While I was gone did you miss me or just the cartoons?
And:
I have been rejected by my wife's tennis team, even my girl friends have deserted me, so I am reverting back to being my old male self. Goodbye DORIS!
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It may be a New Year but nothing has changed nor is likely to.
Forrest Gump pretty much had it nailed.
If these quotes don't make you wonder about the current government leadership, nothing will.
“You don't need God anymore; you have us Democrats.” ~ Nancy Pelosi (Quoted in 2006)
“Paying taxes is voluntary.” ~ Sen. Harry Reid
“Homicide is the leading cause of murder.” ~ Rep. Sheila Jackson
“No ordinary American cares about Constitutional rights.” ~ Joe Biden
“Having an abortion is no different than having one’s tonsils removed” ~ Elizabeth Warren
“Owning guns is not a right. If it were a right, it would be in the Constitution.” ~ Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (2018)
“Bill is the greatest husband and father I know. No one is more faithful, true, and honest than he is.” ~ Hillary Rodham-Clinton (Quoted in 1998)
“You have a business; you didn't build that. Someone else did!” ~ Barack Obama (Quoted in 2012)
“Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit.” ~ Bernie Sanders
And the most ridiculous gem of wisdom, from the Mother Superior of STUPID: ”We just have to pass Obama's Healthcare Bill to see what’s in it.” ~ Nancy Pelosi (Quoted March in 2010) (As one Doctor said: “That is also the perfect definition of a stool sample.”)
Beyond a doubt, the greatest statement of all was made by the Democrat House Speaker at the first Congressional session after Ted Kennedy was caught, on camera, having sex with one of his aides on the deck of his yacht… “Ah see that the good Senatuh from the great state of Massutwoshits has changed his position on off-shore drillin'.” ~ Sam Rayburn
AND THE LATEST FROM THIS DYSFUNCTIONAL, STUPID BUNCH IS…
“My fear is if North Korea nukes us, Trump is gonna get us into a war.” ~ Maxine Waters (2017)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++“We are all born ignorant, but one must work very hard to remain STUPID!” (Emphasis added) ~ Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)
And, Nancy Pelosi’s most recent quote: “You need to vote for the Democrats, otherwise the illegal aliens will lose their rights!” ~ Nancy Pelosi (2019) What planet is she from exactly?
More amazing news from Israel. (See 1 edited below.)
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When blacks stop killing each other in Baltimore they seem to start attacking Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn. (See 2 below.)
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This from the widow of my dear artist friends who past away recently.
There will be a modest showing of his work at The GMOA, later this year.
We own two of Rolland's works and through our Art Acquisition Fund have been able to gift three of his works to The Museum. (See 3 below.)
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With the grand kids here this week memos will be sporadic if at all.
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Dick
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1)Subject: GOOD NEWS FROM AMAZING ISRAEL- FROM MICHAEL ORDMAN
Congratulations Israel on unparalleled and outsize contributions to the health, welfare, longevity and quality of life of billions of people in the globe! And thanks to my friend Michael Ordman who brings us these news clips almost every week of the year. rsk
ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Breakthrough in the fight to cure Lupus. Researchers at Israel’s Ben Gurion University and the US NIH have identified a trigger for the autoimmune disease Lupus. They have also developed what the media is calling a “miracle” molecule, that blocks the trigger in Lupus and other diseases, e.g. Alzheimer’s and IBD.
Reversing the aging of the brain. Researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University and the University of California have discovered that a small molecule called IPW is able to heal a damaged Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). It can also alleviate the inflammation that leads to Alzheimer’s and other age-related diseases.
Stopping cancer in its tracks. Israel’s Metabomed is developing treatments using small molecules that target and inhibit metabolic enzymes vital for cancer cells’ survival. It currently has four pipeline programs. Metabomed has just raised a further $12.5 million of funds to help it prepare for clinical trials.
Developing AI for spinal surgery. Israeli intelligent scan analysis startup Zebra Medical (see here) is partnering with Johnson & Johnson subsidiary DePuy Synthes to jointly develop artificial intelligence technologies for spine and other orthopedic surgeries.
Israel’s first live multi-organ donor. Rabbi Elad Gadot recently donated one of his kidneys to a total stranger for whom he was a rare match. Years ago, Rabbi Gadot donated a liver lobe to his son Eliyahu (now in the IDF) who needed a liver transplant. Coincidentally, the kidney recipient’s name was also Eliyahu.
Prescription checking software can save the US a fortune. As reported previously (see here), Israel’s MedAware prevents prescription errors and saves lives. Now a 5-year Harvard study shows it would have cut $800 million a year from US Health costs. 70% of the errors detected would not have been found otherwise.
Melting the fat. As reported (here) previously, the synthetic injectable molecule from Israeli startup Raziel Therapeutics melts fat cells. RZL-12 converts white adipose tissue (WAT) into brown adipose tissue (BAT) after a single injection into subcutaneous fat. Raziel has just raised another $22 million of funds.
Predicting the response to cancer treatment. Israel’s Oncohost is developing cutting-edge technology to characterize, analyze and predict patient response to cancer therapy. This enables personalized treatment strategies with improved outcomes & reduced side effects. http://oncohost.com/
Pain monitoring for dementia patients. (TY Rachel) The NOL pain monitoring technology from Israel’s Medasense (see here) helps clinicians treat non-communicating patients. The Israel Innovation Authority has just given Medasense a grant to test NOL at the Dorot Rehabilitation and Geriatric Medical Center in Netanya.
Walmart.com launches Israeli digital diabetes program. Walmart consumers can now purchase online the MyDario complete digital solution from Israel’s DarioHealth. It is designed for diabetics to manage their diabetes, hypertension, nutrition and exercise.
ISRAEL IS INCLUSIVE AND GLOBAL
One of the best places for female entrepreneurs. In a recent Mastercard report, Israel was ranked the 4th best country for women entrepreneurs. Israel was narrowly behind the USA, New Zealand and Canada.
Southern coexistence. (TY UWI) Israel’s Southern district is often under fire from Gaza terrorists, but is also flourishing, developing and refusing to abandon its natural coexistence and hope for peace. Thousands of Gazans work there daily. Read this article to see how Bedouin-Arab-Israeli citizens also live and study there.
Eleven US Secretaries of State visit Israel. A bipartisan delegation of 11 Secretaries of State from across the U.S. has been visiting Israel with the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Project Interchange. The program features cybersecurity policies and practices they relate to business, elections and data management.
New ambassadors to Israel. Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin received diplomatic credentials from the new ambassadors to the State of Israel from Austria, Cambodia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Angola.
Prince Charles to visit Israel. Charles Prince of Wales will attend the World Holocaust Forum on 23 Jan 2020. He will participate in the Yad Vashem ceremony commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It will be the first time that he has undertaken a program of engagements in Israel.
60 years of International development. (TY Stuart) MASHAV – Israel’s International Development Agency – has helped train 300,000 participants from 140 countries since 1958. It has set up 50 training centers around the globe and has 35 ongoing partnerships with international organizations.
Jewish and Israel Studies Institute in China. Shandong University and Tel Aviv University have inaugurated a Joint Institute for Jewish and Israeli Studies in Jinan, the capital of China’s Shandong province. The institute will facilitate student exchange, joint scientific research, conferences, and cultural and artistic activities.
Israeli orchestra performs in Morocco. (TY UWI) The Israeli Andalusian Orchestra of Ashdod delivered a stunning performance at the Andalussyat Festival of traditional Moroccan music in Casablanca. The orchestra was also warmly welcomed in the Moroccan city and praised for its performance.
Albania’s PM thanks Israel. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hailed the work of Israeli engineers who are helping reconstruct and inspect buildings in the aftermath of the recent devastating earthquake. “They are from Israel and they are No. 1,” Rama said to a resident who was told it was safe to enter his apartment building.
How Israel foiled ISIS terror attack in Australia. The IDF’s Military Intelligence Unit 8200 helped thwart an attempt by ISIS to blow up an Etihad Airways plane flying from Sydney to Abu Dhabi. Their information helped the Australian authorities arrest the terrorists who have just been given long jail sentences.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Breakthrough of the year. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem won Science Magazine’s People’s Choice for 2019 Breakthrough of the Year. HUJ researchers captivated the science world with their reconstruction from bone DNA of a Denisovan, a mysterious human-like species that disappeared 100,000 years ago.
Seven new joint US-Israel cleantech projects. The Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial R&D (BIRD) Foundation will invest $6.4 million in seven clean energy R&D projects. The Israeli companies involved are Chakratec (energy storage), Exency (energy from waste), Elbit Systems, EcoPlant, Eta-Bar, Netafim and Ramot.
Sixth desalination plant approved. Israel’s National Infrastructure Committee green-lighted construction of a desalination plant in the Western Galilee - Israel’s sixth. It will provide 200 million cubic meters of water annually and save the cost of building infrastructure to move water from the South over the Carmel Ridge.
UK-Israel university partners for AI and cybersecurity. Israel’s Ben-Gurion University and the UK’s University of Bristol have signed an agreement to collaborate on cyber security and Artificial Intelligence research. It formalizes their many ongoing ad-hoc research projects and exchange opportunities.
Removing dust from solar panels. Ben Gurion University researchers have greatly reduced the amount of dust on solar panels, significantly increasing their efficiency. Inspired by the lotus leaf, which remains dust free due to its nanotextured surface, they etched nanowires onto the panels and applied a hydrophobic coating.
Elbit launches nanosatellite. Israel’s Elbit Systems’ NANOVA nanosatellite was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Southern India. NANOVA was developed as part of the BIRD foundation initiative and is planned to be a part of a nanosatellite constellation for commercial purposes.
Vegan meat wins award in London. (TY Hazel) Three Israeli food-tech initiatives were among 15 startups to pitch groundbreaking, sustainable solutions for the food and agriculture industry at FoodBytes by Rabobank in London. Redefine Meat won the People’s Choice Award, one of the three top prizes.
Israeli wheat exhibit wins award in Tokyo. (TY WIN) An Israeli installation titled “Goren” won the “Big Emotions” award - as part of the Jerusalem Design Week delegation at Design Art Tokyo 2019. A cloud of wheat rises into the shape of a chandelier, symbolizing extinct varieties of wheat that Israel is restoring.
Electric road for Germany. As reported (here) previously, Israel’s ElectReon develops a real-time wireless electrification system for roads, to reduce dependence on fuel and charging stations. It has now partnered with German energy company EnBW which will implement the technology initially on two roads in Germany.
9000-year-old sea wall to prevent rising sea level. An international team of underwater archaeologists has uncovered the oldest known manmade seawall off the coast of Haifa. They have concluded that it was built at Tel Hreiz to keep out rising water from melting glaciers. Eventually, Tel Hreiz was submerged and abandoned.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Israeli property prices stabilize. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, Israeli property prices rose between January and August 2019 by an average of only 2% and new properties fell by 4.8%. Prices also fell in 2018, following an 80% rise over the previous decade. 2019 construction starts (52,000) was on target.
New Russian airline lands in Tel Aviv. Russian airline Azimuth only began operations in 2017. Already it has begun a direct service to Tel Aviv from the West Russian city of Rostov. It also intends to inaugurate two new routes between Ben Gurion Airport and southwestern Russian cities Krasnodar and Mineralnye Vody in 2020.
Five more startups for Caesarea incubator. Israeli investment fund Nielsen Innovate launched its incubator in 2012 and by 2015 has 10 startups in Caesarea (see here). It now has 33 Israeli companies in its portfolio and is investing $5 million to bring another five into the incubator.
Swiss investment on the way. Tel-Aviv based Crescendo Venture Partners is setting up a new VC fund of $80 to $100 million to invest in early-stage hi-tech Israeli startups that can transform traditional areas (education, agriculture, construction, healthcare etc.). Swiss-based Crescendo Group manages over $3 billion globally.
US cybersecurity firm to open in Israel. As reported (here) previously, Israel’s Indegy protects the systems of vital infrastructure companies. Nasdaq-listed cybersecurity giant Tenable Holdings has just acquired Indegy for $78 million in cash and will set up a development center in Israel following the deal.
Half a billion users. Israeli-founded urban mobility company Moovit (see here) now has over half a billion users of its popular public transportation application in 3,000 cities, 94 countries and 45 languages. It helps transits and commutes thanks to partnerships with major multinationals including Uber, Microsoft, and Waze.
Turning stale bread into beer. Elchanan Bread Bakery in Kibbutz Mishmarot turns leftover baked goods into bread pudding and granola. It also donates stale bread to nearby kibbutzim for animal feed. In its latest process it mixes excess sourdough bread with malt and hot water to make a red ale with an alcohol content of 5%.
CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT & SPORT
Tel Aviv is one of the best cities to visit. Forbes magazine lists Tel Aviv among its 20 best cities in the world to visit in 2020. It highlights White City Center museum, opened for the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus architecture movement. Tel Aviv is home to more than 4,000 Bauhaus-style buildings – the most in the world.
International TV Series of the Decade. The NY Times has named Israeli TV series “Prisoners of War” the Top International TV series of the Decade. The Keshet network series was remade in the US as Homeland in 2011. Screenwriter, director and producer Gideon Raft also produced The Spy and Red Sea Diving Resort.
IDF amputee is World marathon champion. Eitan Hermon, 45, lost his leg while a reservist in the Second Lebanon War. He was determined to not only walk again, but also to run marathons. After over 35 marathons, Hermon set a world record at the Vienna Marathon and was top in his category at the New York marathon.
Israel to host E-Sports World Championships. (TY TPS) The International Electronic-Sports Federation (IESF) has announced that Israel will, for the first time, host the E-Sports World Championships in Nov 2020 in Eilat. It is the world’s largest and most prestigious gaming event, with over 500 players from 60 countries.
THE JEWISH STATE
Taxi driver finds and returns $60,000. An Israeli taxi driver was surprised to find a bag containing $60,000 in the back seat of his cab. He located the owner - an elderly woman he took to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital, who needed the money for medical treatments. “I am a man of faith,” the taxi driver said. “The money isn’t mine”.
Never give up hope. Some real-life “miraculous” stories of cancer patients whose lives were saved by stem cell transplants, thanks to the bone marrow database, managed by Israel’s Ezer Mizion.
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2) Nonstop violence as Baltimore nears record homicide rate
BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore could wrap up 2019 with its highest per-capita homicide rate on record as killings of adults and minors alike for drugs, retribution, money or no clear reason continue to add up and city officials appear unable to stop the violence.
Police recorded 338 homicides as of Tuesday, following a week of relentless gunfire that saw eight people shot — three of them fatally — in one day and nine others — one fatally — another day. That total is up from 309 in 2018 and four shy of the 342 killings tallied in 2017 and 2015, the year when the city’s homicide rate suddenly spiked.
With just over 600,000 residents, Baltimore’s homicide rate would reach approximately 57 per 100,000 residents if the death toll reaches 342. That would eclipse the rate of 1993, when the city had a record 353 killings but was also much more populous.
By contrast, New York City, with more than 8 million residents, had 306 homicides through Dec. 15.
Police yellow tape and makeshift memorials with flowers, stuffed animals and balloons have become common in some neighborhoods of this deeply segregated city. Memorials can be found within blocks of each other at the same time.
“It’s a major concern for me, not just as a hopeful man but as a citizen of Baltimore who grew up in inner city Baltimore,” said Carmichael “Stokey” Cannady, a reformed drug dealer turned community activist who wants to be mayor. “I remember when a person had a conflict and would have a fight at best, now these young kids, at the age of 13, 14 years old, are finding handguns in their possession and they use them as toys ... The whole system needs to be revamped.”
This is the fifth year in a row this Mid-Atlantic community dubbed “Charm City” has reported more than 300 killings. Before 2015, that number had generally been on the decline, but the trend reversed after civil unrest followed the death in police custody of a young black man, Freddie Gray.
Reasons for the upward trend vary and are subject to interpretation. Many accuse police of taking a hands-off approach to crime fighting since six of their own were charged in connection with Gray’s death. Others attribute it to the apparent free flow of illegal guns, the effects of a punishing opioid epidemic, social inequalities and a lack of decent jobs for many in disenfranchised neighborhoods. Some say political incompetence at City Hall also contributed.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison, who was tapped this year to fix a dispirited department and regain residents’ trust, unveiled a five-year crime-fighting plan in July, that includes a goal of responding to calls within 10 minutes and prioritizing those threatening life or property. The plan also contains recruitment strategies, community engagement efforts and accountability measures. But the department lacks the personnel and resources to achieve all the goals, and Harrison has acknowledged that the city’s deep-rooted “gun culture” also must be changed.
“People can expect that number to go down, we are building capacity, but we need to have some type of effect on the poverty, the housing, the education, the addiction, the skills, the jobs and the lack thereof, together at the same time,” Harrison told The Associated Press. “All of that has to be addressed while prosecuting people who commit crimes and preventing other people from committing those crimes. Otherwise, it continues and then you ask the question, ‘When does it stop?’ without fixing the reason it starts.”
Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice and members of the state’s congressional delegation announced additional resources to help Harrison and federal law enforcement in Maryland track guns, hire additional police officers and beef up task forces. Harrison, in a reversal, agreed to allow three surveillance airplanes to fly above the city for up to six months as part of a pilot program.
Law enforcement experts, however, warn it would be unfair to assume that law enforcement alone will reduce violent crime.
“Let’s not assume simply that by putting more officers, this is going to lead to greater closure of cases or will be a deterrent,” Jeffrey Ian Ross, a criminologist at the University of Baltimore. “It may help families, it may put behind bars some more bad guys, but it doesn’t mean it necessarily leads to a decrease in crime and homicides.”
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3) 2019 has been a very solemn year for us, as we devoted our lives to taking care of Rolland. We thank God that we were able to keep him home till his death on July 1st, surrounded by our family. We miss him dearly and feel his presence, encompassed by his art at home and in so many scenes that he loved to paint.
This Friday, January 3rd, WYES-TV's "Stepping Out" program in New Orleans is airing a small tribute to Rolland at 7:30 PM and 11 PM. Later, this segment will be published on YouTube. Those paintings and other "Golden's" will be part of a Group Exhibition at the MacGryder Gallery located in the CBD, opening Saturday, February 1st (hangs through that month). Lucille and I will be present for the reception and hope we'll see you there.
Recently, the Greg Thompson Fine Art began representing Rolland's work, which is among-st top Southern Artists. A few months ago, they closed their physical location in Little Rock and are now devoting their attention to building collections for corporations, collectors and museums.
This coming July 11th through October 4th, the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, will commemorate the 15th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with a selection of Rolland's Katrina paintings and drawings from that horrific hurricane. Reminders will also be sent out later. In the past couple of years, the museum has purchased several of Rolland's works of different subjects.
2019 Review
September 2019, The Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) contacted us about their research center at 410 Chartres St.; their archives now have over 300 drawings of the French Quarter and southern Louisiana by Rolland. They published a wonderful article titled, "Rolland Golden’s sketches show the changing French Quarter of the '50s and '60s". Here is the link: https://www.hnoc.org/publications/first-draft/rolland-golden%E2%80%99s-sketches-show-changing-french-quarter-50s-and-60s
The public is welcome to see these, upon request, giving advance notice. HNOC also has an archive that covers Rolland's career since 1957. His Katrina paintings from their collection and New Orleans Museum of Art are on view different times of the year, particularly during the anniversary in August.
Last April - October, The HNOC, in their newly renovated building at 520 Royal Street, presented a large exhibition, "Art of the City: Post-Modern to Post-Katrina", which included one of Rolland's Katrina canvases, "The Spirit Returns". His painting was also published months prior, to announce this major exhibition for their official opening.
May 2019, The MacGryder Gallery in New Orleans, exhibited Rolland's works in a solo show titled "Beyond Vivid", which the colors perfectly depicted. Some of those paintings are still in the gallery. Presently and for the last several months, the gallery has presented solo shows of other artists. But, as mentioned above, Rolland's work will be included in their group exhibition that opens February 1st and hangs throughout that month.
Hoping the New Year will bring you good health and worldly peace.
Stella and Lucille
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