#Abel Prize

[lowrankness]

Michel Talagrand.

Winner of the Abel Prize, 2024.

[mufawad]

Read Current Science Report for the Month of March 2024

[general-knowledge-quiz]

Michel Talagrand, a distinguished mathematician, has been awarded the prestigious Abel Prize for his groundbreaking contributions to the study of randomness. This accolade underscores his remarkable achievements and their profound impact on various scientific disciplines.

The Abel Prize, established in 2001 by the Norwegian government, is one of the most esteemed awards in mathematics. Named after the renowned Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, it recognizes outstanding contributions to the field and is often referred to as the Nobel Prize of Mathematics.

[wordacrosstime]

Limit Distributions for Sums of Independent Random Variables

[Limit Distributions for Sums of Independent Random Variables, by BV Gnedenko (Author), AN Kolmogorov (Author), KL Chung (Translator). Paperback (Reprint of the 1954 Edition) - 5 Aug 2021. Publisher - Martino Fine Books (5 Aug 2021). Language - English. Paperback - 276 pages. ISBN-10 - 1684225795. ISBN-13 - 978-1684225798. Dimensions - 15.6 x 1.57 x 23.39 cm. (details thanks to Amazon)]

[Author full names: Boris Vladimirovich Gnedenko (Russian: Бори́с Влади́мирович Гнеде́нко; 1 January 1912 – 27 December 1995); Andrey Nikolaevich Kolmogorov (Russian: Андре́й Никола́евич Колмого́ров, IPA: [ɐnˈdrʲej nʲɪkɐˈlajɪvʲɪtɕ kəlmɐˈɡorəf], 25 April 1903 – 20 October 1987) (details thanks to Wikipedia)]

***

A number of years ago I set about a course of self-improvement. For me that meant reading as much as possible from works written by world-class thinkers. This list of august minds was often, though not solely, driven by Nobel Prize winners and other winners of similar or equivalent awards in other areas (mathematics, for example, where the Fields Medal and Abel Prize are the highest honors). However, I am a statistician among other things, and so I have also kept a keen eye out for important works by the giants of that field.

I am not well-acquainted with Boris Gnedenko, though his name has certainly come up from time to time over the years that I’ve both studied and practiced statistics. The name that has come up repeatedly in reverential tones is Andrey Kolmogorov, who is one of a handful of mathematicians who are credited with giving the theoretical underpinnings of statistics a solid and rigorous mathematical foundation.

The volume under review here is one of Kolmogorov’s most important publications. In it, he and Gnedenko elicit the basis and application of results like the Central Limit Theorem (CLT) and the Law of Large Numbers (LLN). These are two of the most important results in all of statistics and probability theory and the slightly more general theory of stochastic (random) processes.

I should mention that this volume was originally published in the Soviet Union in 1949 in Russian. The edition I read here was translated into English in 1954 by KL Chung, and the actual ISBN citation is this particular reprint; there are others from different time periods, and of course if one is a true purist, then one should definitely read the original Russian text. However, according to the preface, all of the formulas and other special figures in the text are actually photostats from the original monograph.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style of Gnedenko and Kolmogorov is delightfully lofty and at times quite flowery, but their explanations of proofs and motivations for results are really first-rate. I wasn’t sure what to expect, given the high intellectual bar these gentlemen set, but I was very pleasantly surprised. Professor Chung, the translator, added quite a few helpful comments and clarifications where appropriate, but overall he seems to have let the book flow as it was originally set down. One of the Appendices was written by another legendary statistician, JL Doob, providing a bit of bridge material related to some measure-theoretic issues that arise in Chapter 1.

My only complaint (a very small one to be sure) is that there were a number of typos that remained intact despite the extensive editorial review this monograph has surely had over the past 70+ years. I wouldn’t exactly call it a super-power, but I personally seem to have a knack for finding typos and grammatical errors in even very technical material. I’ve taken photos of two of the ones I found early in the text as examples here (see below). For some reason my eye was instinctively drawn to these and others. I would thus advise the reader to pause if something seems slightly amiss – it very well might be. I’m happy to say that these errata were few and far between, and in no case do I recall them rendering the explanations or results indecipherable.

Who would enjoy this tome? Anyone who is interested in the theoretical basis for many of the classic results in modern non-Bayesian statistics. The foreword by the translator advises that a solid background in calculus is a must, and mathematical maturity a definite plus. Beyond that, the book itself is remarkably self-contained. This is likely due to the political environment in which it was written. Post-World War II was a difficult time for Soviet intellectuals since they were generally denied access to journals and results outside their own country.

Here are the two examples of typos that I detected early in the book – I think they speak for themselves, but you can be the judge:

[Image credits numbered from top: (1 & 2) two pages from the book photographed by reviewer- with thanks to © publishers and estates of authors. (3 & 4) book cover front and back - with thanks to © publishers (5) Boris Vladimirovich Gnedenko - with thanks, no details of © copyright holder / photographer known (6) Andrey Nikolaevich Kolmogorov - with thanks, no details of © copyright holder / photographer known]

Kevin Gillette

Words Across Time

12 January 2024

wordsacrosstime

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Anthony Perkins in "Look Homeward, Angel," which played at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre from November 28, 1957 to March 7, 1959, and then moved to the 54th Street Theatre from March 9 to April 4, 1959. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1958 for playwright Ketti Frings, based on the novel by Thomas Wolfe.

Photo: Friedman-Abeles via NYPL

[originemesis]

excuses - muse a brushes their thumb lightly against muse b’s rub some dirt/dust/etc away / / for the baby

Other than scrunching his brows and looking helplessly up at the ceiling as if he were aware only a divine intervention could save him now, he's resigned himself to her fussing.

"Ma- it's no big deal. I just fell over on the way here. You should have seen-" he'd say 'the other guy' but that wasn't exactly why his face was scuffed up from the sidewalk. "-the car that clipped me."

[nonesuchrecords]

“A musician who renews every tradition she touches, from banjos to fiddling to bluegrass to classical and now to opera,” BBC Radio 3 Music Matters presenter Tom Service says of his guest Rhiannon Giddens. They talk about her opera with Michael Abels, Omar, which just won the Pulitzer Prize, and her upcoming album, You’re the One, due August 18. You can hear their conversation here.

[jwood718]

Omar, an opera by Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels awarded the Pulitzer Prize for music, announced today.

The moral arc of the universe does bend toward justice--if enough people grab on and pull it that way.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Rhiannon Giddens - Way Over Yonder 2023

You're the One is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens, and it received generally positive reviews from critics.

Giddens expressed that she hoped listeners would "just hear American music. Blues, jazz, Cajun, country, gospel, and rock - it's all there. They're fun songs, and I wanted them to have as much of a chance as they could to reach people who might dig them but don't know anything about what I do".

In 2023, the opera Omar, co-written by Giddens and Michael Abels, won the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

"Way Over Yonder" received a total of 46,9% yes votes.

[bratzforchris]

the bratzfornick 141 writing challenge

hi everyone! me and @nicksbestie been looking for new fics to read and so many of you are so talented, so what better way to have new reading material than hosting a little challenge to fuel our delusions 😋

here are the basics for the challenge: pick 1 character, pick 4 story elements, and create 1 fic! more details below!!

the following rules are things you must follow. otherwise, you will be eliminated from this challenge. 

no being rude or hateful to other creators. this includes us, as well as others participating in the challenge.

no copying or plagiarizing ANY work. this includes challenge submissions as well as other stories that have been posted to tumblr/wattpad/etc. if you choose to use one of your works from another platform, please make sure that you have proof it is your own work

no submissions that revolve around anything weird or illegal (abuse, incest, illegal age gaps, highly graphic mental illness, hard drugs, age play, homo/transphobia/racism/abelism/etc, bathroom play, etc) 

5k max word limit. in order for us to be able to thoroughly read all of your submissions, please keep your word count to 5k or less and use paragraph breaks!

when you post your fic, please tag @bratzforchris and @nicksbestie and use the tag #bratzfornick’s 141 writing challenge 

characters (pick 1)

matt sturniolo

chris sturniolo

nick sturniolo

nathan doe

story elements (pick any 4): you may mix and match these to your liking. you are not required to do one from all four categories (for example: two locations, one trope, one genre OR two genres, two tropes, etc)

GENRES: 

Fluff

Smut

Angst

Age regression (not age play. your work must be 100% SFW and innocent to fall into this category)

TROPES:

Friends to lovers

Enemies to lovers

Little x caregiver 

Friends with benefits

Chronically ill x healthy

Mafia x goody two shoes

Academic rivals

Lovers to strangers

Nurse x doctor coworker

Fake dating

Grumpy x sunshine

Royalty x bodyguard

Major character death

Angel x demon

Singer/band member x fan

Arranged marriage

Locations/Settings: 

Alternate universe (AU)

College/university

Concert

Outskirt small town

Big city

The forest/woods

Home

Library/bookstore

Vacation

Haunted/abandoned house

Office

Hospital

Plot Ideas: 

Accidental confession (it slips out when drunk, caught in the heat of the moment, etc)

Revenge (fake dating, sleeping with an ex, etc)

Getting used to a new diagnosis/disability (a doctor who is so used to coaching patients through their new diagnosis that they struggle with theirs, getting used to new dynamics with a partner)

Forced proximity (one bed, locked in a room, etc)

Redemption arc

Taking care of each other (cleaning wounds, cooking, holding the trash can while they’re being sick)

Hiding a big secret

Fight that turns sexy

Language barrier (a Southern partner not understanding Boston slang, an actual language barrier, etc)

Chance encounter

Caught in the rain

Dare 

create 1 fic: please follow the rules, characters, and story elements listed above! as stated before, you do not have to pick from all four story categories, just four total. write as many fics as you’d like for this challenge. 

don’t forget to tag BOTH of us: @bratzforchris and @nicksbestie and use the #bratzfornick’s 141 writing challenge in your submission!

Submissions close May 15th, 2024! Most importantly, have fun! No actual monetary or material prizes will be given out for this challenge→it’s all meant to be fun and creative. Good luck and have fun! We can’t wait to see what you come up with ♡

[banefort]

Already seen a lot of people use the Cain and Abel archetype to describe Aegon and Aemond’s fratricidal relationship, when more importantly I’d argue that they represent an inversion of the trope.

Traditionally, the tale represents settled lifestyles (Cain the farmer) overcoming nomadic Neolithic customs (Abel the shepherd) through the allegory of fraternal murder- aka, the Cainist cultural revolution defeating Abel’s tradition. Given Aemond is the one who, possessed by jealousy over his brother and a desire for control, turns to fratricide, one would expect him to be characterized as the homicidal Cain-figure, and Aegon as the unsuspecting Abel-figure. However, due to Aemond’s continual fulfillment of tradition and the status quo, and reliance upon Valyrian tradition as the basis for his claim, ideologically-speaking he’s a closer match to Abel. Not to mention, given he also flaunts the qualities which his father continually attempted to emulate (dragon-rider, scholar, fluent Valyrian speaker, pious, etc) - he closer matches the image of the father’s ‘prized son’, we can argue that the Viserys-Aemond bond closer matches the God-Abel dynamic.

Conversely, Aegon is constantly affirmed to be a break from ruling tradition - from a psychological standpoint he departs from the archetypal image of the ruler by being shown to be melancholic and tempestuous, not to mention alienated from his paternal culture and language; whilst from an ideological standpoint, he openly argues against the practice of Valyrian sibling incest and advocates for an embrace of monarchial socialism, departing from the wishes of his advisors, and the traditional customs of the kingdom. Thus, Aegon embodies a cultural revolution, and aligns better with Cain.

The Cain-Abel reading of Aegon and Aemond’s actions doesn’t work out because their fratricidal actions align Aemond with Cain as an antagonist, and Aegon with Abel as a victim - but their ideologies match Aemond with Abel as traditionalists, and Aegon with Cain as revolutionaries. One can make the argument that the analogy still works, due to it being a deliberate inversion of the tale, with tradition striking down any act of upheaval, as opposed to revolution destroying tradition, but I feel that there isn’t enough evidence to support that decision. Naturally, creatives always reflect on Cain and Abel to some extent due to its prevalence as a touchstone of fratricide in the arts, but due to caveats like the action-ideology dissonance and the lack of a father figure endorsing Aemond (or either of them for that matter), amongst others, I think it’s a tenuous stance on its own.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

DAD SQUAD DAD SQUAD

(for the prompt event)

Abel swore as he ran.

That soldier, that Hero, that idiot child had wandered off, distrusting as he was, or scared or petulant or arrogant, he didn’t even know - all he knew was the Fierce Deity’s other Hero had sauntered off and the Yiga had him.

But it had just happened. Abel was not letting them get away with this.

The Yiga were too far to reach quickly, but close enough to still be seen as they hauled their prize away. The blonde Hero of Hyrule, wrapped in his green and armor and blue scarf, was bleeding from the head, carried easily on the shoulders of one of the Yiga’s massive commanders.

Rusl was hot in his trail, already trying to prepare a weapon of his, but there was no way they were in range for anything. Abel tore across the open field as quickly as he could, adrenaline and rage bringing heat to his body, fueling his legs to move at breakneck speed.

As Abel ran, he caught sight of a traveler atop a horse, and an idea immediately came to his mind. Nocking an arrow, he let it loose, aiming low. When the arrow sank into the unsuspecting traveler’s leg, he let out a yell of pain, falling off his horse.

Abel immediately took advantage of the situation, making a beeline for the steed and leaping atop its saddle, ignoring the animals’ anxious protest, and directed it to run straight for his quarry.

“Abel, what the hell are you doing!” Rusl shouted from a short distance away.

“Get him a potion!” Abel ordered sharply, not wasting another moment, tearing after the Yiga.

Rusl stumbled, breathless, kneeling down beside the poor traveler and searching hastily through his bag. “I’m so sorry, he’s—my friend’s insane.”

As the Ordonian watched his Hylian companion make chase, he pulled out a little whistle, blowing into it while the traveler choked down the potion he’d offered. A hawk cried out in reply, swooping down to land on Rusl’s arm. With a brief, whispered command, the hawk took flight once more, soaring overhead and tearing after Abel.

The Yiga were growing ever closer as Abel urged the horse to move faster. As he rode, he heard a cry from overhead, glancing up to see a brown hawk, talons hovering a short distance above his head, gliding effortlessly before it flapped its wings to speed ahead. Abel’s eyes followed it until he saw that the Yiga were getting close to the wooded area at the edge of the clearing. If they got in there, he’d lose them.

He was close enough. This would do.

With a grunt, Abel moved one of his feet out of the stirrups, planting it on the saddle so he could rise above to get a better shot and more distance. He readied an ice arrow, gritting his teeth and glaring as he let it loose.

They were not getting away this time. He would make sure of it.

The arrow didn’t hit any particular target, but the magic that it spread from the impact managed to reach the majority of the Yiga, including the one carrying this newer Link. The hawk swooped down, pecking at the Yiga as Abel finally caught up to them, leaping off the horse with his sword at the ready. He sank the blade into an unsuspected enemy as he landed, digging his foot into the Yiga’s chest to pull the blade out and swinging it across another foe. He pulled out his shield just as another Yiga tired to fire some arrows at him, protecting him while the commander rose and readied his enormous blade.

Abel managed to move just in time as the Yiga commander’s blade crashed downward, sending a powerful strike his way. The hawk swooped down once more, distracting the archer behind Abel as he charged forward, sliding to one knee as he held his shield overhead, the impact from the massive blademaster’s attack making his shoulder scream in protest. He braced with his other arm, letting out a yell and pushing himself to stand, throwing the Yiga off balance.

It gave him just enough time, and he directed his sword diagonally upward, cutting across the man’s chest. When the Yiga fell to his knees, making him and Abel nearly at eye level, it gave the former knight all the time he needed to finish the job.

The Yiga archer yelled as the hawk pecked at him again, and then he realized the fight was over as his commander’s head rolled to his feet. He vanished in a puff of magic and light, and Abel stood over the bodies a moment, catching his breath.

Link watched him, eyes wide, leaning against a tree, his arm partly frozen from the blast of the arrow, hands bound, face gagged with a cloth.

“I told you,” Abel finally said as he approached him, pulling the gag off first. “Don’t wander off.”

Link seemed like he was trying to maintain some semblance of dignity, or he was just being defensive. He let out a breath through his nose in what was probably supposed to be a huff of defiance. “The last thing I remember was being attacked by people, and then I wake up weak and ill and you’re there talking about traitors to the crown trying to kidnap the Hero. You can’t possibly expect me to trust you instantly.”

“No,” Abel supposed mildly as he cut through the boy’s bonds. “But you currently can’t defend yourself, either. You should know better. Now on your feet, soldier, and this time, listen to orders.”

Link watched him a moment longer and then obeyed, seeming to give in, looking almost ashamed. When he stumbled a bit, Abel caught him easily, pulling him a little closer, finally letting some sympathy bleed through his exhaustion and worry. The boy couldn’t be much older than his own son, and he was going through a lot.

Sighing, Abel let him sink to the ground once more, sitting beside him and letting the boy lean against him. “Link… you have to trust me, okay? I feel it’s fairly obvious who the actual threat is now. I’ll keep you safe. I promise.”

As he spoke, his hands worked gently away at the ice melting off the boy’s arm. He felt a slight twinge of guilt that he’d hurt him a little, but if he hadn’t he would’ve lost him, which was far worse.

Link swallowed, saying nothing, but he relaxed a little in his hold. When Abel had picked off as much of the ice as he could, he tried to help the boy stand once more. Link was more stable on his feet, clearly trying hard to pull his own weight. Abel directed him towards the horse, helping him mount, and he took the reins away from the Hero so he could direct the mount from the ground.

The pair made their way back across the field, and Rusl finally caught up to them. “Are you two alright?”

“Link will need some looking after,” Abel noted. “I’m fine.”

Link ran a hand through his hair, the streak of white glistening in the sunlight, and then he sighed. “I take it those Yiga have been attacking you two?”

“They’ve been attacking Heroes,” Rusl answered as he walked alongside the horse. “We’ve been trying to get our sons back.”

Link blinked. “Your—you—”

Abel was somewhat exasperated that Rusl just admitted that, but he supposed there was little point in hiding it. It was a natural habit, though, so he didn’t comment, letting Rusl be he personable man that he was. It eased what little tension was left in the young soldier’s posture, and when they returned to camp, the boy was listening to the Ordonian tell stories about his boy. A realization of some sort was slowly dawning across the teenager’s face, though he kept whatever epiphany he had to himself.

He still didn’t entirely trust them, perhaps. Abel wasn’t too bothered by it. He knew the boy would at least listen to him now.

As the sun set, Abel cleaned the blood of his blade, satisfied that he’d managed to eliminate some Yiga and relieved that he’d at least fulfilled his duty in protecting one Hero. With another victory against the Yiga under his belt, he was almost starting to feel…

Well. He wouldn’t say it. He hadn’t been one to hold on to such sentiment since the Calamity.

But perhaps things were finally starting to look up for them. And… perhaps… his son…

Abel sighed, putting his sword down as Rusl and Link laughed over some story or another.

[dyouknowwhatimean]

things i better get for the prize i'm paying for the oasis tickets:

-guess god thinks i'm abel performed live with a closeup of noel's face up on the screens so i can annalize every little gesture

-a workshop on how liam comes up with his tweets

-a make out session

-a fight (liam wins)

-another make out session

-another fight but verbal this time. noel can win i'm not that delussional

[theamazingdigitalraceway]

I have another one -v- being as I too absolutely love bugs, like Kinger- insects and arachnids of all kinds- How would the gang react to another massive bug enthusiast? ✨🪲🕷️ Pretty sure Kinger and Tree would be good pals :] If Jax tries killing bugs just to get a reaction outta me, I’ll either give him no reaction, in return, or if that doesn’t work I will probably fight him 👍🏻

RACEWAY AU REACTS TO ANOTHER BUG LOVER

CAINE: He'll go out of his way to make your favorite insects themed to the tracks. He'll even have your room decorated to fit your bug obsession. Race prizes? You guessed it, bugs. He does love a human that's easy to please.

POMNI: She'll listen to your bug talks as much as she would for Kinger. Bugs don't really interest her, but it gives her something to do and listening to others talk about their passions can help their mental health.

RAGATHA: She means no disrespect, but...please don't bring any creepy crawlers near her. Butterflies are okay, as long as she doesn't look too close, but all other bugs are a no.

JAX: He'll only kill an insect if they annoy him, otherwise he doesn't care. But he's not above torturing your insects to get you to fight him. Pulling their wings off, throwing them in glasses of water, etc.

GANGLE: Just keep them out of her room, please. She's willing to hear you out about how cool the insects are with supervision. She doesn't trust a bug that's by itself.

ZOOBLE: She's indifferent to the whole thing.

KINGER: Prepare for endless bug talks. He will show off his whole collection and would love to hear about yours. He'll introduce you to his crown jewel favorite, Melissa.

GUMMIGOO: He finds your bugs fascinating. He's even willing to hold them.

LOO: She finds bugs interesting as long as it's not a spider. Spiders are creepy.

SETH: He doesn't really care, except when it comes to moths. They're beautiful. It's one of the few things he's gone out of his way to create just for the fun of it.

ABEL: Any insect that gets too close to him gets zapped. It's a reflex and he's not sorry about it.

[nicksbestie]

the bratzfornick 141 writing challenge

hi everyone! we’ve been looking for new fics to read and so many of you are so talented, so what better way to have new reading material than hosting a little challenge to fuel our delusions 😋

here are the basics for the challenge: pick 1 character, pick 4 story elements, and create 1 fic! more details below!!

the following rules are things you must follow. otherwise, you will be eliminated from this challenge. 

no being rude or hateful to other creators. this includes us, as well as others participating in the challenge.

no copying or plagiarizing ANY work. this includes challenge submissions as well as other stories that have been posted to tumblr/wattpad/etc. if you choose to use one of your works from another platform, please make sure that you have proof it is your own work

no submissions that revolve around anything weird or illegal (abuse, incest, illegal age gaps, highly graphic mental illness, hard drugs, age play, homo/transphobia/racism/abelism/etc, bathroom play, etc) 

5k max word limit. in order for us to be able to thoroughly read all of your submissions, please keep your word count to 5k or less and use paragraph breaks!

when you post your fic, please tag @bratzforchris and @nicksbestie and use the tag #bratzfornick’s 141 writing challenge 

characters (pick 1)

matt sturniolo

chris sturniolo

nick sturniolo

nathan doe

story elements (pick any 4): you may mix and match these to your liking. you are not required to do one from all four categories (for example: two locations, one trope, one genre OR two genres, two tropes, etc)

GENRES: 

Fluff

Smut

Angst

Age regression

TROPES:

Friends to lovers

Enemies to lovers

Little x caregiver 

Friends with benefits

Chronically ill x healthy

Mafia x goody two shoes

Academic rivals

Lovers to strangers

Nurse x doctor coworker

Fake dating

Grumpy x sunshine

Royalty x bodyguard

Major character death

Angel x demon

Singer/band member x fan

Arranged marriage

Locations/Settings: 

Alternate universe (AU)

College/university

Concert

Outskirt small town

Big city

The forest/woods

Home

Library/bookstore

Vacation

Haunted/abandoned house

Office

Hospital

Plot Ideas: 

Accidental confession (it slips out when drunk, caught in the heat of the moment, etc)

Revenge (fake dating, sleeping with an ex, etc)

Getting used to a new diagnosis/disability (a doctor who is so used to coaching patients through their new diagnosis that they struggle with theirs, getting used to new dynamics with a partner)

Forced proximity (one bed, locked in a room, etc)

Redemption arc

Taking care of each other (cleaning wounds, cooking, holding the trash can while they’re being sick)

Hiding a big secret

Fight that turns sexy

Language barrier (a Southern partner not understanding Boston slang, an actual language barrier, etc)

Chance encounter

Caught in the rain

Dare 

create 1 fic: please follow the rules, characters, and story elements listed above! as stated before, you do not have to pick from all four story categories, just four total. write as many fics as you’d like for this challenge. 

don’t forget to tag BOTH of us: @bratzforchris and @nicksbestie and use the #bratzfornick’s 141 writing challenge in your submission!

Submissions close May 15th, 2024! Most importantly, have fun! No actual monetary or material prizes will be given out for this challenge→it’s all meant to be fun and creative. Good luck and have fun! We can’t wait to see what you come up with!