pilowsky

Some people are just looking for things to complain about.

It appears that very little has changed in the argument about whiteness and voting. White supremacists believe that only certain well-qualified people should be allowed to vote. Buckley argues that not only "N___" people, but also many "white" people ought to be prevented from voting. He believes that as a group, not-white people had not yet reached a level of (insert word here) to be eligible to vote. He also believes that not all white people (although not as a group) are at an appropriate eligibility level. The white supremacist seems to think that this is a logical and sustainable position. What they dislike is the term "white supremacist" because after all, they know who ought to be allowed to vote and who shouldn't. Incredibly, for people that think that they know what is right and proper in a decent society, the obvious flaws in this position elude their judgement. Plus ca change.

The alerts made by robots are more for amusement value. On the other hand, like the alerts made by humans IRL they have some relationship with reality but with a cloud of uncertainty that - like the universe - gets larger as the bidding continues. Players making bids can be likened to players keeping time with each other and playing the same notes in an orchestra but without a conductor and with no music to follow. When done well it sounds right; done badly it sounds like the - a cloud of sound surrounding a tune.

What form does a reprimand take? What are the penalties? In all the clubs I've played in I have never seen or heard of a maintained database that would allow Directors to record: "I reprimanded Giuseppe - mildly - on 7Aug 2007. If he fails to announce his better minor twice in the next three years I'll give him right bollocking". In any case, this doesn't help the people whose game was damaged the first two times. Isn't rectification of damage the purpose of the rules and regs? Bridge rules aren't parking tickets they are intended to rectify the damage caused to other parties by omission or commission. A mild reprimand rectifies nothing.

The term racist gets a bit overused on this Forum (litotes). Racism is inherently a bad thing, and so is discrimination. Discriminating against people because they are black/poor/hold different religious beliefs/female/young/old/once spent time incarcerated etc. are all bad. Not that long ago, women weren't permitted to vote. Neither were 20-year-olds. Pointing to a single instance where a person is elected to a particular position in the USA under the banner of a large political organisation does not mean that all members of that organisation are absolved of any impurities. Even a single individual can simultaneously hold ideas that are sensible and stupid, fair and unfair, good and evil. At a whole population level, discrimination (racism, sexism, ageism, any other -ism) exists when a group of people is prevented from accessing the community's joint wealth because of their age, sex or skin colour, etc. Nobody cares what you or I think as individuals. Some people agree or disagree when we say things. Racism does not cease to exist in a country because a person with skin that is darker than that of the average Klan member is elected to high office. People will always be strange in their beliefs. But if everyone is taxed by a government then everyone should be permitted equal access to the services of that government. There is a systemic undercurrent of corruption in conservative democracies throughout the world. The United States is the most populous wealthy country at the moment but it is rapidly consuming itself to death - like the British/Roman/German empires in the past. If everyone who is a part of a society is not cared for by that society as a whole then you do not have a functioning society. This is what the United States lacks. A functioning mature society where everyone is treated equally. If a country with the wealth of the United States is willing to tolerate the death of a citizen because they do not have access to the same level of health care then that is not a healthy society. It's a Battle Royale where the winner takes all and sick people didn't have the right stuff.

It's a not uncommon ploy when playing with robots.

It's a good point. Actually, they have a "rotate with dealer" option as well so you can get to try out the type of deal in all configurations.

Thanks

Is it still a squeeze when South can finesse both Kings and make 3 tricks in diamonds and 2 in Hearts?

[hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|pilowsky,~~M5767i68,~~M8865gfe,~~M9145e8i|md|3SHAT95DQ63CAKJ932,SQT9HQ87642DAT5C8,SAKJ85HJ3DK872CQ7,S76432HKDJ94CT654|sv|o|rh||ah|Board%201|mb|1S|an|Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!S;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points%20|mb|P|mb|2C|an|Forcing%20two%20over%20one%20--%2013+%20HCP;%20biddable%20!C;%2014+%20total%20points;%20forci|mb|P|mb|2D|an|New%20suit%20--%204+%20!D;%205+%20!S;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%203N%20|mb|P|mb|2H|an|5+%20!C;%204+%20!H;%2013+%20HCP;%2014+%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%203N|mb|P|mb|2N|an|4+%20!D;%205-%20!H;%205-6%20!S;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%203N%20|mb|P|mb|3N|an|5+%20!C;%204-5%20!H;%205-%20!S;%2014-21%20HCP|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|HK|pc|H5|pc|H8|pc|HJ|pc|DJ|pc|D3|pc|D5|pc|DK|pc|H3|pc|S2|pc|HA|pc|H6|pc|C2|pc|C8|pc|CQ|pc|C6|pc|SA|pc|S7|pc|H9|pc|S9|pc|SK|pc|S3|pc|HT|pc|ST|pc|C7|pc|C5|pc|CA|pc|DA|pc|CK|pc|DT|pc|S5|pc|C4|pc|CJ|pc|HQ|pc|D2|pc|CT|pc|C9|pc|H7|pc|D7|pc|S6|pc|C3|pc|H4|pc|D8|pc|S4|pc|DQ|pc|H2|pc|S8|pc|D4|pc|D6|pc|SQ|pc|SJ|pc|D9|]300|300| I rented the basic robots to try out a few things. I like the basic version. Having detected that I made an error in play and was not going to make 3NT+2, West kindly disposes of the ♦A to ensure that I make the extra trick I was entitled to. I can only imagine that it wanted to cover an Ace with a higher Ace. [/hv]

Or you could just go to playbridge.com which uses the same dealer program but provides a nice GUI. You can output up to 64 instances of your hands to PDF, LIN or PBN and step through the file to look at makeable contracts using Bridgesolver. You can also choose specific types of hand from the generated 64 hands and only export those. With the criteria you set it looks like this: qx|o1|md|3SJ75HA2DK743CJ932,ST9832HKQ73DQ8CKT,SAKQHT86DAT92C874|rh||ah|Board 1|sv|0|pg|| qx|o2|md|4S72HKJ5DT975CAQ84,SJT93HQ96DJ642C63,SA84HAT83DKQ3C975|rh||ah|Board 2|sv|n|pg|| qx|o3|md|1SA72HQ5DA932C8532,ST6HKT98632DJ87CA,SKJ84HADKT6CQJ974|rh||ah|Board 3|sv|e|pg|| qx|o4|md|2SJ8HKT5DK752CAT72,SAQ642HQ64D83CQ98,S953HA983DACKJ653|rh||ah|Board 4|sv|b|pg|| qx|o5|md|3S43HAJ7DAT95CQ954,S72HQ5DQ87642CKT8,SAJHT84DKJ3CAJ762|rh||ah|Board 5|sv|n|pg|| qx|o6|md|4S8HA987DA954CQ542,SKJ63H53DKQTCAT87,SAQT4HKQT2DJ873C9|rh||ah|Board 6|sv|e|pg|| qx|o7|md|1ST73HAKDT972CQ752,SK652HJ87543DJ6C9,SQ9HQT96DA54CAJ43|rh||ah|Board 7|sv|b|pg|| qx|o8|md|2S8HK53DQJ43CK9754,SJ54HQ7642D872CJ3,SK96HJT9DAT95CAT2|rh||ah|Board 8|sv|0|pg|| qx|o9|md|3SQ975HKD9542CAJT5,SK2H96532DAQ876C2,SA84HQJT7DKCQ9764|rh||ah|Board 9|sv|e|pg|| qx|o10|md|4SAHK4DT7642CQ9764,S863HQJT86D93CKT8,SQJT7H95DAKQJC532|rh||ah|Board 10|sv|b|pg|| qx|o11|md|1S87HADKJT75CQT953,SAKJ95H65DAQ982CJ,SQT2HKQ94D63CAK62|rh||ah|Board 11|sv|0|pg|| qx|o12|md|2S54HAJ9DJT63CK954,SK97HQ7532DQ987CT,SAT62HT84DKCAQ862|rh||ah|Board 12|sv|n|pg|| qx|o13|md|3SQ7HQ72DJ872CAK42,S8652HJ83DKT5CJ76,SK3HK954DA964CQT8|rh||ah|Board 13|sv|b|pg|| qx|o14|md|4SQHQ96DJ974CKQJ93,SJ96432HAJ87D8CT5,SKT8HT542DAKQ653C|rh||ah|Board 14|sv|0|pg|| qx|o15|md|1SAJ5HA9DT982CJ762,S8763HQ642DJCAT94,SK2HKJT8DKQ76C853|rh||ah|Board 15|sv|n|pg|| qx|o16|md|2S643H96DAQT7CKT94,SAJT5HJT4D962C832,SK972HA83D43CAJ65|rh||ah|Board 16|sv|e|pg|| qx|o17|md|3SA8HA2DJT632CJT74,S62HKQJT98D87CQ95,SJT5H3DAKQ954CK83|rh||ah|Board 17|sv|0|pg|| qx|o18|md|4S5HQ985DAQ83CQ854,SJT9632H6DJT64CT9,S87HKJ3DK52CAJ732|rh||ah|Board 18|sv|n|pg|| qx|o19|md|1ST83HJDKQ852CA987,SAQ97H9854DA763CK,SKJ2HAQT7D94CQJT4|rh||ah|Board 19|sv|e|pg|| qx|o20|md|2SAT7HT7DQT54CQJ72,SJ84HQJ85D6CAT843,S9653HA2DAK82CK96|rh||ah|Board 20|sv|b|pg|| qx|o21|md|3SKQ9H8DJT64CKQ943,S2H65432DK8532CA5,SAJTHQJT9DAQ7CT76|rh||ah|Board 21|sv|n|pg|| qx|o22|md|4S76HQ85DKT76CAKT7,SAJ942HJT943DCJ82,SKQT5HK2DAQ9842C4|rh||ah|Board 22|sv|e|pg|| qx|o23|md|1SQ9HK82DT742CAQ92,SJHAQT973DKQ9C863,SA764H64DAJ63CKJ7|rh||ah|Board 23|sv|b|pg|| qx|o24|md|2SK8HJ63D9853CAJ73,SQ63HAQT972D7C982,SAJ95HDAQT42CKT65|rh||ah|Board 24|sv|0|pg|| qx|o25|md|3SJ4HT3DAQ632CA873,SAT62H987652D5C96,SKQ5HAKJDJ97CT542|rh||ah|Board 25|sv|e|pg|| qx|o26|md|4SK54HAJD9753CQT72,SAQ76HK6DT842CJ85,SJ32H32DAQCAK9643|rh||ah|Board 26|sv|b|pg|| qx|o27|md|1SQ84H6DKQ83CQT532,SA9532HT75DACJ984,SKJ7HQJ92DT975CAK|rh||ah|Board 27|sv|0|pg|| qx|o28|md|2SKJH85DKJT8CJT432,SQ987652HKJ74DQCA,ST3HADA97632CKQ96|rh||ah|Board 28|sv|n|pg|| qx|o29|md|3SAJ76H5DK986CK972,SK542HQ986DQ73CQ4,ST3HAK72DAJT52CJT|rh||ah|Board 29|sv|b|pg|| qx|o30|md|4SJ9H2DQJ632CAQT42,SKQ2HA654D8CKJ853,SA85HJ98DAKT94C96|rh||ah|Board 30|sv|0|pg|| qx|o31|md|1SJ7HJ9DAQT97CJ543,SQ65HT875DK3CT762,ST2HQ3DJ6542CAKQ9|rh||ah|Board 31|sv|n|pg|| qx|o32|md|2S8HAQ8DA643CJT542,SKJ6432H42DK8CA93,SAT97H76DQJ5CKQ87|rh||ah|Board 32|sv|e|pg|| qx|o33|md|3S43H976DAJ85CAT75,SQJT7HK42D76CQ932,SA985HAQ53DQ42C86|rh||ah|Board 33|sv|0|pg|| qx|o34|md|4S9HKQ5DT753CKQT63,SQJ7H9732DA82CJ52,SAK52HAT86DQ9C974|rh||ah|Board 34|sv|n|pg|| qx|o35|md|1S87HATDK876CK8762,SKQ652HKQ962D43C5,SAJH8753DTCAQJ943|rh||ah|Board 35|sv|e|pg|| qx|o36|md|2SKJ7H3DAQT86CT865,S98542HAQJT86D95C,SQT6H42DKJCKQJ432|rh||ah|Board 36|sv|b|pg|| qx|o37|md|3SAT9HJTDQT97CA763,SJ753H983D84CQT92,SQ62HKQ52DKJ632CK|rh||ah|Board 37|sv|n|pg|| qx|o38|md|4SQJ4HJ7DAT76CKT65,ST5HAQ984D95C9832,S9862HKT53DKQ2CA7|rh||ah|Board 38|sv|e|pg|| qx|o39|md|1S954HQ8DAJ74CKT43,ST86HAJT9DKT95CQ2,SAJ2HK762DQ63CA65|rh||ah|Board 39|sv|b|pg|| qx|o40|md|2SHQT942DAQJ8CKT53,SKJ7HAK86DT52CJ72,SQ62HJ75DK43CAQ94|rh||ah|Board 40|sv|0|pg|| qx|o41|md|3ST963H4DAT72CAKT5,SA74HATDJ93CQJ764,SKQHK8DKQ8654C982|rh||ah|Board 41|sv|e|pg|| qx|o42|md|4SQ853H8DQ743CAKT7,SA62HAQJT75D6C954,SKT9H92DAKT82CQJ8|rh||ah|Board 42|sv|b|pg|| qx|o43|md|1SK4HJT5DQJ95CQT62,SQJ952H842D632CK7,ST6HAKQ9DT874CAJ9|rh||ah|Board 43|sv|0|pg|| qx|o44|md|2SAT65H7DAT94CQJ93,SJ97HJ653DKQJ8C76,SKQ8HKQTD532CAT42|rh||ah|Board 44|sv|n|pg|| qx|o45|md|3S976HAKDT852CK432,SAQ82HQ974DA94C86,SKHT65DQJ76CAQJT7|rh||ah|Board 45|sv|b|pg|| qx|o46|md|4SK4HK2D9742CQJ953,SQ762HQ9643DQ8CK2,SA5HJ85DAKJT6C864|rh||ah|Board 46|sv|0|pg|| qx|o47|md|1SK943H5DQ876CA532,SAT8HAK2DT94CT876,SQJ62H874DAKJCQJ4|rh||ah|Board 47|sv|n|pg|| qx|o48|md|2SQHAK7DK8653C9632,SAJ732HT8653DCAJ7,SK954HQJ42DQJ7CKQ|rh||ah|Board 48|sv|e|pg|| qx|o49|md|3S75HJ5DJT62CAKJ83,SJ6HK762DAQ5CQ765,SAQ2HA43DK743C942|rh||ah|Board 49|sv|0|pg|| qx|o50|md|4SK8HK42DAT52CJ642,SQJ75HJ653DJ6CA75,SA93HQ987DK84CKT9|rh||ah|Board 50|sv|n|pg|| qx|o51|md|1SAQTH87DT987CKJ62,S3HQ9432DKJ64C875,SKJ95H6DA3CAQT943|rh||ah|Board 51|sv|e|pg|| qx|o52|md|2SKQ4H4D9654CKQ953,SAJT8753HK3DACJ62,S96HQ2DKQJ832CA84|rh||ah|Board 52|sv|b|pg|| qx|o53|md|3SA8HKQ4DJ983CQ643,SJ74H9865DK52CK95,SKT62HATDA64CJT72|rh||ah|Board 53|sv|n|pg|| qx|o54|md|4S72HKQ6DAT85CJ865,SQ64HJ753DKQ76C92,S83HAT84D94CAKQT7|rh||ah|Board 54|sv|e|pg|| qx|o55|md|1SHKJT32DKQ65C9542,SQ6HAQ76D72CAT876,SA82H54DAJT943CKQ|rh||ah|Board 55|sv|b|pg|| qx|o56|md|2SK86HJ9DQJ86CAJ53,S7HK652DAK43CQ742,SA3HAQ83D975CKT98|rh||ah|Board 56|sv|0|pg|| qx|o57|md|3S76HQJ2DAQ52CQT76,SKQJ5H765DT84CA84,S842HAKT3DJ96CKJ9|rh||ah|Board 57|sv|e|pg|| qx|o58|md|4S2HQ765DKJT9CKQ76,SA73HT9842D84CJ98,SJT84HKDA7532CAT3|rh||ah|Board 58|sv|b|pg|| qx|o59|md|1SJ9HJ87DQJ75CKQ65,SAK765HT94D2C8743,SQ432HKQ6D986CAJ2|rh||ah|Board 59|sv|0|pg|| qx|o60|md|2SKT3HA6DQJ76CQ832,SQ65HKQJ93DK532C7,SJ874H74DA4CAKJT4|rh||ah|Board 60|sv|n|pg|| qx|o61|md|3SQJ6HT9DA983CQ873,SAK972H764D762CJ4,S54HKQJ3D5CAKT965|rh||ah|Board 61|sv|b|pg|| qx|o62|md|4ST7HK87DA652CQ632,SJ93HQ94DKT8C9874,SAQ85HT65DQ973CAT|rh||ah|Board 62|sv|0|pg|| qx|o63|md|1SKHAJ94DJT72CQ973,SAJ98742H6DQ9CJ85,S53HQ75DAK8543CKT|rh||ah|Board 63|sv|n|pg|| qx|o64|md|2SKT8H8D8743CAQT83,SA73HK975DAK6CK97,SQJ96HAQ63DQJT9C5|rh||ah|Board 64|sv|e|pg||

The key problem is that hardly anyone knows what the penalties are. Directors included. If there aren't any consequences then it isn't a 'law', it's a vague 'guideline'. I don't know what happens at your club or if my personal experience is too limited, but here are some questions from real-life situations in Club Bridge. For each one, can you tell me what the penalty for failure to comply is, and when and who is responsible for calling the Director? 1. Failure to announce that a 1♣ opening is 'short', 'better minor' or strong. 2. Failure to alert that 2♦ in a Stayman sequence is "no 5CM". 3. Failure to announce that a response of 1 Major in a Stayman sequence specifically means a 5CM and not a 4CM. 4. Failure to alert the specific meaning of 2NT or 3x over one major is Jacoby or artificial Bergen. 5. Failure to explain a series of artificial cue bids before the opening lead. All of these situations happen regularly, and when attention is called to them, nothing happens.

Now there's an interesting proposition: the debunking of lies. The fact-checking and debunking industry only operates effectively on people with a satisfactory level of gruntlement. The disgruntled don't care if what you say is true or a lie. They only care whether or not a proposition supports their worldview. People whose opinions or worldviews can be affected by new information operate in a completely different universe of thought. As Dr Suess pointed out it is obviously better to have a star on your belly if you are a Sneetch. Some things are obvious. They are just part of the 'natural law'. What these people have is God on their side. Quite a few people not only believe in God but also try to convince other people that God exists. A core tenet of the American political experiment is the ability to believe - unquestioningly - that some 'beliefs' are better than others. It's a very short walk into Wonderland to then believe that some people are better than others if they hold these beliefs. Bridge is a synecdoche of the social order. When a pair wins, they will commonly believe it was because they are intrinsically better at the game than the other pair. Not better over that specific set of boards on the day, but better. Winning, doing well validates everything about them as a person. That this is obviously silly can be proven by setting up a table with four robots and letting them play at an IMP's table. Eventually, one pair will 'win'. Does this mean that North and South GIB were smarter, more hard-working, better informed or had God on their side? Maybe the East and West GIB should pay them for lessons? So, when a white middle-class mom and pop sitting in their house built of ticky-tacky in the suburbs of Hotzeplotz South-East Expectora, encounter a person less well off (in their opinion) than themselves do they say "that's no good" I better do something to help them, maybe loan them the star on my belly?". They do not. They say: "sad, but Gods will", or "why doesn't that layabout get a job?" and that's if the person is the same (skin colour etc) as they are. If the person has different skin colour or another obvious attribute, well, that must be the reason. The average person is not John-Paul Sartre (maybe a good thing) they're just looking to get on with their lives. An unshakeable belief that if you believe in God and Country then you will succeed is rapidly internalised into the bizarre belief that with a little effort and self-belief, you can do or become whatever you want. The lie is not a lie if it's a belief; which is much more dangerous and difficult to shake. Actually, I think Boris Karloff's ghost would be an excellent choice for President. Maybe better than many of the most recent incumbents.

Mark Rendle - according to himself - is the developer of the worst programming language ever.

Hunter S Thompson wrote fear and loathing on the campaign trail in 1972. It is a book of truths about politics that resonates 50 years later. When people get angry they don't hop onto the Water Cooler in a Bridge forum and try to comprehend the mysteries of daily life. They vote for whoever says they really are important and tells them that if they try really really really hard and pray every night, they too can be President. After all "we're people".

Or as MLK said: This does not mean that a law is a 'good' law and can never be changed it only means everyone must follow it. Some laws are silly and need to be changed. The laws that allow us to pollute the Earth until we are all dead for the sake of the economy is a fine example. Laws that disenfranchise certain groups in a population are another. I'm not arguing that the rules of Bridge fall into the same category but many of them appear to exist for the entertainment of Directors and not to enhance the enjoyment of the players. The singleton rule that discriminates against certain honours appears to be one. On what basis does a committee decide that a particular rule should exist? What flame do they hold it up to?

Here's a link to 538 polling data: https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/national/ On the face of it, Biden holds a handy lead of about 8%. This means only 4% have to change their minds - not cunting the voter turnout problem. IMHO it is unlikely that Biden will run in the next election since he'll be getting on in years (even for an American politician) by the time of the next election. Trump v Harris polling is neck and neck.

Assuming that there is a little known codicil in the BBO book of rules.

I enjoyed success in the common room. Can we have 'common' as a descriptor?

I meant by BBO as in Churros open pairs.

It's worth remembering that millions more people voted for Trump in 2020 than in 2016. Currently, the USA appears to favour totalitarianism over democracy. "All votes are equal, but my vote is more equal than yours." - especially if you aren't a white heterosexual male (females grudgingly tolerated) who believes in the tooth fairy. Biden succeeded because of Stacey Abrams - not because all the people that voted for Trumpism in 2016 suddenly realised that racism is wrong, God doesn't exist, and big bird isn't funny. E Pluribus Unum is a disastrous way to run a political system. One person is not all-powerful and knows everything.

Trump is a Colossal squid. Swimming around in the depths taking whatever it wants and releasing vast amounts of lawyers when it gets annoyed. [/url]

The bidding question is irrelevant; yes, someone should have done something - probably me. But this is not the point. Below is what it says in the WBF - and since this game is run by BBO I imagine (although they don't tell us) that WBF regs apply. It seems to imply that Directors are not intended to use their Bridge skills to adjudicate the likely result of the board in the event that, through no fault of any person, it cannot be completed. 2A suggests that the maximum is 60/40 or 3 at IMPs. Which law in this (or another section) suggests that if a board is abandoned by a pair the Director can decide what the result is - because "it's obvious" - or for any other reason? In this particular case, the match could not be completed because the winning side had left. Suppose South is declaring in 7♠ holding AKQJxxxxxxxxx but decides to leave after trick 2. Now what? Does the Director say the result "is obvious"? "Obvious to whom"? If you plan to read all of the rules and understand them before you play - good luck.

I think that all makes perfect sense. I have one question: what's a checkbook?

GIB signalling appears to be a rather blunt instrument. I would be interested to know what experienced robot wranglers think. The books by Bird and Anthias give useful insights into GIB behaviour; many are translatable into actual play.