Just Ask Scobe and AP

Dear Scobe and AP:

This may sound stupid but can you control the outcome of gambling games by using the powers of your mind? For example, I received a mailing from an individual who claims he can help me to use the "untapped power of the mind" to influence the outcome of dice rolls, roulette wheel spins and slot machine results. If this is true, it would be a real money maker. He wanted $99 for the information. What do you think?

P.N.

Dear P.N.:

There is actually some evidence, though highly disputable, that the mind might have powers that transcend ordinary physical boundaries. Telekinesis is probably the "untapped power of the mind" that your system seller is referring to in his mailing. Telekinesis, sometimes called psychokinesis, is the moving of objects through the power of mind. It would work like this: A guy is getting ready to roll the dice and you focus on one die and think: "Let it be a three-spot! Let it be a three-spot!" You then bet on every combination of the two dice that can be made with the 3-spot. If you can actually influence the dice, you will find that you win out of proportion to the probabilities inherent in the math of the game. Sounds interesting, we'll admit. However, we don't think you need to spend $99 on a system because if this individual really had these powers he wouldn't need to sell you his secrets -- he'd just walk into the casino and win a bundle each and every day. We'd say that such mailings are scams designed to use the "power" of the scammer's mind to part you from your money. That is called Moolakinesis -- mind over money.