Spooky Potpourri

...well, not really, just another big, diverse mix this week:

1)  "Skewes Number" is reviewed by James Grime of Numberphile:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lihh_lMmcDw&feature=youtu.be

2)  Evelyn Lamb on the Fano plane, "the smallest interesting space":
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/roots-of-unity/a-few-of-my-favorite-spaces-the-fano-plane/

3)  In a brief post, one sixth-grade teacher bemoans an experience I suspect many face as a result of the furor over Common Core:
http://nathankraft.blogspot.com/2015/10/why-common-core-why.html

4)  Speaking of Common Core, another piece (via Medium) here:
https://medium.com/i-math/common-core-math-is-not-the-enemy-c05b68f46b3e#.45noae4t6

5)  Meanwhile, an elementary teacher utilizes McDonald's in the classroom:
http://exit10a.blogspot.com/2015/10/this-ones-for-robert.html

6)  Specifically for chess fans, this interesting post from Jason Rosenhouse:
http://scienceblogs.com/evolutionblog/2015/10/26/sunday-chess-problem-51/

7)  Mathematics in neuroscience (neuro-geometry? ;-) ..."Clique topology" applied to neuronal activity:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151019183005.htm
and http://arxiv.org/abs/1502.06172

8)  A little history of Galois and group theory from plus Magazine:
https://plus.maths.org/content/stubborn-equations

9)  I'm sick, sick, sick of the topic... but, since others are not... a couple more pieces on "the hot hand" this week (psssst... it exists):

http://tinyurl.com/o6a8zmh  (J. Ellenberg)
http://tinyurl.com/ousspq8  (NY Times)

10)  The latest (91st) "Math Teachers At Play" blog carnival posted here:
http://mathmamawrites.blogspot.com/2015/10/math-teachers-at-play-91.html

11)  Another piece on Asian rote math learning vs. Australian non-rote approach:
https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-secret-to-being-good-at-maths-49222

12)  The latest book from Jo Boaler, "Mathematical Mindsets," is newly available:
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470894520.html

13)  Richard Elwes paid tribute to British mathematician Barry Cooper, who passed away this week:
http://richardelwes.co.uk/2015/10/28/barry-cooper-1943-2015/

14)  Another great tribute piece to Martin Gardner (who would've turned 101 this month) and some of his problems, from Colm Mulcahy:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/martin-gardner-at-101-it-s-as-not-so-easy-as-3-4-5/

15)  Gregory Chaitin on epistemology and metabiology:
http://inference-review.com/article/an-algorithmic-god

16)  Algorithmic flexibility, universal computing, natural/artificial sciences:
https://www.quantamagazine.org/20151027-the-physical-origin-of-universal-computing/

17)  Lastly, some math comic-relief, from Paul Rudnick of the New Yorker:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/10/26/diagnostic-exam-do-you-have-math-anxiety


Potpourri BONUS! (extra NON-mathematical links of interest):

1)  Latest podcast from the always quirky, unpredictable, entertaining Futility Closet (who you can support through Patreon):
http://www.futilitycloset.com/2015/10/25/podcast-episode-79-one-square-inch-of-the-yukon/

2)  Michelle Feynman interviewed (podcast, ~20 mins.) about her new book, "The Quotable Feynman," on her famous father:
http://ia601506.us.archive.org/26/items/groks705/groks102115.mp3