Rain Scald: The Future of a New Sexually Transmitted Disease

The Finnish public broadcaster Yle has reported that a new sexually transmitted infection has begun spreading in Europe. In fact, the disease is one that has long been known to affect horses and cattle: rain scald (also known as dermatophilosis). Previously, it had occurred mainly in people who worked closely with these animals, but it has now started to spread to others as well.

The disease is caused by bacteria and produces scaly skin lesions, raised bumps, and pus-filled blisters on various parts of the body. So far, however, it has responded well to antibiotic treatment, and the situation remains under control.

The infection has not been spreading among people engaging in conventional sexual activity. Rather, according to Yle's report, it "is currently found mainly among men who have visited gay saunas in France, Spain, Germany, and Sweden. Transmission has occurred through sexual contact or other forms of close skin-to-skin contact."

* * *

It remains to be seen whether this emerging disease will develop into a genuine epidemic or remain a passing curiosity. In this regard, bisexual men are likely to play a key role, as they could enable the bacterium to cross the gender barrier from gay men to heterosexual women.

If rain scald does begin to spread more widely, another important question will be whether the pathogen starts adapting to humans. In other words, will genetic changes be selected in bacterial strains that circulate between people, making transmission during sexual contact more efficient than it is today?

Should that happen, the next likely development would be the evolution of antibiotic resistance. As a result, treating the disease would become more difficult than it is at present.

For now, we can only wait and see what the future brings. At present, the only certainty is that abstaining from sex, or having sex exclusively with one faithful partner—and, apparently, also using a physical barrier such as a condom—prevents infection.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Finland's COVID-19 policy saved approximately 2,600 people from death
A factory of five billion mosquitoes
Evolution in action

Putin's Growing Crisis in Ukraine and an Uncertain Endgame for Russia

The European Union has finally awakened to the fact that many Ukrainian men are using its refugee policy as a means of avoiding military service. For this reason, the Commission has proposed—according to the Finnish media—that Ukrainian men of military age should no longer be granted temporary protection in the EU.

One can only hope that the proposal will be processed by the EU's bureaucratic apparatus more quickly than, for example, the proposal to abolish changing the clocks. As a result, Ukraine's manpower shortage could be alleviated at a time when the military situation is otherwise turning so favorable for the Ukrainians that even Russian soldiers reportedly admit they are exhausted and wish to warn Putin of a possible "major catastrophe" ahead.

* * *

The emergence of Russian soldiers speaking out, along with the reactions of Crimeans to Ukrainian successes, suggests that the Moscow government has kept its citizens in an information blackout regarding the problems facing the "special military operation." This brings to mind the year 1940, when Finnish censorship ensured that the public had an overly optimistic view of the situation in the Winter War, and as a result, people experienced the outcome of the war as even more unjust than it actually was.

The same problem now confronts Vladimir Putin and his administration. It is genuinely difficult for them to explain to their subjects why the Ukrainians are capable of destroying Russian infrastructure to such an extent that ordinary people no longer even have fuel for their cars.

If and when a rebellious spirit continues to spread among Russian soldiers, the government will face an acute crisis that will further undermine the operational capabilities of the country's military, and consequently weaken its military performance even beyond its current state.

* * *

All of this could have a truly dramatic impact on the ability of Putin's administration to function. At the moment, it seems to be protected by little more than the absence of a credible opposition—a factor that also makes Russia's future difficult to predict.

Consequently, the final outcome of Putin's special military operation could be anything from a palace coup to complete anarchy and even the disintegration of the Russian state. Of course, the first of these scenarios is the most likely, but then again, hardly anyone at the beginning of 1917 predicted that the Bolsheviks would overthrow and murder the Russian Tsar and his family.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Peace in Ukraine Would Be a Risk to Putin
Russia's Predicament Awakened the Trolls and Increased the Risk of Nuclear War
Russia’s Spring Offensive: Gains Unclear, Losses Undeniable

Gender Reassignment May Not Help—and Could Even Worsen Mental Health

According to a recent Finnish study, adolescents referred for care due to gender identity exhibited significantly higher psychiatric morbidity than controls both before referral (45.7% vs. 15.0%) and at least two years after referral (61.7% vs. 14.6%). In addition, those referred after 2010 had greater psychiatric care needs than earlier cohorts both before referral (47.9% vs. 15.3%) and at least two years after referral (61.3% vs. 14.2%).

Among adolescents who underwent medical gender reassignment, psychiatric morbidity increased markedly during follow-up—rising from 9.8% to 60.7% in feminizing gender reassignment and from 21.6% to 54.5% in masculinizing gender reassignment. After adjusting for prior psychiatric treatment, all adolescents referred for gender identity-related care had similarly elevated risks of psychiatric morbidity, with hazard ratios approximately three times higher than female controls and five times higher than male controls.

* * *

Based on the study, the authors—Sami-Matti Ruuska and his colleagues—concluded that adolescents referred for gender identity-related care exhibit a high level of psychiatric morbidity. In addition, gender differences and mental health trajectories after medical gender reassignment remain poorly understood.

A particularly notable observation was that adolescents referred for gender identity-related care had clearly higher psychiatric morbidity than controls, and this did not change as a result of treatment. On the contrary, the need persisted and often even intensified after medical interventions, some of which appeared to have even negative effects.

The researchers therefore emphasized the need for thorough psychiatric assessment and continuous treatment throughout the process of medical gender reassignment. However, they did not go so far as to state that the entire process is—at least generally—unnecessary or, at worst, even harmful.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Sex and Gender Identity in Skiing
Javier Milei and the Great Western Opportunity
A Fair Game or Unfair Judgment?

When Diversity Beats Doctors: Three UK Healthcare Realities to Make Stalin Envious

I just read a news story about the United Kingdom which, in all its absurdity, seemed downright unbelievable. According to it, a radiographer is “obliged to inquire about possible pregnancy even, for example, from middle-aged men.”

In other words, this is about the impact of diversity, equity, and inclusion—DEI—on the way hospitals operate. But the detail I just mentioned wasn’t even the most ridiculous part of the article. At least not in my opinion; it only took third place.

Second place in this intellectual somersault went to the claim that the health system in England spends over 45 million euros annually on salaries for staff working in diversity roles. And as a result, there apparently isn’t enough money for things like new office chairs. 

And the gold medal? That went to the revelation that DEI trainers in Britain’s healthcare system can indeed be paid several times more than doctors. Yes—you read that correctly, dear reader: a doctor is no longer the most important figure in healthcare, at least if measured by salary. That role now belongs to a political commissar spreading left-liberal propaganda and keeping watch over others.

My apologies to all the British readers, but at this very moment I can’t think of much positive to say about you. Unless, of course, one counts the fact that even the late dictator of the Soviet Union, Joseph Stalin, would be envious of your achievements.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Unintended Consequences of Modern Value Shifts
Feminists, Woke, and DEI People Justify Violence Against Women
The Free World Needs America’s Leadership Now

Preview of the Trondheim World Ski Championships

The Finnish Ski Association has named its team for the World Championships in Trondheim. It is now time to speculate on how the Finnish skiers will perform on the demanding courses of the land of fjords. I will do so in the order in which the competitions take place.

I will start with the women's sprint, which will be contested in the freestyle technique. Among the Finnish skiers, the highest expectations rest on Jasmi Joensuu, who has improved her performances for several years in a row and has climbed into the world's top ten in her discipline, most likely finishing between 4th and 6th place.

Other Finnish participants in the sprint are Jasmin Kähärä, Katri Lylynperä, and Amanda Saari. Finishing in the top twelve, meaning reaching the semifinals, would be a good achievement for them, but this group does not have realistic medal hopes.

In the men's sprint, Lauri Vuorinen has been the most successful Finnish skier this season, and thus, it is realistic to expect him to reach the final. However, like Joensuu, a medal for him would be a surprise.

Other Finnish sprinters, Niilo Moilanen and Joni Mäki, are question marks, but if they perform well, they have chances to reach the semifinals. Mäki, in particular, might even make it to the final if his improving form continues.

A medal for Mäki, however, would be a major surprise, which, if it happened, would push Vuorinen one place lower. For Emil Liekari, finishing in the top twelve would be an excellent result.

* * *

The next event is the men's skiathlon, where Finland's leading skier is Iivo Niskanen. He is the best in the world in the classic technique and would be the second-biggest favorite after Johannes Klæbo if the competition started with freestyle.

Unfortunately, that is not the case, so a realistic expectation for Niskanen is "only" a top ten finish. However, even the lowest step of the podium would not be a huge surprise.

None of the other Finns are expected to succeed in this race. Alongside Niskanen, the Finnish team includes Perttu Hyvärinen, Niko Anttola, and Arsi Ruuskanen.

Of them, Hyvärinen, who has previously performed well in major competitions, is the biggest uncertainty, but due to various issues this season, he is not expected to achieve notable success. Even with a very good race, his finish, like that of his two younger teammates, will likely be outside the top ten.

In the women's skiathlon, Finland is fielding two experienced athletes, Kerttu Niskanen and Krista Pärmäkoski. They are expected to deliver their best performances of the season, and at least one of them could make it onto the podium.

Additionally, Vilma Ryytty and Jasmin Kähärä will participate in the women's skiathlon. Ryytty’s chances of a good result depend on the classic section. If it is skied at a moderate pace, she could place in the top 20 thanks to her strong freestyle skiing.

Kähärä, however, is not expected to achieve such a result, even though the World Championships have fewer elite skiers than the World Cup. The same applies to Ryytty if the classic section is raced at full intensity.

* * *

The third event, the 10 km classic race, is the most anticipated of the championships for Finnish fans. In the men's race, Iivo Niskanen is the top favorite, and failing to win a medal would be a major shock. His toughest competitor for gold is likely to be Johannes Klæbo, who has improved his endurance each year.

Among the other Finnish skiers, Ristomatti Hakola has the potential to finish in the top ten. The remaining spots will likely be filled based on the skiathlon results from the trio of Hyvärinen, Ruuskanen, and Anttola. Any of them, on a good day, could place in the top 20 or even the top 10, as the field is not as deep as in the World Cup. However, they are not medal contenders.

On the women's side, Finland’s top contender is again Kerttu Niskanen. Like her brother, she is capable of winning gold, but the competition is fierce (Johaug, Slind, Diggins, Andersson, Sundling, Weng, Hennig, Carl, etc.), making even a finish outside the medals possible.

The biggest Finnish surprise could be Krista Pärmäkoski, who has been improving in recent weeks. If her progress continues, she could also claim a medal.

Jasmi Joensuu might enter this race if she wishes, but she may choose to conserve energy for the team sprint the next day, where she has better medal prospects. Additionally, Johanna Matintalo will compete—her season has been difficult, so high expectations are not realistic. If Joensuu skips the race, her spot will likely go to Vilma Nissinen, Amanda Saari, or Vilma Ryytty, without significant pressure for success.

* * *

Following the interval-start races, the championships continue with the classic team sprint. A rule change has made it harder for Finland to win a medal in this event.

The change means the qualification round now consists of just one lap instead of the previous three-lap race. This favors sprinters over distance skiers.

In the women’s race, this strengthens Sweden’s favorite status even more. Thus, Finland and other teams will realistically be competing for silver at best.

The Finnish team will feature Jasmi Joensuu and one of either Kerttu Niskanen or Krista Pärmäkoski, with the faster-finishing Joensuu anchoring. This team is expected to place second or third, but the same applies to Norway and Germany, meaning one of the three will miss out on a medal. Hopefully, that won’t be Finland.

In the men’s race, this is likely Niskanen’s second main event. He will be paired with Ristomatti Hakola, whose strengths are well-suited for this format.

Gold is the expectation, but Norway will be a formidable opponent, and there is no doubt that if Klæbo reaches the final stretch alongside his rivals, he will secure victory. Still, a medal for Finland is highly probable.

* * *

Summing up the Finnish prospects, I predict four likely and six possible medals. This indicates great optimism, so a correction factor must be applied.

If half of the likely medals materialize and around one-fifth of the possible ones come true, Finland will end up with three medals. This would still be a good result, as Finland won only one medal in the 2023 World Championships: silver in the men's relay.

Before that, in 2021, Finland claimed two medals: silver in the men’s team sprint and bronze in the women's relay. In 2019, the tally was just one bronze, won by Iivo Niskanen in the 15 km classic.

Let’s hope my correction factor is not too optimistic and that Finnish cross-country skiing fans can enjoy more medals than in the past three World Championships. And maybe even celebrate a gold medal! 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Eco-Fascist Blackmail: Threats of Sabotage Loom Over the World Ski Championships
A young woman skiing in a swimsuit caused a controversy among women
Is the world´s best skier in classical technique, Iivo Niskanen, going to recover from COVID-19

A Homosexual Rape Underscores the Need for Change in Immigration Policy

A strange case occurred in Finland, for which the Court sentenced Muhammad Yusri Bin Jaafar, 34, to three years in prison for rape and unlawful threats. The crime took place at the end of November 2023 in Helsinki.

The victim, a man, had been partying exuberantly with his friend at a nightclub and met someone there whom he assumed to be a woman. This person lured the victim to their home, where both undressed.

At that point, the victim realized that the "woman" was actually a trans man and stated that he was not interested in having sex with him. Despite this, Bin Jaafar pulled him into the bedroom and forced him to perform sexual acts.

The victim was distressed, groaned, and begged the perpetrator to let him leave. Eventually, he managed to push the rapist off and ran back to the nightclub to tell his friend about the incident.

The rapist had also demanded 200 euros from his victim, threatened him with sexual acts and violence, and said he would call attackers if he did not receive the money. The newspaper article reporting the incident did not specify at what point this threat was made.

* * *

I wrote about this case because it shows that immigrants pose a sexual threat not only to women but also to men. After all, there are naturally homosexual individuals among them, just as there are in other population groups.

And based on this case, they do not seem to behave any differently from their heterosexual counterparts, whose - immigrants' - share of rapes in Finland in 2021 was as high as 30.6%, while their share of the population at the time was around eight percent.

For this reason, it is great that 17 EU countries have demanded a change in the Union’s immigration policy, so that those who have unjustly applied for asylum can be effectively deported back to their home countries. Finland has signed the initiative.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
The Role of Ukraine Aid in the Elections of Thuringia and Saxony, Germany
Sweden's Rapid Demographic Shift Causes Challenges
A Finnish police officer is afraid to speak about the problems of immigration

A woman's logic, Putin's test, and the Netherlands' change

A Finnish media company, MTV3, has conducted an interesting survey. According to it, all Finns, regardless of gender, consider foreign and security policy, as well as internal security, to be very important issues in the European elections.

However, while supporting Ukraine is very important to men, women do not seem to care much about whether or not Ukrainians are supported in their fight against Putin's invaders. Instead, women consider it very important to prevent the rise of the far right and to combat climate change, whereas men are not as interested in these issues.

Based on this, it can be concluded that there will be significant differences in the voting behavior of men and women. Specifically, women are likely to support red-green candidates much more, while men are more likely to vote for candidates from the right side of the political center.

This is, of course, not surprising, as previous studies have shown that women tend to lean left more often than men. Nevertheless, their indifference to the fate of Ukrainians surprised at least the undersigned.

After all, Russian invaders have committed brutal sexual and other violence against Ukrainian women and even children wherever they could. Unfortunately, it seems that the old saying "a woman is a wolf to another woman" applies in this context as well.

It also seems that Finnish women have not fully internalized that a Russian victory in Ukraine would also jeopardize Finland's security situation, as it would show that the Western countries are ultimately not ready to defend their allies. Therefore, a few years after a possible victory in Ukraine, Putin might very well test whether the same logic applies to NATO countries as well.

In this context, it is likely that Finland would not be the first test target, but Putin's army would more likely test NATO's reactions in a militarily weaker country such as the Baltic or Balkan states. Nonetheless, it would be best to stop the Kremlin's megalomaniac dictator in Ukraine rather than let him even dream of challenging the Western allies.

* * *

I don't know what Dutch women think about their country's security policy or Ukraine, but there is, in any case, a political revolution happening in the Netherlands regarding immigration policy, as four parties, led by Geert Wilders' Freedom Party, have agreed to form a government. If they manage to agree on a common program, it will have significant consequences for the security of Dutch women.

According to an afternoon newspaper - Ilta-Sanomat - "the parties promise, among other things, to declare an 'asylum emergency' in the country, under which the government intends to take exceptional measures to temporarily restrict asylum rights and family reunification, as well as cut social benefits for asylum seekers". In other words, the appeal of the Netherlands among social-based asylum seekers will significantly decrease from the previous level.

Interestingly enough, according to the same article, the Freedom Party is also set to perform exceptionally well in the European elections. This contrasts with the situation of its counterpart - the Finns Party - in Finland, which, according to polls, is expected to achieve at best mediocre success. In this respect, it is interesting to note that the Dutch party is clearly more national-conservative than Purra's group – in leftist rhetoric, "more far-right".

Previous thoughts on the same topic: The procrastination of Western countries is paid for with the blood of soldiers Attitudes towards immigrants are not becoming more positive in Western countries History of Finland XI: Finnish democracy and gender equality for women

Prediction: Sharia law in force in the United Kingdom, Belgium, and France by the year 2044.

This day felt cold after getting used to summer temperatures around May Day. But it's not cold only here.

I came to this conclusion after browsing through the social media account Visegrád 24. There was, for instance, a video where Anjem Chaudary, an Islamic "scholar" based in Britain, said that democracy will likely be replaced by Islamic Sharia law in the UK, Belgium, and France within 15-20 years. That is, by the year 2044.

In another video shared by Visegrád, a Canadian Muslim man boasted that Muslims will be the world's largest religious group by 2060. And he asked, will the interviewer oppose Sharia then?

The man justified his view by saying that Muslims have families and they have children unlike Canadians of European descent. Thus, Muslims in Canada may one day become the majority.

It's difficult to deny the viewpoints I've noted above - at least not entirely - as long as the demographic facts regarding the reproduction of these groups correspond to reality. And even less so when we consider that despite this, European countries allow - and even support - immigration from Islamic countries by maintaining incentives such as social security for asylum seekers.

No wonder, then, that a whopping 60 percent of Germans don't want more refugees in their country. And that 78 percent of them believe the country can no longer afford the costs of immigration. Additionally, almost as many fear conflicts between immigrants and ethnic Germans.

However, the majority of Finns still live in a rose-tinted world, and a clear majority support so-called humanitarian immigration. Though a narrow majority would like to restrict the social benefits offered to asylum seekers, and most would also like to be able to choose the country of origin for those coming here.

I feel there's no need to comment further on what I've written above. But I'll still add the comment from the President of Argentina that I found on social media regarding the actions of the Spanish Prime Minister: "Sánchez endangers women by allowing illegal immigration".

Yes, those lovely women. And why not men too?

They're setting up for themselves an interesting old age. This is because a whopping fifteen percent of Finnish men and women aged 20-45 stated in the 2022 family barometer that their ideal number of children is a round zero. This surely pleases "scholars" like the one quoted in the first video and implements the views of the Canadian Muslim in the second video also for Finland.

Previous thoughts on the same topic: A caliphate was demanded in Germany Immigration is an asset in the USA, but in Europe, it's just a burden 175 happy winners

Women full of testosterone

Sometimes it feels like the world has gone crazy. This morning, I felt that way when I noticed a headline in a Finnish afternoon newspaper stating that transgender women were dominating a volleyball game in Canada.

According to the article, there were five transgender women playing in the women's game, all of whom "are said to be playing in the women's league without having undergone any hormone treatment or gender reassignment surgery." In other words, in Canadian women's volleyball, there are men with testosterone playing with all their male anatomy.

These men also have strength. So much so that their spikes cause concussions and other health damages when they hit the heads of the opposing women.

* * *

I have nothing against people's diversity. Everyone can be in a free country - such as Canada or Finland - exactly as they wish. Even if that means a man dressed as a woman or a transgender woman who has undergone hormone therapy and gender reassignment surgery.

This freedom extends exactly so far as not to cause undue harm to others. In women's sports, this means that men dressed as women or even trans women who have undergone testosterone-boosting treatments during adolescence should not be allowed to compete.

World sports leaders should take this matter seriously. If not for the sake of women's equality - which is violated by individuals who compete against them with the strength of male muscles - then at least for the sake of the interest in their sports, and thus their viability.

It's clear that volleyball players like those I described in the beginning wouldn't inspire girls to take up the sport, nor would they inspire spectators to watch. And I doubt that such competitions, at least in the case of women's sports, would even draw an audience.

But of course, national and international sports organizations make their own decisions. Both in Finland and Canada. And also at the international level.

The original though in Finnish:
Testosteronia pullistelevat naiset

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections
Discrimination against women?
The activists sought excitement and a boost to their self-esteem in the Stockholm Diamond League

"Woke" pushes American science academies to favor women in their membership selections

Recently in Finland, there has been a lot of discussion about racism, but the media has not forgotten about feminism either. The latter also concerns education, where attention has been given to, among other things, the low percentage of women in the highest level of education in the field of technology. This is despite the fact that their proportion among all university students is clearly greater than that of men.

One ongoing topic in this discussion has been the gender distribution of university professors, which still leans towards men. However, it is likely just a matter of time before the gender distribution of students also becomes evident in the composition among our country's professors.

In this sense, it was interesting to note that the membership of the American science academies, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS), has undergone significant changes. Over the past two decades, many women have joined this group of top researchers, which was previously almost exclusively composed of men. In recent years, women have made up about 40% of the new members in both academies.

In a recently published study, the merits of researchers in psychology, mathematics, and economics were compared to each other, and the change in the likelihood of women being elected to NAS and AAAS membership from the 1960s to the present day was analyzed.

According to the collected data, in the early years of the study period, women had fewer opportunities to be selected as members compared to men with similar qualifications. However, by the 1990s, the selection process in both academies had become roughly gender-neutral based on publications and citations.

Nevertheless, the development didn't stop at a gender-neutral situation, as might have been assumed. Over the past two decades, a trend of favoring women has emerged and strengthened in all three fields. Currently, women are three to fifteen times more likely than men with equivalent publication and citation records to be elected as members of AAAS and NAS.

In other words, the recognition and status of female researchers have fundamentally changed, at least in the USA, leading to men becoming a discriminated gender in science, with their merits receiving less recognition compared to women, at least within the scientific community's own structures.

The authors of the study in question speculated that this might be due to the fear that women would receive less recognition for their work and thus find it more difficult to get their publications into top-tier scientific journals. To compensate for this, science academies would engage in positive discrimination towards them.

In other words, this would reflect the influence of the prevailing "woke" culture in the USA, with the fear of increasingly strong societal pressures manifesting in the selection of academy members. Consequently, this would have led to significant discrimination against men.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Discrimination against women?
A young woman skiing in a swimsuit caused a controversy among women
China is betting on scientific excellence

African female and Persian male ancestors

When individuals migrate from their homes to different geographic regions, they encounter people from different backgrounds. This can lead to peaceful coexistence or intergroup violence, or both.

Over the past few decades, Europe has seen an influx of people from Africa and the Middle East. However, their integration into receiving societies has not always been smooth. As a result, a subset of the local population in almost all European countries holds highly negative attitudes towards newcomers.

The problem has been exacerbated by the fact that especially many muslim-background immigrants have been guilty of appalling sexual crimes against women in the majority population. For example, in UK an organised child sexual abuse in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, Northern England continued for decades from the late 1980´s until the 2010´s. And in Finland the raping frequency per Iraqi male is more than an order of magnitude higher compared to local men.

Therefore it was interesting to read a recent study on the genetic makeup of individuals from medieval and early modern coastal towns on the Swahili coast of eastern Africa. The study found that many individuals had a mix of African and Asian ancestry, with a significant proportion of their DNA coming from primarily female African ancestors and primarily male Persian ancestors.

This raises the question of whether something happened in Africa during the Middle Ages that is commonplace for Europeans today. Should we learn something from it?

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A set of immigration-derived sexual crimes in a Finnish town
Rape statistics in Finland and Sweden are breaking prejudices
When will they ever learn?

Ayatollahs in Iran demonstrated their ridiculousness

Freedom of speech is a serious matter in France. This was demonstrated e.g. eight years ago after the terrorist attack to Charlie Hebdo magazine, when the French didn't even listen to the Muslims' instructions to close the magazine.

Now the same magazine has published excellent caricatures of Iran's religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The reason for the pictures was the violent treatment and even killing of women - and many men - asking for human rights in the Islamic theocracy. According to the Norwegian-based Iran Human Rights organization, almost 500 protesters have been killed.

Stung by the publication of the satirical pictures, the fanatic Iranian leadership decided to close a French research institute. The reaction was not completely unexpected, but it is very enlightening. This is because it confirmed the inability of Islamic fundamentalists to understand the freedom of speech in Western countries.

It is clear that France will not listen to Ayatollahs stupid demands. As a legacy of the Great Revolution, the country is exceptionally strongly stuck to the freedom of speech. So the ayatollahs only made themselves and their ideas ridiculous - although their own existence is a deadly serious matter for Iranians who yearn for their freedom.

So serious, that the collapse of their regime would be a great gift to the whole world. And not least to all sensible Iranians.

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
Independence day of Finland now and 83 years ago
Sweden already in trouble - Finland following
Riots in Sweden: what next?

Sexual harassment and bullying in working life

Bullying and sexual harassment have become major issues in working life including scientific realm. Therefore it was interesting to read fresh reports of recent developments on these issues.

In the first case archaeologist Nicole Boivin was removed from a director position in the famous Max Planck Institute. She was already removed from her position in October 2021 due to evidence of bullying and scientific misconduct, but a court reinstated her due to violated procedures. However, after a confidential report supporting the allegations justified her removal. She remains, however, a researcher at the institute. 

This case has drawn a lot of attention because recent demotions at Mat Planck Institute have disproportionately affected women. Also Boivin was accused of creating an abusive work environment that harmed young women scholars. Whatsoever, this case shows that - in working life - not only males are quilty of bullying, but also women may behave incorrectly.

In the second case it was reported that a high-profile biologist David Sabatini was forced out of the Whitehead Institute in 2021 after he had violated its sexual harassment policies. And now he has also resigned from his professorship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after three senior officials recommended revoking his tenure. Sabatini had violated intitute´s policy by having a consensual sexual relationship with a person, on whose career he could have been able to influence. 

The biologist commented that the situation is "out of all proportion to the actual, underlying facts. I look forward to setting the record straight and standing up for my integrity." 

A female emeritus professor of biology, however called his resignation "a milestone", because "a young woman had the courage to demand that the rules be enforced. And she was heard." 

Hopefully the decision was correct provided that - at least in my home country - women sometimes use untruthful accusations in cases where intimate relations have failed, and the former pair is fighting for sharing their property or child custody. Thus, I hope the recommendation on Sabatini was well based and the possibility of false accusations excluded. 

In the last case reported in Mexico, a government office dismissed allegations of sexual harassment against a plant geneticist Jean-Philippe Vielle Calzada. Four female scientists, three of them his students, had claimed accusations on him for touching without consent, pressing for a romantic relationship and professional retaliation after rejection.

The Internal Control Organ had previously noted "serious" misconduct by Caldeza, but later dismissed two of the complaints, one of them due to a procedural issue. That is in line with a previous Mexican practice highlighted by the fact that only 1% of the last 399 cases of sexual harassment reported in federal institutions have led to sanctions. Thus, although I am not in a position to evaluate the correctness of this very decision, it looks like a serious difficulty in punishing working life misbehavior continues in Mexico. 

Overall, these three cases highlight problems in creating and keeping decent working life culture even among the most highly educated humans, who also have - in addition to career-related ambitions - sexual and other emotions, that affect daily behavior. I have also seen such cases during my career, and can assure that there is often one word against another and the cases raise strong feelings even among outsiders, who eagerly choose their side. And therefore decision making is extremely difficult - and obviously prone to errors. 

Therefore I am afraid that two kinds of mistakes do happen. Either innocent people will be sanctioned or victims are left without justice. In both cases, the efficacy of the working community suffers considerably - including universities and research institutes. 

Previous thoughts on the same topic:
A set of immigration-derived sexual crimes in a Finnish town