Owch

I have an ear infection.  I don't think I've had one of these since I was a little child.  It is actually quite sore and I realize why the kids used to cry so hard when their ears hurt.  Anyway it's a good excuse for staying home and working from here. I haven't yet forgotten just how pleasant it was to spend a few months not running into work every day.  I seem to get so much more done when I'm here at home.  I just don't spend so much time talking and actually spend the time getting my stuff done. Plus it's pouring outside.  A nice day to spend some time in front of the computer.

Sickatah!!

My dad didn't have much time for cats. We always had a few around the house when I was growing up. Whenever he caught one of them napping on the bed or on one of the couches he would spit out a "Sickatah!", and they would scramble.  It just doesn't work on Israeli cats. I try Sickatah them and they just look at me with a sort of "is that all you've got?" look. South African cats were so much more polite.

Where does this sickatah come from anyway? Not even the internets knows. Voetsek! (generic Afrikaans version) works a bit better - the black cat that's scared of her own shadow will slowly move off, Syd and Nancy just open one eye and smile and then go back to sleep. There must be a Hebrew equivalent (Kishtah! perhaps).

The Ukelele

This speaks for itself. Thanks Alon for pointing it out.  I even liked the rolex commercial at the end.

How to open a packet of Bamba

So the squints have decided that they need Bamba for dessert after lunch each day.  Did you know there is a correct way to open a packet of Bamba.  Look and learn:

 For some reason, today's bamba were cold. At squint central we strive for at least 81.5%.

Smile

Blackedwino and his lovely wife Lisa just had their forth. What can one say.  May she be as wonderful and bright and sweet as the other three. In one way my mind completely accepts that these kids can have children and what is more, raise them perfectly. On the other hand, it seems like yesterday we were sweating over his not doing his math homework.

This next generation of Ostrin/Bernitzs give us lots of nachos. It is just excellent and makes me proud. I am smiling.

An Entertaining Afternoon

I spent a fascinating afternoon at the University. It was Aharoni Day (famous dead Israeli archaeologist) and there was a collection of lecturers - mostly interesting. I only had trouble staying awake during one part of the conference. There was a lot of talk about how science and archaeology are walking hand in hand into the future. That is, until the last talk by Neil Silberman (famous living historian/archaeologist), who said that all the science we are doing is crap and we need to focus more on big questions. It was a lot of fun. Man, these archaeologists can get hot under the collar. An old guy sitting right behind me nearly had a apoplexy because one of the scientists dared to claim there was metalworking at Gath. An expert (ahem anne elk) on carbon dating nearly beat up one of the gentle lecturers from the Univ of Haifa who was not exact in his averaging. All in all a nice way to spend an afternoon.

RX Bandits

I have had this song running around my head for a week. I have no idea where I heard about these guys from, but I love this song. The whole album is recommended. Then I sought them out on the youtubes. Wow. I can't get past the hair and the beard. So here you go, the RX Bandits and "Only For The Night".

Cause and effect

I know you people think that I've been slacking off and not doing my blackpetero duty and blogging. I'm not slacking off, I'm looking after your health. You see Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, has decided that the internet gives you cancer. I don't want to make anyone sick.

Just to let you know, that that article was sent to me by bwo. Yes, the same bwo whio always goes off at me that I hate religious people and I'm racist. Whatever is wrong with me, at least I'm looking out for your health.

Croc full of it

So it's Tuesday and once again I'm searching for my crocs. I started searching last night, under the bed, in the cupboard (a scary place as bwo has been in a hurry recently, and mother-in-law-superior is out of commission because her ear went under the knife), I looked in the washing basket and even in the shoe cupboard. No where to be seen. I like my crocs in the winter. They are warm and soft and you don't feel the cold tile floors through the thick rubber soles. But, you see, Azziza was here yesterday (Monday) and every Monday she hides my crocs in a new and unusual place. I usually takes me till Wednesday to find them, so I'm not completely lost yet. I get the feeling she really doesn't like me.

Oh Dear!

Looks like we may need to leave Israel. Our local Ikea burned down today. What is bwo going to do?

HerzLilienblum

We took the squints (what's left of them) to the HerzLilienblum Museum on the corner of Herzl and Lilienblum streets in Tel Aviv yesterday. We began with an excellent breakfast at Benedick - most recommended. Their fresh bread was particularly good and who needs more than that.

All the way through the museum tour I felt uneasy. The HerzLilienblum museum was built by Bank Discount and it's one of those newer "living" museums and it attempts to show you (rather trivially) how finances work. There is also a bit of the history of Tel Aviv thrown in. The house (Beit Shiff) has been a landmark on that corner since it was built early in the 20th century. It has been renovated. I realized this is what was bothering me. The only place the true remains of the original house are visible are the narrow, steep stairs. They are quite charming. The rest of the house has been renovated in sort of modern style pretending that they care about the original. I wish they would have rather invested the bank's money in restoration rather than renovation. It just seems too messy - old infrastructure (arches over the windows etc.) with shiny clean walls and modern high tech appendages (flat screens etc all over the place). The museum is free. How else would they get you to listen to an hour and a half of banking propaganda.

Still it was a nice (if a little cold) morning in Tel Aviv. Its the sort of place one should take their kids (as long as they're under 10), they would appreciate the hands-on approach.

UFOs in Jerusalem

OK So a few nights back there was a "ufo" sighting in Jerusalem. Why ever would aliens want to visit Jerusalem? The humus is better in Haifa. Here are the two (three?) videos that have been causing the stir. So what do you think? are these shopped on not?


You don't have to go far to find aliens here anyway.