Pieces of the Puzzle, Threads in the Weave

So...it's Friday.  I have a ton of things still left to do before we head out for the weekend, and while I can't say I have a theme for today, I had a lot of them spinning around in my head depending on what I was reading or looking at.  The truth is, though, that today is just kind of a mish-mash of things that I was interested in; so, I hope you can continue putting pieces of the puzzle of me together, or weaving a broader picture of who I am by the things you see here.

 

So this continues that discussion we had a few days ago about money and speech, and while this is meant to be a humorous cartoon, I think it says something important about our values--even if these are just supposed to be scenes from a multi-verse.  A special thank you to John for sharing this with me on Skype this morning.

In a not-at-all shocking report, it seems that McDonald's is pulling out of Crimea.  They don't cite the political tensions there between Russia and Ukraine, or even the current tensions between the West and Russia, but it's pretty obvious that they're worried about what's going on there.

It isn't so much a bold move, but rather a sadly, smart one.  With a member of Russia's parliament calling for the removal of all western companies from Russia, it isn't hard to see why McDonald's would be quitting the area before tensions turn into outright conflicts.

The worst part about the whole story is the way that Russia is using its energy power (oil, in this case) to get what it wants from Ukraine.  Hiking oil prices twice in one week is steep, and it shows that they are more willing to bully those around them until they get what they want.  It's that old adage coming to roost again--Might Makes Right.

In truth, most of what is going on there doesn't bother me because it doesn't affect me, but there is a part of me that wonders how the people are feeling.  Are they outraged?  Are they angry at Russia or their own politicians?  Do they care about Crimea, or would they be happier if everyone just forgot about the whole thing and let it go?  Is there any nationalistic pride they hold, or have they been under the rule of Soviet Russia for so long that any national pride they might once have had has been diluted as more people left central Russia and moved there?

I think, in essence, my concern is more for the welfare of the people than for any political ideology.  After all, if the people aren't willing to stand up for themselves, what makes us feel like we should do it for them?  It is their country and their livelihoods, but with that recent statement made by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, I am worried that people see the West, and the United States in particular, as bullies, too.  Our companies, and our entrepreneurs have had a lot more time and experience utilizing the tools of the world market, and that's something that other countries might resent when we're building financial empires with their country's money.

Certainly Russia isn't handling this situation in Ukraine fairly, and we are helping to back the Ukrainian government against them; but I have to wonder how this plays out over there with the people--especially when they're seeing gas prices rise because their government sought the outside aid of Western partners.

Moving on though...The Mary Sue found a video of Kristen Bell singing "Do You Want to Build a Snowman" from Frozen--all three parts of Anna's life from toddler to adult, and I will admit that it made me cry.


And last, but not least, I leave you with a funny I found a few days ago.

Enjoy your weekend, and I'll see you again Monday!