Re: OT: Utterly OT (was : Brothel s and other urban facilities (WAS: Scandinavian meeting.))

li_sasxsek@NUTTER.NET wrote:
...
> Depends what they are massaging.  Knoxville ran all the "Asian
> massage" places out of town about a couple years after they forced
> out all the poker machines that were "for entertainment only".  This
> is the Bible Belt and the hypochristians seem to be happier if their
> vices are not blatently visible.  Nevada seems to be the only state
> in the U.S. that takes the complete opposite attitude, thus building
> their economy by allowing activities that the other 49 states
> wouldn't. Legitimate gambling areas are now popping up everywhere,
> usually on reservations.  I have yet to see anywhere that compares to
> Vegas though.
That's another thing we do over here. The Commonwealth government makes
it as hard as possible for state governments to earn their own money,
preferring to keep them on as tight a leash as possible. Gambling and
pokies are about the easiest way for them to earn their own money (sales
taxes/excises are prohibited by the constitution and income taxes are
impractical).

There is however a strong movement against them, which is largely not
religious. Nick Xenophon, whose religion has never come up, has been a
hugely successful anti-gambling politician, electing himself and
unexpectedly a mate in the South Australian 2006 state election with 20
per cent of the vote and getting a seat (elected November 2007, takes it
up in July) in the (federal) Senate with over a quota of the primary
vote (around 15%). (Most Australian upper houses use a combined form of
preferential and proportional voting; when minor independents parties
get elected they usually receive preferences from other candidates who
failed to reach the quota.)

(I walked through Crown Casino here in Melbourne when I was 18 to meet a
friend; I have no idea how anyone could stay in that environment for
more than the few minutes I was there.)

--
Tristan.

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