And What have The Arabs Done For the World Lately?

Ken Fitzgerald of North Carolina was good enough to send me information put out by the wall Street Journal, that was sent to him via contacts he has in Winnipeg.

You gotta-love the Internet.

The Wall Street Journal′s American, European And Asian bureaus have announced their Technology Innovation Awards for 2004.

Here′s how the Awards shape-up:

GOLD WINNER: USA

Sun Microsystems Laboratories - New method for chips to transmit data inside a computer up to 100 times faster than today′s top speed.

SILVER WINNER: Israel

Given Imaging Ltd - Pill shaped video camera screens the esophagus for disorders.

BRONZE WINNER: Israel

InSightec Image Guided Treatment Ltd - Device destroys tumors using ultrasound waves together with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

With few exceptions in all other categories, the USA swept the awards with just a few going to Europe and one to Japan.

In the most critical areas of the Human Condition; Israel won 2 out of 3 Awards.

It′s quite incredible how this "itsy-bitsy" country which most of the world would like to see disappear contributes to Humanity.

The ONLY natural resource Israel has is its people. There is no oil, no minerals, no precious stones, no canal, no fertile land, and not enough natural water.

But Israel does have rock, dust, sand, tumble weeds and the most resilient people on earth.

Outside of its people and what they′ve accomplished with their intellect, technologies, entrepreneurial spirit and sheer determination, there is precious little else of economic value.

But not to be deterred: in less than 60 years, and from the ashes of the Holocaust, the Israelis created a heaven on earth.

They manufacture their own potable drinking water. They′ve planted a quarter of a BILLION trees to create massive forests. They′ve taught the desert how to grow crops and flowers. And they lead the entire world in the sciences and technologies.

Now what have the Arabs done in the last THOUSAND years?

How about in the last half century with all of their massive oil wealth?

What about the past decade?

Outside of raping the world through usurious oil prices which the Arab hierarchy is using to buy up the world at inflationary prices, they′ve done NOTHING I can think of to add to the Human Condition.

To the contrary: If anything at all, the Arab world has been able to offer our planet pain, grief and fear.

It is remarkable how 300 MILLION people, many of whom are sitting on an ocean of black liquid gold can be so internationally useless, while less than 7 MILLION Israelis including about 1 MILLION non Jewish Israelis can do so much.

Perhaps it′s Israel′s unbelievable technological and Democratic success that makes so much of the world hate Israel. Perhaps that′s why the Arab and Moslem world wants to destroy Israel and kill the Jews.

But perhaps most of all - that′s why Israel still exists. They′re just too determined and ornery to go away.