If you needed further proof that freedom is the mother of innovation even under the most diffictult circumstances, note the following:

THE WINNERS OF" THE WALL STREET JOURNAL'S 2004 TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION AWARDS competition have been announced world-wide . The GOLD award went to Sun Microsystems Inc. of California for a wireless approach to Chip design.

The SILVER award went to GIVEN IMAGING LTD. of Yoqneam, Israel for 'PillCam', a tiny camera that patients swallow so that the doctor can see their digestive tract.

The BRONZE award went to InSIGHTec IMAGE GUIDED TREATMENT Ltd. of Tirat Carmel, Israel for 'ExBlate 2000', a nonsurgical way to destroy tumors by focusing ultrasound waves on them.

These are wonderful achievements for Israel. From a world-wide search, Israelis took two of the top three places. WELL DONE.