Ignorance Among Our Nation’s Leaders Is Not A Lonely Condition | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

Trump offered a confusing coronavirus theory. Conservative pundits explained it for him.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/26/trump-coronavirus-conservatives-209325

The evolution of Trump’s idea that light might be used inside patients shows the symbiotic relationship between the president and his boosters.

 

Why Sweden rejected a coronavirus lockdown - BBC Newsnight

Trump’s Disinfectant Remark Raises a Question About the ‘Very Stable Genius’

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04



/26/us/politics/trump-disinfectant.html

Trump’s Comment on Disinfectant Prompts Experts to Warn Against Inhaling Bleach to Kill Coronavirus

https://time.com/5826882/coronavirus-trump-heat-bleach/

“Inhaling chlorine bleach would be absolutely the worst thing for the lungs,” said John Balmes, a pulmonologist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco. “The airway and lungs are not made to be exposed to even an aerosol of disinfectant.”

 https://www.foxnews.com/politics/media-erupt-over-trump-comments-on-disinfectant-heres-what-he-said

Trump then launched into the comments that drew the harsh backlash, including one Washington Post headline that read, "Trump asked if disinfectants could be injected to kill coronavirus inside the body. Doctors answered: ‘People will die.’"

London police shut down backyard Jewish wedding that violated distancing rules

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/279221

Police had first spoken to the homeowner in the Golders Green neighborhood, London’s Jewish hub, as the celebration was being set up and were told that only 10 people would attend — all people who live in the house, according to a report . But when they returned Wednesday evening they discovered a “lavish banquet” laid out on long tables and were offered a beer by guests, the Daily Mail reported on Friday.

 

Why Some Doctors Are Now Moving Away From Ventilator Treatments for Coronavirus Patients

https://time.com/5818547/ventilators-coronavirus/

As health officials around the world push to get more ventilators to treat coronavirus patients, some doctors are moving away from using the breathing machines when they can. The reason: Some hospitals have reported unusually high death rates for coronavirus patients on ventilators, and some doctors worry that the machines could be harming certain patients.

Special Report: As virus advances, doctors rethink rush to ventilate

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ventilators-specia/special-report-as-virus-advances-doctors-rethink-rush-to-ventilate-idUSKCN2251PE

Reuters interviewed 30 doctors and medical professionals in countries including China, Italy, Spain, Germany and the United States, who have experience of dealing with COVID-19 patients. Nearly all agreed that ventilators are vitally important and have helped save lives. At the same time, many highlighted the risks from using the most invasive types of them - mechanical ventilators - too early or too frequently, or from non-specialists using them without proper training in overwhelmed hospitals.

 

Coronavirus: Has Sweden got its science right?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52395866

There is no lockdown here. Photos have been shared around the world of bars with crammed outdoor seating and long queues for waterfront ice cream kiosks, and yet it is a myth that life here goes on "as normal".

On the face of it little has shut down. But data suggests the vast majority of the population have taken to voluntary social distancing, which is the crux of Sweden's strategy to slow the spread of the virus.

Usage of public transport has dropped significantly, large numbers are working from home, and most refrained from travelling over the Easter weekend. The government has also banned gatherings of more than 50 people and visits to elderly care homes.

Around 9 in 10 Swedes say they keep at least a metre away from people at least some of the time, up from seven in 10 a month ago, according to a major survey by polling firm Novus.

 

Florida’s No-Rules Vibe Gets a Coronavirus Reality Check

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/04/25/ron-desantis-re-open-florida-coronavirus-204833

Florida’s governor is desperate to get the state back to work. But the tourism industry is moving much more cautiously.

Trump grapples with a surprise threat: Too much Trump

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/25/trump-team-2020-polling-207675

Donald Trump’s top aides are fiercely debating a question their boss rarely confronted during his decades of jousting with tabloid newspapers, starring on reality TV shows and running a media-soaked presidential campaign: whether there’s such a thing as too much Donald Trump.

US to suspend visa of Israeli with coronavirus who flew to Tel Aviv

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-to-suspend-visa-of-israeli-with-coronavirus-who-flew-to-tel-aviv/

A security official confirms to The Times of Israel that the man is a Mashgiach Kashrut supervisor from the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Beitar Illit.

The Israeli man had been tested for the virus last week and flew to the US anyways. While there, he was notified that his results had come back positive. He could not get treatment in the US due to a lack of health insurance and decided to return to Israel, according to the Channel 12 report.

Tzaras disease or spiritual warning

אמת ליעקב ויקרא פרק יג פסוק מו
(מו) בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו.
הנה זה ודאי שא"א לומר שהנגעים הם חולי ומכ"ש חולי המתדבקת ולפיכך צותה התורה בדד ישב, דהא פסקינן להלכה שהדבר תלוי בכהן וכל זמן שלא טמאו הכהן או שלא נזקק לו כמו בחתן או ברגל אינו טמא, ואי ס"ד דחולי המתדבקת הוא וכי בשביל זה לא תדבק בו המחלה? גם זהו לכאורה דבר מתמיה, שטמאו הכתוב ומסר בידו שיוכל להטהר שבאם יתלוש השער הלבן הוא יוכל ליטהר, והגע בעצמך שה"ז כמו שמספרים בדיחותא שתפסו אסיר א' וקשרו חבל בבית וקצה הב' מסרו לידו ונתנו בין שיניו והזהירוהו שלא יוציא מבין שיניו את החבל, והרי גם כאן שמסרו לידו את בחירת הטומאה או הטהרה ויוכל ע"י רצונו לבטל את עונש הבדידות שנגזר עליו. אלא ודאי דכל עיקר עונש הנגעים הוא רק בשביל שיגלו מן השמים שהוא נזוף, והיא פשוטה כנבואה, ותיקונו הוא שיהיה רחוק מבני אדם והתבודדותו היא היא שתביאו לידי תשובה, ובאם אינו מקבל עליו להיות מתנהג כשורה אזי הוא ביכלתו, אלא שלטובתו הוא שלא תקלקלו החברה והצוותא, והיינו שהוא ניזוק ע"י הצוותא והחברה, והרי הוא כמו מזיק וניזק שצריך שמירה מצד עצמו.

Coronavirus Drug Chloroquine Should Not Be Used for COVID-19 Because 'Lethality' Is 'Primary Outcome,' Study Shows

https://www.newsweek.com/coronavirus-drug-chlorquine-should-not-used-covid-19-because-lethality-primary-outcome-1500119

A randomized clinical trial of whether a malaria drug could be used as a Covid-19 cure was shut down because its "primary outcome" was death, a study published Friday in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed.

Researchers in Brazil looked at 81 patients with Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, from March 23 to April 5 to see whether the drug chloroquine could be an effective treatment for the highly contagious disease. Forty patients were given a low-dose of the drug; 41 others, a high dose. They were also given the antibiotic azithromycin.

The researchers found that 13 people in the low-dose group died, as did 16 in the high-dose group. Another 11 developed heart abnormalities.

 

After apparent spat, top ultra-Orthodox rabbis announce yeshivas not reopening

https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-ultra-orthodox-rabbis-announce-yeshivas-not-reopening/

Chaim Kanievsky and Gershon Edelstein, who reportedly previously disagreed on matter, tell their Lithuanian sect studies to be held as normally as possible from home

 

Save Our Daughters from IDF Draft During Corona

מידע חיוני ונחוץ לבת ישראל!!!

תצהיר דת? זימון ללשכת הגיוס? צו התייצבות?

גם בצל הקורונה זכויותייך לא נמחקו...

אם קיבלת זימון מאת הצבא, בטלפון או בדואר או בכל אמצעי אחר – דעי שיש דרך לכל בת דתיה, גם בימים אלה, לקבל 'תצהיר דת' ו'פטור' מהצבא.

כלל ראשון – אין להגיע פיזית ללשכת הגיוס בשום אופן גם אם הצבא דורש זאת. לפי החוק בת דתיה פטורה מהתייצבות בלשכה. הדרך היעילה והחכמה ביותר: להנפיק ב'רבנות-הראשית' מסמך 'הצהרת דת' ולשלחו בדואר רשום ללשכת הגיוס.

שימי לב: כדי שהמסמך שלך יגיע לצבא בלי עיכובים ובעיות, עליך לשולחו דווקא עם סוג דואר שנקרא 'דואר רשום עם אישור מסירה' בצורה זו המסמך שלך נשלח תחת אבטחה וברגע שהצבא קיבל זאת, את תקבלי הביתה קבלה חתומה.

שמרי את אישור המסירה היטב עד לקבלת הפטור (זו ההוכחה החוקית שלך שאכן התקבל התצהיר)

בת שמוסרת את התצהיר על ידי כניסה ללשכה לא מקבלת שום אישור שמוכיח שהיא אכן הביאה תצהיר ורבות הבנות שהסתבכו עקב כך .

הרבנות הראשית פועלת כעת במתכונת מצומצמת ועל כן כאשר צריך להנפיק 'הצהרת דת' בדחיפות, ניתן ליצור קשר עמם במספר 5889 * שלוחה 2 ולקבל זימון למרות הקורונה.

לכל שאלה, סיבוך, בקשת עזרה בנושא הפטור,

תוכלי ליצור קשר עם ארגון המסייע לבנות דתיות ללא תשלום 035456770  

For more details in English:

URGENT CORONAVIRUS ALERT for all draft age Israeli girls, including those w/ DUAL citizenship:

https://firstamendmentactivist.blogspot.com/2020/04/alert-for-israeli-draft-age-women.html

Trump, ever the salesman, is peddling dangerous cures for coronavirus

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/24/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-disinfectant-sunlight-science/index.html

Roll up for Donald Trump's old West traveling medicine show.

He's marketed steaks and real estate, board games and vodka, but nothing the incorrigible salesman has tried to hawk measures up to his latest routine as he speculated on a possible new cure for Covid-19.

For most of his life as a pitchman, Trump has only had his own reputation on the line. But now, in the middle of a generational health crisis, lives are at stake.

In an eye-popping moment, Trump doubled down on his claim that sunlight and the festering humidity of high summer could purge the virus in his latest grab for a game-changer therapy.

Then, he asked aides on camera whether zapping patients with light or injecting disinfectant into the lungs to clean sick patients from inside could cure them of the disease.

Ongoing IDF Antireligious Hate Under Corona

BS"D

When There's No Justice Below - It Rains Down from On High

30 Nissan, 5780 °°° April 24, '20 °°° Par. Tazria-Metzorah [ver. 1a]

[The initial post of this article -  https://firstamendmentactivist.blogspot.com/2020/04/ongoing-idf-religious-persecution-under.html - was circulated in this week's email of the Coalition for Jewish Values.]

By Binyomin Feinberg,

FeinbergBinyomin@gmail.com

¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥

A. URGENT CORONAVIRUS ALERT:

Firstly, we share an important notice for all Israeli draft-age girls and women, including those holding dual-citizenship:

https://firstamendmentactivist.blogspot.com/2020/04/alert-for-israeli-draft-age-women.html

¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥

Secondly, here's the update link for the month of Iyyar, to check in case we post something during the week between our regular Wednesday/ Thursday posts:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Z2nuHMNh-CQ3Te2MdV04dmFfkkmQ0TLNKElS9JT6yJc/edit?usp=sharing 

~~~~~~~~~~~

B. The Religious Persecution of Olga S.

Let's start with a brief review of one exemplary, ongoing travesty of overt religious persecution by the Israeli Army - traversing the span of over a year and a half: the case of a Ba'alas Teshuvah ("Observant-by-Choice") girl, Olga Shamilov:

The procedure for religious and traditional girls to secure their legal entitlement to a Religious Exemption from Israeli Army service is to present a Tatzhir Dat (certification of religiosity) to the Draft Offices. Olga obtained her  tatzhir via a Bais Din (Rabbinical Court), and properly submitted it to the Tel HaShomer Draft Office. She was subsequently summoned to a Rayon Dat (a "religiosity interview").  On Nov.19, '18, almost 1-1/2 years ago, she  met the Army draft officers (apparently being totally uninformed of the halachic and practical objections to submitting to these religiosity interrogations), and she answered the questions properly.  Nevertheless, the draft offices refused to grant her the religious exemption from Army service, to which she is legally entitled.

They then summoned her to another interview. She made the trip down again, only to hear the (ostensibly religious) female Army officer inform her that the Army is rejecting her petition for a religious exemption. The officer provided no reason for the rejection.

Of course, enlisting women altogether is prohibited by Torah law, even if done fully willingly. However, in this case, lacking basis for rejecting her petition, the Israeli Army is breaking Israeli law as well, by denying Olga her entitlement to a religious exemption (as her attorney informed the Army in a formal complaint filed this January).

Additionally, the Army officer tried convincing Olga to enlist - DESPITE clearly being a Ba'alas Teshuvah. Some readers unfamiliar with the Orthodox milieu may not fully realize the degree of sheer antireligious Israeli chutzpah on full display here.  To even venture to suggest that a Ba'alas Teshuvah enlist at the beginning of her process of strengthening herself in her newly-found religious heritage is the height of temerity. And that's even coming from a liberal secular perspective. Far worse: the officer did so AS a religious woman. 

B"H, Olga remained resolute. She elaborated, stating that she's seeking to become something better than what she currently is. (That's a statement all of us ought consider.) The "religious" officer was unmoved by Olga's steadfast devotion, and even ended with a genteel but clear threat to Olga: "being a deserter ("Arikah") isn't pleasant." Readers of our columns will recognize how politely that euphamizes the sum total of the female Israeli Refusenik experience.

Olga was hit with a draft date in October - this past October. That's about six MONTHS of being absent from the Army.  Imagine the ongoing psychological pressure that imposes on a young person, and a Ba'alas Teshuvah in particular. There is NO excuse for tolerating such persecution of a religious girl, or of any girl. We will be judged (and very possibly are being judged, at this juncture) for not raising a storm of protest over the ongoing abuse of Olga, and hundreds and hundreds of girls and women like her. They suffer in silence because we wallow in silence over their plight.

#########################

C.  A few Torah sources on how tribulations prompt us to introspection, and a second look at the antireligious persecution of Olga S.

1.  The Gemara (Babylonian Talmud, tractate Brachos 5a) elaborates on "yisurin," tribulations. At the risk of the appearance of oversimplification, the general principle is that we deserve what we get. The outstanding question is specifically WHICH things we did can be identified as serving as causative factors in a particular tribulation that we're suffering. Rashi there, s.v. "pishpaish;" explains that we are to utilize the yisurin we're experiencing to identify the types of sins we've committed that match those yisur.

2. Similarly, according to Rav Chaim of Volozhin OB"M (in his commentary "Ru'ach Chaim" on Pirkei Avos (4:14), as well as in his "Nefesh HaChayim"), a central function of the Divine principle (Hanhogah) of "Mida Keneged Mida" is to serve the purpose of aiding us in identifying which iniquity precipitated the given punishment. Thereby, we can identify which particular sin G-d is beckoning us to repent from, via those tribulations. See also the Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Hil. Ta'anis, 1:1-3.

3. The Maharsh"a at the end of Gittin 58a states that the Churban HaBayis (second) was triggered by an individual act of wickedness (detailed there) which was not (properly) protested by the Jewish community. That failure to protest evoked the Heavenly Wrath that finalized the decree to destroy the Second Jewish Commonwealth.

4. That incident, described in Gittin, pales in comparison with what commonly occurs nowadays, in a multitude of areas. That would also include the ongoing travesties covered in these posts, in regards to innocent Jewish girls being forced to serve in the notoriously promiscuous, exploitative Israeli Army. (Again, females serving in the Army is prohibited according to all leading Torah authorities, regardless of religious observance, ethnicity, etc.).

5. That fact should give us ample cause to consider the role of  systemic corruption in allowing this crime wave against Bnos Yisroel to be perpetuated, and even facilitated by frum parties. And, above all, we ought consider what we could do about it, and what we are not doing. Of course, then we ought consider possible consequences of those failures, that appear to be hitting us between the eyes in recent weeks.

6. In our Jewish Press Dispatch column of Nov. 15, '19 (p. 17), we reported on the case of the aforementioned Ba'alas Teshuva, Olga Shamilov, about 19 y/o, who was (illegally) denied her religious exemption from Israeli Army military service, without even the pretext of a justification.

7. Generally,  Israeli law requires the Army to provide a girl an automatic religious exemption once the Army receives her religious verification documentation, unless they can show a substantial reason to dispute it. 

8.  In Olga's case, the Israeli Army spectacularly failed to present any objections to her religiosity, and, in the second interview, stunningly acknowledged her Ba'alas Teshuva profile.  What is even more revealing of unbridled arrogance is the fact that the Army didn't  even bother trying to provide her with a semblance of a rationale. Adding insult to injury, the Army had her schlep down to an interview just to inform her of what they could have easily told her by mail and phone: they're denying her request for her legal entitlement to a service exemption. Apparently, they  planned to use the pretext of the meeting to prevail on this Ba'alas Teshuva to forgoe her newly rediscovered religious heritage (one the antireligious establishment made sure to keep at bay) - in order to make her "contribution" to the country (or, somewhat more precisely, to the hormonal needs of some of the men who are purportedly so dedicated to protecting the Jewish People).

9. That interview, her second, was interesting for other reasons as well.  She was interviewed by a female Army officer who tried trafficking her into the Army on the basis of Army service not proving disruptive of her own religious lifestyle. The Army officer described herself in line with the Dati Le'umi (national religious) community. 

10.  Well, how Dati (religious) she is in her personal life, I really don't know. But "Le'umi," certainly not. What type of "Jewish nationhood" will be left over if even the religious women start enlisting in droves, as is a declared Israeli Army goal? Just talk to candid Mizrachi /national-religious oriented people in the post-Army milieu to hear about what goes on, what women are subjected to, and how emotionally and psychologically unfit many post-Army women unfortunately are for a Torah-marriage and raising a family. (Time spent speaking with anti-Zionist types, or most Chareidi people, about this particular topic is usually not well spent. Most of them have precious little idea of how bad it is on the ground, because it's so far removed from their milieu.)

11.  We hope not to need to revisit this case, but if we do, some religious politicians will have a lot of explaining to do.

Fact check: Trump makes false claims about governors not wanting tests, and repeats errors about Pelosi and Michelle Obama

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/22/politics/april-22-wednesday-coronavirus-briefing-fact-check/index.html

 President Donald Trump made yet another false claim about coronavirus testing on Wednesday, wrongly saying at a White House briefing that the US is conducting more tests than any governor probably even wants. In fact, numerous governors, including Republicans, have said that more testing is necessary.

Trump also continued to embellish about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's February 24 visit to San Francisco's Chinatown, inaccurately saying that she had held a Chinatown "rally." He continued to insist that his travel restrictions on China were a "ban," though they contained significant exemptions. And he threw in an old false claim about Michelle Obama for good measure.

Fox News Poll: Biden tops Trump in Michigan, where Gov. Whitmer is more popular than president

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-biden-tops-trump-in-michigan-where-gov-whitmer-is-more-popular-than-president

Majorities of Michigan voters are concerned about coronavirus, think President Trump was too slow reacting to it, and favor waiting to reopen the economy. That contributes to Joe Biden leading the presidential race in a Fox News Poll of Michigan registered voters released Wednesday.

Biden’s 8-point advantage over Trump, 49-41 percent, is slightly larger than the poll’s margin of sampling error.  However, both candidates remain below 50 percent and 10 percent of voters are still up for grabs.

 

Trump says he 'strongly' disagreed with move to reopen Georgia -- contradicting source who said he agreed with it

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/22/politics/trump-pence-georgia-governor-brian-kemp/index.html

 (CNN)President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both called Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday night and expressed support and praise for the Republican's move to reopen businesses in his state starting Friday, a source familiar with the call said. Trump later said the opposite -- that he told Kemp he disagreed "strongly" with the decision.

But the President said during Wednesday's news conference that he told Kemp he disagreed "strongly" with the governor's decision to reopen some businesses in his state.

What the author of 'The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History' can teach us about coronavirus

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/27/politics/interview-john-barry-great-influenza/index.html

No. 1, authorities need to tell the truth, even when it's uncomfortable -- especially when it's uncomfortable. This is important for two reasons. First, it lessens fear. People are always more afraid of the unknown. When people don't think they're getting a straight message they feel uncertain. In a horror movie, it's always scariest before the monster appears. Once the fear becomes concrete we can deal with it. We can deal with reality. Second, if you want people to comply with your recommendations -- and compliance is crucial to success -- they have to believe you and trust you. If they doubt you they will ignore you. In Singapore, the Prime Minister told blunt truths at the beginning, ended panic buying and, more importantly, it's one reason Singapore has gotten way ahead of the virus.

 

Cabinet set to further ease COVID-19 restrictions amid rising public frustration

https://www.timesofisrael.com/cabinet-to-meet-on-easing-further-restrictions-amid-rising-public-anger/

Reopened IKEA draws crowds, lottery booths given permission to resume activities; with still-shuttered businesses fuming, cabinet to rethink on Thursday

Trump Spreads Coronavirus Misinformation As U.S. Death Toll Tops 46,000 | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

Wisconsin Voters Reject Trump’s Pick for State Supreme Court in Election Marred by Coronavirus

https://time.com/5820383/wisconsin-supreme-court-election-coronavirus/

 A liberal challenger on Monday ousted a conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice endorsed by President Donald Trump, overcoming a successful push by Republicans to forge ahead with last week’s election even as numerous other states postponed theirs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But the absentee-ballot-fueled victory by liberal Supreme Court candidate Jill Karofsky was a huge win for Democrats. It reduced conservative control of the court to 4-3, giving liberals a chance to take control in 2023.

Her win will also certainly be seen as a bellwether in battleground Wisconsin ahead of the November presidential election. Trump barely carried the state four years ago, and both parties see it as critical this year.

Senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis split on response to coronavirus epidemic

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/senior-ultra-orthodox-rabbis-split-on-response-to-coronavirus-epidemic-625504

Letter sent by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, the most senior rabbi of the haredi, non-hassidic world for publication in Yated Neeman newspaper stopped by second most senior leader Rabbi Gershon Edelstein.

  In a highly embarrassing incident for the rabbinic leadership of the ultra-Orthodox (haredi), non-hassidic community, the Yated Neeman newspaper decided not to print a letter by Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky calling for ultra-Orthodox schools to reopen, despite the ongoing coronavirus epidemic, following the intervention of his fellow leader Rabbi Gershon Edelstein.

Why incompetent people think they're amazing - David Dunning

Williamsburg Satmar yeshivas operating secret schools in apartments and synagogues

https://forward.com/news/breaking-news/444376/williamsburg-yeshivas-secret-schools-apartments-synagogues-coronavirus/

 Orthodox yeshivas for boys in Williamsburg are running underground schools in closed synagogues and apartment buildings despite social distancing requirements imposed by the city and state to try to slow the spread of coronavirus, a parent whose child attended one of the secret schools told the Forward.

 

Who’s Behind the ‘Reopen’ Protests?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/22/opinion/coronavirus-protests-astroturf.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

America is now facing three calamities: a deadly contagion, a capricious president and a well-funded right-wing infrastructure willing to devalue human life in pursuit of its political agenda. Some very rich men and women are making this medical disaster worse through their reckless bellows, inflaming people to demand that states open now no matter how many lives that costs.