Getting better

Lighted reindeers
for sale

My fever has subsided to a slight fever but I still have stomach cramps. And I now found out that there are several other people about town who has the same symptoms. Must be some virus. Anyway I started work yesterday evening with a whole series of meetings that ended till 9pm. Then today another meeting at 9am and class at 1.30pm. Tonight another meeting at 8.15pm. I dread it but I mist work.

The thermometer reads 10 degrees now but it feels like 4 degrees. Our library was heated up to 27 degrees to keep the students warm. Tonight it will get to 7 degrees again. Must keep warm.

Christian shops are already selling Christmas stuff ... and one annual feature is the lighted reindeer that moves it's head left and right. Pretty kitsch. But local people like it ... I guess. Now let's see if the all powerful ultra-orthodox jews will protest and stop us from putting up lighted reindeers because they are idols. They've stopped us 2 years ago from putting up Christmas trees and banners.

New fountains

And yesterday they organised a huge protest at the Military conscription centre. And the Education Minister resigned in protest that railway works took place on Sabbath in Tel Aviv. If the coalition govt. falls because of this, it's the ultra-orthodox who stand to lose because the non-religious Zionist parties are gathering more support against the daily disruptions caused by the ultra-orthodox. A snap election will mean the ultra-orthodox losing their seats in parliament. So if the rabbis don't stop this public disruption, it's they who stand to lose, and they congregations.

Well it's time I went to the meeting. Hope I'll survive the walk in this cold.