Nachman Shai is a Wonderful Guy

Nachman Shai is a wonderful guy. I met him this morning at an un-conference organized by Menny Barzilay, Nimrod Kozlovski and others, and co-hosted by Yossi Vardi and Bank Hapoalim.

For those of us who were in Israel during the war with Iraq in 1991, Nachman is a national icon, if not hero.

Now he is MK Nachman Shai (member of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament). I met him last Friday. He is a very impressive guy. He spoke to me at length about the opportunities and dangers inherent in the world of the internet.

I explained that because of my research on halitophobia, I was maligned by various people on the internet who vehemently disagreed with me. When you searched my name, you would fine these wicked references to me on the top page of search.

I had two alternatives. The first was to try to track these vicious people down and to proceed with lawsuits, etc. The second was to flood the internet with my books, my blogs, my articles, good stuff.  The second approach proved more positive and more fun. Today when you search for me on the internet, you find my blogs, my books. The derisions have been pushed so far back that even I can’t find them anymore.

Nachman Shai gave an open talk at the un-conference. He is very worried about the vile stuff written about Israel over the internet. I suggested that we overcome the bad stuff by writing (and doing) more good stuff. I think he actually liked it.

I am going to send this e-book to Nachman Shai. Today. I will invite him to breakfast. Who knows, he might even agree!

And I will let you know if anything good happens. Nothing like beating bad with good, I always say!