I'm not confusing anything thank you, they are both forms of state spending just the revenue is raised in other ways.

Your argument seems to be that because the lottery is not a tax that the spending of its revenues can just be spunked on whatever with no justification required or criticism allowed.

Why can't lottery monies be used for discussion army hospital building? Why fund elite sport and not grass roots amature sport? Why not spend the 300 million on university scholarships? Why not let athletes take out a loan? They are after all supposed to be so committed and passionate?

What, so people who can't handle some hard graft can cry off to study subjects that are of no use to the country, like feckin' Sociology???:lol1::lol1::lol1:

Yes, you're still confusing maintaining and providing public services and providing support for non-essential projects. You still have not countered why your council tax shouldnt cover things like cycle lanes, and instead such provision be provided for through optional unbudgeted payments.

In short, providing for things like the NHS through lottery money is a nonsensical move. You cannot guarantee the income, making future budgets impossible. It would throw the tax system into chaos because people would revolt over paying tax when lottery money is being spent on the same thing. You would have a government unable to borrow because future revenues would be entirely unpredictable.

Your idea of paying for essential service with lottery money is at best, ill thought out.

Don't be silly. There are bodies in place to ensure lottery money is not wasted. You have to fulfill certain criteriaBecause such expenditure comes out of the defence budget. Amateur sport is exactly what is being funded, amongst other things.

Because such expenditure is covered through the education budget and student loans And pay it back how, exactly? What income do you think the average grant recipient gets post career?

The very fact it is given as a grant should give you some clue as to the perceived lieklyhood of it ever being repaid if it were a loan.

On the subject of 'what a nice bunch'...

I went to the Olympic Park today, the whole thing is utterly brilliant.

The organisation is unbelievably good, the facilities have to be seen to be believed. But the thing that really stood out for me was the way the volunteers (games makers) treated people. They were so helpful, pleasant and good fun, they really are the best of us.

London deserves a gold medal for doing this so damned well.

I thought this would be good, but this is on a different level!

+1

yep, same for me

saw beach volley ball last week (not a sport btw)

and everything was spot on, really enjoyed it - and amazingly so did the wife (and kids)

+2

I've been lucky enough to have been to the Olympic park 3 times to see Hockey, Basketball and to the Velodrome. The 'Games makers' are absolutely fantastic, always have a smile on their faces and are very helpful.

The Park itself is a wonderful place and will be a great legacy to a fantastic event.

Back again on Friday for the Womens' hockey Gold medal match :luxhello:

women's :)


Wait for the post-Olympic slump though, it's gonna feel mighty dull next week :cry:

Flying out to Turkey for my summer hols on Sunday, so the post-Olympic slump will be less so when I'm sat by the pool drinking a cold EFES :D

how come everything in SNET turns out to be an argument. ffs.

no wonder people are leaving in their droves :(

you don't seem to understand that there is a opportunity cost with any government spending. 300 million on sport is not 300 million on cancer treatment. Isn't an ungauranteed something on cancer better than a guaranteed nothing from lottery funding?

Again I don't care about this essential vs essential, I make no such general manifesto.

No it doesn't :mad:




:norty:


Five minutes or the full half hour? :Suspiciou

Tony, do you buy lottery tickets?

the site is full of people that just want to argue and gob off no matter what the subject.lots of people are leaving.:razz:

Read this Tony:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19144983

Don't you want to be proud of anything?

Why should I feel proud about that? This is a lot of money frivolously pissed away.

To have the ability to be proud of others or celebrate their success a person needs to feel happy and secure about themselves.

Tony has unfortunately had life events that prevent this. His job left him mentally ill and he had to leave that to go back to school and study a subject that deep down he knows is useless and nobody will ever thank or respect him for.

He also lives on his own in a rented flat in Liverpool and doesn't have a girlfriend.

All these negative things in a persons life means that seeing the positive in anything becomes difficult. He has what some people call nihilistic thoughts and are typical in those people who suffer from low self worth/esteem issues.

I genuinely hope he gets better.

I am not getting into any conflict here, and I do think that British kids in the Olympics seem to be a nice bunch. But I'd like to defend sociology here. Sociology isn't all that useless. Sociology theories, research and findings have given concrete grounds to many other faculties to work on e.g. science, public health, psychology, business and so on. Sociologists don't just end up in academia, they are also eligible to become the campaigners for cause, politicians, social researchers for their employing organisation, social activities coordinator etc. Degree in sociology isn't a practitioner qualification. But then again, if one sets one's mind to it, one can do very well. People in academia with their sociology Masters and PhDs are very useful to the country. They are providing the Government with valuable research to work out how it should practise, chanel funds, develop the areas and so on.

Yes, there are plenty of people knocking about with Sociology degree; either unempolyed or selling popcorns at Odeon. Even then, they have widened their knowledge to understand how the society works. Nothing wrong with that. People can pursue their interests if they can afford to. People play golf for fun. That does fcuk all for the country. But people do, because they are interested in golf, and it pleases them. In same way, one can study sociology if one likes. One doesn't have to be a no-go loser or a mental health patient to choose to study Sociology.

No, but it helps

I'm not sure about that. It seemed like he was belittling his doubles partner (If that's the right phrase :freak3:). His responses were along the lines of, "she tried her best, bless her"

Was it just me who read it that way?

BOT, I agree they have been great ambassadors for the sport and GB.

You really do have a "complex" about it all haven't you. The Olympics must be a terrible time for you.

Will you be able to cope with the Paralympics?

Les