August 5, 2020

Mind the Gap: A Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin

Malone Mukwende, 20, is a second-year medical student at St George’s, University of London. “On arrival at medical school I noticed the lack of teaching in darker skin. We were often being taught to look for symptoms such as red rashes which I was aware would not appear as described in my own skin,” he told BME Medics. “When flagging this to tutors it was clear that they didn’t know of any other way to describe these conditions on patients of darker skin tones and I knew that I had to make a change to that.” (Atlanta Black Star, July 9, 2020) The result is "Mind the Gap: A Handbook of Clinical Signs in Black and Brown Skin." [more inside]
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:49 PM PST - 16 comments

The streaming service that blooms in adversity

Along with reporting a $4.7 billion loss in the last quarter, Disney announced its next major movie, Mulan, will be premiering to Disney+ subscribers at a cost of $30 to rent. This is only the latest shock in the movie industry, which last month saw AMC Theatres agree for Universal’s movies to become available rent merely 17 days after they’ve started playing in theatres. [more inside]
posted by adrianhon at 12:30 PM PST - 114 comments

Persepolis: Story of young Iranian girl during the Islamic Revolution.

Persepolis is a 2007 adult animated film based upon the Marjane Satrapi autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. Persepolis is the poignant story of a young girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It was written and directed by Satrapi in collaboration with Vincent Paronnaud. The story follows a young girl as she comes of age against the backdrop of the Iranian Revolution. The title references the historical city of Persepolis. The film was an international co-production made by companies in France and Iran. It premiered at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, where it co-won the Jury Prize, alongside Silent Light. [more inside]
posted by dancestoblue at 10:57 AM PST - 13 comments

Inevitably...

Republicans Aid Kanye West's Bid to Get on the 2020 Ballot At least four people who have been active in Republican politics are linked to Kanye West’s attempt to get on the presidential ballot this year. The connection raises questions about the aims of the entertainer’s effort and whether it is regarded within the G.O.P. as a spoiler campaign that could aid President Trump, even as those close to Mr. West have expressed concerns about his mental health as he enters the political arena. (Danny Hakim and Maggie Haberman, NYT)
posted by box at 9:29 AM PST - 91 comments

Hoo-rah hoo-rah hoo-rah-yay...

...over the hill with the Swords Of A Thousand Men, by Tenpole Tudor (Alternative, ToTP, performance), reached #6 in the UK singles chart, in April 1981. In the same year, they would release Wunderbar. The song was written and sung by Edward Felix Tudor-Pole, who is still performing.
posted by Wordshore at 8:47 AM PST - 19 comments

Listen. In the beginning, there was mutura.

Ireland has black pudding, France has boudin noir, South Korea has soondae, and Spain has morcilla. Kenya has mutura. Sometimes translated into English as "African blood sausage" in that mannerless way we have of translating non-English things into English, mutura is richer than its European relatives, as it’s packed with a powerful blend of spices. Mutura will have ginger; it will have garlic; it will have scallions, cilantro, and chile so fine and wonderful a person weeps for joy while eating it. Nothing else matters. Carey Baraka for Serious Eats
posted by ChuraChura at 8:45 AM PST - 31 comments

"There was another reason to be so anxious."

Miyamoto Yuriko, "The Breast" (1935): "The streetcar struggle had begun in September, and this day care participated in support activities, so ever since the veteran Sawazaki Kin was hauled off, plainclothesmen from the precinct were coming by at unexpected times. She'd be no match if they barged in with some sort of pretext like Tried knocking but nobody answered so we thought maybe there was a burglar in here." Miyamoto's "The Family of Koiwai" [PDF] is a similar example of Japanese proletarian literature. After writing a feminist I-novel (defined; excerpts [PDFs]) about her first marriage, Miyamoto began a relationship with Yuasa Yoshiko, lived with her in the USSR, and wrote non-fiction like "Soviet 'Workers' Clubs,'" "The State of Moscow: Christmas There," and "Crossing the New Siberia." Then she joined the outlawed Japanese Communist Party (history), married its future leader, and wrote novels about his release from prison at the end of the war (excerpts [PDF]).
posted by Wobbuffet at 8:41 AM PST - 1 comments

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