I'm surprised you could even compare Python's current popularity (obviously due to machine learning libraries) with it's past popularity. Especially with all the comments you've been churning out on HN.

I've used Python professionally since 1999.

While Python found an extra niche with scientific libraries (and not just/especially machine learning) post numpy and co, it was already very popular then, taking the throne from Perl.

Ruby at the time (and until Rails) was seen as an interesting contester, but nobody doubted Python's top popularity as far as scripting goes.

P.S. What about "the comments I've been churning"? If you mean regarding P3 adoption, then we're still quite a long ways away. Not even 50% -- and well after 10+ years. But that's beside the point. That doesn't mean I don't like Python (including 3).