Wednesday, November 18, 2020

News Limerick: Wisconsin Recount - November 18, 2020

They'll count for the cost of three million
And that's an expensive cotillion
They'll all dance their parts
But end near their starts
And Trump will become a civilian

Trump campaign requests partial Wisconsin recount, deposits $3 million to challenge Biden victory

Monday, November 16, 2020

News Limerick: Hurricane Iota - November 16, 2020

We’re up to a storm named Iota
They spring up like bubbles in soda
To slow climate change
We must rearrange
Swift action we must not say no to

Hurricane Iota the Second Catastrophic Strike in Two Weeks in Central America

Sunday, November 15, 2020

News Limerick: Coronavirus autumn surge - November 15, 2020

I’m filled with a sense of foreboding
The virus’ spread is exploding
Wear masks, wash your hands
Make long distance plans
With loved ones you long to be holding

New York Times: Tracking the Coronavirus Outbreak

Saturday, November 14, 2020

News Limerick: Student of History - November 14, 2020

Think World War Two time Germany
Were socialists?! No, that can’t be!
That’s crazy at batsh*ts
Those Nazis were fascists!
I’m smarter than Senator T

Incoming GOP Senator Apparently Doesn’t Know Basics of World War II

News Limerick: Utah Bars - November 14, 2020

It’s time for the bars to be closing
Despite all your preening and posing
To stop virus spread
Head home to your bed
At 10 PM? I’m usually dozing

Utah bars turn off the taps at 10, per new state health order

Friday, November 13, 2020

News Limerick: November 13, 2020

A president sitting there sulking
Is nothing else shy of insulting
Since votes are now in
It’s Biden whose win
Unseated this wannabe dull king

As Trump stews over election, he mostly ignores the public duties of the presidency

Space Limerick: Europa’s glowing dark side

Europa may glow in the dark!
A Clipper is planned to embark
In five years or so
Then swiftly will go
To seek out life’s signature spark

Europa’s Nightside Glows in the Dark

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

D'var Chayei Sara

This coming week, we’ll read parsha Chayei Sara, the life of Sarah. Of course, most parshot (as well as books) in the Torah are named for some of their first words. This is no exception. The second and third words are “chayei sara”. Then again, so are the eleventh and twelfth words, still within the first verse. In full, it reads:

וַיִּהְיוּ֙ חַיֵּ֣י שָׂרָ֔ה מֵאָ֥ה שָׁנָ֛ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְשֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֑ים שְׁנֵ֖י חַיֵּ֥י שָׂרָֽה׃

And the life of Sarah was a hundred and seven and twenty years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.

So, although it’s called “the life of Sara”, it’s actually about her death. In a moment, I’d like to get to what comes after her passing, but for now, let’s focus on this first verse.

Why is “chayei sara” repeated? I don’t speak Hebrew, but here’s something that jumps out at me here. The first time, it says “the life of Sarah was so and so many years”. That tells us, “Sarah got to live for this long.”

The second time, though, the wording is flipped. It’s “the years of the life of Sarah.” In other words, the years that the world got to have Sarah in it. The focus here becomes the impact she had on those around her and on her time. From this, we learn that the acts and deeds of her life actually extend beyond her passing. She had a lasting impact that was felt and that made a difference even when she was no longer present.

Friday, March 13, 2020

Working from Home: In Iambic Pentameter

If you should fail to find me here today
I hope you will not think I can’t be reached
Though circumstances make me stay away
My presence in the ether’s not decreased

I’m bringing all I need to work from home
You’ll find me via Slack and email too
And if you find you’re feeling quite alone
In Hangouts I can smile back at you

If you should wish to see where I will be
Please check my calendar from day to day
I’ll keep it up to date so you can see
Just whether I am here or I’m away

I thank you for you patience in this time
I hope that you’ve enjoyed my verse and rhyme

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Daf Yomi: Starting Tractate Shabbat

Berakhot has taught us a lot
I’m glad that I gave it some thought
So now the daf yomi
Begins to feel homey:
We’re starting the tractate ‘Shabbat’

My Jewish Learning Daf Yomi

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

D’var Misphatim

Today I’d like to talk to you about this past weekend’s parshah: Mishpatim. To do so, though, I’ll go one week farther back to Yitro to set the stage. At the end of Yitro, the tribes were camped out at the base of Mount Sinai, G-d has just spoken the ten commandments, and Moses has come down from the mountain to address the people. As he did, they
וְכָל־הָעָם֩ רֹאִ֨ים אֶת־הַקּוֹלֹ֜ת וְאֶת־הַלַּפִּידִ֗ם וְאֵת֙ ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר וְאֶת־הָהָ֖ר עָשֵׁ֑ן וַיַּ֤רְא הָעָם֙ וַיָּנֻ֔עוּ וַיַּֽעַמְד֖וּ מֵֽרָחֹֽק׃
witnessed the thunder and lightning, the blare of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they fell back and stood at a distance. (Exodus 20:15)
So what do they say? They tell Moses that they hear and will obey, but ask that G-d not speak to them because they’re afraid hearing G-d will kill them. Moses gets them to chill out, and then tells them briefly how to build an altar the right way. He shows them that the intense display of power isn’t the way that future praying and religious experiences will necessarily be. Thus ends Yitro.

Now, we get to Mishpatim, the reading from this past week. Immediately after this description of how to build a place to interact with G-d safely, we start with this sentence:
וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ הַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּשִׂ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
These are the rules that you shall set before them (Exodus 21:1)
What would you expect to happen next? We’ve just heard about the altar. Would it follow up with a litany of rules about how to pray? Requirements of the priesthood, cleanliness, or a description of how to build the ark of the covenant? We know that’s coming, right? Maybe there’s rules pertaining to sacrifices and related rituals? It could even be a listing of holidays or festivals.

But none of this happens.

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Into the Black

Into the Black

The gradual awakening from artificial hibernation runs the gamut of emotions. You start out relaxed, still nearly flatlined by the drugs that slow down your biological processes. As soon as you realize your limbs don’t respond when you try to move them, you swiftly move through panic. Luckily, the susurrus ocean rain sounds keep you from careening into a total meltdown.

A pale aquamarine display on the glass in front of you begins to come into focus. You see an outline of a generic human form to one side, vital systems outlined faintly to indicate just how perfectly healthy you still are. To the other side, the current date and time glints above a brief readout of the main starship status. Front and center, though, is a rotating diagram of the current star system or nebula.

At least, that’s what should be there. I woke to the normal calm-panic, healthy vitals, and clean bill of health for the ship. The center of the screen, though, was entirely blank. That shouldn’t be possible. The onboard AI that I’ve taken to calling “Aisha” is programmed to handle all interstellar decisions except in the event of an emergency, and there wasn’t even a trace of a rogue planet or radiation burst.

I wiggled my jaw for a minute before I could remember how to work my tongue enough to form words. “Aisha? Why?”

Immediately, the white noise stopped and her voice came in, whispering and calm as always at this early stage of awakening. “Relax, Jenny. Take a breath. Let’s work on your arms first.”

Thursday, January 9, 2020

News Limerick: Royal Family Feud

Seems Harry and Meg want to quit
And soon from the crown they will split
But stealing the show?
The queen didn’t know!
And now they are both in deep trouble

Harry and Meghan aim to ‘step back’ as senior royals and split time between Britain and North America