[csail-related] GSB Tonight: Lucky Pennies.

[jamoozy at csail.mit.edu (Andrew "Jamoozy" Correa)]

What's up with lucky pennies?  My current theory is that this superstition
is some really cheap bastard's ploy to cover up that he's a really cheap
bastard [1].

My grandfather would pick pennies off of any surface [2].  Though, he told
me that the only way to get lucky, was to give the penny away to someone --
and he always did [3].  The beauty of this way of doing things, was that
luck would befall, not just the finder but also the receiver.  The danger
was that not giving away the penny would give you bad luck [4].

Memories of my grandfather came rushing back to me today as I walked out of
the house.  I felt something in my shoe.  It was hard and metallic, and
seemed to like to slip and slide all around.  I stopped, undid my laces,
and found a penny [5].  So, the question is: Do I now have bad luck because
I haven't given the penny away, or do I just have lucky shoes [6]?

Let's talk about Satanism [7] at this week's:

       +-                                                  -+
          girl scout benefit -+-  5:30 pm  -+- 32-G9 lounge
       +-                                                  -+

           For those coming from elsewhere: Building 32 is
            <http://whereis.mit.edu/map-jpg?selection=32>
       Once you are in 32, just take the G-elevator to the 9th
   floor and we will be in the lounge that you will be looking at
                 <http://projects.csail.mit.edu/gsb>

[1] "Hey, John.  Are you really so poor that you have to pick up pennies?"
 "Uhhh ... well ... y'know.  They're lucky!"
[2] Q.E.D.
[3] Well, maybe I should revise my theory.  Let's replace "cheap bastard"
with "frugal man".
[4] Am I the only one annoyed with the English language for not giving "bad
luck" its own word?
[5] What a twist!
[6] "Lucky shoe", really.
[7] Obviously Satan is responsible for the existence of luck in the world
... O_O