Interesting Posts and Articles #284

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   In the spirit of Elul, DovBear has a post of contrition regarding some of his remarks about fellow blogger, Rabbi Dovid Orlofsky. And Rabbi Harry Maryles has a post apologizing for his post discussing Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and sexual deviancy.
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2. At Hirhurim, a discussion of the evolution of the halachot of Havineinu. And about the improper timing of the ban against Rabbi Slifkin. And about the propriety of saying Machnisei Rachamam at the end of Slichot.
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3. On the tznius front, Kiryas Yoel posts new tznius signs for visitors. And a tznius protest at a restaurant in Crown Heights:
   
   
   
   
   

   During the course of the talk, it became clear that one of ba'al habatim assisting in the protest had gone to the restaurant the previous evening and used a salacious and unsavory term to describe the manager, the waitresses and the patrons (some of whom later turned out to be visiting from Flatbush). 
   
   I asked the ba'al habayis if, with all forgiveness to my questioning his actions, he honestly felt that his comments were in line with the Rebbe's directives and if they would prove effective in changing the situation. He told me that he had previously agreed that such negative comments were not in line with the Rebbe's belief of doing things b'darkei noam ub'darkei shalom - in a pleasant and peaceful manner - but a kolel yungerman present at the protest had found such methods effective in the the past. 
   
   This yungerman, who is one of the ringleaders of the push to cleanup Crown Heights, is known for approaching ladies on the street conducting themselves in a fashion not fitting for a bas yisroel and clearly letting them know of their wrongdoings. 

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4. The Lederman shul, where Rav Chaim Kanievsky davens, finally decides to get an air conditioner to run during the week. Halachic reasons for it now and against it in the past in the article.
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5. A suggestion for a prison without walls in the Atlantic Monthly. We had this years ago. It is called an ir miklat.
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6. Copepods in New York City water, in Time magazine. Good morning! Great, they stained the water to see it with a microscope, but this is such old news! And despite seeing it with a microscope, it is apparently actually possible to see some of these without a microscope.
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7. New York Regents cancels the Hebrew Regents, which means that kids will have to study French, Spanish or Italian. And an Orthodox inmate (a child molester who demands kosher food in prison yet has been caught twice eating non-kosher food) loses his challenge to keep his long beard, and will have to trim it.
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8. Life In Israel has video Shweckey performing in Rechovot, despite Rav Amnon Yitzchok's efforts to cancel him. Excellent. More analysis, bli neder, in another post.