The Czar is reading reports of Iranian protests as claims more than facts on both sides.

Since media has been largely blacked out, most information on protests is arriving via Twitter and Youtube. Many reports seem credible, but with anyone able to write anything they wish to fuel further protests, and with 30+ second video clips making up the bulk, one cannot simply conclude things are going well for the protestors. The Czar’s impression, which had better be incorrect, is that protests started out strong across the country, but are now petering out over the afternoon and evening. The good news is that the active efforts by the government to suppress or deny information indicates things are very scary and shaky for them.

We expect little today—this will take weeks of sustained effort by the protestors to overcome the government’s efforts and the Western media’s reluctance to cover this exciting turn. More so, after the harsh response last time, most on-the-fence protestors probably stayed home. As momentum is sustained and little bits of progress are achieved, the majority of protestors will become emboldened and join in greater and greater numbers. Stay tuned: this will be the most exciting decade in Iran in your lifetime.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.