the office on jetlag

I was back at the office today after 3 weeks away, and was even mildly productive despite the jetlag. Well, until about 3pm anyway. Now I'm home, and blogging is the one thing that will keep me awake until a reasonable bedtime.

Bringing chocolates for the colleagues wasn't that great an idea, since I ended up scarfing too many of them myself. It all started with curiosity, as there were so many different kinds in the big Quality Street tin box, all wrapped in different shiny colors. I thought I'd just try one. But I always forget what a sugar addict I am. I can't eat just one. Once off the wagon, I just had to try every single color to see what was inside.

Result:
...sugarshocked chubby squarepeg.
.....sleepy squarepeg.
......see squarepeg nod off at her desk ...

Rumors started this afternoon that many Israeli soldiers had been killed in the still-raging battle in the town of Bint Jbail, Lebanon, though the Israeli news is still not reporting that they were killed, but only that there have been "heavy casualties." This is incredibly demoralizing news, so no wonder officials aren't eager to announce it. Of course, their only cited sources are Al Arabiyeh and Al Jazeera, so it could be garbage. Google News isn't saying anything specific either, but Yahoo News unfortunately is. (Update: The Israeli 9pm news is now reporting 8 dead, plus another 7 seriously or moderately wounded. It is a common MO to delay reporting such news before the families are informed.)

Also being worriedly discussed today is Nasrallah's threat that the war has reached a new stage and is going to go "beyond Haifa." Sure, that makes people nervous, but I remember well how Saddam kept saying, in '91, that he had warheads of poison on his scuds, and we all skittered into our sealed rooms with our gas masks. In the end, he had nuthin'. Nothing but venomous lies and propaganda. Nasrallah is undoubtedly made of the same cloth.

The problem that remains, however, is Iran, and that problem is not just a middle-east issue. The whole world is going to need to deal with that, not just us. It won't be solved in the next couple weeks, either.

Bank Leumi, certainly one of Israel's biggest corporations, is exploiting the current tension and war-zone insecurity to launch what looks to me like a cynical, but brilliant, ad campaign: They have people everywhere distributing bumper stickers that say [in Hebrew]: "We will win" and billboards are also all over the place with the same words -- underscored with the distinct tourquoise and dark blue stripes of their corporate logo. Subliminal message: "Win with Bank Leumi." What have they got to lose? When we win (no, not if -- of course we will), they can change it to, "We won [and we always will]" i.e. always go with Bank Leumi. Yeah, yeah, very patriotic. And there are lemmings everywhere gladly pasting this advertising to their cars. Very cunning, those admen.