User-Supported News Commentary Hosted by Craig Crawford
Faith and begorrah, it’s St. Pat’s Day!
45 thoughts on “Faith and begorrah, it’s St. Pat’s Day!”
Now, if only he could drive the Russians out of Ukraine.
pogo- Luma
but first, trevor’s critique on the speeches yesterday by vlad & volodymyr
President Zelenskyy received a standing ovation for his powerful plea to Congress, Putin claims Russia is being cancelled, and Americans find unique ways to support Ukraine. #DailyShow
We need to step up our game. Ukrainians, and the world, will remember just how much we helped. Too much foot dragging. And, yeah, WWIII starter three weeks ago.
about that not-so-funny cartoon, don’t be surprised in 2-3 weeks that a few thousand faux irishmen find themselves hungover with a bad case of partying without a mask.
Marks and Spencer, Burger King, and hotel groups Marriott and Accor are restricted by complex franchise deals preventing them from withdrawing.
The firms have outsourced the Russian businesses to third parties and do not own the operations bearing their name.
Together the firms have almost a thousand outlets still open in Russia.
M&S has 48 shops and Burger King has 800 restaurants still open, whilst Marriott and Accor have 28 and 57 hotels open respectively.
The BBC understands the brands are locked into legal franchise agreements, making it difficult for them to remove their name from Russia’s High Streets and shopping malls.
A lot of Western firms have held such agreements for decades. For example, Marks and Spencer stores have been operated by a Turkish company called FiBA, which has held the rights to sell the retailer’s products across Eastern Europe, since 1999. The retail giant has said it has suspended shipments of its goods to FiBA in response to the war.
Meanwhile, Burger King’s owner Restaurant Brands International also told the BBC its restaurants are run by franchisees. These “long-standing legal agreements are not easily changeable in the foreseeable future,” it said.
It is understood hotel groups Marriott, IHG and French chain Accor, which has Ibis and Novotel among its brands, are all operating in Russia under similar deals.
Marriott told the BBC its hotels in Russia were owned by third parties but said it would “continue to evaluate the ability for these hotels to remain open”, suggesting it was looking into its franchise agreements.
[continues]
more from above linked BBC story
In the meantime, the firms are trying to do what they can to help with the situation and all have announced support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion.
Accor, which has 57 branded hotels in Russia and 3,500 employees there, has suspended all future hotel openings and has stopped services and distribution to hotels affected by sanctions.
Burger King is redirecting its profits from franchised operations in Russia to humanitarian efforts
Marriott and IHG Hotels & Resorts, which each have 28 hotels operating in Russia under their brand, have also halted hotel developments and investments and have closed their corporate offices – which they own themselves and so have control over – in Moscow
M&S has pledged more than £1.5m to support refugees and is donating 20,000 coats and thermals
However, while many brands are stuck in Russia, Yum Brands, which owns KFC and Pizza Hut, said it was finalising an agreement with its main franchisee to temporarily halt Pizza Hut operations.
[continues]
BiD, thx. Looks very nice and location is perfect. I spent the nights before and after my knee surgery at the Courtyard around the corner on 40th just as the pandemic was getting into gear in NYC.
patd, that truck looks like a crowd from around here, minus the pope, penguin and green creatures.
That Brian guy lived next to Bryant Park.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
I’m going to the local Dunkin Donuts in a few minutes… to meet some friends and enjoy a nice large iced coffee with some green colored donuts. I know the guy that owns it. He also has a gas station next door. He’s doing very well financially and believes whole heartedly in… to whom much is given, much is expected. He’s extremely generous… he buys hams and turkeys every Thanksgiving and Christmas for the local churches. He will give them hams and easter baskets for Easter. Whenever anyone has a need locally and there’s a fund raiser, he gives a hefty donation. I know the people who will pour my coffee and bag my donut. I’m not punishing them with a boycott because of Putin’s actions.
jamie, thanks for the blessing. in case you need a useful irish curse, here’s one and its translation:
May the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat.
and if that one is a wee bit too graphic, how ’bout
raise a glass to ukraine’s own and the foreign volunteers about whom this song could be sung in the current troubles. in any case it’s a lilting lift to ward off morning doldrums if not to fight far off enemies.
“The Irish Volunteer” is a song honoring the ‘Fighting 69th’ Irish Brigade, a legendary infantry unit composed of Irish-Americans that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. The brigade played a major role in several major battles such as Antietam, and the volunteers suffered some of the highest casualties of the war.
“We’ll drive them to the devil,
as Saint Patrick did the toads!”
Well, Red Buddy, my front deck angry-at-his-reflection Red Bird, has made his appearance. Going on 4 yrs I guess. The wife showed up with him and skeptically watched from the railing for as long as she could stand it and flew off, presumably to take care of business. I take this as a sign that Ukraine is going to kick some serious russian butt.
Are The Wild Geese still a thing?
The Flight of the Wild Geese was the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on 3 October 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland. More broadly, the term Wild Geese is used in Irish history to refer to Irish soldiers who left to serve in continental European armies in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.[1]
sturge, you talking mary oliver’s The Wild Geese (excerpt below) or the real things? the migrating cranes flew past here last month going south. the canadian geese are almost permanent and no longer snow birds in these parts.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting –
My heart knows what the wild goose knows And I must go where the wild goose goes Wild goose, brother goose, which is best? A wanderin’ fool or a heart at rest?
or the grey ones by bacardi
The wild goose has landed many a Dude in hot water.
Tylenol says that if the road rises up to meet you it usually means you’ve fallen off your barstool.
That Bryan guy didn’t much like me so I doubt he’d say anything if our paths happened to cross at Bryant Park, and I doubt I’d recognize him in a crowd, and if I did I certainly wouldn’t smile, wave and say “Hi!”
My LBBs returned and over the past week without my knowledge or permission built their nest under the eave off the back porch. I was going to build up a ledge to prevent that over the winter, but this came to that and it didn’t happen. Maybe next year. So I’ll clean up bird shit and have the chirping in the background this spring and summer. Not really so bad.
Renee, I’m glad to admit that I won’t need to be avoiding Dunkin’. Found this and breathed a sigh of relief:
Dunkin’ will halt any further investment in Russia, becoming the latest in a long line of companies to end their involvement in the country following its invasion of Ukraine.
The Canton-based, internationally-known donut and coffee shop has “suspended all current development and investment” in Russia, a company spokesperson confirmed Friday.
There are approximately 20 Dunkin’ stores in Russia, all owned and operated by an independent local franchise owner. Though they will not close, Dunkin’s corporate office will withdraw its support from the locations and will not grow the brand any further in Russia.
Extra large iced hazelnut with cream, please.
Pogrous…..he’s not there any more, but if you do see him we gonna have to find him a donkey to ride.
Sturg, I didn’t know – I don’t follow him. And I may be thick – not sure what the donkey reference is meant to be but a couple of things come to mind – one of which is particularly timely.
‘Tis but a silly reference to the second coming. He passed on awhile back.
Koch must be officially in cahoots with Russia. They are in league with them. They have common cause. A clear and present danger.
Although Voznesens’k is a small city of only around 35,000 people, it is located in a strategically important area that could have given Russian forces a back door to assault the key port city of Odessa.
However, writes Trofimov, a two-day battle for control of the city quickly turned into a rout.
“Russian survivors of the Voznesensk battle left behind nearly 30 of their 43 vehicles — tanks, armored personnel carriers, multiple-rocket launchers, trucks — as well as a downed Mi-24 attack helicopter, according to Ukrainian officials in the city,” he writes. “Russian forces retreated more than 40 miles to the southeast, where other Ukrainian units have continued pounding them. Some dispersed in nearby forests, where local officials said 10 soldiers have been captured.”
The NYT is reporting US Intelligence is giving a conservative estimate of 7000 Russian dead so far.
That includes the 4 Russian Generals Ukraine has killed.
Jack
Thought that was probably the reference. Didn’t know about him passing on – that would explain the silence..
“The ruble has already lost more than 20% of its value against both the dollar and euro since the start of the war in Ukraine. By allowing the Russian currency to fall against the yuan, Beijing isn’t doing Moscow any favors.”
“If China allowed Moscow to convert its yuan reserves into US dollars or euros, “that would clearly help Russia’s current impasse,” García-Herrero noted. However, “the reputational risk of potentially breaching Western sanctions would be a huge step for the PBOC to take and therefore makes it highly unlikely,” she said.
“Earlier this month, a top Russian official said that China has refused to send aircraft parts to Russia as Moscow looks for alternative supplies.”
“The World Bank has halted all its programs in Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. It hadn’t approved any new loans or investments to Russia since 2014, and none to Belarus since 2020.
More surprisingly, perhaps, is the decision by the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to do the same.”
pogo/Sturg – I thought Bink was Bri for awhile, but I was told Bri died.
“Last week, a drone flew more than 350 miles beyond Ukraine’s western border before crashing in Croatia, a NATO member country. The drone was carrying a bomb, Croatian officials said, and it’s still not clear whether it belonged to Ukrainian or Russian forces.”
“Another drone recently entered the airspace of Romania, south of Ukraine. And on Tuesday, Ukraine’s military said it shot down a Russian drone that had reentered Ukraine through Polish airspace.”
“While the US and NATO have stopped drone surveillance flights inside Ukraine, the US military is flying surveillance drones and U-2 aircraft along the border, as well as using satellites overhead, according to the officials. NATO is routinely flying its Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft near Ukraine as well. Patriot air defense systems have also been deployed to Poland to aid in responding to projectiles that could enter NATO airspace.”
Hey, whenever the spotlight’s on Wilson Picket, now (and you know the oldies station, it often is) i’m like “i kinda know a guy singin’ ‘Mustang Sally’!”
Oh yeah, oh-oh-ho yeah
Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated
Now, i’m no statesperson or strategist, but i can’t believe it was in Putin’s game-plan to be widely regarded as the Monster of Eurasia and for Zelenskyy to become and International Hero of Freedom
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was allegedly on a flight headed to Beijing Thursday, but the plane turned around midway and flew back toward Moscow, according to German newspaper Bild.
The plane allegedly turned around while over Novosibirsk, a city in Siberia, according to Bild. Fox News Digital has been unable to independently verify the outlet’s report.
A tweet posted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia on Thursday states Lavrov was holding a press conference just ahead of 1 p.m. Thursday local time. That would put Lavrov in Moscow at the time he was allegedly in the air.
It is unclear if China refused to meet with a Russian official or if Russian President Vladimir Putin called him back to Russia, according to Bild. The plane’s final destination is also unclear.
A State Department spokesperson told Fox News they did not have information to share on the matter.
Others have followed alleged flight logs, which show a Russian government plane landed in Moscow at about 6 p.m. local time, Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grozev posted to Twitter.
President Biden is slated to have a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday to discuss the weeks-long war in Ukraine.
[continues]
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is sharing a limerick from Bono about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in which the U2 frontman likens Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to a saint.
“Most of us, whether we’re in Ireland or here, Bono has been a very Irish part of our lives,” Pelosi told a crowd of lawmakers at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon at the Capitol on Thursday to mark St. Patrick’s Day.
“I got this message this morning from Bono,” Pelosi said of the Irish-born “Sunday Bloody Sunday” singer and humanitarian, who was born Paul Hewson.
“Saint Patrick, he drove out the snakes, with his prayers, but that’s not all it takes,” Pelosi recited from Bono’s piece.
“When a smoke symbolizes an evil that arises and hides in your heart as it breaks,” she continued.
“But in sorrow and fear, that’s when saints can appear, to drive out those old snakes once again.”
“And they struggle for us to be free, from the psycho in this human family. Ireland’s sorrow and pain, is now the Ukraine, and Saint Patrick’s name now Zelensky,” Pelosi concluded with a grin to applause.
U2’s Instagram page praised Ukraine’s resilience amid Russia’s ongoing military offensive in a post last week, saying, “The Ukrainian people are teaching the rest of the world what freedom looks like, what freedom feels like, and most importantly what freedom acts like.”
“The bully in the neighborhood will not prevail,” the post said.
Bink, ya made me laugh with that 3:06 comment. I’d bet you’re right about that.
More than two dozen Senate Republicans demand Biden do more for Ukraine after voting against $13.6 billion for Ukraine
Thirty-one Senate Republicans voted last week against the $1.5 trillion spending bill to fund the government, increase U.S. defense spending and provide humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine. In recent days, many of them have clamored for more weapons and aid.
More than two dozen Senate Republicans are demanding that President Biden do more to aid war-torn Ukraine and arm its forces against Russia’s brutal assault, after voting last week against $13.6 billion in military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.
Consider Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), who heard Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s emotional plea in a virtual address to Congress on Wednesday for more weapons and a no-fly zone over Ukraine.
“President Biden needs to make a decision TODAY: either give Ukraine access to the planes and antiaircraft defense systems it needs to defend itself, or enforce a no-fly zone to close Ukrainian skies to Russian attacks,” Scott said in a statement. “If President Biden does not do this NOW, President Biden will show himself to be absolutely heartless and ignorant of the deaths of innocent Ukrainian children and families.”
Last week, Scott was one of 31 Republicans to vote against a sweeping, $1.5 trillion spending bill to fund government agencies and departments through the remainder of the fiscal year and that would also include $13.6 billion in assistance for Ukraine. Biden signed the bill into law Tuesday, casting the aid as the United States “moving urgently to further augment the support to the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their country.”
After casting a “no” vote, Scott assailed the overall spending bill as wasteful, arguing that it was filled with lawmakers’ pet projects. “It makes my blood boil,” Scott said last week.
Democrats quickly condemned what they saw as glaring hypocrisy among the Republicans who voted against the aid but were quick to criticize Biden as a commander in chief leading from behind in addressing Ukraine’s needs.
“’We should send more lethal aid to Ukraine which I voted against last week’ is making my brain melt,” tweeted Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).
…
Scott’s blood must have a very low boiling point.
A few days ago I did posit that KGB agent putin would probably try to take back the islands by Japan that the Japanese beat the Russians to in 1912. Surprise, sort of, KGB agent putin has sent Russian landing forces to do that.
I just saw a bit of Putin’s “traitor” speech. That fucker is off his nut – bigly.
And just when I thought I’d seen it all, MSNBC showed a bit of Madison Cawthon and MTG. Now there’s two dangerous humans – they are where stupidity, anger and total lack of insight coincide, and that’s one incredibly dangerous combination. At least Putin isn’t stupid. Honest to god.
Now, if only he could drive the Russians out of Ukraine.
pogo- Luma
but first, trevor’s critique on the speeches yesterday by vlad & volodymyr
President Zelenskyy received a standing ovation for his powerful plea to Congress, Putin claims Russia is being cancelled, and Americans find unique ways to support Ukraine. #DailyShow
We need to step up our game. Ukrainians, and the world, will remember just how much we helped. Too much foot dragging. And, yeah, WWIII starter three weeks ago.
about that not-so-funny cartoon, don’t be surprised in 2-3 weeks that a few thousand faux irishmen find themselves hungover with a bad case of partying without a mask.
Omicron sub-variant BA.2 spreading across U.S. as COVID cases rise in parts of Europe and China – CBS News
pogo,
before you boycott, you may want to read this
The Western brands unable to leave Russia – BBC News
more from above linked BBC story
BiD, thx. Looks very nice and location is perfect. I spent the nights before and after my knee surgery at the Courtyard around the corner on 40th just as the pandemic was getting into gear in NYC.
patd, that truck looks like a crowd from around here, minus the pope, penguin and green creatures.
That Brian guy lived next to Bryant Park.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
I’m going to the local Dunkin Donuts in a few minutes… to meet some friends and enjoy a nice large iced coffee with some green colored donuts. I know the guy that owns it. He also has a gas station next door. He’s doing very well financially and believes whole heartedly in… to whom much is given, much is expected. He’s extremely generous… he buys hams and turkeys every Thanksgiving and Christmas for the local churches. He will give them hams and easter baskets for Easter. Whenever anyone has a need locally and there’s a fund raiser, he gives a hefty donation. I know the people who will pour my coffee and bag my donut. I’m not punishing them with a boycott because of Putin’s actions.
jamie, thanks for the blessing. in case you need a useful irish curse, here’s one and its translation:
Go n-ithe an cat thú is go n-ithe an diabhal an cat
May the cat eat you, and may the devil eat the cat.
and if that one is a wee bit too graphic, how ’bout
raise a glass to ukraine’s own and the foreign volunteers about whom this song could be sung in the current troubles. in any case it’s a lilting lift to ward off morning doldrums if not to fight far off enemies.
“The Irish Volunteer” is a song honoring the ‘Fighting 69th’ Irish Brigade, a legendary infantry unit composed of Irish-Americans that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. The brigade played a major role in several major battles such as Antietam, and the volunteers suffered some of the highest casualties of the war.
“We’ll drive them to the devil,
as Saint Patrick did the toads!”
Well, Red Buddy, my front deck angry-at-his-reflection Red Bird, has made his appearance. Going on 4 yrs I guess. The wife showed up with him and skeptically watched from the railing for as long as she could stand it and flew off, presumably to take care of business. I take this as a sign that Ukraine is going to kick some serious russian butt.
Are The Wild Geese still a thing?
The Flight of the Wild Geese was the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on 3 October 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland. More broadly, the term Wild Geese is used in Irish history to refer to Irish soldiers who left to serve in continental European armies in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.[1]
sturge, you talking mary oliver’s The Wild Geese (excerpt below) or the real things? the migrating cranes flew past here last month going south. the canadian geese are almost permanent and no longer snow birds in these parts.
or frankie laine’s wild goose
My heart knows what the wild goose knows
And I must go where the wild goose goes
Wild goose, brother goose, which is best?
A wanderin’ fool or a heart at rest?
or the grey ones by bacardi
The wild goose has landed many a Dude in hot water.
Tylenol says that if the road rises up to meet you it usually means you’ve fallen off your barstool.
That Bryan guy didn’t much like me so I doubt he’d say anything if our paths happened to cross at Bryant Park, and I doubt I’d recognize him in a crowd, and if I did I certainly wouldn’t smile, wave and say “Hi!”
My LBBs returned and over the past week without my knowledge or permission built their nest under the eave off the back porch. I was going to build up a ledge to prevent that over the winter, but this came to that and it didn’t happen. Maybe next year. So I’ll clean up bird shit and have the chirping in the background this spring and summer. Not really so bad.
Renee, I’m glad to admit that I won’t need to be avoiding Dunkin’. Found this and breathed a sigh of relief:
Extra large iced hazelnut with cream, please.
Pogrous…..he’s not there any more, but if you do see him we gonna have to find him a donkey to ride.
Sturg, I didn’t know – I don’t follow him. And I may be thick – not sure what the donkey reference is meant to be but a couple of things come to mind – one of which is particularly timely.
‘Tis but a silly reference to the second coming. He passed on awhile back.
Koch must be officially in cahoots with Russia. They are in league with them. They have common cause. A clear and present danger.
Sturg
I believe this is what you are looking for
The NYT is reporting US Intelligence is giving a conservative estimate of 7000 Russian dead so far.
That includes the 4 Russian Generals Ukraine has killed.
Jack
Thought that was probably the reference. Didn’t know about him passing on – that would explain the silence..
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/17/business/china-russia-sanctions-friction-intl-hnk/index.html
“The ruble has already lost more than 20% of its value against both the dollar and euro since the start of the war in Ukraine. By allowing the Russian currency to fall against the yuan, Beijing isn’t doing Moscow any favors.”
“If China allowed Moscow to convert its yuan reserves into US dollars or euros, “that would clearly help Russia’s current impasse,” García-Herrero noted. However, “the reputational risk of potentially breaching Western sanctions would be a huge step for the PBOC to take and therefore makes it highly unlikely,” she said.
“Earlier this month, a top Russian official said that China has refused to send aircraft parts to Russia as Moscow looks for alternative supplies.”
“The World Bank has halted all its programs in Russia and Belarus following the invasion of Ukraine. It hadn’t approved any new loans or investments to Russia since 2014, and none to Belarus since 2020.
More surprisingly, perhaps, is the decision by the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to do the same.”
pogo/Sturg – I thought Bink was Bri for awhile, but I was told Bri died.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/17/politics/us-nato-errant-drones-unintentional-conflict-russia-ukraine/index.html
“Last week, a drone flew more than 350 miles beyond Ukraine’s western border before crashing in Croatia, a NATO member country. The drone was carrying a bomb, Croatian officials said, and it’s still not clear whether it belonged to Ukrainian or Russian forces.”
“Another drone recently entered the airspace of Romania, south of Ukraine. And on Tuesday, Ukraine’s military said it shot down a Russian drone that had reentered Ukraine through Polish airspace.”
“While the US and NATO have stopped drone surveillance flights inside Ukraine, the US military is flying surveillance drones and U-2 aircraft along the border, as well as using satellites overhead, according to the officials. NATO is routinely flying its Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft near Ukraine as well. Patriot air defense systems have also been deployed to Poland to aid in responding to projectiles that could enter NATO airspace.”
Hey, whenever the spotlight’s on Wilson Picket, now (and you know the oldies station, it often is) i’m like “i kinda know a guy singin’ ‘Mustang Sally’!”
Oh yeah, oh-oh-ho yeah
Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated
Now, i’m no statesperson or strategist, but i can’t believe it was in Putin’s game-plan to be widely regarded as the Monster of Eurasia and for Zelenskyy to become and International Hero of Freedom
ok glory to fallen mixers, stop the war✌️🇺🇦
something’s afoot
fox via msn:
the hill:
Bink, ya made me laugh with that 3:06 comment. I’d bet you’re right about that.
Finally!
Yeah, Putin’s gotta be furious
Makes me wanna big fat Eddy Bowl
So is it just Republican hypocrisy or is it a change of heart?
Scott’s blood must have a very low boiling point.
A few days ago I did posit that KGB agent putin would probably try to take back the islands by Japan that the Japanese beat the Russians to in 1912. Surprise, sort of, KGB agent putin has sent Russian landing forces to do that.
I just saw a bit of Putin’s “traitor” speech. That fucker is off his nut – bigly.
And just when I thought I’d seen it all, MSNBC showed a bit of Madison Cawthon and MTG. Now there’s two dangerous humans – they are where stupidity, anger and total lack of insight coincide, and that’s one incredibly dangerous combination. At least Putin isn’t stupid. Honest to god.
NEW THREAD