I strongly adhere to Warren Buffett's view that any type of gambling and especially lotteries is an enormous scam aimed at separating low-IQ people from their money. i.e. The government is insulting the populace's intelligence. Sure...some enormously lucky people will hit a jackpot so large that they end up above the break-even point when they die no matter how many tickets they've bought.
The problem is that 99.99999% of the lottery "players" will end up way below the break-even point simply because they haven't ever won a prize higher than $50,000. (and i'd bet that even those who won 100k+ in one shot still end up losing simply because their tiny IQ-85-powered-brain can't keep track of the absurd amount of tickets they buy weekly for extended periods of time (see decades) and because of taxes on their gains) $2 dollars a pop goes fast my friend.
im still cool with lotteries because it's only an implicit insult to our intelligence. People know they'll end up losers but still do it for the thrill. Rules are clear. Also, it indirectly reduces the amount of taxes i have to pay since the GVT gets richer in the process.
However, a recent trend has been emerging during the last decade and it hit my province only last year. This trend is basically the following idea; insult people's intelligence, but this time, do it explicitly. Don't try to hide it. Just insult people's intelligence and hope that they won't sue you, or that your lawyers are persuasive enough to allow the court to let you pursue your insults.
The way to insult people's intelligence explicitly is to create a retarded TV show that asks a retarded "enigma" designed to incite as many retards as possible to dial and call the show to give out the answer and try to win a prize. Anyone can answer correctly. an IQ of 55 wouldn't be too low. Miss Teen South Carolina 2007 could answer. They'll show you pictures of 3 animals, a tiger, a horse and a dolphin and ask you which one is the odd one out. Basically, the way they make money is to just not take calls. Every fuckin line claims it's busy. Yet they CHARGE YOU A DOLLAR PER CALL even if its busy. Yet the host (usually a hottie) tells people how hard the fuckin question is and tries to give us "hints" like asking if we know someone who works in a Zoo in our family so we could ask them for their expertise. im not fuckin making this up. Then, she gesticulates for a good 30 minutes saying stuff like; "where are you guys?" "i want a good answer!" "we want a winner, please call us" "why the fuck arent you guys calling?" ...then she goes back to saying how the question is actually hard so that's probably why ppl aren't calling...etc. Thats cool...but try to listen to it for 30 minutes straight... and..then.. they actually take a call.
The funny part is that each show has about 4 parts...so 4 questions. Each time, in order to maximize profits, they take a call EXACTLY 30 minutes after an enigma is started. meaning, if the show lasts from 11:30pm to 1:30am, they ask a question at 11:30, then take calls at midnight, then ask another question, and then take calls 0:30..and so on.. if you've watched the show for 2 days straight, you can't help but notice the fuckin' pattern. My question is, if you can figure out the right answer in 10 seconds, like you should, why the fuck would you call at 11:31? or 11:48 or 12:23?
Whats even funnier is that the incredibly lucky people who land on the "lucky line" still miss the formality of actually answering the question correctly. lol?
question; Hi! find the only canadian province that does NOT have these letters in its name! B,C,D,E,F,G,H,J,K,L,M,P,Q,S,U,V,W,X,Y,Z
Lady; hi! your name and where you from? caller; Hi! im Normand from Ontario! lady; great Normand...and your answer is? caller; Toronto lady: (20 seconds delay) Huh....im so so so sorry Normand! thats unfortunately not what we're looking for! ..lets take another call..
Apparently this retarded concept has been designed in Europe and goes on in many countries. Europe?! How the fuck can you guys have a GDP exceeding $16 trillion and come up with shit like this?
Any feedback as to how these things are doing in your country guys?
"Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite." John Kenneth Galbraith US (Canadian-born) administrator & economist (1908 - 2006)
There are always going to be people who will extort people for their own gain. Sometimes it's not extorting but a symbiotic trading relationship, and that's what we see with GDP.
We need many more shows like these + a massive reduction in welfare money / food shelters + more police force to stem the inevitable riots + randomized logic questions given out at voting booths.
That should raise the average IQ of populations by tens of points in a few years.
Also, they really deceive you. There were some people who gave the right answer but were told that they are wrong. There are numerous videos about this channel on youtube, unfortunately all in German.
Caller: Yes, hello. Pontonbrücke(means pontoon bridge in english). Ponton. Moderator: What, what, what bridge? Caller: Ponton. Moderator: Pontonbrücke? Let's see. Unfortunately, Pontonbrücke is not part of the right answers. - jumps to end, when they reveal the answers - Moderator: So, Pontonbrücke. And here, "Porlicht", *Polarlicht(polar lights). Ponton was said but not Pontonbrücke.
I remember seeing this when I was in Germany, but, as I recall the host woman took her clothes off after a while so... yeah... that's why people watch.
On June 03 2010 15:32 SoManyDeadLings wrote: We need many more shows like these + a massive reduction in welfare money / food shelters + more police force to stem the inevitable riots + randomized logic questions given out at voting booths.
That should raise the average IQ of populations by tens of points in a few years.
HI Ayn, still turning optimistic young men against the down-trodden I see.
I don't think most people buy lottery tickets because they're stupid or because they don't understand what million to one odds means. Most people will never be fantastically wealthy, but when we buy lottery tickets for a moment we can think we are. If you can suspend your disbelief, put the probabilities and impossibilities aside, you've essential bought hope. You go from Joe Shmo to Joe Shmo with a chance for all his dreams to come true if only he possessed some undefinable quality called luck and thats a good feeling. I don't think it's any worse then paying a dollar to rent a movie on itunes, either way your essentially paying a dollar to suspend your disbelief and believe in something grander. Edit- It's 3am, I type bad
Didn't really know about this, can't say I've seen it much in the states. I mean we have American Idol and stuff but I don't think it's $1 per call or anything.
I don't think it's worth it to try and protect people from stuff like that. It's common knowledge that anything too good to be true probably is, and it's impossible to protect everyone without taking away their personal freedom to do as they please.
On the other hand it's pretty sleazy and I wouldn't mind personally shutting such a company down, but I feel that might infringe on freedom and stuff. Some sort of measure could be passed so they have to disclose how many lines there are vs number of callers though so people are aware of their chances.
On June 03 2010 15:54 Luddite wrote: I remember seeing this when I was in Germany, but, as I recall the host woman took her clothes off after a while so... yeah... that's why people watch.
That wouldn't be before 11pm. Also, I think this only happens on DSF, and just from time to time.
Dude, we have the same sort of shows here. They are SERIOUSLY retarded. They've been getting suede all over the place though.
Last time the question was: "Which word are we looking for". The letters they gave were: "JUIPRAADLACHT" Answer: LUIPAARDJACHT. 2 letter difference, are you kidding me?
That's like asking: We are looking for an animal: "chinoreros"
On June 03 2010 15:54 Luddite wrote: I remember seeing this when I was in Germany, but, as I recall the host woman took her clothes off after a while so... yeah... that's why people watch.
That wouldn't be before 11pm. Also, I think this only happens on DSF, and just from time to time.
in Germany people get naked all the time, at all hours of the day, on airplanes, anywhere and on any channel.
On June 03 2010 15:32 SoManyDeadLings wrote: We need many more shows like these + a massive reduction in welfare money / food shelters + more police force to stem the inevitable riots + randomized logic questions given out at voting booths.
That should raise the average IQ of populations by tens of points in a few years.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the average IQ should always be 100. That's how it's calculated.
On June 03 2010 16:08 Jonoman92 wrote: I don't think it's worth it to try and protect people from stuff like that. It's common knowledge that anything too good to be true probably is, and it's impossible to protect everyone without taking away their personal freedom to do as they please.
It is, however, possible to fine and incarcerate people for committing fraud.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but what he meant was that the average IQ in a few years from now would be increased by 10 points compared to right now. Meaning the average IQ in the future (100, of course) would equal 110 expressed in today's terms.
Yep, us Germans are again to blame. The abomination of a TV station called "9Live" started this bullshit. They aim at the completely retarded morons, basically those people who are even way below those who watch Christian TV or the daily talkshows with passion. I guess adults who watch Pro Wrestling not because it is fun but because they really think it is real are their target. There are two different main concepts:
- Not taking any call at: What you described. The call comes through usually when the "hot button" strikes, which is always 1 minute before the end of the show. Some retards are even too dumb to figure out this simple concept and they just call the whole time. Other retards who at least have the intelligence of an average ape are smart enough to figure this out and they call many many times just before the show ends. Of course that doesn't make them not retarded, though.
- The other is making the puzzles way too tough or too non-transparent to figure them out and then take a call every 30 seconds. Like they search six male names beginning with an "S". Then the first one calls, says "Steven" (in German Stefan) and he wins 200€. Then they raise the prize to 10.000€, keep the game on and on for hours, take about 1000 calls, people say "Sasha" or something and then they sovle the puzzle and the solutions are names that are impossible and that no one ever heard of like "Solvekionyius", "Sadumancharjodions" or "Stalibonrimasitoff".
Btw. the example video you posted is hilarious. There are many 9live videos on youtube, too, but most of them deal with the incredible answers so they are not translatable.
On June 03 2010 16:08 Jonoman92 wrote: I don't think it's worth it to try and protect people from stuff like that. It's common knowledge that anything too good to be true probably is, and it's impossible to protect everyone without taking away their personal freedom to do as they please.
It is, however, possible to fine and incarcerate people for committing fraud.
Indeed. whats funny is that right now Season 2 is airing. ( i never actually watched the first season) The funny thing is that this "Call TV" show ...as its called....has been bombarded with complaints and lawsuits from viewers....for obvious reasons..... It was successfully removed from the air.....but SOMEHOW....their lawyers cut a deal to "fix irregularities" so they could get an 'OK' to go on with Season 2......
(lol?) im basing myself on what im seeing from Season 2 AKA the improved version....and its obvious thats its a flagrant gigantic fraud. Can't imagine what the first Season looked like lol....
sometimes i can't understand human beings. i can't understand the dynamic ecosystem found inside the brains of lawyers, judges, and legislators. I wouldnt go as far as calling them pseudo-intellectuals.....but they're very very close.
JUST SHUT THE FUCKIN SHOW DOWN. BAN THIS SHIT. how hard is that?
People are retarded, this is not new. The problem is that it is getting worse and worse. Have you seen the movie 'Idiocracy' ? I loved the way you wrote your post, I can feel that you are outraged by how stupid people are, I am sure you will enjoy this movie.
this crap has been going on in germany for years. theres countless of youtube clips from german shows like you describe. it sure is clever to exploit stupid people, however one could argue that the government should protect them. and i find it disgusting really.
offtopic: btw 0xDEADBEEF i played countless games against you in european bnet
Hah I have never seen something like this, people actually call in to shows as obviously fraud as this? The show could easily pay someone off the street like $5 to be the "final caller," and fake their prize giveaway which i assume would be either money or something of substantial value.. Yeah it could really easily be a scam, but it would be nearly impossible to pin it on the company. It's a really great way to make a lot of money quickly, with nearly operating fees at all. It's like the lottery, except a corporation runs it instead of the government, same idea. Just don't partake in things like this, you can't really stop them legally.
In one sense I don't mind. Dumb people pay extra taxes so I don't have to. On the other hand, that's money that could stay in the local economy but goes to the government instead
I'm curious how people can actually watch these. I remember watching such a show 15 minutes straight some time ago, that's an awful experience "Please go ahead, call" *awkward 1 minute blank* "1000 euros for you " *silence* "sooo..." *awkwardness* "no calls yet, can you solve this?" *...* "I'm waiting for you" and so on
That's so boring and watching some random semi-hottie standing there for hours feeling awkward because there is just nothing to say... that's unbearable.
Man I hate that crap so much, they toned it down a bit over here now, but a few months ago, at a certain time of day you couldn't turn to a channel without it having its own version of this crap, seriously who ever calls is a moron. The saddest part is that i have literally seen people give out correct answers, and the hostess just says, no sorry its wrong and cuts them off, so anyone who calls after wont give out that answer again, and they can stretch it for the rest of the show.
i cant believe some smartasses have actually become millionaires with this crap. i can't believe that this shit idea went up the corporate ladder of major TV stations of HIGHLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES (western europe + Canada).
Everyone was like; hum...yeah...enh-enh...yeah i see. yep. sounds good. ....but how the fuck are you gonna have so many people calling?! ........ok yeah i see....so far so good, yep..i like what i see. but how about complaints or lawsuits? ...what about our station's reputation? is it gonna take a hit?..............oh ok...yeah..i know what you mean.....i'll have a word with my superior for some feedback on this baby...yep. back to you on Monday Johnny.
Game creators are retards themselves. if you're gonna scam people anyway, why don't you do so in finesse? why do you HAVE to do it so explicitly ? why do you make it so obvious? Why dont you design it so it look more legit, reduce short-term profits a little bit...but allow your show to run for decades?
Big question is; Since the show is explicitly scamming people and no attempt was made to at least make it look legit, why on Earth do highly industrialized countries still allow it after decades?
Lol, it's like some of you think that stupid people aren't people. It's not like they asked to be stupid, they just ended up that way. You wouldn't mock people who have mild physical disabilities, so why would you do it for mental ones?
there was this one guy who called and knew the answer even though it was something ridiculous nobody in their right mind could've guessed. They tried to tell him he's too young to call there and then they offered him 500 bucks or his ridiculous choice.
Wait, so this is actually something we're bringing back to the US after you invaded us with fast food and god knows what? I'm wondering if it's working even better over there, hehe :>
EPT
(20 seconds delay) 
in Germany people get naked all the time, at all hours of the day, on airplanes, anywhere and on any channel.
