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Rundown for the Week of December 7, 2001

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Notes from a Snug by Diane Richard
Walls continue division. They shun neighbors. They block communication. The defining moment that signaled the end of the cold war was when the Berlin wall came down. When a wall comes down, there is hope. Neighbors can see each others' eyes. They can hear each other. Compassion wells up when one neighbor sees the other has children just like hers. Understanding ensues when one hears the other suffer over a death in the family, just as he has. It's been said by poets and politicians alike: What if we could one day live in a world with no walls?

Adventures in Housesitting by Melanie Peeples

As winter getaways approach, you may have more and more opportunity to house sit. Sure, it's a free place to stay, but our contributor Melanie Peeples will tell you that while you can hope for the best, you'll always be fearing the worst.

Interview: P.J. O'Rourke
OK. We're moving from "traveling with an eye for politic science" to "traveling with an eye for political satire." P.J. O'Rourke is out with a new book, "CEO of the Sofa." It's not mainly about travel, but it does document one memorable trip. O'Rourke drove the 17,000 miles of the Grand Trunk Road on a junket from the Khyber Pass to Calcutta. And even though his car held up fine, this was a junket - with an emphasis on "junk."

Deal of the Week
Cruise into Savings!

Letters
We read your letters to us!