[extropy-chat] About ESP, etc.

[Damien Broderick]

At 04:30 PM 4/30/2007 +1000, Stathis wrote:

>How do they know that someone is counting cards rather than just lucky?

What does "lucky" mean? I imagine they have a well-honed sense of the 
statistics of these "games" and boot out anyone who egregiously 
violates the bell curve. And don't forget the hunched psionic mutant 
hidden downstairs in its jar of nutrient fluids, tipping them off to 
the psychokinetic and precognitive scammers.

>Is it just the ones lucky at blackjack that they pick on, or do they 
>also throw out the ones who do too well at roulette or the poker machines?

My many contacts among the Mafia are close-mouthed about such 
intricacies, but I wouldn't be surprised. Especially in the age of 
microminiaturized gadgets. (Recalling *The Eudaemonic Pie*, by Thomas 
A. Bass.)

Damien Broderick