Melbourne Cup

Today I've decided not to pay the $50 bucks entry fee, and the subsequent bucket full of cash for drinks, in order to enjoy a cloudy day at Australia's premier horse-racing event. I think the ever acerbic Skeletor from The Spin Starts Here sums up my views on the event well enough.

I read recently that horse-racing is Australia's third most popular spectator sport. To tell the truth, I want to go to a race some day. However, it's not to view the races but rather the fillies so to speak (sorry, I couldn't resist the pun. I blame my time in horse-obsessed Ireland).

Australia's has one of the highest gambling rates in the world per capita (pub raffles and lotteries count as gambling). The tax-the-stupid side of me thinks gambling is a great revenue raiser and can go towards funding good causes such as public health and education. The other side of me thinks people should sidestep the tax office and spend their money, which they obviosuly have too much of, on some random charity.

Update: Melbourne Cup is great. The department gave me beers - Crownies!