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Iran: Why the Old Recipe Does Not Work by Amir Taheri

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/15463/iran-old-recipe

The latest protests, however, are clearly focused on a demand for regime change, even by some former “reform-seekers”. All this means that the regime’s classical recipe for survival isn’t working as before.

For the first time, more and more Iranians are beginning to contemplate regime change not as merely a desirable slogan but as a practical strategy to lead the nation out of the impasse created by Khomeinism.

No matter what gloss the ruling clerics might try to put on current events in Iran, one point is clear: their Islamic Republic is in trouble. Deep trouble.

This is, of course, not the first time that the system hastily put together by a bunch of mullahs and their leftist allies hits a bump on its road to nowhere. Even in its first year the Islamic Republic faced huge protest movements in Tehran and other major cities and had to use force to crush rebellions by Iranian-Kurdish and Turcoman communities.

According to best estimates, to remain in place the Islamic Republic has executed more than 15,000 people and driven more than 8 million Iranians into exile. And all that not to mention the eight-year war that the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini provoked with Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Despite all that the regime managed to survive, thanks to a number of factors.

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Democrats Consume Themselves Hatred of Donald Trump has been to some extent sidelined while what Freud called the “narcissism of small differences” plays out in bickering, backbiting, and political sabotage. Roger Kimball

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://amgreatness.com/2020/01/18/democrats-consume-themselves/

Eventually, I am going to get around to saying something about CNN’s hostility to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)—evidenced, most recently, by its energetic exertions on behalf of the campaign to elect Elizabeth Warren at last Tuesday’s Democratic debate. And I’ll say something, too, about the delicious exhibition of angst-filled hand-wringing that said hostility occasioned in many precincts of the leftwing media.

First, however, since CNN apparently undertook its cheerleading for Warren in order to declare its feminist bona fides, I would like to pose a few questions as a sort of prolegomenon, what Kierkegaard, in another context, called a “preliminary expectoration.” 1) Why are feminists so unpleasant? 2) Why do they insist on whining instead of getting on with the task at hand? 3) Why do they tend to blame other people for their failures?

I do not propose to answer these questions—I am writing a column, not a book—but I would like to register my suspicion that part of the answer to all three is the dim, imperfectly articulated awareness that feminism’s real complaint is not with men or “the patriarchy” but with reality, with human nature.

To illustrate this, ask yourself questions such as why are there not special programs to recruit more men in engineering programs? Why aren’t grants available to encourage men to study math, or physics, or—when you come right down to it—to study anything? Why do politicians announce to general applause that this year there are more female representatives, or judges, or senators than ever before? Why is it thought to be a badge of virtue to have more women in this profession or that but the same is never claimed for men?

POLITICS Comments turned off

Bernie Supporters To Boycott Election If Biden is Nominee, ‘People Will Sit At Home’ By Matt Margolis

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://pjmedia.com/election/bernie-supporters-to-boycott-of-election-if-biden-is-nominee-people-will-sit-at-home/

Bernie Sanders supporters are known for their steadfast loyalty to the socialist Vermont Senator, and some are promising to sit at home on Election Day if Joe Biden becomes the party’s nominee. These supporters warn that nominating another establishment candidate will ensure Trump’s reelection because they’ll sit it out.

Sanders’ supporters feel he “isn’t getting his due though he’s proven to have staying power in public opinion and fundraising, even after suffering a heart attack last October,” reports the Washington Examiner. “As of last week, he leads a tight four-horse race in Iowa ahead of the first-in-the-nation caucuses on Feb. 3, raising a record figure of $34.5 million in the final financial quarter of 2019 for a total of $96 million.” Despite his strengths in the primary, they feel he’s being ignored and underestimated, and the possibility of nominating a socialist-lite candidate, they say, will dampen the enthusiasm of the grassroots.

“When I look at some of these other candidates out there, I can see them just sucking any enthusiasm from any undecided voters. So anyone who might have been for Bernie won’t vote for Biden, or any of the others out there,” said Joe Jackelen, a Bernie Sanders supporter in Iowa, to the Washington Examiner. “I think that people will sit at home because they see establishment Democrats that don’t really care. The only thing that they bring to the table is that they’re not Trump. That is not going to drive enough people out that will get a win over Trump,” he added.

Will Bernie Sanders’ diehard supporters will actually sit out the election if Bernie doesn’t win the nomination in appreciable numbers?

ELECTIONS Comments turned off

ELECTIONS ARE COMING: DALIA al AQIDI FOR CONGRESS (R- MINNESOTA-DISTRICT 5)

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

Meet Dalia al-Aqidi, the Patriotic Republican Muslim Who Wants to Defeat Ilhan Omar By Michael van der Galien

https://nypost.com/2020/01/16/republican-muslim-refugee-dalia-al-aqidi-announces-shes-running-against-ilhan-omar/

https://pjmedia.com/election/meet-dalia-al-aqidi-the-patriotic-republican-muslim-who-wants-to-defeat-ilhan-omar/

Ayaan Hirsi AliVerified account @Ayaan To all my American followers please look up this brave and patriotic woman: Dalia Al-Aqidi. Here is a quote from her: “I am loyal to the country that gave me a chance, gave me a brighter future,”. Dalia is challenging Ilhan Omar. I am with Dalia.

This is glorious: Dalia al-Aqidi is, like Ilhan Omar, Muslim, a woman, and a refugee. Unlike the Democrat congresswoman, however, Al-Aqidi is proud to call herself an American and she’s a Republican rather than a Democrat.

Al-Aqidi has had enough of Rep. Omar. Not only does Omar do a tremendous disservice to other refugees by being as anti-American as she is, but she’s also smearing the image of every other Islamic refugee who came from a war-torn country to the States. And so, Al-Aqidi has decided to take her on.

ISRAEL Comments turned off

GOOD NEWS FROM AMAZING ISRAEL: FROM MICHAEL ORDMAN

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

http://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/

 

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

US approves freezing of tumors. The US FDA has granted approval for Israel’s IceCure Medical to use its tumor-freezing technology to destroy cancerous and benign tumors of the kidney, liver, ear, nose, and throat. It already has FDA approval for benign breast tumors and European approval to treat malignant breast tumors.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3777254,00.html

UK hospital introduces Israeli remote diagnostic device. (TY OurCrowd) As reported previously (see here), Israel’s TytoCare device allows for doctors to examine patients from remote locations. Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to be the first provider in the UK to partner with TytoCare.

https://pharmaphorum.com/news/uk-hospital-introduces-tytocare-remote-medical-exam-device/

https://www.tytocare.com/

Israeli treatment in Mass trials. (TY Atid-EDI) Pridopidine, from Israeli biotech Prilenia, has been chosen by the Healey Center at Massachusetts General hospital for the first-ever platform (multiple treatments) trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prilenia is trialing Pridopidine for several neurodegenerative disorders.

https://www.prilenia.com/18-september-2019-pr

https://www.massgeneral.org/neurology/als/research/platform-trial

Two potential IBD therapies. (TY Atid-EDI) As reported previously (see here) Israel’s Biomica is using the human microbiome (stomach bacteria) to fight cancer, IBD, acne etc. Bionica is starting pre-clinical studies for BMC321 & BMC322, two developed microbial consortia aimed to treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

https://www.biomicamed.com/press-releases/biomica-announces-advancement-to-pre-clinical-studies-in-it inflammatory-bowel-disease-program/

Spotting problems that doctors may have missed. Israel-based medical device startup IMedis AI develops technology that analyzes medical images and documents to reveal discrepancies and unreported findings. The technology can assist in the early detection of cancer, heart diseases, and vascular diseases.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3777150,00.html   https://www.imedis.ai/

Women at risk of diabetes during pregnancy. Scientists at Israel’s Weizmann Institute have developed an algorithm that can predict which women have a high risk of gestational diabetes. Records of 600,000 Israeli pregnancies were examined. Those found to be at risk could avoid diabetes with exercise and diet.

https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/life-sciences/new-algorithm-predicts-gestational-diabetes

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-019-0724-8

An all-in-one genetic test. Israel’s Variantyx has developed the first comprehensive, all-in-one diagnosis test for rare inherited disorders. It eliminates the need to order multiple tests, saving time, money and (potentially) lives. There are more than 7,000 rare diseases, affecting 30 million in the US and over 350 million globally.

https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Hillels-Tech-Corner-Genome-sequencing-gets-deeper-613721

https://www.variantyx.com/solutions/diagnostic-testing/

Helping patients breathe. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Biovo Technologies manufactures the Airway Medix line of disposable respiratory devices, used for mechanically ventilated (usually unconscious) intubated ICU patients.

https://www.biovo-tech.com/  http://www.airwaymedix.com/en,2,products

Don’t over-vaccinate your pet. (TY Atid-EDI) Israel’s Biogal-Galed Labs (reported here previously) has launched CombCam, an automated reading device that helps veterinarians interpret antibody and vaccine tests on animals. Biogal’s various veterinary diagnostic products are now available in over 35 countries.

https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/biogal-galed-labs-launches-combcam-an-automated-reading-device-for-biogals-vaccicheck-and-immunocomb-kits-300920779.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nur-i347hU  https://www.biogal.com/products/combcam/

From cancer to shrimps. This article focuses on Dr Avi Schroeder of Israel’s Technion Institute. His company PEEP Therapeutics is developing a cancer treatment based on Elephant protein gene P53 (see here).  He is also working on personalized chemotherapy and a cure for a deadly shrimp virus. He is a manager in four startups.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3777084,00.html

Israeli medical startups in San Francisco. 16 of OurCrowd’s Israeli medical portfolio companies attended the 38th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco (Jan 13-15). Their innovative solutions include cancer treatments, blood testing, wound care, care for older adults, diabetes management and more.

https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/353882/OurCrowd%20@%20JPM%20Health.pdf

Israeli startups to help UK healthcare. Ten Israeli heath tech startups have been invited by UK Government’s Israel Tech Hub to help UK healthcare organizations build more modern and effective healthcare services. They will meet AstraZeneca, NHSX, Care UK, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Amazon Web Services in London.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-health-tech-startups-to-head-to-uk-to-showcase-wares/

WORLD NEWS Comments turned off

Harry and Meghan, the royal couple who made history, now are history By Andrea Widburg

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/01/harry_and_meghan_the_royal_couple_who_made_history_now_are_history.html

The Royal Divorce – that is, Prince Harry’s and Megan Markle’s breakup from the royal family — is now final. After sparking a crisis in the House of Windsor, the young Sussexes (Harry, Megan, and wee Archie) are off to make it on their own.

On Saturday, Queen Elizabeth issued a short statement saying she will always love them, Meghan did a great job during her short stint as a royal, and there’s an agreement for them to go away:

Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.

Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.

I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.

I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.

It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.

ENVIRONMENT AND JUNK SCIENCE Comments turned off

Government by enquiry? Great way to burn forests By Viv Forbes

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/01/government_by_equiry_great_way_to_burn_forests.html

Politicians hide behind enquiries — their magic answer to all problems, especially bushfires.

Announcing enquiries give the impression of decisive action.  They generate fees for armies of barristers, lawyers, and bureaucrats, and they provide momentary excitement for the media.

The proposed 2020 Australian Bushfires corrobboree will provide an opportunity to grandstand for the Climate Rebellion Mob, who will get starring roles on ABC/Fairfax.  Big business will probably propose a carbon tax to fight bushfires, while foresters and land owners will hardly be heard.

When the final report is ultimately delivered, the media will be off trumpeting some new climate “emergency” to scare the public.  The expensive new report will be quietly filed with all the others.

We’ve had at least 57 bushfire enquiries since 1939 — about one every two years.  Anyone who bothers to read them will soon deduce what should be done.  Nothing much has changed except that there are more people living in fire-prone zones with no protection, and more forest and private land was locked up with heavy fuel loads.

BOOKS Comments turned off

Biden was enriching more family members than just Hunter By Andrea Widburg

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/01/biden_was_enriching_family_members_other_than_hunter.html

On January 21, Peter Schweizer’s newest book, Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America’s Progressive Elite, will be released. It should sell well given that pre-sales have already put it at #14 on the Amazon charts. As a preview of coming attractions, the New York Post published an extract from the book detailing “How five members of Joe Biden’s family got rich through his connections.”

According to Schwiezer, Biden was fibbing when he announced last year, “I never talked with my son or my brother or anyone else — even distant family — about their business interests. Period.” The truth is that Biden’s business conversations not only benefited Hunter, they also benefitted Biden’s son-in-law Howard, his brothers James and Frank, and his sister Valerie. Loose lips enrich sibs.

James Biden was a welcome friend in the Obama White House. “Sometimes, James’ White House visits dovetailed with his overseas business dealings, and his commercial opportunities flourished during his brother’s tenure as vice president.” For example, just three weeks after Biden’s longtime friend Kevin Justice, president of HillStone International, a subsidiary of a huge construction management firm, visited the White House, HillStone announced that James Biden was its new Executive Vice President.

No one cared that Biden had no experience in construction management. What might have mattered was that, six months later, the firm got a contract to build 100,000 homes in Iraq, plus a $22 million U.S. federal government contract to manage a State Department project. An executive in the parent company later told investors it helped to have the vice president’s brother as a partner. 

BOOKS Comments turned off

Amity Shlaes’s Verdict on the Great Society: Not That Great By Nicholas J. Kaster

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2020/01/amity_shlaes_verdict_on_the_great_society_not_that_great.html

Seldom in history has a program been undertaken with such lofty intentions and ended in such bitter disappointment as Lyndon Johnson’s “Great Society.” In her latest book Great Society: A New History, Amity Shlaes provides a fresh appraisal of the idealistic policies that came to define the 1960s and a historical narrative that is especially timely now.

Shlaes’ book is a follow-up to The Forgotten Man, her excellent history of the Great Depression. This book is an apt sequel, since the Great Society was promoted as the completion of the “unfinished business” of the New Deal. However, there was a significant difference between the two programs. The New Deal originated in response to a severe economic crisis. In contrast, the Great Society was enacted at a time of economic prosperity, when poverty rates were dropping.

Indeed, as Shlaes makes clear, it was the very prosperity and confidence of the postwar years that made the Great Society possible. “Compared to overcoming a Great Depression or conquering Europe and Japan,” Shlaes writes, “eliminating poverty or racial discrimination had to be easy. American society was already so good…This good society had to become, in the words of President Johnson, a Great Society.”

Shlaes begins the book by discussing Bonanza, a TV western that premiered on January 2, 1960. It was an entirely new kind of Western, as Shlaes describes:

KRD NEWS, MEDIA Comments turned off

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS PRESS DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES ON SHUTTING JERUSALEM EMBASSY Ira Stoll

Posted By on January 19th, 2020

https://mailchi.mp/689009fcf330/krd-news-new-york-times-editors-press-democratic-presidential-candidates-on-shutting-jerusalem-embassy?e=9365a7c638

If anyone still needs proof that the NY Times is a bias, anti-Israel publication, please read today’s featured article (Ira Stoll, Algemeiner, Jan 17).

The editorial board members practically sound like paid lobbyists for the Palestine Liberation Organization, badgering the politicians to back the idea of evacuating American diplomats from the Jerusalem embassy in the next Democratic administration. krd

Democratic presidential candidates hoping to win the endorsement of The New York Times are being interrogated by Times editors about whether they’ll commit to shutting down the American embassy in Israel’s capital.

President Donald Trump moved the embassy to Jerusalem in May 2018, fulfilling a campaign promise and finally bringing America into compliance with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995. The widely predicted violent reaction by regional Arabs rapidly fizzled out. But the Times editorial board members appear to be nursing a grudge about the matter, at least to judge by their questions to the Democratic presidential candidates.

Undoing the embassy move has emerged as a standard topic in the Times endorsement interviews, as much a part of the routine as questions on more traditional Democratic platform planks such as reproductive rights or antitrust enforcement against technology companies.