"The RULE is: siren, bunker. no questions."

8:13 AM
The Lebanese are starting to post all over the blog [Live from an Israeli Bunker] , a lot of them profanity, but a couple of them sensible and good.

8:13 AM
and PeopleMag wants a story and to send a photographer.

8:14 AM
Van der Leun: Yes, I know about the casualties. Not good at all.

8:15 AM
Eugene: I’m sorry, I’m just a bit shaken right now

8:15 AM
Check out — http://wwwjackbenimble.blogspot.com/2006/07/three-days-in-israel-graphic-images.html

8:15 AM
Van der Leun: No need to be sorry. A need to be shaken.

8:15 AM
Eugene: Pam [Pamela @ Atlas Shrugs] linked to a blog round-up that linked to that.

8:15 AM
and like the idiot I am, I watched all 6:43 minutes of it.

8:15 AM
I almost cried.

8:16 AM
Van der Leun: Nothing wrong with crying. Except I note that I never cry. Girls cry. Me? I weep.

8:17 AM
Like crying but bigger

8:17 AM
Eugene: yes I know what weep is

8:17 AM
I read Shaksphere you know

8:17 AM
(can’t spell his name, but read him)

8:17 AM
Van der Leun: Every wise person reads Shakespeare. There’s always so much now in him.

….

8:19 AM
Eugene: I want to record something myself, I’ve been talking a little to this guy from Lebanon. (well, a lot really)

8:19 AM
He does what I do, and he seems good.

8:20 AM
I’d love to do a podcast with him (“this is an Israeli Bunker Pajamas Media blog, with..”)

8:20 AM
I hope it’s doable. don’t know if he has skype, ‘etc.

8:20 AM
will see.

8:20 AM
Van der Leun: okay, see if he’s willing to

8:23 AM
Eugene: siren

………… [Silence] …………

8:24 AM
Van der Leun: you okay?

8:24 AM
where are you now ?

8:28 AM
i take it you are off the air for a bit ?

8:30 AM
Eugene: Back

8:30 AM
don’t worry if I sometimes have a siren during chat

8:30 AM
it’s common, most of the time its false

8:30 AM
Van der Leun: how do you know the difference?

8:31 AM
Eugene: like this….

8:31 AM
no booms, false alarm

8:32 AM
you wait a few minutes and they tell you

8:32 AM
Van der Leun: how do they know to sound the siren? radar? watchmen? ground observers?

8:32 AM
Eugene: probably all of the above

8:33 AM
Van der Leun: Is there a network of sirens all around the region? or just in the city?

8:33 AM
And how loud are they, really?

8:34 AM
Eugene: varies

8:34 AM
sometimes it’s so faint you don’t even know unless the TV is on

8:34 AM
sometimes its London WWII loud

8:35 AM
Van der Leun: Humm, don’t quite understand why that should be so. I mean, is it a case of a distant siren in some other sector

8:35 AM
Eugene: region is divided into sectors, each have their own sirens.

8:35 AM
Van der Leun: oh i see

8:35 AM
Eugene: it’s not a full proof system

8:35 AM
Van der Leun: But seeing as how the aim of these rockets is not that precise, isn’t there a risk that people will, hearing the faint siren, conclude that they are in no danger?

8:36 AM
Eugene: NO. The RULE is: siren, bunker. no questions.

8:38 AM
Van der Leun: what’s the record time for Siren/Bunker so far?

8:39 AM
Eugene: How fast I got down there? Few days ago — 5:39AM — siren sounds after a brutal day in Haifa….

8:39 AM
40 seconds later and I’m down there with my brother, fully dressed.

8:39 AM
Van der Leun: Pardon my dark humor, but I see a whole new range of Modern Olympic Team Sports

8:40 AM
Eugene: … as long as they don’t kidnap and kill our team…

8:40 AM
Van der Leun: Hez rocket tossing. Followed by Israeli Bunker Racing. Followed by IAF bombing run. Followed by IDF shot-putt of 155mm shells.

8:41 AM
And then Condi Rice taking a victory lap.

8:41 AM
Eugene: Hah!

[Mixed chat about rock and roll and punk rock clubs, the history, then… ]

8:54 AM
Eugene: siren

[After about 15 minutes, Eugene came back online. Okay.]