Dining philosophers in a bathroom

Last week I met a friend at a restaurant. We had a good talk and managed to catch up on each other lives. After few cups of coffee and numerous glasses of water, it was time for him to leave.  Before hitting the road, I decided to visit an “important place”, i.e. the bathrooms. I borrowed the key from the hostess and followed her instructions to the bathrooms which were next door. All went “as planned”, until I tried to exit the bathroom and discovered I was locked inside.

A little bit of water can go a long way

Most restaurants in California will serve a customer a glass of water upon request. And some will even pour you water automatically the minute you sit down at the table. Occasionally the waiter will stop by to check if you need a refill. He will even leave you his water jar if you ask for it. Not so in Israel. If you ask for water, the waiter has to place your order with the bar and will bring over one glass at a time. Refills aren't automatic: your waiter has to order another glass from the bar, which takes time and requires a few friendly reminders.

Giving 'Green Light' to Young Drivers

One of my ‘pet peeves’ in Israel is the local driving culture. Admittedly, driving has improved over the last decade or so, especially after major investments in road infrastructure. Yet compared to California, I feel far more anxious on the road here. I wrote about my dissatisfaction with driver behavior before, as in ‘Looking for a Gentler Mr. Wheeler’. And according to my wife, I sound far less subtle when I sit behind the wheel and curse. One day after sending yet another driver to hell, she said to me “if you feel so strongly about the situation why don’t you do something about it?”. Ah, wives and their pragmatism…

Oil Change - In Broad Daylight

My car needed an oil change - nothing too complicated. I have done it myself in my younger days: you unscrew the oil plug at the bottom of the engine, drain the oil, replace the oil filter, screw the plug back, pour fresh oil on top and you’re done. It takes 20min max. But who wants to get down and dirty now days? Especially when lots of places (in California) offer to do that, plus lube, plus rotating your tires and inspecting your car – all for about $20? But wait, we’re not in California anymore…

Gilad Shalit: All-for-One or One-for-All?

Gilad Shalit is an Israeli soldier who was kidnapped by the Hamas organization in June 2006. He was released after 5+ years in a prisoner exchange deal that took place in October 2011.  The deal involved swapping 1,027 Palestinian prisoners for one Israeli soldier. The return of Gilad was the culmination of a public campaign and his return was celebrated by all Israelis. The prisoners exchange was hailed as a moral victory for Israel; however the support for deal was vocal, but not unanimous. Few expressed (quietly) their concern over the deal ramifications to Israel’s security. So did Israel make the right choice?

Beer and Quantum Physics

What does beer have to do with quantum physics? At first glance, not much. Unless of course you attended one of the venues that participated in the “Science on the Bar” (מדע על הבר) event in Tel Aviv last month.   It was a feat whereby dozens of Tel Aviv bars hosted scientists from the Weisman Institute that talked about the latest and greatest in science.

Yair Lapid: Israel Politics new Torchbearer?

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a house gathering (חוג בית) conducted by Yair Lapid – the media star turned politician. There is no doubt that Yair Lapid is a savvy speaker and knows how to captivate an audience. He is eloquent, armed with a sharp sense of humor, quick on his feet, and can easily handles tough questions in front of an audience. And he believes someone must carry the torch in Israeli politics.