Adiv informs me that Hebrew has a few more words that English is missing:

“stahm”

For no good reason. Usage:

• “Why didn’t you call before you came over?” “Stahm.”
• “Did you have a reason to be hanging out at the mall?” “Stahm, I wanted to look.”

“davka”

1. Just to spite you (very often fate being the one who spites you) 2. As a matter of fact
3. Even if you didn’t think it was so. Usage:

• “I can’t believe you bought that shirt!” “Davka, I thought you would like it.”
• “Son, why did you pour the ink into my shampoo?” “Davka.”
• “I’ve been all over the city looking for a copy of this book. I’ve called 30 different stores
  and davka now, when I find it, I discover my credit card is maxed out.”

So mere days after my petulance about the Space Shuttle, NASA
announces that its Space
Launch Initiative (the next-generation shuttle) has reached its first milestone review.
Currently there are three candidates. Some of designs include:

• reduction in payload cost from $10,000/lb to $1,000/lb
• more reusable booster rocket system
• increased safety: catastrophic failure reduced from 1 in 500 to 1 in 10,000
• possible pilotless operation
• ability to achieve high Earth orbit with secondary booster system

So that certainly obviates many of my objections. The project should finish in 2012, just
when the current Shuttle fleet has to go into retirement. Only ten years away…

Finally, I’m heading off to my college reunion this weekend. Nancy has been making fun
of me for going to a “5 year” reunion, but as it turns out, I. Don’t. Care. I’ll also be seeing
Eric & Susan, and Jessica & Ashley. So all in all, the weekend is shaping up to be
a lot of fun (even though I will have to pretend it’s not, just to get under Brian’s skin).