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

 
Self-Government in the Wilderness ~ Writing at The Stream, Rich Lowry provides a timely review of the Pilgrims’ Mayflower Compact and its significance for later generations.

Obama’s New Area Code In Rancho Mirage Is So Diverse That It’s Just 1.5 Percent Black ~

Throughout President Barack Obama’s time in office, he’s taken pains to emphasize the importance of diversity, but now the Obamas have purchased their fifth home, and it’s located in a small golf resort town near Palm Springs that’s just 1.5 percent black and 88 percent white.
 
This California home is in Rancho Mirage, a town with a population of only 17,218, based on figures from the 2010 census.

[Home number five. For a cool $4.25 mill. Gotta wonder where a community organizer comes up with that much green…]

 
Daniel Greenfield fears the worst ~ Obama Plans to Rule America Outside the White House …and he might get away with it ~

Obama isn’t going to retire. He’s not going to spend years puttering around with a presidential library. He’s not even going to set up a Clintonesque slush fund and try to make his wife president. Instead he wants to force radical change from outside the White House by using the network he’s built.

Beware the OFA (Organizing for Action) troops.

 
Meet The Intolerant Vulgarians Of The Dirtbag Left ~ Ugh. I feel like I need to take a shower just reading about these nihilistic reprobates. If you have to use vile, disgusting antics to make your point, you’ve lost me.

 
Russia to move nuclear-capable missiles closer to Europe as Vladimir Putin claims Nato expansion is threat ~ This is from the UK Telegraph; in Britain, Russia’s growing belligerence is harder to ignore, as we seem to be doing in the U.S.. But don’t we still have NATO treaty obligations?

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said on Monday he would move nuclear-capable missiles closer to Europe in response to Nato’s expansion in the Baltic states.
 
In a bold display of force against Western allies, Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles and a ballistic Iskander system will be deployed in Kaliningrad, which is situated between Lithuania and Poland.
 
Iskander missiles have a range of 450 miles, which means they could hit Berlin if launched from Kaliningrad.

 
Student: Here’s What The Common Core Horror Show Looks Like At My High School ~ Most of the criticism I’ve heard about Common Core has been from adults. It’s much more striking to hear how awful it really is from a student who’s directly affected ~

In the time that Common Core was implemented until now, I have personally seen its overwhelmingly negative effects on public school education, particularly in the subject of Math. Common Core Math is supposed to prepare high school students for successful careers in the STEM field; it does the opposite. Instead, the main mind behind Common Core Math, Jason Zimba, admits the most it will do is prepare students for Math at a non-selective Community College […]
 
It is a “system” created without the input of a single educator or parent that is heavily reliant on standardized testing to measure success. The intention to better equip us for college and beyond has backfired, as Common Core has left students clueless. Students are being taught that 77 – 3 = 74 is not a reasonable answer because 77 should’ve been rounded to 80 and 3 should’ve been rounded to 0. It is a completely preposterous progressive experiment that has done nothing but harm the way K – 12 students are being taught.

 
Viking Ship Stopped by Gov Regulations ~ One of these days we’ll need Big Government’s permission to cross the street ~

Can you imagine Columbus showing up today and getting hit with OSHA violations?

 
Woolworths in German Town Cancels Christmas ~ Guess they won’t be singing “O Tannenbaum” either; the religion-of-intolerance has taken over ~

Christians currently make up only one-third of the population of North Dortmund after thousands of migrants from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq were settled in the industrial town in the Ruhr Valley since 2015 when Germany began accepting immigrants en masse.

 
The Transgender Lobby’s Demands Are Not Civil Rights ~ Nicole Russell at The Federalist reports on the latest absurdity; HHS now requires doctors to “perform gender transition procedures on children even when those procedures may be physically and emotionally harmful to the child.” This nonsense…

… directly contradicts the premise of the original civil rights movement. Imagine if we had the federal government forcing doctors to bleach kids’ skin or surgically alter their eyes or noses to look more Caucasian. In part that is so obviously preposterous and outrageous because of how demeaning it is to people’s innate genetics that alone decides physical characteristics such as skin color and sex […]

 
While we bang our heads against the wall attempting to reason and persuade through science or rhetoric, (the Trans-Movement is) slapping lawsuits on school boards or regulating doctors to validate dysphoria, even against doctors’ will and medical judgment.

It’s a tragic, contagious delusion ~ Psychiatry Professor: ‘Transgenderism’ Is Mass Hysteria Similar To 1980s-Era Junk Science
 
Hamilton: What would Alinsky Do? Doug Mainwaring presents an interesting what-if scenario that illustrates the huge gap in the civility-factor – at least traditionally – between right and left. Mike Pence is still a class act. The cast of “Hamilton” – not so much.

 
Be That Obnoxious Conservative Uncle At Thanksgiving ~ Too funnny! And too late for Thanksgiving – but keep it in mind for Christmas and Hanukah ~

Understand (your Nephew’s) Sensitive Feelings About The Election: Hillary Clinton’s loss was a blow to many millennials, and he is likely to be emotionally fragile. You’ll want to ruthlessly exploit his pathetic weakness. 😀

If you’re still recovering from turkey (and football!) overload – like so many of us, you may have missed the latest news from Israel where – for the past four days – they’ve been battling numerous raging wildfires. Here’s a recent report from the Times of Israel ~ Israel on fire — what we know, and what we don’t ~

Such fires are not uncommon at this time of year, at the end of the long, dry summer, and with seasonal winds capable of quickly whipping up a casually thrown cigarette or a bonfire into a full-scale blaze. But as the number of fires multiplied on Wednesday and Thursday, allegations spread that many of the blazes were being deliberately set.
 
Those claims were confirmed by Israel’s police chief Roni Alsheich, who said on Thursday afternoon that some, though by no means all, of the fires were the result of arson, presumably with a “nationalistic” motivation, he said.

 
As Palestinians, Arab World Celebrate, Take Credit for Israeli Fires With #IsraelIsBurning Hashtag, it’s no wonder that the Jerusalem Post is asking are we looking at a new form of eco-terrorism? ~

Fires from an estimated 220 points of origin have broken out throughout central and northern Israel since Wednesday and assessments by police have strengthened suspicions that many were deliberately set […]
 

 
Michael Horowitz, director of intelligence at Prime Source, a Middle East-based geopolitical consultancy firm, agreed. “It is too early to conclude that this is a “new form of terrorism,” but it definitely can turn into that because of the virality of the trend,” he told the Post, adding that “it’s been praised by Hamas, and the hashtag “Israel is burning” is trending in Arabic. The mere perception of success can be enough to encourage copycat attacks.”

In fact, the UK Independent reports that an Al-Qaeda linked Palestinian militant group ‘claims responsibility’ for devastating Haifa blaze. Although, militants offer no proof of ‘questionable’ claim as firefighters continue to battle flames.
 

For American Christians, Thanksgiving of course is a special time to thank the Lord for our many blessings. Among the many things I have to be grateful for I always include the state of Israel and the Jewish people themselves. Pray for their peace, their safety, and for rain!

I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
~ Genesis 12:2-3

 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related:

Foreign planes combat Israel wildfires as arrests made

Israel Fire Updates ~ Haaretz has news on the latest developments

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

 
Newsgate 2016 ~ Sharyl Attkisson with an insider’s look at just how left-biased the news-media has become; provides specific examples of their aggressive attempts to swing the election for Hillary ~

(T)aken as a whole, it’s easy to see how we as journalists have done a poor job protecting ourselves from being co-opted by organized interests, often ones that are paid and politically-motivated. Whether we realize it or not, they’ve figured out how to exploit the media and use us to publish their propaganda. It implies a broad and growing trend that has seriously undermined the credibility of the news industry.

 
Of course the evil emperor will never stop plotting the destruction of America ~ George Soros Demands Voters Return Control of Country to Him ~

George Soros and other rich liberals who spent tens of millions of dollars trying to elect Hillary Clinton are gathering in Washington for a three-day, closed door meeting to retool the big-money left to fight back against Donald Trump.

Judicial Watch Probe: Secret Service Loses Guns, Badges, Laptops, “Other Equipment” ~ Bipartisan negligence ~

Since 2001 dozens of weapons and pistols have gone missing, hundreds of agent badges and cell phones as well as scores of laptop and desktop computers and six agency motor vehicles […]
 
(And this from) the Secret Service, which claims to be one of the most elite law enforcement organizations in the world with responsibilities that include protecting, not only the president, but also national and visiting foreign leaders as well as conducting criminal investigations.

 
Cat-licking and ‘Dirty Jobs’: Mike Rowe nails why Trump won ~

Former “Dirty Jobs” host Mike Rowe says that Donald Trump is president-elect for the same reason that his show was a huge success: both Mr. Trump and “Dirty Jobs” paid attention to an America that feels ignored.[…]
 
He went on to explain that he is saddened to see so many of these forgotten, hardworking Americans who supported Donald Trump be labeled as racists, xenophobes, or “uneducated misogynists.”

 
European Union Orders British Press NOT to Report when Terrorists are Muslims ~ This is obviously the EU’s back-handed way to chastise the Brits for BREXIT, but when denying reality endangers lives, it’s no longer amusing – it’s criminal ~

According the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) — part of the Council of Europe — the British press is to blame for increasing hate speech and racist violence.

 
America, on the other hand is lucky to have a guy who lives in the real world as Trump’s NSA designee ~ Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Michael T. Flynn: ‘Islam Is a Political Ideology,’ Not Many ‘People Screaming Jesus Christ With Hatchets’ ~ Refreshing. Can’t say I agree completely with his opinion of Russia (Putin can’t be trusted), but Flynn’s sure not fooled by the Religion-of-Peace.

 
Worker Freedom Won Tuesday ~ Another positive election outcome ~

Worker freedom continues to be a winning issue at the state level. Candidates who supported right-to-work were widely successful, and this creates promise for more gains for labor reform in upcoming months and years.

 
In Alabama, Jeff Sessions Desegregated Schools and Got the Death Penalty for KKK Head ~ The anti-Trump leftist media sure has a strange definition of “racist.”

 
Dear Science Settlers: Recent Research Shows Nature, Not Human Fossil Fuel Use, Continues to Drive Climate Changes ~ Methane, from plants and animals, has a more significant impact on global climate than do human activities.

 
Of course the Climate Changers don’t like to let facts get in their way, so you can bet they’ll blow a gasket over this ~ Trump taps climate-change skeptic to oversee EPA transition ~ This is from the Washington ComPost, thus the progressive slant ~

The man planning how a Trump administration can obliterate Obama’s environmental legacy is Myron Ebell, a Washington fixture who has long been a cheerful warrior against what he sees as an alarmist, overzealous environmental movement that has used global warming as a pretext for expanding government.
 
Ebell has argued for opening up more federal lands for logging, oil and gas exploration and coal mining, and for turning over more permitting authority to the states. And he has urged the Senate to vote to reject an international climate accord signed last year in Paris.

Excellent!

 
Make religious freedom great again ~ Let’s pray we can undo the damage of the Obama years ~

Trump should commit to protecting the free exercise of religion for all Americans of all faiths. In her concession speech, Hillary Clinton referred to the “freedom of worship”—piety limited to a synagogue, church, or mosque. But what the American founders protected was the right of all to live out their faith every day of the week in public and in private, provided they peacefully respect the rights of others.

 
All hope is not lost: Kent State players put SJW peers and Kaepernick to shame ~ Now these college kids really get what America is all about!