Everybody’s warning someone. Mine follows

Seems like anywhere there is a global situation, someone’s getting warned of the consequences of their action.

China, of course, when not firing off water cannon against the Filipinos, is getting torqued over Taiwan. Again.

Beijing has been stepping up its campaign against those it accuses of being “separatists”, including in June threatening to execute “diehard separatists”, and in August announced an email address where people could report tipoffs about the crimes committed by such people.   Reuters

So they are going to execute them – in another country. Reminds me of that fine Irish response from Brendan Behan, who said “When I came back to Dublin I was courtmartialed in my absence and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence.”  Goodreads

Then we roll over to dual condemnations from Russia and the US.

The Kremlin told the West on Wednesday that any decision to allow Ukraine to strike Russia with long-range Western missiles would deepen what it called the direct involvement of the U.S. and Europe in the war and would trigger a response from Moscow.

“As was the case with past U.S. arms deliveries to the Kyiv regime, they will all be destroyed,” TASS cited Ryabkov as saying. “But the dangers and risks are growing.”

The long-range U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) have a range of up to 190 miles (305 kms) while the British Storm Shadows have a reach of around 155 miles (249 km).   Reuters II

Meanwhile the US is warning of the consequences of Iran shipping missiles to Russia:

The European Union said Monday its allies had shared “credible” intelligence that Iran had supplied Russia with ballistic missiles, a move Washington warned would be met with “significant consequences”.

The claim was rejected by Tehran but not explicitly denied by the Kremlin. AFP

Have to say, not sure there is much of a leg for EITHER country to stand on. Russia picked a fight which seems to have even surprised them, and it’s hard for the US to get too upset over migrating technology when we and our friends  have sent over $200,000,000 worth of some relatively sophisticated weaponry to the folks Russia is fighting. Rather than a warning, how about a stand-down, or better yet a treaty?

Although I am sure I am not the only one noticing the irony… used to be Russia supplied all the world’s baddies with AKs, RPGs, MiGs, etc. – and now Iran and North Korea (really – Iran? The Norks?) are supplying Russia.

Now onto a true global crisis.  The grand 0ld US of A, whether acting like a bumbling spastic on the world stage or electing a slate of the crookedest loser politicians in the western world, has always had one thing we could cling to. In this crazy world, nothing else mattered a hill of beans: except that we make the world’s best burger. Don’t care that they originated in Germany (in the port area of Sankt Pauli in Hamburg – think St. Pauli Girl beer.) Doesn’t matter that many countries do interesting thing with ground dead animal (yeah, I’m thinking of haggis. Which ironically gets a bad rap from its description – it’s actually basically a breakfast sausage. And very, very tasty.) But, dammit, you want a great burger you come see us, right?

According to the “Michelin Guide for burgers”, the best burger in the world is now found in Spain — a country better known for small plates, jamón ibérico and Ferran Adrià’s signature creations at the legendary El Bulli restaurant.

But Hundred Burgers, which is in Valencia, clinched the top spot in the World’s Best Burgers 2024 rankings thanks to the quality of its 120-day aged beef that “melts in your mouth” and “super crispy” bacon.  The Telegraph

Read that list. Top 10…and only FOUR are in the US.  I know, we are talking Ferrari burgers, not mass-produced Corolla burgers…but still. That the US could lose its preeminence in burgers makes me sadder  – and angrier – than I can express. Have to admit, though….that’s a really tasty lookin’ burger they got there.

Category: International Affairs, YGBSM!!