One-kick Thrillers

Michael Gleeson's analysis of close AFL matches since 2009 makes some interesting points, but misses some very important ones.

Strangely, the graphic ranks the teams not by their success in close matches, but by the number of close matches they have played. What does this actually measure? Does anyone really care (other than the AFL who want more thrilling finishes and bigger crowds)? Geelong has 18 - far ahead of  the next highest on 15, and 5 of those have been played with Hawthorn.

The end of debate

The open debate and discussion of ideas and issues within society has been around for thousands of years. The Talmud is a wonderful record of the development of Jewish law through robust debate amongst the scholars of the time. The right to free speech, enshrined in so many Western societies, respects the right of everyone to express their opinion even though others may disagree.

As technology developed, our ability as a society to debate and discuss became easier. Distance was no longer a barrier, and broadcast media such as newspapers and television were able to disseminate ideas to the masses.

Power Changes at Yeshivah

(with thanks to Jeff) There are important changes to power happening at Yeshivah Shul. For a few days now, it has been running on partial power while they upgrade the switchboard. In shul this Shabbos the lights were not all working, electric clocks were flashing with the wrong time, and there was only air conditioning in one room. Outside, there lay parts of an old switchboard that looks like it should have been replaced years ago.

Power is very important to the running of Yeshivah - if you don't have power, you can't get anything done. Equally important is recognizing that sometimes, in the power structure, the system gets old and falls into disrepair.

Superbowl XLVII Preview

This has been one of the best post-seasons in recent years, with a good number of fantastic games and recurring themes. Both #1 seeded teams will not play in the final game of the season. Again the Patriots will miss out – since their re-emergence as a power team in 2002 and three Superbowl victories in four years, their championship drought continues. How much longer can they continue to be competitive and then miss out? And while the Falcons finally did win a post-season game, they too didn’t go as far as expected. The will likely both be back in the mix next year.
The championship games gave us a good sense of what to expect in the final game of the season. They were both close, hand-fought games, and the difference between the sides, as it often does in playoff games, came down to turnover margin.

The Chanukah Tree

The Menorah is one of the most enduring Jewish symbols we have – instantly recognizable, and adopted as part of the emblem of the state of Israel. The menorah lit in ancient times was symbolic of the Temple, and Judaism, being a source of light to the entire world. Facebook friends are posting many moving photos of Chanukah celebrated after WW2 and in other dark times – a much-needed source of light and inspiration.