Traffic news from the Economist

LOL. The Economist article of Jan 5th 2008 on George W.'s visit to the Middle East starts thus: "THE smart people are getting out of Jerusalem next week. Traffic mayhem is assured as George Bush and his entourage, about 800 souls, guarded by thousands of Israeli police, are whisked about in a fleet of armoured vehicles.."

Well I don't read Israeli newspapers or watch TV news anymore so I had a vague idea that Bush was due to visit here sometime soon but nothing concrete. So when I read the Economist article last night, just before a 2 day visit to Jerusalem, I was amused that the Economist is now providing me with very useful traffic information.....

The plan - nuclear bomb shelter for all

The plan - nuclear bomb shelter for all
Originally uploaded by dlisbona

One doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. This double-spread in today's Israeli Maariv newspaper "informs" readers that the Israel Minstry of Defence is preparing to upgrade existing air raid shelters in homes to nuclear shelters.

Since the 1980's , every new house or apartment is Israel is required by law to have its own air raid shelter. We used them in first Gulf War in 1991 and again (for those in the North of Israel) in the war with the Hezbollah in Lebanon last year.

Paranoid Israel and its hysterical media are having a field day with the looming threat of nuclear armament by Iran, so no opportunity is wasted to sow fear,panic and hysteria in the general population. This article in Maariv continues this commendable trend.