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

http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&9797084A965C378CC22571AA001EB2AD

So much for the laissez faire policy of deliberatly not having an airforce or naval force and a symbolic excuse for an army in order to avoid confrontation.



I can't think of anything coherent to say right now. All I can think of is this trivial stupid detail: how do we get to Lebanon in ten days if the airport has no runways?


</>

I can't think of anything to say at all

Just the then.

Attacking the airport just seems bizarre. Not that the rest of it makes sense, exactly.

Thank you, friend, needed that. You want bizarre? I spoke to my mum. Neither she nor my dad nor the umpteen relatives and neighbours sitting about their veranda were aware that the aiport had been hit My mum was complaining about the fact they had not received their paper this morning Queer, or what?

I'm off to try and find a BA rep. They're not taking calls

Wilma,

Ivan has just contacted me via MSN and asks that I let you know he:-

'Is thinking of you and your family at this time'


lil xx

Oh, Lil. You've brought tears to my eyes God bless you for telling me. Tell Ivan he is an angel. I can't believe he did that.

He did darling.. that is the man he is..

I'm sorry to hear that Ma Wilma. Hope none of your family were affected.

And I do hope that you can get home to see your parents! Fingers crossed....

I'm also thinking about you

Something : when this thread appeared on my PS, I thought it was a comment about my Prince William entry - which has 1982 in the title.

*hitches up skirts and*

Sweet Kit I hope so too. I need to see my dad. At his age and state of health every moment and memory is one to treasure and file away - for my little ones especially. I will find a way. Trog and I spoke about this. Do we go? Do we not?

We go. I am the wuss as I used to visit during the long war but lived abroad, he lived every moment of the war. It started when he was 9. His words are very calming to me: This is our country. This is where our people are. God decides our fate. We simply coninue to be Lebanese and that means going to Lebanon. We do not abandon our family when they are most challenged. Brave words? Stupid words? I am going.

This is the beginning of something we have all known for a while was coming. Afghanistan and Iraq not withstanding, the battleground in the Middle East is Lebanon - always has been. They'll all thrash out their differences as they always have done - in this tiny bonkers country of 10km2 and less than 4 million population...

I just got through to BA> the guy who answered simply saiud they were still flying out... Eh? and landing where? There is no runway open in Beirut! He had no answer. I asked to speak to his supervisor. He said - they won't be able to tell you any more than that. Blollox, I said. The super cam eon. They are (get this ) flying the passengers on tonight's flight out to Alexandria and BUSSING them to Beirut. Flippin'eck! You'll need to get a map out to see the prblem with this. Try taking a bus from Egypt, past Israel, into Jordan, into Syria, over the Bekaa valley and into Beirut. No thank you very much indeed!

When I asked why they were not doing the 'traditional thing' of flying into Cyprus and ferrying into Jounieh (north of Beirut) he said it was because of the coastal bombardments. Israel has closed Lebanon's borders on the south and the sea. So our only open border now is with Syria. As an interesting aside, during soem trade dispute, Syria closed their border with Lebanon last year....

Eeech, I need a coffee!

GB and

I don't know which to be more amazed at: the idea of taking a bus from Alexandria to Beirut, or the fact you got through to BA within twelve hours

I cheated. Instead of calling BMed (the Middle East bit of BA) I called the main number and hung on for 20 minutes till I got a reply. The conversation took less than 10 mins.

The super was very impressive. He knew what I wasa on about and very clearly stated that informmation was garbled at this stage, apologised for not having better quality information for me and said that we were lucky our flights were ten days from now as 'unwise decisions are often made as a kneejerk reaction' Cor! That was a bit lucid, I htought! made me feel better. No way I am trekking my kids on a bus trip through no-no land. If the Israelis call off their sea strikes, we will go to Cyprus and take a ferry. Other than that, it is fly to Latakia and bus in from the north. I am used to these trips. That is how we used to get in for years and years during the war.

My niece just called me. She is a journalist in Beirut. She was *fuming*. Ranted and raved at me in pure frustration at the sheer stupidity of the Lebanese government, the treasonous manifesto of HizbAllah and the dishonest abandonment by the international community. Whn I asked what about the Israelis, she replied: we expect no more and no less from them. They are the known quantity in this equation.

*sips coffee and comtemplates navel*

*pushes the plate of biscuits across the table*

I suppose they're just setting off for Beirut and then seeing what happens, getting diverted en route if that's what turns out to be necessary

And that's very true - ten days from now ... well, fingers crossed

*chomp*

Thanks Lil!

I'm off out. My cousin called - rather distraught, you could say - so I am going over to sit with her during her teabreak at the university where she works. There's a pretty duck pond out there and it's a sunny day All feels a tad surreal at the minute.

*leaves wondering how she managed to meet such incredible people through this odd piece of machinery*

*pats the monitor with great affection*

See y'all later.

I'm at a loss for words (for a change). Wishing you and your family the best - it's very brave of you to go out there, though I'm sure that for you it isn't a question of bravery, it's just what you need to do. Will be thinking about you.

az

s and

Sounds like you're getting things sorted out!

Sometimes I do feel like bashing people around on the head. Silly stupid people. People always say the world is a complciated place.

In my eyes maybe it is, but at the same time things can be made simple as well, just by thinking laterally. And also banging people's heads together....

Bah. Throw rocks at people.

I have you and your beautiful gardens in my thoughts and am holding you in the Light, Wilma. Just when I think the planet's peace IQ can't drop any lower, this happens.

I'm not sure what to say. Hope all of your family are fine.