On the roads...

For a great variety of reasons, I never know what to expect when traveling on the roads from Shiloh to wherever.

I'm sure that most of you think that I'm referring to G-d forbid terrorism, but, Baruch Hashem, bli eyin haraa, it's a lot rarer than car accidents. If you don't believe me, check the statistics. Though, honestly, I don't know what will be once the new terrorist--express or local--bus line begins to function.

Can you imagine? There still isn't public transportation from Beit El, north to Shiloh, Ofra etc, and I still have to "tremp" (hitch hike) to and from work, but the terrorists will be able to travel from Gaza to all over Judea and Samaria. They shouldn't be inconvenienced.

And while I'm mentioning inconvenience, my life was endangered yesterday, when we were forced to wait standing, lots of cars, Jewish and Arab, crowded on the road, when Condeliza Rice left Ramallah by car. The roads had to be totally cleared for her convenience. It couldn't be for her security, since she was in a top-quality bullet-proof vehicle. She was safe. And if her security people really wanted to keep her safe, she should have had been in some ordinary, unrecognizable bullet-proof GMC, without any identification, the same for her guards. She called so much attention to herself, which is the most dangerous thing to do.

And in the meantime ordinary citizens were forced to wait, or, if they were lucky, had alternative routes available. My neighbors knew in advance and traveled by Kvish Allon, the Jordan Valley Road, just east of us. It took a little longer, but they felt a lot safer than they would have if being forced to wait on the road.

Reports from Jerusalem were worse. The Clintons were at it again. Wherever they went, the traffic was barred. So add that to the snarls due to the construction of the "light rail line," it's definitely not a car-friendly time. Pedestrians were luckier, another excuse to walk and get fit.

Yes, in case you were wondering, I did get to work on time. It pays to leave early, though my students have already asked if I'm ever late.

These famous foreign guests remind me of the type of houseguests who think nothing of monopolizing the only toilet in the house! And then they act like they're doing you a favor that they came. Maybe we can send them to Iraq.