Re:

On Jan 12, 2014, at 7:03 PM, dan@geer.org wrote:

Is this not unlike a tontine?

Pretty much. Though Mr. Bell might have something to say about that. See also, “Death Pool”, viz, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Howie_Carr_Show#Listener_contests :-) I don’t think it's Tim. Tim’s too cool for school here… Cheers, RAH "When I was your age we didn't have Tim May! We had to be paranoid on our own! And we were grateful!" --Alan Olsen