Author Topic: Interesting Articles...  (Read 2415274 times)

Offline Yehuda57

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2014
  • Posts: 5328
  • Total likes: 15087
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
    • View Profile
    • Squilled
  • Location: Brooklyn
  • Programs: Official Dansdeals salad correspondent
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12400 on: June 01, 2023, 08:32:20 AM »
Tldr?

I should take as much time out of my day to write a summary as it would take for you to read it?

Online mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 1981
  • Total likes: 2383
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12401 on: June 01, 2023, 10:59:59 AM »
I should take as much time out of my day to write a summary as it would take for you to read it?
Ask ChatGPT to summarize it.
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline dm123

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Nov 2018
  • Posts: 453
  • Total likes: 442
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: United States
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12402 on: June 01, 2023, 11:40:35 AM »
Ask ChatGPT to summarize it.

I asked it to, here's what it gave me, no idea if it's accurate I just copy pasted the article in and asked it to summarize, and I then asked it to TL:DR:

ChatGPT TL:DR:
Quote
TL;DR: The article discusses how the Haredi community, specifically religious Jews, were unfairly scapegoated and targeted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public officials and media outlets portrayed them as law flouters and engaged in prejudice and bigotry. The author argues that a more tolerant and understanding approach could have provided valuable data on pandemic management. Different Haredi communities adopted various guidelines, but their nuanced responses were overlooked. By embracing diversity and learning from different communities, better policies could be developed for future crises.

Summary from ChatGPT:
Quote
The article titled "How Religious Jews Became Official Scapegoats of COVID Policy" by Moshe Krakowski, published on May 29, 2023, discusses the false narratives and prejudice surrounding the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox Jewish) community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The author highlights the changing rhetoric of public officials like Dr. Anthony Fauci, who now distance themselves from their earlier support for harsh restrictions. Krakowski argues that policies such as lockdowns and school closures, which were advocated by these officials, did little to curb the spread of the virus but caused significant harm, including a deteriorating mental health crisis among adolescents.

The article points out how religious Jews, particularly the Haredi community, were unfairly targeted and vilified in public discourse. They were depicted as ignorant, clannish, and engaging in mob behavior. Public officials, such as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, made public condemnations specifically aimed at the Jewish community, while not applying the same scrutiny to other groups. Journalists and media outlets often failed to understand the decision-making processes within the Haredi community and instead resorted to labeling them as law flouters.

The author argues that there is a lack of clear and systematic data regarding how Haredim responded to COVID-19 and how the virus impacted their communities. Different Haredi communities adopted various guidelines and practices, some of which were developed in consultation with healthcare professionals. However, this nuanced approach was often overlooked or dismissed, and the Haredi community was stigmatized.

Krakowski suggests that a more tolerant and understanding approach towards different communities could have provided valuable data on effective pandemic management. Instead, the constant association of Haredim with disease fueled prejudice and bigotry, leading to anti-Haredi sentiments in the media and society at large.

The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of allowing different communities to find their own way in managing crises like a pandemic, as it provides an opportunity to learn from their experiences and determine effective strategies. By avoiding hasty generalizations and embracing tolerance, valuable data could have been gathered during the pandemic for better policy-making in the future.

Offline dm123

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Nov 2018
  • Posts: 453
  • Total likes: 442
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: United States
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12403 on: June 01, 2023, 03:37:07 PM »
https://www.shtetl.org/article/new-belz-org-helps-who-leave-the-community

Quote
A new initiative of the Belzer Hasidic sect is helping people maintain their family ties after they have left the Hasidic lifestyle, according to reports in Israeli media and the Haredi news site Vos Iz Neias. The new organization is called Ahavat Kedumim.

According to the reports, the Belzer Rebbe, Yissachar Dov Rokeach, was inspired to launch the initiative after a former member of the Belz Hasidic community died by suicide when his parents and community members broke off relations with him.

Mendel Roth, a Hasidic rabbi and musician, in a post on Facebook, called the initiative “important and exciting.” He pushed back against critics who he says reached out to him saying that people who leave the community should be shunned, arguing that people who leave the community aren’t selfish, but should be embraced, as they have likely experienced trauma.

According to Hebrew-language sites Israel National News and www.ch10.co.il, the organization recently sponsored a trip for 30 people who’ve left the community so that they can connect with each other. They traveled around Europe, including to Belz, the city in Ukraine where the Hasidic sect was founded.

Currently, U.S. organization Footsteps, and Israeli organizations Hillel and Yotzim LeShinuy, are the three major organizations helping Haredi people who leave the community, who are sometimes referred to as yotzim in Israel and “off the derech” in the U.S. All three organizations were founded by people who left the Haredi community. Ahavat Kedumim is the first initiative of its kind to be founded by the rabbi of a major Hasidic sect.

Haim Yakovzon, a spokesperson for Yotzim LeShinuy, said they welcome the development. “Yotzim and Haredim are one family, parents and children. So it's only natural that we behave as a family,” he said.

Lani Santo, CEO of Footsteps, expressed a similar sentiment. "We’re heartened to hear about this development, considering the deep need for support most formerly ultra-Orthodox people face as they build new lives for themselves.”

Avi Neuman, the chief development officer of Hillel, said he is cautiously optimistic about Ahavat Kedumim’s mission.

“It remains to be seen whether the organization will truly support people who’ve left the community in their transition processes and address the underlying causes of self-harm and suicide,” Neuman told Shtetl. “One can only hope that they go beyond merely alleviating discomfort within the ultra-Orthodox community and take meaningful steps towards preventing such tragic events.”

The new initiative adds to the Belzer rebbe’s reputation as a maverick.

Last year, the rabbi, who lives in Israel, approved the inclusion of secular education in Belz elementary schools so that they could qualify for more government funding. Later, however, when then-candidate Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to increase funding for Haredi schools regardless of their curricula, Belz decided not to move forward with teaching secular studies.

Before that, in 2005, the rabbi made waves when he said in a speech that men who don’t excel in religious studies should learn a trade instead, so that they can make a living.

Belz is one of the largest Hasidic sects, with thousands of families in New York. It is unclear if the new initiative will have a branch in New York, and a Belz representative did not respond to Shtetl’s questions in time for inclusion in this piece.

Offline EliJelly

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Jan 2019
  • Posts: 3246
  • Total likes: 3699
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12404 on: June 01, 2023, 06:58:47 PM »

Online Randomex

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: Aug 2018
  • Posts: 419
  • Total likes: 771
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: Lakewood
  • Programs: MSPaint, Notepad, Firefox, VLC Media Player - Old sig quote was found in Reb Mendel and His Wisdom
Randomex on BoardGameArena - Send me an invite (maybe that'll get me to actually play something).

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 17837
  • Total likes: 8089
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12406 on: June 11, 2023, 11:46:32 AM »
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline luckyluck

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite
  • ****
  • Join Date: May 2013
  • Posts: 366
  • Total likes: 46
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 5
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile

Offline Yehudaa

  • Dansdeals Presidential Platinum Elite
  • ********
  • Join Date: Mar 2018
  • Posts: 3741
  • Total likes: 2520
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 111
    • View Profile
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12408 on: June 20, 2023, 01:51:23 PM »
Noam Bardin: The real story of how Facebook almost acquired Waze, but we ended up with Google

https://post.news/@/noam/2RTRvTNNxSCQb3yNjqa0DPfr1Yk

Cool to see how quickly such big transactions can get done.

Offline imayid2

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2022
  • Posts: 2369
  • Total likes: 2271
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: NJ

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 17837
  • Total likes: 8089
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12410 on: June 25, 2023, 01:20:09 AM »
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Online mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 1981
  • Total likes: 2383
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12411 on: June 25, 2023, 03:29:58 AM »
https://www.gamesradar.com/ftc-declares-console-war-winners/

Quote
US court records now include the last two console war winners

If you've been waiting for some official statement to mark the end of the last few console wars, the Federal Trade Commission has you covered, as the group has now declared the winners in the battles of Xbox 360 versus PS3 and Xbox One versus PS4.

In advance of this week's hearings on the Xbox Activision deal, lawyers representing the FTC filed their proposed 'findings of fact' - a document that essentially lays out the facts of the case as the FTC understands them. The document lays out the history of the case, including some details on the years of competition between the gaming divisions of Sony and Microsoft.

The public version of the document, which we've reviewed, is heavily redacted to protect the trade secrets of the companies involved, but it has two particular notes that are extremely funny to see in an official court record. The FTC says that "in the United States, Microsoft won Generation 7 with the Xbox 360 pitted against the PlayStation 3," but adds that "Sony won Generation 8 with the PlayStation 4."

The FTC isn't specific about what metrics it's using to talk about the 'winners' here, but it's almost certainly console sales. Publicly reported console sales numbers do indeed suggest that Xbox 360 beat PS3 in the console race in the US - though the PS3 narrowed the gap substantially in worldwide sales, and by some accounts, ended up ahead of 360 by the end of the generation. As far as PS4 and Xbox One, well… yeah, Sony won that one. There are no caveats there.

You'll note that Nintendo isn't mentioned anywhere here, and that's by design. This section of the FTC's findings of fact is headed "PlayStation and Xbox are Fierce Competitors, and Nintendo is Differentiated," arguing that the Switch's hybrid nature, its reliance on first-party games, and its underpowered performance make it quite different from PS5 and Xbox Series X. The FTC estimates that the "Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are at least 26 times (i.e., 2600%) more powerful" than the Switch.

In Microsoft's own proposed findings of fact, the company doesn't get so granular about who won each generation - instead, it says that "Xbox has consistently ranked third in consoles behind PlayStation and Nintendo," and argues that Xbox "lost the console wars."

Essentially, Microsoft's arguments put the console wars as a three-way dance that it's losing, while the FTC's arguments say that Sony and Microsoft are in a closely contested head-to-head competition. Of course, those two perspectives line up with each side's belief on whether or not the Xbox Activision merger would be a major anticompetitive blow to the industry. The courts are going to have to weigh in on one side or the other soon enough.

Microsoft expects the next generations of PlayStation and Xbox to launch around 2028.

Dustin Bailey
Staff Writer
Dustin Bailey joined the GamesRadar team as a Staff Writer in May 2022, and is currently based in Missouri. He's been covering games (with occasional dalliances in the worlds of anime and pro wrestling) since 2015, first as a freelancer, then as a news writer at PCGamesN for nearly five years. His love for games was sparked somewhere between Metal Gear Solid 2 and Knights of the Old Republic, and these days you can usually find him splitting his entertainment time between retro gaming, the latest big action-adventure title, or a long haul in American Truck Simulator.
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 17837
  • Total likes: 8089
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Online mevinyavin

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Sep 2022
  • Posts: 1981
  • Total likes: 2383
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 2
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
    • Laptop help/deal request template
  • Location: Yerushalayim
  • Programs: Windows 10 and 11 Home, Word/Excel/Publisher 2021, Wordweb, McGill English Dictionary of Rhyme, VLC, Torat Emet, 7-Zip, Lightshot, Calibre, FDM, FreeFileSync, Teracopy, Handbreak, Lightshot
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12413 on: June 26, 2023, 05:22:55 AM »
Quote from: ExGingi
Echo chambers are boring and don't contribute much to deeper thinking and understanding!

Offline JMHO

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 1542
  • Total likes: 1295
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: NYC

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 17837
  • Total likes: 8089
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12415 on: June 26, 2023, 10:43:27 AM »
Old story but new article:

https://nypost.com/2023/06/26/united-airlines-flier-tom-stuker-hits-23-million-miles-of-travel-after-buying-lifetime-pass-1990/?utm_campaign=iphone_nyp&utm_source=WhatsApp

Quote
He says lying to the first flight attended you see onboard can help.

“She’s the head attendant. I always say, ‘I remember you! You gave us such great service last time. I wanted to thank you again.’ Even if I’ve never met her. I guarantee she’ll bring you all kinds of free stuff,” he told the outlet.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline Yehuda57

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jan 2014
  • Posts: 5328
  • Total likes: 15087
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 6
    • View Profile
    • Squilled
  • Location: Brooklyn
  • Programs: Official Dansdeals salad correspondent
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12416 on: June 26, 2023, 12:09:08 PM »


I tried this and she looked at me as if I was nuts and said, "No way I would have treated a Jew nicely."

Offline JMHO

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Apr 2020
  • Posts: 1542
  • Total likes: 1295
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: NYC
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12417 on: June 26, 2023, 12:59:04 PM »
I tried this and she looked at me as if I was nuts and said, "No way I would have treated a Jew nicely."
Elal really said this?

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 17837
  • Total likes: 8089
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline ExGingi

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Nov 2015
  • Posts: 17837
  • Total likes: 8089
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 19
    • View Profile
  • Location: 770
  • Programs: בשורת הגאולה. From Exile to Redemption. GIYF. AAdvantage Executive Platinum®
Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #12419 on: June 26, 2023, 09:12:50 PM »
https://www.bkmag.com/2023/06/26/hell-on-wheels-photographing-the-mta-at-the-dawn-of-the-1980s/

Those photos bring memories of what the subway actually looked like in the 80s.

As far as I can recall the price of a subway token was
75 cents in 1983
90 cents in 1985
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan