Shannon and Thorp Hack the Roulette Wheel

It was in this tinkerer’s laboratory that they set out to understand how roulette could be gamed, ordering “a regulation roulette wheel from Reno for $1,500,” a strobe light, and a clock whose hand revolved once per second. Thorp was given inside access to Shannon in all his tinkering glory: Gadgets . . . were everywhere. He had a mechanical coin tosser which could be set to flip the coin through a set number of revolutions, producing a head or tail according to the setting. As a joke...

 Characteristics of a Literacy-Building Classroom Library

• 300-600 books • Wide range of reading difficulty • Permanent “core” collection and regularly replenished “revolving” collection • Variety of genres • New books with appealing covers • Attractive, inviting setting The literature selection should include: • Traditional stories: Familiar stories that are found in every culture, including fables, folk tales, myths and legends • Fantasy: Stories that contain characters who may have superhuman powers that spark children�...