US Sanctions on Russia To Affect… Miley Cyrus? In Finland?
President Obama promised that he'd put the hurt on Russia and its oligarchs for violating Ukraine's sovereignty and annexing Crimea. Boy, did he ever. Those targeted economic sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin's cronies may just stop any more abominable atrocities committed by… Miley Cyrus. In Finland.
Cyrus and pop singer Justin Timberlake are supposed to perform in the Nordic nation next month. The venue, the Hartwall Arena, happens to be owned by three members of Putin's "inner circle" on the U.S.'s hit list for sanctions. In a real case slightly more absurd than The Onion's satirical post about cutting off Putin's personal Netflix account, Financial Times reports:
David Johnson, a partner at Vinson & Elkins, a Washington law firm with a sanctions practice, noted the U.S.
sanctions stated that no U.S. person could deal with an entity or property, either majority-owned or controlled by one of the sanctioned individuals. "The bottom line is no U.S. person can transact business with this hotel," he said, adding that the same appeared to be true for Hartwall Arena, given the clear ownership….
"Everyone is sitting with their lawyers and wondering what to do and how to behave," [Alexis Rodzianko, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Russia] said.
Live Nation, which is the world's largest promoter and ticket seller, said: "We are currently reviewing our portfolio and we will work to ensure the U.S. sanctions against the identified Russians are upheld."
The singers have not yet spoken on the issue.
Americans themselves aren't entirely keen on the sanctions. The latest Reason-Rupe poll indicates that only 31 percent of people think the Obama administration should keep imposing them on Russia. After all, such restrictions typically have little effect at best. And, Russia effectively hurt its own already-weak economy with the high cost of invading Crimea.
Cyrus isn't the only nausea-inducing American export with an uncertain future in the east. Citing "manufacturing reasons," McDonald's is suspending operations in Crimea.
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In Russia, entertainers sanction YOU!
Thank you, Zenon. I was waiting for a good place to drop some Finnish reggae linkage.
You’re welcome. Don’t expect these kinds of favors often.
I like the dollar sign on her boot. It’s as if Objectivist iconography was taking the music industry.
This is most awesome (and way off topic):
Good for them. Makes me proud.
A certain state is looking to get their highway funds yanked…
The roads there are terrible anyways. At this point, what difference does it make?
Does that include ones that protect gun owners? Like the “safe passage” provision of the FOPA? The ban on governement agencies constructing firearm registries? The lawsuit preemption law?
Do they infringe?
Presumably only those that contradict the 2nd Am.
Safe passage is in. National Background Check is out.
Miley Cyrus is proof you can go downhill faster than Lindsay Lohan.
The Mouse is a harsh master.
You should see the damage, bronze. Huh? metal damage, brain damage. Heheheh. You listen bronze. I am the Nightrider. I’m a fuel injected suicide machine. I am the rocker, I am the roller, I am the out-of-controller! I’m the Nightrider, baby,
Important question: Why would you steal your persona from Bruce Springsteen songs?
that almost looks like an 80s Monte Carlo SS front-end there, but too narrow. Some shrunken twerking prop?
She’s actually a giantess.
with a vagina you can crawl into?
Welp. I’m done with lunch now.
You could spend the night in it like a sleeping bag.
“Ugh. And I thought they smelled bad on the outside!”
I can’t help but think that her cooter smells like a stubbed-out cigarette.
It’s a prop for that song has about pooping on moving cars.
I took that as they were simply manufacturing reasons to shut down…
“Please to have one McBorscht from assembly line!”
No Freedom Fries, only People’s Potatoes.
Does this mean it is illegal for Americans to purchase Chelsea merchandise and/or tickets?
You have to make a pretty good-sized donation to Hilary 2016 to get Chelsea tickets.
Cyrus isn’t the only nausea-inducing American export with an uncertain future in the east. Citing “manufacturing reasons,” McDonald’s is suspending operations in Crimea.
Fuck you Zenon you snobby piece of shit.
It has been my experience McDonald’s settles upset stomachs not the other way around.
Yes, I have to admit McDonald’s is one of my hangover foods.
me too.
Noted.
Pat Buchanan: God is now on Putin’s side because America doesn’t hate homosexuals enough.
http://www.creators.com/opinion/pat-buchanan.html
Filling the void with the demise of the Westboro Baptist founder?
Buchanan has always had a authoritarian fetish. Dictators turn him on as long as they say the correct hollow incantations. He sees God as the ultimate tyrant and loves Him for it.
I bet he’s in some cum dungeon right now wearing nothing but a baby bib as a dominatrix grinds her stiletto heel into his nutsack.
“her” ?
It’s part of the “punishment.”
That was disturbing…and creative…. Actually much of your writing falls into that category, so do carry on!
Buchanan also wrote some apologia about Nazi Germany and blaming WWII on Churchill, as I recall. This isn’t exactly new territory for him.
Since a Miley Cyrus performance is itself an atrocity, I find myself oddly conflicted about this.
Where’s the conflict?
Russia invades. BarryO, once again, looks like a foreign policy asshat. McDonald’s is leaving. A Miley Cyrus concert was effectively prevented. And only one person died.
As near as I can tell;
Best. Annexation. Ever.
Well, speaking personally, I would annex the Sudetenland. That or pay some Dutchman to set fire to Lord Snowdon.
I’m not sure if she’s smart enough to realize it, but what Miley’s doing is brilliant. It’s like she looked at what was selling, and said, “Is this what pop culture is nowadays? All right, fine. Here’s my vag!”
I blame her father’s feral need to have his name in People magazine every so often.
Her net worth is estimated to be in the 9 figure range, so she probably knows what she is doing.
I’ve been to the first McD’s in Moscow, but it was 1994, so the shine was wearing off a bit.
How’s that (racist) Stoli boycott working out? You mean that wasn’t enough to bring the Russian government to its knees? Oh well, time for some sanctions that will affect the Russian public more than their masters.
I stopped reading at “a Washington law firm with a sanctions practice, ”
Good grief.
Its jerbs created by OFAC!
I’ve been to Vinson & Elkins office in NYC. It is at 666 Fifth Avenue. I was almost expecting Al Pacino when I walked into the conference room.
I’m still waiting for the excoriation of John Kerry for saying, “all options are on the table” regarding Ukraine. Really?! The only time that phrase is used anymore is when military/nuclear options are considered as possibilities. I think it was just last week that Obama said military options were NOT on the table. Kerry should have been sacked. Where is the outrage?
With Kerry, its much like we see with Joe Biden – nobody really pays much mind to the things they say.
“Reporting for duty!”
“Reporting for duty!”
3:00 squirrels
I used to think I knew something about this Constitution of ours, but apparently I’m missing some nuance. Remind me where the federal government got the authority of seizing someone’s assets – even a foreigner’s assets – without giving him a trial?
Just give the Ukrainians back their nukes. If we’ve already destroyed them, give them fresh nukes of equivalent range and tonnage.
Naturally, don’t make the announcement until the delivery is made. Preferably just before the first one is “tested” to make sure they work.
Two weeks ago I saw Skillet in concert in my hometown in Pa. This summer they are scheduled to head overseas for stops in Krasnodar, Rostov, Voronezh and Moscow June 22-27 before Kiev on June 29…well maybe. http://www.skillet.com/tour
My only experience with MO is from 32,000 feet.
You must not have looked down then. I hear tell you can see the potholes and giant cracks from space.
Their highway billboards are hilarious. They alternate between church activities and adult bookstores.
My only experience with Missouri was calling people there for telemarketing. We referred to it as Misery.
I used to live in Springfield, IL and my only experience is Busch Stadium (the old version) and Six Flags. Never even got out to look at the Arch.
The plight of East St. Louis
Roll em up!
I remember this one time driving on I-75 through Tennessee. I drove by this enormous sign for a porno store. It had to be a hundred feet tall, and it said something like the following:
ADULT SUPERSTORE
BOOKS
MAGAZINES
DVDs
NOVELTIES
VIEWING BOOTHS
CLOSED SUNDAY
Gotta get to church.
We got somthin in this territory, called the Missourah boat ride.
You know East St. Louis is in Illinois, right?
I-64 has one of those trucker porn superstores. It has a giant sing near the highway that just says ADULT and the exit number.
We got the best ones on I81 in northern NY
“Sid’s Jack Shack, Adult video arcade and emporium” then right after that is this really digusting anti-abortion one with dead bloody fetus on it
then a little ways up the road the Indians put up this sign on their rez. that reads “welcome to NY where traitors, rapists, murderers, thieves and tyrants are protected under law by Gov. Cuomo”
I do now.
*Puts Brett on THE LIST*
Who would expect a cultured coastal elite like yourself to know the quibbling details of some flyover shithole, Playa? Missouri has a thing for naming their cities after a nearby city in the next state. Like Kansas City.
My bad on E. St. L, IL actually founded in 1797. So only 33 years behind MO.