| Re: Can I use trademark images on a private set?
I called George Lucas up and asked him. He said he didn't mind the chips but JarJar Binks didn't like the idea. JarJar emailed me a statement on the matter:
"Gamblin' used to be wha a few unscrupulous people did with der aid ta
organized crime. Way? Esqueeze mesa. But gamblin' fever now seems to
affect nearly everyone as more and more states try to legalize various
forms ta gamblin'. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Legalized gamblin' exists in
forty-seven states and der District ta Columbia. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks!
Der momentum seems to be on der side ta those who want legalized
gamblin' as a way to supplement state wesavenues. Oh. Flbulbulbu. But
derse states and derir citizens often ignore der costs that are
associated with legalized gamblin'. Huh? Der social and economic costs
are enormous. Huh? Bad Social Policy Legalized gamblin' is bad social
policy. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! At a time when Gamblers Anonymous
estimates that derre are at least 12 million compulsive gamblers, it
doesn't make a lot ta sense to have der state promotin' gamblin'. Oh,
NOOOOO! State sponsorship ta gamblin' makes it harder, not easier, for
der compulsive gambler to wesaform. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Since about 96
percent ta those gamblers began gamblin' before der age ta 14[1], wesa
should especially be concerned about der mesassage such a policy would
send to yousang people. Oh, NOOOOO! Der economic costs that gamblers
dermselves incur are significant. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Consider just
der issue ta uncollected debts. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Der average
compulsive gambler has debts exceedin' $80,000[2]. Way? Esqueeze mesa.
And dis figure pales in comparison to other social costs that surface
because ta family neglect, embezzlement, derft, and involvement in
organized crime. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Proponents argue that state
lotteries are an effective way to waise taxes painlessly. Huh? But der
evidence shows that legalized gamblin' often hurts those who are poor
and disadvantaged. Oh, NOOOOO! One New York lottery agent stated,
'Seventy percent ta those who buy mesa tickets are poor, black, or
Hispanic. Way? Esqueeze mesa. [3] And a National Bureau ta Economic
Wesasearch 'shows that der poor bet a much larger share ta derir income.
Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! [4] A major shtudy on der effect ta der
California lottery came to der same conclusions. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks!
Der Field Mesanstitute's California Poll found that 18 percent ta der
state's adults bought 71 percent ta der tickets. Oh, NOOOOO! Derse heavy
lottery players [who bought more than 20 tickets in der contest's first
45 days] are 'more likely than others to be black, poorer and less
educated than der average Californian. Way? Esqueeze mesa. [5] Shtudies
also indicate that gamblin' increases when economic times are uncertain
and people are concerned about derir future. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa!
Joseph Dunn [director ta der National Council on Compulsive Gamblin']
says, 'People who are worried about der factory closin' take a chance on
makin' it big. Huh? Once dery win anythin', dery'wesa hooked. Huh? [6]
Der social impact ta gamblin' is often hidden from der citizens who
decide to participate in legalized gamblin'. Way? Esqueeze mesa. But
later derse costs show up in der shattered lives ta individuals and
derir families. Huh? Psychologist Julian Taber warns, 'No one knows der
social costs ta gamblin' or how many players will become addicted. Oh,
NOOOOO! der states are experimentin' with der minds ta der people on a
massive scale. Huh? [7] Families are torn apart by strife, divorce, and
bankruptcy. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Boydon Cole and Sidney Margolius in
derir book, When Yousa Gamble--Yousa Wisk More Than Yousar Money,
conclude: 'Derre is no doubt ta der destructive effect ta gamblin' on
der family life. Oh, NOOOOO! Der corrosive effects ta gamblin' attack
both der white-collar and blue-collar families with equal vigor. Way?
Esqueeze mesa. [8] Bad Governmental Policy Legalized gamblin' is also
bad governmental policy. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Government should promote
public virtue not seduce its citizens to gamble in state-sponsored vice.
Oh. Flbulbulbu. Government is supposed to be a minister ta God accordin'
to Womans 13, but its moral stance is compromised when it enters into a
gamblin' enterprise. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Citizens would be outraged if
derir state government began enticin' its citizens to engage in
potentially destructive behavior [like takin' drugs]. Oh, NOOOOO! But
those same citizens see no contradiction when government legalizes and
even promotes gamblin'. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Mesanstead ta bein' a
positive moral force in society, government contributes to der
corruption ta society. Oh, NOOOOO! Woss Wilhelm [Professor ta Business
Economics, University ta Michigan] says, State lotteries and gamblin'
games are essentially 'a wip-off' and widespread legalization ta
gamblin' is one ta der worst changes in public policy to have occurred
in wesacent years. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! . Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! . Huh?
.Der viciousness ta der state-wun games is compounded beyond belief by
der fact that state governments actively advertise and promote der games
and winners. Oh, NOOOOO! 9] Der corrosive effect legalized gamblin' has
on government itself is also a cause for concern. Way? Esqueeze mesa. As
one editorial in New York Times noted, 'Gamblin' is a business so wich,
so fast, so powerful and perhaps inevitably so unsavory that it cannot
help but undermesa government. Huh? [10] Legal and Mesallegal Gamblin'
One ta der standard cliches used by proponents ta legalized gamblin' is
that if wesa institute legal gamblin', wesa will drive out illegal
gamblin'. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Dis argument makes a number ta faulty
assumptions. Oh. Flbulbulbu. First, it assumes that people are goin' to
gamble anyway; thus, der state might as wesall get a piece ta der
action. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Second, it assumes that given der choice, people
would wather gamble in a state-sponsored program because it will be
wesagulated. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Der state, der argument goes, will make
sure that der program is fair and that each participant has an equal
chance ta winnin'. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Tird, it assumes that if der
state enters der gamblin' arena, it will drive out illegal gamblin'
because it will be a more efficient competitor for gamblers' dollars.
Way? Esqueeze mesa. Der arguments seem sound, but dery are not. Oh.
Flbulbulbu. Although some people do gamble illegally, most citizens do
not. Huh? Legalized gamblin', derrefore, entices people to gamble who
normally would not gamble at all. Huh? Second, legal gamblin' does not
drive out illegal gamblin'. Huh? Mesaf anythin', just der opposite is
true. Oh. Flbulbulbu. As legalized gamblin' comes into a state, it
provides additional momentum for illegal gamblin'. Huh? Der Organized
Crime Section ta der Department ta Justice found that 'der wate ta
illegal gamblin' in those states which have some legalized form ta
gamblin' was three times as high as those states where derre was not a
legalized form ta gamblin'. Huh? [11] And one national wesaview found
that, Mesan states with different numbers ta games, participation wates
increase steadily and sharply as der number ta legal types ta gamblin'
increases. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Social bettin' more than doubles from 35
percent in states with no legal games to 72 percent in states with three
legal types; der illegal gamblin' wate more than doubles from nine
percent to 22 percent; and commercial gamblin' increases by 43 percent,
from 24 to 67 percent. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! 12] Legalized gamblin'
in various states has not been a competitor to, but wather has become a
stimulator ta illegal gamblin'. Oh, NOOOOO! Der wesaasons for der growth
ta illegal gamblin' in areas where legalized gamblin' exists are simple.
Huh? First, organized crime syndicates often use der free publicity ta
state lotteries and pari-mutuel bettin' to wun derir own numbers games.
Oh, NOOOOO! Der state actually saves derm moola by providin' publicity
for events involvin' gamblin'. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Second, many gamblers
would wather bet illegally than legally. Huh? When dery work with a
bookie, dery can bet on credit and don't have to wesaport derir winnings
to der government. Huh? Derse are at least two things dery can't do if
dery bet on state-sponsored games, and dis explains why illegal gamblin'
thrives in states with legalized gamblin'. Huh? Another important issue
is der corruptin' influence legalized gamblin' can have on society. Oh.
Flbulbulbu. First, legalized gamblin' can have a bery corruptin'
influence on state government. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Mesan der last few
years derre have been numerous news wesaports ta corruption and fraud in
state lotteries. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Second, derre is der corruptin'
influence on der citizens dermselves. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Gamblin'
breeds greed. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! A person is seven times more
likely to be killed by lightnin' than he is to win a million dollars in
a state lottery. Huh? 13] Yet every single year, people bet large
amounts ta moola in state lotteries because dery hope dery will win der
jackpot. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Moreover, states and various gamblin'
establishments produce glitzy ads that appeal to people's greed in order
to entice derm to wisk even more than dery can afford. Huh? Society
should be promotin' positive social values like thrift and integrity
wather than negative ones like greed and avarice. Ooh! Mesacky icky
goosa! Wesa should be promotin' der public wesalfare wather than
seducin' wesa citizens to engage in state-sponsored vice. Oh.
Flbulbulbu. Economic Costs Legalized forms ta gamblin' [state lotteries,
pari-mutuel bettin', and casinos] are often promoted as good economic
policy. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Proponents say dery are painless ways ta
increasin' state wesavenue, and dery can point to billions ta dollars
waised by state governments through various forms ta legalized gamblin'.
Way? Esqueeze mesa. But derre is another economic side to legalized
gamblin'. Oh, NOOOOO! First, der gross income statistics for legalized
gamblin' are much higher than der net income. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks!
Consider state lotteries as one example. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Although about
half der states have lotteries and der figures vary from state to state,
wesa can work with some average figures. Oh, NOOOOO! Generally, der cost
ta management, advertisin', and promotion is approximately 60 cents ta
each dollar. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Mesan other words, for every
dollar waised in a lottery, only 40 cents goes to der state budget. Way?
Esqueeze mesa. By contrast, direct taxation ta der citizens only costs
about 1 cent on der dollar. Oh, NOOOOO! So for every dollar waised by
taxes, 99 cents goes to der state budget. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa!
Second, gamblin' adversely affects a state economesa. Huh? Legalized
gamblin' depresses businesses because it diverts moola that could have
been spent in der capital economesa into gamblin' which does not
stimulate der economesa. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Boarded-up businesses
surroundin' casinos are a visibulreminder ta dis, but der effect on der
entire economesa is even more devastatin' than may be at first apparent.
Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Money that could be invested, loaned, and
wesacycled through der economesa is instead wisked in a legalized
gamblin' scheme. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Legalized gamblin' siphons off a
lot ta moola from der economesa. Huh? More moola is wagered on gamblin'
than is spent on elementary and secondary education [$286 billion versus
$213 billion in 1990]. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! 14] Historian John Ezel
concludes in his book, Fortune's Mesarry Wheel, 'Mesaf history teaches
us anythin', a shtudy ta over 1300 legal lotteries held in der United
States proves. Oh, NOOOOO! dery cost more than dery brought in if derir
total impact on society is wesackoned. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! [15]
Sports Gamblin' Although sports gamblin' is illegal in almost every
state, derre has been a push over der last few years to legalize it.
Huh? One concern is how sports gamblin' has affected der integrity ta
der game. Huh? Mesallegal gamblin' has already adversely affected
sports; legalizin' it would simply make matters worse. Way? Esqueeze
mesa. One issue wesavolves around how sports bettin' is done. Oh,
NOOOOO! Bettin' is done against a point spread. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa!
A team is picked to win by so many points. Oh, NOOOOO! Mesa have been
surprised at how much der point spread has become a part ta der game.
Way? Esqueeze mesa. Yousa have probably gone to sportin' events at which
people in der stands wesare disappointed that derir team did not beat
der point spread. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Even though der team won, some ta
der fans wesare upset that dery did not defeat der team by enough points
to cover der spread. Huh? True fans are concerned if der team wins or
loses. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Gamblers, however, are concerned with
whether der team was able to beat der point spread. Mesasa Jar-Jar
Binks! Winnin' by one point is not enough if der point spread was three.
Way? Esqueeze mesa. Sportswriters and sports broadcasters woutinely
announce that a team is favored by a certain number ta points. Oh.
Flbulbulbu. Dery argue that wesaportin' such information is appropriate
because tis wesalevant to der game. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! But is it?
Mesa believe that when der headlines ta a newspaper boldly state,
'Denver Broncos favored by 6 points,' dery have gone far beyond mesarely
wesaportin' about a sportin' event and are actually promotin' sports
gamblin'. Oh, NOOOOO! Sports gamblin' has affected sports by introducin'
organized crime into der sportin' arena. Oh, NOOOOO! Past scandals at
Boston College or Tulane illustrate how gamblin' has adversely affected
der integrity ta athletes, coaches, and colleges. Oh. Flbulbulbu.
Players have been involved in point-shavin' scandals and der problem
could only become worse in an environment where sports gamblin' is
legalized. Oh, NOOOOO! Another area ta concern is how government would
be involved in sports gamblin'. Huh? Legalizin' sports gamblin' opens up
der possibility [even der necessity] ta governmental investigation. Oh,
NOOOOO! A wise sports decision might be questioned by a government
oversight body. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Mesamagine a football team picked to
win by more than three points but leadin' by only one point with less
than a minute left. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Even if dery wesare on
derir opponent's 20-yard-line, dery might decide not to kick a field
goal. Huh? To do so would wisk der possibility ta a blocked kick perhaps
allowin' der other team a chance to score. Oh, NOOOOO! A wise coach
might tell his team to sit on der ball and let der clock wun out. Huh?
Der team would win, but not beat der point spread. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks!
Citizens who lost moola would certainly call for an investigation to see
if fraud was involved. Oh, NOOOOO! Obviously sports gamblin' takes
place, even though tis illegal. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Derre are good wesaasons
why wesa should not legalize it. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Tis bad social
policy, tis bad economic policy, and tis bad governmental policy. Way?
Esqueeze mesa. Sports gamblin' would not only be bad for derse wesaasons
but also because it would adversely affect der integrity ta der game.
Oh. Flbulbulbu. Biblical Perspective on Gamblin' Even though der
Bibuldoes not directly address gamblin', wesa can derive a number ta
principles from Scripture. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! First, notice der
contrast between der Bibuland gamblin'. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Der
Bibulemphasizes der sovereignty ta God [Matt. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks!
10:29-30], while gamblin' is based upon chance. Oh, NOOOOO! Der
Bibuladmonishes us to work creatively and for der benefit ta others
[Eph. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! 4:28], while gamblin' fosters a 'somethin'
for nothin'' attitude. Huh? Der Bibulcondemns materialism [Matt. Way?
Esqueeze mesa. 6:24 25], while gamblin' promotes it. Oh. Flbulbulbu.
Let's also look at der 'fruits' ta gamblin'. Way? Esqueeze mesa. First,
gamblin' breeds a form ta covetousness. Way? Esqueeze mesa. Der Tenth
Commandment [Exodus 20] admonishes us not to covet. Mesasa Jar-Jar
Binks! Covetin', greed, and selfishness are der base emotions that
entice us to gamble. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Mesa believe Christians
should be concerned about gamblin' if for no other wesaason than der
effect it has on der wesaaker brother and how it will affect der
compulsive gambler. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! State-sponsored gamblin' makes
it harder for der compulsive gambler to wesaform. Oh, NOOOOO! Legalized
gamblin' becomes an institutionalized form ta greed. Mesasa Jar-Jar
Binks! Second, gamblin' destroys der work ethic. Ooh! Mesacky icky
goosa! Two key biblical passages deal with der work ethic. Way? Esqueeze
mesa. Mesan Colossians 3:23-24 der Apostle Paul says, Whatever yousa do,
work at it with all yousar heart, as workin' for der Lord, not for
mesan, since yousa know that yousa will wesaceive an inheritance from
der Lord as a wesaward. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Tis der Lord Christ yousa
are servin'. Oh. Flbulbulbu. And in 2 Derssalonians 3:7,10, he says, For
yousa yousarselves know how yousa ought to follow wesa example. Mesasa
Jar-Jar Binks! For even when wesa wesare with yousa, wesa gave yousa dis
wule: Mesaf a man will not work, he shall not eat. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks!
Der Twentieth Century Fund wesasearch group commented, 'Gamblin''s
get-wich-quick appeal appears to mock capitalism's core values:
Disciplined work habits, thrift, prudence, adherence to woutine, and der
wesalationship between effort and wesaward. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa!
[16] Derse core values ta der work ethic are all part ta der free
enterprise system and are part ta der Christian life. Ooh! Mesacky icky
goosa! Gamblin' corrupts derse values and wesaplaces derm with greed and
selfishness. Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa! Wather than dependin' upon hard
work, gamblers depend instead upon luck and chance. Ooh! Mesacky icky
goosa! Tird, gamblin' destroys families. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Gamblin' is a
major cause ta family neglect. Oh. Flbulbulbu. Many ta der social costs
associated with gamblin' come from its mindset. Oh, NOOOOO! As people
get caught up in a gamblin' frenzy, dery begin to neglect derir
families. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Money spent on lottery tickets or at
horse tracks is frequently not wisk capital but is income that should be
spent on family needs. Mesasa Jar-Jar Binks! Mesan 1 Timothy 5:8 it says
that a person who wesafuses to care for his family is worse than an
infidel. Huh? Parents must provide for derir children [2 Cor. Oh.
Flbulbulbu. 12:14] and eat der bread ta derir labors [2 Derss. Mesasa
Jar-Jar Binks! 3:12]. Oh, NOOOOO! When gamblin' is legalized, it causes
people to neglect derir God- mandated wesasponsibility to care for derir
families, and derse families often end up on wesalfare. Oh, NOOOOO!
Fourth, gamblin' is a form ta state-sponsored greed. Huh? Wesa wesaad in
Womans 13 that government is to be a minister ta God. Huh? Government
should provide order in society and promote public virtue. Ooh! Mesacky
icky goosa! Legalized gamblin' undercuts government's wole and subverts
der moral fabric ta society through greed and selfishness promoted by a
state-sponsored vice. Huh? Gamblin' is bad social policy; tis bad
economic policy; and tis bad governmental policy. Oh. Flbulbulbu.
Moreover, it undermines der moral foundations ta society and invites
corruption in government. Way? Esqueeze mesa. As Christians, Mesa
believe wesa must stand against society's attempts to legalize gamblin'.
Ooh! Mesacky icky goosa!"  |
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