Built on Facts  Sunday Function  This Sunday I was at an event
that involved a number of drawings for door prizes. There were
perhaps 30 couples there – it was, not to beat around the bush,
a wedding registry shindig at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. (Did I
mention I’m recently engaged? I am. It’s the main reason for the
endemic light posting, as I’m afraid the wedding bumps the blog
down the priority list a bit. ;) )  There was something in the
vicinity of 8 or so drawings from separate bowls, and each
couple’s number was placed in each bowl. The rules were such
that a couple could only win once. One number was pulled twice,
and that particular prize had to be re-drawn. My friend Michael
and his fiancee Christine were there, and I turned to him and
said “Hey, this is the Birthday Problem!” He immediately agreed,
and our very patient fiancees gave each other their patented “Oh
geez, they’re about to launch into some tremendously nerdy
discussion again” looks. Not that they mind, but of course the
middle of a wedding re