Chinese Consulate in Houston Caught Burning Documents in Courtyard

[ztejas 43,537]

2 hours ago, Lobo said:

Typically, Embassies are considered sovereign soil, but Consulates are not.

Did you just make this up? Neither of them constitute foreign soil. There are certain protections granted from the Vienna convention of 1961, but they are still very much a part of the country they stand on. I wouldn't be correcting you if I didn't just look all of this up - I was curious myself.

[Guest Lobo]

I don't know.  The Mexican Consulate in Austin told me they just lease their building off Ben White, and are subject to all local laws.  HE told me when he goes to the Embassy in D.C., then their diplomatic benefits kick in because it's Mexican soil.  That's why I started the comment with "typically" 

Only other consulates I've visited are Israel in NYC and Ireland in Austin.  They are just in high-rises and obviously you can't make part of the 14th floor a soveireign nation.  I thought the stand-alone embassies in D.C. are considered their nation's dirt.  But again, it's just info from a bunch of SRE officials from Mexico, which I could see being a more "special relationship"  and from "Lethal Weapon."  Just sharing some anecdotal information, which seems to be how the U.S. sculpts its foreign policy now anyways.  Shit, I should think about a careeer change.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by Lobo

[BabaYaga 15,320]

2 hours ago, Lobo said:

Typically, Embassies are considered sovereign soil, but Consulates are not.

Embassy and consulate grounds are not sovereign territory of the nation that owns and operates them. They are inviolable under the Vienna Convention. Something that nearly every discussion about and even news report on diplomatic facilities gets wrong, and it makes a world of difference.

[dbecks 442]

CSB: Live four-ish blocks from there and was riding my bike around yesterday when I saw the fire trucks. Actually had no idea the consulate was there. I wonder if they need any help moving out by Friday? I have a truck.

This is a weird fucking story.

[Amos Moses 795]

2 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

I think it's because they're doing it "in the yard," like some rednecks burning leaves.

 

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,921]

I just assume that anything that China does involves them stealing our shit.

[clapclapclap 9,000]

17 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Embassy and consulate grounds are not sovereign territory of the nation that owns and operates them. They are inviolable under the Vienna Convention.  

The Houston consulate is in Montrose, so subject to the Vienna Sausage Convention.

Edited July 22, 2020 by clapclapclap
NTTAWWT

[NeverMarryAStripper 21,921]

16 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

They are inviolable

I think there are 52 former State Department employees that would dispute that fact

[GreenspointTexas 9,664]

The FBI has top men on the case


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Armybrat 40,908]

52 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

All embassies and satellite offices house some sort of intelligence officer 

There’s intelligence in Houston to gather?

Kinda hard to understand that concept.

[tx 3 putt 77,418]

3 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

There’s intelligence in Houston to gather?

Kinda hard to understand that concept.

Flood control info

city zoning law secrets

tex mex recipes 

bbq secrets

baseball strategies 

[Tylerocks 2,553]

36 minutes ago, dbecks said:

CSB: Live four-ish blocks from there and was riding my bike around yesterday when I saw the fire trucks. Actually had no idea the consulate was there. I wonder if they need any help moving out by Friday? I have a truck.

This is a weird fucking story.

Yeah...we're right down the street too.  Wife walked the doggos by this morning and got the scoop from a lady out there filming.

[FORTY NINE TO ZERO 2,652]

This related to the reports of Chinese spys hacking covid reseach?    The medical center is right there and a huge research hub.  

[Larry T. Spider 1,747]

4 minutes ago, Tylerocks said:

Yeah...we're right down the street too.  Wife walked the doggos by this morning and got the scoop from a lady out there filming.

Negged for doggos 

[dcar00 14,365]

11 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

Flood control info

city zoning law secrets

tex mex recipes 

bbq secrets

baseball strategies 

if they need a few more trash cans to burn stuff I know where they can get some...

[crash_davis 23,115]

Well, if we're going to start kicking each other out for spying, then no country will have any foreign country embassies or consulate offices.

The timing of this is laughable.

[Neonmoon 38,130]

Live look inside the Consulate right now

[ABSR 5,324]

22 minutes ago, Xian said:

This related to the reports of Chinese spys hacking covid reseach?    The medical center is right there and a huge research hub.  

Good luck trying to get vaccine information from the Aggy vaccine center.  That is a dry well.

[tbone_ 14,160]

Flood control info
city zoning law secrets
tex mex recipes 
bbq secrets
baseball strategies 

Strip club rules?

[deadshank 24,653]

36 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

Flood control info

city zoning law secrets

tex mex recipes 

bbq secrets

baseball strategies 

You forgot:

freeway traffic control

strategic pothole placement

billboard density per inch

Gulf Freeway construction end date
 

 

 

 

[tx 3 putt 77,418]

9 minutes ago, tbone_ said:

Strip club rules?

This nam, no rules 

[gsoda3 3,282]

have any of you been in the chinese consulate?  that building's interior is exactly what you would imagine a communist government's interior to look like.  cold.  grey.  concrete.  

[Guest Lobo]

what does that mean, huh?  China is here?  I don’t even know what the hell that means.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by Lobo

[tbone_ 14,160]

have any of you been in the chinese consulate?  that building's interior is exactly what you would imagine a communist government's interior to look like.  cold.  grey.  concrete.  

Wtf were you doing there, commie?

[clapclapclap 9,000]

37 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

have any of you been in the chinese consulate?  that building's interior is exactly what you would imagine a communist government's interior to look like.  cold.  grey.  concrete.  

Maybe they're moving to the Alley Theater:

[crash_davis 23,115]

26 minutes ago, Lobo said:

what does that mean, huh?  China is here?  I don’t even know what the hell that means.  

fucking lulz. I caught that! BTILC

[kevwun 15,890]

2 hours ago, tx 3 putt said:

All embassies and satellite offices house some sort of intelligence officer 

Yeah everyone does this.  It was a huge game during the Cold War for us and the Russians to try to figure out who the head spy was in an embassy and then have them kicked out of the country.

Edited July 22, 2020 by kevwun

[RDCanecutter 26,472]

41 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

have any of you been in the chinese consulate?  that building's interior is exactly what you would imagine an Aggy government's interior to look like.  cold.  grey.  concrete.  

As Sun Tzu said: "If a commander knows himself, and knows Aggy, then he will always avoid Aggy."

[Trey3216 15,356]

1 hour ago, dcar00 said:

if they need a few more trash cans to burn stuff I know where they can get some...

Start beating the drums of war 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,523]

2 hours ago, BabaYaga said:

Embassy and consulate grounds are not sovereign territory of the nation that owns and operates them. They are inviolable under the Vienna Convention. Something that nearly every discussion about and even news report on diplomatic facilities gets wrong, and it makes a world of difference.

People also seem to think that diplomatic immunity means no consequences for a diplomat in breaking the law. Anyone can be expelled and banned from a country.

[crash_davis 23,115]

2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

People also seem to think that diplomatic immunity means no consequences for a diplomat in breaking the law. Anyone can be expelled and banned from a country.

Diplomatic immunity from prosecution. That's why the US bitch who ran over the British people fled back to the US. That's a wonderful get out of jail card.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,523]

1 minute ago, crash_davis said:

Diplomatic immunity from prosecution. That's why the US bitch who ran over the British people fled back to the US. That's a wonderful get out of jail card.

Is this really a full guarantee? If a diplomat was a serial killer, I don't think this protocol prevents their home country from extraditing them back. Seems to me this gives the diplomat's home country a decision on how they want to proceed.

[crash_davis 23,115]

2 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Is this really a full guarantee? If a diplomat was a serial killer, I don't think this protocol prevents their home country from extraditing them back. Seems to me this gives the diplomat's home country a decision on how they want to proceed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity

FULL immunity unless revoked by home country.

 

Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity that ensures diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws, although they may still be expelled. Modern diplomatic immunity was codified as international law in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) which has been ratified by all but a handful of nations. The concept and custom of diplomatic immunity dates back thousands of years. Many principles of diplomatic immunity are now considered to be customary law. Diplomatic immunity was developed to allow for the maintenance of government relations, including during periods of difficulties and armed conflict. When receiving diplomats, who formally represent the sovereign, the receiving head of state grants certain privileges and immunities to ensure they may effectively carry out their duties, on the understanding that these are provided on a reciprocal basis.

Originally, these privileges and immunities were granted on a bilateral, ad hoc basis, which led to misunderstandings and conflict, pressure on weaker states, and an inability for other states to judge which party was at fault. An international agreement known as the Vienna Convention codified the rules and agreements, providing standards and privileges to all states.

It is possible for the official's home country to waive immunity; this tends to happen only when the individual has committed a serious crime, unconnected with their diplomatic role (as opposed to, for example, allegations of spying), or has witnessed such a crime. However, many countries refuse to waive immunity as a matter of course; individuals have no authority to waive their own immunity^[1] (except perhaps in cases of defection).^[2] Alternatively, the home country may prosecute the individual.^[2] For instance, in 2002, a Colombian diplomat in London was prosecuted for manslaughter once diplomatic immunity was waived by the Colombian government.^[3][4]

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,523]

3 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity

FULL immunity unless revoked by home country.

 

Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity that ensures diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws, although they may still be expelled. Modern diplomatic immunity was codified as international law in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) which has been ratified by all but a handful of nations. The concept and custom of diplomatic immunity dates back thousands of years. Many principles of diplomatic immunity are now considered to be customary law. Diplomatic immunity was developed to allow for the maintenance of government relations, including during periods of difficulties and armed conflict. When receiving diplomats, who formally represent the sovereign, the receiving head of state grants certain privileges and immunities to ensure they may effectively carry out their duties, on the understanding that these are provided on a reciprocal basis.

Originally, these privileges and immunities were granted on a bilateral, ad hoc basis, which led to misunderstandings and conflict, pressure on weaker states, and an inability for other states to judge which party was at fault. An international agreement known as the Vienna Convention codified the rules and agreements, providing standards and privileges to all states.

It is possible for the official's home country to waive immunity; this tends to happen only when the individual has committed a serious crime, unconnected with their diplomatic role (as opposed to, for example, allegations of spying), or has witnessed such a crime. However, many countries refuse to waive immunity as a matter of course; individuals have no authority to waive their own immunity^[1] (except perhaps in cases of defection).^[2] Alternatively, the home country may prosecute the individual.^[2] For instance, in 2002, a Colombian diplomat in London was prosecuted for manslaughter once diplomatic immunity was waived by the Colombian government.^[3][4]

Sparta didn't seem to recognize diplomatic immunity:

[BabaYaga 15,320]

12 minutes ago, crash_davis said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomatic_immunity

FULL immunity unless revoked by home country.

 

Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity that ensures diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws, although they may still be expelled. Modern diplomatic immunity was codified as international law in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) which has been ratified by all but a handful of nations. The concept and custom of diplomatic immunity dates back thousands of years. Many principles of diplomatic immunity are now considered to be customary law. Diplomatic immunity was developed to allow for the maintenance of government relations, including during periods of difficulties and armed conflict. When receiving diplomats, who formally represent the sovereign, the receiving head of state grants certain privileges and immunities to ensure they may effectively carry out their duties, on the understanding that these are provided on a reciprocal basis.

Originally, these privileges and immunities were granted on a bilateral, ad hoc basis, which led to misunderstandings and conflict, pressure on weaker states, and an inability for other states to judge which party was at fault. An international agreement known as the Vienna Convention codified the rules and agreements, providing standards and privileges to all states.

It is possible for the official's home country to waive immunity; this tends to happen only when the individual has committed a serious crime, unconnected with their diplomatic role (as opposed to, for example, allegations of spying), or has witnessed such a crime. However, many countries refuse to waive immunity as a matter of course; individuals have no authority to waive their own immunity^[1] (except perhaps in cases of defection).^[2] Alternatively, the home country may prosecute the individual.^[2] For instance, in 2002, a Colombian diplomat in London was prosecuted for manslaughter once diplomatic immunity was waived by the Colombian government.^[3][4]

Further, diplomatic pouches extend this immunity to the contents - which is how weapons and 'illicit' contents make their way into regions otherwise difficult to procure them and away from prying eyes.  

[crash_davis 23,115]

1 minute ago, BabaYaga said:

Further, diplomatic pouches extend this immunity to the contents - which is how weapons and 'illicit' contents make their way into regions otherwise difficult to procure them and away from prying eyes.  

hookers, sex slaves, drugs included? asking for a friend.

Edited July 22, 2020 by crash_davis

[Captainant 27,765]

12 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

Sparta didn't seem to recognize diplomatic immunity:

If you'll recall, there were some consequences to the killing of that messenger lol

[MaybeACoordinator 8,349]

37 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

As Sun Tzu said: "If a commander knows himself, and knows Aggy, then he will always avoid Aggy."

Hammer = mechanical; sickle = agricultural. It's been right there in front of us for decades.

[Smax 3,800]

Also any hot female Chinese agents wanting highly valuable oil and gas information, please contact me and bring your equally hot female partner. 

Still cant believe you have that strap on Eiffle tower fetish

 

[WBT 20,667]

This seems like some kind of trick.  A joke, if you will.

[Johnny Chimpo 479]

3 minutes ago, WBT said:

This seems like some kind of trick.  A joke, if you will.

Did anybody order a coke? 

[tx 3 putt 77,418]

10 minutes ago, Smax said:

Still cant believe you have that strap on Eiffle tower fetish

 

Great Wall of China !

[El Diablo 4,232]

1 hour ago, gsoda3 said:

have any of you been in the chinese consulate?  that building's interior is exactly what you would imagine a communist government's interior to look like.  cold.  grey.  concrete.  

The Ex Mrs Diablo had a Communist Chinese snatch.

[tx 3 putt 77,418]

Just drove by there, heavy media presence in the area 

[Redpuma 146]

 

[closetohumping 17,466]

That’s how they prey.  Burning money to ancestors 

[RDCanecutter 26,472]

56 minutes ago, MaybeACoordinator said:

Hammer = mechanical; sickle = agricultural. It's been right there in front of us for decades.

Dude in the Hollister shirt seems to regret life choices leading up to this moment.

[closetohumping 17,466]

12 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

Dude in the Hollister shirt seems to regret life choices leading up to this moment.

His nickname is Token

[woohorn 1,131]

I'm familiar with the scanning software where IC people scan each piece of shredded paper and a computer program reconstructs the document, but I can't believe it works well with modern cross cut shredders.

Is burning really necessary?

[BabaYaga 15,320]

6 minutes ago, woohorn said:

I'm familiar with the scanning software where IC people scan each piece of shredded paper and a computer program reconstructs the document, but I can't believe it works well with modern cross cut shredders.

Is burning really necessary?

The motive I'm guessing here is more similar to the "scrubbing" done by Soviets in their embassies during the Cold War.  They got word something was about to go down.  

Edited July 22, 2020 by BabaYaga