Showing posts with label drip irrigation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label drip irrigation. Show all posts

BDS Means Boycott Everything


There is some really bad news for the lunatic anti-Israel BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) brigade.  Virtually every electronic device in the world is now produced using Israeli technology.  The systems manufactured by Yavne-based Orbotech are used globally to produce almost every printed circuit board on the planet.  So when you tell the BDS crazies to dispose of all their electronic equipment, here are some recent news reports relating to other everyday items that they also need to steer well clear of.

1. Doctors and medicine

BDS advocates must never approach hospitals or GP surgeries because Israeli discoveries, treatments and life-saving devices dominate the medical arena.  Latest advances include treatments for pancreatic cancer and bladder cancer; a vaccine against avian flu; improved methods for diagnosing ADHD and blood clots; a new durable material for hip replacements; an app for diabetics; a watch that prevents heart attacks and safer cancer radiation therapy.




2. Water, food and drink

There is seldom a day without an announcement from one of Israel’s prolific water treatment companies.  It may be Miya, saving billions of gallons of water in the Americas, South East Asia, South Africa and Australia; or RWL water, supplying water treatment systems to America’s nuclear energy industry.  And the BDS mob will soon need to avoid most well-known food and drink products as the top companies in the US food and beverage industry are adopting Israeli water solutions in their manufacturing processes.

3. Agricultural produce

Israeli companies, products and innovative methods have revolutionized the agricultural industry in many countries.  Israel has established twenty “centers of excellence” in India, providing technological solutions to agricultural issues.  Netafim started propagating Israeli technology in 1965 with its drip irrigation system - now popular even in Arab countries.  Netafim has just completed a successful international pilot project of its uManage platform, which helps farmers to monitor irrigation/fertilizer performance and yields.  Meanwhile, even apparently small-scale Israeli innovations can help feed billions of needy people.  Israelis Moti Cohen and Mendi Pollak won the $20,000 top prize in the Pears Challenge. Their Livingbox “mini-farm” can grow vegetables anywhere, with a self-sustaining “closed loop” of energy and nutrition.



4. Being photographed

Israeli cameras have acquired such a high reputation that members of the BDS cult will almost certainly find that their images have been taken by Israeli-produced equipment and recorded on Israeli-developed storage.  There is nowhere for them to hide - NASA has even adopted Israeli cameras from Israel’s Medigus to conduct inspections in space.  And if they try to find a shady place to conceal themselves, it may have been constructed from one of the Israeli designs entered in the international urban shade competition at the Holon Design Museum.

5.  Human contact

BDS-ers should avoid contact with products and services from almost every country in the world (even Arab ones) because of their ties with Israel; but here are a few recent highlights.

China: - A delegation headed by Ren Zhiwu - deputy director-general of China’s High-Tech Industry Department of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) - arrived in Israel, the first time the high-level government team has come to Israel.

India: - In the biggest pro-Israel, anti-terrorist rally in recent years, an estimated 20,000 gathered in Kolkata, India in a show of solidarity with Israel.

Vietnam: - Trade between Vietnam and Israel increased by 53 per cent year-on-year to $426 million during the first half of 2014.

And if in the not too distant future you should happen to spot any stupid BDS-ers trying to relax and enjoy the lavish gardens and waterfalls at the bio-dome being built at Singapore’s Changi Airport, please whisper in their ears, “Nice isn’t it?  “Designed by an Israeli!”

6. Colored fabric

The final red light for the “dyed-in-the-wool” BDS thugs is that Israel’s Kornit Digital Printing has developed water-based inks that are entirely organic, 100% non-toxic, vegan-friendly and compatible with all types of fabric.  Kornit’s high-speed DTG printers are “revolutionizing” the fashion industry with single step fabric printing and no additional finishing.



So you will be able to distinguish BDS “clowns” very easily.  They will be the sickly, parched, thin, sad and lonely ones, wearing bland clothing.

Losers! 

Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel.
For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com

Hidden Treasure



In summer excavations Hebrew University of Jerusalem archaeologists discovered a treasure trove barely 50 meters from the base of Temple Mount.  The items included a 7th century gold medallion depicting a menorah (Temple candelabrum), a shofar (ram’s horn) and a Torah scroll - a valuable reminder of Jewish historical links to the holy site.  To accompany this, I have brought to the surface some more of Israel’s recent “nuggets” of positive news and ask you to help ensure they receive appropriate international exposure.

Almost every week Israeli scientists and biotechs reveal more of cancer’s secrets.  Last week there were four relevant news items:
-         Discovery of a protein that triggers cell death, which is missing in cancerous tissue.
-         Successful transplant of Gamida’s NiCord stem cells into a leukemia sufferer.
-         BioLineRX’s treatment of acute myeloid leukemia was given US FDA orphan drug status.
-         KAHR Medical plans to trial its anti-lymphoma treatment


In the invisible field of molecular biology, researchers at Israel’s Technion have developed the antioxidant 1-FE that will be invaluable in the fight against heart disease.  Meanwhile, deep under the surface of the skin, two companies are healing damaged joints and bones.  Active Implants, whose R&D center is in Israel, is raising funds for the trials of its polymer knee implant for osteo-arthritis patients either too old or too young for a total knee replacement.  And Israel’s Regenecure has revealed that, following the success of its BoneCure membrane in healing broken bones in animals, it is now working on a similar product for humans.


Israeli Public Service Venture Fund, Tmura, is a real treasure.  It has just distributed one million shekels to each of five youth charities, following its sale of share options in Waze. Israeli start-ups donate options to Tmura when they seek funding, which become valuable if the start-up goes public or gets taken over.

Israel’s Ziv and Western Galilee hospitals have no spare funds, but they are like gold mines to hundreds of victims of the Syrian civil war.  Last week, Ziv treated 12 and 15-year-old brothers who had been wounded by a land mine. And the 15-year-old Syrian girl, whose remaining leg Ziv doctors saved, was all smiles when she was discharged.  I’m pleased that some of these reports are being publicized.


While on this subject, here is a recent fact sheet about Israel’s humanitarian work for Palestinian Arabs that most news agencies try to hide.  And those who have read “Pallywood” propaganda that Israel is depriving the Palestinian Authority of water need to visit this site, which exposes all the hidden PA swimming pools.

Israel’s Netafim knows how much of a treasure water is. Netafim just collected the prestigious Stockholm Industry Water Award for its drip irrigation technology, which is vital for farmers in developing countries.  Drip irrigation was discovered when a hidden leaky water pipe was found to be responsible for a flourishing tree.

Until recently, the Jewish State’s oil and gas reserves were very well hidden, which is why so many Israeli start-ups developed clean energy alternatives.  One of these is Israel’s Ormat Industries, which extracts geothermal energy from deep underground. Ormat will supply California with another 12 years of electricity from its 46MW geothermal power plant at the Heber complex in Imperial Valley.  Here in Israel, the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) plant under construction at the Hiriya Recycling Park will transform 1500 tons of garbage into usable fuel every day.

So at this time of year, when Jews go from their houses and move into the outside world, with only the partly-exposed roofs of the sukkah (tabernacle / booth) to protect them, it’s appropriate to take the lid off this hidden treasure we call Israel.  You could start by promoting Marcella Rosen's e-book "Tiny Dynamo" about Israeli start-ups that are quietly changing the world.  Inc.com says it’s “a must-read for anyone passionate about entrepreneurship and technology. Acre-for-acre, person-for-person, no place is innovating more than Israel.”   Or persuade your friends to watch CBN’s excellent series “Made in Israel” by Gordon Robertson about Israel's remarkable innovation and ingenuity to produce breakthroughs in products and processes that affect the way we live our every day lives.

Finally, one of the most unlikely individuals came out of hiding recently.  Csanad Szegedi used to be vice-president of Hungary’s far-right, anti-Semitic Jobbik party until his grandmother exposed the fact that he was Jewish.  Csanad abandoned Jobbik and embraced the treasure that is Judaism. The change to his life culminated this year when he made his first visit to the Jewish State.


Come back for more gems next week.

Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing Good News stories about Israel.
For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com

Three weeks? Yes just Three weeks



During the last three weeks, I published three blogs (here, here and here) that rubbished the Israel BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) idiots who insist on shooting themselves in the foot by refusing any of Israel’s medical innovations.  I have just looked back at what Israelis have been working on in all areas over the last three weeks and I can hardly believe that so much has been achieved.  So let me bring you up to date on just the medical and clean technology advances.

In medical news, we heard that the technique treating cancer conceived 30 years ago by Weizmann’s Zelig Eshhar is now curing patients across the USA.  Other related Israeli innovations include:
-         A medication to prevent women’s ovaries being damaged during chemotherapy.
-         A new probe with two cameras that can detect cancerous polyps in the colon.
-         A derivative of an Israeli mushroom that appears to be effective against pancreatic cancer.

Concerning the brain:
-         Tel Aviv University researchers have invented a gel and implant to repair damaged nerves
-         Ben Gurion University’s future CARES center will boost its top research into stress-related illness.
-         Israel’s Reuth Center is using a computerized shoe to teach people with brain damage how to walk again. 


Heart-warming news includes:
-         Discovery at Hadassah Medical Center of an area of the body that can grow new heart muscle tissue. 
-         An implant under development at Israel’s MitrAssist that will fix a leaky heart mitral valve.

Recent successful heart operations include:
-         Rebuilding the chest to protect the exposed heart of a baby born without a breastbone.
-         Performing a heart transplant on a 28-year-old Israeli-Arab – the oldest patient at a children’s hospital.
-         Save A Child’s Heart doctors saved the life of a 4-year-old Syrian girl born with only one ventricle.

In medical research:
-         Israeli biotech Cell Cure received a government grant to help develop its macular degeneration treatment.
-         Scientists at the Israel’s Technion have constructed an advanced biological computer.
-         Life Science guru Dr Ido Bachelet demonstrated what Israel’s microscopic robots can do.


In Agro-technology, Israel has been innovating in order to benefit the world
-         Israel’s Volcani Center has developed processes to keep fruit and vegetables fresh for months.
-         Israeli firm Indolive is helping farmers to grow olives in the deserts of western India.
-         Israeli start-up TIPA are expanding production of their environmentally-friendly food packaging.
-         And the Hebrew University’s ran an International Symposium on balancing technical progress with health.

In Water technology:
-         Israel’s Netafim, the pioneer of drip irrigation, won the 2013 Stockholm Industry Water Award.
-         UK’s Anglia Water has bought an advanced sewage treatment system from Israel’s Mapal
-         23 Israeli companies presented their innovative water products at “Wasser Berlin”
-         IBM Israel announced new software to interpret utility meter readings and sensors and detect water leaks.
-         And the Israeli water authority has opened the Degania Dam to replenish the flow of the Jordan River.

On the energy front:
-         The Israeli government is subsidizing the replacement of electric water heaters to solar powered systems.
-         1.8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas has been discovered at the Karish prospect in Israeli territorial waters.

In approximately three weeks time, we will enter a sad period of the Jewish calendar known as “the three weeks”. Jewish tradition says that the last day of the three weeks will one day turn into a festival of celebration and usher in a new age of prosperity and peace.

I can’t wait.

Michael Ordman writes a free weekly newsletter containing Good News stories about Israel.
For a free subscription, email a request to michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com