Israel's Moving Answer to Obama's 'Smart Grid'

"Moving," as in personal transportation. From today's New York Times:

DETROIT — Years ago, when Shai Agassi started promoting his idea of service stations to recharge electric cars, the automotive world barely took notice.

At the time, gas was cheap, big pickups and S.U.V.’s ruled American roads, and alternative-fuel vehicles seemed destined to remain a tiny niche for green-minded consumers and technophiles.

But now nearly every major auto company in the world has committed to building electric cars, and President Obama has made reducing oil consumption a centerpiece of his energy policy.

This, I believe, will be big. Very big. And soon. And that's a very good thing.

Music Video: Israel's 'Coolooloosh' Iz Rockin' Da' Bayit

Seriously big fun with Coolooloosh:

"In 2003, five extremely talented musicians from Jerusalem, Israel, and around the world, found each other and came together to form one of the most unique and dynamic forces in the music world as we know it today. Suitability named 'Coolooloosh,' a Jerusalemite word for celebration and joy; this is precisely what the band exhumes with each and every exciting performance. Wooing fans around the world with their intelligent blend of genres, Coolooloosh combining Hip Hop, Rap, Jazz, and Funk, is one of Israel’s most popular groups, and is one of the very few well known emerging acts that can pull it off.'"

Like I said, seriously big fun. From a profile on Israeli21c:

"Now, fresh off its first year of touring internationally and recording an album in the United States, the band is a rising star in a sea of tough competitors. With its hopping tunes that mix everything from Middle Eastern beats to Hasidic-like jigs to familiar hip-hop rhythms, the band is convinced it is "a dynamic force" ready to take on the world."

"I can see they're a little crazy and great musicians," says Coolooloosh's US producer David Ivory in a home video made by the band, "...but in this business there are a lot of people making music, and these guys are serious."

Ivory, a Grammy-nominated producer known for his work with Erykah Badu and The Roots, invited Coolooloosh to Philadelphia in early 2008 to record its second album, Elements of Sound - a collection of songs that leap ahead of the group's first record, Coolooloosh.

(H-T: Israel21c)

Six Years: A Personal Requiem for STS-107, Shuttle Columbia

Patti Labelle singing, "Way Up There."

Elegy for Columbia
By Dave Bender

Growing up in Florida among the sleepy citrus groves, I spent years immersed in stories, images and sheer wonder at the US space program. My room was littered with posters and photos, books and magazines, Super-8 filmstrips and ViewMaster slides of the Apollo, Gemini and Mercury space shots. Plastic models of futuristic craft from 2001 a Space Odyssey; novels by Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury and kindred sci-fi writers were close refuge to another, beckoning dimension for a small-town kid growing up near Tampa in the 1960s.

"Sometimes my family and I would pack the car and drive cross-state to Cape Canaveral, parking along the roads miles away from the looming launch pads, waiting anxiously to see that distant spurt of orange-red flame and billowing smoke far-off past the mangroves and coastal marsh; waiting for the luminous white arc, an ethereal exclamation point slicing through the brilliant Florida skies, memories flowing onto scratched and faded films and photographs of the era.

"Years later, as a high school student in Houston, Texas, I'd visit the museum at NASA's Mission Control Center with it's relics of moon shots, Saturn-V rockets and boosters; giants' toys casually sprawled across neatly manicured lawns. The hulking fossils, reminders of man’s greatest scientific feat in reaching the moon overshadowed any thoughts of the people who made it so – their families and their friends. I took it all for granted, a not-so-little kid still lost in the wonder of spaceflight, but unaware of the effort’s true engine.

"And then decades later, on February 1, 2003, I was shocked – devastated – at the urgent news reports that marked the close of a Sabbath in Israel. Columbia was lost, its crew killed. I tried to find the words to explain to my own children that Ilan Ramon, a payload specialist aboard Columbia, and Israel’s first astronaut, had simply vanished in an instant far above the world, leaving behind only ripped relics and luminous white streaks in the blue skies high above Texas. Live radio reports telling America, Israel, and the rest of the world joined with jittery, handheld-camera clips; memories flowing into digital files of the era.

"Months later, I met with the bereaved families, NASA and Israeli officials at a memorial service on a cold, windy bluff outside of Jerusalem. The shared elegy of pain was all so close, so personal. Mrs. Ellen Husband, the widow of flight commander Rick, barely managed to choke back tears when I asked her if she felt the presence of her husband among us as we stood among the saplings planted to commemorate the Columbia Seven.

""Oh, yes... I do,' she said, with conviction.

"Interviewing Husband and the others, I felt a deep, near-inexplicable bond as a very personal circle closed -- both with grief over the very public loss of their loved ones -- and as an American-born Israeli, coping with the ever-present threat of sudden, tragic loss far closer to Earth."

"As I watched Husband's young son Matthew water the supple Pistachio sapling, set among six others in the loamy clods of holy earth, a boy of about Matthew's age, sitting riveted to TV coverage of an Apollo countdown somewhere under brilliant Florida skies murmured a last goodbye, and a blessing for the memory of seven heroes."

By Caroline B. Glick. From: Jerusalem Post, February 1, 2003:

"In 1981, IAF Col. Ilan Ramon flew one of the F-16 jets that blew up the Iraqi nuclear reactor in Osirak. In so doing he saved the country and perhaps the entire world from the specter of a nuclear holocaust.

"For the past 16 days, as Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon again saved us. This time he was not armed with a payload of bombs on a fighter craft. This time Ramon set off for outer space on the Columbia space shuttle, armed with a picture of the Earth as seen from the moon drawn by a Jewish boy in Theresienstadt concentration camp (see Moon Landscape drawing), a torah scroll from Bergen Belsen, a microfiche copy of the bible, the national flag and the dreams and hopes of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Ramon saved us this time not by clearing our skies of the threat of nuclear attack, but by reminding us of who we are and of what we can accomplish if we only have faith in ourselves."

Video of Israel from Columbia:
http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/history/sts107-israel.wmv

Imagine: On Love, John Lennon & The Jews

Yes, we're talkin' 'bout John and Yoko's revolution, and Jews in Hare Krishna orange gowns and all kinds a' hella' deepy stuff...

"For starters, even assuming the One-Worlders could ever bring us peace, which they most definitively cannot, it would only be at the price of a terrorist, totalitarian, socially engineered nightmare that would make George Orwell and Aldous Huxley wet their pants. That is the only possible, earth-bound consummation of the words: “Imagine all the people, living life in peace.” (Stop humming.) If you’ve got no will, no emotions, no preferences and no special ties left to speak of, I guess that’ll take the fight out of you pretty good, all right."

The essay is long, starts kinda' slow, but - really - picks up steam and, IMHO, is essential reading to understand many things about the world today.

No jokes or snarky Internet comments from me about this one. I read it a decade ago when it was new, and it still hits home.

Please listen to the video, and make the time to read it closely.

Your comments are welcome.

Thank you.
Dave

Israeli Historian-Author in Surprising NPR Interview (audio)

NPR affiliate KQED hosts Israeli historian Benny Morris to discuss the war in Gaza.

This is a very illuminating, fast-moving discussion. Worth a listen:


Morris, among many other books, authored "1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War," which is considered a standard of reference on the issue by many of his peers.

Morris, a professor in the Middle East Studies Department at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, was once renowned among the bon ton as a hard-leftist in Israeli political terms, but over the last few years has come out with a number of analyses and op-eds tilting toward a distinctly pro-Zionist point-of-view.

Over the years, Morris has taken flak from both the Left and Right over his writings - although, it should be said, that doesn't automatically mean he's actually right down the middle - wherever that may be by your lights.

Jerusalem: A Streetcar Undesired

(I love headlines that pretty much write themselves, don't you?)


The Wall Street Journal has an excellent feature look at a major imbroglio making tracks across the Holy City. And that's precisely the problem:

At a time when conflict over Gaza is pouring yet more poison into the gulf separating Israelis from Palestinians, a repeatedly stalled and still unfinished Jerusalem tram project is galvanizing the city's feuding camps against a common foe.

The whole project, says Mayor Nir Barkat, voicing a view widely shared across religious and ethnic lines, has been "a very negative experience."

I took photos of the first groundbreaking at the entrance to the city several years ago, for The Jerusalem Post's, "In Jerusalem," weekly metro magazine. I'll add photos and maps soon, so stop back.

Meanwhile, read the rest.

Official project page (Hebrew, with English and photos)

Wikipedia.

Drora has some great photos.

(H-T: Harry)

Noted Israeli Left-Wing Pundit: 'Shock & Awe' Against Gaza (audio)

More and more, Israel's military response to Hamas' in Gaza is making some pretty surprising bedfellows.

Yaron London is one striking example.

He's a thoughtful, veteran tv, radio and print commentator and self-described left-winger from way back. His two shekels worth of punditry on affairs of the day are taken seriously by many, including by many Israeli political rightists.

However, on a recent morning drive radio talk show with fellow left-winger Razi Barkai - on Army Radio, mind you (a bastion of "indie" thought, suprisingly enough - not at all like most national military media which usually function as media lapdogs for senior brass), he comes out with nothing less than a "'War Is Hell,' and the Palestinians brought it upon themselves by voting for Hamas," POV.

I am looking for a print version of this in Hebrew or English - anyone got a link?

London, IMHO, often comes across as a classic case of a fairly unctuous spokesman of the "chattering classes," who, if translated into an American milieu might be in the realm of say, Tom Friedman of the New York Times, or one of the less screechy columnists at The UK's The Guardian newspaper.

But - unlike some other Israeli pundits and opinion-makers - London lives in Israel and has a reputation to uphold, so for him to come out with his unprecedented remarks about Gaza is even more of a shock - not the least of which to his interviewer.

A gut-check tells me that this may be a bellweather of what Hamas and the Arab world may self-inflict via the IDF and with a shuddering, teeth-grinding approval by major Israeli left-wingers if the current conflict continues: "Their civilians or ours? So be it. Theirs."

While the translation below is from right-wing Israel National Radio, who likely fist-pumped the air and went, "Yeeeeah!!!," over this, I listened to the segment, and can vouch for the accuracy and contextuality of the translation:

London first outlined his views in an article in Yediot Acharonot, and then elaborated upon them for clearly-shocked interviewer Razi Barkai on Army Radio.

“It appears that we have exhausted the options of moderating Hamas fanaticism with measured responses,” London wrote, “and the time has come to shock the Gaza population with actions that until now have nauseated us - [such as] killing the political leadership, causing hunger and thirst in Gaza, blocking off energy sources, causing widespread destruction, and being less discriminating in the killing of civilians. There is no other choice.”

Asked by Barkai, a veteran left-wing broadcaster in his own right, why there is no choice, London responded, “The strategy of modular and gradual pressure has not brought the desired results. We cannot absorb any more Kassams, we cannot fortify the entire south, we cannot take over Gaza because the price will be too heavy, and gradual pressure has only made Hamas and the Gaza population even tougher and more fanatic. I therefore concluded that there are only two remaining options: being extra nice to them, or being extra tough –"

Barkai interrupts and says, “There is a third option: negotiations with Hamas.”

London: “Which will bring what?”

Barkai: “I have no idea, but it is a possibility, at least in theory.”

London: “Negotiations will lead only to a ceasefire, whose duration will be determined solely in accordance with Hamas interests; we will not come out of that period with a greater advantage in terms of arms and weapons…”

Asked how he can guarantee that a tougher Israeli offensive will yield the desired results, London said: “Experience in past wars shows me that if we are tough enough, then at a certain stage, their standing-power will break… I am referring to both the population and their leadership; they are the same, because the population voted for Hamas. I can’t separate between one who voted for Hamas and a Hamas leader.”

Barkai: "We will have to deal with very difficult pictures of hungry children –"

London: "Yes."

Barkai: "and destroyed houses –"

London: "Yes."

Barkai: "and dead unarmed civilians, etc. How will we be able to deal with this?"

London: "Everyone in Gaza is armed… There is a consensus in Israel that the time has come to take action. We cannot fortify Ashdod, and Netivot, and Sderot, and bear this disgrace."

Barkai: "There might be thousands of dead?"

London: "I hope not – I hope that one real blow will put an end to this before we get to that."

Barkai: "Give me an example of such a blow."

London: "I don’t want to give an example, but you can go back to history and see."

Barkai: [short pause] "The only thing I can think of, and that you apparently don’t want to say, is the bombing of cities such as in World War II."

London: "Right. You don’t need to bomb a whole city; a quarter of a borough should be enough…"

Barkai finally asked, “Tell me, have you undergone an – I don’t want to say ‘ideological crisis’ because that sounds too high-brow, but perhaps a little crisis—"

London: "My brothers in Sderot are what brought me to this."

Barkai uses his trademark phrase: “Ki ma?” [Because what?]

London: "Because I can’t take the idea of little frightened girls running around in the streets of Sderot. That’s the whole thing. You can tolerate it for a certain amount of time, like the kibbutzim of the Jordan Valley did, or if it’s only a small amount of terror organizations, or whatever. But when an entire population of 1.5 million [Gaza Arabs] voted for this Hamas government, then this population has to bear the responsibility. That’s the whole story."

To hear the interview in its entirety (in Hebrew), click here.

Kittens, a Roomba & Israeli - Palestinian Peace

Mideast peace is doable, I say, doable! Y'see, if we can get a mess 'o' kittenz to sit together on a Roomba robovac, can settling our differences around the roaring Middle East maelstrom be far behind?!

Whaaaat? Hey - just enjoy the good vibes for a change, like, umm, the kittens...

Jerusalem: 'Playing for Mime' (original photography)

Playing for Mime (Dave Bender) Click on the image for the full-size photos.

Friday morning at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda open air market: Local street-theater artist, "The Purple Man," freezes, until passersby drop a coin or two into his guitar case. They he plays for another 15-seconds, until he again goes rigid.

Last I heard the cops ran him off for drawing too big a crowd and causing a public disturbance [sigh].


Friday morning at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda open air market: a beggar with a headset microphone and tambourine wishes passersby a good, peaceful Sabbath. (Dave Bender)

Ha. Haha. Like Friday shopping at Mahane Yehuda isn't a public disturbance, anyway...


Friday at Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda open air market, a veteran hawker sells trinkets from a rolling cart. (Dave Bender)


A hero of the Revolution now shops for Shabbat. (Dave Bender)

Just imagine the things this elderly Russian immigrant has seen in his lifetime, including what he experienced in the service of the Soviet Red Army in order to merit those battle pins and medallions.

Shabbat Shalom, and have a great weekend.

'I Occupied Your House in Gaza'

This editorial cartoon appeared in 1956 in a Swiss newspaper. Then Egyptian leader, Gamal Abdel Nasser, and the dog in one panel, here represent "fedayun" cross-border Sinai terror attacks into Israel. Israeli David Ben Gurion, pre-state Zionist leader and Israel's first and longest-serving Prime Minister turns a repeated blind eye, until he - finally - retaliates after repeated provocations. Note the peanut gallery representing Arab and international opinion. My how things haven't changed a whit. Note my lack of surprise.

Such an image appearing in a Swiss media outlet? Now that's a surprise.
(Image H-T: Sina)
---
Yes, it's all over the intertubes. I'm posting it anyway; it needs to be read, and re-read because it's about the clearest, simplest thing out there at the moment about the conflict between Israel and Hamas - from one who's taking part in it:

An Open Letter to A citizen Of Gaza
I Am the Soldier Who Slept In Your
By: Yishai G (reserve soldier)

Hello,

While the world watches the ruins in Gaza, you return to your home which remains standing. However, I am sure that it is clear to you that someone was in your home while you were away.

I am that someone.

I spent long hours imagining how you would react when you walked into your home. How you would feel when you understood that IDF soldiers had slept on your mattresses and used your blankets to keep warm.

I knew that it would make you angry and sad and that you would feel this violation of the most intimate areas of your life by those defined as your enemies, with stinging humiliation. I am convinced that you hate me with unbridled hatred, and you do not have even the tiniest desire to hear what I have to say. At the same time, it is important for me to say the following in the hope that there is even the minutest chance that you will hear me.

Read the rest.