Monthly Archives: January 2007

Israeli Ingenuity Does It Again – Turning Rocks into OIL!

Israel

Yes, you read that correctly – Israeli scientists have figured out a way to turn rocks, specifically shale, into oil. Read all about it on Israel21c by Stuart Winer.

Here is a brief excerpt from the article:

Haifa-based A.F.S.K Hom Tov recently demonstrated its patented method of extracting high quality oil and natural gas from a mixture of bitumen and oil shale rock. Bitumen – or asphalt – is the residue obtained by distillation of crude oil.

Experts predict the process will return oil at just $25 dollars a barrel and the additional natural gas produced would further boost the financial feasibility. With crude oil prices currently floating over the $50 a barrel mark, this proposed method is generating interest around the world.    [Read the entire article!]

Upcoming Book to Read

American Politics, Israel, Israeli Blogs

Michael Oren has a new book coming out soon,

Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East 1776 to the Present (W. W. Norton & Company, January 15, 2007) “The first comprehensive history of America’s military, political, and intellectual involvement
in the Middle East from George Washington to George W. Bush.

Oren’s website has summaries, comments of reviewers and more.  Go and check it out.

Aharon at Blogs of Zion opens a post about it by saying,

I got my hands on an advance copy of Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East 1776 to the Present, historian and Shalem Center senior researcher Michael Oren’s new book, and I have to tell you, it is great. The research will boggle your mind, and it is just so interesting that you have a jaw dropping experience every paragraph or two.

I’ve pre-ordered at Amazon and I look forward to getting a copy.

Citing Shmuley Boteach on the Pope

Judaism

Greetings and salutations on this secular New Year day.

Today’s Jerusalem Post has an interesting article on some of the recent actions and statements by the Pope.   Boteach speaks of the Pope’s recent “warm greetings” for Ahmadinajab of Iran, the recent Holocaust denier’s conference there and the Pope’s condemnation of the execution of Sadaam Hussein.

See if you agree with Boteach in the following excerpt from the article,

Last week, the church broke ranks with nearly every moral voice and came out publicly against Saddam’s execution. But if that were not enough, Pope Benedict XVI granted a private audience to a delegation of Iranian officials, led by Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki, whose ministry sponsored the recent Holocaust denial conference in Teheran.

The pope is the foremost spiritual leader on earth. It shocks every moral sensibility that he would choose to legitimize a wretch like this. More troubling yet, the pope conveyed warm greetings to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad through the delegation.

Warm greetings? Ahmadinejad is calling virtually every week for Israel’s annihilation. Does the pope have anything to share with this man aside from his contempt? One would hope that a pope who witnessed the Holocaust and the destruction of the Jewish people would practice extra caution before hanging out with those who wish to renew Hitler’s efforts.

LET’S NOT finesse this. Ahmadinejad is an international abomination who can lay strong claim to being the single most hate-filled man alive. Surely the pope can find more worthy recipients of his time and graciousness?…   (keep reading)

Yes, it is a bit unusual for me to cite Rabbi Boteach, but on this point, I agree.  How about you?