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

 
The Bizarre 1919 Catastrophe You Never Learned About in History Class ~ Whoa. I had certainly never heard of The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919, fascinating ~

Paul Revere made Boston’s North End famous when he began his historic midnight ride from there in 1775. Over time, it became a melting pot of Italian American culture. But history has mostly forgotten another extraordinary event that happened on those streets one hundred years ago.

 
The Death Penalty Is Pro-Life. And Those Who Oppose It Usually Aren’t ~ John Zmirak comments on the Trump Administration’s reactivation of the federal death penalty (which recognizes the sanctity of all life) ~

Part of human dignity is paying for your crimes. We don’t imprison people or execute them first and foremost to keep society safe. That’s a happy side effect. But it’s only right to do that if we’re also enacting justice. If we are proportionately punishing an actual person for his real crimes against his neighbors and the community.

 
President of National Border Patrol Council: ‘Ocasio-Cortez is trying to dehumanize us’ ~ Leftists have got no pictures, no video, just endless false accusations of deplorable conditions. And the mainstreams give them a platform to disseminate their lies ~

“This is a horrible insult to the memories of the innocent men, women and children slaughtered by the Nazis, and to our Border Patrol agents – implying that our agents are no different from the Nazi butchers. The outrageousness of this vicious slander is breathtaking – especially coming from a member of Congress.” – Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council

 
Here’s a little dose of reality for AOC & friends ~ Border deaths declined in Trump’s first two years in office, data shows ~

According to statistics compiled by the United States Border Patrol, there were 298 border deaths in 2017 and 283 in 2018, making it an average of 291 per year. The average yearly deaths under President Obama stood at 372 and 382 under the Bush administration.

 
The Nightmare Of An America Ruled By AOC And Her Socialist Pals ~ Excellent analysis from Kurt Schlichter ~

If these freaks ever got power it will be open season on your ability to participate in our society and our government. After all, you’re a racist Jesus-loving/observant Jew NRA monster of greed and privilege and hatred and you deserve no rights. Your (alleged) rights are an obstacle to the fundamental transformation of America into Venezuela that they seek. In other words, your rights are expendable, and once in power the left will get right to expending them.

 
Understanding Why ‘The Squad’ Screams ‘Racism’ ~ Great article from Star Parker, who just happens to be a woman-of-color herself ~

These four young freshmen Democrats have no interest in a public discourse of deliberation where we soberly seek what is true and what really works. Their only interest is selling their dogma.
 
So, following the advice of (Saul) Alinsky, they get attention not by developing quality ideas for public policy reform and engaging in thoughtful discourse about these ideas, but through sensational hype of dogma and character assassination of those who disagree […]
 
Demagoguery is an age-old threat to freedom and the democratic process. There will always be those who long for power and will try to get it with heat rather than light.

 
More evidence of that demagoguery ~ New Poll Shows More Americans See Improved Race Relations Under Trump ~

20 per cent said getting better compared to 34 per cent who said they were getting worse while 44 per cent said they were staying about the same.
 
This compares to just 14 per cent who said they were getting better and 44 per cent who said they were getting worse when the same question was asked in 2018.

 
Un-diverse US team ties for first place at International Math Olympiad ~ And the reality of diverse abilities wins ~

Quick! Call the diversity police! For the fourth time in five years the US team placed first in the International Mathematical Olympiad, this year tying for first place with China.
 
The six U.S. team members also won gold medals for their individual high scores on the Olympiad, known as the world championship mathematics competition for high school students.
 
However, this very dominating winning team does not look like America — all members are males, 5 Asians and one Caucasian, judging by appearances.

 
BBC Mislead Public With Fake Heat Record Scares ~ Because they cherry-pick the facts. Paul Homewood at NotALotofPeopleKnowThat.com sorts them out.

 
Meanwhile, climate alarmists are increasingly unhinged ~ Environmental protesters arrested after gluing themselves to tunnels under Capitol ~

U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) on Tuesday arrested environmental protesters who had glued themselves to two doorways connecting the Cannon Building to the U.S. Capitol in an apparent bid to stop members of Congress from an evening vote.
 
The protesters were with the D.C. chapter of the U.K.-based environmental group “Extinction Rebellion.” Eight people were charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding, USCP said. Seven also were charged with defacing public property.
 
In addition, nine were arrested in the Cannon House Office Building and charged with crowding, obstructing, or incommoding, according to USCP. Eight of them also were charged with defacing public property.
 
“We are superglued to the tunnels under the Capitol because what other choice do we have when our politicians choose money over life?” read an earlier tweet from Extinction Rebellion Washington, D.C.

 
Union Twists Man’s Inspirational Bootstrap Story Into Smear ~ Sleazy union tactics. Yet another example of how the Left distorts good into bad for their own nefarious ends.

 
Woman plans to marry 91-year-old chandelier ~ Another loon to add to the menagerie ~

Amanda Liberty, 35, who changed her last name from Whittaker during a prior long-distance relationship with the Statue of Liberty, is ready to finally settle down with the light of her life […]
 
Liberty, of Leeds, who identifies as an objectum sexual, is putting the spotlight on the little-known attraction to inanimate objects, according to the outlet.

Well, OK then.

 
Massive Drop in Global Poverty Due to Free Market ~ Even though the U.N. tries to pretend otherwise ~

The UN noted, “Poverty has declined globally, from 1.7 billion people in 1999 to 767 million in 2013, a drop in the global poverty rate from 28 percent in 1999 to 11 percent in 2013. The most significant progress was seen in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, where the rate declined from 35 per cent in 1999 to 3 per cent in 2013.” […]
 
The fact of the matter is that greater individual freedom coupled with a free-market economy is the greatest factor in diminishing poverty, not socialist, government-controlled economies. The individual will always have a greater interest in taking care of himself than will any government bureaucrat. When people are free to enjoy the fruits of their own labor, they are more apt to work harder and with more innovation than will those who find themselves and their labor owned and controlled by the state.