Just two days before host country Russia takes on heavily favored Croatia in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, an interesting bit of business news from the Balkans. Troubled Croatian retail food conglomerate Agrokor agreed to sell a 47% stake to a group of Kremlin-backed banks as part of a restructuring designed to get the company back on solid financial footing. Agrokor's revenues represent 15% of Croatia's GDP, and the firm's 60,000 employees make it the largest privately-held employer in the region.
The timing here is...interesting. 15% of Croatia's economy is in Russian hands on the eve of a huge international sporting competition between the two countries. Maybe we'll see a curious series of just-off touches by Luka Modric, or a suspiciously awkward foul by Dejan Lovren in a crucial situation (that'll probably happen regardless). Putin's a damn mastermind.
Scott Pruitt, arguably the most corrupt member of the Trump administration (and what a hell of a titanic accomplishment that is), resigned. I don't have a joke to make here. I'm just amazed that someone so transparently engaged in grift and mendacity lasted as long as he did. Unfortunately, his successor, Andrew Wheeler, is a coal lobbyist and protege of Oklahoma Senator and noted insane person and climate change denier Jim Inhofe. So, less corruption, more competently executed planet rape.
Here's a poetic justice headline, non-Pruitt category: "Lions killed poachers, leaving behind shoes, rifles and 'not much' else, officials say". Three dudes who were up to no good started making trouble in the Sibuya Game Reserve in South Africa, armed and heavily-provisioned, and apparently looking to slaughter the Reserve's population of rhinos. A pride of lions, described by Reserve head Nick Fox as "our watchers and guardians", went all Scooby Doo on the meddlesome villains, only slightly more violently. Said Fox, "They picked the wrong pride and became a meal".
This bodes well for England, for what it's worth. Three Lions, and all that.A headline of a far different sort: "Spiders Can Fly Hundreds of Miles Using Electricity". We live in an age of electrified arachnids? Fuck it, man. Let Andrew Wheeler have his way and burn the whole planet down. Earth 2 has to be a nicer place.
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30 comments:
Not to nitpick, but it’s really only 7.05% of the Croatian GDP controlled by the Kremlin, right?
i was told there'd be no math, man
SiriusXM Grateful Dead channel currently airing the entire show from 10/9/89 that many of us from W&M attended. That was when the Dead, under pressure from Hampton Coliseum to tone down the Deadhead parking lot mayhem ("Shakedown Street"), billed themselves as their original moniker The Warlocks.
Fun was had by all. Except our friend Chip who partook from something handed to him and saw his whole world crash down before his eyes. And later he came out of it and he was fine.
The music never stopped...
Mike's watch currently at $110,000.
i'm drained from watching that brazil/belgium match
You’re 2/2 in your preview predictions on quarterfinal matches.
what a day of sports! great day for it to rain on vacation. i wrote an ode to serena over at SoD.
My 8U summer travel baseball team continues to crush it. We had a 9-4 win tonight to move to 9-0-1 for the season. My kid hit his first triple of the season.
We have a rematch against the team that tied us on Wed. I plan to crush them.
RIP Steve Ditko.
Had to google that one
Croatians largely non-floppers
Russians playing overly aggro AND flop city
Somewhere, Trump smiles with that dung-munching grin
G:TB resembles an empty bar these days.
I can't say enough good things about prescription sunglasses. Yoodgely convenient, bigly brilliant purchase.
Well there you go Rob.
Croatia’s coach is Tony Slattery
I’ve been by the pool at Gaylord Palms all day. My step kid took her sister up for a nap an hour or so ago so the wife and I could hang out at the adult pool. So I’ve been watching Croatia-Russia on my iPad and taking the occasional dip in the pool. The summer is great.
suck it, putin
Uh, the President of Croatia, per le twitter, is very easy on the eyes
I agree Zman. And I highly endorse reader sunglasses too.
i can't believe there is a place named gaylord palms.
I can’t believe Dave isn’t familiar with the many Gaylord properties. I can believe his juvenile fascination with it though.
Dave giggled for the entirety of Uruguay’s tenure in the World Cup
and he couldn't even watch colombia play, for fear the announcers would mention their coach, jose pekerman
I have stayed in the Gaylord in the DC area and enjoyed it wholeheartedly. Also enjoyed the beers I had there with Marls. Also enjoyed Gaylord Palms, the guy in Dupont Circle who’ll do anything “handsy” for a fiver.
I'm familiar with his brother Harry and sister Rosie.
Hi ya Gheorghies!
Afternoon, everybody
evenin', gheorghies
gentlemen
New post up. Sorry to interrupt the apathy.
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