Monkeypox & Myanmar
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It turns out yesterday I was more hungover than I initially thought, so you better believe I was knocked SO far off my high horse (and greatly humbled) after telling you all that I was ✨fine.✨ But, even though she pulled the clutch out, she soldiered on, and in a random and incredibly wholesome update, the SYSCA team (so just Rubes Liv and I) want to start playing Dungeons and Dragons!!! Mostly it’s because of how AMAZING it much be to just use your imagination for the sake of it, and I’m on a big 💘be my inner child💘 journey rn, which I’m loving. Naturally, I will take you along on this quest with us, but thought you’d want to know since you being in my brain at ALL times is kinda how this thing works.
Also, we have another instalment of cats X technology! Here’s Abigail's cute cat looking at a picture of itself:
PS to everyone out here making their lives a lil more plastic free and using our Ethique discount code we SERIOUSLY love you!
It’s so incredible to hear how many of you loved our podcast all about plastic, and who are making the switch with me and Liv!! Our discount code for Ethique is ‘PLASTICISSHIT’ and it will give you 25% off anything (I’d recommend their shampoo bars or their mystery boxes) and it will be down in our final thoughts links every day this week!
Monkeypox has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
Myanmar military executes four democracy activists
You told me who you think is gonna win Love Island
If every job paid the same, would you still be in the job you’re in?
Some good f1 memes
Monkeypox has been declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern
Holy PHEIC. Over the weekend the WHO declared our latest virus on the block - Monkeypox - to be a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ AKA a ‘PHEIC.’ This is sorta their loudest alarm bell to signal an outbreak, and despite only 15,000 cases being reported worldwide (actually - that’s quite a big number, my mind is just a lil warped from that other virus), because of how rapidly it’s spreading (it’s now been detected in 75 countries), it’s gained its new title. This title is basically a call for countries to really take this virus seriously, and to help the countries that really need it to get tools to control it. In my mind, this call demands action, not panic.
To be incredibly clear, a PHEIC is not a pandemic.
“A pandemic is squishily (hi Squish) defined as “an epidemic occurring over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries, and usually affecting a large number of people.”
“A PHEIC is a more carefully defined term. It describes a situation that has not necessarily grown out of control, but has the potential to do so.”
For more information on Monkeypox, Squish and I have an episode of The Shit Show about it here, or, I’ve written a lil explainer about it here! (I promise they won’t make you fearful or confused!)
Monkeypox, & America's Latest School Shooting - The Shit Show — open.spotify.com
Another week, another tragedy because America won't do anything to change their stupid as fuck gun laws. We're sad and mad this week, but come and learn a thing or two with us <3
Myanmar military executes four democracy activists
As we’ve discussed multiple times in this newsy, Myanmar holds a super special place in my heart - I travelled there when I was 19 and learnt all about their government/ the genocide that was taking place against the Rohingya people, and when I got back to NZ I realised I’d never heard about it or learnt about it before, and that no one in my circles even really knew what was going on. This experience is one of the reasons SYSCA actually exists! So naturally, when I saw the latest headline: “Myanmar military executes four democracy activists” I had to write about it.
Myanmar’s military (who have had control of the country since the 2021 coup) have just executed four democracy activists in the first use of capital punishment in decades (but don’t get it twisted, the military has been killing people in other ways for years.) As with a lot of their trials (including trials against their previous leader Aung San Suu Kyi) it took place behind closed doors, where no one had access to what was going on or being said, and the four activists were charged with committing ‘terror acts.’
Who are the activists?
“Ko Jimmy, 53, was a veteran of the 88 Generation Students Group - a Burmese pro-democracy movement known for their activism against the country's military junta in the 1988 student uprisings.”
Phyo Zeya Thaw, 41, was a former hip-hop star turned NLD (National League for Democracy) lawmaker. His band Acid released Myanmar's first ever hip-hop album, with his lyrics carrying thinly-veiled attacks on the military drawing the ire of the junta.
Less is known about the two other activists - Hla Myo Aung and Aung Thura Zaw. They were sentenced to death for killing a woman who was an alleged informer for the junta."
As always, I’ll be here for any updates to this story <3
New ep of our Love Island debrief!!
A Love Island Debrief: Who The Hell Should Win? — open.spotify.com
AND to go along with this ep I conducted an incredibly important poll about who you all reckon is going to win!!! (Spoilers, I guess???)
WAAAAAY out in front, with 65% of the vote were Davide and Ekin-Su
Then with 18% of the vote we have Luca and Gemma
And then every one else was basically even (except Dami and Indiyah who had the least amount of votes 👀👀👀)
PS, The Spinoff did some INCREDIBLE impact journalism and THE LOVE ISLAND FINAL IS BEING AIRED IN A BAR!!!! Move aside All Blacks, there are a bunch of new professional game players about to hit our screens 👀👀
If every job paid the same, would you still choose the job you’re in/ studying for?
This was an incredible mundane poll suggestion, and the results actually really surprised me! I thought it was going to be about 80% ‘no’ (Luce, your inner cynic is showing) but actually the results were:
45% yes
55% no
And finally, some good f1 memes
Nick sent me these last night because they are SO ME with my recent f1 obsesh, and I just had to share them with you:
Go plastic-free with me and switch to shampoo and conditioner bars!! Use our discount code ‘PLASTICISSHIT’ for 25% off all full-price items for the month of July!!! (Our partnership with Ethique)
Keke Palmer Would Rather You Not Compare Her to Zendaya (The Cut)
Lewis Hamilton hints he will prolong F1 stay after best finish of the season (The Guardian)
The Bear: how a show with no sex got the internet so horny (The Face)
Japan's police to take measures after wild monkey rampages (BBC)The Dark History Behind Where The Crawdads Sing (Culture Vulture)
Our Love Island Debrief (Culture Vulture)
Life In Plastic, It’s Not Fantastic (The Shit Show)
SYSCA playlist (✨Supporters only✨)
Our HUGE SYSCA reading list! (✨Supporters only✨)