[A] Rube Goldberg machine that lights the Chanukah menorah. Hanukkah is the holiday of miracles and here is another one.
(Personally I think a consistent spelling of Chanukah/Hanukkah would also be a miracle.)
I’m a little disappointed in the camera work — many shots are too tight and quick, IMO — you don’t get a feel for the inter-connectedness of the device. And the use of a robotic arm at the end isn’t kosher (I’m more of an orthodox Goldbergist.); I thinks it’s more accurate to say that the R-G device starts the robotic arm, which then lights the menorah.
I’m with you on the camera work. Half the fun of a RGD is having it perform start to finish. This could be edited footage from multiple attempts.
I also have a problem with the robotic arm. Next year, I want to see a laser light those candles, or a flame-thrower.
Consistent spelling is only a problem to those of you who are incapable of pronouncing a proper throaty KHHHH that is required for Khhhhhhhhanukah.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah
“Chanukah” is a good transliteration.
The Hebrew is (right to left) is “German h”, “n,” “k,”h” (the midline dot being centered inside the prior “k” letter). Vowels (Ashkenasic) are under letters, namely “(decorated) ah,” “ooh” “aw.’ If you go Sephardic, the “aw” is an “ah” an there aren’t any written vowels. Both Hebrew and Arabic are sloppy conveyors of meaning. The spoken languages lack vocabulary fine content. The written languages are phonetic (good) but graphically messy – especially for segmented displays. On the up side, no Comic Sans.