OF THE
TIMES
The jackpot in the US Powerball lottery has hit $800 million, since there were no winners in Wednesday's drawing. In the current round, which began on December 2, over 431 million tickets have been sold, a figure substantially larger than America's population.This mania, so generally condemned, has never been properly studied. No one has realized that it is the opium of the poor. Did not the lottery, the mightiest fairy in the world, work up magical hopes? The roll of the roulette wheel that made the gamblers glimpse masses of gold and delights did not last longer than a lightning flash; whereas the lottery spread the magnificent blaze of lightning over five whole days. Where is the social force today that, for forty sous, can make you happy for five days and bestow on you—at least in fancy—all the delights that civilization holds?
Balzac, La Rabouilleuse, 1842
Chemical plant exploded and was on fire in #Lengshuijiang city, S #China's #Hunan on Jan. 9. Rescue ongoing. pic.twitter.com/VtdGj0G89G— People's Daily,China (@PDChina) January 9, 2016
The Praetorian Guard—the emperor's personal bodyguards—assassinated and installed new sovereigns at will, and once even auctioned the spot off to the highest bidder [and see this]. The political rot also extended to the Roman Senate, which failed to temper the excesses of the emperors due to its own widespread corruption and incompetence. As the situation worsened, civic pride waned and many Roman citizens lost trust in their leadership.The Ottoman Empire started its decline when the sale of offices, bribery and corruption became widespread. Indeed:
@jaksicmarko @VALERIEin140 photo by @BesianaXharra pic.twitter.com/dIbfIe4YbT— Una Hajdari (@UnaHajdari) January 9, 2016
Comment: The explosion was so powerful that neighbors felt it blocks away. Kaela Henessey said "We heard a very loud boom and the house shook." See also: Massive blast rocks another chemical plant in China's Hunan province