Trip

I just returned from a rather exhausting trip to California. San Jose to be exact. I went via El-Al direct to Los Angeles which I found rather trying in Economy (ooops - Main Cabin). The low spot of the trip was when a sniffer dog ( a rather attractive floppy eared beagle) sniffed out my laptop bag as worthy of special attention. The diminutive TSA lady handler gave me a stern look, put one hand on her taser and said "Sir, what have you got in that bag?".
A few heart palpitating seconds later she said "Sir, have you got any apples, celery or other vegetables in there?"

I replied that I did have , but I threw it away when I saw the sign saying no fruit or veg into California. "Sir, did you throw it in the special bin provided?". I humbly admitted I wasn't sure. She then glared at me, gave me a lecture on contaminating California and then scrawled some kabbalistic scribbles on my non Visa application form.
Right over the question that asks me to answer yes or no to the question:

"Have you ever been or are you now involved in espionage or sabotage or in terrorist activities; or genocide; or between 1933 and 1945 were you involved in any way in persecutions associated with Nazi Germany and its allies"

I opted for no.

Spirit

I spent an interesting morning yesterday at the "Ayalon Institute", a kibbutz set up on the 1940's to cover and underground factory to manufacture 9mm bullets for the ubiquitous "Sten gun". During it's peak period from 1945 to 1948 it made around 2 million bullets. I was intrigued by the ingenuity and planning involved.
Around 4 million Stens were produced until it was replaced by the SMG Stirling in the 1960s'.

There is a notice down in the factory area, below the laundary which says.

" We woule like to thank His Majesty's Government for providing free electricity for this enterprise." Cheek.

I mentioned my visit to several friends and their reply was startling. "Yes, it was a great time. Now it's the Gazans who have that spirit. " So as an international flotilla of boats approachs the Gaza cost of a humanitarion mission , what will the Israeli Navy do? Probably exactly what the Royal Navy did all those years ago.

Bad start

It's probably just me. After all , I'm a history fanatic especially when it comes to conflicts past and present. I just don't feel comfortable about the war in and around Georgia , especially as it's August. After all, the world's two biggest ever conflicts started no so very far away and in summer as well while the World was occupied with other things.