In the Closet

A four-year-old's idea of hiding ...

A Roof Overhead

I'm currently on the flat hunt in Tel Aviv and amazingly, the market is tight. Not San Francisco dot-com era, "I'll give you stock options on top of the security deposit" tight. More like "We want three months rent up front, three guarantors, several thou in security deposits and nope, nothing we can do about the gaping ceiling hole."

I looked at four places yesterday. And four the day before. And four the day before that day. Street names, telephone numbers and contacts are beginning to melt together as I bike, run, walk and bus around the city like mad. Some places are hot. Others are over-priced dreck.

Wasn't there just a wee war here over the summer? And don't those types of events generally drive housing rates towards the lower end of the scale?

Oh right but also over the summer hordes of French Jewish nationals fled to Holy Land Central (HLC) looking to escape religious persecution (or so the rumor goes). They bought property with "kicks the shekel's derriere any day" Euros, drove availability into scarcity and sent market rates sailing.

During the dot-com boom we used to half-joke: Can't there be a small earthquake? No one gets hurt or killed but like maybe 4-5 on the Richter so that it does enough damage to scare away the opportunists ..??

You know where I'm going on this one. Wink wink.

Overheard

While waiting for the elevator in a large and fancy Tel Aviv office complex today, I muttered to myself - thinking no one was around - Man.. life sucks sometimes.

A heavily Russian accented voice from behind startled me out of my musings:
What can you do? You have to just keep on going ...

The building maintenance woman pushing a broom. Schoingemacht. So much for silent musings.

Oh Hell

My friend Steve @ Giant Jellyfish sent this. The Guardian circa 1998. I believe in sharing.

McMid-East

Customer #1: This is not what I ordered. Where's the hamburger part of it, anyway? Or the extra piece of bread in the middle? There's nothing inside but pickles, lettuce and ketchup

Customer #2: We've been waiting a long time. What's going on back there?

Customer #3: Wow this place is filthy. Make ours to-go instead.

From the Kitchen (Hebrew) to Shift Manager: Dani, how do you make a Big Mac again? Can you come back here?

McDonald's, Tel Aviv

Le Cool Craig

If you're like most of us, you have undoubtedly used the services of Craig Newmark at some point over the past years. But you may not be aware of the fact that you tapped into Mr. Newmark's "stuff" because he's the brain behind the biz. And the name.

Craig is ...well, Craig. The Craig. Wait. Maybe it'll help if I put it in lower case: craig. Aha...you know who I'm talkin' about now don'tcha? http://www.craigslist.org

He started it in San Francisco and as the list soared from local exchange board to international phenomenon on a tremendous scale, he remained a regular, unpretentious as hell guy who hangs out at a regular coffee shop in Cole Valley.

This article only adds to Craig's allure. He decided not to sell even tho the biz was estimated at $15 billion. Who needs the money? he said in an interview. If you're living comfortably, what's the point of having more?

Craig, you are IT. The bomb. What guts. Sheeee...it

The Bicycle Holiday

We're hours away from the Jewish Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) here in Holy Land Central (HLC) and things are quieting down as millions ready for the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith. One of fasting and praying for forgiveness to atone for sins committed against god and humanity over the past 12 months.

Many of us in HLC are secular non-fasting, non-praying and non-synagogue going types. Particularly the younger among us - teens and on down the age scale. So what do they do to mark the day?

Take to the streets on bicycles and rollerblades, of course.

It sounds ludicrous but because the customary manner of marking the day's sanctity includes a ban on motorized traffic throughout the country - 24 hours without cars, buses, motorcycles, taxis, trains, the airport is shut down, etc. (okay, there's the stray ambulance or police car summoned in an emergency) - kids literally get out their wheels and take to the streets, highways and roadways starting at sundown. Everywhere. Kind of eerie when you think of it.

Like sci-fi flick meets ET and Rambunctious Kids Gone Amok

It's a sight to see and the kids are in heaven because they rule the roads for a day

I wish for all to be inscribed in the good book (it's part of the ritual, wink wink). Easy fasting to those who fast, good cycling for those who cycle and a wonderful year ahead to us all!