Lisa tops the Billboard charts - the first chick in history
Rons, Ettes, everyone - good morning on the 101st anniversary of the birth in Montreal* of Rocket Richard.
[*Montreal is a town in Canada, famous for gluttonous servings of poutine.]
Straight outta Taipei...
Above: Chinese J-11s. Map (below) shows flight paths of 27 PLAAF fighter jets on Wednesday.
22 Chinese warplanes cross Taiwan's median line amid Pelosi visit
Total of 27 Chinese warplanes penetrated Taiwan's ADIZ on first day of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan
Lots of details at
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4615671
THAILAND F35 DEFENCE
The super-contentious issue of whether Thailand should buy multi-multi-billion baht F-35 stealth aircraft continues
And note that the United States has not yet agreed to sell them.
Here's where we are
The House committee vetting the 2023 budget bill yesterday approved 369 million baht out of 738 million baht sought by the Royal Thai Air Force for its planned purchase of two F-35A fighter jets from the US.
RTAF commander ACM Napadej Dhupatemiya thanked the House panel for accepting the air force's appeal and restoring the requested fund needed to proceed with the acquisi-tion programme.
and
"If the U.S. Congress doesn't approve the sale, the air force will return the sum to the state coffers," said Air Chief Marshal Napadej.
Earlier
Air force chief pleads with budget panel for 7.4 billion-with-a-"b" baht to buy F-35 jets
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40018425
SPORTS RIP
Death Of An Icon
Vin Scully, the most golden of the best broadcasters of baseball games in the golden era of best sports broadcasters' died at his home in Los Angeles, aged 94.
Scully called Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers games for 67 years.
And RIP Red Barber, Phil Rizzutto, Ernie Harwell, Mel Allen, Jimmy Dudley, Joe Chrysdale, Russ 'The Giants Win The Pennant, The Giants Win The Pennant, The Giants Win The Pennant' Hodges Bill Mazur...
Nan meets the prez.
In East Taiwan yesterday, President Tsai Ing-wen welcomed American visior Nancy Pelosi, who is on a short visit.
Ms Tsai and the Taiwan government were all pleased as punch.
"The visit of Speaker Pelosi and other heavyweight members of Congress will strengthen the close and friendly relationship between Taiwan and the United States," said Tsai's foreign ministry in a formal statement.
China publicly underlined its displeasure.
Chinese state media outlet CCTV reported yesterday that deputy foreign minister Xie Feng summoned the US Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, late on Tuesday evening to blast out yet another protest.
"Anyone who attempts to manipulate the Taiwan issue to gain political gain... (sic) will eventually be nailed to the pillar of shame in history," Xie explained to the calm Burns.
NOTE: All media in China are state media, and all are controlled by the state. There is no exception.
China did not shell or bomb Taiwan yesterday.
But Beijing banned some imports from East Taiwan - containers of fruit and packaged frozen fish.
China also banned all imports of sand from Taiwan.
So, China for now cannot go and pound sand over the Pelosi visit.
https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3187544/china-ramps-trade-sanctions-taiwan-wake-nancy-pelosis-visit
OUT ON A LIMB?
The limey-controlled publication 'The Spectator' printed on Wednesday that
Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is about politics not diplomacy, and,
Joe Biden is right to be worried.
Gee, really?
There are weirdities to unpack there, such as::
Does The Spectator believe that Pelosi is capable of doing diplomacy?
PHOTO: American Nancy Pelosi (left) meets masked President Tsai Ing-wen.
https://spectatorworld.com/topic/pelosis-cynical-visit-to-taiwan/
Lisa BLACKPINK tops Billboard's Hot Trending Songs chart; Makes history
Lisa Blackpink tops Billboard with Lalisa and Money
LaLisa is now the first female artist to have top the chart powered by Twitter.
https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/blackpink-s-lisa-tops-billboard-s-hot-trending-songs-chart-makes-history-1171094
She makes Spotify history as 'Money' surpasses 500 million streams
Billboard says: The song Lalisa is the only track to have appeared on every edition of the chart since its launch, ranking for 41 weeks and counting.
https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/blackpink-s-lisa-makes-spotify-history-money-surpasses-500-million-streams-1164465
https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/blackpink-s-lisa-makes-spotify-history-money-surpasses-500-million-streams-1164465
THAILAND CURRENCY BAHT DOLLAR
The Thai baht is suddenly on its way back up.
Here's why.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2359976/
U.S.A SOUTH KOREA WAR GAMES
Manhunting Kim Jong Un
The U.S. and South Korea are about to play war games again, and this time they're going for the jugular.
The new exercise will 'play' at targeting North Korea's missile and nuclear sites plus bases needed to supply, refuel, and rearm them.
The climax of the games will be a "decapitation" exercise where they play at invading the heart of the North Korean command structure and taking out the leader, Kim Jong Un.
[NOTE: "taking out" does not refer to a dinner date.]
MONKEYPOX THIRD INFECTION
Doctors in Phuket have diagnosed Thailand's third case of monkeypox - a male German tourist.
The 25-year-old claims he was infected overseas and then came to Thailand.
Nice guy.
He started with a fever, "a few blisters and a rash in his groin area" before it spread to other parts of his body.
He has a Thai wife so the working theory is that he is not a homosexual and not bisexual.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2360426/
The stars at night
are big and bright...
If you're a star gazer, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has your back.
With help from the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand.
They have issued pamphlets and booklets on the 12 best Dark Sky locations in the country.
PHOTO: One of the best spots for star-gazing is Phu Taem National Park, on the Mekong River in Ubon Ratchathani province in the Northeast.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/2356069/
AGAIN? CANADA CATHOLIC POPE
Pope Francis asks for 'forgiveness in the name of the church' for abuses at residential schools
https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pope-francis-general-audience-canada-residential-schools-1.6539562
THAILAND SOUTH INSURGENTS
Two injured by bomb in South
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2359602/
After 70 years of fighting for independence from Siam, rebels in the deep South are determined to keep the fight going.
Rebels detonated an IED via remote control, and the explosion wounded two defence rangers who were providing security for teachers in Pattani province.
Thaksin predicts 2023 election win by 'pro-democracy parties'
The ex-prime minister predicted anti-junta political parties would win at least 300 of the 500 parliamentary seats.
The junta doesn't stand a chance. "people would choose the right political party for themselves, regardless of which party they receive the bribes from."
PHOTO: Thaksin, speaking from Dubai via the Chinese sexting software Zoom, has vowed to return to Thailand next year - to a hero's welcome.
https://www.thaienquirer.com/42330/thaksin-stresses-pro-democracy-parties-will-win-outright-in-2023-polls-adds-he-still-plans-to-return-as-planned/
Nok Air settles on its lying narrative
Bottom Line: You screwed up. You trusted us.
Executives of the budget airline decided on Wednesday to keep their fantabulous story straight: Which is
they couldn't evacuate the 170 passengers and crew from the crippled Boeing 737 at Chiang Rai because of all that danger that was going on.
The plane skidded off the runway during a hairy landing in a rainstorm on Saturday. There were no injuries.
Passengers were flabbergasted and angry that they were locked into the dark, sweltering airplane for more than an hour after the incident.
The airline said, well, maybe there was inconvenience and miscommunication. Tough.
And airline executives are going to continue nonsense jabbering about 'dangerous animals' roaming around outside the airplane, even though there were none. Or vicious soi dogs?
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2360334/
And Chiang Rai airport will remain closed until at least noon on Friday
.
U.S.A. ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE
With acts like this, the entire #STOPASIANHATE nonsense collapses on itself. Attacks on Asians in the United States aren't coming from MAGA-hatted Trump supporters, no matter what Jussie Smollett and his fans tell you:
Four Kids Attack, Beat 70-Year-Old Asian Woman in San Francisco Complex.
'Kids?' Wanna bet?
"They used their fist to hit my head multiple times and then they pulled me down and kept kicking me."
https://legalinsurrection.com/2022/08/four-kids-attack-beat-70-year-old-asian-woman-in-san-francisco-complex/
WARNING: This video is one of the worst you ever will see. And there's not a single kid involved.
TERRORISM ISIS EXECUTIONS
Is it possible that mainstream media and western governments kept this news from us on purpose? Why yes, yes it is.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) recently published a video of the execution of about 20 Christian civilians in Nigeria. As with many other such ISIS-type videos, the terrorists stood behind their bound and kneeling victims before knocking them over and carving their heads off to cries of "Allahu Akbar."
The killers told the cameras it was revenge for the death last February of ISIS leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi - a man with a reputation for extreme brutality.
What they haven't explained is why the "revenge" was against impoverished farmers in Nigeria.
https://bityl.co/DdNU
TERRORISM QAEDA ZAWAHIRI
Al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al-Zawahir was drone-offed in home of a New York Times contributor, Sirajuddin Haqqani.
This is the same New York Times that saw a staff revolt over an Oped by sitting United States Senator Tom Cotton. But a pro-Taliban opinion piece - no problem.
https://bityl.co/DdM3
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/20/opinion/taliban-afghanistan-war-haqqani.html
But from the Department of UNEXPECTEDLY!
White House: Oh yeah, by the way, al-Qaeda's back in Afghanistan.
https://hotair.com/ed-morrissey/2022/08/03/white-house-oh-yeah-by-the-way-al-qaedas-back-in-afghanistan-n487143
A factual report/analysis:
Al Qaeda Leader Ayman al-Zawahiri Is Dead... for at Least the 4th Time.
Well, let's hope that this time it sticks.
https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/victoria-taft/2022/08/02/al-qaeda-leader-ayman-al-zawahiri-is-deadfor-at-least-the-4th-time-n1617780
CNN BROADCASTING
This year will be the first since 2016 that CNN profits have dipped below US$1 billion.
Which would account for the sudden, unexpected headlines around the country like this:
CNN President Asking GOP Lawmakers to Please Come Back, Give the Network Another Chance
https://www.outkick.com/cnn-chris-licht-republican-lawmakers/
CORONAVIRUS THAILAND
During the 24 hours of Wednesday for Thailand:
• 2,432 new cases in hospital
• 32 additional deaths by Covid
• 21,940 active cases
• 917 serious cases
• 2,472 recovered and sent home
As of midnight on Wednesday, the world table of Covid-19 receivers. (Click to embiggen)
U.S.A. POLITICS
Two New York reps join growing list of Democrats who refuse to commit to supporting Biden in 2024.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/two-new-york-reps-join-growing-list-democrats-refuse-commit-supporting-biden-in-2024
SPACE FEARS AUSTRALIA
Do NOT discard your helmet and reinforced umbrella! It's still raining Alien Destruction.
Space debris found in Snowy Mountains paddock believed to be from SpaceX mission.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/aug/01/like-an-alien-obelisk-space-debris-found-in-snowy-mountains-paddock-believed-to-be-from-spacex-mission
GLOBAL WARMING
How can you NOT chuckle?
Watch: Electric Bus Fails to Climb Steep Hill, Passengers Forced to Jump Ship as It Begins Reversing
A video circulating on social media showed an electric public transportation bus in Maharashtra, India, failing to climb up a hairpin turn on a hilly road near Sinhagad Fort.
https://ijr.com/watch-electric-bus-fails-climb-steep-hill-passengers-forced-jump/
TECHNOLOGY
An advanced new cryptography scheme designed to be safe even against quantum computes just got hacked using a single-core conventional PC - in an hour. (Ars Technica)
Oops.
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2022/08/sike-once-a-post-quantum-encryption-contender-is-koed-in-nist-smackdown/
You might ask why people running scams like this aren't charged under laws governing Ponzi and pyramid schemes. Well, eleven executives of another crypto company, Forsage, just have been. (CBS)
Good. And many more to come, I hope.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/forsage-crypto-executives-charged-with-running-300-million-ponzi-scheme/
Axie Infinity, the blockchain game that was eventually hacked and looted of $600 million in Monopoly money, sucked long before that happened. (Time)
Pretty much everyone lost money except for the people running the company.
https://time.com/6199385/axie-infinity-crypto-game-philippines-debt/
The pretty useless U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aka CDC has finally required every one of the 50 U.S. states to report monkeypox cases within 24 hours.
They waited until San Francisco had finished its Kink Festival super-spreader event to impose the reporting requirement.
Of course.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2022/08/01/monkeypox-cdc-designation-new-york-san-francisco/3741659296977/
