Update #1: Responding to my post about the quantum wave function, the consensus among commenters and the twitterati is that Ψ is usually pronounced sigh, though occasionally with a very soft, almost inaudible P sound at the beginning. Please note—as so many of you didn’t!—that we are talking solely about Ψ as it refers to the wave function in quantum mechanics. It is immaterial how it’s pronounced in Greek or in various mathematical contexts. This is for the wave function only, and the sighs have it.
Update #2: Responding to my post about the upcoming COVID-19 boom, several people have reasonably pointed out that it all depends on how people actually respond to reopening orders. It’s possible, for example, that despite our president’s best efforts to kill everyone, people will mostly remain voluntarily locked down and very careful about their interactions with others. If that’s the case, then deaths will probably flatten out, or even decline modestly, rather than spiking upward.
There’s evidence to suggest that this isn’t happening, though. The reopenings are driven both by Trump and by public pressure to end the lockdowns. What’s more, GPS surveys show that people are traveling more. There’s also anecdotal evidence of bigger crowds—though as long as they stay outside this might not be a big problem.
Overall, I still think we’re in for a COVID-19 boom. But it’s possible that the public is smarter than our politicians and will remain cautious. Only time will tell.
