# Dice are now "number cubes" -- more PC bullshit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 7, 2005, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460 "2005-12-07T04:03:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/21 "2005-12-07T12:56:16Z")
Actually, it’s my fault. I traumatized by the idea that people might be tossing around **Dice**. I was also somewhat confused as to why there was more than one of me, as well as being a bit concerned that the kiddies might hurt themselves. I’m not light, you know. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/22 "2005-12-07T13:17:39Z")
In the sixth grade, one of my teachers was showing us all about calculating odds using a deck of playing cards. As he was setting up, he told us about a former student of his who was so good at it that he was now banned from the casinoes. I guess Mr. Dann wasn’t that concerned about exposing us to gambling. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/23 "2005-12-07T13:24:07Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > I thought “PC bullshit” implied this cause was being advanced by foolish liberals. But if they’re “True Believers” aren’t they more likely to be foolish conservatives? Nah. PC bullshit is anyone’s game. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/24 "2005-12-07T14:15:21Z")
> [@Dr. Love](#): > > Also, the number cube is not correctly labeled to be a die. One would need to either switch the positions of the 2 and 3, or of the 4 and 5. Please tell me I’m not the only one who noticed that You’re not. Everybody knows that opposite faces are supposed to add up to seven, or at least they should know that. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/25 "2005-12-07T14:21:05Z")
> [@Exgineer](#): > > Everybody knows that opposite faces are supposed to add up to seven, or at least they should know that. I peredict at least three posters will now mention they had no idea dice worked like that, and will, in fact, go inspect all their dice just to be sure. 😛 And I remember actually calculating real odds for craps in my math classes in junior high, and friends and I always played cards and dice during study hall. Not for money, but still, I know a lot of schools now where anything of that nature is banned. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/26 "2005-12-07T14:38:44Z")
I actually use eight-sided dice rather than number octahedrons; I also have a number monohedron for random numbers 1-100. It’s not got 100 sides, so it’s not a hectahedron; it’s also not a die, because that would be really hard to read (“is that 56 or 57 pips?”). ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/27 "2005-12-07T15:02:36Z")
I remember a (possibly apocryphal) story from my days at BYU (owned & operated by the Mormon church) in the 70’s. The Statistics Dept. sent through a purchase order for several sets of dice to be used for classroom instruction. The PO was rejected by the higher-ups until they changed it to request “cubical random number generators,” at which point it was approved. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/28 "2005-12-07T15:09:38Z")
If they’re straight dice, though, they’re not random number generators. The whole point is that some combinations and totals have a higher probability of coming up than others. I might buy the terminology for a die. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/29 "2005-12-07T15:27:05Z")
Yep, was going to say, “dice” and “number cubes” are two different (though similar) entities. However, to put it to the test, let’s look for a new, PC-written cookbook. If it tells you to “number cube the tomatoes”, you might be on to something. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/30 "2005-12-07T16:02:22Z")
Just change the pronunciation to “DEE-che” and be done with it. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/31 "2005-12-07T16:14:16Z")
It’s not PC bullshit, it’s educational publishing company bullshit. If the lesson plan calls for dice, the teacher can buy them for 99 cents at a local store. If they are called “number cubes”, the school has to buy them for $5. Notes on the results are kept by using cylindrical graphite sticks on flexible sheets of recycled cellulose pulp. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/32 "2005-12-07T16:15:24Z")
> [@Celyn](#): > > As for the Bible Belt thing, do people _really_ try to avoid any use or mention of dice for fear of the Evil Habits? Surely any amount of children’s board games involve dice, without being linked to gambling in any real way. Somehow, growing up in a super-fundie family, I can’t recall any problems with dies or dice naming when used with kids’ games. But I do remember that we were not allowed to have standard playing cards in the house, or use them anywhere else, because of their association with gambling, which as we all know, is the Devil’s Handiwork, The Surest Road To Hell, the source of all teen pregnancies, and the inspiration for rock music. And it didn’t matter that card games could be played with standard cards in a non-gambling manner; the temptation would always be there, so they were banned. Conversely, it didn’t matter that Flinch cards (which contain a single number from 1 to 15 on each, nothing more) COULD be used for gambling (can’t anything?); they were just fine for the kids. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/33 "2005-12-07T17:03:13Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > If they’re straight dice, though, they’re not random number generators. The whole point is that some combinations and totals have a higher probability of coming up than others. I might buy the terminology for a die. Now, now, individually, they generate random numbers. What we do with the results isn’t their fault. ---
**Author:** ![spiritturtle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@spiritturtle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spiritturtle)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/34 "2005-12-07T17:05:19Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > I have a friend who teaches some college classes occasionally. > > Down here (Bible Belt) dice are horrid things to the True Believers because they’re associated with the super evil sin of gambling. > > As such she has to refer to them as “random number generators”. > > No, I’m not joking. > > -Joe I have to agree with Joe on this one. My SO teaches elementary school and they can’t use dice (shooting craps, you know) so she uses six sided random number generators :smack: Neither of us understands it, but the school seems to like it. ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/35 "2005-12-07T17:17:20Z")
We called them dice when I was in school, too, and I didn’t turn out too badly. We also played hopscotch, which is now “square jumps”, and drank fruit punch, which is now “flavored drink which does not imply any violence towards homosexuals”. Okay, I’m kidding. But when math is over and it’s time for art, remember that pipe cleaners are now called “chenille stems” to distinguish them from drug paraphernelia. …no, that last one’s not a joke. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/36 "2005-12-07T17:22:00Z")
_Tumblin’ Number Cubes_ would probably be my least favorite Stones song. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/37 "2005-12-07T17:26:18Z")
Or that song by Finley Quaye. _Nothing can compare To when you roll the random number generators and you swear that your love’s for me…_ This is, seriously, no exaggeration, the dumbest thing I have _ever_ heard. ---
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/38 "2005-12-07T17:31:07Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Just change the pronunciation to “DEE-che” and be done with it. If I had read this 1/2 a second later, there’d be coffee on my monitor. Fortunately, I paused just long enough before sipping that my monitor was spared. I definitely plan to call them DEE-che from now on though. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/39 "2005-12-07T17:34:06Z")
These are [dice](http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?cid=54557&PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=1030467&fp=F&siteID=Xk82QdTzc1k-tZZJsy5vdbAd4iT1_N701A&cid=60488&fp=F). These are [number cubes](http://www.didax.com/shop/productdetails.cfm/ClassID/18/Sort/Item/Order/Asc/StartRow/1/ShowAll/No/ItemNo/26-239.cfm). I am seriously having a hard time getting worked up about this. You can call them one or the other, and it’s not a crime. It’s not PC anything. Both names are perfectly fine. Happy Holidays. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460/40 "2005-12-07T17:41:31Z")
Look, I think this is a perfectly reasonable policy. If the ban on dice can stop one kid from falling into D&D addiction then it’s all worth it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dice-are-now-number-cubes-more-pc-bullshit/334460.md?page=3)