Domino is a small, flat rectangular block used in gaming. Also called bones, pieces, men, tiles, or spinners, dominoes are arranged in sets and may be played with one or many players. Each domino has a front and back and either a white or black surface with uniformly molded or drilled dots, or in the case of an ivory or other natural-colored domino, no dots, which are often referred to as pips. Each domino is divided into two square halves with the number of spots indicating its rank, or suit, as shown in the image above. A domino set consists of all the individual tiles required to play the game being played, as well as any other items necessary for the specific game, such as the game board and dice.
Throughout the history of domino, many different games have been devised, but the most common is a draw game in which each player plays a domino until all have had an opportunity to do so. In some games, players accrue points by laying their dominoes in certain configurations or moves and by emptying their hands. Other times the object of the game is simply to win.
When it comes to the domino effect, we usually think of the cascading sequence that occurs when a single piece is dropped and then all the other pieces fall in unison. However, the phenomenon is much more powerful than we might realize. In a 1983 study, University of British Columbia physicist Lorne Whitehead showed that a domino can actually knock over things up to one-and-a-half times its size.
Domino’s Pizza Turnaround
In 2009, Domino’s began a remarkable campaign to revive its ailing brand. Its then President of USA Operations, J. Patrick Doyle, led the effort with an attitude of unflinching honesty and straightforward accountability. One of the core values that he promoted was to “Champion Our Customers.” This meant that if a customer had a complaint, Domino’s would listen and act upon it immediately.
Hevesh takes great care to plan out her ultimate domino tracks. This includes making test versions of each section and filming them in slow motion to make sure everything works properly. Once each section is complete, she then starts putting it all together. She starts with the largest 3-D sections first and then adds the flat arrangements, finally constructing the lines of dominoes that connect them all. By carefully planning out her track, she is able to create intricate designs that are breathtaking when they come to life. These masterpieces take about two days to construct and can weigh up to 100 pounds!
