Thanks, Wade. I got the BULLETIN to the post office today with eight minutes to spare.
If the Alliance has to depend on a member winning the lottery to succeed we might as well go fishing now.
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The odds of winning either the Powerball or Mega Millions are roughly the same: 175 million to one. Despite those odds, one-third of Americans believe that winning the lottery is the only way they will ever retire. But how likely is it? Here's a humorous look comparing the odds of winning the lottery to some other lucky and unlucky events. That's followed by strategies that are more likely to win you a bountiful retirement.
Things That Are More Likely Than Winning the Lottery
If you believe in the odds of winning the lottery, then you should never fly or drive. You are more apt to be killed in a plane crash, where the odds are 25 million to one, and far more likely to die in a car accident, where the odds are only 5,000 to one...
https://www.thebalance.com/what-are-the ... 2Similarly, you should start sleeping on the floor. The odds of being killed by falling out of bed are 2 million to one. You should also take showers instead of baths. The odds of drowning while taking a bath are 840,000 to one. But don't think you can improve your chances by avoiding cleanliness altogether. The odds of dying from flesh-eating bacteria are only 1 million to one.
Maybe you'll have better luck outside. Not! The odds of being killed by lightning are 2 million to one while being mauled to death by a dog are 700,000 to one. Bring your anti-venom kit outdoors with you. You are even more likely to die from a snake bite or bee sting, where the odds are 100,000 to one.
If these statistics have you feeling a little paranoid, cheer up. Many good things are also more likely to happen than winning the lottery. For example, the odds of becoming a movie star are only 1.5 million to one. The odds of getting a royal flush in the first hand of poker are just 649,740 to one. Even better for guys, the odds of dating a supermodel are just 88,000 to one.
To put it all into perspective, consider this. Scientists have calculated that there is just a 300 to one chance that asteroid 2004 MN4 will strike the Earth on April 13, 2029. The asteroid is about a quarter mile, or 400 meters, wide. That is larger than the asteroid that carved out Meteor Crater in Arizona. It's also bigger than the one that flattened thousands of square miles of forest in Siberia in 1908.
Things You No Longer Have to Worry About
OK, time for a little cheering up again. Many bad things are less likely to happen than winning the lottery. For example, it's safe to go back into the water. The odds of dying from a shark attack are 300 million to one, only half as likely as winning the lottery. Swimming with the sharks is much safer than petting a dog, driving your car, or sleeping in your bed.