It was asserted recently that common sense needs to be used in medical decisions. There is a long list of common sense leading to major problems
Bypass surgery, lobotomies hormone replacement therapies knee surgery, Prostate cancer screening etc etc
all of which were popular but no are longer done on a regular basis as in the past
https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5058355-elon-musk-visa-debate/
The tech mogul, who dropped at least $250 million backing Trump’s second White House run, then clarified that “the ‘contemptible fools’ I’m referring to are those in the Republican Party who are hateful, unrepentant racists. They will absolutely be the downfall of the Republican Party if they are not removed.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyv7gxp02yo
Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump clashed online over a visa programme intended to bring skilled workers to the US - showing possible cracks in the upcoming administration.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/12/27/trump-backtracking-campaign-promises/
Trump’s demanding routine of rhetorical reverse-lunges has worried MAGA hard-liners, particularly when it comes to his signature promise to carry out “the largest deportation operation” in U.S. history. “Trump Allies Fear Watered Down Deportation Efforts,” announced the Wall Street Journal. These allies are apparently shocked to discover that Trump does not always keep his word. They must have fallen for his “we will never back down” rallying cry as he closed his campaign speeches.
Rambam (Chanukah (03:01) In [the era of] the Second Temple, the Greek kingdom issued decrees against the Jewish people, [attempting to] nullify their faith and refusing to allow them to observe the Torah and its commandments. They extended their hands against their property and their daughters; they entered the Sanctuary, wrought havoc within, and made the sacraments impure.
The Jews suffered great difficulties from them, for they oppressed them greatly until the God of our ancestors had mercy upon them, delivered them from their hand, and saved them. The sons of the Hasmoneans, the High Priests, overcame [them], slew them, and saved the Jews from their hand.
They appointed a king from the priests, and sovereignty returned to Israel for more than 200 years, until the destruction of the Second Temple.
The result of Chanukah was Jewish sovereignty for 200 years not necessarily distinguished by piety
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/05/trump-campus-protests-deportation/678521/
The threat is classic Trump: vindictive, nonsensical, disproportionate, and based on the assumption that deportation is the answer to America’s problems. Protest is an essential element of American freedom and is not itself against the law. (Some protesters have been charged with crimes.) One would think it goes without saying that U.S. citizens cannot be deported for it. Although some of those protesting the war in Gaza and American support for it are international students, no evidence indicates that most or even a large minority of those protesting on campuses are non-U.S. citizens. (Foreign nationals can lose their student visa if they are suspended from school for any reason, political or otherwise.) In short, Trump is proposing a heavy-handed plan that wouldn’t solve the problem.
Cases of polio in Israel are highly rare, but not unheard of, and occur almost entirely among children in unvaccinated populations.
In May 2023, an unvaccinated 8-year-old in Safed caught the virus; three other children contracted the virus from that child, but showed no clinical symptoms. In 2022, an unvaccinated 4-year-old was hospitalized with paralysis from the virus, prompting a vaccination campaign in Jerusalem.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/12/25/ai-health-care-medical-doctors/
The harm of generative AI — notorious for “hallucinations” — producing bad information is often difficult to see, but in medicine the danger is stark. One study found that out of 382 test medical questions, ChatGPT gave an “inappropriate” answer on 20 percent. A doctor using the AI to draft communications could inadvertently pass along bad advice.
It’s a little late for this year’s celebrations, but you can get a very early jump on next year and count down with the $38 Trump Advent calendar. Or trim the tree with a $95 Mar-a-Lago bauble or a $16 MAGA hat ornament, sold in nine colors. (A glass version of the hat ornament is $92.) Stuff stockings with an $86 “GIANT Trump Chocolate Gold Bar” and a $22 pair of candy cane socks printed with “Trump.” Prepare a holiday feast with a $14 Trump Christmas tree pot holder and $28 Trump apron featuring Santa waving an American flag.
The profits from these holiday trinkets do not benefit a political committee or a charitable cause, but the Trump Organization, the Trump family’s privately owned conglomerate of real estate, hotel and lifestyle businesses. As the company encouraged customers to celebrate the holidays with Trump gifts for all ages, President-elect Donald Trump personally profited off of his upcoming term in a manner that is unprecedented in modern history — even during his unconventional first stint in the White House.
The 76-year-old has a successful career as a model and a dietician. But her son’s extensive business dealings in China – his car company, Tesla, has its biggest factory in Shanghai and he is a frequent visitor to the country – have opened the door to a new market of admirers who have welcomed her with open arms.
https://blog.nli.org.il/en/nittel_nacht/
t appears that Jewish folklore recognized, adopted, and even preserved the older Christmas traditions long after they had faded from most of the world.
The German Reformation, the English Industrial Revolution, and American capitalism transformed Christmas into the holiday we know today, almost unrecognizable from what it once was, and almost all of the customs known today only go back to the last 200 years or so. Ironically, some of the only people who still observe these ancient holiday traditions belong to certain Ashkenazi Jewish communities, for whom the practices of their ancestors remain sacred. After all, as the old Jewish joke goes – what do Christians know about Christmas?
Igros Moshe (YD III:35) Concerning the matter that some guys from the yeshiva started smoking marijuana. It is clearly forbidden according to several basic principles the Torah. it is clear that it spoils and destroys the body, and even if healthy people are found that it does not harm them that much, but it still spoils the mind so they cannot understand things properly. This latter problem is even more serious aside from the fact that a person is prevented from learning the Torah properly it also interferes with prayer and the mitzvos of the Torah that he does without proper knowledge it is as if he didn’t do them. Moreover, it causes a great desire which is more than the desire for eating and other physical needs that a person needs to live. And there are those who can not control this desire So creating it involves the problem seen in the rebellious child (ben sorrer) which results in his execution even if he only eats kosher food. So clearly it is prohibited to create this great desire in himself! In addition there is no necessity to create this desire and thus it is prohibited. While it might not incur the punishment of beating but it is clearly prohibited. In addition it causes great anguish to the parents so he also violates the mitzva of honoring his parents. He also violates the command of being holy according to the Ramban as well it brings about many other prohibitions. Bottom line, it is clearly one of the more serious prohibitions. It is thus necessary to strive with all your might to remove this impurity from all Jews in particular from yeshiva students.
Forgive us if we missed it, but we don’t recall Donald Trump campaigning to invade Panama and retake its famous canal. But there was the President-elect on the weekend, threatening our Central American ally with punishment if it doesn’t meet his demands.
If we can introduce a few facts, Mr. Trump’s claim that Panama is gouging Americans is unfounded. Every vessel, regardless of its flag, pays the same rate according to tonnage and type. Container ships, which carry finished goods, pay more than bulk carriers. About 75% of the total price is a toll and 25% is for services like tugboat or locomotive escorts.
It’s hard to know how seriously to take Mr. Trump’s broadsides. But threatening a takeover that would require an invasion may court more trouble than he imagines.
https://www.newsweek.com/russia-responds-donald-trumps-greenland-proposal-2005643
"This is especially interesting because it drives a wedge between him and Europe, it undermines the world architecture, and opens up certain opportunities for our foreign policy," MIkheyev said, adding that if Trump "really wants to stop the third world war, the way out is simple: dividing up the world into spheres of influence."
Stanislav Tkachenko, a top academic at the St. Petersburg State University also voiced his support for Trump's discussion of buying Greenland and said that Russia should "thank Donald Trump, who is teaching us a new diplomatic language."
