Friday, May 9, 2025

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Bob Moran – The satirical cartoonist who points to the naked emperor

Published 13 May 2023
– By Editorial Staff
Moran's art is often rebellious and overtly satirical.

Satirical cartoonist Bob Moran has made his artistic journey straight through political correctness like few others. Particularly in the era of corona politics, Moran’s accurate and hilarious portraits of contemporary life have become highly appreciated not only by the British public, but by the world at large.

Artists engaged in satire have always played an important role in society, pointing out truths that others may not have dared to or been able to see. With the rise of political correctness, satire has almost become a dying art form, with some rare exceptions. One such exception is Bob Moran.

In the documentary Brilliantly Difficult Film, we follow Moran’s journey and how his art has pushed the boundaries through a variety of expressions that dress up the contradictory messages and bizarre logic of the establishment.

So Bob is pretty much in a field of his own, doing the things that satirical cartoonists were always supposed to do; which is afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted, says journalist James Delingspole. Where is that satirical spirit today? he also asks.

Satire, Moran says, is important to keep those in power and politicians “in check” and to remind people that they can still be laughed at – no matter how big their egos might get.

It’s about understanding we need people to govern us, we need rules, we need a system, and functioning democracy, but within that there will by hypocracy, there will be contradictions”, he says.

Photo: © Bob Moran

Bob Moran has previously been published in newspapers such as the Morning Star and The Guardian. In recent years he has worked at The Telegraph, where he has been a regular weekly cartoonist. During the coronavirus lockdown policy, Moran fell out with them and went his own way – a way that won the hearts of the British public.

So many of the cartoons that he did just completely have his finger on the pulse of the emotion I was feeling at the time and reminds us that there are other people that feel the way we feel, says TV presenter Tonia Buxton.

Moran and his wife had a daughter a few years earlier who had complications at birth and now lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. The restrictions in the UK had a very negative impact on his daughter’s health, as she was barely able to see her various health care contacts, could not go to school with other children, or ride or swim as she loved to do. Moran describes how his daughter became significantly worse both physically and mentally during the lockdowns and that for him it was the “last straw”.

He is being brave for his daughter. Who else is going to speak for her when she didn’t get treatment for two years. No one is speaking for any of those other kids that didn’t get treatment over two years and finally, he snapped, says his friend Bernie Spofforth, a CEO and business investor.

Moran himself emphasizes that his art is not primarily about trying to be funny, but about getting people to see reality for what it is.

– It was about trying to make people understand simple truths that I felt they were forgetting and make them think about what was happening in a different way to how the government wanted them to think of this stuff.

Part of Moran’s criticism of the corona policy was about people’s right to see their loved ones, such as the right of the elderly to decide whether or not they want to see their grandchildren.

Photo: © Bob Moran

His art has illustrated many of the bizarre expressions of hypocrisy and deceit that currently characterize the world. Although he no longer works for a major newspaper, his work is spreading around the world like never before. He also wants to share it with more people, which is why he has partnered with the Democracy Fund to offer his art to magazines for free.

Photo: © Bob Moran

Toby Young, General Secretary of the Free Speech Union, believes that in the future, historians will look back at Moran’s art and gain real insight into the madness of the current era.

Seeing Bobs cartoons will provide historians with a real insight into the futility of lockdowns as a policy. This mass hysteria that seemed to infect the entire population and why things happened as they did, he says.

Moran declares that he will continue to paint the world as he sees it and says that it is also important to record for posterity that there were indeed people at that time who did not share the commonly held views.

I don’t know if any of my pieces have changed somebodys mind, but I’m always trying to communicate where I think we are, how serious i think is is, how afraid I think we should bem how angry I think we should be and record the fact that there where people when this was happening who did not agree with it so that when future generations look back there is an alternative narrative, he says.

The full documentary can be viewed here.

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Record number of Swedes read books last year

Published yesterday 7:21
– By Editorial Staff
Two thirds of Swedes read or listened to a book at least once a week last year.

In 2024, a record number of Swedes read or listened to books, a new survey shows. This is the highest level measured so far in the 21st century.

More than half, 51 percent, of Swedes between the ages of nine and 87 read or listened to a book on a typical day, according to the 2024 Media Barometer from Nordicom at the University of Gothenburg. A full 66 percent read weekly.

– This is the highest figure we have seen in the Media Barometer since the measurements started in the late 1970s, says Jonas Ohlsson, media researcher and director at Nordicom in a press release.

The printed book is still the most common format, with 38% using it daily. In comparison, audiobooks reach 15 percent and e-books only seven percent.

In terms of books sold last year, print books also remained at the top of the list, although sales declined. Audio books are also becoming more common to buy and listen to.

Older, highly educated women read the most

The Swedes who read the most, especially printed books, are highly educated women over 65. At the same time, reading is weakest among men without a university education. As a rule, women read more than men, but the gaps are not as great when it comes to listening to audio books.

– These patterns are not the same for audiobooks, however. The possibility to listen to books seems to lower the threshold to literature, which means that the audiobook reduces the socio-economic gaps that we see in traditional book reading, says Ohlsson.

The survey was conducted on 6000 randomly selected people aged nine to 85.

Swedish criminologist fired after linking genetics and ethnicity to crime on state TV

organized crime

Published 2 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Leif GW Persson in a discussion with the Liberals' Johan Pehrson.

Recently, Swedish criminologist Leif GW Persson stated that there is a very clear link between genetics, ethnic factors, and crime – a link that researchers and authorities have deliberately silenced.

Now he is suddenly being forced to leave the state television program Veckan – which is also being shut down completely without further explanation.

In an episode of SVT’s Veckan med Camilla och Leif GW (The Week with Camilla and Leif GW) just over a month ago, Persson caused quite a stir when he presented a not entirely politically correct explanation for the spiraling crime rate in Sweden – factors that the authorities choose to ignore completely.

– There is one factor that has been studiously avoided, or rather two. One is the genetic link, which is actually stronger than the social links. So what about genetics if you trace this young criminal back through his family?

– That’s one thing. The other is the ethnic factor. They have avoided that, he continued, describing the link between ethnicity and crime as “very strong when it comes to serious organized crime in marginalized suburbs”.

According to Persson, these explanatory models are something “people don’t like to talk about” – and he argued that researchers are well aware of the importance of genetics and ethnicity, but that they have avoided focusing on these factors for purely political reasons.

– Criminological research can, with some justification, be accused of not really aiming at the target. The reason for this is not because people have been unaware, but because they want to avoid anything that could cause problems for them.

“At any cost, I had to be here”

The criminologist also expressed harsh criticism of politicians and other people in power, saying that they have failed completely in building a functioning police organization, among other things.

The TV personality’s comments caused an uproar among left-wing activists and liberals on social media, and he has now been fired from the tax-funded channel.

– It came as a surprise when SVT called and said they were cancelling the program. I have a clear idea of why that is, he told Bonnier-owned Amelia.

– I was actually a bit surprised because they were very eager to get me here. And that was just about a year ago. At any cost, I had to be here. Then it turned out that it was basically just to do 20 programs, Persson continues.

He does not want to confirm at this time that it was his comments about ethnicity, genetics, and crime that led to his dismissal, but he promises to comment further on the matter at a later date.

“That’s for SVT’s managers to answer”

Persson also points out that the program had good ratings, was inexpensive to produce, and received positive feedback, but that SVT’s managers nevertheless chose to cancel it. Program host Camilla Kvartoft also declined to comment on why the program was suddenly canceled.

– That’s for SVT’s managers to answer, but we’ve had two really great seasons with very high viewership, and I’m proud of our programs, she says.

Sofia Dahlström, who is the “acting commissioner for society, documentaries, and minorities” at SVT, states that it was decided from the beginning that there would only be two seasons – something Leif GW Persson does not recognize.

Sweden’s Bohus Fortress gets digital twin for preservation

Published 13 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff

Using drones and laser scanning, a detailed digital replica of Bohus Fortress has been created. The aim is to facilitate maintenance, increase accessibility – and preserve an exact replica for future generations.

Founded in 1308 on the Göta River, Bohus Fortress has been besieged by Norwegians, Danes and Swedes throughout history – but never conquered in battle. Today it is a ruin and designated one of the seven wonders of Västra Götaland and a state building monument, which means that the state is responsible for its preservation.

To improve maintenance and accessibility, the castle architect Allan Ahlman was hired. However, the task proved challenging, with over 26,000 square meters of stone surfaces and walls stretching 22 meters into the air.

– The work was quite cumbersome and time-inefficient, while at the same time it was difficult to get an idea of the longer-term maintenance needs. To some extent, we were forced to react to things rather than prevent them. If something fell down or broke, I had to go through my albums and look for pictures to restore it, he says in a press release.

The solution was to work with Swescan to create a digital twin of the fortress. In 2022, an extensive laser scan was carried out using drones and wearable technology. The result was an interactive model in a digital portal, where users can explore the fortress in detail – from overview maps to high-resolution images, elevation data and measurements.

Digital replica to facilitate inspection

The portal not only provides an accurate picture of the current situation, but also makes it possible to plan maintenance, produce drawings and inspect hard-to-reach areas, such as the old dungeon.

– The fortress becomes very accessible in this way. Anyone with user credentials can use the portal to walk around the area and study the environment, even in hard-to-reach places like the old dungeon. In the future, it could become part of the tourist experience. There are many benefits, and we have discovered more uses than we first expected.

The digital copy is also kept as a souvenir for posterity in case the fortress suffers major damage. For example, when Notre-Dame burned down, the French cathedral was restored with the help of laser scanning in 2010.

– This is a reassurance and a reason to scan more cultural monuments. One day it may be the greatest value of the digital copy, but until then we can use it for many other things, says Ahlman.

Mike offers a unique glimpse into everyday life in China

The modern China

Published 24 March 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Mike at a stop on the highway between Jiayuguan in Gansu province in northwest China to Beijing, a journey that is over 2000 kilometers long.

Is it dangerous to travel in China? Is it forbidden to move freely, take photos and investigate what life is really like? Have international geopolitics and propaganda in our media at home in the Western bloc affected our view of the populous country to the east? British video blogger Mike Okay, 28, is hitchhiking 2,000km across the country to investigate, document and hopefully get answers to his questions.

Mike Okay is embarking on an audacious 2,000km journey across China, with the ambition of challenging conventional wisdom about the country. With a daily target of 500 km, he plans to reach Beijing in just four days – a plan marked by both courage and a sense of adventure. The journey begins with him presenting a small piece of paper, written in Chinese, which clearly explains the purpose of his journey. As he puts it:

– I have this piece of paper in Chinese. It basically says: who I am and what I’m trying to do, and it’s really fucking helpful.

The journey quickly picks up speed as he gets his first ride within the first few minutes. Although the drivers are traveling at high speeds and at some risk, he is met with unexpected hospitality they happily share eggs and a red Chinese soda, which Mike says may even be illegal in the UK. As he makes his way through the changing itineraries, with drivers altering their route to drop him off closer to Beijing, he is sometimes forced to walk along the side of the highway a risky but necessary part of the adventure.

Along the way, he encounters everything from mysterious tombs with ancient stone patterns to encounters with the local police. In one incident where he is asked to disembark at a service facility, he is met with unexpected kindness: the police offer him lunch and directions. This unexpected humanity is a recurring theme throughout the journey and contrasts strongly with the otherwise cold and unpredictable landscape.

Spending the night in a wind turbine factory

One night, Mike finds himself in an uncomfortable situation when, after being misdirected, he is forced to spend the night in an abandoned wind turbine factory. Despite the eeriness of the place, he finds a gas station nearby, where he buys beer and snacks to keep his spirits up until morning. As he travels through China’s varied landscapes from deserts to lush green areas the language barriers also become apparent. Misunderstandings and misinterpretations marked several encounters with local drivers, where he sometimes had to wait a long time for the next ride or even take a taxi out of the city center.

In one of the most memorable encounters of the trip, he bonds with Mr. Chen, a British-speaking truck driver who soon becomes an unexpected friend. Mike describes how meeting Mr. Chen opens up a new dimension of the trip one where the helpfulness and genuine friendliness of everyday people takes centre stage. He notes:

– His name is Mr. Chen, which I feel bad about because he said, ‘I’ve been driving with you for ten hours and you don’t even know my name’.

The journey ends with Mr. Chen, after helping him through both linguistic mishaps and unexpected detours, taking him towards Beijing where Mike plans to end the adventure with a train ride into the city. Despite all the challenges from dangerous highways to feeling isolated Mike highlights how meeting ordinary people, from customs officers to friendly police officers, revives his faith in humanity.

With a mixture of laughter, frustration and wonder, Mike Okay gives us a unique insight into everyday China far from the touristy facade and with a humane side rarely seen in the Western bloc’s establishment media.

Mike O'Kennedy, known as “Mike Okay” on YouTube, is a British travel blogger with over half a million followers. He is best known for his documentaries on travel to remote and controversial places, including North Korea and Xinjiang in China. His content focuses on providing a personal and uncensored insight into these areas, often with humor and a sense of adventure.

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