Random News and Notes 14 August

On this date:

• 1457 – The first book ever printed is published by a German astrologer named Faust. He is thrown in jail while trying to sell books in Paris. Authorities concluded that all the identical books meant Faust had dealt with the devil.
• 1559 – Spanish explorer Tristan de Luna enters Pensacola Bay, Florida.
• 1605 – The Popham expedition reaches the Sagadahoc River in present-day Maine and settles there.
• 1756 – French commander Louis Montcalm takes Fort Oswego, in what is now New York, from the British.
• 1795 – President George Washington signs Jay’s treaty. This treaty, known officially as the “Treaty of Amity Commerce and Navigation, between His Britannic Majesty; and The United States of America” attempted to diffuse the tensions between England and the United States that had risen to renewed heights since the end of the Revolutionary War.
• 1900 – The European allies enter Beijing, relieving their besieged legations from the Chinese Boxers.
• 1942 – Dwight D. Eisenhower is named the Anglo-American commander for Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa.
• 1945 – The Japanese announce their unconditional surrender. The formal Japanese Instrument of Surrender was signed on September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. It was signed by Japanese representatives Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu, and accepted by General Douglas MacArthur as Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, alongside representatives from nine Allied nations

• 1947 – The partition of India occurs creating an independent Pakistani state. The Partition would lead to the displacement of 20 million and the deaths of 3 million more in sectarian violence.
• 1969 – Operation Banner begins with the deployment of the first British troops in Northern Ireland. The initial goal was to restore public order, protect Catholic neighborhoods from loyalist attacks, and support the overwhelmed local police force, the Royal Ulster Constabulary. It quickly devolved as Republicans (Irish Republicans – those who wanted a unified Ireland) began to view the army as an oppressive, anti-nationalist force as house searches, curfews, and clashes increased. Operation Banner would continue until 2007.
• 1971 – St. Louis Cardinals ace Bob Gibson throws the first no-hitter of his storied career. Gibson’s heroics helped his team sail to an 11-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• 1973 – The United States ends the “secret” bombing of Cambodia.
• 1994 – , French intelligence agents capture terrorist Illich Ramirez Sanchez, long known as Carlos the Jackal, in Khartoum, Sudan.

We start the news with an infuriating story out of DC where a Chinese national was allowed to purchase a building mere yards from the White House. Philip Qiu, also known as Qiu Feili, heads the Philip Qiu and Family Foundation that purchased the 100-year-old Securities Building at 729 15th Street NW for $8.4 million. Records show Qiu’s past roles in Chinese intelligence, public security, and investigations, including as a former police detective and special forces-trained sniper.

This is insanity. Not only is the building in a perfect location for intelligence gathering, it is close enough to be a physical threat to the President. Whoever allowed this to happen needs to be run out of town on a rail after being tarred and feathered.

Don’t

For a bit of context, it was ‘disarmament day’ in Mexico recently and this video was taken at an event about it. The dumbass operating the saw? Mexican Army, The Dumbasses who got hit – and there were 4 total injured in this incident? Mexican Army.

The mayor of Lawrence MA has been arrested on federal fraud and money laundering charges. Brian DePeña, a Dominican national, allegedly fraudulently obtained over $1.5 million in SBA COVID-19 small-business loans and diverted the funds to his campaign account, personal taxes, and high-interest mortgages on city properties. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts filed charges of wire fraud, aiding and abetting, and money laundering in Boston federal court.

The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. He faces arraignment in a Boston Federal court later today.

An interesting incident happened in Northern Ireland overnight. There was an attack of sorts on migrants in Ardoyne, a nationalist area of north Belfast. Someone tossed a brick through the window of a migrant’s house. There was a shotgun shell taped to the brick. The incident is being called a “Belfast eviction notice” online. A vehicle at the house was also torched.

It gets better – or worse depending on your perspective – as the PSNI (police service of Northern Ireland) responded, an hour late, and immediately left saying they had been told to leave. I’ll be keeping an eye on this one and if an update becomes necessary, you’ll see it here.

This one pissed me off when I first heard about it late yesterday. A woman vandalized the WWII memorial in DC, graffiting and pouring chemicals into the fountain. She got her dumb ass arrested this morning. Melissa L. Farris was arrested and charged with on two felony charges: Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials, each carrying up to 10 years in prison.

We really need to bring back the pillory and stocks. People like this need to be put on display, not locked up in prison away from view.

This just broke as I was looking for a closing meme. Luigi Mangione, the retard that shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, just plead guilty to the federal stalking charge.

My admittedly nonlawyer understanding is he is trying to avoid the state murder trial with this plea. NY has a comprehensive double jeopardy law. There will be more on this tomorrow. Probably.