Today Could Be The Day!

If you watch much network tv at all, you've probably heard that little jingle far more times than you want to.  I know I certainly have.  The Georgia Lottery people would have us believe that they are hurting, and as a result, they have cut back on the amount of money available to college students.  Here's a thought... stop spending so much money on stupid television ads.  Seriously.  How many times during one prime-time show do we need to see the same commercial over and over?  Is there anyone in the state of Georgia who doesn't know about the lottery?  And do we REALLY need to see the fake chinese man who only moves his mouth talk about Keno at every commercial break?  What the heck is Keno anyway?  When I was in Vegas, scantily-clad women would walk about saying "Keno!" every few seconds, and people would watch some numbers up on a screen.  I'd say, if you gotta go to the store to play Keno, then wait and do your commercials at the store.  I am of the impression that prime-time tv ads can be quite costly.  It wouldn't be so bad for one lottery commercial per show/hour.  But to show them at every commercial break seems to me that they are being bad stewards of their money.

The state school superintendant (I believe it was, I'm too lazy to check my facts right this second) made an interesting observation.  She said something to the effect that the K-4 program and college degrees are not mandated by law.  Yes, they are a great thing, and it is great having the lottery fund them.  However, our current school system is in a financial crisis.  Wouldn't it be a more prudent investment to put the lottery money into the public school system? 

I like how she thinks!!  Look at it this way.  Taking away lottery-funded college tuition would hurt many people, and take away the opportunity for college that they normally would not have.  However... if the state of our public education continues to decline, our students #1) won't receive an education that enables them to maintain the grades in high school to qualify, and even if they do, #2) they won't have a solid enough basic education to maintain the GPA in college to earn the second go-round of lottery-funded tuition.  So they'll drop out of college after the first term, and that pile of tuition money will have been wasted anyway. 

If something isn't done about our school system K-12, we won't be needing to worry about college anyway.  Our students won't be able to make high enough on the SAT to even get in.  It is a very sad situation. 

I, for one, could do with 99% less lottery commercials.  And I don't even watch tv that much.  So, lottery officials, save some money!  Stop with the ridiculous ads! 

Edited to add:  I am the biggest fan of school teachers out there.  This post in no way is meant to diss teachers by saying education is lacking.  Education is lacking because of funding.  Teachers and public safety workers are my heroes, and should be the highest-paid workers in our work force.  Not some silly athlete.  But that's another rant all together. 

And don't even mention to me the possibility of cutting the band program.  You'd get an ear full, and it might not be pretty.   I'm just sayin....