Comments for Quomodocumque

Comment on Yitang Zhang, bounded gaps, primes as random numbers by Thads

Thads — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:37:32 +0000

Nice to see the subjunctive used in the mass media!

Comment on Yitang Zhang, bounded gaps, primes as random numbers by IB

IB — Thu, 23 May 2013 04:53:26 +0000

Nice story, but I think you may have misstated the prime number theorem? Or else I’m confused.

Comment on Yitang Zhang, bounded gaps, primes as random numbers by NDE

NDE — Thu, 23 May 2013 02:08:57 +0000

A possibly amusing observation on Zhang’s result (which takes nothing from his accomplishment) is that the constant is so large that the theorem doesn’t improve on the average spacing until we reach primes with many millions of digits.

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by JSE

JSE — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:29:30 +0000

I haven’t read Freakonomics, so please explain!

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by Julian Chu

Julian Chu — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:28:28 +0000

The kids’ names above that stick out to me are Shania and Delia. Anyone who read Freakonomics will know what I mean.

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by Julian Chu

Julian Chu — Wed, 22 May 2013 03:26:18 +0000

For what it’s worth, 13% of 15th Reunion survey respondents (n=461) and 12% of 20th Reunion survey respondents (n=357) reported their religious affiliation as Jewish.

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by valuevar

valuevar — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:39:08 +0000

I don’t doubt that it was once around 20% (under some broad, unspecified definition) or at least generally felt around 20%. However, Jordan earlier linked to a discussion that implied that such figures were outdated (and, if not, would show over-representation compared to current levels of achievement). Not my specialty – it’s just that non-rigorous statistics that stay in the popular consciousness long after they start losing their relation to current reality generally bug me, and this may be one of them.

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by Dick Gross

Dick Gross — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:12:56 +0000

Jordan, my name is Baruch, which my family translated into English as Benedict. Perhaps
some of the early Popes had that Hebrew name too…

Valuevar, no one knows the exact figures, as Harvard doesn’t keep them (as opposed to ethnic and gender categories). But I think the population of Harvard College has been over 20% Jewish since the days that President Lowell proposed a quota (to get the number down).

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by Paul Rafferty

Paul Rafferty — Mon, 20 May 2013 18:56:03 +0000

Reblogged this on ENGLISH LANGUAGE REVIEW 4U.

Comment on 10,000 baby names of Harvard by valuevar

valuevar — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:55:34 +0000

To Dick Gross: I thought that “statistic” (originating, apparently, in Hillel) turned out to be doubtful? See Jordan’s earlier post on Unz’s work (#collapse) – apparently a weak point in it was to take those 20% or 25% claims at face value.