Random links of interest, concern or curiosity from the past week or so, that deserve at least a SHORT mention:

 
Bring Your Bible to School Day ~ While you still can ~

Bring Your Bible to School Day is an event sponsored by Focus on the Family for students all over the nation. This year it’s happening on Thursday, Oct 4. On that day, thousands of students will celebrate religious freedom—and share God’s hope with their friends—by taking a simple action: bringing their Bible to school.

 
Cotton to Blumenthal: You don’t have credibility to question Kavanaugh ~ Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) exposes the Swamp’s underbelly – a total lack of integrity ~

“@SenBlumenthal lied for years about serving in Vietnam, which is all you need to know about his courage & honesty,” Cotton, who is not on the Senate Judiciary Committee, tweeted during the questioning. “Maybe he should reconsider before questioning Judge Kavanaugh’s credibility.”

Dress Rehearsal for Impeachment ~ What the Brett Kavanaugh travesty is really all about ~

(W)hat is being done to Kavanaugh is, if Democrats take control of Congress in November, a harbinger of what is to come. The assault on Kavanaugh, converting a man known for his integrity into a youthful Jack the Ripper in 10 days, is the playbook for what is planned for Trump.

 
Airconditioners save 20,000 lives in USA each year ~ According to a very interesting 2016 study ~

Mortality on a hot day declined by fully 75% in the decades after 1960 when air conditioners started to be rolled out […]
 
We achieved a lot of things in the 20th century, but when Barreca went through the statistics, it wasn’t the introduction of electricity that prevented most deaths — even though it brought fridges, and water, and fans — almost the entire effect was due to air conditioners.

 
Pompeo accuses EU of ‘solidifying Iran’s ranking’ as top state sponsor of terror ~ After the Trump administration killed the outrageous Iran deal, the European Union immediately began working to avoid the repercussions ~

Addressing the United Against a Nuclear Iran pressure group being held near the annual UN General Assembly, Pompeo said he was “disturbed and indeed deeply disappointed” by Monday’s announcement from remaining members of an international nuclear deal.
 
“This is one of the most counterproductive measures imaginable for regional peace and security,” Pompeo said, accusing the European Union of “solidifying Iran’s ranking as the number-one state sponsor of terrorism.”

 
Christian Teen Girl Held Captive 8 Months by Jihadist Army Boko Haram Sends Heartbreaking Recording Asking for Help and Prayer ~ The Nigerian government is doing next-to-nothing to stop the ongoing violence against Christians ~

For 8 months a young Christian girl has been held captive by Nigeria’s vicious Islamist army Boko Haram because she refuses to deny her faith in Jesus Christ.

 
New lithium battery design eats up carbon dioxide while charging ~ Hmmm… Maybe this could eventually put climate alarmists out of business ~

A new type of battery developed by researchers at MIT could be made partly from carbon dioxide captured from power plants […]
 
While still based on early-stage research and far from commercial deployment, the new battery formulation could open up new avenues for tailoring electrochemical carbon dioxide conversion reactions, which may ultimately help reduce the emission of the greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.

 
Firearms women’s wear designer aims for Illinois House ~ An uphill battle in blue Illinois, against a Democrat, but wish her well!

The businesswoman is a big advocate of the Second Amendment and gun rights. That, along with her interest in fashion and business – is how holsters and women’s designs merged into reaching a previously untapped market – women that defend themselves with firearms. (Nickel and Lace)

 
Mississippi Police Ban Nike Products After Nike Endorses Colin Kaepernick ~

“As commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, I will not support vendors who do not support law enforcement and our military,” Commissioner Marshall Fisher said in a statement, USA Today reported Sunday.

 
China Offers Venezuela $5 Billion Loan To Support ‘Ideological Ally’ Maduro ~ Dictators-of-a-feather – Propping up tyranny ~

China is upping its support – even pledging a military intervention if Maduro’s many enemies again try to topple his regime via an uprising or assassination attempt.

This, in the face of new U.S. sanctions against Venezuela. Seems China is becoming increasingly antagonistic… Trump to world leaders: China out to meddle in 2018 election ~

A senior Trump administration official who briefed reporters about Trump’s comments said China was stepping up covert and overt activities to punish those who support Trump’s tough trade stance and interfere in the political system […]

 
The official said China stifles free speech on U.S. campuses and punishes or rewards businesses, think tanks, movie studios and political candidates for criticizing or supporting Chinese politics. The official added that more information would be declassified in coming days and that Vice President Mike Pence was expected to speak on the issue next week.

 
Well they’re definitely not fans of Mr. Trump ~ China Promotes Anti-Trump Book ~

China’s government propaganda outlets are actively promoting the anti-President Trump book released this week by Washington Post writer Bob Woodward, called “Fear.”

 
Wow ~Viganò in New Statement: “Has Christ Perhaps Become Invisible to His Vicar?” ~ Unfortunately yes. Years ago. This is The Big Ugly; This is a battle for souls, and you’d better believe that some will be lost ~

The center of my testimony was that since at least June 23, 2013, the pope knew from me how perverse and evil McCarrick was in his intentions and actions, and instead of taking the measures that every good pastor would have taken, the pope made McCarrick one of his principal agents in governing the Church, in regard to the United States, the Curia, and even China, as we are seeing these days with great concern and anxiety for that martyr Church […]

Moreover, the pope’s cover-up of McCarrick was clearly not an isolated mistake. Many more instances have recently been documented in the press, showing that Pope Francis has defended homosexual clergy who committed serious sexual abuses against minors or adults.

 
My favorite tweet of the week ~

Blumenthal lecturing Kavanaugh over credibility and truth is right up there with Ted Kennedy looking down his nose at Clarence Thomas about sexual harassment.

— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) September 27, 2018