Random News and Notes 10 May
We start with a couple of Revolutionary war notes. On this date in 1773, the Tea Act was passed. The Act was intended to prop up a failing East India company by exempting the company from taxes on tea imported into England. It left in place duties on teas imported into the colonies.
In 1775, a Continental Army force under Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold lead a successful attack on Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, while the Second Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Congress faced the task of conducting a war already in progress. Fighting had begun with the Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, and Congress needed to create an official army out of the untrained assemblage of militia laying siege on Boston.
Allen and more than 100 of his Green Mountain Boys had already decided to take the fort when Arnold arrived with formal military commissions from Massachusetts and Connecticut and a militia of his own. The Green Mountain Boys were unwilling to follow anyone but Allen into battle, so Allen and Arnold shared command as the Patriot militia surprised and overwhelmed the 50 Redcoats in the isolated garrison, who were completely unaware of the bloodshed in Massachusetts. The cannon seized at Ticonderoga and the next day at Crown Point, also on Lake Champlain, allowed the new Continental Army under General George Washington to drive the British from Boston the following spring.
On this date in 1865, Jefferson Davis, president of the fallen Confederate government, is captured with his wife and entourage near Irwinville, Georgia, by a detachment of Union General James H. Wilson’s cavalry. Imprisoned for two years at Fort Monroe, Virginia, Davis was indicted for treason, but was never tried.
In 1869, the presidents of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads meet in Promontory, Utah, and drive a ceremonial last spike into a rail line that connects their railroads. This made transcontinental railroad travel possible for the first time in U.S. history. No longer would western-bound travelers need to take the long and dangerous journey by wagon train.
J. Edgar Hoover is named acting director of the Bureau of Investigation (now the FBI) on this date in 1924. By the end of the year he was officially promoted to director. This began his 48-year tenure in power, during which time he personally shaped American criminal justice in the 20th century.
We are going to start today’s news with a debunking. A video purporting to be recent footage of an A-10 returning to base with significant damage is making the rounds. It is fake.
The AI generated video was generated from a still image from an actual incident back in 2003. Yes, that A-10 sustained and survived at least some of the damage shown. In fact, the airframe depicted is on display at a museum called AirZoo in Michigan. Before the community note got appended, I watched the video a couple of times and several things seemed off to me but it very nearly fooled me, so do not feel bad if you got caught up.
Friday night there was a fatigue takeover in Tampa. The local cops were having none of it however. Tampa police to arrested 22 people aged 12 to 21, seized two guns and a vehicle, and restored order using patrols, bikes, and air support. Charges included public fighting, drug possession, resisting arrest, and weapons violations, with most arrestees being juveniles including a 12-year-old.
“This type of reckless and criminal behavior will not be tolerated in our city,” said Chief Lee Bercaw. “What began as a large gathering quickly escalated into disorder and activity that placed others at risk. Parents need to know where their children are and who they are with…we will continue taking strong enforcement action against anyone who threatens the peace and safety of our community.”
I am so fing tired of this crap.
A $250 Million Medicaid fraud scheme in Columbus Ohio has been uncovered. A Daily Wire investigation revealed 288 home health care companies, many owned by individuals with Somali names, operating out of seven Columbus properties owned by Cordoba Real Estate Group LLC, billing $250 million in Medicaid plus $23 million in state funds from 2018 to 2024 for services like companionship and hair care.
Audits showed red flags such as claims for visits during patient hospitalizations and sudden billing spikes, like ZNC Health Care jumping from 93 to over 1,000 claims in a month. Ohio Auditor Keith Faber flagged the issues and Vice President JD Vance directed a federal review.
I wonder exactly how much of the Federal deficit is due to fraud?
In a local story, pair of Syracuse cops were shot yesterday. The incident started when one Rodney Vanderpool, 55, of Syracuse, stabbed/slashed a dog. A bystander called the cops. The SPD investigated and obtained a warrant for Vanderpool’s apartment in the Pioneer Homes complex – side note, Pioneer is part of the ‘projects’ in Syracuse – and were attempting to serve that warrant when Vanderpool opened fire.
Vanderpool is charged with:
- Attempted Murder in the First Degree (three counts)
- Attempted Assault in the Second Degree
- Menacing in the Second Degree
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree
- Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree
- Aggravated Cruelty to Animals
Police said Vanderpool will be held at the Onondaga County Justice Center pending arraignment. Additional charges could still be filed as the investigation continues. The injured officers were treated and are in stable condition. The dog was transported for emergency vet care and is critical but stable.