farmdoc's blog post number 306

So far there have been 22 James Bond films. My favourite part in them is when Q shows 007 the latest paraphernalia – which of course James inevitably uses to his advantage in due course. Mark Twain famously said that truth is stranger than fiction. Maybe, but if not then it sure comes close. Last Tuesday the Israel Defence Forces [IDF] released details of gadgetry it used in Gaza during the recent Operation Iron Dome. On display were a tennis ball sized camera that when tossed into a closed area relays a 360-degree picture of its interior in 15 seconds; a four-wheel, remote-controlled robot (pictured, above) which can travel up and down stairs emitting a continuous stream of audio and video surveillance; a shoulder-launched high-penetration missile (pictured, below) which is precise enough to drive a hole in a wall without destroying a building’s interior; a miniature drone which relays images to a commander's wrist-watch screen; and a new armoured personnel carrier that provides its crew with high steel protection behind which they can use its hi-tech weaponry and electronics without exposing themselves to attack. And these are only the publicly released ones! It’s regrettable Israel has had to invent and produce these gizmos. But her neighbours are her neighbours. Imagine her potential should she ever live in peace. I doubt even Q’s imagination's that fertile.