Snoring in the face of danger

My Father (left) and some old dude checking a fallen kassam rocket,Mefalsim,31.8.06.

People in this region,myself included,got accustomed to hear the kassam alarms almost on a daily basis,people even make jokes about it,for example,when we hear the explosion sound that follows the alarm people say it's Ahlama Peretz (the slightly obese wife of Amir Peretz) jumping into a pool...
There are people here that are terrified when the alarm rings,and it's the most natural reaction i can think of,but more and more people are getting apathic about this almost to the point of being nonchalant,people died already from the rockets,but we keep something of a "stiff upper lip" in the face of danger,people living in the north maybe can relate to that behaviour but people living in Central Israel (the vast majority) just can't understand it,one friend of mine from Tel-Aviv visited me and when we were leaving the grocery store the alarm started and she was very surprised that people kept behaving like nothing happened,like they sensed no threat,and I slowly walked with her under the outer roof of the store,just in case;my girlfriend (who also lives in Central Israel) stayed over to sleep in my house,the alarm ranged in the morning and it woke us up,and she couldn't believe that my first reaction was to sleep again immediately.
This reality of our lives being threatened daily is turning us indifferent about it,it's not very natural,but it's something close to a survival strategy,we have 2 choices,to act like this and wait for the best or to live in fear and panic and satisfy the terrorists.

Today's Song: Jeopardy - The Sound
Today's Quote: If you think there is good in everybody,you haven't met everybody.

Postcards from Mefalsim

Photography is a favorite hobby of mine,ever since as a little boy I received from my uncle his old camera,i know that i'm not quite skilled at it but I enjoy it very much,so once in a while i'll publish here some of the pictures i took,and all of them were captured here in Mefalsim :)

Another color in the rainbow

In an unprecedented event in Israel, seven secular Jews who view Judaism as a culture, as opposed to a religion, will be ordained as rabbis Friday in Jerusalem.The ceremony, which will be held at the Israel Museum, comes after the ordainees completed three years of study at the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism in Jerusalem. Twenty five additional students are currently studying at the program.The organization, which promotes "secular humanistic Judaism," is closest to the Reconstructionist Judaism movement in the United States, said Oren Yehi-Shalom, 35, who will be ordained at the ceremony. Yehi-Shalom said that the participants do not pray to God, but believe in man's humanity.The group's Web site lists the belief in God "as a literary character," citing the Dutch philosopher Spinoza, who is recognized as the founder of modern Biblical criticism.

Secular rabbis to be ordained in J'lem | Jerusalem Post

It's always interesting to get to know other currents in the jewish spectrum,other ways to express jewishness according to one's beliefes,but ironically Israel,the state of the jews,doesn't recognize nor tolerates this diversity,one can only look at that fact with disbelief...

Today's Song: Blood Meridian - Hope of the states

Today's Quote: The only reason that I talk to myself is because that I'm the only one whose answers I accept.

We made it! (and we're lucky to have survived to know it)

It's funny,i always complained as a kid about the lack of media coverage about our region,and now,with the cordial help from our neighbors from the other side of the fence we're almost "media darlings",pity that the only thing the interests the media is our struggle and nothing much more than that:

Hanukkah celebrations in Negev kibbutzim and communities surrounding the Gaza Strip took place as scheduled in protected buildings, with most kibbutz members said routine was important for the children. “There is a feeling that as long as the rockets land outside the community, then everything is okay and we can go on with our lives,” Shaar Hanegev Regional Council Head Alon Shuster said. “We will continue our struggle to protect kibbutz members’ homes.”

No Hanukkah celebrations in Sderot - News from Israel, Ynetnews

...and happy hanukkah to you all...

Today's Song: Frightened - The Fall

Today's Quote: You tried, and you failed, so the lesson is, never try. - Homer J. Simpson

Blame it on Israel!

After another daily checkup of my favorite blogs i stumbled upon a cute little song written,composed and sung by Patrick Henry,it's called "It's all because of Israel":

Iraq is in a mess that some are calling civil war

And IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF ISRAEL

One might've thought the Sunni-Shi'a conflict counted more

But IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF ISRAEL

No doubt the world was moving toward a peaceful golden future

Until Zionism brought it to a halt

Now at last we know the name

Of the country we should blame

Everything is Israel's fault

(That's what Iran says)

Everything is Israel's fault

(So why take chances?)

Everything is Israel's fault

And here is the mp3.

Be sure to visit his website and listen to his song,especially to "Stand with Israel" where our neighbors from Sderot are mentioned,enjoy.

Today's Song: Bullet with butterfly wings - The Smashing Pumpkins

Today's Quote: When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

2 Different posts for the price of 1!

1st of all i want to be extremely original and accept Time Magazine's "Man of the Year Award" (along with millions and millions more :),I've made a little acceptance speech for the occasion:
I always knew since those lonely and long afternoons after-school back in 1995,while me and others were sitting and staring at the screen like zombies and waiting up to 5 min. for a website to fully load on Navigator ver.2,that something good will eventually come of this,i want to thank my computer teachers,Shem,for introducing me to this wonder,and Eli Bir,for letting me and others hang around in the technology room of the school and allowed me to keep discovering the hidden wonders of the Internet for hours as an unofficial after-school activity,I want to thank my parents for connecting our home computer to the internet and satisfying my growing internet addiction even further :) (applauds)

And now for something completely different.
A couple of hours ago I heard that Joseph Barbera sadly passed away,and myself being a HUGE Tom & Jerry fan,I want to make a very small homage to the man and the great couple he was part of,by posting one,IMHO,of the best Tom & Jerry episodes ever made:Pecos Pest

Today's Song: Boys don't Cry - The Cure
Today's Quote: A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.