Barely, but I’m still here.

“Protests intensified across Iran as protesters were filmed chanting in support of the exiled Reza Pahlavi and against the Islamic regime in various cities across Iran.” Read it at the Jerusalem Post and Iran International.

Horrific news from Switzerland. Read it at Sky News.

Jonathan Leaf writes:

“Beards are secondary sex characteristic. These are sexual identifiers. Famous examples of this are a peacock’s feathers and a lion’s mane. These serve the evolutionary function of telling females that a male is strong and healthy.”

Mr Leaf has never heard of Gay Bears, a subculture where beards are useful to send sexy vibes to other males. Woof!

We may not say it aloud, but pornography says much about the times we live in. Read it at Pornhub (linked page is safe for work).

It’s Friday afternoon. Have a nice weekend!

I have taken ten days off blogging. I have refrain from newscasts on TV and radio. But not much happened, apart from an ongoing revolution in Iran, an American-enforced coup d’état in Venezuela, and renewed threats from Trump against Denmark and Greenland. World politics has lost its ways.

On a positive note, though. The EU has signed a free-trade agreement with Mercosur (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay). Cheaper coffee makes me happy.

Oops! Read the study at the Journal of Quaternary Science.

It’s Friday afternoon!

I’m beginning a new job today at 8.30am. Nervous and excited. After four years in the private sector, I’m once again a government employee.

Anne Applebaum is absolutely right in a judgement of Trump’s letter to Jonas Gahr Støre, Norway’s prime minister. It’s childish grammar and a complete detachment from historic facts. Read it at The Atlantic.

Trump’s letter in full below.

Dear Jonas:

Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a “right of ownership” anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only a boat that landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you!

President DJT

As if we needed more proof of Trump’s infantile mindset. Read it at Mediaite and Irish Star.

Much new stuff to learn, but it’s interesting. Been years since I last had a regular 9–5 job.

“We tried to appease the new president in the White House. We’re dependent on the United States so we chose to be lenient,” Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever says. “But now, so many red lines are being crossed that you have the choice between your self-respect—being a happy vassal is one thing, being a miserable slave is something else.” Read it at the Washington Post.

It’s Friday evening. Yay!

I know, I’m not much of a foodie.

“Don’t you just hate it when you accidentally like a social-media post calling for the ethnic cleansing of Jews?” Read Brendan O’Neill at Spiked.

This speech really is astonishing for all the wrong reason. It’s a deranged man’s rambling about whatever pops up in his mind. A child would do it better. Read a transcript of Trump’s speech here.

Read More

As I wrote last week, I’m now a government employee. I have realised that the new job is not compatible with opinionated blogging about Swedish politics and other matters that might put my objectivity as a civil servant in question. My diary will therefore have less of that going forward.

Another week comes to an end. Have a nice weekend!