Dominoes are a fun toy that can be used in a variety of ways. Some people like to line them up and then knock them over, while others use them for a game of skill or competition. They can even be used to make a beautiful art display. Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by a question from Juan, who wanted to know more about domino.

Dominoes are small rectangular blocks that are part of a set and typically have 28 pieces. The top of each block is marked with a number that represents its numerical value, while the other side is blank or marked by dots that are similar to those on dice. The spots on a domino are called pips and each has a specific function in the game of dominoes.

The idiom domino effect refers to any situation in which one small trigger may lead to a series of events that continue on and on, similar to a falling dominoes chain. The phrase originated in the political arena when journalist Alsop wrote a column in which he explained that America’s support of South Vietnam would lead to Communism spreading from country to country in a way reminiscent of the fall of dominoes. President Eisenhower heard the column and later used it at a press conference to describe how the world could fall into Communism if the United States did not intervene. The domino effect is now commonly used in non-political arenas as well, such as when a person begins to smoke or drink heavily and, eventually, makes other poor health choices.

In the world of business, a company’s reputation can be damaged by even a single bad review or negative social media post. It is important to pay attention to the needs of customers and respond quickly when a complaint arises. One of the best ways to do this is by listening to employees and acting on their feedback. One example of this is the Domino’s Pizza CEO change in 2015. When former CEO David Brandon was removed from his position, new CEO Anthony Doyle took action based on a survey that identified the main reason employees left the company as lack of leadership training and engagement with customers.

During the Domino’s Pizza change, Doyle also promoted the importance of employee communication by holding a live chat on Facebook to address employee concerns. He encouraged employees to share their thoughts and ideas on what the company should do moving forward, and he also asked for feedback from customers. By listening to the voice of the customer and responding proactively, Domino’s was able to turn things around and improve their reputation as a great place to work and a top-rated company.

When playing domino, a player must play against every single tile in the game before they can take their next turn. The tiles must be positioned such that the two matching ends are adjacent to each other or, if they are doubles, they must be perpendicular to the other dominoes. This helps to develop the shape of the domino chains that become a large part of the entertainment in many domino games.