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Video: Jerry Seinfeld Promotes Bee Movie To Peres
2007-11-28 06:11:00
(Hat Tip: Isrealli.org)Jerry Seinfeld's arrival into Israel has received a lot of buzz (note: pun not intended) regarding his Bee Movie , which has been doing fairly well in the US.During his visit Seinfeld was able to meet privately with Peres, and exchange some jokes as well as some information of what Israel was all about.(Jerusalem Post) On Friday, Seinfeld toured Yad Vashem, Jerusalem's Old City and Masada. He also met with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and President Shimon Peres. He told Peres that he was very excited by the warm welcome that he had received in Israel, and amazed by how popular his sitcom Seinfeld is in this country. "You can imagine how much people like you here and respect you," Peres told Seinfeld as the two sat in suits and ties in front of Israeli flags at Beit Hanassi. Seinfeld explained his movie to the 84-year-old Nobel peace laureate. "It's about a bee who's not sure that he wants to go into honey," Seinfeld said, as Peres laughed. "They tell him he h...
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AOL's MapQuest Parterns With Israel's Telmap
2007-11-28 05:46:00
After previously buying out two Israeli companies, AOL is partnering up with another Israeli company in order to help out MapQuest, a company fully owned by the American giant.(Israel Times) New MapQuest Navigator 5.0 includes Telmap’s mobile optimized navigation data, which permits users to be re-routed in the event of a missed turn without the need to contact the mapping server. The application is wireless, voice-guided and GPS-enabled. ..."We believe that making more local content available for the consumer through mobile navigation will increase the use of these services in day-to-day life activities," commented David Singer, Vice President and General Manager of Telmap.Telemap's partnership with MapQuest should help give AOL some much needed leverage against its biggest rivals (i.e. Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft).Although AOL has not hinted at the possibility of purchasing any more Israeli companies in the future, I would not be surprised if they decided to scout out a few...

Can Israel's Fixya.com Save You Money At The Repair Shop?
2007-11-19 06:17:00
While it can not find the solution towards world peace, intergalactic travel or global warming, Fixya.com may be able to help you solve why your mp3 player, camera, TV stopped working, saving you money at the repair shop.(Israel Times) Fixya's motto is "Tech Support for the People by the People". Participative websites become the norm, and their success is growing. ...Fixya.com (formerly 2Techie.com) was founded by 2 entrepreneurs who decided to take advantage of the fact that consumer products manufacturers are not providing adequate support through their web sites.With technical manuals competing for the least user friendly award, geeks and non-geeks alike may find Fixya to be a breathe of fresh air.The site boasts over 700,000 products in its online catalogue and was previously featured on Inside Adsense, an official Google blog.Content Copyright 2006-2007 of IsraGood. All Rights Reserved. Violators (and hosts) can be prosecuted under national and international laws.
More About: Money , Shop , Save , Repair

Video: Israeli Cool Facts (Part Two)
2007-11-19 06:00:00
(Hat Tip: One Jerusalem)It looks as if another video has surface highlighting some of the accomplishments of the Jewish nation.The music is different from a previous video, although it may be familiar to those of you who speak Hebrew.Question: Does anybody know the group responsible for singing this?Content Copyright 2006-2007 of IsraGood. All Rights Reserved. Violators (and hosts) can be prosecuted under national and international laws.
More About: Video , Facts , Cool , Part , Israeli

Ryan Braun: Baseballs First Jewish Rookie Of The Year
2007-11-19 05:36:00
(Image: Ryan Braun , Credit: JS Online) It looks as if Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers has just made history by becoming the first Jewish player to become Rookie of the Year .(Jerusalem Post) Ryan Braun became baseball's first Jewish Rookie of the Year . Braun, the slugging third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers, picked up the award Monday in the National League. In the voting by the Baseball Writers of America, Braun edged Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, 128-126. Although Braun was never raised Jewish by his Israeli dad, he seems to take an immense pride in his Jewish heritage.Note: While Braun will probably decide to remain in the US because of his career, hopefully he will consider signing up with the Israel Baseball League (if he has time during the off season).Content Copyright 2006-2007 of IsraGood. All Rights Reserved. Violators (and hosts) can be prosecuted under national and international laws.

Isaeli Minds Help Intel Create A "Greener" Computer Chip
2007-11-19 05:11:00
(Image Credit: Israel 21st Century) It looks as if Intel Israel may have played a unique role in helping their company develop one of the most environmentally friendly computer chips in the industry.(Israel 21st Century) On Saturday global computer company Intel unveiled its latest addition to its processor family: a new chipset provisionally named 'Penryn.' The innovative hafnium-based "Hi-k" processor, which reduces electricity loss, or "capacitance," through the use of third-generation silicon materials, also does away with the need to incorporate eco-unfriendly lead and halogen materials in the production process. ...The latest Penryn innovation drew upon expertise and experience garnered during the Israeli development of the Centrino processor, Bahar told ISRAEL21c. Such expertise has ensured that "Moore's Law", a high tech axiom which predicts that transistor counts double about every two years, thrives well into the next decade. Not only does the new chip more environmen...
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Enlightened: Why Turks And Jews Love Each Other
2007-11-19 04:43:00
President Shimon Peres (of Israel) recently paid a visit to Turk ey in order to honor Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern day Turkey.While Atakturk may be unfamiliar to those in the US, his role in Jewish history help cement ties between the Jewish state long before the nation of Israel was reborn.(IsraCast.com) Ties between Turkey and the Jewish people go back a long way. Some five-hundred years ago, the Ottoman Empire gave shelter to tens of thousands of Spanish Jews who fled from the Inquisition. They settled in Turkey and many European countries which were under Ottoman rule. More recently, during the rise of the Nazis in the 1930's, Turkish president Mustafa Kemal Atatürk allowed many German Jewish refugees to enter Turkey, despite Ankara's alliance with Nazi Germany. During the Nazi era most of the Jewish communities in Turkish controlled countries of Europe survived the Holocaust. Many of these Jews went on to make their homes in the ancient Jewish homeland of Isra...
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Kosher Food Becoming A Tasty Treat In India, China
2007-11-19 04:15:00
(Hat Tip: Israel National News)It looks as if two of the worlds largest nations (population wise) are finding themselves falling in love with Israeli kosher food.(AP Food Technology.com) "Our largest growth area for new business is China and India ," said Sichel. "And because of that we have offices there." ...Of the consumers buying kosher goods, it is estimated approximately 45 percent are Jewish, while Muslims make up the second largest market at 20 percent. The reason for this is that the market for Halal certification for Muslim consumers in the US is not as developed, and Muslims are permitted by their faith to consume kosher goods when Halal ones are not available.Sichel (in the article) goes on to further explain that the kosher market is growing almost four times faster than the general food market in the east (15% to 4% respectively), an amazing feat when one considers how small the Jewish community is in either country.While some people choose to "go kosher" due to healt...
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Umbilical Stem Cells To The Rescue?
2007-11-14 08:16:00
(Image Credit: Gamida, via Israel 21st Century) Stem cells are often hailed as the "holy grail" that would enable scientists to help patients restore (or heal) sick organs critical for survival.Now it seems as if two Israeli companies (Teva and Gamida Cell) have partnered in order to help patients discover the benefits of stem cells by pulling them from an unlikely source--umbilical cords.(Israel 21st Century) For many patients suffering from blood-based cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma, the odds of survival have historically been poor. Bone marrow transplant treatment improves prospects for some - but suitable donors can generally be found for only 50 percent of patients. For the other half, no match can spell no hope.The StemEx technique, which involves a graft of expanded stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood, has been in clinical development by the Jerusalem-based Gamida Cell for the last five years. Gamida develops stem cell-based therapies to treat blood cancers an...
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Video: Can Israel Revolutionize The Solar Power Industry?
2007-11-14 08:01:00
Unlike most of its Arabian neighbors, Israel lacks major energy resources of any kind (with the exception of Gaza that is).While the governments of other nations are asking companies to come up with more innovative ways of using the expensive oil that they import, one Israeli researcher may have found an inexpensive way to harvest the energy from the sun.(Israel Times) Because Israel is typically a sunny nation, its scientists have established the development of new solar panel that magnifies the sunlight passing through. The researchers claim that the new solar power development would significantly reduce the usual high cost associated with solar power generation.The new panel has a simple reflector that is made up of several mirrors to intensify the sunlight collected. The light collected could intensify for over a thousand times. As a matter of fact, that intensified light could even burn up a person. It is that hot.Only time will tell whether or not Israel adopts this technology...
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Israel's Yedda Purchased By AOL
2007-11-14 07:38:00
After previously purchasing Quigo, it looks as if AOL is purchasing another Israeli company in order to compete against Yahoo! Answers.(TechCrunch) The current plan, says Yedda, is to keep the company as an independent business operating from its current location in Tel Aviv with the current team. They will gradually integrate it into the AOL properties.Yedda has evolved significantly since last year. They still compete directly with Yahoo and others, but they also partner with others to power independent Q&A services as well. There are more than fifty partners working with Yedda now - example partners are ePals and TheJobNetwork. Yedda says those partners now drive 90% of their total traffic.Yedda looks like it might be a hit, with traffic steadily increasing according to TechCrunch. It looks as if the Israeli advice they previously asked for might just pay off after all. ;-)Content Copyright 2006-2007 of IsraGood. All Rights Reserved. Violators (and hosts) can be prosecuted under...
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More Orthodox Jews Joining The Israeli Air Force?
2007-11-14 07:07:00
Haredi (or Orthodox Jews ) are one of the few Israeli citizens exempt from mandatory service within the Israeli defense forces (or IDF). While most Israeli's are expected to serve within the military, Orthodox Jews are often given the option to abstain in order to continue their religious studies.Despite the above option afforded to them, it seems as if 40 Orthodox Jews have decided to help defend their country by enlisting in the Israeli Air Force .(Ynet News) The first ever group of Orthodox Jews was recruited into the Israel Air Force (IAF) last week as part of project "Blue Dawn", Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday. In the framework of the project, 40 haredi men who had drooped out of their yeshiva studies, received training in areas such as aircraft maintenance, mechanics and the arming of fighter jets and helicopters. The recruits all have a low medical profile and cannot serve in combat positions. Although there was some objection to this by the Haredi, overall this is probably ...

Israeli Government Encrouaging "Green" Cars?
2007-11-14 06:59:00
While other governments around the world talk about becoming more energy independent, Israel is actually taking steps toward making this a reality.In an effort to help their citizens avoid the increasing cost of driving on roads, the Israeli government is going to encourage companies to develop "greener," cleaner cars for its citizens.(Globes Online) Prime Minster Ehud Olmert announced today that the government would encourage the development of electric vehicles. Olmert was speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting in which the ministers discussed "green" transportation moves which would conserve energy and help the environment. Olmert said that the government would consider granting experimental incentives to companies and factories that produced electric cars and would also consider deploying a national infrastructure that would enable electric cars to drive on Israel's roads. If Israel is able to help its citizens become energy independent, then its economy would be able to avoid ...
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Israel To Advise China On Securing Olympics
2007-11-14 06:43:00
Despite the fact that the 2008 Olympics are still many months away, China is leaving nothing to chance.In an effort to ensure that the event remains secure for all, China is asking their Israel i friends for advice in securing the Olympics from possible threats.(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) Israel will help Chinese security forces prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.A group of senior Chinese police officers will visit Israel in March for specialized training in counter-terrorism and crowd control ahead of the summer Games, security sources said Sunday.They said the Israeli advisers involved already are undergoing workshops on Chinese regulations and culture in order to ease communications with the trainees.The last thing China (or any nation) desires is for this event to be interrupted by extremists as that would probably be embarrassing for the rising Asian power.In turn, Israel will enjoy assisting the Chinese regarding security, as that means that their athletes will be provided w...

Israeli Scientist To Weaken Hurricanes With Dust?
2007-11-10 03:03:00
(Image: Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Credit: US Air Force) While no one has yet found a way to reduce the wrath of an enraged hurricane, one scientist from Israel thinks that influencing these violent storms may be possible with a "little dust."(Israel 21st Century) According to noted Israeli weather specialist Prof Daniel Rosenfeld of Hebrew University, seeding a hurricane with microscopic dust could sharply reduce its force.The findings of his study - which showed that dust dropped into the lower part of Hurricane Katrina would have reduced wind speeds and diverted its course - were presented last month at the European Conference on Severe Storms in Trieste, Italy.Rosenfeld's concept, which was developed with several colleagues, builds on empirical research which shows that large dust clouds from Africa tend to hinder the formation deep storm clouds and hinder the formation of hurricanes when tropical systems are crossing the Atlantic.Rosenfeld's hypothesis calls for at least 5-10 L...
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Video: Tel Aviv Hailed By UNESCO
2007-11-10 02:50:00
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization (or UNESCO for short) has hailed Tel Aviv as a World Cultural Heritage site due the fact of its many impressive modern buildings.(Israel Times) Tel Aviv offers the world's largest concentration of buildings in the international style and unique architectural gems.European artists fleeing Nazi Germany in the 1930s sprayed the Bauhaus architectural style. The White City is located in the heart of Tel Aviv, along Rothschild Boulevard around Dizengoff Circle and on Bialik Street. In 2003, Tel Aviv was named a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization, joining the prestigious list of 830 sites throughout the world deemed to be of outstanding value to universal human culture, such as the Taj Mahal and the Pyramids.Anyone who has ever visited Israel will probably agree that Tel Aviv is a marvel to look at, especially at night! The modern buildings are an ...
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Bio-Diesel: Can Israel Lead The Market?
2007-11-10 02:09:00
(Image Credit: Asia Times) Often pursued as an alternative to diesel, bio-diesel has the potential to help reduce our dependence on expensive energy sources that often leave our planet in a "not so happy" mood.Unfortunately bio-diesel, like bio-fuel, may be one of those "too good to be true" alternatives, mainly because there is not enough water to feed the plants we eat, as well as run our cars.Despite this, some Israel i researchers feel that their nation could play a vital role in helping our planet become more energy independent.(Globes Online) Israel can become a global leader in the development of crops for biodiesel production, concludes the 7th Energy Forum Samuel Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology. The forum aims to position Israeli renewable energy research and industry on the world map.The participants at the forum believe that Israel has the know-how to help develop the global biodiesel industry, ...
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2010 To Be A Good Year For Israel?
2007-11-10 01:26:00
It looks as if some analysts are predicting that Israel 's electric and tech industries will reach a value of $32 billion within a few years, which is probably good news for anyone investing in Israel (or seeking to become one).(EETimes.com) Israel's electronics and software industries are expected to reach an annual market value of $32 billion in 2010, according to Elisha Yanay, chairman of the Israeli Association of Electronics and Software Industries (IAESI). ...Yanay noted that Israel has 3.2 million fixed line telephone subscribers, 7.18 million mobile phone devices and 2.5 million internet users. In 2006, he said, the local technology industry reached $18.7 billion.Ironically 2010 is not the only date in which Israel is suppose to experience a multitude of blessings.On that year, the Jewish state is also forcasted to triple its trade with China, strengthen its ties with India, and finally have direct flights to Japan.Coincidence?Content Copyright 2006-2007 of IsraGood . All ...
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Darfur Refugees Welcomed By Jewish-Arab Soccor Players
2007-11-10 00:45:00
(Image Credit: Israel 21st Century) After fleeing their native region in Darfur for the holy land, many Sudanese refugee's have been enjoying life in Israel, with some being granted citizenship.While the fate of many have yet to be decided, one Israeli-Arab team took it upon themselves to make sure that these people feel welcome.(Israel 21st Century) Bashar was one of 50 political refugees from war-torn Darfur who was invited to the game as a goodwill gesture by the Mevasseret team, a uniquely mixed Jewish -Arab group from Mevasseret Zion and Abu Gosh, both communities on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The club's president, Alon Liel, said that including the refugees fit into the team's larger concept of promoting coexistence in Israel. ...Bashar, who escaped to Israel alone two years ago, now awaits word as to whether he will be among those permitted to stay. But he was all smiles as he greeted and thanked Liel for the invitation to the game in perfect spoken Hebrew."They are lett...
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Israeli Firms Reinvesting In Russia?
2007-11-09 23:34:00
(Image Credit: AFI Development, via JTA.org) One would think that with the previous relationship Russia has shown towards certain companies that Jewish businessmen (and women) would shy away courting the former USSR.But it seems that relations between Jewish business owners and the Russian government are getting warmer, which may have to do with the fact that Israeli 's are able to not only meet Russian market demands, but actually speak the language.(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) Nevertheless, as Russia experiences surging demand in fields where Israelis have special expertise — including telecommunications, high-tech, medical devices and manufacturing — Israelis are accelerating the pace of their investments in the country.Ehud Ganen, director of the Central and Eastern European Department of Israel’s Trade and Industry Ministry, said the large workforce of Russian speakers in Israel gives Israelis a great advantage."If you are going to enter the Russian market, you need to hir...
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Science Helps Unite Israelis And Palestinians
2007-10-02 05:38:00
(Hat Tip: Isrealli.org)(Image: Mukhles Sowwan, seated, with research team members at the Nanotechnology Research Laboratory at Al-Quds University. Credit: Rina Castelnuovo of the New York Times)With all of the "love" happening between Israel and the West Bank lately, here is something you may not hear about in the news--at least on cable and satellite.A doctor by the name of Mukhles Sowwan at the Al-Quds University (in East Jerusalem) created the Nanotechnology Research Laboratory, the first of its kind in the West Bank and perhaps the Arab world at large.Unfortunately for Sowwan, support for this lab was rather lacking in his area, and if it were not for the efforts of an Israeli scientist, this lab would not be in the position where it is today.(New York Times) The lab pursues ground-breaking research under conditions that would bewilder most American and European technologists. But although Dr. Sowwan is its guiding spirit, it would not exist except for the generosity of European...
More About: Science , Palestinians , Israelis , Palestinian

Mini-Israeli Robot Provides "GPS" For The Brain?
2007-10-02 05:12:00
(Image Credit: Learning Resources)It looks like medical researchers from Israel have developed a mini-robot that will not only help doctors operating on the human mind (a VERY delicate procedure) know exactly where they are within their patients brain.(Israel 21st Century) The robot itself (encased in a sterile blue plastic wrap) weighs in at only 230 grams. For keyhole surgery of the skull, it was fitted with a rigid arm (150 grams) that can guide a needle, probe or catheter to the exact spot that the surgeon wants to target.Targeting is the key word here, Joskowicz told ISRAEL21c. "Most neurosurgical gestures involve targeting. Every millimeter counts, because you work close to nerve roots. You can compare the novel neuro-surgical robot to a GPS. We invented a method to superimpose an MRI or CT image of the patient's brain over an image of the current surgical situation.According to the article, a simple 2 millimeter mistake by a doctor could result in a patient losing their eyes...
More About: Robot , Mini , Brain , Israeli , Robo

AT&T Enters Israeli Market, Gobbles Up Interwise
2007-10-02 04:18:00
It looks as if the telecom giant AT&T will be entering the Israeli market for the first time evah! (note: what took them so long?)AT&T is making its presence known by buying out Interwise, an Israeli company responsible for web conferencing--which for you non geeks out there means they help businesses talk, train, record meetings, etc. in cyberspace.(Globes Online) After a long period without news of sales of Israeli high-tech companies, a major exit was announced today. Telecommunications giant AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T), through one of its subsidiaries, is buying IP network conferencing solutions company Interwise of Israel for $121 million. The acquisition, which is due to be completed by the end of the year, brings AT&T into the Israeli market for the first time. Interwise will continue to operate, as AT&T's local development center within AT&T Global Business Services, which serves the largest enterprises around the world and is led by Group President Ronald E. Spears.According to gl...
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Only In Israel: Olive Pits To Power The World
2007-09-28 03:03:00
Image: Genova's pilot plant in Julis (a Druze village), Credit: Israel 21st Century With all of the other useful ways Israeli's are discovering to power our crowed planet, this by far has to be the most humorous (in a good way).After consuming an olive, most people prefer to simply discard the pits, seeing them unfit for the stomach but fit to rot among all of God's creatures.But one scientist has decided to take olive pits (along with other olive wastes) and find a way to convert into energy.(Israel 21st Century) First, the olive waste is heated and dried and then it is introduced into the reactor. Here it undergoes two processes, pyrolysis and gasification, which involve the biomass being heated to 800 degrees centigrade, at which temperature its molecules break down. A combination of high-calorie gases including methane and carbon monoxide are produced which, because they are lighter than air, flow upwards through a pipe into a standard gas turbine to generate electricity in t...
More About: Power , World , The World , Olive

Would You Pay $200,000 For A North American Immigrant?
2007-09-28 01:57:00
It looks as if Israel will (in the future) be ramping up their Aliyah campaign for Jews living in North America (which probably refers to Jews living in the United States and Canada, as I am not too sure what the Jewish society is like in Mexico).A new study has recently come out highlighting that a Jew who commits Aliyah (or immigrates to Israel) may be worth up to $200,000 a piece!(Globes Online) A study on the economic impact of immigration from North America found that the value to the Israeli economy of an immigrant from there was $200,000. This estimate is based on level of education, professional experience, participation in the labor force after immigrating, and financial assets. The study found that immigrants from North America had a 90% rate of participation in the labor force after one year in Israel.This rate of participation is far greater than the participation rate of Israelis and of immigrants from many other areas. In addition, the average output of an immigrant fr...
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Cell Therapy Helping Crippled PAD Patients Walk Again
2007-09-28 01:37:00
It looks like a new cell treatment developed in Israel may help those suffering from peripheral arterial disease (or PAD) to be able to once again enjoy using limbs (such as legs) that were crippled by this disease.(Israel 21st Century) The resulting cell-based therapy, MultiGene Angio (MGA), harnesses cells taken from the patient's body (sometimes a 10 cm. vein segment stripped from under the arm), activates them with the insertion of specific genes in a lab, and injects them back into the patient's artery.These new empowered cells are designed to trigger angiogenesis, improving blood flow to the leg, arm, or heart - in the case of patients with blocked coronary arteries - by causing small blood arteries to expand and grow, bypassing the blocked arteries."Everyone develops some collateral arteries, even those with gangrene who will eventually have to undergo amputation," Flugelman tells ISRAEL21c. "We can enlarge these arteries and prevent the need for amputation." There are curr...
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Can Israeli Lasers Fix Glaucoma Eyes?
2007-09-25 06:14:00
(Image Credit: Israel 21st Century)Glaucoma is one of those "inevitable diseases" that many people acquire as they age into the golden years of their life.Previously in order to remove (or counter) this disease, patients had to undergo risky surgery that can potentially damage the eye or use somewhat effective drugs to counteract the "the silent sight thief."Fortunately it seems as if an Israeli scientists new piece of technology could not only reduce the risk of surgery, but enable surgeons with little experience to perform this complex surgery.(Israel 21st Century) And Assia is one of the few eye surgeons in the world who can perform the procedure. It requires a surgeon to scrape off a thin layer of the wall of the eye, leaving only a razor thin layer (5%) intact. This layer has to be thin enough for the excess liquid to drain out of the eye and thick enough that the eye remains protected.Performing such a surgery is like balancing on a tightrope: It is both difficult and extremel...
More About: Eyes , Lasers

Google Israel Improves Google Trends
2007-09-25 05:55:00
It looks like the Google Israel team has done a fantastic job at making Google Trends a lot more useful.Globes Online highlighted that Google's offices in Tel Aviv had improved upon this product, which is confirmed when one visits the post on Google's corporate blog.(Official Google Blog) Fortunately, Google Trends is now updated every day with the latest information. (Until now, Trends was only updated once a month.) Now we can follow the console race (or any other topic) every 24 hours, whether it's The Office vs Heroes or the candidates for the next presidential election.In addition to daily updates, we've also created an iGoogle gadget and a feed for Hot Trends. If you have ever wanted to know what the Internet was thinking right now, Hot Trends can tell you just that. Hot Trends shows you what the fastest rising search queries are on Google. Now you can keep track of Hot Trends three ways: by visiting the site, adding the gadget to your homepage, or subscribing to the feed ...
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Congress Rebukes Anti-Israel Insurance Companies
2007-09-25 05:34:00
(Image Credit: Wikipedia)Despite the fact that I work in the insurance field, I was a bit surprised to learn that there existed some insurance companies that displayed "business bias" towards those visiting Israel by charging higher premiums.Congress seems to have been outraged by this, and the House just passed a measure banning this practice.(Globes Online) The travel fairness provisions included in bill protect travelers from denial of life insurance, simply because they may plan international travel or have traveled internationally in the past. The bill is designed to protect passengers against insurance companies that refuse to sell life insurance policies on the basis of an applicant's past travel or future plans, or which charge a high and unwarranted premium on passengers with certain flight patterns. This practice particularly affects business travelers from the US to Israel, with the result that US executives of some companies have avoided making business trips to Israel....
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Tourism In Israel Is Up, Up, Up!
2007-09-25 05:17:00
(Hat Tip: Israel Times)After suffering a brief slump during the Second Lebanon War, it looks as if Israel's tourism has not only recovered, but many hotels are expecting a record year for 2007.(Jerusalem Post) About 223,000 tourists entered the country last month, boosting the total by 9.1% to 1.46 million in the eight months through August, the Central Bureau of Statistics said Tuesday. Arrivals in August 2006 fell because of the Second Lebanon War, which broke out the month before. ..."It's been the best-ever July and August," said Rafi Baeri, vice president of marketing and sales at the Dan Hotels Corp. He said that the hotel chain, which owns the historic King David Hotel in Jerusalem and 12 other four- and five-star hotels around the country, is expecting a "record" year for 2007. Even more tourists are expected in Israel next week as 6,000 Christians from over 90 countries will be participating in the upcoming Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot) in Jerusalem.Israel's tourism...
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