Yes, I'm still easily amused

My first pageview palindrome in some time also happens to be the zip code of an area I've cycled through a number of times: 45054, Oregonia, OH. (I knew that zip had to be somewhere around here!) That vertical-ish band of green includes the bike path, and I've stopped for a lunch break at the Little River Cafe, which is adjacent to it; I'm pretty sure that it wasn't just the comparison with the Clif Bars I'd been consuming for a couple hours by that point that made it so enjoyable.

Another numbers observation

From an article about the success of the U.S. swim team in Rio: The American swimmers' 21-medal haul so far exceeds the next two teams -- Australia (7) and Japan (5) -- combined. 

If this is true - and I'm by no means questioning it - unless someone is tied with Japan, the American swimmers' medal haul must exceed the next four teams' combined total.

Numbers observation

Without being rigorous, I'm guessing there's about a 0.001 probability that the second three digits of a six-digit number are the same as the first three. I've had it happen a couple times with six-digit confirmation codes, but not often. I'm also guessing that there is about a 0.002 probability that one of the two sets of three digits in the next code will be the same three digits. If I'm right, that make the overall probability of those two events about two in a million.

That happened with my last two confirmation codes.

Number weirdness

Why do I get a small thrill when my current number of pageviews is palindromic?

Prime factors

This blog is reporting a total of 2⁵*7*11*13 page views.

Unintended hyperbole?

Christianity has over 2 billion followers in the world with countless denominations and sects. - PlayBuzz poll: What Christian Denomination Should You Actually Be a Part Of?

"Countless" denominations and sects: umm, okay, but clearly less than or equal to the number of followers . . .

On average, . . .

. . . (if I'm thinking correctly,) once in every hundred occurrences, the last two digits of a randomly generated (decimal) code will match the previous two digits.

This has now happened to me twice in a row.

No, I'm not going to buy a lottery ticket. I refuse to believe that one highly unlikely mathematical happenstance improves the immediate probability of another one.

Arithmetic refreshers needed

Both from today:

The bag of Sun Chips proclaimed that they contain "30% less fat than regular potato chips." The copy writer went on to explain that potato chips have 10g fat/oz., and Sun Chips have 6g fat/oz. Umm, I'm pretty sure that's 40% less fat.

A Washington Post article on the state of mental health care in Virginia, in the wake of the tragedy involving the state Senator's family, says that the commonwealth "has just 17.6 beds per 10,000 people, 40 percent of a target of 50 beds per 10,000."  Umm, no, but I wouldn't have quibbled with them had they said 35 percent.

I suppose these are both "rounding errors"?

Another "milestone" that isn't, of course

For about six months now I've been watching my hit count creep toward an average of 9 hits per post. It doesn't matter; it's just an exercise in . . . well, in curiosity, I guess.  And it isn't as if I really have all that many  people who are interested in my thoughts.  All time, 40% of my page views have come from Russia, which I imagine to probably be machine hits, so I don't take the whole statistical exercise as being at all indicative of my "popularity" or, by extension, value.  Anyway, when I first started paying attention I was averaging under 6 hits/post, and ended up passing 6, 7 and then 8 hits per post within a couple months of each other. But the average has been slow to reach this next integer, in part because I've been blogging so prolifically this year - by nearly three times my previous highest number of posts, and December looks as if it will be the first month in which I don't average at least one post per day.

The count has been hovering just below 9 since we got back from vacation, the wonderful trip and family time that was also the reason I didn't write as much this month.  I was a little surprised when  I got up this morning and saw the average was over 9, with enough views to spare that I could do another post without dipping back under it.  I probably have something to actually say, so when I get around to that one the average will dip back under again unless I've picked up a couple more views.  Eh.  I suppose I can live with that.

Anyway, I seem to be having a really difficult time focusing on the positives in my life right now.  The negatives are right in my face all the time, and it's a constant exercise in discipline to turn my attention from them that I just don't seem to always (or even usually, of late) be up to.

I can't afford not to be, though.

Odd arithmetic

So, if I get 5 more views before I make another post, I will be averaging exactly 7 views per post.  (This is weird, as most of my posts only have a couple or few views.  I must have one or two posts that have way more views than all the rest.)

(And this post was true again, for a moment, even after it was satisfied once already today.)

Numbers game?

Before I posted this, it said I had 4444 page views and 777 posts.  Wonder if I could parlay those as Pick3 and Pick4 values for tonight?

Round numbers, of a sort

Before I entered this one, I noticed my blog now contains 5⁴ posts, though not all are published.. . .