A Machine! Let’s Put Money In It!
Wednesday, December 28, 2005 at 08:39AM
Figaro

Slotbaby.jpgQuote:  "Regardless of which mechanical apparatus is added; regardless of how many funny cartoons there are; regardless of whether they play the song from a TV show, give the player a board game to play, play the overture from Les Misérables, or get down on one knee and sing ‘Mammy’, all modern slot machines are computers.”  Frank Legato, author of "How to Win Millions Playing Slot Machines!... or Lose Trying."

Figure of Speechanaphora (an AH for ah), the first-word repeater.

The anaphora (Greek for "carrying back") is crude but effective; just begin every clause or phrase with the same word and let it build to a crescendo.

Author Frank Legato uses an anaphora to describe the sophistication of slot machines that coax suckers' food budget and house payments into their friendly maws.  According to the Atlantic Monthly, America now has twice as many gambling machines as ATMs, "and more than a quarter of American adults now list gambling as their No. 1 entertainment choice."

We'll take that as good news.  Three out of four Americans aren't complete idiots.

Snappy Answer:  "You should shorten that book title to Millions Lose Trying."

Article originally appeared on Figures of Speech (http://inpraiseofargument.com/).
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