Friday, October 11, 2024

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court


I learned about the Yankees from this book.

I traveled widely in New England but found no Yankees but many nice and polite people. Nothing special. 

I found more impressive people in Salt Lake City. 

Thursday, October 10, 2024

Addio Dahiya

 


The Dahiya doctrine is an Israeli military strategy involving the large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure to pressure hostile governments. The doctrine was outlined by former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff Gadi Eizenkot : Israel "should target economic interests and the centers of civilian power that support the organization". The logic is to harm the civilian population so much that they will then turn against the militants, forcing the enemy to sue for peace.

It doesn't work in Gaza but has been tried for only one year. 

Addendum: Reading ancient Greek war histories, like Xenophon's stories, it is evident that surrounded cities surrender only when people fall dead of hunger in the streets. If they have water and food, they never surrender. Gazans are being well-fed and supplied with water in abundance. I don't see them surrendering. 

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Hundreds of MIssiles

 

I was taking my midday siesta when I heard planes passing over the house for a long time. It was quite frightening. Then I woke up and stopped the fan, and the noise was gone. Just now, I am hearing planes passing over the city again, but it may be just a heavy truck. But no, they are jets in the sky. Last evening we had to alarm calls, and we took refuge in the hardened room of the apartment. That's life here in these days of war. 

Saturday, October 5, 2024

Need to Keep Working


 I have to finish the Bashari project in Shtulim ("Planted"). Two big farmhouses. Apparently, the existing farmhouse only needs "ishrur" (ratification).  These farmers are very subtle and may be trying to confuse the Vaadah Ezorit (the Regional Authority) to save taxes.

This moshav was founded in 1950 by Jewish refugees from Yemen, with the name taken from a passage in the Book of Psalms 92:13: "They are planted in the house of the Lord, they flourish in the courts of our God."  

 I was planning to continue working only 7 years after retirement age, but here I am still working on AutoCAD and sending new proposals. I have no alternative plan and no hobbies that could satisfy me. Earning money seems to be my sole fulfillment. I am going to buy a home for my daughter who is renting. The finance people in Israel foresee the coming end of the war and an immediate improvement of TASE, the local stock exchange. Moody's is strongly pessimist. 

Very quiet Shabbat in my place. 

Thursday, October 3, 2024

Huey Tzompantli


The Aztec (Meshica) skull rack in the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan aka Mexico City. Some 600 sacrificed people were ordered in rows and exposed to the public. When a professional European soldier appeared and was willing to fight the Aztecs, the terrorized peoples sided with Cortes and destroyed this death culture.  

Wednesday, October 2, 2024

Rocket after 2000 km trip

 

One of the 180 Iranian missiles landed in the Negev in one piece.