Avoid the stay at home blues--Coronavirus vaccines may help travel recover, but it may take years to fully rebound, experts say, so go on a great trip locally with Shalom Pollock to the Shomron this Wednesday! and Alex Trebek and the amazing Wim Hof and G-d gave us the idea of Protection against Covid and learning from Parsha Miketz and Tel Aviv Art Museum two of two and The Biased Media Trashed Trump’s ‘Vaccine By End Of 2020’ Promise-They Look Stupid NowBy Jeff Dunetz and COVID-19 Vaccine in Halacha | A Shiur By HaRav Asher Weiss Shlit"a
Yehuda Lave is an author, journalist, psychologist, rabbi, spiritual teacher, and coach, with degrees in business, psychology and Jewish Law. He works with people from all walks of life and helps them in their search for greater happiness, meaning, business advice on saving money, and spiritual engagement.
Avoid the stay at home Blues-Go on a trip this Wednesday with Shalom Pollock and I to the Shomron.
Shomron as you never experienced!
On Wednesday, December 23 we will have the rare opportunity to: Have a guided tour of the biblical city of Shomron (Sabastian). This most important archeological site is rarely visited due to its location bordering the Palestinian Authority. The Shomron Committee is making efforts to bring Jews to visit and learn about this national treasure with its rich and long Jewish history and remains. We will be their guests at this site. We will also see a beautiful film about the history of the Shomron.
One of the pillars of Jewish return to Judea and Samaria will meet with us in his village of Elon More and relate the story of the modern Jewish pioneering movement that changed Jewish history today Benny Katzover is a living legend who will offer us a unique understanding of the great return to our Biblical lands. We will enjoy winning tasting at the local award-winning winery.
We will visit the expanses of the hills of Givot Olam at the village of Itamar. There, we will behold the energy of young families pushing Jewish settlement continually into the expanses of the Shomron hills, securing our homeland for the Jewish people.
Departure from the Inbal hotel at 8:00 ( we have lots to do today and it gets dark early) Bring a picnic lunch Return approx. 6:00
COVID-19 Vaccine in Halacha | A Shiur By HaRav Asher Weiss Shlit"a
The Three Musketeers at the Kotel
In G-d we Trust-All others pay cash
Who invented the three basic Covid rules to protect us?
1 - Distance 🧍
2 - Hand hygiene 🧽
3 - Using the mask
These laws were given to the nation of Israel 3,500 years ago. Did you know? So look it up in the Bible!
1 - EXODUS 30: 18-21 - Wash your hands
2 - LEVITICUS 13: 4, 5, 46 - If you have symptoms, keep your distance, cover your mouth and avoid contact.
3 - LEVITICUS 13: 4, 5 - Who is infected must remain in quarantine for 7 to 14 days
And there are still those who doubt that the Bible is a book of wisdom.
I LOVE THIS ANALOGY
When GOD wanted to create fish, He spoke to the sea.
When GOD wanted to create trees, He spoke to the earth.
But when GOD wanted to create man, He turned to HIMSELF.
Thus GOD said: "Let us make man in our image and likeness."
Note:
If you catch a fish out of the water, it will die; and when you remove a tree from the ground, it also dies.
Similarly, when man disconnects from GOD, he dies.
GOD is our natural environment. We were created to live in HIS presence. We must be connected with Him because only with Him does life exist.
Let's stay in touch with GOD.
Let us remember that water without fish is still water, but fish without water is nothing.
The soil without the tree is still soil, but the tree without soil is nothing.
God without man is still God, but man without GOD is nothing.
The Portion of Miketz
Abundance and Blessing
Joseph, who was thrown into the Egyptian prison for no rhyme or reason, now stands before Pharaoh to interpret the ruler's dreams.
Joseph tells Pharaoh that the dreams foretell seven years of plenty to be followed by seven years of famine. Joseph advises Pharaoh to immediately begin storing food during the coming seven years of plenty for use during the seven years of famine.
As a result of Pharaoh's pleasure with Joseph's interpretation and advice, Joseph is appointed Viceroy with total responsibility for the collection and storage of the food.
Joseph stores food in Egypt for the upcoming famine: "And Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, in great abundance, until one] stopped counting, because there was no number" (Genesis 41;49). The phrase which emphasizes the abundance and blessing is the termination of the counting.
During the years of their sojourn in Egypt, the Children of Israel grew from an extended family of 70 to a nation of "abundance and blessing" numbering 600,000, this despite the years of slavery which they were forced to endure.
The letters "lamed" in the words "chadal lispor"(he stopped counting), symbolizing the abundance and blessing, are written in an unusual manner.
The numerical value of the letter "lamed" is 30. The two "lameds" therefore equal 60, thereby symbolizing the "shesheem ribo" (60 X 10,000), the number of Jews who left Egypt. (Remazei Yoel)
Tel Aviv Museum of Art
The Tel Aviv Museum of Art is Israel's largest art museum, with an impressive collection of permanent and temporary exhibits. The Museum opened in 1932, even before the state of Israel was established, and a new wing opened in 2011. The museum showcases both Israeli and international artists, including impressionism and post-impressionism pieces. Permanently on display include the works of Cezanne, Chagall, Dali, Monet, Henri Moore, Auguste Rodin, Archipenko, Picasso, Klimt, and Kandinsky. If you plan to visit just one traditional art museum when in Israel – make it the Tel Aviv Museum of Art!
Coronavirus vaccines may help travel recover, but it may take years to fully rebound, experts say
Key Points
Forty-nine percent of travelers would be willing to travel after a proven Covid vaccine is released, a recent study found.
Many travel industry insiders urge caution but do think a rebound could be in sight should mass vaccination prove effective.
While personal practices like mask wearing and social distancing may fade with time, other industrywide changes introduced during the pandemic will likely prove durable.
As news of several effective Covid-19 vaccines offers some light at the end of the tunnel that is 2020, will a beleaguered travel and tourism industry — one of the hardest hit by the pandemic — soon begin to recover? Possibly, say sources, but they caution that travel may take years to fully rebound and, no matter the timing, will likely look different than it did pre-pandemic. "The news of a potential vaccine does hold promise for travel in 2021," said Julie Hall, spokeswoman for AAA. "But … travelers need to be focused on knowing the risks of traveling and exposure in the here and now."
Brian O'Connell, analyst at InsuranceQuotes.com, takes an even more measured stance. "I'm just not bullish on travel for the first half of 2021 – even if a vaccine is mass produced in that timeframe," he said. "Caution is the watchword, as the vaccine will take months to be fully distributed in the U.S. and abroad." Kayak.com CEO Steve Hafner said he thinks "people are taking more a wait-and-see approach … until one of these vaccines gets out there." However, the online travel agency did see a spike in searches — if not purchases — right after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced 95% efficacy for its Covid vaccine on Nov. 10. The next day, searches were up 27% compared to the week prior, he said, but settled into a "more modest" 6% weekly growth rate in the days that followed. Still, Hafner said the increased searches are good sign. "I'm very optimistic that once these vaccines get distributed, people's perceptions around travel are going to change toward the positive," he added. "I'm hopeful it comes by the second quarter [of 2021], knock on wood," Hafner said, of a rebound in travel. "If we're really lucky, we'll see it in the first quarter." A survey of 4,300 customers earlier this year by travel insurer Allianz found that 49% would travel again given a proven vaccine. Meanwhile, 42% said the go-ahead from public health officials would suffice.
[The] promise of a highly effective vaccine is good news for the tremendous pent-up demand for travel, and should provide another reason for consumers to feel more confident booking trips for 2021," said Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications at Allianz. He said he expected that luxury and experiential trips will be popular next year as consumers look to book so-called revenge travel in the wake of all of this year's canceled plans. Indeed, what travel expert Stella Shon at consumer finance site ValuePenguin called national "cabin fever" may spur some to book sooner rather than later, she said. "They're ready to travel," Shon said of vacationers. "It's interesting that over half of Americans have still stayed in a hotel or vacation rental despite what's been going on — but obviously with increased safety measures in place." If mass vaccination gets underway, personal safety practices like social distancing may fade away, Shon added, although she predicts consumer demand for an "OCD level of cleaning" at travel properties for some time to come. "I think people are aware that maybe these things weren't happening before, and they should be happening regardless of a pandemic or not." To wit, an October survey by Tripadvisor and Phocuswright found that 63% of travelers said they are more likely to consider a hotel's health and safety practices before booking than they were pre-pandemic. Kayak's Hafner thinks that changes in how travel product is provided will prove more durable than individual traveler behavior. "I do think [travel] will return to more traditional" patterns, Hafner said. "Paris is going to be popular again.
There will be a return to equilibrium, if you will, but there may be a shift," he added, in what types of travel consumers choose. Hafner foresees a move toward local stays, road trips, last-minute bookings, longer stays and increased used of non-hotel accommodations — at least for the next 12 to 18 months. What may prove permanent is how travel companies and destinations provide that product. "The role of technology as Covid is accelerating, the adoption of that has really changed a lot, not just in travel but in hospitality in general," Hafner said. "The whole notion of touching grubby menus or interacting with airport kiosks, I think all of that is gone in the rearview mirror and people aren't going to go back to it." For its part, Kayak — which at one point laid off 25% of its workforce and has seen business drop 60% year-over-year — tweaked its online offerings. The online agency introduced and prominently featured road trip itineraries, non-hotel accommodations options and information on flight flexibility and international Covid-19 restrictions and regulations. "Our services have never been better," he said. "I'm really proud of the way we innovated this year.
He has set a world record for the farthest swim under ice, going 188.6 feet under.
He has the fastest half marathon barefoot on snow and ice, running 2 hours and 16 minutes. (most can't do this in regular climate!)
He has spent 1 hour and 53 minutes in full body contact with ice.
Normally, this should kill anybody between 15 and 45 minutes in.
He has climbed Mt. Everest to 25,000 feet in just shorts and boots.
So the big question remains.
How?
He employs something called "The Wim Hof" method.
He manipulates his mind and his breathing patterns to help his body create an ability to warm itself.
Sounds weird right?
He went under a study with researchers at Wayne State University.
He showed that when he didn't employ his method of rapid breathing, "his skin temperature would fluctuate between about 33.5 degrees Celsius with the warm water and 31.5 degrees Celsius with the cold."
However, when he did use his method, "his skin temperature stayed almost perfectly steady at just under 34 degrees Celsius."
They found in the PET scan later that "the rapid breathing exercise worked by warming the capillaries in the lungs."
Additionally, and weirdly enough, "Hof didn't demonstrate an increase of activity in the anterior insula, where higher-function thermoregulation is done. Instead, he had an unexpected spike in the periaqueductal gray matter, which is associated with control of sensory pain. Maybe it really is mind over matter after all."
TEDxAmsterdam - Wim Hof is a Dutch world record holder, adventurer and daredevil, commonly nicknamed the Iceman for his ability to withstand extreme coldness. He holds nine world records including a world record for longest ice bath. Wim broke his previous world record by staying for 1 hour 13 minutes and 48 seconds immersed in ice at Guinness World Records 2008. Hof describes his ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures as being able to turn his own thermostat up by using his brain.
Don't minimize the importance of luck in determining life's course. If you can't be in awe of Mother Nature, there's something wrong with you..We are all experts in our own little niches. I'm curious about everything. Even subjects that don't interest me. It's very important in life to know when to shut up. You should not be afraid of silence. Don't tell me what you believe in. I'll observe how you behave and I will make my own determination. I don't spend any time whatsoever thinking about what might have been. Alex Trebek
The Biased Media Trashed Trump's 'Vaccine By End Of 2020' Promise-They Look Stupid Now
People started getting Pfizer's COVID vaccine on December 14th. The Moderna vaccine received emergency use approval by the FDA's vaccine committee on the 15th and will probably be approved by the full FDA by the 18th. The two vaccines fulfill President Trump's promise of a vaccine by the end of 2020. His promises were disparaged and/or called impossible by the mainstream media, anxious to hate everything President says or does.
justifiably with the first Americans getting the vaccine, Trump celebrated.
The President predicted this day would come in historically record time. "We're looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before," Trump said at a White House event in May.
And he tweeted:
ProPublica reporter/ CNN analyst responded to the President's May tweet with a challenge, which I answered:
I am sure she doesn't feel any more stupid than the MSM gang. Like Jennifer, not wanting the President to enjoy his pending accomplishment, they accused his prediction of being a lie.
NBC News responded to Trump's may tweet with a fact check claiming
Experts say that the development, testing and production of a vaccine for the public is still at least 12 to 18 months off, and that anything less would be a medical miracle.
"I think it's possible you could see a vaccine in people's arms next year — by the middle or end of next year. But this is unprecedented, so it's hard to predict," said Dr. Paul Offit, a professor at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Gee, their prediction of 12-18 off…it took only 7 months from that tweet.
Politifact also got it wrong.
Supporting his colleagues, MSNBC's Kyle Griffin joined in on the Idiocy.
In November, as two of the vaccines were almost done with their phase 3 trials, NBC doubled-down on their Trump attack, saying:
There is also no evidence that an effective vaccine will be delivered by the end of the year. There are four vaccines currently in clinical trials in the U.S, with the one from Moderna furthest along. But it's impossible to know if these vaccines will prove effective.
Over at ABC, the story was "the Trump administration's own medical and scientific experts leading the race to develop a vaccine routinely cast doubt on that timeline." Eventually, they got to the point where the experts said it might happen:
On Friday, the president tapped Moncef Slaoui, a former pharmaceutical executive, to lead Operation Warp Speed. Even he concedes the goal is formidable.
"Frankly, 12-18 months is already a very aggressive timeline," Slaoui, the former CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, said in an interview with The New York Times. He said he was in agreement with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, about the challenge that timeline poses.
Still, Slaoui, the former CEO of GlaxoSmithKline, did say mass-producing a vaccine by January 2021 is a "credible objective." Slaoui maintained he would not have agreed to head up the White House's effort if he did not think Trump's goals were attainable.
Does it seem realistic to have a vaccine before the end of the year?
No, it doesn't. As it stands right now, the vaccines that we've been talking about, which are two-dose vaccines, those phase 3 trials — meaning large, prospective, placebo-controlled trials — just started.
Do you really think NPR cared about what Dr. Offit thought? Or were they trying to subtly slam Donald Trump?
In fact, NPR claimed the President's prediction was only made for campaign purposes:
Maybe because his boss, the former NYC Mayor hates Trump, a Bloomberg opinion columnist felt motivated to fail:
But that doesn't explain why Vox reporter Aaron Ruper also got it very wrong:
Operation warp speed, President Trump's program to develop a vaccine by the end of 2020, is another major achievement of the Trump presidency. But the MSM, which spent months doubting President Trump's promise, will do its best to deny him credit. It's no wonder why Americans don't trust the mainstream media.
