Thursday, 10 July 2025

Hard Truths about Gaza



Hard truths about Gaza

Why hasn’t the IDF implemented the government’s own official policy, to separate civilians from Hamas terrorists and impose full siege on the areas where Hamas remains?

Yes, we are winning this war in Gaza—day by day, tunnel by tunnel, building by building. True victory demands the full dismantling of every structure above ground and every terror tunnel below, so that Gaza can never again serve as a launchpad for terror. That takes time, and we are doing it, but it should not be coming at the unbearable price we are paying in the lives of our brave, holy IDF soldiers.

This week, five more holy IDF soldiers were killed in Gaza. Scream to the heavens, because this is insanity, a just war that should have been over a long time ago.

It is beyond frustrating, it is madness, that we are still losing our holy IDF fighters in Gaza. This is a war we should have finished with a knockout punch months ago. We have the power. We have moral clarity. But instead, we are watching our sons/husbands/neighbors/friends fall in territory we’ve already conquered, again and again.

Some people say the war is dragging on because we are trying so hard to save all of our remaining hostages, and yes, that’s definitely a big part of it. But the truth is even more disturbing: this war is being restrained by lawyers, dictated by diplomats, and compromised by deals with enemy-enabling regimes like Qatar.

We are sacrificing our best for legal insanity, misunderstanding of the Islamonazi evil we are up against, and geopolitical considerations, and it is a disgrace.

In Beit Hanoun, five more IDF soldiers were killed and 14 more wounded in a vicious Hamas ambush, in territory we already conquered. Israeli journalist and Middle East expert Tzvi Yechezkeli thinks this vicious attack was planned for the Trump-Netanyahu meeting to further create the pressure for Israel to give into the latest Qatar-Hamas ceasefire demands.

Hamas has had the time and ability to plant IEDs, dig in, and fire from cover. Why?

Because they had the fuel. The food. The supplies. Aid that came in on our watch.

Because the IDF is still, incredibly, allowing the UN to distribute "humanitarian" aid that goes directly to Hamas, the enemy, due to the JAG’s paralyzing legal “guidelines.”

This isn’t cautious warfare. This isn’t morality.

This is suicide with a flag wrapped around it.

Let’s start with the hard truth:

The Israeli government officially decided that no humanitarian aid should reach areas controlled by Hamas. That is official government policy.

And yet, it keeps being delivered by the United Nations directly to Hamas, and to Gazans who then return to areas where Hamas terrorists still roam!!!

Why? Because the IDF, paralyzed by the unelected and immoral legal dictatorship of the JAG (Judge Advocate General) corps, is refusing to enforce the government decision. Aid continues to flow. Hamas continues to eat. Our hostages continue to suffer. And our soldiers continue to die.

It’s not just a military scandal, it’s a national betrayal.

Just the other night, Israeli journalist Amit Segal, reported about a tense government meeting behind closed doors, Prime Minister Netanyahu clashed with IDF Chief of Staff Zamir. The topic? The same one that’s costing us the lives of our best and brightest:

Why hasn’t the IDF implemented the government’s own official policy, to separate civilians from Hamas terrorists and impose full siege on the areas where Hamas remains?

That’s not a fringe demand. That’s government policy. And yet the IDF’s top brass resists, because of immoral directives from the legal officers in JAG!

As these immoral directives are followed by the Chief of staff instead of following government policy, we continue to bury our sons.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration, the best friend we ever had and ever will have, are placing us in an impossible situation.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the war room: Qatar.

Yes, Qatar, the state sponsor of the Muslim Brotherhood, patron of Hamas, and funder of Al Jazeera’s anti-Israel incitement machine, is somehow still the lead negotiator in ceasefire talks.

And worse: Trump and his advisor Witkoff continue to trust Qatar as the “broker.”

This is the same Qatar whose money, support, and political cover enabled the October 7th massacre and who is directly responsible for our hostages still being held. The same Qatar that shelters Hamas’ leadership in luxury hotels. All Trump needs to do is threaten Qatar to get our hostages released, yet instead he trusts Qatar as the negotiators! You can't make this up!

How are we expected to defeat Hamas when the main diplomatic track, supported by our closest allies, runs through Doha, the capital of genocidal Islamism?

It’s madness. No self-respecting country should be forced to negotiate its national survival through the same regime that armed and emboldened its murderers.

And yet here we are.

On top of that, the Israeli cabinet already made the decision: we will never again pull back from territory in Gaza we conquer from Hamas. Period.

But what’s in the latest Witkoff ceasefire deal, again?

That Israel withdraws from areas we’ve already paid for in blood. Again, as we had to do after each previous ceasefire deal.

It is strategic insanity. Tactical absurdity. And morally indefensible.

You don’t win wars by capturing enemy ground and then giving it back.

You don’t fight genocidal death cults with diplomacy based on their own sponsors’ terms.

You don’t save lives by sacrificing your soldiers to delay global outrage.

The way the Trump administration is forcing us to fight this war in Gaza is horrendous. Much, much better than the Biden administration, no comparison at all, but still horrendous.

Why? Why Are We Letting This Happen?

I think I know the answer, even though I don’t even think it suffices.

The unspoken truth is that Netanyahu and Trump have been coordinating toward a grand diplomatic vision, destruction of the Iranian proxies, destruction of the Iranian nuclear and ballistic programs, realignment with Saudi Arabia, and a reordering of the Middle East for the benefit of world security and world trade.

In that context, Israel’s necessary defeat of our Islamonazi enemy in Gaza stands out as a sore thumb to the Sunni Muslim leaders of the Middle East. So Israel has to “manage” the fight in Gaza carefully, so Trump doesn’t lose the support of the Sunni countries, i.e Saudi Arabia, to ruin the grand plan.

The insane thing about this is that even Saudi Arabia has publicly declared that Hamas must be removed from power in Gaza. But Saudi Arabia is more afraid of the public perception in the Arab street to blood libelous headlines about Gaza.

So what’s the cost of managing Gaza instead of defeating Hamas like the IDF should be doing?

-Humanitarian aid keeps flowing — right into Hamas’ hands.

-Ceasefire proposals like the Witkoff Plan are taken seriously, even though they demand that Israel pull out from territory we’ve already conquered.

-Hamas is allowed to regroup, rearm, and kill more of our soldiers — like they just did.

Here’s How We Actually Achieve Total Victory, Quickly

We know how to win. We’ve always known. It’s not a secret.

1. Evacuate all non-combatants from Hamas-controlled areas. Clear distinction. No more human shields for Hamas to use.

2. Impose a full siege on every area Hamas armed terrorists remain in. No aid. No supplies. No fuel. Total encirclement until surrender.

3. Implement President Trump’s emigration plan, Gazans given the option to leave and rebuild elsewhere in the region. Many want out. Let them go.

4. Make Gaza Jewish again. Jewish towns. Jewish infrastructure. Jewish life. Real deterrence. Permanent security. There is no other way to protect Israel. Israelis will not be safe with another Arab self-rule in Gaza that will inevitably turn into a terror stranglehold, again.

That is not vengeance. That is justice. That is sanity.

We will win.

Because we have the strength. We have the truth. And we have the right.

But it is unbearable that we are losing the finest of our sons not because we can’t win, but because we’re being stopped from fighting like we mean it.

Our holy IDF soldiers should not be pawns in diplomatic theater.

Their blood should not be the price of global approval.

Their lives must not be sacrificed on the altar of international and legal hypocrisy, immorality.

No more aid to Hamas. No more negotiations through Doha.

No more legal insanity that puts immoral JAG decisions above battlefield commanders.

This is our land. This is our war. And it’s time to fight it on our terms.

We will win — with clarity, with courage, and with full Jewish sovereignty.

Just - may we stop burying our heroes before we get there.

Strengthen your faith in the Hashem. He's got this and we are winning. But, we can not remain silent about the obstacles standing in our way from achieving proper and total victory without sacrificing more of our holy IDF soldiers than necessary.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/411367


Wednesday, 9 July 2025

Shocking study: ChatGPT may shrink your brain activity and trigger memory loss

Shocking study: ChatGPT may shrink your brain activity and trigger memory loss

New MIT study reveals: Using AI for writing leads to a 55% decrease in brain activity and severe memory difficulties in 83% of participants.

ByDR. NATI BLUMARI MANOR, Jerusalem Post, July 7, 2025https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/health-and-wellness-around-the-world/article-860109

Participants who used AI showed the lowest level of brain engagement (Photo credit: AI) 




Imagine the following scenario: Moshe, a 70-year-old retiree, is preparing to give a speech at his granddaughter’s birthday celebration. He sits in front of the computer and struggles to find the right words. Suddenly, he remembers the new tool everyone is talking about – ChatGPT. With slight hesitation, he types a few sentences, and the AI returns an impressive, articulate, and well-crafted draft. Moshe reads it and is impressed: The effort was spared, and the speech is ready.

But on the day of the event, as he stands in front of the excited audience, he is shocked to discover that he cannot remember entire parts of the text he “wrote” with the help of the computer. As if the words passed through him but never etched into his memory. After the event, he wonders: Is it possible that by letting the computer do the work, his brain became lazy?

MIT research: “Cognitive debt” and decline in brain activity

A similar question recently preoccupied researchers at MIT’s Media Lab. In a new study, 54 volunteers were connected to EEG sensors (recording brainwaves) while asked to write essays in three different ways: One group wrote without any help, a second group used a search engine to find information, and the third group used AI assistance (ChatGPT).

The results showed distinctly different brain activity patterns between the writing methods. Participants who used AI showed the lowest level of brain engagement – by some metrics, they had about 55% less brain activity compared to those who wrote independently. In contrast, the “brain-only” group (no tech) demonstrated the strongest and widest brain connectivity, while the search engine group fell in the middle between the other two.

It’s not just about numbers – the AI group also exhibited significant memory difficulties. More than 83% of participants who wrote with ChatGPT couldn’t recall even one sentence from their essay when asked just minutes after writing. In comparison, only about 11% of those who wrote without assistance struggled to recall their text. In other words, when the computer does the “hard work,” it seems the information passes through the brain superficially and doesn’t embed in deep memory.

Even more concerning: The study revealed that AI use may leave a lasting effect. When participants from the AI group were later asked to write without any tools, their brains still showed less coordination and effort compared to those who always wrote unaided. Additionally, they tended to use vocabulary and phrasing characteristic of the style ChatGPT “likes” to generate – as if the AI style had stuck to them unconsciously.

Researchers named this phenomenon: “Cognitive Debt.” The idea is that we’re essentially taking a “loan” from our future cognitive abilities in favor of immediate convenience. In the short term, mental effort is saved, but in the long term, a “debt” must be paid: Abilities such as critical thinking, creativity, and resistance to manipulation may be impaired. It’s important to note: These findings are preliminary only – this is a pioneering study that has not yet undergone peer review and dealt with a specific writing task. However, the thought-provoking results suggest that there may be a hidden cost to the convenience AI offers us.

London taxi drivers, for instance, who must memorize the city’s streets by heart, developed a larger and more developed hippocampus than drivers who constantly rely on satellite navigation (credit: SHUTTERSTOCK)


Artificial Intelligence: Not “the enemy of the brain” but a tool that requires balance

Here’s where we calm down: Artificial intelligence is not the enemy. Technologies like ChatGPT, GPS, or even a pocket calculator help us in daily life and can even enhance learning in various fields. It all depends on how and to what extent we use them.

A striking example is the so-called “Google Maps Effect”: Studies have found that excessive reliance on GPS can weaken our spatial memory, while independent navigation without aids forces the brain to work and improves mental mapping skills. London taxi drivers, for instance, who must memorize the city’s streets by heart, developed a larger and more developed hippocampus (the brain region responsible for spatial memory) than drivers who constantly rely on satellite navigation. The brain truly is like a muscle: Challenge and train it – and it strengthens; let devices do the work for it regularly – and it may atrophy.

In other words, using AI in itself is not a bad thing. It’s similar to using a calculator for math: It saves us tedious work, but that doesn’t mean we want to lose the ability to calculate ourselves. Even the MIT researchers emphasize that the conclusion is not “stop using AI,” but rather, use it wisely. It’s like a navigation rule of thumb: Use GPS to reach a new destination, but turn it off on the way back to practice your spatial memory.

Another analogy comes from the fitness world: Using AI in thinking tasks is a bit like wearing a back brace when lifting weights. The brace supports heavy lifts and prevents injury, but if we use it in every exercise – our core muscles will weaken over time. So it is with AI: An excellent support tool, as long as we don’t let it become a permanent replacement for human cognitive effort.

Tips for smart AI use (and keeping your brain fit)

● Write by yourself first: Try to begin cognitive tasks on your own before turning to AI help. For example, when writing a text: Draft it in your own words first, and only afterward, if needed, consult AI for improvement or refinement. In fact, the MIT study found that participants who wrote first by themselves and only then used ChatGPT actually showed an increase in their brain connectivity – suggesting that this kind of strategic AI combination might help rather than harm.

● Edit and add personal input: If you used AI to create a draft, go over it yourself. Revise phrasing, add examples or your own tone. This ensures your brain remains engaged and the final text reflects your own thoughts. English teachers who reviewed essays written with AI noted that while the writing was technically correct, the content felt “flat” and devoid of personal soul. Your editing is what brings back the “soul” and unique style to the text.

● Rehearse out loud: After writing (with or without computer help), try summarizing the main points to yourself or others without looking at the text. This kind of oral recall forces the brain to retrieve information from memory and reorganize it in your own words. It’s a great way to ensure that you understood and remembered the content, not just “copied” it from the outside. This technique of active recall is known to strengthen memory and transfer information to long-term memory.

● Make the information meaningful: Connect the text or ideas to personal experiences, prior knowledge, or rich and unusual mental imagery. Information that gets emotional or personal meaning is processed more deeply in the brain and therefore imprints better in long-term memory. That is, if you make the content AI helped you create resonate with you – your emotions, memories, or questions that intrigue you – it will go beyond the surface and become vivid and meaningful content.

In conclusion, artificial intelligence is a powerful tool that can advance us – from streamlining daily tasks to supporting creation and writing. But at the same time, our brain is a muscle, and like any muscle, it needs training and challenge. If we turn AI into permanent “crutches” instead of activating our mental muscles, we may pay a price in the long run. With smart and balanced use – combining the benefits of AI with active engagement of our thinking, memory, and creativity – we can enjoy the best of both worlds: Getting the most out of technological advancement without giving up the resilience of our minds and souls.

Dr. Nati Blum, CEO of EMDA, works to improve the quality of life of those coping with dementia, promote their rights, and raise public awareness of the phenomenon in Israel. She holds a PhD in Psychology from Sacramento University.

Ari Manor, a strategy, marketing, and innovation expert, holds a Master’s degree (M.Sc) in Human Genetics as part of the interdisciplinary honors program at Tel Aviv University; he also advises EMDA. As a serial entrepreneur, Ari has founded several public benefit ventures, including Social Psychometric Testing in Israel and a project making scientific treatment information accessible to the general public in the U.S.

🧠 SHOCKING MIT Study Reveals: ChatGPT Users Show Significantly Lower Brain Activity! New research from MIT monitored students' brain activity while writing essays. 



Please Recommend this page and follow us at

https://disqus.com/home/forum/the-coconut-whisperer/

Bayeux Tapestry


The Bayeux Tapestry will return to England for first time in 900 years, with the iconic depiction of the 1066 Norman Conquest being swapped for the Sutton Hoo treasures, in a loan deal with France

The Bayeux Tapestry will return to England for the first time in 900 years in a new deal with France

British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron are expected to announce that the historic artefact will arrive in the UK at the British Museum next year on loan from France. 

The iconic depiction of the 1066 Norman Conquest including the Battle of Hastings will be temporarily swapped with the Anglo-Saxon treasures of the Sutton Hoo ship burial.

The 70-metre-long work, which is more than 900-years-old, depicts the battle which saw William The Conqueror take the English throne from Harold Godwinson and become the first Norman king of England.

It is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo Of Bayeux.

It has been on display in various locations across France during its history, and in 1983 was moved to the Bayeux Museum in Normandy where it attracts 400,000 visitors per year.

The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered as part of a seventh century Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk in 1939, provide insight into England during the period before the Norman Conquest.

Some of the impressive artefacts which are believed to have been part of a burial of a 1,400-year-old king include a helmet, weapons, coins and jewels. 

The Bayeux Tapestry (pictured) will return to England for the first time in 900 years in a new deal with France

The Bayeux Tapestry (pictured) will return to England for the first time in 900 years in a new deal with France. The 70-metre-long work, which is more than 900-years-old, depicts the battle which saw William The Conqueror take the English throne from Harold Godwinson. Godwinson could have won, of course, though William's strategy and tactics were better.

It is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo Of Bayeux

It is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was likely to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo Of Bayeux

The exchange is part of a season of culture in 2027 celebrating the 1,000th anniversary of the birth of William The Conqueror, and the Grand Depart of the 2027 Tour de France from the UK.

The swapping of ancient treasures also coincides with the Bayeux Museum's two-year renovation which will see the site extended WITH The British Museum chosen because of its ability to preserve and care for the textile, The Telegraph reports. 

The tapestry will be displayed in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery of the British Museum between September 2026 and July 2027. 

Director of the British Museum, Nicholas Cullinan, said: 'The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most important and unique cultural artefacts in the world, which illustrates the deep ties between Britain and France and has fascinated people across geographies and generations.

'It is hard to overstate the significance of this extraordinary opportunity of displaying it at the British Museum and we are profoundly grateful to everyone involved.

'This will be the first time the Bayeux Tapestry has been in the UK since it was made, almost 1,000-years-ago.

'We are also delighted to send the Lewis Chessmen, and some of our treasures from Sutton Hoo - the greatest archaeological discovery in Britain - to France in return.

'This is exactly the kind of international partnership that I want us to champion and take part in, sharing the best of our collection as widely as possible, and in return displaying global treasures never seen here before.'

The tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings and is rich in detail, with Latin labels to narrate key figures including King Harold who was mythically killed with an arrow to his eye (pictured)

The tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings and is rich in detail, with Latin labels to narrate key figures including King Harold, who was killed with an arrow to his eye (pictured)

It has been displayed the Bayeux Museum in Normandy since 1983, where it attracts 400,000 visitors per year

It has been displayed the Bayeux Museum in Normandy since 1983, where it attracts 400,000 visitors per year

The piece was likely made by English embroiderers and was created to celebrate the victory of the invading William I

The piece was likely made by English embroiderers and was created to celebrate the victory of the invading William I

The 224ft-long artefact has been carefully preserved for 900 years and will be exchanged with the Sutton Hoo collection

The 224ft-long artefact has been carefully preserved for 900 years and will be exchanged with the Sutton Hoo collection

A section of the tapestry showing King William's soldiers with horses

A section of the tapestry showing King William's soldiers with horses

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy said: 'The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most iconic pieces of art ever produced in the UK and I am delighted that we will be able to welcome it here in 2026.

'This loan is a symbol of our shared history with our friends in France, a relationship built over centuries and one that continues to endure.

'The British Museum is one of the world's most visited museums and is a fitting place to host this most treasured piece of our nation's history.'

The deal was reportedly pushed through by the former Lib Dem leader and now British Museum Chairman George Osborne who, The Telegraph reports, has been more willing to engage in deals over historic artifacts. 

The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered as part of a seventh century Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk in 1939, provide insight into England during the period before the Norman Conquest

The Sutton Hoo treasures, discovered as part of a seventh century Anglo-Saxon ship burial in Suffolk in 1939, provide insight into England during the period before the Norman Conquest [That is one scary looking helmet. I've never seen an Anglo-Saxon helmet before -AA ]

Some of the impressive artefacts which are believed to have been part of a burial of a 1,400-year-old king include a helmet, weapons, coins and jewels

Some of the impressive artifacts which are believed to have been part of a burial of a 1,400-year-old king include a helmet, weapons, coins and jewels

A picture of the original dig which led to the discovery of the Sutton Hoo ship burial - the original ship had largely decayed, leaving an imprint of it in the mud

A picture of the original dig which led to the discovery of the Sutton Hoo ship burial - the original ship had largely decayed, leaving an imprint of it in the mud


Reconstruction of the ship



https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14885953/Bayeux-Tapestry-England-Sutton-Hoo-France.html








Reconstructed shield




Bayeux Tapestry