Protein folding

 A British computer company has solved the problem of protein folding. I met this area in Tel Aviv University, chatting with a young researcher. He explained to me what he was doing but I not see the relevance of the issue, he looked just another sitting in front a computer. That was forty years ago. 

This advance in artificial intelligence means that in one or two generations, all what will be left for humanity to do is Facebook: cooking and baking, sports and computer games, entertainment. Maybe not: competition and war will require us to advance evermore. I can see no end nor purpose. I would like to believe in God that has arranged all this and it means good. Depressing.

High Quality Cannabis

 

Already I have planned two cannabis farms, but newer things are appearing in the horizon. In Tzipporit, the Galilee, an indoor vertical farm is being erected with an investment of ten million dollars. The IPO has been announced and the demand is strong. Traditional open air agriculture is passe. Cannabis needs new lines with high content of desired molecules. Dr Chaim Tzaban's dream of developing a suitcase export agriculture (meaning export oriented very high value plant products) is slowly becoming reality. 

The place is in the middle of densely populated Arab area. The villages have spread and from the satellite one can see house upon house in a disordered pattern, with no open air cultivated land left. The Galilee is becoming an urban Arab slum. 

(Personal: My childhood friend Victor Haar is dying in a hospital in Buenos Aires. Corona virus. An irreplaceable loss, at my age cannot make new friends.) 

Our Ally the Saudi King

There is an Arab saying that "Christians secretly fear Jewish power because the Jews crucified their Prophet, while Muslims have no fear because the Prophet Muhammed defeated the Jews in the battle of Khaybar".  Thus, normal, peaceful relations with the Muslims are possible and are only a question of time and opportunity. And the time has come, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met Saudi Arabia’s crown prince in the kingdom on Sunday. I foresee the time when the Americans get tired of protecting the oil fields, as did the British seventy years ago, the role may well fall on Zahal.

Israel reconnects with the global oil market

 In a modest way, I am working on the water and sewage infrastructure renovation of the Ashkelon oil terminal, preparing to convey Gulf oil to Europe and China maybe. Seventy years after the abandonment of the TAP Line, after many failed projects (like the society with the Shah) and after not less than seventy years of persistent efforts, we are back in the oil market.  

Is high IQ a disease? Are high IQ people criminals?

Make short exploration on the internet about IQ and you will be surprised that the items you are directed to suggest that high IQ is something horrible, detestable, sick, that people who has contracted it is barely able to carry on with their lives. I say contracted because there is no indication that it may be inherited, moreover, if to believe the internet, it probably does not exist. In this situation, may be it would be advantageous to stop blogging to  avoid trouble. For no gain to me. Once I stopped and deleted my blog, I may do it again. 

Another one hits the dust

 

Ahmed Fakhrizadeh (left) was the leader of Iran's nuclear weapon project. He was approached by anonymous assailants who shot him in the head. He is now dead yet Iran's atomic energy organization spokesman says there's no incident involving nuclear scientists. Well, if they say so it must be so. As for me, the CIA never misses from short distance. 

There will be no floods

The Bible assures that there will be no more floods and that the rainbow is a re- affirmation that the pact is still valid.

Pic. this morning in Israel.  
 

Life expectancy

 Surprisingly, people lives longest in Hong Kong. For males, we at 81.1 are in the top rank with Japan and the best European countries. Israel differs from the rest in that its population is growing. It is because the Jewish religion that is definitively pro-life. We have a good, long life here. 

Countries and regions by life expectancy at birth in 2018 (2019 report)^[7][8][9]

Rank	Countries and regions	Life expectancy at birth (in years)
		Overall	Female	Male
1	Hong Kong	84.7	87.6	81.8
2	Japan	84.5	87.5	81.1
3	Singapore	83.8	85.8	81.5
4	Italy	83.6	85.5	81.7
5	Spain	83.4	86.1	80.7
	Switzerland	83.4	85.3	81.1
7	Australia	83.3	85.3	81.3
8	Iceland	82.9	84.4	81.3
9	Israel	82.8	84.4	81.1
	South Korea	82.8	85.8	79.7
11	Sweden	82.7	84.4	80.9

The Unfinished Caucasus War

 The impossible geopolitical situation after the retirement of Armenian forces from Nagorno-Karabakh will certainly result in another war in the next ten years. Azerbaijan has no territorial continuity, and parts of it are still occupied by Armenia. The big powers like Russia and Turkey should let the war continue till a feasible geography was achieved, or a clear winner that can dictate its terms. Now we have an unresolved conflict, both parties will rearm and wait for the next opportunity to get even. 

This war resulted also in a triumph of Turkish and Israeli weapons. Turkey has grown into a serious industrial power. Under Biden, it is the regional hegemon. In a modest way, our products will be in demand. 

I feel Kelvin Helmholtz Waves

Sudden change in wind speed and direction produces turbulent eddies i.e. Kelvin Helmholtz Waves. For two months I hoarded cash, not knowing what to do with it. Today I felt a sudden change in the stock exchange, and the re-birth of hope and activity. I started to buy stock, including fossil oil and gas, BAZAN (the local refinery), Cherry, a Chinese car maker owned by an Israeli concern. The shekel is stronger than ever, 3.3 shekel per USdollar, making Tel Aviv one of the most expensive cities of the world. The cheapest apartment in Kfar Saba sells for 2 - 3 million shekels. My youngest daughter wants to leave the kibbutz, to live near her sisters. Her boyfriend is unemployed and depressed, as are those in the music/entertainment industry.

Did the Voting Machines "vote" for Biden?

 Basically, I know nothing about the last American elections and my opinion is worthless. The Republicans are promising to prove in court that Biden's election was through a massive, organized fraud. They think that the judges will throw out their cases because they were hired in Obama's time, and they are decided to go on appealing up to the High Court. This will take a year, at least. A "balagan" (a disorderly house, a Hebrew expression inherited from the Ottomans) of Biblical proportions.  

Civilization!

Lully, Versailles 400 years ago. 

Azeri troops enter Aghdam

Azeri Troops moved into the district of Aghdam, one of three due to be handed back. Armenia will also hand over the Kalbajar district wedged between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia on November 25 and the Lachin district by December 1.  

It follows that Turkey's prestige is growing in the region. In a certain way, Turkey works as a counterweight to Iran.  

Where value is

 

Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is making large bets on Big Pharma companies.  It has sold Apple and big banks and bought 21 million shares of Abbvie, 22 million of Merck, 3.7 million shares of Pfizer and nearly 30 million shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb. 

Apparently Buffett is abandoning physical "moat" enterprises and even "high tech" and is going for health research. 

China will organize this planet

 

The chaos unleashed on the world by America abandoning its responsibilities (for example, NATO and the Middle East) is being filled by China. Today the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership was signed under the aegis of Communist China. This agreement spans 15 countries and 2.2 billion people, or nearly 30% of the world's population, their combined GDP totals roughly $26 trillion and account for 28% of global trade.  As Biden has noticed (see former entrée)  America lost its leadership and each small tribe is making treaties with its neighbors - treaties or wars like Armenia/Azerbaijan. The trend is to Russia taking care of the Soviet area, China responsible for East Asia, Germany leading Europe. America and Britain - quo vadis?

Biden's Program is good for us

In January, Biden published his program in Foreign Affairs. I copy the section that seems more relevant to Israel.

The Biden foreign policy agenda will place the United States back at the head of the table, in a position to work with its allies and partners to mobilize collective action on global threats. The world does not organize itself. For 70 years, the United States, under Democratic and Republican presidents, played a leading role in writing the rules, forging the agreements, and animating the institutions that guide relations among nations and advance collective security and prosperity—until Trump. If we continue his abdication of that responsibility, then one of two things will happen: either someone else will take the United States’ place, but not in a way that advances our interests and values, or no one will, and chaos will ensue. Either way, that’s not good for America.

Basically, he want to recover America's role as universal hegemon, organizing the world so it can function with minimum conflicts and maximum security for all. In the past, that world was good for us. Let's hope for the best.  But I would not let him to touch nor kiss my granddaughters. 

 

Hamas attacks Tel Aviv

Last night HAMAS fired two rockets to Tel Aviv. Wiki says that a rocket consists of a steel cylinder, containing a rectangular block of the propellant. A steel plate which forms and supports the nozzles is then spot-welded to the base of the cylinder. The warhead consists of a simple metal shell surrounding the explosives, and is triggered by a fuse constructed using a simple firearm cartridge, a spring and a nail. The rockets were intercepted in air, some fragments fell in Rishon LeZion, the boom was heard in my town too. The Hamas, in Gaza, announced that they are on the way to victory over Israel. 

Epidemic Blues

I am working very slowly and constantly distracted. I have promised an important project and am unable to comply with any deadline. On the table are a supermarket permit, very urgent, yet it is taking me now three days and yet cannot see the end. Waiting is KATZA'A, two new food shops, the very large garage and the northern shopping center. And I have rejected many orders. Cannot cope. And why did I complicated myself in these jobs? I do not need the money. My daughters do not accept my money. I have retired a decade ago. My grandchildren need nothing. Each one of them seems to have a children fashion outlet at home, and a toys shop. Old Jews like me are walking in the street, exercising. Well, now, to work. Arbeit!  The medals are East Germany's Workers Medals, in their three ranks (probably gold, silver, bronze, although I can't see the difference). 

I also deserve the  Stakhanovite (стахановское) medal. 

What was going on in Toobin's head?

 Journalist Jeffrey Toobin, who was fired by CNN and The New Yorker after he was caught masturbating on a zoom call last month in full view of colleagues.

Biowarfare Ranking

 

This year there was a ferocious effort to develop fast a vaccine against this novel COVID-19. America budgeted many billion dollars to this project. The result is unknown. Russia announced two weeks ago that they have a Sputnik vaccine, and yesterday the German Pfizer reached the goal. Conclusion: Russia (and Germany) are leading. Where are America, China, Japan, Korea, Israel and other advanced countries? 

Azerbaijan's Victory

The peace has been signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan,  Armenia gave up all the territories occupied by the Azeris. The military triumph was brought by drones: the excellent Turkish drones (pic) and the Israeli observation drones and the kamikaze loitering ammunition. The Armenians had no answer to these new flying weapons.  

What now? Erdogan will be encouraged to apply his drone power in other aggressions. Israel will sell more of its battle proved products. 

First day of Biden

 

Pfizer and a small German vax company announced an effective COVID 19 vaccine. Biden won the American elections. My portfolio grew some 5% . Tech shares are out; airplanes and tourism are back. The Democrats are purging their socialist members. 

End of the Mink Industry

 Denmark is culling 17 million minks because they caught the corona virus. This was an industry that operated in secret and escaped the ire of the animal rights fanatics. Now that everybody can see pictures of these lovely animals condemned to the gas chambers, the industry cannot continue in Europe anymore. BTW, minks are sanguinary predators.  

The Left Won. Now, What?

 Trump's victory four years ago was a miracle. Could not last. Now, what? America wants to become a mixed race society, dominated by rioting Africans. The model is South Africa. It is not a totally failed country, the economy is growing, people is being fed. It has large pockets of African misery and power-water-transport and other public utilities that are unable to operate. A drought last year left Capetown without water. Phantasy projects like corn-to-fuel will again waste America's resources. America will descend to Flint's level of corruption, but much of it will start to resemble Flint - Detroit and Chicago already are. That is what there is - my grandchildren will have to deal with that. 

Fake News on Biden

All the denials in the world can’t hide the possible president-elect’s worsening dementia. At a recent campaign event, Biden introduced his granddaughter as if she were his dead son: “This is my son Beau Biden, who a lot of you helped elect to the Senate in Delaware.” Wrong gender, wrong generation, wrong sentence. He tried to correct himself. “This is my granddaughter, Natalie.” Actually, Natalie is a different granddaughter. His son Beau died five years ago. Beau never even ran for the Senate. This is dementia, not “stuttering.” 

In my world, a 77 y.o. man makes mistakes. I for instance, do. In October 2009, Beau - Joe's beloved son -  was considering a run for the Senate. He would have been elected but died of cancer before. Is this mistake in an emotionally charged point predictive? This tragic old man is mourning, sure. Who would not? 

Xeroxat stimulating zooplancton growth

Human antidepressants are found in wastewater and they end up in nature," says Professor Sigurd Einum at the Norwegian University (NTNU). Small changes in the concentration of dopamine affect daphnia, a water flea, stimulating its growth rate and behavior.

New pandemic COVID-20

The State Serum Institute of Denmark warns the world that the corona virus has mutated in minks and infected humans. The new strain shows diminished sensitivity towards antibodies. There are between 15 million and 17 million mink in Denmark. Minks are being culled also in the Netherlands and Spain.

Our Tanks in Beirut

 I remember when Israel conquered Beirut (pic). My colleagues in the office were lamenting that we had to do it. I was the sole dissenter who said that it was good to win wars and occupy enemy capitals. My generation are Diaspora Jews who are afraid of  walking erect and winning a fight. 

Vienna: Attack on a synagogue

  

It is frightening to be a Jew in Europe. 

Change Will Come from Outside

 The Israeli left is so despondent and desperate, that they are begging for foreign intervention.  The despicable fishwrap I read, HaAretz, publishes today a long article by someone called Ilem, who arrives to the conclusion that even in the case that Netaniyahu is expelled (מסולק), nothing will change. 

The only possibility of change in Israel, for Ilem, is the wholesale elimination of the elite. He envisions that globalization will lead to its fading away as they adopt a cosmopolitan world view and leave to countries that offer brighter opportunities. 

This was (and continues to be) the illusion of the Arab leadership, that never understood what these highly educated and wealthy Jews are looking for in this remote, malarial, impoverished corner of the Middle East. Pic.: The Palestine Water Supply Company, Tzfat 1920. 

Israel's busiest industrial zone

 

Driving home from Ariel, I enter sometimes to the industrial zone of Kfar Kassem  - not the upper Jewish Qesem but the lower Arab illegal area. I like the generous salami sandwiches and the air of informal Arab shuk atmosphere.  The place is a lowland, flooded in winter, dirt roads, chaotic and noisy, extending over 2800 dunams (over 500 acres) of land zoned for agricultural use adjacent to Kfar Kasem, at the junction of Route 5 and Route 6 (the Trans-Israel Highway). In the "Heart of Israel". 

It is known that the Kfar Kasem Municipality had issued hundreds of permits for “agricultural and livestock pens” – but in the entire compound, there’s not one single, solitary little sheep to be found. With these fictitious permits, hundreds of massive industrial structures have been built, which are being used illegally as warehouses and logistical centers, and as commercial, industrial and leisure facilities. The city of Kfar Kassem collects about 10 million dollar municipal taxes per year. 

Every Israeli institution wants to regularize the situation, to build drainage and internal and connection roads, etc. Kfar Kassem has about 50,000 Arab inhabitants, and political power. Not even the police wants to perturb the peace. The Municipality does nothing regularize and legitimate the situation, why should they since they love the chaos, the freedom and the multiple possibilities for corruption.