>That will work only if the betting scheme were a true free market
>endeavor - everyone can bet on everyone's futures. But under the US
>brand of "free market" (i.e. free market for the poor and powerless,
>welfare state for the rich and powerful) certain bets (such as those
>including the futures of the US ruling class members) will almost
>certainly be verboten.
That would be so if these were sane and intelligent people, but there are strong indications that this is a creature whom the Gods wish to destroy.
Bill Bartlett Bracknell Tas