Holiday

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Mostly on holiday now at our little cabin on the lake in Finland. High summer here, the run-up to Juhannus next week, the main holiday of the year. Daylight round the clock and the forecast is good, not always a sure thing here.

Water temperature at 17C now, not too cold to jump in – briefly. Will be enjoying a quiet week at the lake with our new Finnish friends. The magic number this year is five – baby ducks and swans.

Collected photos from this so far two month long, slow trip around the world post here.

Optimism

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Having just returned from a couple days in Russia, it’s interesting to see the headline In Russian Cities, Mock Gravestones Are Sounding Putin’s Death Knell. Add that to this, and go ahead, take a moment to be an optimist.

There are a lot of people at this protest, aimed against a proposed law allowing extradition of Hong Kong citizens to Beijing.

Chinese media blamed “collusion with the West”.

Quotes: Good Government ≠ Guys, Necessarily

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Photo from four minutes ago, 20:08 Finnish time:

It’s a privilege to spend the best weather months on a lake in Finland. And there’s this:

HELSINKI — Finland’s new center-left coalition government has been sworn in, with the country’s first Social Democratic prime minister in 16 years assuming office along with a climate issue-focused Cabinet where women are in the majority.

The 19-member Cabinet of Prime Minister Antti Rinne — a former finance minister and trade union leader — was approved Thursday in the 200-seat Eduskunta legislature, after which President Sauli Niinisto appointed it.

Eleven of the Cabinet members are female, reflecting Nordic gender equality in the nation’s politics.

– from the New York Times