One of them published a book about their adventures called The Eudaemonic Pie. The Eudaemons wasted several years and thousands of dollars before abandoning the project in the early 1980s. At field tests in Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas casinos, the computer shorted out or overheated, zapping the wearer or burning their skin. His device used a hidden buzzer that told the wearer which of eight sections, or “octants,” the ball would likely drop into. Like Thorp before him, Farmer learned that roulette was more predictable than anyone imagined, and also that making the science work amid the sweat and noise of a real casino was almost impossible. He and his partners called their venture Eudaemonic Enterprises, after Aristotle’s term for the fulfilling sensation of a life well lived. Farmer dreamed of creating a utopian community of hippie inventors funded by gambling profits. Doyne Farmer, a physics student at the University of California at Santa Cruz, took up the challenge.

So get ready to shop! And if you need more advice on how to pull off a white elephant gift exchange, scroll all the way down where we dive deeper into the rules.A decade later, J. We picture a lot of swapping going on with the gift you bring (but in a good way). That's because we included ideas that people will actually want, even if they fall under the gag gift category. We also made sure that almost everything on this list was pretty gender-neutral, so anyone who gets your item can enjoy it. Most gifts actually cost less than $20, because again, the idea is to make sure no one blows their budget. That's why, when we were coming up with the best white elephant gifts for 2023, we made sure every present was under $30. The best part about swapping presents this way during the holidays - whether you go the funny or useful route - is that it's a more affordable option: Everyone in the group gets a little something, but there's usually a spending limit. This is particularly true when you're shopping for your co-workers or boss, a bunch of friends or your extended family. A true holiday party isn't complete without a white elephant gift exchange (you might also know it as dirty Santa).

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