Science, Medicine, & Education

Good News from Israel (Nov. 1, 2020)

The vision of Israel’s innovators brings tomorrow’s dreams much closer to today’s world. This week’s newsletter includes visual innovations such as an eye-tracking app to reduce stress; facial analysis to warn of a stroke, plus new bio-markers and telemedicine to highlight diseases optically. Israeli technology enhances websites to benefit the visually impaired, removes toxic algae infesting clear blue lakes and helps our US allies to see in the dark. Far-sighted Israelis are kickstarting sport for children, and boosting training for adults in athletics as well as in the hi-tech arena. Many of Israel’s other achievements can only be described as “out of sight”! [Michael Ordman]

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Business & Finance, International, Michael Ordman, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Science, Medicine, & Education, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food, USA

U.S. Passports Can List ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ as Birthplace

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Thursday that henceforth U.S. passports issued to American citizens born in Jerusalem will say  at their choice “Jerusalem, Israel,” rather than simply “Jerusalem,” as has been the case up to now. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Middle East, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Campa-Najjar tells stands on Mideast Peace, BDS

Congressional candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar, reacting to an unfavorable story carried about him by the Breitbard news organization, reiterated on Wednesday his support for a peaceful two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians, and his opposition to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Erekat: a metaphor for the Palestinian Authority

Saeb Erekat has been the rumbustious voice of the Palestinian Authority for decades. While his people suffer, lingering in poverty under the misrule of the PLO-PA, Erekat lived the comfortable life, globetrotting around the world as the face of the Palestinian cause, narrated by him as a tale of victimhood and oppression. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Dianne Feinstein now in political hot water

Besides being angry at Republicans for pushing Barrett’s confirmation through — in contrast to the way they refused to act on former President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland — some left-wing Democrats are also angry at Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California).  Like all other Democratic Senators, Feinstein was opposed to  Barrett, but unlike the rest of them, she congratulated Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) on the way he conducted hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Graham is in a tight reelection battle against Democrat Jaime Harrison, and some Democrats feel Feinstein’s friendliness toward Graham may hurt Harrison’s chances as well as those of Democrats hoping to flip the Senate from Republican to Democratic control.  [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

Jewish News from San Diego and Beyond

I’ve decided to change the name of my column from “Our Shtetl San Diego County” to “Jewish News from San Diego and Beyond.”  The reason probably is self-evident.  While much of the news that affects our readers occurs in San Diego, important stories with a bearing on our lives also come from other places as well, including Washington D.C., New York, Sacramento, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv, to name just a few.  So the new column name allows me to be more inclusive in my coverage. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, Trivia, Humor & Satire

Blessings and Pats on Their Heads

Not only humans gathered around computer screens, but animals too, for Internet Shabbat services Friday night conducted by Rabbi/ Cantor Cheri Weiss of the San Diego Outreach Synagogue.  This Shabbat, Jews around the world read Parshat Noach — the story of Noah’s Ark — and the rabbi figured it would be the perfect occasion to recite a “Blessing of the Animals” composed by Rabbi Jonathan Aaron of Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, California. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Lifestyles, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, The World We Share, USA

Biden likens North Korea to pre-war Nazi Germany

Former Vice President Joe Biden compared the U.S. relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un today to America’s “good relationship with Hitler before he, in fact, invaded Europe — the rest of Europe.”

The comparison came during one of many sharp exchanges Thursday night between Biden, the Democratic nominee for President, and  President Donald J. Trump, the Republican,  in their second and last debate before the Nov. 3 election.  [Donald H. Harrison)

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Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Middle East, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education, USA

My New Life in Switzerland, 1965

I wanted to use my newly minted social work skills and found a job teaching the principles of case work, which had never been taught in the local school of social work. It was a professional school not affiliated with the university. Students stood up whenever I entered the classroom, and they were to be called by their last names preceded by mademoiselle or monsieur. I translated all my class notes from Columbia into French. Case work is the presentation of a problem which students need to find the best way to help the client to resolve. It was challenging to teach this method, which included starting where the client is and including him or her in finding a solution. Swiss students were raised in a more authoritarian culture [Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D, ACSW]

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International, Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz, Science, Medicine, & Education

Days in the lives of mentally ill homeless people

Ever walk down the boardwalk in Pacific Beach or downtown at the Embarcadero on a beautiful sunny afternoon day and notice raggedly dressed individuals sleeping on park benches? They look as if they have not showered in years and if you got close enough your nose would tell you that you were probably right. [Ben Dishman, PharmD]

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Ben Dishman, Lifestyles, San Diego County, Science, Medicine, & Education

Coronavirus, Haredi demands on Netanyahu roil Israel

In one respect the news is good. The recent closures have reduced daily infections below 2,000 and even below 1,000. However, we’re still plagued with questions. In short, the Haredim, or ultra-Orthodox. Unknown numbers of them decline to be tested. Many of them say that the concern with Coronavirus is exaggerated. They go their own way with respect to opening schools and gathering for weddings, funerals, and other occurrences. [Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D]

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Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, Science, Medicine, & Education