it is YOUR responsibility to gain control not the governments responsibility to gain control for you. There are programs available to you for help but you have to want to get help.

How can anyone argue with any degree of seriousness that it is the government’s responsibility to come rushing in to save us? I don't need nor do I want "their" help and please do not hand me, 'but you are stronger than others and we really have to help those in need'. That is BS in its purist form.

I have known people who spend $100 per week playing the lottery. Why isn't the government protecting them from themselves? It is hypocritical to attack online gaming and not attack the lottery and betting on horse racing.

Threes</SPAN>