5/18/2023 0 Comments Pashua definiton![]() It was through this custom that the title ( Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: ) came to be used in Egypt, which was conquered by the Ottomans in 1517. Lucy Mary Jane Garnett wrote in the 1904 work Turkish Life in Town and Country that it was the sole "Turkish title which carries with it any definite rank and precedence". Within the Ottoman Empire, the Sultan had the right to bestow the title of Pasha. Role in Ottoman and Egyptian political system Due to the Ottoman presence in the Arab world, the title became used frequently in Arabic, though pronounced basha due to the absence of the /p/ sound in Arabic. The English forms bashaw, bassaw, bucha, etc., general in the 16th and 17th century, derive through the medieval Latin and Italian word bassa. Īs first used in western Europe, the title appeared in writing with the initial "b". Some earlier Turkish lexicographers, such as Ahmed Vefik Paşa and Mehmed Salahi, argued it was most likely derived from Turkish başa or Turkish beşe, the latter meaning "elder brother" and being a title given to some Ottoman provincial officials and janissaries. ![]() According to etymologist Sevan Nişanyan, the word is derived from Turkish beşe ( بچّه, "boy, prince"), which is cognate with Persian bačče ( بچّه). Some theories have posited a Turkish or Turkic origin of the word, claiming it derived from başağa ( bāş āghā), which denoted a "principal elder brother" or "prince’s elder son" in the pre-Ottoman period. Jean Deny also attributed its origin to padishah, while repeating a suggestion by Gerhard Doerfer that it was influenced by Turkic baskak ( bāsqāq), meaning "agent, tax collector". The same view is held by Nicholas Ostler, who mentions that the word was formed as a shortening of the Persian word padishah. Bacharach, the word is "more than likely derived from the Persian Padishah" ( پادشاه). According to Oxford Dictionaries, the Turkish word from which it was borrowed was formed as a result of the combination of the Pahlavi words pati- "lord", and shah ( □□□□). Īccording to Online Etymology Dictionary, the Turkish pasha or basha was itself from Turkish baş / bash ( باش, "head, chief"), itself from Old Persian pati- ("master", from Proto-Indo-European * poti) and the root of the Persian word shah, شاه. Old Turkish had no fixed distinction between /b/ and /p/, and the word was spelled başa still in the 15th century. 1324), though it had been used before the Ottomans by some Anatolian Turkish rulers of the same era. Contrary to titles like emir ( amīr) and bey ( beg), which were established in usage much earlier, the title pasha came into Ottoman usage right after the reign of the Osman I (d. The etymology of the Turkish word itself has been a matter of debate. The Oxford Dictionaries attributes the origin of the English borrowing to the mid-17th century. The English word "pasha" comes from Turkish pasha ( pāşā also basha ( bāşā)). The title was also used in Morocco in the 20th century, where it denoted a regional official or governor of a district. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is similar to a British peerage or knighthood, and was also one of the highest titles in the 20th-century Kingdom of Egypt. Pasha ( Ottoman Turkish: پاشا Turkish: paşa Arabic: باشا, romanized: basha) was a higher rank in the Ottoman political and military system, typically granted to governors, generals, dignitaries, and others.
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5/18/2023 0 Comments Silver screen cinema madison wi![]() This is a theatre for the True Film Lover. We are the best movie value in town On Tuesdays we offer a discounted admission price of 1.50. The Forest of Enchantment: A Disney Musical Adventure irework. Everything you need is included in this package, even the popcorn and the people to set up the big screen and sound equipment. The bar itself is also great-they show movies & have awesome mojitos Upvote 13 Downvote Maria Harkins JLove the food being brought to your seat in the Bistro. Silver Cinemas - Market Square Theatre 6604 Odana Road Madison, WI 53719 This theater is marked as inactive in our records. At SMG you can watch the best movies while enjoying in-theater dining and full bar. ![]() Operated by Landmark Theatres since 2001. You can even take drinks from the Take Five bar into your movie. Studio Movie Grill exists to open hearts and minds one story at a time. Most are unlikely to because the majority of films are not made in 3-D. Second Screen Comes to the Silver Screen: A Technology Feasibility Study Regarding Mobile Technologies in the Cinema September 2015 DOI: 10.1109/ITechA.2015. Thus it might again be appropriate to discuss the stars of the silver screen, since it may be the case that certain movie houses will turn to using screens with actual silver again. Guests are pampered with amenities such as pre-reserved ticketing, oversized heated reclining leather seats, each with an individual large dining table perfect for enjoying a delectable chef-crafted menu featuring freshly prepared dishes, signature cocktails, craft beers, and wines. The Official Facebook Page of Silver Cinemas Super Saver 8 Cinemas. The term 'silver screen' refers to movies made to be shown in theaters. Silverspot Cinema at The Corners in Brookfield, provides an unrivaled movie-going experience, offering exquisite in-theatre dining while watching all your favorite Hollywood blockbuster movies. The company offers a range of cinematic viewing selections, which – in addition to Hollywood studio productions – include curated selections of independent and foreign films live showings of operas, ballet, concerts and theater and other special events. Among the unique offerings of Silverspot Cinema is its cultural programming. Showcasing 9 theatres and over 650 seats, Film Lovers will enjoy state-of-the-art Barco Laser Projection delivering the highest picture resolution and the brightest most vivid colors along with Dolby Cinema 7.1 Surround Sound, combining for an unparalleled movie-viewing experience. 5/18/2023 0 Comments Wyse pocketcloud android![]() ![]() While connected to a remote client, you can pull up a keyboard to type in an application on the remote desktop. I found using PocketCloud to access a remote Windows machine overall easier than other free solutions like Jump Desktop (290188). ![]() Working with the mouse as well as getting around on the remote client's screen is smooth-a user can quickly become adept. Using the mouse functions takes some getting used to, especially on a relatively small smartphone screen, but the functionality is consistent. The app displays a mouse wheel image, providing a visual guide of where your fingers should go to execute clicks: left-click, right-click, zoom, etc. However, it allows for some smooth navigating of a remote client, at least as far as I could tell when connected remotely to my computer running Windows 7. You can't transfer files between the Android device and remote machine. PocketCloud's app allows you to remotely connect to a machine-and that's pretty much it. Once a Google username and password is entered into PocketCloud Companion on the remote machine, the app on the phone (which otherwise simply awaits a remote sign-on from the host machine) finds the now-installed software on the client machine through Google App Engine and gives the message, "Setup is complete." All in all, it's a very smooth and surprisingly speedy setup process, and simple way to create a remote access session. Of course, your IT department may restrict you from installing PocketCloud Companion, or may restrict PocketCloud traffic-if so, you would need to speak to your network administrator to use this solution for accessing your business machines. PocketCloud's setup process gets around this restriction. They can only log into their machines using a network or domain account. Why? Because many corporate desktop users often do not know the local Windows account. However, PocketCloud's solution is clever. There are other remote access solutions that will prompt you to just enter the already created local Windows password. The Windows password that's configured is a local password used to remotely access the Windows desktop. These include automatically configuring Remote Desktop, firewall settings, NLA (Network Level Authentication), user privilege, Windows password, and Auto-Discovery. ![]() PocketCloud Companion has to do a number of tasks to prep the machine to make a remote connection. The Pocket Companion install on my Windows 7 laptop that I wanted to remotely connect to was also simple, but a bit more involved. The install on my Droid was simple enough. For instance, for an RDP or VNC connection, you have to know the IP address of the host machine, as well as make sure RDP and VNC traffic are allowed on the host's network.Įstablishing a connection using Google is the simplest way for most users to use PocketCloud. Those leery of automatic connections done through Google App Engine can opt to manually create connections via RDP or using VNC, which requires some advanced knowledge. This means no additional configuration is necessary. The remote install on the desktop is called PocketCloud Companion, and it's available as a free download from Wyse's site with versions for both Mac and PC. To create a connection, you enter your Google username and password into the software on both the Android device and the PocketCloud Companion, which creates a connection between the two machines via the Google App Engine. As with many remote access solutions that connect mobile devices to remote desktops, the install process is two-fold: once on the mobile device, and once on the remote desktop. Wyse Technology's PocketCloud is a free, 4.41MB download from the Android Market. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software. Sync your data from Apple Health to get more information about your activity and achieve your fitness goals more effectively. Each recipe contains food nutrition information and calorie count. Flavorful and low on calories, they are tailored for a perfect diet program. Sticking to the diet for weight loss is more straightforward with nutritional advice from the professional team. Input your activity and expand your daily calorie intake while actually losing weight! Learn more about calories and how to use them to burn body fat and lose weight in 30 days or less. NAIL YOUR NUTRITION WITH CALORIE BUDGETING Correct your diet to include more protein or focus on keto and paleo if you prefer low-carb options. Track calories you consume, learn what kind these calories are and how much you can eat daily to reach your weight loss goals. Unlike any traditional dieting app, getting in shape with Able is actually fun! What else can you achieve with Able? Stay within your budget and hit your diet plan goals.ĭo you eat the right foods, too many carbs or fat? Missing macronutrients? Get immediate feedback on every meal, correct your food journal, and learn how to reach a healthier lifestyle. It is a fun and simplified way of keeping track of your calories and food. Why will you love nutrition tracker Able?Īble uses coins as a measure in the calorie counter. Eat healthily, get fit and lose weight with Able! Based on gamification and weight management psychology, Able provides a personalized approach that helps you follow your weight plan, stay motivated, and reach your goal. Get a personal weight loss plan and achieve your health goals.Īn intelligent digital diet assistant is all you need for your big change. Losing weight is no longer a big deal with Able. 5/17/2023 0 Comments Citizens lend me your earsPresident Boris Yeltsin of Russia Eulogizes Secretary Jack Kemp, Saluting Winston Churchill, *Actor-Director Orson Welles Eulogizes Another President Jimmy Carter Salutes His Good Friend 000Įlectronic Journalist Eric Sevareid Remembers Kennedy Speaks after theĪssassination of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru Delivers Jane Addams Praises George Washington 000 James Blaine of Maine Eulogizes Assassinated Humanist Robert Green Ingersoll Speaks at Senator George Graham Vest Offers a Tribute toįrederick Douglass Cuts through the Lincoln Myth Henry Lee Remembers George Washington 000ĭaniel Webster Puts a Speech in the Mouth of Mark Antony Urges Mourners to Vengeance over Israel's Yitzhak Rabin Shakes Hands with His Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Acts to Defend Senator Eugene McCarthy Crystallizes Dissent by General Montgomery Takes Command and Draws The Earth Being Taken by Hitler's Troops 000 Stalin Commands the Soviet Peoples to Scorch *Churchill Rallies the British People after the Winston Churchill Braces Britons to Their Task 000 Mussolini Justifies His Invasion of Ethiopia 000 Lenin Defends Proletarian Dictatorship 000 President Woodrow Wilson Presents an Ideal to the Jefferson Davis Takes His Leave of the U.S. Garibaldi Prepares Italy's Guerrillas for Battle 000 Revolutionist Georges-Jacques Danton Demands Richard Price, an English Cleric, Hails the Revolutions 000 General Washington Talks His Officers Out of Patrick Henry Ignites the American Revolution 000 Pope Urban II Launches the First Crusade 000 West Point Cadets of Duty, Honor, Country 000Ĭatiline the Conspirator Turns and Fights 000 His Group's Allegiance to the Newborn State of Israel 000ĭemocratic Candidate Adlai Stevenson Defines Underground Fighter Menachem Begin Pledges Judge Learned Hand Evokes the Spirit of Liberty 000 Interior Secretary Harold Ickes Lashes Isolationists ![]() President Calvin Coolidge Affirms His Faith Mark Twain Celebrates the Fourth of July 000 Lincoln Rededicates the Union at Gettysburg 000 Lecturer Frances Wright Speaks on Independence Day 000 Roman Empress Theodora Refuses to Flee 000įounding Father Gouverneur Morris Definesĭaniel Webster Speaks at the Dedication of the Pericles Extols the Glory That Is Greece at the Funeral Contents may have variations from the printed book or be incomplete or contain other coding. Note: Contents data are machine generated based on pre-publication provided by the publisher. Table of contents for Lend me your ears Table of contents for Lend me your ears : great speeches in history / selected and introduced by William Safire.īibliographic record and links to related information available from the Library of Congress catalog. 5/17/2023 0 Comments Flickery letters after effectsMask: No easy pathway for automating the position data. I would frankly probably be better off building this viz in processing I just haven’t had the bandwidth to port the project to that system yet. I reduced the project to just a single instance of my situation to help illustrate the error, it isn’t representative of the whole. This is a single line, but the final project would have many hundreds of lines each with its own data that needs to pixel accurate. The position data for the null is actually coming from a python script that’s chewing on an even larger set of data and then outputs it in AE copy paste friendly format. One of the reasons this needs to some kind of semi-automated system is due to the amount of data I’m animating. It would be much simpler to use a mask or even the write on tool, I landed on the particular solution (and the even more complicated but more reliable Plexus solution) due to scale issues. I have a thread out to Trapcode support and will update if they have any sage advice. I’ve even tried stuff like rapidly oscillating the emitter in Z-space to try and prevent particles stacking. There is no solve that I have found to make all frames render correctly all the time. The solve would be to step through frame by frame and pick a Seed where the glitch doesn’t occur for each frame. Changing a parameter (like the Seed) will cause that frame to return, but will cause another frame to start experiencing the error. The solves there-in work as well, kind of. Much googling has shown me this has surfaced many times, but it usually seems to be connected to Spite based particles. the line will disappear) only to reappear a frame later. ![]() Randomly, at certain frames no particles will render (i.e. EXCEPT for the dreaded flickering particle situation. ![]() ![]() The particle life is > the length of the comp. Static particles are produced in varying quantity when the null moves. The particles themselves are basic Spheres, and pretty much every dynamic is turned off (gravity, air, motion). the particle production count is driven by its speed in order to produce an evenly thick line of particles that last for the duration of the comp). I’m using Particular to draw a line across the screen (basically a null travels around the screen. ![]() This also works with Ctrl + Del to delete one word in front of the cursor. When typing, instead of using Backspace to delete one character at a time, use Ctrl + Backspace to delete entire words at once. Ctrl + V to paste text (copy the clipboard to the cursor position).Ctrl + C to copy text (place a copy of the text on the clipboard).Ctrl + X to cut highlighted text (remove it and place it on the clipboard).Probably the most ubiquitous of our habits are the shortcuts that deal with text editing: Those on Windows 8 or 8.1 will go to the Start screen with this key. You'll find this much faster than manually mousing over to the Start button and then having to type. Win will open the Start menu on Windows 7 and 10 and allow you to start typing a search term immediately. Many of these basic shortcuts also conveniently have key combinations that match their function (such as Ctrl + S for Save), making them a cinch to learn. Most of these have been around forever, so you might be familiar with a handful already. ![]() Of course, these aren't guaranteed to hold 100% of the time, but there are some shortcuts that will be identical in almost every corner of Windows or any program you use. Remember that no two keyboards are the same some laptop keyboards may have Function (FN) keys that perform their own functions on the F1-F12 keys.Left, Right, Up, and Down refer to the arrow keys.We'll make a note when this applies to a shortcut. For example, Space will jump down a set amount on a web page, so Shift + Space will move back up that same amount. The Shift key is used as a "reverse" function for many key combinations.If you don't find these helpful, glaze over them! As we go, we'll share various strategies for committing shortcuts to memory, including subliminally bolding letters of commands that match their shortcuts.Combinations that need to be pressed one after another will use a greater than symbol (e.g.Keyboard shortcuts that need to be pressed at the same time will use a plus symbol (e.g.All keys and combinations appear in bold.The keys on a keyboard shouldn't cause any ambiguity, but just for the sake of consistency: To be clear, this guide is written for Windows keyboards. If you never play music on your computer, you're not going to use fast-forward shortcuts, so skip those! Keep in mind that not every shortcut is worth using for every person, either. Once you're not even thinking about them anymore, add a few more to your repertoire, and keep the cycle going! Focusing on just a few common shortcuts and integrating them into your daily use will soon make them second nature. Don't worry if your memory isn't capable of remembering hundreds of shortcuts. If you were writing a paper in Word and took ten seconds to save the document every five minutes by manually clicking File > Save, you'd be spending two minutes of every hour just saving! A quick tap of Ctrl + S takes a fraction of a second and doesn't take your hands (and mind) away from typing like using the mouse does. Keeping that other hand on the keyboard and learning some keyboard shortcuts is an excellent idea your spare hand probably isn't doing anything else productive! You probably only have one hand on your mouse. Yet a mouse isn't required to use your computer at all you could get around with just a keyboard if you had to. After all, you can use your mouse to make selections, work with the toolbar options (like File, Edit, and Tools), launch programs, and navigate websites. If you're not accustomed to using them, keyboard shortcuts might seem like a waste of time. Stay on board and you'll be mastering these tricks in no time! Why Bother With Shortcuts? We'll dive into specific programs after that, and finish up with a selection of alternative tricks. After examining how useful shortcuts can be, we'll first look at universal shortcuts that perform the same function in pretty much every program you could use. ![]() realmaster42 - portuguese-brasil translation.pepka - ukrainian and dutch translation.王晨旭 (Chenxu Wang) - chinese translation.Jaume Badiella Aguilera - catalan translation.honfika - development of the decompiler.JPEXS - leader, development of the decompiler, website main admin, github account admin, organization.The application was made in Czech Republic. The decompiler was originally written by Jindra Petřík also known as JPEXS. Older nightly builds are NOT available through git tags. (This means nightly number is NOT reseted to 0 when releasing stable) Nightly builds have additional suffix _nightlyN where N is number which increments with every (automatic) nightly releleasĪnd does not depend on the x.y.z numbers. Versions are in format x.y.z, for example 9.1.2.įor the versions available, see the tags on this repository. Please read CONTRIBUTING.md for details on our code of conduct, and the process for submitting pull requests to us. Stable versionsĪ new stable version is created automatically by the Travis CI when marking a revision in master branch with a tag in format versionx.y.z. On releasing a new nightly build, the previous nightly build is removed. These prerelease versions are called nightly builds. When a commit is pushed/merged into dev branch, a new prerelease version is created automatically by Github actions CI. gnujpdf - used for PDF export (Netbeans/Ant project)Īll notable changes are listed in the file CHANGELOG.md Deployment Nightly builds.ttf - used for TTF font export (Netbeans/Ant project).Swf2Exe - Stub for "Save to EXE" feature (Delphi 7 Project).nellymoser - used for Nelly Moser sounds decoding (Netbeans/Ant project).LZMA - used for SWF compression (Netbeans/Ant project).jsyntaxpane - code editor (Netbeans/Apache Maven project).jpproxy - proxy part of FFDec (Netbeans/Ant project). ![]() jpacker - used for compression of JavaScript Canvas scripts (Netbeans/Ant project).This library is built automatically with main project, but can be build also separately with its own Ant script. FFDec_lib - core of decompilation, SWF parsing, exporting.These libraries are placed in "libsrc" directory. There are few libraries which need to be built too. Launch4j.path = c:\\program files (x86)\\launch4j You must configure installation path of these tools in tools.properties file, which could look like this for windows: nsis.path = c:\\program files (x86)\\NSIS NSIS (Nullsoft Scriptable Install System) (3.0b3 or newer) - creates installer.launch4j (3.5 or newer) - creates windows executable.These tasks require additional software installed: To only build, execute build task: ant buildįor creating EXE, Installer and ZIP version, there exist Ant tasks "exe","installer","release". To run application, execute task "run" by entering this command: ant run Open up commandline and navigate to sources directory. If you do not have Netbeans, you can build source code also with Apache Ant.Īfter installing Ant it is good to put it into your PATH variable. Other specific tasks can be executed via menu on build.xml (see Ant part) Ant Then you can use standard actions like Run, Build, Debug, Clean and Build in the IDE. Source code contains Netbeans Project so you can open it in Netbeans IDE. (For Windows, you must enable Git in windows command line during installation.) Netbeans project Building script uses GIT to include revision number in to the binary. It is recommended to have GIT commandline executables installed. You can switch to dev branch with following git command: git checkout dev dev - for newest changes from developers - "nightly" version is released from this branch.master - for released "stable" versions.Git source control manager supports multiple code branches. This assumes you have git installed on your system. You can make a local copy of the sources with the following command: git clone See installation section of the wiki Source code How to get the source Older versions and nightly builds are availabe at the releases section How to install Download applicationįor downloading the app, see latest release. In the past (before 2018), we were using domain as homepage and GitHub for the source code, We've now moved all information (except the issue tracker) to GitHub. Application description and featuresįor information about using the software, list of features, etc., visit FFDec Wiki. Works with Java on Windows, Linux and macOS. Extract resources, convert SWF to FLA, edit ActionScript, replace images, sounds, texts and fonts. Open Source Flash SWF decompiler and editor. 5/17/2023 0 Comments Requirements manager credit suisse![]() Instead, the bank terminated the business relationship and declared the adviser to be an undesirable client. Although the bank was not able to dispel the suspicions, it did not file a suspicious activity report with MROS. Questions concerning the background to the payment remained unanswered, despite the bank’s investigations. Breach of reporting obligationsĪ suspicious payment of around USD 8 million was also made to an adviser of Mozambique through Credit Suisse in the context of this case. Overall FINMA concludes that the Group’s risk management in connection with the Mozambique loans was seriously deficient. The parent company ultimately still approved the restructuring, although there were various warning signs and unanswered questions, which could not be plausibly clarified. Particularly before the EMATUM bonds were converted in 2016, the parent company had information indicating that funds from the loans running to several hundred million may have been misused. Indications that the funds were being misused The consequence of this one-sided focus was that the British subsidiaries of Credit Suisse decided on their own to grant the original loan in 2013, without the parent company intervening and thereby fulfilling its duty within the context of Group-wide risk management. In the present case, the bank focused instead primarily on the financial risk, which was limited because of the syndication and issue of bonds. There are high reputational risks associated with large loans to financially weak or corruption-prone countries. Shortcomings in Group-wide risk management Credit Suisse UK carried out the restructuring of these debts. In 2016, due to payment difficulties on the part of EMATUM, these loans were swapped for direct bonds issued by the state of Mozambique. It structured the loan to EMATUM and placed the corresponding bonds with investors. Credit Suisse UK shared the loan to ProIndicus with other syndicate banks. These loans, which made up almost 6% of Mozambique’s gross domestic product, were primarily intended to fund maritime security vessels and a tuna fleet. (ProIndicus) and Empresa Moçambicana de Atum S.A. In 2013, the British subsidiaries of the Credit Suisse Group (Credit Suisse UK) arranged two loans guaranteed by the state of Mozambique totalling one billion US dollars to two Mozambican state-owned companies, ProIndicus S.A. Both authorities have also investigated and closed this case, as has the US Department of Justice (DOJ). In the course of the proceedings FINMA coordinated closely with the local partner authority, the British Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and with the American Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As part of these, it clarified the role of the parent company in connection with two significant loans granted by the British subsidiaries of Credit Suisse to Mozambican state-owned companies. FINMA is concluding a supervisory investigation and subsequent enforcement proceedings against the Credit Suisse Group. 5/17/2023 0 Comments Worldbuilding fantasy spy network![]() Given these definitions, works of South Asian science fiction and fantasy have existed long before both genres came to be codified as such. “the literature that explores the boundaries of knowledge… that definition is mostly applicable to speculative fiction’s subgenres, including magical realism, fantasy and horror it’s just the class of knowledge that changes within each.” Space travel is one of these metaphors so is an alternative society, an alternative biology the future is another.”Ĭloser to home, Pakistani sci-fi, fantasy and horror writer Usman T. ![]() What sets it apart from older forms of fiction seems to be its use of new metaphors, drawn from certain great dominants of our contemporary life – science, all the sciences, and technology, and the relativistic and the historical outlook, among them. Le Guin, one of my favourite SFF writers, explains it this way: I.Įven though definitions are notoriously slippery things in literary criticism, we might define SFF as a broad literary genre encompassing any fiction with supernatural, fantastical or futuristic elements. This makes conversations about South Asian literature woefully homogenous and, frankly, much more uninteresting than they might otherwise be. The snobbish attitude towards SFF has historically been prevalent in academic and literary circles (although things seem to be changing in the West now), even as popular culture is filled with beloved works of science fiction and fantasy films and television shows.īut the dismissal of the SFF genre, or the broader umbrella of speculative fiction, has excluded from the South Asian literary discourse a rich tradition of desi works of science fiction and fantasy, as well as the fascinating speculative fiction words being written by contemporary South Asian writers today. This dismissal of the genres of science fiction and fantasy (SFF) as low-brow, trashy or pulp or, at the very least, unimportant, is not just a desi stance, although it might be a bit more pronounced here. Playful, experimental, speculative works like Hossain’s or those of her more contemporary counterparts, either in English or local languages, rarely come into the discussion. If Hossain’s story was different from those of the white, male authors that populated my course syllabi, it was also distinct from the kind of realist South Asian fiction that is usually privileged as “literary” and therefore more worthy of attention or academic study.Īt that time, there was a certain kind of post-9/11 Anglophone Pakistani fiction that you were supposed to be reading: the kind that used a specific style of grim realism to explain South Asian “issues” like terrorism, poverty or corruption. The exploration of domesticity, gender and the notion of public and private space situated within 20th century colonial Indian nationalist and gender politics using science fiction tropes and an archly playful tone - I had never read anything like it before. Sultana’s Dreamis a futuristic tale in which the concept of the upper-caste Indian Muslim notion of the zenana (seclusion of women within a specific section of the house) is flipped to imagine a utopian world where men are sequestered into the mardana while South Asian women smoothly and efficiently run society through scientific innovation and reason. In any case, amidst the steady diet of Shakespeare and Dickens in school, encountering Hossain’s delightful story, which I promptly borrowed from my professor, blew my mind wide open. Up until then, my study of literature had been mostly white, mostly male authors, an unsurprising fact when we take into account the (Western) literary canon’s inherent whiteness and maleness, as well as the institutional history of English departments as tools of the colonial project - teaching works of English literature in the British Empire’s overseas colonies was originally part of the overarching goal of “civilising the natives.” In the words of 19th century British politician Thomas Macaulay, “a single shelf of a good European library is worth the whole native literature of India and Arabia” (gotta love that British sense of entitlement and arrogance). My first encounter with a work of desi science fiction was very much by accident.ĭuring my undergraduate studies at the English department at Karachi University, while idly browsing through a professor’s personal collection on her desk, I came across Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain’s Sultana’s Dream, a English-language short story set in a feminist utopian world written by a Bengali Muslim woman in 20th century colonial India. Dismissing sci-fi and fantasy as low-brow or trashy isn’t just a desi stance, although it might be more pronounced. |