h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Smoking in public is forbidened since last year, but every public place must have a small corner where all the somking people can go to when they want to smoke.

You have a fortunate and unique situation in Israel, one that is not shared by the pluralistic democracies, as the state is purposefully designed with the interests of a specific group of people in mind. Indeed, the government's responsibility is the total welfare of that specific group of people. Wonderful situation!

In the western democracies, however, the government's traditional and proper function is to regulate the interaction between people in the event of overlapping or conflicting rights.

What the heck?! Where did you hear all this stupid "facts" from? Israel is too pluralistic, and it is 100% democratic. Where do you live that you hear these things, in Arab countries??

Sorry, didn't mean to upset you, and certainly meant no disrespect to your country vis a vis its Arab neighbours. I stand corrected!

It was always shown (in most of the world I've lived in) that the purpose of the State of Isreal was to offer a homeland for the Jewish people - offering that specific group a safe haven after suffering for 2000 years at the hands of just about everyone. I guess I've been misinformed - and I apologise for my ignorance.

Cripes, what a gent.

Wow, I'm very surprised from you- most of the people don't believe the truth (what that I wrote before)- thank you very much!!

Yoav: It has been a couple years since I lived in Israel, and I know that at least then there wasn't a smoking age. Is this still true?

I'm not sure I undertand your question... are you asking me if there's an age when you can start somking, and under that age you can't? Like that there's a minimal age (I think 17.5 or 18, something like that) for getting a car license?

Exactly. I know there didn't used to be an age like that, but I though maybe with the change in public smoking laws they had changed that as well.

I dont think there is a law in Israel to determine who can smoke by age...

That's what I thought. I wonder how many other countries are like that.

In California you must be over 18 (or is it 21? can't remember now) to buy tobacco products and they check identification (well, they don't always--but if they are caught there is a large fine).

In Britain its sixteen before you can buy tobacco products and begin to poison yourself (& others.)

I'm really not sure about what's the EXACT law on smoking in Israel...

Not just California, by the way. Anywhere in the US of A.

BTW (by the way), when did you live in Israel? Were you born there?

No, I lived in Jerusalem for my 8th grade year (12/13 years old). Our whole family just picked up and moved to Israel for a year. It was great.

I really happy to hear that you enjoyed your staying in Israel.
What things did you loved in Israel? And what now? At what year was it?

1998 I think... I really loved everything. From the Israel museum down to getting shoko. I really miss shoko... I lived in Rechavia, and went to ulpan. Where do you live?

I live in Ra'anana, it's a city in the SHARON zone, near Kfar-Saba or Hod-Ha'Sharon- have you ever heared of these cities in Israel?

Also, don't you have "Choko" in other countries?? It's a little bit like milk-shake, isn't it?