carelessness worse than evil

just when you think things might be going
your way, along comes some thoughtless
army commander and blows up the wrong
building.

Israel's army might be superior in technology,
but many of the career officers are people who
couldn't make it in life outside the military.

there may be war

About 3-4 hours ago, the lebanese militant organization hizballah started
an attack on Israel's norther border.

At the height of the attack, at least 2 Israeli soldiers have been kidnapped
and transfered into southern lebanon. it now seems that the whole purpose
of the attack was to bring about the conditions to make possible this kidnapping.

Since hizballah is a political movement in lebanon and a part of their
government, this may escalate into a full scale war.

As you (probably don't) know, most Israelis serve in the military forces and
later on become reservists (up to age 45 or so). I have been fortunate
enough to be made a part of the auxelery reserve units, meaning they
never call me unless an actual war starts.

so if war starts, I may not be around for a while.

sometimes it's close to home

my parents are immigrants. my mom came to this country as a little girl,
but my dad came (over 30 years ago) already a grown man. he escaped
from communist Romania.

Because he worked for an important company over there, with
government connections, and because he escaped rather than leave
legally, my mom has always been dead set against him ever going back.

She said she was afraid the country's secret service would lock him up
somewhere, but she kept on saying that even after the communist regime
fell. personally I think she was afraid he wouldn't want to come back
or something.

my dad finally flew to Romania for a 3 day visit last month. He didn't tell
my mom he was going until about 10 hours before the flight.
since he returned, my mother has been more than half mad with anger.
he tried to weather the storm, but finally snapped today and they
"had some words".

at the moment they are not talking to each other much, and my mom
is making very little sense when she is talking. some wishing him dead,
sometimes wishing herself dead.

and I can't help them. I tried some years ago to mediate one of their
arguments and it went very very bad.

Thank God I don't live at home any more. If I did, each of them would
expect me to take his/her side. If I thought either of them could be made
to listen, I'd even write to dear abby for advice. but they never listen.