Israel
Cardboard Bicycle Can Change The World, Says Israeli Inventor
A bicycle made almost entirely of cardboard has the potential to change transportation habits from the world’s most congested cities to the poorest reaches of Africa, its Israeli inventor says.
MOSHAV AHITUV, Israel (Reuters) – A bicycle made almost entirely of cardboard has the potential to change transportation habits from the world’s most congested cities to the poorest reaches of Africa, its Israeli inventor says.
Izhar Gafni, 50, is an expert in designing automated mass-production lines. He is an amateur cycling enthusiast who for years toyed with an idea of making a bicycle from cardboard.
He told Reuters during a recent demonstration that after much trial and error, his latest prototype has now proven itself and mass production will begin in a few months.
“I was always fascinated by applying unconventional technologies to materials and I did this on several occasions. But this was the culmination of a few things that came together. I worked for four years to cancel out the corrugated cardboard’s weak structural points,” Gafni said.
“Making a cardboard box is easy and it can be very strong and durable, but to make a bicycle was extremely difficult and I had to find the right way to fold the cardboard in several different directions. It took a year and a half, with lots of testing and failure until I got it right,” he said.
Cardboard, made of wood pulp, was invented in the 19th century as sturdy packaging for carrying other more valuable objects, it has rarely been considered as raw material for things usually made of much stronger materials, such as metal.
Once the shape has been formed and cut, the cardboard is treated with a secret concoction made of organic materials to give it its waterproof and fireproof qualities. In the final stage, it is coated with lacquer paint for appearance.
In testing the durability of the treated cardboard, Gafni said he immersed a cross-section in a water tank for several months and it retained all its hardened characteristics.
Once ready for production, the bicycle will include no metal parts, even the brake mechanism and the wheel and pedal bearings will be made of recycled substances, although Gafni said he could not yet reveal those details due to pending patent issues.
“I’m repeatedly surprised at just how strong this material is, it is amazing. Once we are ready to go to production, the bike will have no metal parts at all,” Gafni said.
Gafni’s workshop, a ramshackle garden shed, is typically the sort of place where legendary inventions are born. It is crammed with tools and bicycle parts and cardboard is strewn everywhere.
One of his first models was a push bike he made as a toy for his young daughter which she is still using months later.
Gafni owns several top-of-the-range bicycles which he said are worth thousands of dollars each, but when his own creation reaches mass production, it should cost no more than about $20 to buy. The cost of materials used are estimated at $9 per unit.
“When we started, a year and a half or two years ago, people laughed at us, but now we are getting at least a dozen e-mails every day asking where they can buy such a bicycle, so this really makes me hopeful that we will succeed,” he said.
A ride of the prototype was quite stiff, but generally no different to other ordinary basic bikes.
“GAME CHANGER”
Nimrod Elmish, Gafni’s business partner, said cardboard and other recycled materials could bring a major change in current production norms because grants and rebates would only be given for local production and there would be no financial benefits by making bicycles in cheap labor markets.
“This is a real game-changer. It changes … the way products are manufactured and shipped, it causes factories to be built everywhere instead of moving production to cheaper labor markets, everything that we have known in the production world can change,” he said.
Elmish said the cardboard bikes would be made on largely automated production lines and would be supplemented by a workforce comprising pensioners and the disabled.
He said that apart from the social benefits this would provide for all concerned, it would also garner government grants for the manufacturers. source – Yahoo News
Headline News
INCOMING: Israel Is On Heightened State Of Alert As IDF Awaits Missile Attack From Iran That Could Come From Tehran, Syria, Yemen, or Iraq
The IDF has heightened its state of alert and readiness in anticipation of a possible Iranian response to the recent Israeli strike, military sources said on Monday.
Iran right now is gambling, not at a casino or on the ponies, but gambling all the same on the outcome of the US presidential election on Tuesday. They know that if Kamala Harris is the winner, they will receive a whole lot better treatment from the United States after Tehran launches a missile strike on Israel than if Donald Trump is the winner. So it would appear that they are going to time the attack to coincide with the presidential election. Seeing as the election is only hours away, it could happen literally any time.
“When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?“ Acts 1:6 (KJB)
Israel has been on a roll lately, vanquishing so many of their enemies in a seemingly effortless military campaign. But it does little good to defeat Hamas and Hezbollah if you leave the country that created these terror networks, Iran, in power and in place to restock them. Has the time finally arrived for Israel to go head-to-head with Iran? Hopefully, yes, it has. The Iranian people even want to see an end to the regime that has plagued their nation for the past 45 or so years, and most would happily welcome that outcome. The next 24 hours are going to tell an amazing end times story, and we will bring you events as they unfold. Am Yisrael Chai.
IDF heightens state of alert in Israel anticipation of Iranian missile strike to coincide with US election
FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: This increased vigilance includes daily situational assessments across all branches and divisions of the IDF General Staff, including the Home Front Command. Intelligence gathering efforts have been intensified through various methods involving the entire intelligence community. At the same time, the Israeli air force remains on high alert, focusing on its control and air defense systems.
“The presence of hundreds of American soldiers in Israel operating the THAAD missile defense system underscores the close cooperation between the IDF and US forces stationed here,” a military official noted.
Deputy Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Amir Baram has also strengthened cooperative ties with his counterparts at US CENTCOM headquarters to prepare for various scenarios. IDF sources emphasized, “Despite various reports in foreign media, there is no confirmed information about the exact timing of a response.”
They further assessed that Iran is still considering its options for retaliation and evaluating the scale of their response. The IDF has not ruled out the possibility of an Iranian response from Syria, Yemen, or Iraq, rather than directly from Iran.
Additionally, security officials are not discounting the possibility of Iranian attempts to target senior Israeli figures both domestically and abroad. Security officials pointed out that Iran is likely weighing US warnings carefully while testing the limits, particularly during the American election period.
“An Iranian attack on Israel could impact the US elections, as Israel is deeply embedded in the political narratives of both Democratic and Republican campaigns,” one source explained.
Military sources confirmed that, despite assessments suggesting that the US elections might delay any Iranian response by at least a few days, the IDF has strategically reinforced its detection, warning, air defense, intelligence, and operational systems within the General Staff. READ MORE
Iran To Use ‘Secret Bombs’ To Attack Israel? Explosive Report After Chilling Nuclear Warning
Iran is reportedly preparing for a significant attack on Israel, planning to utilise more powerful warheads that have not been deployed previously. This escalation follows recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, with an Egyptian official revealing that Tehran has privately warned Cairo of a “strong and complex” response to IDF provocation. The upcoming military operation is expected to involve Iran’s regular military forces, marking a shift from earlier missile attacks carried out solely by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on April 13-14 and October 1. This potential change in strategy underscores the increasing tensions in the region and the serious implications for both Iran and Israel.
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
Headline News
Israel Confirms That The IDF Has Begun Precise And Ongoing Retaliatory Strikes Against Iran As World Braces To See How Tehran Will Respond
Five explosions were reported heard across Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj early on Saturday morning, according to Iranian media, in what is alleged to be the beginning of an Israeli retaliatory attack on Iran.
Earlier today, we told you about the shipment of US F-16s that arrived in the Middle East to be put in place to defend against an attack from Iran after Israel began retaliatory air strikes against the terror regime. About 45 minutes ago Israel time, those strikes began and they are precise and deadly. Early reports coming in are saying some of the strikes are occurring near Iranian nuclear facilities.
“The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.” Daniel 8:20 (KJB)
It appears as of this writing, that the attacks are currently ongoing, and are meant to be a very strong deterrent to Iran. The Biden administration for their part is trying, as usual, to prevent any real damage to Tehran by Israel. Hopefully, Netanyahu will see past that and go and do what he knows must be done. Wiping out Hamas and Hezbollah only works if the head of the snake, Iran, is neutralized as well. Now the long-awaited reprisal has begun, the only question is will Iran respond, and if so, how hard? This is a breaking news story and this article will be updated as new information comes in.
Israel confirms it has struck Iran, as explosions rock Tehran
FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: Israeli officials confirmed to Army Radio that Israel had started striking targets across Iran. “The IDF is currently attacking precise targets in Iran,” IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in a statement. “This is in response to persisting attacks by the Iranian regime on the State of Israel.”The IDF is completely prepared in attack and in defense. We are following the developments from Iran and its proxies in the region.”
IDF says airstrikes – 4 weeks after Iran fired 200 ballistic missiles at Israel – are response to regime’s attacks; US backs Israeli ‘self-defense’; no change to home front guidelines
Reports of explosions at the Imam Khomeini International Airport in the Iranian capital were also received. Arab media reported that Israel attacked the location of the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in Iran.
Looks like Israel’s attack was a “preparation”:
Destroyed air defense en route to Iran in Syria & Iraq
Destroyed radars of S-300 & S-400 air defense in Iran
Now that Iran’s air defense is fully blinded, Israel can freely attack its nuclear facilities.
_ pic.twitter.com/1ONgNizZw6— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) October 26, 2024
There were no planes flying over Syria or northern Iraq during the time of the suspected attack. Iran closed its airspace following the attack, according to Maariv. The White House was notified shortly before the strikes on Tehran began, according to Fox News. Israel’s Security Cabinet also convened in order to approve the strikes. Karaj one of the cities where explosions were heard contains one of Iran’s nuclear power plants.
On Friday, a fire was reported at an Iranian Defense Ministry site in Tehran, although the Tehran Fire Department denied any connection. Explosions were also heard in Syria and Iraq, and air defense systems were reportedly activated, according to Maariv. Syrian media confirmed that Syrian air defense confronted aerial “hostile targets” around Damascus early Saturday morning. READ MORE
Israel Strikes Iran
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
Headline News
SHOWTIME! US Central Command On Friday Says That F-16 Fighter Jets Have Arrived In The Middle East From Germany Ahead Of Impending Israeli strike On Iran.
US Central Command announced on Friday that F-16 fighter jets have arrived in the Middle East from Germany ahead of an impending Israeli strike on Iran.
For the past few weeks, the entire Middle East region has been on edge, waiting for Israel to answer Iran back for, not one, but two military strikes against them. It looks like the moment of decision has arrived, borne witness to by the arrival of a squadron of F-16 fighter jets in the Middle East, courtesy of the United States. I think we can safely say that it’s about to go down.
“Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.” Proverbs 20:18 (KJB)
It has been exciting to see Israel come roaring to life and taking the fight to their enemies instead of simply responding, but know this. Without taking out the nuclear weapons capabilities of Iran, beating Hamas and Hezbollah doesn’t amount to a hill of beans. Hamas is funded by Iran and so is Hezbollah, so that means the funding of terrorism will only stop when Iran is neutered. Iran has to go. Now.
US F-16s arrive in Middle East as Israel prepares for Iran strike
FROM AL-MONITOR: “US Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany arrive in the US Central Command area of responsibility,” CENTCOM wrote on X Friday. CENTCOM did not specify the exact Middle East base or bases the F-16s had reached. The nearest base to Israel is the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan’s Azraq that has served as a main hub for US air force operations in the region.
Earlier this month, a squadron of US F-15s arrived at an undisclosed base, joining F-16s, advanced stealth F-22 Raptors and a number of US Navy ships already in the region. The reinforcements have arrived as Israel prepares for its promised retaliatory attack in response to Iran’s Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel, which came after the Israeli military’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
U.S. Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany arrive in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. pic.twitter.com/myt8uWySX9
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) October 25, 2024
Israel’s plans were thrown off balance over the past week by a Hezbollah drone strike on Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea on Oct. 19 as well as a Pentagon leak that revealed alleged Israeli military preparations to attack Iran. The United States hopes, that despite the turbulence, Israel will keep its word on an informal agreement between the two nations in which Washington promised to reward Israel for not striking Iranian nuclear and oil facilities.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said on Thursday that the US State Department has approved a potential $440 million sale of TOW missiles to Saudi Arabia.
“The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing the strength of its homeland defense,” the Pentagon’s statement read.
The Pentagon added that the sale “will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region.” READ MORE
Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church
- HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page
When you contribute to this fundraising effort, you are helping us to do what the Lord called us to do. The money you send in goes primarily to the overall daily operations of this site. When people ask for Bibles, we send them out at no charge. When people write in and say how much they would like gospel tracts but cannot afford them, we send them a box at no cost to them for either the tracts or the shipping, no matter where they are in the world. We have a Gospel Billboard program. We are now broadcasting Bible studies, Podcasts and a Sunday Service 5 times a week, thanks to your generous donations. All this is possible because YOU pray for us, YOU support us, and YOU give so we can continue growing.
But whatever you do, don’t do nothing. Time is short and we need your help right now. The Lord has given us an open door with a tremendous ‘course’ for us to fulfill that will create an excellent experience at the Judgement Seat of Christ. Please pray for our efforts, and if the Lord leads you to donate, be as generous as possible. The war is REAL, the battle HOT and the time is SHORT…TO THE FIGHT!!!
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)
“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB
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