IsraGood

Sarah Palin Supports Moving US Embassy To Jerusalem

2008-10-06T13:00:00.000-04:00

With the US elections "all the rage," it looks as if both parties are once again promoting themselves as Israel's best friend.

During the Vice Presidential debate between Governor Sarah Palin and Senator Joe Biden, the former briefly mentioned her desire to move the US embassy currently located in Tel Aviv to Israel's eternal capital, Jerusalem.

(Israel National News) Republican vice presidential candidate Governor Sarah Palin, in a televised debate Thursday night with Democratic nominee Senator Joe Biden, called for moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, echoing Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain's policy. [...]

Gov. Palin opened up the foreign policy part of the debate with support for the two-state solution and a statement that "Israel is our strongest ally." She added, "We have got to assure them that we will never allow a second Holocaust, despite, again, warnings from Iran and any other country that would seek to destroy Israel…. We will support Israel [and] a two-state solution, building our embassy, also, in Jerusalem--those things that we look forward to being able to accomplish, with this peace-seeking nation, and they have a track record of being able to forge these peace agreements."

While her "two-state" solution may not exactly come off as kosher for Israel lovers, her desire to finally move the embassy is good to hear (as both President Clinton and President Bush have delayed moving it, citing security concerns).

US To Israel: Lets Drop That Visa Requirement, Okay?

2008-10-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

Their is nothing more annoying rewarding than contacting a foreign government in order to haggle for a Visa so that you can visit that country in the near future (provided the government does not make you wait for several months).

Joking aside, it looks as if US is seriously thinking about removing the Visa requirement (after briefly considering it last year).

(Haaretz.com) The U.S. may waive its visa requirement for Israelis, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit during their meeting in Washington Thursday.

"I received a positive readiness from Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff, and also from Under Secretary of State William Burns. Their agreement is necessary for the initiative to advance, and both of them support the idea," said Sheetrit. "All that remains is approval to bring Israel into the track that the U.S. has opened in the past for a few other countries [under visa waiver agreements]," he added.

Sheetrit spoke to Haaretz while in the U.S for talks aimed at achieving a visa-waiver agreement for Israelis.

Other countries (like Russia) have already removed Visa requirements for Israeli's, and it is good to see the US government pursuing a similar path as Israel does not require American's to request a Visa in order to visit the holy land.

Hopefully this process is sped up, as it would allow many Israeli businessmen (and women) in the medical, green energy and software technology fields to visit the land of opportunity in order to benefit both countries (and their economies as well).

Will Israel's MCS Replace Anticoagulants? (Med Tech)

2008-10-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has ever suffered a severe stroke (or have friends or family who have or may have in the future) may have heard of a type of substance called anticoagulants which basically prevents the blood from clotting within blood vessels (a very bad thing if one is not cut or bruised).

While anticoagulants can help prevent random clots from forming (especially during surgery), they also have the side effect of "keeping the blood flowing," which could increase the overall risk of bleeding complications.

In order to get around this problem, Medical Compression Systems (or MCS) from Or Akiva, Israel has developed a device called ActiveCare Synchronized Flow Technology that may help prevent random blood clots from forming (minus the potential side effects of "non-stop bleeding").

(Israel 21^st Century) The device, called ActiveCare+SFT (Synchronized Flow Technology), combines a mobile unit with calf and foot compression sleeves that can be easily wrapped around the patient's leg or foot during and after surgery. [...]

The unit identifies a patient's venous blood flow pulses and synchronizes itself to these natural rhythms. It compresses the limb sleeves, automatically applying the correct pressure and inflation rate.

According to Dr. Jacob Barak, the company co-founder and chief scientist, this gentle pressure delivers an optimal hemodynamic profile tailored to the patient's specific physiology. "Its higher blood flow speed, compact size, and the fact that it can be worn 24/7 give it a definite advantage over comparable products," he tells ISRAEL21c. [...]

Barak says the device's unprecedented mobility has resulted in a dramatic 50 percent increase in patient compliance compared to standard IPC (intermittent pneumatic compression) systems, which have poor compliance rates among patients, particularly those who start to walk, but are not yet fully mobile. Using MCS's device, patient compliance is actually monitored on the LCD screen, providing feedback for caregivers, physicians and patients themselves.

MCS's ActiveCare device is already attracting the attention of some medical clinics in the US, with a few according to Israel 21^st Century deciding to replace anticoagulants with ActiveCare+SFT entirely!

MCS's device has already received FDA approval which means that American doctors can contact the company directly for immediate use of ActiveCare+SFT (instead of having to wait many moons or ask their European friends for information regarding this medical device).

(Image Credit: Medical Compression Systems)

Watchout Iran! Azerbaijan (Your Northern Neighbor) Loves Israel

2008-10-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

After cementing ties with Iran's northern neighbor last year, it looks as if Azerbaijan is looking to strengthen more than just economic ties with the kosher state.

(Israel Hasbara Committee) Israel and Azerbaijan have taken new steps to deepen military, cultural and economic ties. On Friday, 26 September 2008 the countries announced a new arms deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The deal is significant since Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country, borders Iran to the south. [note: It is actually located on Iran's northern border]

Of the items to be sold to Azerbaijan, ammunition, mortars and radio equipment are included in the package, which will be represented by several Israeli defense firms.

The signing of the agreement was the latest in several steps aimed at improving the relationship between Jerusalem and Baku.

According to the Israel Hasbara Committee (or IHC), Azerbaijan was actually willing to help out Israel evacuate its citizens trapped in Georgia after Russia invaded the country.

Having another friendly country in the region besides Turkey is a good thing for Israel. (although Iran may not appreciate being half way surrounded by friends of the Jewish state) :-)

(Image Credit: Lonely Planet)

IsraMedTech: Defeating Muscle Atrophy Via Electric Shocks?

2008-10-02T00:37:00.000-04:00

For all of those who have ever broken a bone or sprained an arm/leg/foot, one thing that is quite annoying is seeing your muscles wither away after months of non-use because they sat in a hard, itchy cast.

While the only (current) method of dealing with this is to simply exercise ones muscles in therapy, an Israeli company called StimuHeal has come up with a unique way to stimulate those muscles without endangering your fragile bones.

(Israel 21^st Century) An Israeli company believes it has the ultimate solution to keep your muscles strong, even when you are immobilized, and your bones broken. The six-year-old company StimuHeal has invented an electrical stimulation device - the MyoSpare - that sits under your cast, stimulating your muscles to stay strong, even when your biggest workout is switching the channels on the remote control. [...]

Using existing equipment on the market, StimuHeal identified the technical and clinical limitations of activating the muscles underneath casts using Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), a well-recognized tool in the American healthcare system.

If electrodes were to be inserted under the cast, the company recognized, prolonged sweating would be a problem. They also had to develop the perfect stimulation regime so the lactic acid and CO2 wouldn't build up in the muscles, causing pain and discomfort. StimuHeal solved this by developing a microprocessor that calculates a cycle for the muscles to rest.

StimuHeal plans on selling Myospare for about $300 USD (once approved), which may make it attractive towards the sporting industry (who is always trying to find ways to help star players heal faster after an injury).

MyoSpare is currently available in both Israel and Europe, although it is still awaiting FDA approval in the US (perhaps StimuHeal's biggest potential market).

(Image Credit: StimuHeal)

Google: Translate From English To Hebrew (And Back Again)

2008-10-02T00:12:00.000-04:00

It looks as if the search engine giant has struck again! After previously releasing Hebrew versions for both Blogger and Gmail, it looks like the Google is now attempting to conquer the untamed realm of English-to-Hebrew translation services.

(Globes Online) Google Inc. [...] has the followed the recent launch of the Hebrew version of its Gmail service with the launch of its new translation service Google Translate, which supports translations of texts to and from 30 languages including Hebrew. The program also aligns paragraphs to the left or right margins of the page depending on the direction of the language.

This should definitely help me out with my Hebrew lessons, as I have previously been using Milon (another excellent translation service), a site that helps me understand words (but unfortunately not whole sentences).

Google Translate even allows you to translate whole sites (as one can see from this link of IsraGood in Hebrew, although I am not exactly sure if all of the words are in the correct order).

Israel: The Chinese Invasion Has Begun (Tourism)

2008-10-01T23:47:00.000-04:00

(Image: Chinese tourists preparing to visit Israel. Credit: Alsion Klayman of JTA)

It looks like the kosher state in the middle east will now be entertaining guests from the far east as Israel is preparing for the first wave of travelers from China, many who have a fascination about Israelis (and their way of life).

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) At a pre-departure session for China's first tour group to Israel, manager Wu Jianguo from China Travel Service answered many questions from his pioneering clients: Will all the shops be closed on the day of rest? Are there Chinese restaurants in Israel? Where can we buy a menorah? Should we not bring any snacks with pork? [...]

The trips are the first fruits of an agreement signed last October by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and then-Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi that landed Israel on the list of more than 100 countries to have China's "Approved Destination Status."

This designation makes it easier for Chinese tourists to travel to Israel, and Israel is hoping this will ultimately lead to a tourism boom. Now the Chinese domestic market for Israel travel is mostly businesspeople, about half of whom make up government delegations, according to El Al's sales manager for China, Helen Huang.

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), China is already a hot spot for many Israeli travelers, as its one of the few nations that has a long history with the Jewish people, most of it positive (if not all).

Israel and China are already exploring ways to increase trade between their respective countries, which will hopefully blossom into a deeper relationship in the future (note: especially since China is now a space power).

Belated: Holocaust Archives To Enter Israel (Via Steven Spielburg?)

2008-10-01T23:16:00.000-04:00

Steven Spielburg, a director/producer often known for creating some of the best films shown on the big screen (like Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park) has recently committed to helping thousands of video testimonies from Holocaust survivors make it into the hands of Yad Vashem.

(Haaretz.com) [T]he joint project by Yad Vashem and the global storage company EMC [...] are collaborating on bringing more than 200,000 hours of video to Israel. The images include 52,000 interviews with Holocaust survivors, prepared and stored by the Shoah Foundation Institute, a Steven Spielberg creation at the University of Southern California (USC).

The testimonies will be added to a Yad Vashem collection of about 10,000 accounts that have been filmed on video since 1989, and some 5,000 films dealing with the Holocaust produced all over the world. The collections will be made accessible to the public within the next few days.

Spielburg is once again making an impact in the middle east, and hopefully his transfer of testimonies will make it easier for Yad Vashem to preserve a living record of what happened during one of the worst tragedies to ever take place on our planet.

Note: Yad Vashem previously made a decision to digitally broadcast these testimonies, as many people (both old and young) are now receiving video from their computer rather than through their DVD player.

Happy Rosh Hashana!

2008-09-30T19:44:00.000-04:00

I would like to wish all of my readers ראש השנה (or Rash Hashana). Here is a video below courtesy of Aussie Dave (of Israellycool fame) that will hopefully bring a smile to your face during these "exciting times."

Posting will resume tomorrow. :-)

Bees: Has Israel Found A Cure For Colony Collapse Disorder?

2008-09-26T00:11:00.000-04:00

(Image Credit: Jon Sullivan)

If there was one insect that was considered vital to the human race, it would have to be bees. While they are often known for their tasty bee spit (also known as honey ), this tiny creature is responsible for pollinating about 25% of our food supply.

Unfortunately it seems as if bee colonies are slowly disappearing, an event scientists are calling Colony Collapse Disorder (or CCD). Although many scientists have different conclusions as to what is causing this phenomenon, a small group of scientists from Beeologics thinks that a virus is to blame.

(Israel 21^st Century) At Beeologics, scientists are convinced that IAPV is the primary cause of CCD. "If you look how the disease spreads, it's very reminiscent of flu. Flu also starts in the fall and hits hard in the winter, the same is true of this bee virus," explains Paldi. "It's very contagious like a flu. In our opinion, we have something that's interacting very strongly with the environment to cause CCD. It could be interacting with pesticides, with improper nutrition, general stress - but that's not what's killing the bees. What's killing them is a virus and we believe that virus is IAPV." [...]

Beeologics' solution, Remebee, utilizes a mechanism called RNA interference (RNAi, also known as gene silencing) a mechanism that inhibits or hinders gene expression. "The technology is based on naturally occurring biological agents. Conceptually, we're introducing the factor that prompts the silencing response," Paldi tells ISRAEL21c. "We didn't invent gene silencing. However, as far as we know we are among the first to use it commercially on non-humans."

According to the company, the patent-pending Remebee provides protection from IAPV and other bee viruses. The technology is potentially applicable to all bee viruses, precludes the possibility of virus breaking resistance, is non-toxic and leaves no residues in either honeybees or their honey.

Hopefully Beeologics vaccine is the solution to CCD, as the last thing we need is food prices (especially apples and oranges) to skyrocket due to lack of supply.

While other scientist around the world pursue other paths to find out what is causing CCD (and to eventually cure it), its good to see Israeli scientists helping to cross out one potential cause of CCD off the list--if not curing these bees entirely (note: assuming the virus is the cause in the first place).

Video: Paul McCartney Rocks Out Tel Aviv!

2008-09-25T23:47:00.000-04:00

Paul McCartney, one of the two surviving band members of The Beatles (the other being Ringo Starr) decided to defy the death threats and perform a live concert in Tel Aviv!

There are even more videos on YouTube for you to enjoy! If only I could have been there. :-(

Video: Peace In The Middle East (Via Girl Power)

2008-09-25T22:54:00.000-04:00

While the environmentalists use trees, the jocks use sports, and the geeks use virtual operation systems to help bring about peace in the middle east, these ladies use something that most guys dare not speak in public about--a woman's waist line.

(Israel 21^st Century) Starting after Ramadan and the Jewish New Year, a group of Palestinian and Israeli women will be meeting face to face in Jerusalem. Not for political reasons, not to cast blame on who's right or wrong in the Middle East conflict - these women will be focusing on their waistline, and sharing a simple and common desire to lose weight. [...]

"Before, the only Israelis I knew were soldiers at checkpoints, I thought they were all brutal," Palestinian student Enas Smoom told news service Reuters: "But in the group, we forget we are Israelis and Palestinians - we are just women talking about nutrition."

Since the film was released, the concept has grown wider into a community project, funded until next year by UK charity, The Charities Advisory Trust, with four different groups of women having met over the last year in Jerusalem: "We have some women who are overweight and ones who just want to be healthier," Luttwak tells ISRAEL21c.

We need to see more of this. While is always good to see scientists or film makers cooperating from both Israel and Palestine, it is even more encouraging to see ordinary people coming together--even if they only agree on a few things (as it beats exchanging rocket fire with each other).

Exit Question: So, does anyone have any great ideas on how to get a bunch of guys together? I was thinking Rugby. ;-)

Israeli Tech Firms In Atlanta?

2008-09-25T21:40:00.000-04:00

It looks like 13 Israeli tech firms will be visiting (note: or rather have visited) the US in order to meet with government officials from Georgia (the US state, and not the country).

(Globes Online) Thirteen Israeli technology companies will meet major US companies in Atlanta this week, as part of a groundbreaking conference focused on harnessing Web 2.0 applications by businesses. The conference, U.S. - Israel Web 2.0 Business Exchange: "Empowering the Connected Enterprise," has been organized by the American-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Southeast Region (AICC) and is intended showcase the latest Israeli and American innovations. [...]

"From politics to natural disasters to business, it's clear that Web. 2.0 tools represent the next generation of interactive technology," says Tom Glaser, president of the American Israel Chamber of Commerce. "Home Depot used Twitter to send storm tips and store info to Gulf Coast residents when Hurricane Gustav hit demonstrating that Web 2.0 tools have today reached the business mainstream."

Its good to see more recognition of what Israel is doing online--especially from US state governments. Hopefully this will spread and other neighboring regions will choose to partner with Israeli tech firms.

The Israeli companies who attended were:

Worklight: Basically they help make popular internet tools corporate friendly for businesses.
PlyMedia: This company makes video captioning a reality. See TechCrunch for more details.
Kenshoo: A search engine marketing company.
Pando: A file sharing service.
FlixWagon: Helps you broadcast your life to the world from your mobile phone. They even have an iPhone version (note: sweet!)
Zend: When it comes to PHP coding, these guys (and gals) are guru's.
JumpTap: Its basically like Google for your mobile phone.
Unisfair: Helps companies save money (and time) by providing mobile events where people can "see" and talk to each other. Think SecondLife gone corporate.
Boxee: Its still in Alpha, but it seems to be video social network of some kind. See Lifehacker for more details.
AdYouNet: They basically help businesses monetize their customers better online.
MB Technologies: (note: I think this is their site) Hosting and web design company.

Hopefully more companies will be able to "cross the pond" and visit the US, as this is probably one of the best ways to change the perception of Israel as a place full of "faith and conflicts" (instead of a modern country like--America!).

Israel: A Happy Fish Is A Tasty Fish (Fish Farm Tech)

2008-09-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

Depending on who you talk to, if you mention the phrase "fish farm" you will usually get three reactions--smiles and drooling, an ugly rebuke (note: they are probably an environmentalist) or a shrug on the shoulders (they have no clue what you are talking about).

While fish farming helps satisfy the craving for sea food, it does have its darker side with many critics slamming the practice of caging fish in small areas with little current (or momentum) in the water, causing many fish to die from outbreaks--forcing companies to use drugs to keep them alive (which makes them unattractive to us humans).

In order to help satisfy the corporations, environmentalists and the fish loving masses, one company called Subflex has found a unique way to raise fish en masse without compromising their overall health.

(Video: Explaining Subflex's technology, Credit: Subflex)

(Israel 21^st Century) Unlike moored competing systems made of more rigid materials, the Subflex system is allowed to "roam" from its mooring point in any direction necessary, reducing stress on the cages and enabling natural diffusion of fish waste into the open sea. And, because of its modular nature, new cages can easily be added to a Subflex system to expand capacity when necessary.

One of the biggest problems with deploying a deepwater fish farm is the potential for inclement - even wild - weather that buffets the cages about, with the fish bumping into and damaging each other, causing wear and tear on the cages from the heavy waves, and, with enough stress, possibly causing the whole thing could come apart.

But the Subflex system has that covered, too, says Shapira. "When bad weather arrives, the crew can submerge the whole setup as far as necessary - up to 200 meters - thus keeping the fish out of reach of the heavy waves and winds." Close to the surface, Shapira says, the Subflex system has proven to be stable in surf of up to four meters - "but if necessary, the option exists to drop the cages, and raise them back up after the storm passes."

Subflex has already begun implementing their system for Royal Fish, who (according to Israel 21^st Century) noticed that their fish were much tastier than usual, allowing them to charge premium prices (as the fish were in higher demand).

Hopefully Subflex's can export their methods internationally, as this could help not only help meet our planet's ever growing population demand for sea food, but allow us to eat healthier as well.

Video: First Israeli Apple Store Opens! (And The Crowd Goes Wild!)

2008-09-22T09:20:00.000-04:00

(Image: Eager fans checking out iPods and Macs, Credit: iDigital via Facebook)

After waiting many moons, it looks as if Mac fans in Israel will finally have their very own Apple store, courtesy of iDigital.

After taking over the Israeli Mac market, iDigital began pursuing the creation of its very own Mac store (as selling Macs and iPods online is not complete without a physical location).

Hopefully we will see many more stores in the future (not to mention an iPhone as well).

Improving Wind Power From Good To Awesome (Israeli Tech)

2008-09-22T08:30:00.002-04:00

(Image: Wind Turbines, Credit: IQWind)

Wind Power (which is a near cousin of the Windmill) is one of the few green energy technologies that is not only "easy" to build, but also does not produce any harmful waste (i.e. like nuclear).

Unfortunately the technology has not always been too efficient, with the blades turning at the same RPM (or revolutions per minute) regardless of how hard the wind blew, giving some the impression that this green technology was full of hot air (note: pun intended).

Instead of simply over looking this issue by creating more wind turbines to compensate for the lack of power generated, it looks as if a company called IQWind has developed a way to allow the turbines to spin following the emotions of the wind by simply changing a few gears.

(Israel 21^st Century) "IQWind has solved a painful problem in wind turbines, and allows them to work in an efficient way while significantly reducing the costs. Because when you add our gears in, other components become redundant, and can reduce the price of building a wind turbine by 25 percent," IQwind founder and CEO Gideon Ziegelman, tells ISRAEL21c.

Astorre Modena, a general partner at Jerusalem-based Terra Venture Partners, a major investor in IQWind, adds that the technology is "an elegant, smooth and solid gearbox that allows you to change gears without disconnecting the transmission," he says, noting that "there is much more meat," to the technology's innovation that he can't disclose.

It might not take long to get a sneak peak of IQWind's gears in action: Modena says that the company expects to have a beta test site in Israel - possibly outdoors, or in a lab - within the next six months. It will take another two years before the gearbox goes into production.

While improving efficiency will help make wind power more attractive, its probably IQWind's ability to reduce the construction cost that will draw attention to the industry (and help make it more competitive against coal and natural gas).

Update (9/25): Fixed coding error.

Eurobasket: Israel Destroys Czech Republic

2008-09-21T19:11:00.000-04:00

Perhaps "destroys" is a bit of an over statement, but it looks as if Israel surprised many fans and foes alike by defeating the Czech Republic in the EuroBasket.

(Haaretz.com) Israel overwhelmed the Czech Republic 98-61 last night in EuroBasket qualifying play, winning a spot in next year's tournament despite coming into the game with the odds of advancing decidedly against it.

Some 8,500 fans turned out for the team's sixth and final qualifier at Tel Aviv's Nokia Arena. Its performance until last night had been below expectations, failing to log even a single away win.

Even with the win, Israel needed the basketball stars to align just so in order for it to advance to the biennial tournament, to be held next year in Poland.

Those stars may be aligning themselves, as France was recently defeated by Turkey. Hopefully we will see Israel advance (as basketball is the dominant sport in the kosher state).

Video: Israel Embracing An Electronic Car Future?

2008-09-15T20:08:00.000-04:00

Even though visions of electric cars dominating the US, Europe, etc. may still be just that--visions--it looks as if Israel is slowly embracing a future powered by electronic cars instead of gas guzzlers.

(Video Credit: Israel 21^st Century)

I am not too surprised to see this, as Israel has been trending green for quite some time now.

One of the main players behind this idea, Project Better Place, has been attracting a lot of attention regarding their idea, with one company investing over $15 million in order to ensure that this project is a success.

Hopefully Israel is able to prove to the world that an electronic car industry is a better alternative, as the last thing we need is everyone fighting over oil (which is becoming more expensive now-a-days).

ParveOMeter: Another Kosher iPhone App

2008-09-15T19:05:00.000-04:00

After previously creating iBlessing (which they are now charging users $1 USD or NIS 3.6 instead of giving it away for free), the Jewish Learning Group has created a second iPhone app that informs you when you can eat meat after drinking/eating milk and cheese (or vice versa) in order to help keep you kosher.

The cool thing about this iPhone app (aside from being free) is that users can select how strict they are observing kosher law (at least with the milk) which then adjusts the clock to determine how long you have to wait before devouring the other food group.

There is no word on whether the Jewish Learning Group will be charging for this iPhone app in the future, although I do hope that they will consider creating more (as they are not only beautiful, but very user friendly).