Avi Jorisch

A rather intriguing set of vignettes on topics of innovations and their ramifications for the near future. The set runs through, space, learning, shelter, environment, hygiene, medicine, disaster resilience, energy, prosperity, food, water, governance, and security.

Each subject covered deals with special people who create and institute measures that will improve the status quo or take a totally different approach. Not all the topics were that appealing but there were many ideas expressed here that are fascinating. And the amazing things is they will soon become common place to us as we ramp up our technology assisted with the AI the big buzzword out there night.

There are too many ideas to go through in a brief review here but the latter topic on working with self driving cars by Google's X-man I found particularly interesting. The idea presented that in the possibly near future our transportation will be revolutionized by totally self driving vehicles that will be at our call to whisk us anywhere as we kick back and enjoy the ride without the added burned of ownership and upkeep. Not to mention the lives it will save by virtually eliminating human error accidents.

A book with much food for thought for the forward thinking and curious out there.… (altro)

The book is divided into three parts. The first part examines the past and present trends that will shape the future, such as globalization, technology, and demographic shifts. Attali argues that these trends will continue to accelerate and intertwine, creating a world that is more interconnected, diverse, and unequal.

The second part of the book explores different scenarios for the future, ranging from dystopian visions of environmental collapse and social breakdown to optimistic visions of a post-scarcity society in which technology has eliminated poverty and inequality. Attali emphasizes that the future is not predetermined and that different choices and actions taken today can shape the trajectory of human civilization.

The final part of the book offers recommendations for how individuals, organizations, and governments can navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future. Attali emphasizes the importance of ethical leadership, global cooperation, and sustainable development in creating a world that is just, prosperous, and resilient.

Overall, "A Brief History of the Future" offers a thought-provoking and wide-ranging exploration of the possible futures that await humanity. Attali's insights and recommendations provide a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding and shaping the trajectory of human civilization in the coming decades and centuries.… (altro)

When Israel became an independent nation in 1949, it faced many obstacles: lack of natural resources, small population but growing rapidly with hundreds of thousands of impoverished Holocaust survivors and expelled Jews from Arab countries, surrounded by enemies.
Driven by culture that fosters independent thinking, respects knowledge, and a need to repair the world, it is now one of the major providers of products and techniques to help people throughout the world, especially in the areas of agriculture, medicine, water, and defense.
In THOU SHALT INNOVATE, Avi Jorisch tells the stories behind fifteen of the innovations, developed and manufactured by Jews and Arabs and people of different religions as well as people throughout the world facing the same problems. He lists fifty of Israel’s greatest innovations near the end of the book.
The first is Ambuicycle. Using motorcycles, trained responders located throughout the country are able to cut through traffic jams and reach victims in less time than a traditional ambulance. Several hundred volunteers of many religions and cultures work together to help people in their communities in both Israel and Palestinian territories. In 2014, the teams in Israel treated 245,000 Israelis (Arab and Jewish), including 27,000 children. One fourth of the calls are life threatening.
Next is drip irrigation which produces more food with less water. The techniques has been taught to water-needy people throughout the world.
When Ronald Reagan proposed the Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) in the 1980s, it was dropped because of the complex technology necessary. Israel continued working on it with the resulting Iron Dome system to destroy incoming missiles. They cost about a tenth of a standard missile and use parts from Toys R Us which cost 80 cents. The Iron Dome also avoids deploying ground forces to combat incoming missiles which saves lives for all sides.
About 1.3 billion tons of food are lost annually because of insect infestation. The Grain Cocoon can safely store harvested grain for several years to provide food during climate disasters stabilize the market so farmers can sell grain during the off-season.
Romans used basic solar energy 2,500 years ago to heat their baths. Today, 90% of all Israeli households use solar panels (heating water) and many buildings powered entirely by solar power.
The Exoskeleton, which forms a stabilizer outside of a body, allows paraplegics to walk.
Using electrodes, Deep Brain Stimulation helps people control diseases like Parkinson’s, neurological disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, Alzheimer’s, Tourette Syndrom, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. The process was developed by Israeli-Arabs.
In 2014, there were more than 1.5 internet hacking attacks annually, that was three a minute. More than 47% of the American adult population were victims. In 2013, 43% of American businesses were hacked, The cost of cyber-related crime was more than $400 billion. An Israeli company’s technology has successfully reduced those numbers.

A traditional colonoscopy is limited in how much of the colon can be observed. The procedure can be uncomfortable and may damage the colon. A technique developed in Israel allows a complete examination of the entire colon without any discomfort via a small camera swallowed by the patient while patients can continue their regular lives..
Robotic spine surgery enables doctors to do spinal surgery without having to do additional surgery to locate and repair the problem.
One of the most widely-used innovations is an emergency band-aid which applies more pressure to staunch bleeding, even on traumatic head wounds. Less expensive and more effective than traditional emergency bandages, they are used by military forces including the US Army. They are manufactured at a Bedouin factory which employs 50 Bedouin women.
Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis has improved through the use of foreskins, traditionally buried or thrown out. It is so effective that Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, head of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement approved its use.
Evidence of cannabis to reduce pain was found in 4th century CE in a family tomb outside Jerusalem. Israel perfected it and It is now used for many conditions, including pain reduction.
With more than a billion birds using Israeli airspace on their 5,000-6,000 mile migration, they have caused more damage to Israeli airplanes than all Arab enemy armies combined. Using motorized gliders to travel with and track their semiannual migrations and then banning planes to fly in their paths, the number of strikes has been reduced 76%. Jordan and the Palestinians have cooperated with and benefitted from this action.
An Israeli agriculturist was able to grow an extinct date plant from a found seed.
Among the fifty innovations listed are Krav Maga self-defense, cherry tomatoes, a natural mosquito repellant, flash drive, instant chat, and Waze.
THOU SHALT INNOVATE is an informative book which mixes history, sociology, science, education, politics, and Jewish concepts in a compact, easy-to-read book.
I received an advance copy of this book from LibraryThing.… (altro)