Category Archives: Viva!

Guillain-Barré syndrome – France – French Polynesia

On 24 November 2015, health authorities in French Polynesia reported unknown and unspecified causes of morbidity and mortality in the context of concomitant outbreaks of Zika and dengue (serotypes 1 and 3) viruses. This update provides additional information on the clinical findings as well as the epidemiological and laboratory investigations of these cases.

Between October 2013 and April 2014, French Polynesia experienced the largest Zika virus outbreak ever recorded in the country. During this period of time, 32,000 patients (11.5% of the population) were assessed for the infection and 8,750 suspected cases were reported by the national surveillance system. Of the suspected cases, 383 were later laboratory-confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Kim Michey is Seoul’s most charming tattoo artist

I always wish I had more tattoos but I’m never certain what to get. I mean, once you’ve started it’s not something you can easily stop. Kim Michey is a Seoul based tattoo artist who appropriates pop culture icons and draws them in one of the funniest, cutest ways I’ve ever seen. Her line work has such character to it, almost like old comic books, but there’s a silly edginess to it all which you can’t help but enjoy. Next time you’re in Korea you might want to give her a call.

Click to view slideshow.

Kia LaBeija vogues through the streets of Bogotá

If you’ve never seen Paris is Burning (streaming on Netflix) do yourself a favor and put it on your to-do list. It’s a documentary about drag balls in Harlem in the 1980’s, a fantastic glimpse into a vibrant, unique subculture (one which Madonna “borrowed from” for her song, “Vogue”). One of the many drag houses you meet is the House of LaBeija, fronted by the house mother, Pepper LaBeija, who in her own right is a fantastic character.

The house LaBeija still lives on, thankfully, as evidenced by this music video for Pillar Point which features Kia LaBeija representing her House marvelously, dah’ling. Watching someone vogue is always entrancing. There’s such a fluidity and poise to the act, like a form of ballet that was born from a queer place. Setting this intriguing dance against the lush, color-filled streets of Bogotá and you’ve got a music video you can’t take your eyes off of. I’m so glad to see

Editor’s note: I do realize that my writing has been sporadic lately. I’m hoping to get back into it with more regularity.

Turkey’s road to tyranny__ a la Egypt

Nervana

Nemrut image

Mount Nemrut in Turkey – via Discover Turkey

The Turkish authorities have seized Zaman, the country’s most widely circulated newspaper after a Turkish court ordered its confiscation. Turkish police fired tear gas and plastic pellets to disperse protesters gathered in support of the newspaper. This move is the latest in a long sequence of events initiated by President Erdogan and his government in cracking down on political opponents. Examples of this ongoing crackdown are the ruthless clearance by police of the Gezi Park protesters, repeated bans on Twitter and other social media, and various court cases accusing many people of “insulting” Erdogan. This alarming trend, however, has not unhinged Erdogan’s defiant supporters, who have a ready-made reply to their critics: “Turkey is not Coup’s Egypt.”

 The obsession with Egypt is not new. Since Egypt’s President Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was ousted, Erdogan and his supporters have been obsessed by…

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