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World-renowned archaeologist Haskel Greenfield turning attention to Turkey after several years working in Israel
By MYRON LOVE At the age of 69, Haskel Greenfield, Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Manitoba and co-director (with his wife, Professor Tina Greenfield) of the university’s Near Eastern and Biblical Archaeology Lab, says that his days of leading excavations into the past are behind him.
“If you excavate for three year, it takes on average ten years to complete a dig from start to finish,” he remarks.
He adds though that that doesn’t mean that he is abandoning field work. Rather, he will be providing his analytical expertise to other professionals’ excavations.
In that regard, after having worked from 2008 to 2017 excavating at and analyzing findings from Tel es Safi – in ancient times known as Gath (the Philistine city that was the home of Goliath who fought David nearby)– between Ashdod and Beth Shemesh – Greenfield is now turning his attention to other sites in Israel (such as Tel Beth Shemesh and Tel Shiloh) as well as to Turkey, where he will be working on a site in west central Turkey called Catalhoyuk, a site that was first settled about 9,500 years ago.
Greenfield had worked on the site for a short period in 2009 – at the same time that he and his team had begun work on Tel es Safi. “We were working on a different part of Catalhoyuk than before,” he recalls. “We will be excavating and analyzing material from an area that dates back to 6000 B.C.E. The team has already uncovered sculptures, figurines, idols. Private homes, a feasting house and a charnel house where the people brought their dead have been uncovered.”
Greenfield reports that Catalhoyuk in its day was “a massive town” with a population of as much as 5,000.
The buildings have been well preserved, he points out, because they were built of mud brick. “Every 50 years or so, the people would have to rebuild their houses, he explains. “They would build on top of their old homes. Laying fresh floor on top – thereby beautifully preserving what lay below.”
The excavation team taking the lead on the dig, Greenfield notes, is from the University of Poznan in Poland. “I am involved as a specialist working with the Polish team,” he says. “My specialty is in zooarchaeology, or the analysis of animal bones from archaeological sites.”
Greenfield and his team actually finished their excavation at Tel es Safi in 2017 and are still analyzing the material they uncovered He reports that he and his colleagues are also studying some material from an excavation near Bet Shemesh near Jerusalem.
As noted in an earlier article in the Jewish Post & News, Greenfield’s first archeologically-related visit to Israel was in 1973 when he was involved as a student at an excavation at Tel Gezer. He joined the teaching staff at the Universoty of Manitoba in 1989.
His initial archaeological work was in the Balkans, Romania and Greece – work that was cut short when conflict broke out in the region ion 1992.
Rather than focusing on a specific region in his studies, Greenfield noted in that previous interview, he has always pursued “the big picture” – how we have come to be who we are today from our earliest origins to growing our own food, domesticating animals, developing towns and cities and adapting new technology. One of his special interests has been researching the beginnings of metallurgy and its effects on daily life.
“We can tell by the microscopic marks on animal bones when people started using metal tools instead of stone tools,” he explains. “We have sampled 25 sites around Israel and the larger region. We can state that even in the Early Bronze Age, after 3500 BCE, when bronze becomes available, people continued to use stone tools to build houses and butcher animals for over 1000 years. It was only after 2000 BCE., in the Middle Bronze Age, that bronze metal-working begins to appear in every day life. Even then, it takes a thousand years until it becomes the dominant every-day tool of choice.”
Another area of research for Greenfield has been the domestication of animals. He reports that livestock (goats, sheep, cattle and pigs) were originally raised for their primary products (meat, hides and bone) when they were initially domesticated beginning around 7,000-8,000 BCE. – and not for their secondary benefits (giving milk, wool, as a means of transportation or for pulling a plough). Ploughs, wagons and woolly sheep only developed after 4000 BCE., while goats were milked from soon after their domestication.
In 2015, the U. Of M. recognized Greenfield by bestowing on him the title of “Distinguished Professor” – an honour only conferred on no more than 20 professors at any given time.
Greenfield describes archaeology as “a lifestyle more than a job. “Part of the excitement is being involved in the process of discovery. I could spend my life in a lab, but it is more fun in the field, especially where I have been able to take students with me and introduce them to the excitement of field work and research. It is gratifying that so many of my students have become professional anthropologists and archaeologists in their own right.”
Next summer, he is looking forward to being back in the field at Catalhoyuk with the University of Poznan team and some of his University of Manitoba students.
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Volatility, Hit Frequency, and RTP: Why the Number Casinos Advertise Is the Least Useful One
The return to player percentage looks clean as a casino data point. It gives players a neat number, usually around 94% to 97% for many online slots, and that number feels easy to compare. A 96.5% game appears better than a 95.2% game. The problem starts when players treat RTP as a forecast for their next 50 spins or one evening.
You may find the RTP listed on slot pages on a leading online casino in Ontario, but the number only tells part of the story. Two games can share the same RTP and create different sessions: one may return small wins often, while the other may drain a balance before one bonus round changes everything.
The RTP Trap
Return to player (RTP) measures the theoretical share of total wagers a game returns across a very large number of rounds. In plain terms, a 96% RTP slot returns about $96 for every $100 wagered in the long run. That does not mean one player who deposits $100 should expect $96 back.
The trap sits in the word “theoretical.” RTP comes from the game’s math model. It works across huge samples, not personal sessions. A player can finish far above that percentage, far below it, or with nothing left after a short run of poor results.
Is it useless then? No, RTP can still help. It gives a baseline cost of play. Lower-RTP games cost more on average than higher-RTP games. Still, once a game passes a reasonable threshold, the next question matters more: how does it distribute that return?
Hit Frequency: The Number That Shapes Session Feel
Hit frequency tells you how often a game produces a winning outcome. This often misleads players because any win can count. A spin that returns $0.10 on a $1 bet may still count as a hit, even though the player lost $0.90 in real terms.
A game can feel active because symbols connect often, sounds play, and the screen keeps celebrating small returns. The balance may still fall. In many modern slots, “win” does not always mean profit on the spin.
Hit frequency answers one practical question: how much silence can you tolerate? Some players dislike long dry spells. Others accept quieter sessions because they chase bonus rounds or larger payouts.
The educational site Get Gambling Facts gives a useful distinction: RTP concerns the percentage of money returned over time, while hit frequency concerns how often a machine stops on a winning combination.
Volatility: The Risk Label Players Need More Often
Volatility, also called variance, describes how unevenly a game pays. Low-volatility games tend to return smaller amounts more often. High-volatility games hold more value in rare events: bonus rounds, premium symbols, multipliers, or jackpots.
Here is where RTP becomes less useful on its own:
- A 96% low-volatility slot may give modest returns and longer play from the same balance.
- A 96% high-volatility slot may burn through funds quickly unless the player hits a strong feature.
- A progressive jackpot game may look exciting, but it often places more value on rare top prizes.
The same RTP can hide very different risk profiles. Players who ignore volatility often blame the casino or the game when the session follows its math design.
Why the Same RTP Can Feel So Different
Picture two slots with 96% RTP. Slot A pays small wins on many spins, has a modest top prize, and rarely creates dramatic balance swings. Slot B pays less often but offers a large max win and volatile bonus rounds. The advertised return matches, but the experience does not.
Slot A may suit a player who wants a slower bankroll drop and more regular feedback. Slot B suits someone who accepts sharper losses in exchange for a shot at a heavier payout.
A Better Way to Read a Slot Page
Most slot pages give players more clues than they notice. The trick is to read the details together rather than chase the highest percentage.
Start with RTP. If two games look similar, the higher number has better long-term value. Then check volatility. If the game uses terms such as high, very high, or extreme variance, lower your bet size or expect shorter sessions. Next, look at the paytable. A huge max win usually means the game saves a lot of its value for rare outcomes.
A sensible pre-play check looks like this:
- RTP: What is the average long-term return?
- Volatility: How rough can the session become?
- Hit frequency: How often will the game show any wins?
- Paytable: Where does most value sit?
To Conclude
Casinos advertise RTP because it looks objective, tidy, and easy to rank. Players should read it, but they should not give it more authority than it deserves. For long sessions, volatility may matter more than a small RTP difference. For comfort, hit frequency may explain the feel better than the payback rate.
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The Popularity of Simpler Slot Games in 2026: Review From Casino Online CrazyTower Experts
Online casinos now fill their libraries with numerous video slots that have dozens of functions, long bonus rounds, complex mechanics, and so on. Interestingly, despite this huge range of modern options, many Canadian visitors at sites like Casino Online CrazyTower here https://crazytower.com/ca/ no longer want complicated gameplay that requires constant attention and long explanations.
Simpler slots now attract a wider audience because they save time and create faster sessions. So, let’s figure out why this change happened and reasons for the popularity of simpler machines.
Why Many Players Are Returning to Basic Gameplay
Modern websites like Casino Online CrazyTower pushed complex video slots for years, but many people now prefer classic formats again. Simple gameplay has fewer interruptions and is simpler in terms of budgeting, which is important when you gamble for fun.
These are a few potential reasons explain why simpler slots became popular again in 2026:
- Faster rounds. Symbols appear quickly, and rounds continue without long animations or extended bonus sequences.
- Easier controls. Most classic slots have simple menus and familiar layouts that don’t confuse new visitors.
- Smaller feature lists. Simple slots usually have standard wilds, scatters, and multipliers instead of dozens of random mechanics.
- Better session flow. People spend more time on gameplay instead of reading explanations about symbols and special functions.
- Lower visual pressure. Simpler slots use calmer designs and shorter effects that don’t overload attention.
Classic gameplay also suits mobile devices better because shorter rounds work well on smaller screens. Plus, many visitors now prefer games that start instantly and explain their mechanics within seconds.
Features That Make Simpler Slots Appealing
Simple machines at Casino Online CrazyTower and similar websites continue to attract attention because they have a high gameplay speed. Many classic titles also replicate older casino machines that people already know from physical casinos.
However, these aren’t the only factors that attract gamblers. So, check out this list:
- Short bonus rounds. Free spins and multipliers finish quickly instead of interrupting gameplay for several minutes.
- Common and standard paylines. Traditional layouts help people understand payouts without long explanations.
- Faster loading times. Simpler graphics reduce waiting time on phones, tablets, and older computers.
- Stable gameplay pace. Long cutscenes and constant pop-up notifications don’t interrupt the session.
- Traditional themes. Fruit symbols, bars, sevens, and classic casino designs still attract large audiences.
- Smaller menus. Important information appears immediately without complicated tabs or hidden sections.
Modern video slots often contain too many mechanics in a single game. Developers now combine expanding reels, random modifiers, mission systems, tournaments, and multiple bonus levels in one title. Many visitors lose interest because gameplay turns repetitive and overloaded with constant interruptions.
Compare this to a session when you get results immediately and aren’t interrupted. These still have free spins and even mini risk games, but not as loaded as innovative titles.
Conclusion
Simple slots usually create better replay value because people understand the mechanics immediately. Common and standard gameplay doesn’t cause frustration and allows faster decisions during casino sessions.
Many classic slots also function better during short breaks because rounds finish quickly without long bonus interruptions. That’s why simpler slots became popular again at many casinos, including Casino Online CrazyTower and such.
