Notable Quotes

“Say What?!”

This is an important reminder that we, as international civil servants, have a responsibility to be impartial…. Some specific examples of language to use/not use at the moment. Use “conflict” or “military offensive” and NOT “war” or “invasion” when referring to the situation in Ukraine…. Do NOT add the Ukrainian flag to personal or official social media accounts or websites.

– From an email by the UN’s Department of Global Communications to all staff, obtained by the Irish Times

Russian envoy to the Vienna talks Mikhail Ulyanov said this week that “the Iranians got more than they asked for – they are fighting like lions over every word and every comma.” And over here? No one is fighting. The Iranians are fighting like lions while Bennett, Lapid and Gantz are surrendering like rabbits.

- Opposition leader Bibi Netanyahu

Tesla has created over 50,000 US jobs building electric vehicles & is investing more than double GM + Ford combined.

– Tweet by Elon Musk to President Biden in response to the president’s State of the Union speech which touted the combined $18 billion investments by Ford and GM to build electric vehicles Ikea has announced it will temporarily pause manufacturing and retail operations in Russia and Belarus due to the invasion of Ukraine, while Ikea in Ukraine is opening their doors to Russian soldiers and hoping they can’t find their way out.

— Seth Meyers

Ikea said they’ll do whatever it can to throw a useless tiny wrench into Russia’s economy.

— Jimmy Fallon

They’re gonna go up. Can’t do much right now. Russia’s responsible.

- President Biden when asked about rising gas prices

On Friday, we witnessed the largest turnout of protesters in our 33 year history. These agitators’ leaders demanded that they come just to disturb our prayer. They are great in number, but we remain unafraid. The values of equality, pluralism, and peace will overcome the hatred and violence on the other side. This is why we continue our fight.

– Post by Women of the Wall in response to thousands of frum girls gathering at the Kosel to daven on Rosh Chodesh Adar Sheni

Today, the average gas price in America hit an all-time record high of over $4 per gallon. OK, that stings, but a clean conscience is worth a buck or two. It’s important. I’m willing to pay $4 per gallon. Hey, I’ll pay $15 a gallon because I drive a Tesla.

- CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert, who is worth an estimated $75 million

It’s certainly not sacred. Alright, let’s start there. The Constitution is kind of trash. Again, let’s just talk as adults for a second.

- Elie Mystal, journalist for The Nation, on “The View”

Simply, I do not care. We don’t have the right to lecture you in America. The same goes the other way.

-Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in an interview with The Atlantic

Somebody in Russia has to step up to the plate. Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?

- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Fox News advocating for someone to take out Putin

The only way this ends, my friend, is for somebody in Russia to take this guy out. You would be doing your country a great service and the world a great service.

- Ibid.

Look, I understand the economic consequences that the president is trying to avoid for the American people. I share that concern. But there [are] places like Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, as well as domestic production that has already been licensed, that should be able to [offset] the consequences of the loss of Russian oil. You don’t have to go to a dictator that, ultimately, has created enormous consequences for his people, that kills people, that imprisons them, and for which President Biden extended the decree that declared Maduro and his regime a national security threat.

- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) on MSNBC reacting to the Biden administration looking to increase oil imports from Venezuela

That issue hasn’t come up.

- House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (DNY) when asked at a press conference what Democrats are saying on the issue as prices rise due to the war in Ukraine The first attempted solve was “Feather in your hat” which, by the way, is how a lot of people say it. So all three players thought it was a good solve and were stunned when I said it was wrong. Imagine you’re on national TV, and you’re suddenly thrown a curve and you begin getting worried about looking stupid, and if the feather isn’t in your hat, where … can it be? You start flailing away looking for alternatives rather than synonyms for “hat.”

– “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak tweeting in defense of 3 contestants who were unable to figure out the phrase “Another feather in your cap,” even though the board had the following letters filled in: ANOTHER FEATHER _N YO_R _A_

Very glad to see Israel will be supporting the UN resolution against Putin’s destruction of Ukraine. I was very disappointed to hear yesterday that Israel turned down a request to supply the Ukrainian military with Stinger missiles.

– Tweet by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Every time I go to these places, I’ll be in these big events, and you have all these people having such a good time and the poor servers are forced to mask and I will ask them, “Are you allowed to take the mask off?” They say not yet…. A 9 to 5 job should not be a N-95 job.

- Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)

Coors Light is ditching plastic rings on its six-packs and replacing them with an environmentally friendlier option.

- From a CNN article with the headlined “Coors Light is ditching those nasty plastic six-pack rings”

Vladimir Putin was counting on being able to split up the United States. Look, how would you feel if you saw crowds storm and break down the doors of the British Parliament and kill five cops, injure 145 — or the German Bundestag or the Italian Parliament? I think you’d wonder. That’s what the rest of the world saw. It’s not who we are. And now we’re proving under pressure that we are not that country. We’re united.

- President Biden during a speech in Wisconsin suggesting that Putin was inspired by the events of January 6, 2020 (although no cops were killed during the protests)

I was at the State Department. The president was the vice-president the last time Russia invaded Ukraine. This is a pattern of horror from President Putin and from the cronies around him.

- White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on CNN, perhaps not realizing the irony of her statement You do not have to wear those masks. Please take them off. Honestly, it’s not doing anything. We’ve gotta stop with this COVID theater. So if you wanna wear it, fine, but this is ridiculous.

- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis chiding University of South Florida students for wearing masks during a press conference last week