text:
Episode Number: 73
Episode Title: Moral Failings (listen to this episode)
Transcript by: Susan the Great
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Renay: Hello friends! I'm Renay.
Ana: And I'm Ana.
Renay: And you're listening to Fangirl Happy Hour.
[Music: B-3 by Boxcat Games]
Renay: Today we're going to discuss Mirror in the Sky, Zodiac Starforce, and Binti: Home, but first we're gonna give updates on our media challenges and discuss some culture. Ana, how political will this episode be on a scale of one to ten?
Ana: Eleven.
Renay: That is true. Here we go.
Ana: [laughter]
Renay: Earlier this year, we set out some media challenges for ourselves and now we're going to update everybody on how we're doing. It is gonna be embarrassing.
Ana: I made a note about this, and it says "Ha ha sob."
Renay: That's pretty accurate.
Ana: Yep.
Renay: How are your challenges going?
Ana: I had two main challenges, too. One was the time travelling project, the other one was read more middle grade. I can say that I read one novel that was both middle grade and time travel. Kudos to me.
Renay: Good work on combining some challenges!
Ana: Yeah, it was called A Traveller in Time, but I really didn't like it? I was very underwhelmed and didn't even write a review because it would have been composed solely of, "It was okay, I guess."
Renay: Ouch.
Ana: I guess because it's an older story, it's an older novel from the thirties? It just didn't appeal to me very much. I didn't have the nostalgia factor going into it. I was much more into reading the author's biography. That sounded amazing. So the author's called Alison Utley and she was born in 1884. And she not only published hundreds of children's and YA novels, but she also was the second woman ever to graduate with honors in Physics.
Renay: That's super cool!
Ana: That is super cool! I really like this woman! It's a shame that I didn't like her book as much. She also like published cookery books and then she got a degree by Manchester University in recognition of her literary achievements. She died at 91 years old, basically one month before I was born.
Renay: Maybe you are her incarnated.
Ana: Mm, I'm not a good writer and I don't like physics so maybe not.
Renay: I disagree with you on not being a good writer and in fact I'm going to tell our Slack group that you were negative self-talking yourself.
Renay: Before the episode comes out so then they'll lecture you before the like episode comes out, and then when the episode comes out they'll lecture you again once they hear it.
Ana: Okay let me rephrase that. I'm not a good fiction writer, not that I even tried that much, but I know that I would not be good at it because I don't have the vivid imagination needed to write actual fiction. I do think that I am a good writer in general. Is that better?
Renay: That's better, maybe Jenny and Ira will allow it.
Ana: Okay. All right.
Renay: We'll see.
Ana: [laughter] I'm so sorry for the negative self-talk. I shan't do it again during this episode, ma'am.
Renay: Thank you. Well, my challenges, and I added some, of course I did, because it's me. My first challenge was my woman writer's challenge, and I wanted to read thirty unique women writers. And I'm at five of thirty, which I think is pretty okay because it's only February. I've read Parable of the Sower, You Can't Touch My Hair, Six of Crows, Timekeeper, and Mirror in the Sky. And all of those authors are new to me.
Ana: That's pretty awesome! You did so much better at this challenge thing.
Renay: Well, I'm also not doing 800 jobs like you are. Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
Ana: Okay, I'll allow it.
Renay: And then my non-fiction challenge, because some of my challenges overlap, I have two out of ten because I want to read ten non-fiction books. I've read the You Can't Touch My Hair book which is by Phoebe Robinson and Get Your Shit Together by Sarah Knight, which is a follow-up to her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck, which was one of my favorite books last year.
Ana: Oh, I remember that.
Renay: And although I liked How To Get Your Shit Together book, it's mostly a book about time management. And I am aware of the ways in which I fail at time management, keenly aware, so I didn't really need a book to tell me that. But I really liked the framework she used cause she talked about Alvin and the Chipmunks, and I know a lot about Alvin and the Chipmunks so it was good.
Ana: Okay, we need to stop here and I need to ask you in what way do you know a lot about Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Renay: They were a cartoon I grew up watching.
Ana: Okay.
Renay: Like that movie where the chipmunks and the chipettes, whatever the girl version of the chipmunks was, go on like a balloon race around the world. That movie was fucked up but I watched it like a zillion times. Anyway. Derail.
Ana: I'm so sorry. That was my fault, but it was— I had to know.
Renay: I don't like the movies, like the live-action movies, I—mmm, no. If I'm gonna have some chipmunks, it's gonna be Christmas songs or the cartoon. I don't need none of this new-fangled live action crap.
Ana: Oh my god, you sound so crochety.
Renay: Achievement!
Ana: Gold stars!
Renay: My other challenge was to read my own books because I have eight zillion books. I think I gave you a list of books sitting on my shelf the other day and—
Ana: Yeah.
Renay: —there's a lot and I'm out of shelf-space. Like I have those little cubby shelves with the—the shelves with the little squares, and I have two of them. and those shelves have nine little cubbies and all my cubbies are full. I cannot add any more books.
Ana: How many did you read, then?
Renay: One.
Ana: Which one?
Renay: Parable of the Sower.
Ana: That's not even that thick.
Renay: I know. I'm supposed to be read ten of my own books this year, and I've only read one and it's terrible. I'm embarrassed. But the most embarrassing thing is that I wanted to read more space opera this year and this challenge is dead in the water. January was awful and I read no space opera. I'm gutted. I'm so disappointed in myself.
Ana: So we need to find a way of helping you with this challenge. Let's add at least one to our roster in the podcast.
Renay: Okay.
Ana: I will help you get there, Renay.
Renay: So yeah, that's how we've been doing on challenges.
Ana: Well there's still time. It's only February. Come on.
Renay: That's true. And the world has been on fire.
Ana: Yes. Too many news alerts. Every time one of those shows up in my timeline I end up spending about like half an hour at the very least just going "Oh my god, no, really? Again? No, please god no. Please no, what is—the fuck is going on, what the fuck is this shit? Will somebody help us, please help save us god, please."
Renay: Well I'm not religious so I'm just sitting there going, "Well we're all fucked!"
Ana: I'm not religious either, but.
Renay: The world is turning you religious because—
Renay: Because it's so bad. So on the plus side, we still have time to stop getting distracted by the news and read some books. That's a good mental health thing.
Renay: Every time you feel yourself get distracted by the news, by like "I have some challenges, I can go work on them right now," and you can read a book.
Ana: That's the spirit. I like it.
[Music: The Great by Broke for Free]
Renay: We're here again to discuss culture and I'm sure that this is gonna be a totally politics-free space, right Ana?
Renay: No, not at all, not even a little. What is your first thing that you found, exploring the world of news?
Ana: I found that the world found me.
Renay: Oh.
Ana: Is that outside the echo chamber enough?
Renay: It's not a competition, but yes.
Ana: I had a tweet gone viral.
Renay: That's amazing.
Ana: So, one of my favorite pastimes lately is to troll Donald Trump on Twitter. I feel it's very cathartic and it's one of the few ways I've—I can honestly say that 45 truly inspires me. And he was tweeting about the Muslim Ban and how "look at what's happening in Europe! We should act!" and I was like "I don't know, dude, I live in Europe and I'm like, look at what's happening in the US with all the mass shootings by white dudes." And then it started to get a lot of retweets. And then: the most amazing thing happened on that very evening: J.K. Rowling read that tweet and thought to herself, "This woman is amazing. She's wise. She knows things. She's trolling Donald Trump, just like me. I'll retweet." And then guys, it just went EVERYWHERE. I have never seen anything like this. It's still going, Renay, it's still going. Every day I get at least a hundred retweets on that. Right now I've had three million impressions, forty-four THOUSAND likes, and twenty-three thousand retweets. and the most interesting things is a lot of people think I'm a dude.
Renay: Wait, how?
Ana: I've got a lot of offers from women to fuck them, addressing me as a man. Cause I mean they could offer me the same thing thinking that I'm a woman, of course, but, you know, they go "Hey guy, hey sir, hey man, come and…fill me up," and I'm like "I cannot do that at the moment." And then a lot of people disagreeing with me, but in a very civil manner, which I can only surmise that it's because they think I'm a man. If thought that I am a woman, I guess I would be taking a lot more abuse. I only had to block one person and that's because they called me racist.
Renay: I remember when you told me that Rowling had retweeted you, and I'm like "What?" and I went to her page and I looked and was like, "Holy crap!" That is not something I ever thought I would see, but congratulations on going viral!
Ana: Thank you, I can also tell you something really interesting that I found out, that a tweet going viral does not books sell. [laughter] At least, not the books that I publish.
Renay: We'll see. We'll give it a few weeks and we'll check back in with you in a few weeks.
Ana: Okay. I have earned a new—a thousand new followers too.
Renay: Market to them.
Ana: Yes. And I took a screenshot of J.K. Rowling's tweet page with my tweet at the top of it, right under her beautiful face.
Renay: Yeah, well, you're not the only one. I remember when one time, Scalzi liked one of my tweets, and it popped up on my phone, and I screenshotted it and I still have that screenshot. YES, I am a loser! I can feel people judging me from here, from out there in the void.
Ana: We are both losers then, if taking pictures of our idols or the people that we truly admire when they are admiring us back is being a loser, then I embrace it.
Renay: Okay, so we're not losers. I will defer to you on this.
Ana: Yes.
Renay: After I yelled at you for negative self-talk, now I'm gonna get busted at for negative self-talk.
Ana: Exactly.
Renay: Perfect.
Renay: Perfect. Okay, my first thing is of course political!
Ana: Yay!
Renay: For a while this is gonna be political, I'm sure. I'm sorry, we've launched this feature at a very awkward time, Ana.
Ana: Everything I do is politics right now.
Renay: Tishaura Jones, who is the city treasurer in St Louis, Missouri, declined an interview with the editorial board of a local newspaper. She's running for mayor of the city, and the election is in March? I accidentally stumbled across this story, but it caught my eye because Missouri is the state that is right above me. But I'm thrilled that I found it because Tishaura Jones wrote a letter to the paper explaining why she declined the interview and she drags them. Full on naming and shaming. The letter is a beautiful thing to read. It's smart, it is full of facts, it's wonderful. And I really want leaders who are outspoken and critical and know how to use the tools available to burn institutions who are attempting to uphold an abusive the status quo, and I'm pretty jealous that I can't vote for her now to be honest and that my city mayor is like a sentient eraser.
Renay: Everybody look up Tishaura Jones' letter and read, and print it out and use it inspire you to go forward and take down some Republicans. What's next on your list?
Ana: I love musical theatre, and I love James Cordon's show. I also really like Neil Patrick Harris. I was on Youtube the other day, just going through videos as you do. And I found that Neil Patrick Harris showed up unannounced—or maybe it was announced but it was rehearsed, but it looked it wasn't—and he showed up on James Cordon's show and dared James to do a Broadway riff-off. Cue ten minutes of adorableness, some great songs, it was really funny, it was fun, I loved it, and it ends with the Hamiltune. It was really nice. I highly recommend to people, if you like theatre, if you like musicals, if you like those two people, just go on Youtube and watch the Broadway riff-off between Neil Patrick Harris and James Cordon.
Renay: In reality, this segment is often just going to be an excuse for us to rec extra things. You're all welcome.
Ana: Probably, yes. [laughter] What's your next pick? You've seen that mine was not political.
Renay: Yeah, well I'm taking us back to politics, I'm sorry, I apologize. There is a great article by Daniel Wenger in the New Yorker about Kate Brown, who was the governor of Oregon, where I so desperately want to move. I have much to say about the article, just that it's comforting to read these articles about progressive states and their leaders because all my leaders here in Arkansas are legit the worst. I wanted to quote a bit because I'm convinced this will of cheer anyone up.
Wenger writes: "After Brown stepped into the government mansion from the Oregon Secretary of States Office—her predecessor, John Kitzhaber, resigned amid a crushing scandal—Portland Monthly published a list of her upsides and downsides. Among the former, not entirely possible to imagine that her morning motivational speech in the mirror includes the words 'You slay'. Among the latter, still hasn't apologized for her pastime of following her favorite folk band around Oregon." She sounds so great.
Ana: She does.
Renay: I want her to be my governor. My governor is a white dude who thinks men should own my uterus.
Ana: Oh my god.
Renay: Well, my whole section today was all about fierce lady politicians, so that says something about where my mind is at these days. I just really want to be able to vote for someone I believe in, not just someone I'm settling for because the other side is full of supervillains. Ugh.
[Music: Our Ego by Broke For Free]
Renay: Mirror in the Sky is a 2016 novel by Aditi Korana about a girl who is going to a school with a bunch of white people and she is mixed-race and she's having a lot of trouble fitting in. Meanwhile, NASA discovers a planet across the universe that is a mirror planet of Earth and it changes everything about Tara's life. What did you think about this book? Did you like it?
Ana: This is not really a space book.
Renay: It is not a space book at all. No.
Ana: And I thought it was going to be a space book.
Renay: I don't know why you thought it was gonna be a space book.
Ana: Because there is a thing about a new planet? And I thought it was going to be science fiction. And it is in a way, but it's much more, ehhh…. It has less of a speculative bent and more of a contemporary YA feel.
Renay: Yeah. The speculative conceit of the mirror planet where things are almost the same as on Earth, but just a little bit different is pretty pasted on.
Ana: So you take that up along with the title of the novel Mirror in the Sky and then you feel like it works more as a conceit as a mirror for people looking at themselves and then having excuse to behave differently than they usually would.
Renay: Mm-hm.
Ana: Right, this is a really interesting from an emotional and philosophical perspective, but I think the book tried to do a lot of things at the same time and didn't come across as a cohesive whole. Half the time it wasn't sure what the author was trying to do.
Renay: Yep.
Ana: I'm not even sure if the quantum physics mentioned in the book even works as it is so I wouldn't approach this as a speculative fiction novel. I would completely disregard that aspect of the novel because it really is about high school mean girls, fitting in, finding one's self, but not done that well.
Renay: I hated this book.
Ana: Eyy, okay.
Renay: I mean, I hated this book.
Ana: You hated it.
Renay: I hated it.
Ana: I don't think I felt enough to actually feel that much for it. Why did you hate it?
Renay: Because the speculative element is completely divorced from the main character. The closest you get to the main character having any interaction with the speculative element is the fact that her mother turns into a cult nut and goes across the country to commune with people who are a cult. So white lady loses her mind.
Renay: And none of these characters were likeable at all. I didn't like Tara that much, I was you are a spoiled asshole. If somebody treats you badly that doesn't give you an excuse to treat them badly, that's not actually great behavior. I just found all of these people immature and childish and I guess it fits because they're all teenagers. The person that I had the most sympathy for was actually the person meant to be the antagonist, Halle, who—
Ana: Who was amazing!
Renay: I wanted a novel about her! I wanted the book to be about her!
Ana: Yeah! But, spoiler alert if you don't wanna know just stop listening right now because I'm about to spoil the end of this novel. What the fuck, Renay? What the fuck just happened with Halle? Who was the most amazing interesting character, really driven, ambitious, competent, intelligent, into fashion but still a top student, and everybody seemed to hate her and in the end she kills herself. What the fuck. I hate the way that this book dealt with mental illnesses.
Renay: I hate the way this book fat-shamed people.
Ana: Oh my god there was so fat-shaming in this novel. Right at the start.
Renay: When I read over it, my first thought was great, it's gonna be one of Those novels, where I just have to grit my teeth and push through it because this author apparently does not like fat people.
Ana: No, really really doesn't.
Renay: The reason that I say that she doesn't like fat people is just because of how the narrative treats those characters. Treats characters with eating disorders, or mental health issues related to eating disorders. Because I don't know if it's accurate but Alexa definitely had some problems.
Ana: Yes. All of them had, which I think it was the point of the novel, to show the discovery of this new planet allowed for the characters to show their true selves and do things that they were hiding. So all of them had, to one extent or another, mental illnesses: anorexia, depression, and somehow that conflates as well with one of the character being a lesbian, last minute lesbian, what I—what I would like to last minute lesbian, because, literally, it's one of the last things in the book, oh by the way I'm a lesbian. Where was this throughout this novel?
Renay: I mean, I got it really early on, the reason that Veronica got so angry at Halle over Nick. I was like "Oh, I realize what's going on here, she's wants to fuck Halle, and that's what happening."
Ana: You were a very perceptive reader, which I'm not, apparently, then.
Renay: I don't really know it's perception, it's just that I used to read a lot of YA back in the day and put a lot of it down not finished. And I don't like that trope, and I don't think it was handled well here.
Ana: I don't think so either.
Renay: I don't think anything was handled well in this novel.
Ana: No.
Renay: It was disjointed, and then you enter the fact that the science fiction part of it was often so distant from what was happening in the book that the parallels that we could maybe see between the characters in the book and the speculative element just never fused together. They were not cohesive.
Ana: No, absolutely not.
Renay: Oh, oh talk about the Virginia Wool thing.
Ana: So, in this planet which is called Terra Nova, it's basically a mirror world of Earth, but things happen differently there. And one of the things that they find out, is that Virginia Woolf did not commit suicide in that world because she was found by her husband who saved her, and then kept saving her throughout her life, so she never killed herself and she became this really amazing person. I can't really quite figure out why that made me so uneasy. Again, it goes together with the way that mental illnesses are addressed in this book. Like, Virginia Wool really only needed the help of a man to keep her going? And look at what could have happened if she had survived. And that just— I found that so gross. I was so grossed out by that. Did that make you feel similar?
Renay: I felt weird about it, but I don't know how to verbalize what about it makes me so uncomfortable.
Ana: I tried a little bit, but I'm not sure if that's it exactly. But there was something about this just made me so uneasy. And it's the same thing with the mother character, right?
So the mother was someone who had issues: her parents died when she was very young and she obviously missed them very much throughout her entire life. And she would show us someone who was dissatisfied, who was not very happy with the life that she has, was not very happy with the path that she's chosen. And then when Terra Nova appears she decides to take off and join a cult, so that she can try to commune with the people on the other side, on this other planet, so maybe she can contact her parents again.
But this whole thing it's because she's deeply dissatisfied with her role as a mother and as a wife. And she's completely vilified by that. Completely. To the point where she leaves the house to try to find herself and then she has to be brought back because the people that she was trying to find help with were actually cultists that then killed themselves and were trying to kill each other. and it's just so ridiculous and so out there that this character who was simply unhappy about her life, which is a very, you know, why not? But she's so vilified and then she has—she's brought back at the end "No, I will never do this again, I'll stay with you forever."
Renay: She was punished, basically.
Ana: She was punished for having feelings.
Renay: And not that it's right to just up and leave your family—
Ana: No, but there is a, a different way of dealing with this.
Renay: But the fact that it ends so badly, to just justify the way that Tara treats her, I guess, made me super uncomfortable. This novel just made me super uncomfortable I guess, was is my takeaway.
Renay: I – oh well.
Ana: I really didn't like either.
Renay: You win some and you lose some.
Ana: There was a couple of things that I liked about it, like for example, there's an exploration of racism and microaggressions that Tara receives as a mixed-race Indian girl.
Renay: I found that part really strange, like you'd you're gonna yell at a white lady and get away with it? Because man she lets that white lady have it, which was good because the white lady super deserved it, but you're gonna swear at your teacher?
Ana: Mm.
Renay: And get away with it?
Ana: That's what finding these new planets made people do. Behave like themselves. Say the truths that they were hiding.
Renay: And so the new planet appeared and everybody turned into an asshole.
Renay: What an interesting premise for a novel.
Ana: Mm-hm. I can't—I can't explain why this novel made me so uneasy. Everything about it made me uneasy.
Renay: Tara really wants to be friends with these people. She acts like she doesn't but she really does want to be friends with this people. And then when she gets the chance she basically undermines that friendship at every turn because all the people in the group are undermining their friendships at every turn. Sometimes I try to remember being a teenager and being as petty and cruel as some of these teens in this book are but I can't get there. I was never this type of teen and so this novel just comes from a place where I guess there are teenagers like this and some teen out there might really need this book. So I'm glad it exists but holy shit was it not for me. I did not like it and I'm glad that I will never have to read it again.
Ana: On that note, how many space bees do you give that novel.
Renay: Two. I'm giving it two because one thing that I really did like about this novel was the relationship between Tara and her father Sudeep. He was portrayed as super kind and super supportive, and I thought it was one of the best drawn relationships in the entire book, considering the rest of the relationships in the entire book were a hot mess.
Ana: And that dog that gets killed.
Renay: Yeah, the dog doesn't survive
Ana: I'm giving two space bees, too.
Renay: We've been having some bad luck with books, Ana.
Ana: Oh my god so much, Renay, so much.
Renay: We need to reassess.
Ana: Or maybe move to the next segment because I think there'll be happier times.
[Music: The End by Chuki Beats]
Renay: Zodiac Starforce: By the Power of Astra is a 2016 comic from Dark Horse Books, written by Kevin Panetta and drawn and illustrated by Paulina Ganucheau. It tells the story of a group of teenage girls who used to be an elite magical fighting force that defeated monsters and two years before this book starts, they defeated the ultimate villain and then disbanded, but now monsters are back.
This graphic novel was super cute. The first thing I wanna say is that if you are looking for a comic with a super adorable queer romance between girls, you need to pick up this comic immediately and put it into your eyeballs.
Ana: It's very much for Lumberjanes fans.
Renay: I agree.
Ana: And Squirrel Girl fans.
Ana: That same type of levity, that same type of, you know, inclusivity and diversity that is just naturally there? If you want something that is light, fluffy, fun, and adorable, this is it.
I was a little bit lost in the beginning, because it starts in the middle of the story. And I was like, "Wait a minute, did I miss something?" because it starts with them regrouping so obviously there was a story before, and they broke up, then they need to get back together.
Renay: Also it might help to go into this graphic novel with a knowledge of how magical girl teams work. Ana, did you watch Sailor Moon?
Renay: Oh, boy.
Ana: But, I did edit a series of novelettes based on magical girls, featuring, actually, five magical girls. It's called Hurricane Heels by Isabelle Yap.
Renay: So that's your experience with them.
Ana: No, I read other stuff with a magical girls. I had just never actually engaged with Sailor Moon before.
Renay: And I grew up with Sailor Moon. I was obsessed with it. I want to make you watch every episode of Sailor Moon with me.
Ana: Oh, let's do that!
Renay: Ana, there's two hundred episodes.
Ana: I'm sure we can do that little by little.
Renay: Two hundred episodes! And three movies. And a few television specials.
Ana: Just give me what like a rundown of the best moments and I'll watch that.
Renay: No! That's not how you do it! That's cheating!
Renay: Anyway, so I went into this comic with that as my basis and I compare every single magical girl story to that. And I really think that they took this trope and did something really neat with it. The story does throw you in the middle, you pretty much have to get through that first issue and then half of the second before you probably feel grounded in the world.
Ana: I agree.
Renay: But it has a really really good pay off. I really liked the way that they got the team back together, and I really like the way that they built the story around the team coming together to protect their leader andI also really liked the super cute queer romance.
Ana: Yeah, I loved that the leader is Emma and Emma is the Gemini, and i'm Gemini and I am a leader. That those are the extent of my deep thoughts about…
Renay: Well there's not a lot here to have deep thoughts about. It's a very very standard story and it has a happy ending. It's just a really fun heart-warming story where girls are friends and supportive of each other. And then two of them make out a little.
Ana: And each girl was different, they were drawn different, they had different body styles they had different— they had very specific individualities. I loved the hot-head Kim, she was my favorite I think.
Renay: Emma was my favorite.
Ana: Really?
Renay: Yeah, I really liked Emma.
Ana: Was it because she was a Gemini and she reminded you of me.
Renay: Yes.
Ana: Good answer. Correct answer. Well done.
Renay: And I wanna comment on the art here because I loved the art.
Ana: It's really great.
Renay: It is gorgeous. It's almost like watching a TV show. It such great motion to it.
Ana: Plus the imagery of magical girls is really awesome, too. Because each one of them has a uniform, each one of them has a different power, and that appears behind them or around them when they are fighting and the art really captures that.
Renay: The colors are super vibrant, that why I say it reminds me of TV. Because the colors remind me of Saturday morning cartoons. They're so cheerful and vibrant. And there is apparently going to be more of this comic, and I didn't realize this until I finished this comic and was looking up what other work that the writer and artist had done. And then I discovered there was gonna be more.
Ana: I am there for it, too.
Renay: Cause this is a very short comic, there's only—is it four issues in this trade?
Ana: Yeah, and it's very short, they're very short, too.
Renay: So having more is gonna be great. How many space bees are you giving this?
Ana: Four!
Renay: I'm also giving this four space bees!
Ana: Hooray!
Renay: We liked something!
Ana: Yeah! [laughter]
Renay: It happened, we liked something!
Ana: Fangirl Happy Hour, back on track!
Renay: We've returned from the abyss.
[Music: Mornings by Chuki Beats]
Renay: Binti: Home is a 2017 novella from Tor.com by Nnedi Okorafor continuing her series that started with Binti in 2015. After a year at Oomza Uni, Binti is returning home to see her family. There are some wrenches thrown in the gears though, because Okwu, her Meduse pal, is going to go with her. And that summary is actually a tiny tiny sliver of all the world building that Okorafor manages to put into Binti: Home. There's a lot going on here.
Ana: But, unlike Mirror in the Sky, I felt like it was actually cohesive.
Renay: It all feels rooted in the same place. I don't know if that makes sense.
Ana: It's because these novellas, they are about identity, right? Like, at the center of it all. That's what the first book was all about, was about Binti trying to find herself by going away from home and trying to keep the parts of herself that made her who she was while at the same time trying new things. Trying this new way of life that was so alien, ha ha, to her family and the people in her village. Cause they never went away. She was the first one from her tribe to go to the university. And it was so far away and then all those horrible things happen and she had to find the internal strength to keep going and to survive. In doing that, she changes herself in many ways, including genetically speaking because now she's part Meduse.
Renay: The story opens and we discover that Binti and Okwu have this mental connection because the Meduse are a hive mind and she has to leave her class very suddenly because Okwu is going to kill its professor. Which talk about a really dramatic opening. You got me, Okorafor, good job.
Ana: Mm. [laughter]
Renay: Good work. I'm—I'm in. I was in before, but now I'm extra in. And all the relationships, from Binti and Okwu to Binti and her family are really, really complicated. And not all in negative ways. There are a lot of positives to a lot of these relationships too, even when the people are fighting? And I just really like that nuance.
Ana: It's families, right?
Renay: Yeah.
Ana: It's not about disliking or hating but, there is an element of disapproving. And sometimes the disapproval is worse than the outright hatred in many ways, especially when it's coming from someone that you love and loves you back. And that sense of disapproval is something that she gets from a lot of members from—of her family from just daring to do different stuff.
Renay: Yeah, it was very fascinating to watch Okorafor deepen the culture. And it's not a monolith at all, and I don't know why I assumed it would be. I mean in Binti we learn about the Himba a little bit but in the sequel we really, really see some of the differences between the culture that were not visible in the first novella.
Ana: Absolutely.
Renay: This really, really deepens Binti's family, her family history, her future within her family, and I know I'm missing a lot of cultural references but even if something confused me it didn't feel out of place.
Ana: One of the main things about Binti herself is how rooted she is in tradition, right? How important it is that she feels the things that does. So the use of the otize that she carries with her and how deeply rooted that is in her very sense of self. The question of foundation: of where she comes from and of things that she carries with herself is kind of like overturned here. Because she learns that she is not really completely what she thought she was? And there are other elements to her tradition, to her genetics, to her past, that she was not aware of. and that comes with a lot of tension and internalized racism that's so well done here, because it takes the first book what made Binti so strong and because she had such a strong root and it kind of like just takes that away from her in a way. So where does she go from here?
Renay: Also neat about this book was her friendship with Okwu which is really intimate but also way more formal than I expected because they don't talk about serious issues very much. Like they don't talk about Binti's experience on the ship when Okwu's people kills all her friends, and they talk about how she struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety and panic attacks, but they still feel like really really close friends. and one of the best parts of this novella I thought was when they went to this lake that's salty and Okwu just goes into it and Binti watches it communing with snails.
Ana: That was one of the few moments of levity in this novella.
Renay: Yeah, it's kind of like Okwu gives Binti a place to just be herself without having to put on a mask or be outwardly strong. That's how it felt to me. Cause we see her get very tense around her family, but then she goes to Okwu and she can relax a little because Okwu just accepts Binti as she is. When they arrive at her family and her father has made Okwu its own little tent —note how it describes Binti's father, it's like "You are Binti's father." It defines him by Binti.
Ana: That was very cool.
Renay: I wanted this book because of friendship and I got it! I got exactly what I wanted!
Ana: Yeah, and then it ends on that horrible cliffhanger.
Renay: Oh my god. Okorafor what are you doing, are you trying to kill me?
Renay: Where is the next novella? I need it.
Ana: Is—is it gonna be like in two years?
Renay: Oh god I hope not, oh my god.
Ana: Oh I was not expecting that to be like this. I did not realize it was going to be a trilogy. I thought it was just a sequel without it actually being a cliffhanger of intergalactic proportions waiting for me in the end.
Renay: I knew there was going to be another book, but I got to the last like five pages and I'm like "Nothing is resolved, everything is up in the air, holy shit, what's gonna happen?" And then I hit the cliffhanger and that cliffhanger…I'm talking Knife of Never Letting Go levels of screaming when I reached that end. I'm like WHAT. WHAT, you can't— what, what are you doing you can't stop it there! What! I was so upset, Ana.
Ana: Yeah, I was so upset too. I was like—
Renay: I need to know what happens. But overall I got everything I wanted from this novella, I'm super excited I wanna also give eight thousand awards, that'd be great.
Ana: I was really pleased. I thought it was as good as the first one.
Renay: Okay, so how many space bees are we giving this novella?
Ana: Six.
Renay: Nine.
Ana: [gasp]
Renay: I had to top you.
Renay: Okay, we know how many space bees we're gonna give it, but how many space bees are we giving that cliffhanger?
Ana: Oh my god, it depends. It depends how—how do you approach a cliffhanger? Do you like it or do you hate it? Like, do we give it minus space bees because it's a cliffhanger? Or do we give it like a million space bees because it's an amazing cliffhanger.
Renay: So great but so painful on a scale of one to ten.
Renay: Yeah, how many space bees do we do that, how many bees are we giving this? I'm giving this 10,000 bees.
Ana: A whole beehive. Nnedi Okorafor is queen bee.
Renay: I think she's like, "I know what you guys want, you wanna be tortured for a few months, here you go." Or years, ugh, god, Ana what if we have to wait years?
Ana: I don't know what I'm gonna do.
Renay: You know how people are like "George R.R. Martin, where's your next book!"
Ana: Oh no.
Renay: I do that but with this series. Congratulations Nnedi Okorafor you're now the next George R.R. Martin of my heart. I'm coming for you on Twitter. "When's your next book? I need it, I need it."
[Music: Moody by Chuki Beats]
Renay: Okay, it's time for some recs. Ana, hit me with your rec.
Ana: I am gonna recommend a TV show that I just caught up with. It's Westworld. I really, really loved this. It's Lost meets Battlestar Galactica. It has tons of AIs. Its female characters are amazing; I love them to bits and they are the main characters of the show. It's everything I wanted it to be and it was—and it was better than I thought it was gonna be given the reviews that I read, and I just completely loved it. I'm completely obsessed about it. The soundtrack is amazing. So I highly recommend it.
Renay: I haven't seen Lost or Battlestar Galactica in full.
Ana: [creepy whisper] I don't know what I'm gonna do about you.
Renay: [laughter] Put me in the naughty corner for not watching your favorite media.
Ana: Well I haven't watched Sailor Moon, so.
Renay: That's true. That's a moral failing right there.
Ana: Excuse me. Not having watched Lost or Battlestar Galactica is a geek failing and that's worse.
Renay: Oh my god. This got vicious really fast.
Ana: Wow! [laughter]
Renay: I see what you really think of me now.
Ana: [laughter] Sorry, I just wanted to get back at you for saying I was a moral failing.
Renay: Good work.
Ana: What about you, Renay, what's your recommendation?
Renay: Mine is another political rec. People are like, "Goddammit I'm ready for her to go back to fanfic recs now. This is terrible."
Renay: So, it is a site and/or mailing list called What the Fuck Just Happened Today.com, where you can get a summary of the day's news. And I subscribe to their mailing list and I pair it with a subscription to the Washington Post and that's the news I take because otherwise I would be like Ana, sinking into the abyss of Twitter every single breaking news story. I can't handle that. I can't handle it. It's too much, I gotta take a break sometimes for my own mental health.
It's a nice summary if you're looking for a place to just pick up headlines. They also provide links. It puts all the shenanigans into one thing so you can schedule some time to look at it without having to be inundated with it on twitter and it may be for you if you need that kinda thing. It's been really helping me so it might also help you.
And they also have a website so you don't have to subscribe you can go on the website too, because I know some people don't like to give out their email. Apparently I just give my email out to whoever wants it. It's like, "You want me email, sure have—sure, give me some actionable items, give me some news, hit me."
Ana: Desperate times, man, desperate times.
Renay: All right Ana, tell everybody what we're going to be discussing next.
Ana: On our next Friday episode, we'll be discussing: dun dun DUUUUUUUN! The King of Atollia by Megan Whalen Turner, also Black Panther Volume One: A Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze. We will also be reading Viscera by Gabriel Squalia. Also in a few weeks we'll be doing a deep dive into Sunshine by Robin McKinley so if you want to join in grab your copy and get reading.
[Music: Happy Summer Love by BoxCat Games]
Renay: It's the end of episode 73! This episode was brought to you by the "supposed to come out last Friday but Renay was diseased so now we're in this reality" death plague.
Ana: I'm glad that you're feeling better now Renay.
Renay: Yes, thumbs up. Follow us on twitter at @fangirlpodcast because we're way more likely to cut loose over there with a proper tickle. If you don't Twitter we'd still love to hear from you, our email is fangirlhappyhour@gmail.com. You can subscribe to the show if you new or tell us a friend if you've been here a while. We're cool folks and we'll treat them right, promise.
Ana: Our music this week is by Boxcat Games, Broke For Free, and Chuki Beats, our show art was made by Ira and you can find links to their work in our show notes plus information about the books we discussed. Susan has been creating excellent transcripts of episode 68 onwards, and you can read them on our website. Everyone please send thanks to Susan on twitter via @Spindilly for being super great and helping us out with that.
Renay: Drink some water. Get some sleep. Call your reps.
Ana: Persist.
Renay: Thanks for listening, space bees.
Ana: See you next episode.
[Music: Happy Summer Love by Chuki Beats]
Renay: Hey, hey, stop licking yourself.
Ana: Mmf.
Renay: You're just sitting here beside me here going [slurping noises]. That's what you sound like, Loki. Give me a break.
Ana: Oh god, it's gross. [laughter]
Renay: Can you hear him?
Ana: I could hear my stomach. Are you sure it's him and not my stomach?
Renay: No, it's definitely him.
Ana: Cause I'm very hungry.
Renay: Oh my god, Ana, maybe you should go get a snack.


text:
10 things you need to know about the Mediterranean Crisis
In 2016, Médecins Sans Frontières had teams on board three boats, the Dignity I, Bourbon Argos and the MV Aquarius (run in partnership with SOS MEDITERRANEE). From the beginning of operations in April until 29 November, these three teams directly rescued 19,708 people from overcrowded boats and assisted a further 7,117 people with safe transfer to Italy and medical care. At least one in seven of those rescued on the Mediterranean were helped by Médecins Sans Frontières teams.
The MSF team carries a corpse to the morgue aboard the Bourbon Argos. © Borja Ruiz Rodriguez / MSF
2016 is already the deadliest year on record and it's not even over yet
Since 1 January, at least 4,690 men, women and children have died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. That's nearly 1,000 more than in all of 2015 and still with some weeks left to go. This is due to a significant increase in mortality as around 1 in 41 people who attempted to flee Libya by boat, died trying. Despite the shocking figures and the immense loss of life the European response in the Central Mediterranean has been to declare "war on smugglers" and focus on deterrence measures and the externalization of borders, rather than on saving lives and enabling a safe passage into the EU.
On 8 June three boats containing approximately 150 people each were rescued in the Mediterranean Sea by the Bourbon Argos and taken to Sicily, Italy. © Sara Creta / MSF
Men, women and children are being packed into even poorer quality boats
In 2016, Médecins Sans Frontières teams rescued people from 134 extremely poor quality rubber boats, and 19 wooden boats. The large wooden boats of 2014 and 2015 are all but gone and have been replaced by cheap, single-use inflatables that the smugglers assume will be intercepted at some point by the search and destroy operations launched by the international military in the high seas. These shockingly low quality boats have led to tragedy after tragedy with our teams recovering the bodies of people who have asphyxiated, crushed by the weight of hundreds of others in the dinghy. Or those who drowned in the bottom of a boat in a toxic mix of sea water and gasoline.
A rescue of 700 people aboard an overcrowded wooden boat in the Central Mediterranean Sea. © Maria Carla Giugliano / MSF
Smugglers are more ruthless than ever
People we've rescued have told us told us they were kept in caves, ditches or holes in the ground for days or even weeks before being forced on a boat and sent out to sea. We've heard stories of executions, horrific ill-treatment and sexual abuse which in some cases amounted to torture. We have seen fewer people equipped with life jackets, food, water and other supplies for the journey or even with a sufficient amount of fuel. We've seen rescues come in waves and at all hours of the day or night. Smugglers are sending people out in large flotillas at odd hours in the hope they will escape the mechanism of control, dissuasion and interception imposed by restrictive policies or that even if some are captured, the majority will get through and be rescued.
© Fabian Mondl / MSF
Large numbers of unaccompanied kids are braving the sea alone
16% of arrivals to Italy are children, 88% of those are unaccompanied. One family rescued by the Aquarius was headed by a 10yo boy, travelling alone with his siblings, all of whom were young enough to still be in nappies.
On 12 September a healthy baby boy was born on board MV Aquarius, to Nigerian parents who named him Newman Otas. Mother Faith recounts "I was very stressed on the rubber boat, sitting on the floor of the boat with the other women and children. Panicking that I would go into labor. I could feel my baby moving, he would move down and then move back up again. I had been having contractions for three days." MSF Midwife Jonquil Nicholl delivered the baby "A very normal birth in dangerously abnormal conditions. I am filled with horror at the thought of what would have happened if this baby had arrived 24 hours earlier. And 48 hours previously they were waiting on a beach in Libya not knowing what was ahead of them. How can this still this still happen in 2016? That families, vulnerable people, pregnant women, tiny babies and unborn babies are forced to risk their lives in the Mediterranean Sea when they should be receiving assistance and protection." © Alva White / MSF
Many women we rescue are pregnant, many of the pregnancies are a result of rape
Some of the babies are very much wanted and come simply at a difficult time, whilst many others are the result of rape in Libya, on the road, or in the countries of origin. Many women we rescue, especially those travelling alone recount horrific stories of rape and sexual abuse in Libya. The threat of rape is so well known in fact that some women opt to have long term contraceptive implants put in their arm before they travel to ensure they do not become pregnant. In 2016, four babies were born on our rescue boats. It's awful to think what would have happened if their labour had started earlier or had they been rescued by merchant ships without proper medics.
© Nicolás Castellano / SER / MSF
MSF is not assisting people smugglers nor are we smugglers ourselves
Let's make this point clear, Médecins Sans Frontières are not people smugglers nor are we an anti-smuggling operation! We're in the Mediterranean to save lives pure and simple. Smugglers are exploiting some of the most vulnerable people in the world for profit and their business model exists in part due to the lack of any safe and legal alternatives for people to be able to reach Europe. The instability and economic crisis in Libya is also a major factor in the proliferation of smuggling networks.
© Fabian Mondl / SOS MEDITERRANEE / MSF
It's not only women and children who are vulnerable
Each and every person we rescue has a story of hardship and whilst women and children have very specific vulnerabilities that need special care and attention, men too have weaknesses that are often more difficult to see. Some flee wars they want no part in, others torture, forced conscription and mass human rights violation, others face discrimination based on their sexuality, violence, persecution, extreme poverty and destitution.
Arriving in Europe. © Mohammad Ghannam / MSF
Europe is far from the top destination for the world's refugees and other migrants
The vast majority of refugees and other migrants have sought refuge or employment in their own region. According to UNHCR data, none of the top hosting countries for refugees Turkey, Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad are in Europe but combined they provide refuge for more than half of the world's refugees. Europe has only received a tiny percentage of the world's refugees.
Dr Erna Rijnierse onboard the search and rescue vessel MV Aquarius treating violence-related injuries on Anon from Nigeria. © Alva White / MSF
Refugees and migrants endure horrific violence and abuse in Libya
No matter their reasons for being in Libya in the first place, the violence and mistreatment refugees and migrants suffer there mean they simply have to get out. According to the people interviewed by our teams, men, women and, increasingly unaccompanied children (some as young as 8 years old) living or transiting through Libya are suffering abuse at the hands of smugglers, armed groups and private individuals who exploit the desperation of those fleeing conflict, persecution or poverty. The abuses reported include being subjected to violence (including sexual violence), kidnapping, arbitrary detention in inhumane conditions, torture and other forms of ill-treatment, financial exploitation and forced labour
Refugees, migrants and asylum seekers held in a detention centre in Tripoli, Libya. © Ricardo Garcia Vilanova / MSF
Intercepting boats leaving Libya is not a solution
Preventing people from leaving Libya condemns them to further ill-treatment and physical, sexual, financial and psychological abuse at the hands of smugglers. The Libyan Coast Guard is expected, according to the training plan initiated by the European Union, to play a key role in future policies of containment within Libyan territory carrying out interception, search, rescue and return operations in Libyan waters. Our experience shows that intercepting overcrowded and unseaworthy boats can be extremely dangerous in this context and can exacerbate the risks faced by those desperate to reach a place of safety.
Mediterranean: MSF assisted in rescues involving 3,000 people in a single day
Libya, Italy
Mediterranean: Waiting for Europe to react
Libya, Greece, Italy

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Snickerdoodles + Cheesecake = OMG! (Recipe below) Check out more awesome videos at BuzzFeedVideo! http://bit.ly/YTbuzzfeedvideo GET MORE BUZZFEED: www.buzzfeed.com www.buzzfeed.com/video www.buzzfeed.com/videoteam www.youtube.com/buzzfeedvideo www.youtube.com/buzzfeedyellow www.youtube.com/buzzfeedblue www.youtube.com/buzzfeedviolet www.youtube.com/buzzfeed BuzzFeedVideo BuzzFeed Motion Picture's flagship channel. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, always shareable. New videos posted daily! MUSIC Cool Cat Swing Walk - Full Licensed via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc. Made by BFMP www.buzzfeed.com/videoteam. SNICKERDOODLE CHEESECAKE BARS Serves 15 INGREDIENTS Crust 15 graham crackers, crushed 4 tablespoons butter, melted Cheesecake Filling 16 ounces cream cheese, softened ¾ cup sugar ⅓ cup sour cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs Cookie Topping ¾ cup butter, softened 1 ½ cups sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 cups flour Cinnamon and sugar PREPARATION 1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. 2. In a bowl, mix the crust ingredients. Press into the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. 3. In another bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. 4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Spread over the graham cracker crust. 5. In another bowl, the butter and sugar for 2 minutes until creamy. 6. Add the egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly. 7. Add the dry ingredients and mix until crumbly. Press handfuls of the dough into discs, and lay over the cheesecake filling, reserving 1 cup of dough to sprinkle over the top. 8. Bake for 35 minutes, cool completely, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. 9. Enjoy!
MIxing cheeses with wines: http://bit.ly/tripesalamode The French Chef is a television cooking show created and hosted by Julia Child and produced and broadcast by WGBH, the public television station in Boston, Massachusetts, from February 11, 1963 to 1973. It was one of the first cooking shows on television. This is the second episode from the third series. All rights belong to the Cooking Channel. Bon appétit!
Braided Raspberry Cream Cheese Danish | Cream Cheese Danish Recipe! So I have a serious obsession with all things cream cheese. ESPECIALLY cream cheese Danishes. I could eat them all day every day. So since my cravings lately have been insane, I decided to share this delicious and beautiful braided raspberry cream cheese Danish recipe with you! This is hands down in my top 10 favorite desserts/breakfasts. Don't judge me, yes, I said breakfasts. I gave the extra Danish to my in laws and not even an hour passed and my mother in law called me saying "OHH MYYY GOSHHH THAT IS THE BEST DANISH I'VE EVER HAD." Followed by my father in law wowing over how it is just as good as anything from cheesecake factory. No joke, this thing is insane! Although it is not completely homemade, sometimes cheating just makes more sense. Puff pastry is an all-day process of folding and refrigerating over and over again. It just isn't practical for families nowadays to make. And the store bought is absolutely delicious! Do yourself a favor and make this Danish this weekend! Anyone who tastes it will love you! Thank you for watching! MY HOMEMADE JAM RECIPE: https://goo.gl/jn8Fqn KEEP AN EYE ON ME: • INSTAGRAM: http://www.instagram.com/mrsbudzyn • FACEBOOOK: https://goo.gl/VYPIVs • SNAPCHAT: CBUDZYN5 • GOOGLE+: https://goo.gl/h1bWyR ------------------------------------------------- | Ingredients | RASPBERRY SAUCE: ¾ Cup Frozen Raspberries 3 Tablespoons Water 1 ½ Tablespoons Cornstarch ½ Cup Sugar FILLING: 1 8 Ounce Package Cream Cheese (Softened at Room Temperature) ½ Cup Sugar 1 Egg Yolk ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice PASTRY: 1 Box Puff Pastry (2 Sheets), Thawed FROSTING: 1 Cup Powdered Sugar ¼ Cup Heavy Cream or Milk 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1 Egg for Egg Wash + 1 Tablespoon Water 2 Teaspoons Coarse Sugar for Sprinkling | Directions | RASPBERRY SAUCE: In a medium heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine all the sauce ingredients and stir over medium high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-8 minutes or until thickened. Set aside. FILLING: In a standing mixer, beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. About 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat another 2 minutes scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla, lemon juice, egg, and mix until combined. Set aside. PASTRY Unfold puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, lightly roll to make them an even square. You don't need much pressure, just about 5 rolls here and there should suffice. Divide the cream cheese mixture into halves and smear each half onto the center of the pastries. Add a few tablespoons of the raspberry sauce on top lightly spreading it. With a butter knife, cut to make a rectangle at the top and bottom of the pastry. Fold the flaps over and pinch to seal. This will prevent leaks while the pastry bakes. Next, make 5-8 slits on each side, making sure each side has the same amount. Starting from the bottom, fold each flap over onto the other side. Like a braid, continue until you reach the end and pinch to seal. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. ICING: Combine powdered Sugar, vanilla, and cream whisking until full incorporated. Add more cream until you achieve your desired consistency. Make sure it isn't too thin so it will not run off the Danish. Drizzle the icing over the Danishes and enjoy! *Refrigerate if not enjoyed immediately.
Wine is a 1913 short comedy film featuring Fatty Arbuckle.


WATERLOO, ON, June 19, 2003 – The Clarica Scholars Program, in partnership with Acadia University and the University of Waterloo, has selected 31 schools from across Canada to participate in its 2003 program that is aimed at exploring the use of technology in the classroom. Clarica is a member of the Sun Life Financial group of companies.
This is the third year of the program that helps teachers and students work together to complete computer-based projects that integrate technology with education and to uncover tools and skills that they can apply in their own schools after completing the one-week session at either Acadia or Waterloo.
Clarica has provided $900,000 to the program that brings together teams of two teachers and two students each year for a total of 384 teachers and students who will have benefitted from the three-year program.
"Students and teachers gain knowledge that they can take with them upon completing the program. It is valuable to all the participants and their fellow students and teachers at home who may not be directly involved in the classroom session," says Judy Noel Walsh, Program Manager for the Clarica Scholars Program at Acadia University.
The program also continues to demonstrate Clarica's leadership in incorporating knowledge management and e-learning for individual and organizational capability development – using technology to help staff learn and interact with one another.
Also this year, Acadia University, APTICA (Advancement Pedagogique des technologies de l'information et de la communication en Atlantique) and Clarica have launched a new program, Innovations Cyberpédagogiques, which will connect Francophone teachers, students and experts for a dynamic and collaborative technology experience this summer.
Innovations Cyberpédagogiques: Programme Scolaire de Clarica will identify, train, and support a core group of teachers and students from middle and secondary Francophone schools across Canada to prepare them to be leaders in advancing technology and teaching in their classrooms. Funding for this latest program is being provided by Industry Canada.
The Innovations Cyberpédagogiques program is based on the highly successful Clarica Scholars Program that has fostered technology innovation in over 70 schools across Canada. Since the inception of this program over three years ago, the goal was to involve schools from both English and French communities. This year this vision becomes a reality with distinct week-long experiences available in both official languages.
Teams at Acadia University focus on integration strategies, while Waterloo participants develop computer software for classroom teaching. Students and teachers can also continue to share their ideas, evaluate projects and exchange their results with other Clarica scholars once the program is finished.
Acadia University, located in Nova Scotia, is a leader in innovation and excellence in the classroom. The Acadia Advantage Program provides students with access to information and a network of resources. The Acadia Institute for Teaching and Technology was created in 1996 and has trained more than 1,400 teachers to effectively integrate technology with educational activities.
Ontario's University of Waterloo is respected for its emphasis on technology and related programs. The Centre for Learning and Teaching Through Technology is the focal point for UW's strategic capabilities for innovation in educational technology through partnerships with leading Canadian and international organizations.
Sun Life Financial helps individual Canadians achieve lifetime security by providing investment, life and health insurance solutions through approximately 4,100 Clarica managers and advisors located across the country.
Sun Life Financial Services of Canada Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under ticker symbol "SLF".


text:
No Encore, Just Curtains
By JERRY TALLMER
Applause Books, an Upper West Side theater mainstay, plans to shutter
On Saturday, July 30, 2005, the monster sale ends and the applause stops. As of that date, Applause Books, in the words of the man who founded it and run it for 25 years, "is history." Kaput. Gone away. Closed.
If you want to know why—and quite a few lovers of theater certainly do—it all came to a head the day this past winter that a well-dressed young woman descended the 16 steps at 211 West 71st Street, just off the corner of Broadway, and marched herself into Glenn Young's bookshop.
"A designer-dressed young woman," as Young tells it over a morning cup of coffee. "She didn't know plays, she didn't know authors, she didn't know titles. She went around and gathered up a large armful of books, and when I said, 'Can I ring these up for you?' she looked surprised and said, 'Oh, you mean I can't just check them out like at the library?'
"I was willing to give my time, my energy, and do without pay, but when a woman far better-dressed than anybody who ever worked in my bookshop is asking if she could have a batch of books for free, I made the decision to stop the whole thing."
The monster sale, which began in March, runs month by month until the closing. Through June 10, all purchases adding up to $50 or more earn a 50-percent discount. Thereafter, all sales totaling $60 or more get a $60 discount.
Applause Books wasn't just a bookstore, a vital New York City source of works "on all aspects of theatre, film, and dance." (Maybe Glenn Young's deep-buried prime mistake was to spell "theatre" that way, the civilized "re" way.) Applause was also a vital theatrical publishing house, its 500 titles glorified by three collections of the drawings and paintings of Broadway's great Al Hirschfeld.
"Al had the ability," says Young, "to see the spine of a play as the creators themselves often didn't quite grasp. When they saw what he'd drawn they'd say: 'Yes, that's what we want… ' Sometimes a director would miss the mark, sometimes an actor would miss the mark, but Al Hirschfeld never missed the mark."
Young sold off 70 percent of the publishing operation three years ago, and the rest last year, but under a new imprint, Glenn Young Books, he will bring out "Hirschfeld's British Isles" in the fall, and a new Working Arts Library will plunge into DVD and video operations.
The list of actors, writers, scholars, authors and others who have appeared over the years in readings or performances at Applause is long and impressive, from Stella Adler to (alphabetically) Lanford Wilson, with what seems like everybody in the world in between.
Glenn Young blames nobody for the demise of Applause Books, not his landlord, not his banker, not the huge chain bookstores like Barnes & Noble or Borders, or other corporate monoliths. Yet in a sense he blames, well, everybody. Cheerfully blames, you might say. He absolutely declines to cry woe.
"The only reason we're closing is because people stopped coming," he says.
Over that cup of coffee he further said, "Twenty years ago, our regulars shopped for books the way Imelda Marcos shopped for shoes. They might come in looking for 'The Cherry Orchard' and end up buying five or six different 'Cherry Orchids.' Today there is not the same appetite for just reading."
Everything, of course, or what seems like everything, is now available over the Internet. Even I, said I, use the Internet to look up things like, say, a certain poem by E.E. Cummings or Dylan Thomas. "So do I," said Glenn Young, "but my bookshop used to be a sort of communal meeting place. Now everything is much more laser-driven, almost as if the shop has become an Internet site where they push the buy button and that's all they want."
Some people have said: "Glenn, if you just set all this up on the Internet, you'd be fine."
His response: "I have no interest in that. It's like going to the theatre on the Internet, like going to church on television."
Glenn Young, who was born in Chicago on January 28, 1953, came out of Yale and Yale Drama intending to be a playwright.
"My dad, Mike Young, an architect who'd studied with Mies Van der Rohe, designed a hundred school buildings in Chicago. My mother, Julie Young [both parents are alive and well], was chief of floral design for Marshall Fields on State Street. Some people are born to sit by the phone and wait. I am not one of those people. It would drive me nuts. I was writing and sending out plays, and can still remember the scraping sound of the mailbox when they were returned to me. I'm simply not cut out to be a suppliant."
One day in 1980 he was walking uptown from some commedia he'd just seen when, next door to his favorite bar, McGlade's (now defunct), Columbus Avenue at 67th, he saw a FOR RENT sign.
"A man came out of the door and said: 'If you're interested in that property, talk to me.' And that property is where Glenn Young launched his bookstore. "On my way through the door I thought of the name 'Applause,' expecting I'd later pick a better name. Which of course I never did."
In 1985, with the original site facing demolition, he moved bag and baggage to 71st Street. He lives one block away, with the lady of his life, Helen Kim, the head of Creative Edge, a service that broadens career opportunities for classical musicians.
No, he resolutely does not blame his landlord. "My landlord, Larry Ingenito, is a prince. My attorney suggested that my landlord might not want to be known as a nice guy. Larry said: 'Please, call me a nice guy.'"
And now? Now, Glenn Young, who in the past has taught advanced playwriting and script analysis at Columbia and Wesleyan, would like to return to teaching.
"Every culture has a right to its own constituents," he says. "Well, the culture has shifted. When you see a dream evaporate… "
Young isn't waiting for the scrape of script against mailbox, or for a well-dressed young woman to pay cash for six different versions of "The Cherry Orchard." Unless, of course, she wants to do it right now, at a 50 percent discount… 60 percent as the door is closing …
Applause Books at 211 West 71st Street (212-496-7511) is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sunday, noon-6 p.m.


What does the Spirit of CrossFit entail?
One of our rules at the 360Vida Box is that, until all athletes have finished their WODs, no one packs their weights away. Why? To instil in our members an ethos of camaraderie and a spirit of support.
The competitive, supportive and encouraging spirit we have found in abundance at the Box is not necessarily something that is unique to CrossFit – it is (generally) what the human spirit is all about, it is the human way of doing things and living; CrossFit just gives this spirit a platform to reveal itself.
As human beings we thrive on positive feedback, being part of a community with similar goals and in a happy, uplifting, fun environment. When we feel supported, understood and taken care of we perform optimally. Within the CrossFit setup, all of these elements are present because of the way that classes are run and the nature of the workouts. CrossFit is really tough – it takes you down to your weakest weaknesses and your strongest strengths - no matter your level, no one gets off lightly, meaning that everyone's in the same boat at the end.
HOW DOES THE SPIRIT OF CROSSFIT MANIFEST ITSELF?
The CrossFit Box has created a space where people can be themselves; if you were looking for a definition of the spirit of CrossFit, that would be it!
High intensity workouts take people out of their comfort zones, challenge athletes in those movements that come naturally and those that don't, and grow both their confidence and their humility. Due to the fact that no athlete is defined as being elite or better or more than another, the community comes together to help everyone grow. Because we don't label our athletes at CrossFit 360Vida, no one is elite and everyone is growing all the time.
The competitive side of CrossFit gives people a chance to be aggressive, determined and driven in a way that isn't going to cause damage. This is ambition. Yet even in the midst of a gruelling WOD, outward expressions of the supportive and community spirit are evident.
Although most WODs are individual efforts, we often see our athletes coming together to support others once their work is complete; especially when someone is struggling. Whether through words of encouragement, more time spent with that athlete by the coaches, or other athletes joining in to do the reps with the athlete – there is a spirit of recognition by other athletes that this person needs support and empathy; and it is given selflessly.
The spirit of CrossFit is finishing a tough workout, identifying that an athlete is struggling with something you've just slogged through, and supporting them in any way that you can to help them finish. It is remembering that you're not quite done with your workout until the last person is done!


text:
package org.lwjgl.vulkan;

import java.nio.*;

import org.lwjgl.*;
import org.lwjgl.system.*;

import static org.lwjgl.system.MemoryUtil.*;
import static org.lwjgl.system.MemoryStack.*;

/**
 * Structure specifying parameters of a newly created display plane surface object.
 *
 *
Description

 *
 *

Note

 *
 *
Creating a display surface must not modify the state of the displays, planes, or other resources it names. For example, it must not apply the specified mode to be set on the associated display. Application of display configuration occurs as a side effect of presenting to a display surface.

 *

 *
 *
Valid Usage

 *
 *

 *
{@code planeIndex} must be less than the number of display planes supported by the device as determined by calling {@link KHRDisplay#vkGetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR GetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR}

 *
If the {@code planeReorderPossible} member of the {@link VkDisplayPropertiesKHR} structure returned by {@link KHRDisplay#vkGetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPropertiesKHR GetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPropertiesKHR} for the display corresponding to {@code displayMode} is {@link VK10#VK_TRUE TRUE} then {@code planeStackIndex} must be less than the number of display planes supported by the device as determined by calling {@link KHRDisplay#vkGetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR GetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR}; otherwise {@code planeStackIndex} must equal the {@code currentStackIndex} member of {@link VkDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR} returned by {@link KHRDisplay#vkGetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR GetPhysicalDeviceDisplayPlanePropertiesKHR} for the display plane corresponding to {@code displayMode}

 *
If {@code alphaMode} is {@link KHRDisplay#VK_DISPLAY_PLANE_ALPHA_GLOBAL_BIT_KHR DISPLAY_PLANE_ALPHA_GLOBAL_BIT_KHR} then {@code globalAlpha} must be between 0 and 1, inclusive

 *
{@code alphaMode} must be 0 or one of the bits present in the {@code supportedAlpha} member of {@link VkDisplayPlaneCapabilitiesKHR} returned by {@link KHRDisplay#vkGetDisplayPlaneCapabilitiesKHR GetDisplayPlaneCapabilitiesKHR} for the display plane corresponding to {@code displayMode}

 *
The {@code width} and {@code height} members of {@code imageExtent} must be less than the {@code maxImageDimensions2D} member of {@link VkPhysicalDeviceLimits}

 *

 *
 *
Valid Usage (Implicit)

 *
 *

 *
{@code sType} must be {@link KHRDisplay#VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DISPLAY_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR STRUCTURE_TYPE_DISPLAY_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR}

 *
{@code pNext} must be {@code NULL}

 *
{@code flags} must be 0

 *
{@code displayMode} must be a valid {@code VkDisplayModeKHR} handle

 *
{@code transform} must be a valid {@code VkSurfaceTransformFlagBitsKHR} value

 *
{@code alphaMode} must be a valid {@code VkDisplayPlaneAlphaFlagBitsKHR} value

 *

 *
 *
See Also

 *
 *
{@link VkExtent2D}, {@link KHRDisplay#vkCreateDisplayPlaneSurfaceKHR CreateDisplayPlaneSurfaceKHR}

 *
 *
Member documentation

 *
 *

 *
{@code sType} – the type of this structure and must be {@link KHRDisplay#VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DISPLAY_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR STRUCTURE_TYPE_DISPLAY_SURFACE_CREATE_INFO_KHR}.

 *
{@code pNext} – {@code NULL} or a pointer to an extension-specific structure.

 *
{@code flags} – reserved for future use, and must be zero.

 *
{@code displayMode} – the mode to use when displaying this surface.

 *
{@code planeIndex} – the plane on which this surface appears.

 *
{@code planeStackIndex} – the z-order of the plane.

 *
{@code transform} – the transform to apply to the images as part of the scanout operation.

 *
{@code globalAlpha} – the global alpha value. This value is ignored if {@code alphaMode} is not {@link KHRDisplay#VK_DISPLAY_PLANE_ALPHA_GLOBAL_BIT_KHR DISPLAY_PLANE_ALPHA_GLOBAL_BIT_KHR}.

 *
{@code alphaMode} – the type of alpha blending to use.

 *

 *
 *
Layout

 *
 *
struct VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR {
    VkStructureType sType;
    const void * pNext;
    VkDisplaySurfaceCreateFlagsKHR flags;
    VkDisplayModeKHR displayMode;
    uint32_t planeIndex;
    uint32_t planeStackIndex;
    VkSurfaceTransformFlagBitsKHR transform;
    float globalAlpha;
    VkDisplayPlaneAlphaFlagBitsKHR alphaMode;
    {@link VkExtent2D VkExtent2D} imageExtent;
}

 */
public class VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR extends Struct implements NativeResource {

	/** The struct size in bytes. */
	public static final int SIZEOF;

	public static final int ALIGNOF;

	/** The struct member offsets. */
	public static final int
		STYPE,
		PNEXT,
		FLAGS,
		DISPLAYMODE,
		PLANEINDEX,
		PLANESTACKINDEX,
		TRANSFORM,
		GLOBALALPHA,
		ALPHAMODE,
		IMAGEEXTENT;

	static {
		Layout layout = __struct(
			__member(4),
			__member(POINTER_SIZE),
			__member(4),
			__member(8),
			__member(4),
			__member(4),
			__member(4),
			__member(4),
			__member(4),
			__member(VkExtent2D.SIZEOF, VkExtent2D.ALIGNOF)
		);

		SIZEOF = layout.getSize();
		ALIGNOF = layout.getAlignment();

		STYPE = layout.offsetof(0);
		PNEXT = layout.offsetof(1);
		FLAGS = layout.offsetof(2);
		DISPLAYMODE = layout.offsetof(3);
		PLANEINDEX = layout.offsetof(4);
		PLANESTACKINDEX = layout.offsetof(5);
		TRANSFORM = layout.offsetof(6);
		GLOBALALPHA = layout.offsetof(7);
		ALPHAMODE = layout.offsetof(8);
		IMAGEEXTENT = layout.offsetof(9);
	}

	VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR(long address, ByteBuffer container) {
		super(address, container);
	}

	/**
	 * Creates a {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance at the current position of the specified {@link ByteBuffer} container. Changes to the buffer's content will be
	 * visible to the struct instance and vice versa.
	 *
	 *
The created instance holds a strong reference to the container object.

	 */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR(ByteBuffer container) {
		this(memAddress(container), checkContainer(container, SIZEOF));
	}

	@Override
	public int sizeof() { return SIZEOF; }

	/** Returns the value of the {@code sType} field. */
	public int sType() { return nsType(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code pNext} field. */
	public long pNext() { return npNext(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code flags} field. */
	public int flags() { return nflags(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code displayMode} field. */
	public long displayMode() { return ndisplayMode(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code planeIndex} field. */
	public int planeIndex() { return nplaneIndex(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code planeStackIndex} field. */
	public int planeStackIndex() { return nplaneStackIndex(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code transform} field. */
	public int transform() { return ntransform(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code globalAlpha} field. */
	public float globalAlpha() { return nglobalAlpha(address()); }
	/** Returns the value of the {@code alphaMode} field. */
	public int alphaMode() { return nalphaMode(address()); }
	/** Returns a {@link VkExtent2D} view of the {@code imageExtent} field. */
	public VkExtent2D imageExtent() { return nimageExtent(address()); }

	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code sType} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR sType(int value) { nsType(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code pNext} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR pNext(long value) { npNext(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code flags} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR flags(int value) { nflags(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code displayMode} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR displayMode(long value) { ndisplayMode(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code planeIndex} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR planeIndex(int value) { nplaneIndex(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code planeStackIndex} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR planeStackIndex(int value) { nplaneStackIndex(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code transform} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR transform(int value) { ntransform(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code globalAlpha} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR globalAlpha(float value) { nglobalAlpha(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Sets the specified value to the {@code alphaMode} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR alphaMode(int value) { nalphaMode(address(), value); return this; }
	/** Copies the specified {@link VkExtent2D} to the {@code imageExtent} field. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR imageExtent(VkExtent2D value) { nimageExtent(address(), value); return this; }

	/** Initializes this struct with the specified values. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR set(
		int sType,
		long pNext,
		int flags,
		long displayMode,
		int planeIndex,
		int planeStackIndex,
		int transform,
		float globalAlpha,
		int alphaMode,
		VkExtent2D imageExtent
	) {
		sType(sType);
		pNext(pNext);
		flags(flags);
		displayMode(displayMode);
		planeIndex(planeIndex);
		planeStackIndex(planeStackIndex);
		transform(transform);
		globalAlpha(globalAlpha);
		alphaMode(alphaMode);
		imageExtent(imageExtent);

		return this;
	}

	/** Unsafe version of {@link #set(VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR) set}. */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR nset(long struct) {
		memCopy(struct, address(), SIZEOF);
		return this;
	}

	/**
	 * Copies the specified struct data to this struct.
	 *
	 * @param src the source struct
	 *
	 * @return this struct
	 */
	public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR set(VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR src) {
		return nset(src.address());
	}

	// -----------------------------------

	/** Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated with {@link MemoryUtil#memAlloc memAlloc}. The instance must be explicitly freed. */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR malloc() {
		return create(nmemAlloc(SIZEOF));
	}

	/** Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated with {@link MemoryUtil#memCalloc memCalloc}. The instance must be explicitly freed. */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR calloc() {
		return create(nmemCalloc(1, SIZEOF));
	}

	/** Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated with {@link BufferUtils}. */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR create() {
		return new VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR(BufferUtils.createByteBuffer(SIZEOF));
	}

	/** Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance for the specified memory address or {@code null} if the address is {@code NULL}. */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR create(long address) {
		return address == NULL ? null : new VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR(address, null);
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated with {@link MemoryUtil#memAlloc memAlloc}. The instance must be explicitly freed.
	 *
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer malloc(int capacity) {
		return create(nmemAlloc(capacity * SIZEOF), capacity);
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated with {@link MemoryUtil#memCalloc memCalloc}. The instance must be explicitly freed.
	 *
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer calloc(int capacity) {
		return create(nmemCalloc(capacity, SIZEOF), capacity);
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated with {@link BufferUtils}.
	 *
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer create(int capacity) {
		return new Buffer(BufferUtils.createByteBuffer(capacity * SIZEOF));
	}

	/**
	 * Create a {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance at the specified memory.
	 *
	 * @param address  the memory address
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer create(long address, int capacity) {
		return address == NULL ? null : new Buffer(address, null, -1, 0, capacity, capacity);
	}

	// -----------------------------------

	/** Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated on the thread-local {@link MemoryStack}. */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR mallocStack() {
		return mallocStack(stackGet());
	}

	/** Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated on the thread-local {@link MemoryStack} and initializes all its bits to zero. */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR callocStack() {
		return callocStack(stackGet());
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated on the specified {@link MemoryStack}.
	 *
	 * @param stack the stack from which to allocate
	 */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR mallocStack(MemoryStack stack) {
		return create(stack.nmalloc(ALIGNOF, SIZEOF));
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} instance allocated on the specified {@link MemoryStack} and initializes all its bits to zero.
	 *
	 * @param stack the stack from which to allocate
	 */
	public static VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR callocStack(MemoryStack stack) {
		return create(stack.ncalloc(ALIGNOF, 1, SIZEOF));
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated on the thread-local {@link MemoryStack}.
	 *
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer mallocStack(int capacity) {
		return mallocStack(capacity, stackGet());
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated on the thread-local {@link MemoryStack} and initializes all its bits to zero.
	 *
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer callocStack(int capacity) {
		return callocStack(capacity, stackGet());
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated on the specified {@link MemoryStack}.
	 *
	 * @param stack the stack from which to allocate
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer mallocStack(int capacity, MemoryStack stack) {
		return create(stack.nmalloc(ALIGNOF, capacity * SIZEOF), capacity);
	}

	/**
	 * Returns a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance allocated on the specified {@link MemoryStack} and initializes all its bits to zero.
	 *
	 * @param stack the stack from which to allocate
	 * @param capacity the buffer capacity
	 */
	public static Buffer callocStack(int capacity, MemoryStack stack) {
		return create(stack.ncalloc(ALIGNOF, capacity, SIZEOF), capacity);
	}

	// -----------------------------------

	/** Unsafe version of {@link #sType}. */
	public static int nsType(long struct) { return memGetInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.STYPE); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #pNext}. */
	public static long npNext(long struct) { return memGetAddress(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.PNEXT); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #flags}. */
	public static int nflags(long struct) { return memGetInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.FLAGS); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #displayMode}. */
	public static long ndisplayMode(long struct) { return memGetLong(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.DISPLAYMODE); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #planeIndex}. */
	public static int nplaneIndex(long struct) { return memGetInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.PLANEINDEX); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #planeStackIndex}. */
	public static int nplaneStackIndex(long struct) { return memGetInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.PLANESTACKINDEX); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #transform}. */
	public static int ntransform(long struct) { return memGetInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.TRANSFORM); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #globalAlpha}. */
	public static float nglobalAlpha(long struct) { return memGetFloat(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.GLOBALALPHA); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #alphaMode}. */
	public static int nalphaMode(long struct) { return memGetInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.ALPHAMODE); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #imageExtent}. */
	public static VkExtent2D nimageExtent(long struct) { return VkExtent2D.create(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.IMAGEEXTENT); }

	/** Unsafe version of {@link #sType(int) sType}. */
	public static void nsType(long struct, int value) { memPutInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.STYPE, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #pNext(long) pNext}. */
	public static void npNext(long struct, long value) { memPutAddress(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.PNEXT, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #flags(int) flags}. */
	public static void nflags(long struct, int value) { memPutInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.FLAGS, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #displayMode(long) displayMode}. */
	public static void ndisplayMode(long struct, long value) { memPutLong(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.DISPLAYMODE, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #planeIndex(int) planeIndex}. */
	public static void nplaneIndex(long struct, int value) { memPutInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.PLANEINDEX, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #planeStackIndex(int) planeStackIndex}. */
	public static void nplaneStackIndex(long struct, int value) { memPutInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.PLANESTACKINDEX, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #transform(int) transform}. */
	public static void ntransform(long struct, int value) { memPutInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.TRANSFORM, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #globalAlpha(float) globalAlpha}. */
	public static void nglobalAlpha(long struct, float value) { memPutFloat(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.GLOBALALPHA, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #alphaMode(int) alphaMode}. */
	public static void nalphaMode(long struct, int value) { memPutInt(struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.ALPHAMODE, value); }
	/** Unsafe version of {@link #imageExtent(VkExtent2D) imageExtent}. */
	public static void nimageExtent(long struct, VkExtent2D value) { memCopy(value.address(), struct + VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.IMAGEEXTENT, VkExtent2D.SIZEOF); }

	// -----------------------------------

	/** An array of {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR} structs. */
	public static class Buffer extends StructBuffer<VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR, Buffer> implements NativeResource {

		/**
		 * Creates a new {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer} instance backed by the specified container.
		 *
		 * Changes to the container's content will be visible to the struct buffer instance and vice versa. The two buffers' position, limit, and mark values
		 * will be independent. The new buffer's position will be zero, its capacity and its limit will be the number of bytes remaining in this buffer divided
		 * by {@link VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR#SIZEOF}, and its mark will be undefined.
		 *
		 *
The created buffer instance holds a strong reference to the container object.

		 */
		public Buffer(ByteBuffer container) {
			super(container, container.remaining() / SIZEOF);
		}

		Buffer(long address, ByteBuffer container, int mark, int pos, int lim, int cap) {
			super(address, container, mark, pos, lim, cap);
		}

		@Override
		protected Buffer self() {
			return this;
		}

		@Override
		protected Buffer newBufferInstance(long address, ByteBuffer container, int mark, int pos, int lim, int cap) {
			return new Buffer(address, container, mark, pos, lim, cap);
		}

		@Override
		protected VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR newInstance(long address) {
			return new VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR(address, container);
		}

		@Override
		protected int sizeof() {
			return SIZEOF;
		}

		/** Returns the value of the {@code sType} field. */
		public int sType() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nsType(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code pNext} field. */
		public long pNext() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.npNext(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code flags} field. */
		public int flags() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nflags(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code displayMode} field. */
		public long displayMode() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.ndisplayMode(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code planeIndex} field. */
		public int planeIndex() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nplaneIndex(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code planeStackIndex} field. */
		public int planeStackIndex() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nplaneStackIndex(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code transform} field. */
		public int transform() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.ntransform(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code globalAlpha} field. */
		public float globalAlpha() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nglobalAlpha(address()); }
		/** Returns the value of the {@code alphaMode} field. */
		public int alphaMode() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nalphaMode(address()); }
		/** Returns a {@link VkExtent2D} view of the {@code imageExtent} field. */
		public VkExtent2D imageExtent() { return VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nimageExtent(address()); }

		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code sType} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer sType(int value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nsType(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code pNext} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer pNext(long value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.npNext(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code flags} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer flags(int value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nflags(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code displayMode} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer displayMode(long value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.ndisplayMode(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code planeIndex} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer planeIndex(int value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nplaneIndex(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code planeStackIndex} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer planeStackIndex(int value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nplaneStackIndex(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code transform} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer transform(int value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.ntransform(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code globalAlpha} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer globalAlpha(float value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nglobalAlpha(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Sets the specified value to the {@code alphaMode} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer alphaMode(int value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nalphaMode(address(), value); return this; }
		/** Copies the specified {@link VkExtent2D} to the {@code imageExtent} field. */
		public VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.Buffer imageExtent(VkExtent2D value) { VkDisplaySurfaceCreateInfoKHR.nimageExtent(address(), value); return this; }

	}

}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Large Format Photography Forum > LF Forums > Location & Travel > LF in Rome?
View Full Version : LF in Rome?
It looks like I will spend a week or so in Rome this spring. I was wondering - since I haven't been there for a good couple of years and back then I didn't use a camera that would require a tripod - how is the general attitude towards us LF shooters? Is using tripod-bound cameras allowed in, say, most of the basilicas and also in the old Roman places like Foro Romano or in the Terme di Caracalla?
I haven't shot any lf when I was in Rome back in October, but in most places, people are unlikely to object to your bringing your camera gear. Maybe it's a little more difficult in the very popular churches, but I don't foresee problems in places like the forum and definitely not in the streets. If you see a guy shooting paper negatives of tourists, do make a chat with him, it's likely to be Borik, a really nice chap with an interesting approach to lf photography. I still need to send him an email!
A tripod will not be allowed in places like the Foro Romano without special permission (good luck getting one!). It is a very crowded archaeological site. You might get away with a monopod... Please let us know how you do.
I was there this Summer and spent two days in their entirety photographing the Foro Romano with my tiny Rollei 35.
Good point regarding the tripod limitation; I didn't remember that. I also only shot handheld on my last visit. But really, the streets of Rome offer so many opportunities for LF shooting and the major tourist attractions are so crowded anyway that I would be happy myself to limit to just the streets.
I think the main issue with Rome is not so much the rules, but the number of tourists. It's tricky enough to get a decent picture with the agility of a handheld camera, let alone being tied to a relatively static camera system.
I'm sure early mornings will be much quieter! And I definitely didn't want to discourage you; despite the many tourists (me and my girlfriend only added to the problem ;)), we had a great time in Rome. And we saw many spots where it was less crowded; my guess is that you'll probably take the best pictures at places that are not as well known as the major attractions.


•	The main track is a 1 mile dirt oval.
•	Cherokee Casino Will Rogers Downs is a gaming facility and horse racing track located in Claremore, Oklahoma. Modern Cherokee Nation encompasses 14 counties in northeast Oklahoma. Cherokee Nation holds significant businesses, corporate, real estate and agricultural interests. Cherokee Nation is a powerful and positive political force in Oklahoma. Cherokee citizens benefit from a growing economy, equality and prosperity.
A 5-year-old gelding named Ibaka (ridden by C.J. McMahon) took the 2016 edition of the Cherokee Nation Classic Cup for trainer Bret Calhoun. The event was run at 1 mile 70 yards for 3-year-olds and up.
Picking winners at Will Rogers Downs starts with recognizing the small trainer colony that excels at this mini-meet. Trainer Scott Young has maintained a solid 26% overall win percentage at this meet the past 4 years, and stands out with all of his layoff runners (whether they be 1st,2nd or 3rd off a layoff). He's also deadly with new barn purchases winning 50% 1st off the Claim and 30% second off the Claim. Roger Engel's percentage is even better winning at an exceptional 38% overall the past 4 seasons. His specialty is with first time starters where he wins close to 45%. If jockey Floyd Wethey Jr. happens to be on board one of these juveniles making their debut run--even better.
The inside posts are best in both sprint and route events and you'll rarely see a runner win from an extreme outside draw unless he or she has good tactical early zip.
Speed or pressing speed is king at Will Rogers Downs in both sprints and route events. There are several wire-to-wire winners during the meet and many horses that will sit second or third in the early going and go on to victory. Closers can win in both sprint and route races under the right circumstances, but most are types of runners that are able to save ground with a preferred inside draw.
Speed or pressing speed-types in sprint or route races breaking from the inside. The lucrative jockey/trainer combo of Belen Quinonez and Scott Young.