The Well-Armed Troll

 https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2022/02/07/the-well-armed-troll/#slide-1

Putin is, in that sense, a very well-armed troll — opportunistic, attention-seeking, happy to upset the cart and see if any apples roll his way. But the Russian regime necessarily looms larger in the Western mind than do those of Putin peers such as Kim Jong Un for three reasons: (1) The Cold War trained Western policy intellectuals to think of Russia as a great power, and the habit remains even though Putin has nothing like the real geopolitical power enjoyed by Joseph Stalin or Leonid Brezhnev; (2) Putin’s forces are in close proximity to our European allies, including NATO members; (3) although the old Soviet nuclear arsenal has declined, Putin has something on the order of 1,600 strategic warheads ready to go — on missiles, bombers, and submarines — and a thousand strategic warheads in storage, according to the estimate of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. The first of those three considerations is a matter of intellectual inertia, but the other two are live concerns.

'Dangerous precedent': Jan. 6 committee trains its sights on false pro-Trump electors

 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/21/january-6-committee-precedent-pro-trump-electors-527528

The decision to deploy illegitimate electors highlights the deliberation of Trump's allies in their attempts to keep his effort to reverse the election alive. Top Trump White House officials at the time — including adviser Stephen Miller — made clear they were tracking “alternative” slates of electors in real time.

Booster Shots Needed Against Omicron, CDC Studies Show

 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/01/21/covid-vaccination-requirement-cases-deaths/6601998001/

Booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines have proven highly effective at preventing omicron-related hospitalizations, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The booster doses were 90% effective at keeping people out of the hospital after they had become infected with the omicron variant. The doses also were 82% effective at preventing emergency department and urgent care visits, the data shows.

Why the Sarah Palin v. New York Times trial will be an 'excruciating experience' for the paper

 https://edition.cnn.com/2022/01/22/media/sarah-palin-new-york-times-trial/index.html

The case is, at its heart, about the limits of First Amendment protections and the standard set in the landmark New York Times vs. Sullivan case. Specifically, the standard that a public figure must prove an outlet operated with "actual malice" when it published defamatory information. Palin has argued The Times did, and The Times has said it made an honest error.

"At issue is the elasticity of the protections that allow news organizations to present tough coverage of public figures," Washington Post's Erik Wemple wrote on Friday. "Or, to put things a bit more sharply, the case will help demarcate the line between really bad journalism and libelous journalism."

The reporting from mainstream news sources tends to be a lot more buttoned up than reporting in right-wing media. Fox, for instance, is wrapping itself in the First Amendment as it defends itself from lawsuits against voting technology companies Dominion and Smartmatic.

Which is to say that the attempts to reduce press freedom on the right could backfire in enormous ways. "Fox needs those protections more than The New York Times at the moment," Toobin pointed out. "The New York Times made a single mistake and behaved responsibly. Fox was the gateway for a torrent of lies that nearly destroyed these companies and has never appropriately apologized."

What is rechilus?

Mishneh Torah, Human Dispositions chapter 7

1. He who bears tales against his fellow violates a prohibitive commandment, saying: "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people" (Lev. 19.16.); and although the punishment of flogging is not inflicted for violating this charge, it is a gross iniquity, and is the cause of the slaughtering of many souls in Israel; it is because thereof, that following this commandment is this Verse: "Neither shalt thou stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor" (Ibid.). Now, go ye and learn of that which happened to Doeg the Edomite.¹First Samuel, 22.9-19. G.

 אֵי זֶהוּ רָכִיל. זֶה שֶׁטּוֹעֵן דְּבָרִים וְהוֹלֵךְ מִזֶּה לָזֶה וְאוֹמֵר כָּךְ אָמַר פְּלוֹנִי כָּךְ וְכָךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי עַל פְּלוֹנִי. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא אֱמֶת הֲרֵי זֶה מַחֲרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם. יֵשׁ עָוֹן גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה עַד מְאֹד וְהוּא בִּכְלַל לָאו זֶה וְהוּא לָשׁוֹן הָרַע. וְהוּא הַמְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּת חֲבֵרוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאוֹמֵר אֱמֶת. אֲבָל הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁקֶר נִקְרָא מוֹצִיא שֵׁם רַע עַל חֲבֵרוֹ. אֲבָל בַּעַל לָשׁוֹן הָרַע זֶה שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב וְאוֹמֵר כָּךְ וְכָךְ עָשָׂה פְּלוֹנִי וְכָךְ וְכָךְ הָיוּ אֲבוֹתָיו וְכָךְ וְכָךְ שָׁמַעְתִּי עָלָיו וְאָמַר דְּבָרִים שֶׁל גְּנַאי. עַל זֶה אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהילים יב ד) "יַכְרֵת ה' כָּל שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדלוֹת":  

2. What ia a rachil? One who loads himself up with matters, and goes from this one to that one, saying to each, such did that man say, thus and such have I heard concerning that man, even though it be true, behold him, he destroys the universe. There is yet an extremely grosser iniquity, which, too, is included in this prohibitive commandment, and that is, the evil tongue, one who spreads scandal about his fellow even though he be telling truth. If he be lying, he is called a maligner who invents an evil name against his fellow. The owner of an evil tongue, behold him, he sits in company and relates, saying: thus and such did that certain party, thus and such were his parents, and thus and such I did hear about him and of course, he relates scandalous matters. Of him, the Verse says: "May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that speaketh proud things" (Ps. 12.4). 

 According to this rechilus is gossip without intent to cause harmand is true  The Kesef Mishna adds that it is gossip about that person who his being talked to.

On the other hand Rambam  following Sanhedrin (31a)also describes it  as revealing secrets

Rambam (Sanhedrin 22:7)  אָסוּר לְאֶחָד מִן הַדַּיָּנִים כְּשֶׁיֵּצֵא מִבֵּית דִּין לוֹמַר אֲנִי הוּא הַמְזַכֶּה אוֹ הַמְחַיֵּב וַחֲבֵרַי חוֹלְקִין עָלַי אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה שֶׁהֵם רַבּוּ עָלַי וְאִם אָמַר כֵּן הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל מְגַלֶּה סוֹד. וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּתַלְמִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהוֹצִיא דְּבָרִים שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לְאַחַר שְׁתַּיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְהוֹצִיאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין מִבֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְהִכְרִיזוּ עָלָיו זֶה מְגַלֶּה סוֹד הוּא: 

 The same verse (Vayikra 19:16) is also the basis for the prohibition of lashon harah and slander 

Ben Yohoyada

מִנַּיִן לִכְשֶׁיֵּצֵא, שֶׁלֹּא יֹאמַר: אֲנִי מְזַכֶּה וַחֲבֵרַי מְחַיְּבִין, אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה, שֶׁחֲבֵרַי רַבּוּ עָלַי, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: (ויקרא יט, טז) "לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל בְּעַמֶּיךָ". וְאוֹמֵר: "הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל מְגַלֶּה סוֹד" (משלי יא, יג). קשא למה הוצרך להביא פסוק זה אחר שהביא פסוק מן התורה? ונראה לי בס"ד דלעולם הוא למד זה מפסוק תורה אך פסוק תורה בלחודיה איכא למדחי דאיירי במספר לשון הרע וכאן אינו מספר לשון הרע דלא אמר חבירי מחייבין שלא כדין, אלא אומר כך היה דעתי כפי הדין וכך היה דעת חבירי כפי הדין ואפשר שהדין עמהם ורק דבר זה נחשב מגלה סוד ואם כן אין הוכחה מן פסוק 'לֹא תֵלֵךְ רָכִיל' דיש לומר רָכִיל קאי על בעל לשון הרע ולא על 'מְגַלֶּה סוֹד' לכך הביא פסוק 'הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל מְגַלֶּה סוֹד' דנמצא דגם מגלה סוד בלבד נקרא רכיל אם כן נמצא פסוק 'הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל' איירי בכל גוונא אפילו ב'מְגַלֶּה סוֹד' בלבד דאיכא לאו ואזהרה בזה בכל גוונא.

What is rechilus?

French parliamentary report on Sarah Halimi murder reopens wounds it sought to heal

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/french-parliamentary-report-on-sarah-halimi-murder-reopens-wounds-it-sought-to-heal/

Leaders of French Jewry reacted critically to the report, and especially to a statement Morlighem made during a committee meeting. According to minutes from the session, Morlighem said that police likely didn’t hear Halimi scream because, “in light of the dimensions of Traore, and the photos of Sarah Halimi’s cadaver, I think she did not scream for a long time.”

Legislating Morality: The Prohibition of Lashon Hara

https://hakirah.org/Vol%2012%20Buchman.pdf

Rav Yisrael Salanter was asked by the Chofetz Chaim for an approbation (haskamah) to his Sefer Chofetz Chaim but Rav Salanter did not give it.23 He explained the reason to him. He said, you write that if one speaks lashon hara about another, he must relate what he had done and ask the person for forgiveness (mechilah).24 Thus, if one has talked badly about his dearest and most beloved friend and in a moment of weakness he relates something negative about him to another, he must do teshuvah by revealing the transgression to the friend. The Chofetz Chaim responded that this is in fact the halachah, and indeed this is implied by the words of Rabbenu Yonah,25 and though not mentioned it would follow from Hilchos Teshuvah of Mishneh Torah as well. Rav Salanter responded that one is not permitted to fulfill a mitzvah and gain teshuvah, at the expense of another’s pain.26 To reveal his transgression to his life-long friend who felt loved like as a brother is an act of cruelty.

Lauren Boebert does some casual antisemitism as a hilarious “joke”

 https://www.mic.com/impact/lauren-boebert-capitol-tourists-orthodox-joke

This week, just days after a gunman held four congregants of a Dallas-area synagogue hostage while spouting antisemitic fantasies about Jews controlling the world, Boebert stumbled onto a group of Jewish visitors to the United States Capitol Building and, after looking them up and down (they were allegedly all wearing yarmulkes) asked whether they were there for “reconnaissance.” Ha ha ha. Jokes!

Don’t get it? That’s okay, neither do I, despite Boebert’s later insistence that others did, and besides, she’s “too short to see anyone’s yarmulkes.” Ha ... ha ha? Given Boebert’s dalliances with casual antisemitism in the past, coupled with the overt antisemitism on display during the Jan. 6 insurrection — for which she, herself, has been credibly accused of providing “reconnaissance” tours ahead of time — it’s pretty understandable to assume Boebert’s “joke” isn’t exactly coming from a place of tolerance and understanding.

US Rep. Boebert asks Jewish visitors if they are spying on Capitol

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-rep-boebert-asks-jewish-visitors-if-they-are-spying-on-capitol/

Rep. Lauren Boebert asked a group of kippah-wearing Jewish visitors in a US Capitol building elevator on Thursday if they were there to do “reconnaissance,” Buzzfeed News reported.

The outspoken Colorado Republican claimed the comment was a joke tied to criticism she has received over Capitol tours she reportedly gave in the days before the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection there.

Revealing secrets is prohibited

Sanhedrin (31a) The mishna teaches: And from where is it derived that when the judge leaves the courtroom, he should not say: I deemed you exempt and my colleagues deemed you liable, but what can I do, as my colleagues outnumbered me and consequently you were deemed liable? About this it is stated: “You shall not go as a talebearer among your people” (Leviticus 19:16), and it says: “One who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets, but one who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter” (Proverbs 11:13). The Sages taught in a baraita: From where is it derived that when the judge leaves he should not say: I deemed you exempt and my colleagues deemed you liable, but what can I do, as my colleagues outnumbered me and consequently you were deemed liable? The verse states: “You shall not go as a talebearer among your people” (Leviticus 19:16), and it says: “One who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets” (Proverbs 11:13)

The Gemara relates: There was a certain student, about whom a rumor emerged that he revealed a statement that was stated in the study hall and should have been kept secret, and the rumor emerged twenty-two years after the time the statement was revealed. Rav Ami removed him from the study hall as a punishment. Rav Ami said: This is a revealer of secrets and he cannot be trusted.

Rambam (Sanhedrin 22:7)אָסוּר לְאֶחָד מִן הַדַּיָּנִים כְּשֶׁיֵּצֵא מִבֵּית דִּין לוֹמַר אֲנִי הוּא הַמְזַכֶּה אוֹ הַמְחַיֵּב וַחֲבֵרַי חוֹלְקִין עָלַי אֲבָל מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה שֶׁהֵם רַבּוּ עָלַי וְאִם אָמַר כֵּן הֲרֵי הוּא בִּכְלַל הוֹלֵךְ רָכִיל מְגַלֶּה סוֹד. וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְּתַלְמִיד אֶחָד שֶׁהוֹצִיא דְּבָרִים שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרוּ בְּבֵית הַמִּדְרָשׁ לְאַחַר שְׁתַּיִם וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וְהוֹצִיאוּהוּ בֵּית דִּין מִבֵּית הַמִּדְרָשׁ וְהִכְרִיזוּ עָלָיו זֶה מְגַלֶּה סוֹד הוּא:

Chofetz Chaim, (Introduction to the Laws of the Prohibition of Lashon Hara and Rechilut, Opening Comments 1) One who bears tales against his friend transgresses a negative commandment, viz. (Vayikra 19:16): "Do not go talebearing among your people." What is talebearing? "Loading oneself" with words and going from one to another, saying: "This is what ploni [so and so] said about you"; "This and this is what I heard ploni did to you." Although what he says may be true, it destroys the world. And there is a sin much greater than this — lashon hara, which is included in this negative commandment. And that is speaking disparagingly of one's friend, even if what is said is true. But one who speaks falsely [about his friend] is referred to as a "motzi shem ra" [one who spreads an evil report].

We Found the One Group of Americans Who Are Most Likely to Spread Fake News

 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/01/14/we-found-the-one-group-of-americans-who-are-most-likely-to-spread-fake-news-526973

In newly published research, we found that it’s not conservatives in general who tend to promote false information, but rather a smaller subset of them who also share two psychological traits: low levels of conscientiousness and an appetite for chaos. Importantly, we found that several other factors we tested for — including support for former President Donald Trump — did not reliably predict an inclination to share misinformation.

Can LCCs be prevented from sharing falsities? One of the most common measures for combating misinformation is using accurate messaging or fact-checker interventions, which have been shown to reduce the sharing of misinformation. Unfortunately, in two studies, we found that fact-checking warnings were inadequate: LCCs continued to share fake news stories at a higher rate compared with liberals and high-conscientiousness conservatives, despite being told the news was inaccurate.

After a Year in Office, How Biden's Approval Rating Stacks Up Against Trump's

 https://www.newsweek.com/after-year-office-how-bidens-approval-rating-stacks-against-trumps-1662665

A year into his presidency, President Joe Biden is more popular than former President Donald Trump was after his first year, but not by much, with both presidents having similar ratings after their first year in office.

Biden's overwhelming election victory was viewed as a referendum on Trump's administration and some championed the win as a rejection of the former president. However, Biden's honeymoon phase with voters ended in the summer and problems with the economy and the ongoing pandemic has continued to drag down his approval rating.

A year after being inaugurated, Biden's average approval rating stands at just 42 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight. The president's rating is lower than the approval ratings nearly all of his predecessors had at this point in their presidencies in the last 70 years. The one exception is Trump, who had only a 39.5 percent approval rating a year into his presidency.

Austria approves vaccine mandate for adults

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/320877

Austria’s parliament voted on Thursday to introduce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for adults starting February 1, the first of its kind in Europe, The Associated Press reported.

The mandate has maximum potential fines of up to 3,600 euros ($4,000) for people who don't comply after a series of reminders.

'Catastrophe' in the IDF: Dairy cooking may be allowed again

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/320858

For decades, the complexities of making absolutely certain that dairy and meat do not mix has led to a ban on dairy in all IDF kitchens. Over the last few weeks, however, the IDF has formulated a plan for repealing the ban on dairy, which was imposed by Rabbi Shlomo Goren during his tenure as Chief Rabbi of the IDF.