Congrats on the new job! That's great news.
Like Madeline, I'm pretty sure everything I've ever written is one giant weird scene. I'd say go for this particular weird scene. It fits your character, so trust your instincts.
Congratulations on the job! Great news!
People DO weird stuff in real life (going to the bathroom while on a cellphone). It isn't like you're trying to shoehorn in a strange moment your character just wouldn't do. All you can do, when you get there, is write it and see.
Awesome news about the job!
Write that scene down. Yes it's weird, but I can see it happening.
Congrats on the new job :)! I think if the moment feels right for your character, you should just go with it - you know your characters better than anyone. At the end of the day, if it doesn't fit, you can just cut it out or rewrite it :). The climax of the book I'm writing at the moment is really dark, and I'm starting to wonder whether or not I should keep it as it may be a tad *too* dark for YA...but I'm going to write it anyway and just see what happens :).
I think some people have texted family and friends while something...else...is going on. lol I think that scene would actually be perfect for your story. And it does sound like it would be funny...even memorable. I would write it. If anything, beta readers and your editor can let you know what they think of it. For now, write it!
The weird scenes can be good, especially if they seem "normal" to the character or characters in that scene; then you can use those scenes to reveal something about those characters' values, interests, or personalities.
Well, weird is memorable. Of course, that can be in a good or bad way! It's fun to read something out of the ordinary, so if it works for the character and the story, definitely leave it in.
I haven't written any weird scene like that, but if it fits your character, go for it.
Congratulations on the job!! Wonderful news.
Fantastic news about the job! Gainfully employed!
As for your weird scene, I think I got the gist (X? R?), but go for it anyways. As for coming up with weird scenes, I have come up with numerous. Even fleshed one them out to about 1/3 of a very disturbing novel. Haven't worked on it because, well, it's disturbing.
I have an inclination toward the weird. Many of my ideas start with a weird scene which is probably why I don't finish many stories.


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text:
\section{Introduction}
It is widely accepted \cite{BurridgeK67, RundleJ77, CarlsonLS94,
HelmstetterS02, MainA02, ChenBO91, Turcotte97, Sornette00,
FisherDRB97, RundleKG96, KleinRF97} that the observed earthquake
scaling laws indicate the existence of phenomena closely associated
with proximity of the system to a critical point.  More specifically,
it has been proposed that earthquake dynamics are associated either
with a second order critical point \cite{CarlsonLS94, HelmstetterS02,
MainA02, ChenBO91, Turcotte97, Sornette00, FisherDRB97} or a mean
field spinodal \cite{RundleKG96, KleinRF97} that can be understood as
a line of critical points.  Mean field theories of the Ginzburg-Landau
type have been proposed \cite{Sornette00, FisherDRB97, RundleKG96,
KleinRF97} to explain the phenomenology associated with scaling and
nucleation processes of earthquakes, which would in turn imply that a
Ginzburg criterion is applicable \cite{Goldenfeld92}.  If mean field
Ginzburg-Landau equations do describe earthquakes, the dynamics must
be operating outside the critical region, and fluctuations are
correspondingly reduced.

\subsection{To summarize our results}
We compare the performance of two probability measures that define the
locations of future earthquake occurrence: the spatially
coarse-grained seismic {\it intensity\/} and the {\it intensity
change\/}.  We show that an order parameter $\Psi_I(t)$ can be defined
based on the performance of these probability measures on a {\it
Receiver Operating Characteristic\/} (ROC) diagram and that a
generalized Ginzburg criterion $\mathcal{G}(t)$ can be established
measuring the relative importance of fluctuations in $\Psi_I(t)$.  We
find that since 1960, major earthquakes in California with magnitudes
$m\ge6$ tend to preferentially occur during intervals of time when
$\mathcal{G}(t)<1$, consistent with mean field dynamics.  Currently in
northern California, $\mathcal{G}(t)<1$.

\section{Intensity Maps and Intensity Change Maps}
The data set we use is the ANSS catalog of earthquakes
\footnote{http://www.ncedc.org/cnss/} between latitude $32^\circ$N and
$40^\circ$N and between longitudes $-124^\circ$E and $-115^\circ$E,
coarse-grained in time intervals of one day.  Only events above a
magnitude threshold $m_T\ge3$ are used to ensure catalog completeness.
Figure~\ref{fig1} shows the event locations.  We tile the region with
a spatially coarse-grained mesh of $N$ boxes, or pixels, having side
length $0.1^\circ$, about 11 km at these latitudes, approximately the
rupture length of an $m\sim6$ earthquake.  The average intensity of
activity $I(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2)$ is constructed by computing the
number of earthquakes $n(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2)$ in each coarse-grained
box centered at $\mathbf{x}$ since records began at time $t_0=1932$
until a later time $t_2$ that will be allowed to vary: $I(\mathbf{x},
t_0, t_2) = n(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2)$.  We then regard $P_\mu \equiv
P_\mu(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2) = I(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2) / \int
I(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2) \mathrm{d}\mathbf{x}$ as a probability for the
location of future events $m \ge m_T$ for times $t>t_2$.  Previous
work \cite{RundleTKM02, TiampoRMGK02a, HollidayNTRT05} indicates that
$P_\mu$ is a good predictor of locations for future large events
having $m\ge5$.

\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig1_co}
\caption{\label{fig1}
Map of earthquake ($m\ge3$) epicenters in California from 1932 to the
present.  Circles are events with $m\ge6$ since 1960.  Red epicenters
define the area used to analyze seismicity in northern California;
blue epicenters define the area used for southern California.}
\end{figure}

The intensity change map builds upon the intensity map by computing
the average squared change in intensity over a time interval $\Delta t
= t_2 - t_1$.  Here we use $\Delta t = 13$ years \cite{RundleTKM02,
TiampoRMGK02a}.  We compute $n(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_1)$ and
$n(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_2)$ for the two times $t_1$ and $t_2$, where
$t_2 > t_1$, beginning at a base time $t_b$, where $t_1>t_b>t_0$.
Computing the change in numbers of events as $\Delta n(\mathbf{x},
t_b, t_1, t_2) = n(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_2) - n(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_1)$,
we then define the intensity change $\Delta I(\mathbf{x}, t_1, t_2)$
by normalizing $\Delta n(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_1, t_2)$ to have spatial
mean zero and unit variance, yielding $\Delta n'(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_1,
t_2)$, and then averaging $\Delta n'(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_1, t_2)$ over
all values for $t_b$ from $t_0$ to $t_1$: $\Delta I(\mathbf{x}, t_1,
t_2) = <\Delta n'(\mathbf{x}, t_b, t_1, t_2)>_{t_b}$.  The
corresponding probability is $P_\Delta \equiv P_\Delta(\mathbf{x},
t_1, t_2) = [\Delta I(\mathbf{x}, t_1, t_2)]^2 / \int [\Delta
I(\mathbf{x}, t_1, t_2)]^2 \mathrm{d}\mathbf{x}$.  Previous work
\cite{RundleTKM02, TiampoRMGK02a, HollidayNTRT05} has found that
$P_\Delta$ is also a good predictor of locations for future large
events having $m\ge5$.  $P_\Delta$ can be viewed as a probability
based upon the squared change in intensity.

\section{Binary Forecasts}
Binary forecasts are a well-known method for constructing forecasts of
future event locations and have been widely used in tornado and severe
storm forecasting \cite{HollidayNTRT05, JolliffeS03}.  We construct
binary forecasts for $m \ge m_c$ and for times $t>t_2$, where $m_c$ is
a cutoff magnitude.  In past work \cite{RundleTKM02, TiampoRMGK02a,
HollidayNTRT05} we have taken $m_c=5$, but we now remove this
restriction.  In our application, the probabilities $P_\mu \equiv
P_\mu(\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2)$ and $P_\Delta \equiv P_\Delta(\mathbf{x},
t_1, t_2)$ are converted to binary forecasts $B_\mu \equiv B_\mu(D,
\mathbf{x}, t_0, t_2)$ and $B_\Delta \equiv B_\Delta(D, \mathbf{x},
t_1, t_2)$ by the use of a decision threshold $D$, where $D \in
[0,\max\{P_\mu\}]$ or $D \in [0,\max\{P_\Delta\}]$ respectively
\cite{HollidayNTRT05, JolliffeS03}.

For a given value of $D$, we set $B_\mu=1$ where $P_\mu>D$ and
$B_\mu=0$ otherwise.  Similarly, we set $B_\Delta=1$ where
$P_\Delta>D$ and $B_\Delta=0$ otherwise.  The set of pixels
$\{\mathbf{x}_\mu(D)\}$ where $B_\mu=1$ and $\{\mathbf{x}_\Delta(D)\}$
where $B_\Delta=1$ then constitute locations where future events $m
\ge m_c$ are considered to be likely to occur.  We call these
locations {\it hotspots\/}.  The locations where $B_\mu=0$ and
$B_\Delta=0$ are sites where future events $m \ge m_c$ are unlikely to
occur.  In previous work, intensity maps and intensity change maps at
a particular value of $D$ were called {\it Relative Intensity\/} maps
and {\it Pattern Informatics\/} maps.  Examples of binary forecast
maps are shown in Figure~\ref{fig2}A.

\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig2a_co}
\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig2b_co}
\caption{\label{fig2}
({\bf A}) $P_\Delta$ (intensity change) map (left) and $P_\mu$
(average intensity) map (right).  A decision threshold $D$ was chosen
leading to 75 hotspots in each map.  Maps were computed for $t=$1
December 1994 with $t_2-t_1=13$ years.  ({\bf B}) ROC curves for
$P_\Delta$ and $P_\mu$ corresponding to Figure~\ref{fig1}.  Here we
have used $m_c=4$.}
\end{figure}

\section{Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Diagrams}
A series of $D$-dependent {\it contingency tables\/} are constructed
using the set of locations $\{\mathbf{x}_q(m_c)\}$ where the
$q=1,\ldots,Q$ large events $m \ge m_c$ are observed to actually occur
during the forecast verification period $t>t_2$. The contingency table
has 4 entries, $a \to d$, whose values are determined by some
specified rule set \cite{HollidayNTRT05, JolliffeS03}. Here we use the
following rules for given $D$ (same rules for both ``$\mu$'' and
``$\Delta$'' subscripts):
\begin{enumerate}
\item
$a$ is the number of boxes in $\{\mathbf{x}(D)\}$ which are also in
$\{\mathbf{x}_q(m_c)\}$
\item
$b$ is the number of boxes in $\{\mathbf{x}(D)\}$ whose location is
not in $\{\mathbf{x}_q(m_c)\}$, i.e., is in the complement to
$\{\mathbf{x}_q(m_c)\}$
\item
$c$ is the
number of boxes in the complement to $\{\mathbf{x}(D)\}$ whose location is in
$\{\mathbf{x}_q(m_c)\}$
\item
$d$ is the number of boxes in the complement to $\{\mathbf{x}(D)\}$
whose locations are in the complement to $\{\mathbf{x}_q(m_c)\}$
\end{enumerate}
The {\it hit rate\/} is then defined as $H = a /(a + c)$, and the {\it
false alarm rate\/} is defined as $F = b /(b + d )$.  Note that with
these definitions, $a + c = Q$, $a + b =$ number of hotspots, and $a +
b + c + d = N$.

The ROC diagram \cite{HollidayNTRT05, JolliffeS03} is a plot of the
points $\{H, F\}$ as $D$ is varied.  Examples of ROC curves
corresponding to the intensity and intensity change maps in
Figure~\ref{fig2}A are shown in Figure~\ref{fig2}B.  A perfect {\it
forecast of occurrence\/} (perfect order, no fluctuations) would
consist of two line segments, the first connecting the points $(H,F) =
(0,0)$ to $(H,F) = (1,0)$, and the second connecting $(H,F) = (1,0)$
to $(H,F) = (1,1)$.  A curve of this type can be described as maximum
possible hits ($H=1$) with minimum possible false alarms ($F=0$).
Another type of perfect forecast (perfect order, no fluctuations)
consists of two lines connecting the points $(0,0)$ to $(0,1)$ and
$(0,1)$ to $(1,1)$, a perfect {\it forecast of non-occurrence\/}.

The line $H=F$ occupies a special status, and corresponds to a
completely random forecast \cite{HollidayNTRT05, JolliffeS03} (maximum
disorder, maximum fluctuations) where the false alarm rate is the same
as the hit rate and no information is produced by the
forecast. Alternatively, we can say that the {\it marginal utility\/}
\cite{Chung94} of an additional hotspot, $\mathrm{d}H/\mathrm{d}F$,
equals unity for a random forecast.

For a given time-dependent forecast $H(F,t)$, we consider the
time-dependent {\it Pierce Skill Score\/} $H(F,t) - F$
\cite{JolliffeS03}, which measures the improvement in performance of
$H(F,t)$ relative to the random forecast $H=F$.  A {\it Pierce
function\/} $\Psi(t)$ measures the area between $H(F,t)$ and the
random forecast:
\begin{eqnarray}
\Psi(t) &=& \int_0^{F_\mathrm{max}} ( H(F,t)-F) \mathrm{d}F \\ \nonumber
        &=& A(t) - F_\mathrm{max}^2 / 2,
\end{eqnarray}
where
\begin{equation}
A(t) = \int_0^{F_\mathrm{max}} H(F,t) \mathrm{d}F
.
\end{equation}
The upper limit $F_\mathrm{max}$ on the range if integration is a
parameter whose value is set by the requirement that the marginal
utility \cite{Chung94} of the forecast of occurrence $H(F,t)$ exceeds
that of the random forecast $H=F$:
\begin{equation}
\frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d}F}\{H(F,t)-F\} > 0
.
\end{equation}
Since $H(F,t)$ curves are monotonically increasing, $F_\mathrm{max}$
is determined as the value of $F$ for which
$\mathrm{d}H(F,t)/\mathrm{d}F=1$. For the forecasts we consider, we
find that $F_\mathrm{max}\approx0.2$, as can be seen from the examples
in Figure~\ref{fig2}B.

\section{Order Parameter and Generalized Ginzburg Criterion}
We define an order parameter as the Pierce function $\Psi_\tau(t)$
obtained using as the probability $P_\tau \equiv
P_\tau(\mathbf{x},t_1,t_2) = n(\mathbf{x},t_1,t_2) / \int
n(\mathbf{x},t_1,t_2) \mathrm{d}\mathbf{x}$, where $P_\tau$ is the
average normalized intensity of seismic activity during $t_1$ to
$t_2$. Using $P_\tau$ and the decision threshold $D$, we construct a
binary forecast $B_\tau \equiv B_\tau(D,\mathbf{x},t_1,t_2)$
. Evaluating the forecast $B_\tau$ during the time interval $t_2$ to
$t$ produces the ROC diagram $H_\tau(F,t)$.  For the case of forecasts
having positive marginal utility relative to the random forecast,
$\Psi_\tau(t)>0$.  If past seismic activity is uncorrelated with
future seismic activity, $P_\tau$ is equivalent to a random forecast,
and $\Psi_\tau(t)=0$

Corresponding to the order parameter $\Psi_\tau(t)$, we define a
function $\mathcal{G}(t)$ to indicate the relative importance of
fluctuations with respect to forecasts of occurrence.  We note that
the probability $\Psi_\Delta$ is a measure of the mean squared change
of intensity, a measure of fluctuations in seismic intensity, during
$t_1$ to $t_2$, and that the probability $P_\mu$ is a measure of the
average intensity over the entire time history ($t_0$ to $t_2$).  We
will refer to $P_\Delta$ as the ``fluctuation map'' or ``change map'',
and $P_\mu$ as the ``average map''.

Using the corresponding ROC functions we define
\begin{equation}
\mathcal{G}(t) \equiv \frac{\Psi_\Delta(t)}{\Psi_\mu(t)}
,
\end{equation}
where $\Psi_\Delta(t)$ is based upon the ROC curve computed using
$P_\Delta$, $\{H_\Delta(F,t),F\}$ and $\Psi_\mu(t)$ is based upon the
ROC curve computed using $P_\mu$, $\{H_\mu(F,t),F\}$.  We can say that
when $\mathcal{G}(t)<1$, ``fluctuations are less significant relative
to the mean'' in the sense that the fluctuation map provides a poorer
forecast than the mean map.  This statement is equivalent to the Pierce
difference function:
\begin{equation}
\Delta A(t) \equiv A_\mu(t) - A_\Delta(t) > 0
.
\end{equation}
This difference function can be considered to be a {\it generalized
Ginzburg criterion\/} \cite{Goldenfeld92}.

To examine these ideas, we compare a plot of $\mathcal{G}(t)$ with
activity of major earthquakes ($m\ge6$) in California.  We first
consider the Gutenberg-Richter frequency-magnitude relation $f = 10^a
\cdot 10^{-b m}$, where $f$ is the number of events per unit time with
magnitude larger than $m$ and $a$ and $b$ are constants.  $a$
specifies the level of activity in the region, and $b\cong1$.

To construct ROC curves, we consider $t$ to be the current time at
each time step and test the average map and change map by forecasting
locations of earthquakes during $t_2$ to $t$. We use events having $m
\ge m_T$, where $m_T$ is some threshold magnitude.  Note that $f^{-1}$
specifies a time scale for events larger than $m$: 1 event with
$m\ge6.0$ is associated on average with 10 $m\ge5.0$ events, 100
$m\ge4.0$ events, etc.  Without prior knowledge of the optimal value
for $m_T$, we average the results for a scale-invariant distribution
of 1000 $m_T\ge3.0$ events, 794 $m_T\ge3.1$ events, 631 $m_T\ge3.2$
events, $\ldots$, 10 $m_T\ge5.0$ events.  We terminate the sequence at
$m_T\ge5.0$ due to increasingly poor statistics.  To control the
number of earthquakes with $m \ge m_T$ in the {\it snapshot window\/}
($t_2$ to $t$), we determine the value of $t_2$ that most closely
produces the desired number of events within the snapshot window.  It
is possible to have fluctuations in actual number of events if the
snapshot window includes the occurrence time of a major earthquake,
when there may be many events $m \ge m_T$ in the coarse-grained time
intervals of length 1 day following the earthquake.

A central idea is that the length of the snapshot window is not fixed
in time; it is instead fixed by earthquake number at each threshold
magnitude $m_T = 3.0, 3.1, 3.2$, and so forth. Nature appears to
measure ``earthquake time'' in numbers of events, rather than in
years. ``Earthquake time'' is evidently based on stress accumulation
and release, that is, earthquake numbers, rather than in months or
years \cite{KleinRF97}.

Results are shown in Figure~\ref{fig3} for the region of California
shown in Figure~\ref{fig1}.  At top of either plot is the Pierce
difference function $\Delta A(t) = A_\mu(t) - A_\Delta(t)$, and at
bottom is earthquake magnitude plotted as a function of time from 1
January 1960 to 31 March 2006.  The vertical lines in each top panel
are the times of all events $m\ge6$ in the region during that time
interval. It can be seen from Figures~\ref{fig1} and \ref{fig3} that
there are 11 $m\ge6$ events in northern California and 10 such events
in southern California.  For both areas, these major events are
concentrated into 8 distinct ``episodes'' corresponding to 8 main
shocks.  In each plot, 7 of the 8 major episodes fall during
(``black'') time intervals where $\Delta A(t)>0$, or they either begin
or terminate such a time interval.  If a binomial probability
distribution is assumed, the chance that random clustering of these
major earthquake episodes could produce this temporal concordance can
be computed.  For Figure~\ref{fig3}A, where black time intervals
constitute 36.8\% of the total, we compute a 0.46\% chance that the
concordance is due to random clustering. For Figure~\ref{fig3}B, the
respective numbers are 19\% of the total time interval, and 0.0058\%
chance due to random clustering.  Our results support the prediction
that major earthquake episodes preferentially occur during time
intervals when fluctuations in seismic intensity, as measured by ROC
curves, are less important than the average seismic intensity.

\begin{figure}
\includegraphics[angle=270, width=0.75\columnwidth]{fig3a_co}
\includegraphics[angle=270, width=0.75\columnwidth]{fig3b_co}
\caption{\label{fig3}
Value of the Pierce difference function $\Delta A(t)$ (top) and
magnitude (bottom) as a function of time for events occurring on the
map area of Figure~\ref{fig1}.  Vertical black lines represent times
of major earthquakes having $m\ge6$ in the respective regions.
Differences are computed for a scale-invariant distribution of
magnitude thresholds in the snapshot window from $m_T=3.0$ to
$m_T=5.0$.  Area integration is performed for $F\in[0.0,0.2]$.  ({\bf
A}) Northern California (red epicenters in Figure~\ref{fig1}).  ({\bf
B}) Southern California (blue epicenters in Figure~\ref{fig1}).}
\end{figure}

\begin{acknowledgments}
This work has been supported by NASA Grant NGT5 to UC Davis (JRH), by
a HSERC Discovery grant (KFT), by a US Department of Energy grant to
UC Davis DE-FG03-95ER14499 (JRH and JBR), by a US Department of Energy
grant to Boston University DE-FG02-95ER14498 (WK), and through
additional funding from NSF grant ATM-0327558 (DLT).
\end{acknowledgments}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


* Image A is a jpg of the png from SharpCap.
* Image B is a jpg of the 32 bit file from SharpCap as portrayed on "Irfanview" (one of the "normal" image viewers that handles fits).
* Image C is a jpg of the same 32 bit file as seen on "avisFT" (a fits viewer that I am trying out).
* Image D is a jpg of the same 32 bit file with the white threshold altered.
1 I can see that image B is vertically flipped, but why is the default rendering so different from image A ?
2 I can see how image B becomes image C, but why are the 4 stars from A portrayed as discs, whereas most of the remaining features are arcs? (I can appreciate that the 4 stars were "locked on to" by SharpCap, but why are the arcs even visible when they are invisible on A? And how can SharpCap generate a visible background between the "locked stars", such as a deep sky object, if non locked entities are permitted to rotate on the image?
3 You will note that 4 stars are circled in red on D. These correspond to stars identified on planetarium software, but which I do not believe were visible by eye at the time of capture. Why are these discs, rather than arcs, and how can one make more arcs become discs?
I apologise for the length of my post, but I am struggling to comprehend what is actually going on, and how I can make use of it.
The streaks in your images are actually caused by hot pixels from the camera. It looks like you have an altitude azimuth mount which means the streaks a curves as you have field rotation as well as a bit of drift.
So what's going on is that the actual stars appear as disc sore spots because sharpcap is aligning them, but the hot pixels appear as streaks because they get moved around by the alignment process that is lining up the stars. You need to start subtracting dark frames to remove the hot pixels which will make this problem not entirely go away but much better.
Hope this helps, you can find lots of info about taking using dark frames in the documentation.
Thank you for such a quick reply. Yes, that helps a lot. I had never though of that as being the issue - there are so many of them. And your answer makes complete sense - a rather new angle on relativity!


How to make changes to an offer or a booking!
If you can see this you have an offer or you have a booking if the deposit is already paid.
To make changes to an offer, simply send us a question in the box at the bottom of your offer page or send us an email stating what you would like to change. Even if it's a simple number of people or a timing change let us know and we'll update your personal on-line page within minutes during normal office hours.
To make changes to an booking, simply send us a question in the box at the bottom of your offer page or send us an email stating what you would like to change. Even if it's a simple number of people or a timing change let us know and we'll update your personal on-line page within minutes during normal office hours. You can change anything in the booking up until 48 hours before your arrival date or first activity as per booking conditions stipulate. Please be aware that the price in your booking are for the number of people in the group and some activities may be more expensive due to min numbers of that activity. If in doubt please ask.
If your booking included a free place and your numbers fall below 15 then we have the right to take the free place away!


The first thing I want to post about my trip to Canada is the flight itself. Among all the photos that I uploaded on Facebook while on the trip, the one that garnered the most "likes" was the one of me enjoying Haagen-Dazs ice-cream at the KLIA Golden Lounge. I suppose the photo did make many of my friends wonder why I was travelling business class. If you have read my previous posts about my trips, you would know I won't splurge on travelling business class.For my holidays, I have always kept my spending within the description of affordable and yet enjoyable. So this was the first (and probably the only) time I traveled by business class. And did the fare burn a hole in my pocket? Well, no. You'll be surprised that I got the tickets at normal fare.
Everyone knows that in order to get cheap tickets, we have to book early. When I first checked the fares of China Eastern Airlines well in advance, the return trip from KL to Vancouver was less than 4K. When I wanted to book early this year, the fare already went up to around 4.5K. Afraid that it will increase even more, I decided to go ahead and book. I wanted to book through their website (you have to go to the Hongkong website) because the fares at Expedia were slightly more expensive. When I tried to enter details for the second passenger, there was a pop-up message that indicated that there was only one ticket left. I tried calling local travel agents to book but was told there were no more seats for China Eastern and it would cost me more than 6K if I book Cathay Pacific! The last resort was to book through Expedia. I was delighted to find out that the booking could go through even though I entered 2 tickets. After finalizing the payment and printing the itinerary I was even more delighted to see that one of the sectors (the KL to Shanghai flight) was upgraded to business class.
I checked and checked to make sure the fare was not upgraded as well. So I gathered that the fare quoted was for economy class and when I booked 2 tickets there weren't enough seats so one of the sectors was upgraded without increase in fare. So all in, the fare was around 4.8K including the MAS ticket from Penang to KL.
This being our first trip on business class, we didn't know that passengers get to enjoy buffet at the Golden Lounge. So when we arrived at KLIA, we went to look for food and we had our dinner first because it was still too early to check in. Only after checking in, did we find out that business class ticket holders have access to the Lounge. We shouldn't have taken our dinner but it was only a light dinner. But the half filled stomachs didn't deter us from eating more, especially the Haagen-Dazs ice cream.
On board the plane I didn't take any photos because it was already 3am and I just wanted to sleep. The service in the business class area was indeed different. The food served was also different. Table cloth, cloth napkins, porcelain plates and cups, metal cutlery etc compared to the typical cramped airplane meals on trays we were so used to taking.
Even though the business class seats were only for the KL to Shanghai sector, we were surprised to see that our Shanghai to Vancouver boarding passes had "PRIORITY BOARDING" printed on them. So at the Shanghai Airport boarding gate, we were given the privilege of boarding earlier together with business class passengers even though our seats were in the economy class area.


text:
Sudden Death by Álvaro Enrigue
Translated by Natasha Wimmer
Reviewed by David Hebblethwaite
There's some remarkable literature from Mexico being published in English translation at the moment. Writers such as Valeria Luiselli, Yuri Herrera, Paulette Jonguitud, Sergio Pitol, Carmen Boullosa, Juan Pablo Villalobos – and their translators, of course – have all given us fascinating and distinctive works of fiction. Now here's another one: Sudden Death, translated by Natasha Wimmer, is the first of Álvaro Enrigue's five novels to appear in English (there has previously been a short story collection, Hypothermia). I can tell you that I've never read anything quite like this novel; but I can't promise that I fully understood it. How to deal with that? Well, Enrigue writes at one point: 'when something is unclear [to a writer] I think it should be left that way.' So I'll follow his suggestion and be upfront about it.
Sudden Death revolves around tennis. Running through the novel is an account of a fictitious game of pallacorda (an extinct sport similar to real tennis) played between an Italian painter and a Spanish poet: Caravaggio and Francisco de Quevedo. The intensity and violence of this match gives it the air of a duel:
The poet bounced the ball on the line, tossed it in the air. Tenez! The artist waited for it to drop from the roof and with three hundred and sixty degrees of force, he pounded it with his racket as if it were a nail in Christ's wrist. The ball flew straight at the poet's face again, but this time he took it in the crown, managing to duck a little.
I don't know enough about Caravaggio and Quevedo to be certain of whether their game stands for something larger; but there is certainly a sense that the tide of history is behind them, because most of Sudden Death is taken up with historical anecdotes (whether real or fictional is beside the point) of the 16th and 17th centuries. The first of these chapters is an account of Anne Boleyn's execution by French swordsman (and tennis player) Jean Rombaud, who takes some of Boleyn's hair and has it made into the core of four tennis balls. Rombeaud seeks the favour of King Francis I with these tennis balls, and at first it seems he gains it – but he is summarily executed for treason, having sold his services to the English. Rombaud's hair does not go to waste, however, duly meeting the same fate as Anne Boleyn's.
This is only one example of historical irony in the novel. Enrigue takes in grand themes from history – the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire; the Counter-Reformation – but shows them rooted in the messy minutiae of individual lives and relationships. The author's account of Cortés and Mexico runs mostly in reverse, beginning with the lives of his daughter and grand-daughter, and going back to the moment when Malinalli, Cortés' translator and lover, twists the words of an Aztec ambassador to suit her own purposes – just one of the banal incidents that will lead to a massacre. Enrigue writes: 'There are few better illustrations of how a whole host of people can manage to understand absolutely nothing, act in an impulsive and idiotic way, and still drastically change the course of history.' Quite.
Elsewhere in the Mexican strand of the novel, we come across a feathered mitre which finds its way into the hands of Caravaggio's patron, and in turn transforms the artist's sense of colour – and that helps to bring a new sense of earthy reality into his work, one in keeping with the spirit of the contemporary Counter-Reformation:
An affluent saint in a landscape stands for a world touched by God. A saint in a room stands for humanity in the dark: a humanity distinguished by its ability to continue to believe, in a world in which faith is already impossible; a material humanity smelling of blood and saliva; a humanity that no longer watches from the sidelines, that does things.
There's a sense, then, that what we see in Sudden Death is a world in the process of formation – and one that remains in formation, because its pieces do not settle into a neat whole. The novel includes various interjections from the author, such as the one I quoted from at the beginning of this review, or a series of (fictional?) e-mails between Enrigue and his editor. These serve to underline the artificial, piecemeal nature of the book. If I didn't grasp everything in Sudden Death, that's not necessarily a problem, because the novel doesn't know everything about itself, either. It lives in its incompleteness.
David blogs at David's Book World
Álvaro Enrigue, Sudden Death, trans Natasha Wimmer (Harvill Secker, 2016). 978-1846558832, 245pp., paperback original.
BUY Sudden Death from the Book Depository.
_//

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


On Friday, March 31, hip-hop Mogul and Def Jam Records co-founder Russell Simmons announced the end of his seven year marriage to Kimora lee Simmons, the head of Baby Phat fashion label.
The couple married in 1998 after meeting at the 1992 New York Fashion Week, where Lee Simmons was a model. During their marriage, they partnered on various business ventures, which Simmons said will continue. "We will … continue to work side by side on a daily basis as partners in all of our businesses," he said.
Simmons started Def Jam in 1984, with colleague Rick Rubin, and it became the home of many of the first mainstream rap stars like Public Enemy and Run-DMC. In 1999, he sold it for $100 million. He is currently the head of Rush Communications.
The couple has two daughters together, Ming Lee, 6 and Aoki Lee, 3, who have been featured in ads for Lee's Baby Phat clothings.
This announcement came on the heels of other Black celebrities ending long-term marriages. In January of this year, Tracey Edmonds, the wife of Grammy-winning R&B singer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, filed for a divorce after 13 years of marriage. Like other Hollywood divorcees, they cited irreconcilable differences as the cause.
Similarly, August 2005 saw the end of Eddie and Nicole Mitchell Murphy's 12 year marriage. The comedian and his wife, also citing irreconcilable differences, have five children. Their marriage survived Murphy's highly publicized run-in with the West Hollywood police, after he was pulled over for picking up a transsexual prostitute in 1997.
"The welfare of our children is our main concern and their best interest is our first priority," Murphy said in a statement that was released shortly after his divorce announcement.


text:
East Link – riverside clubs in danger?
Above: The Toll Plaza.
The East Link road and adjacent lands are a key area for Dublin port, as well as riverside clubs in the area such as Stella Maris, Poolbeg Yacht Club and Small Boat Owners Association.
There has been some boating activity there since at least medieval times. It has a proud seafaring tradition going back to its use as a fishing port. This particular area has housed the clubhouses of Stella Maris and Poolbeg Yacht Club for generations. Indeed the original houses there for the dockers are preserved nearby.
Difficulties and ambiguities surrounding building works in the area have been deeply difficult for residents and have led to much confusion, with the ordinary person unclear as to what is going to happen in this area in the coming years, with little concrete information being released to the public.
The East Link bypass is located at a key juncture in the southside area in terms of the development plans for Dublin 4. Providing access to the coastal route south, Poolbeg peninsula and the new SDZ zone, which has plans for housing development, is one key factor in its strategic location, as well as an area that could be critical for the future of any Eastern Bypass motorway. The area has been mentioned for development in documents such as the National Transport Plan, as well as in council meetings.
Future developments may include the Eastern Bypass Motorway and the Luas extension into the new SDZ area by Sean Moore Road as indicated in the Greater Dublin Area Draft Transport Strategy 2011-2030 document.
Officially, no one will confirm that there are plans for the Eastlink road right now and there is no official current plan that has been published regarding this. DCC and local councillors state that the future plan for the area is still under discussion and that nothing has been decided as yet. Nevertheless, in previous documents there is discussion about this area's development and it will inevitably come on the agenda.
NewsFour understands that there is a high probability of future development such as a Luas line crossing over from the Point Village and a possible motorway connecting the Port Tunnel with the M50 on the south. This is something that there is a great deal of concern about from groups such as SAMRA as well as boating and rowing organisations by the river.
While most will say that no one knows what is to happen and that the council is keeping plans close to its chest, some things are known through unofficial channels at ground level.
Although the only official part of the area's development is the East Link wall, a Luas line or motorway connection would come over the Liffey adjacent to the East Link bridge and through the East Link road.
An eastern bypass motorway could feasibly follow through onto Sandymount Strand, although this would mean going through the SDZ recently designated for housing on the IGB site. An alternative to this would a tunnel solution from the Port Tunnel under the Liffey and most likely emerging somewhere on Sandymount Strand and connecting in with the coast road going south.
There will be visible development within the next five years, we understand, beginning with the development of the barrier wall at Stella Maris rowing club which Dublin Port Company is currently overseeing. It is possible that in the next 15 years the clubs located by the East Link may disappear if hyper-development has occurred.
Most organisations by the river in the area are currently applying for grants and there is talk of redevelopment of the clubs. Though many of the exact details are unclear, much of the infrastructure on the East Link road may have to disappear in order to make space for the new widened roads or a Luas track. Certainly, either riverside facilities or actual clubhouses may be moved. In addition to the other side of the East Link by St Patrick's rowing club being earmarked for development, this would mean a radical change of riverside access and facilities for all clubs concerned on this southern part of the Liffey.
By Kevin Mac Sharry
On October 10, 2016 / Community / Comments


essential in either. The problem before us is of the same character.
law which nevertheless controls and includes them all.
the structural plan that includes them all.
Crinoids,--the last-named are lowest in structure and earliest in time.
instructive as showing bow such problems may be solved.
branching crown or a closer cup, recall the lily tribe among flowers.
resembling those found upon the loose stones or Trochites.
Sphinx-like patience for the man who should solve its riddle.
parts, which is the subject of the present article.
which we have called the ab-oral region opposite the starting-point.
in the narrow zones of plates.
same level with the mouth, carrying the ovarian plates between them.
furrow, corresponding exactly to the narrower zones of the Sea-Urchin.
their extremities, were clustered together at their point of meeting.
belonging to it occupies the greater part of its surface.
our whole Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida.
in man are found in the Creation of which he is the crowning work.
in presenting the same thought under a thousand different aspects.
introduced at about the Carboniferous period, and perhaps earlier.
still very numerous in the present epoch.
true place in our classifications.
become shrunken, and the movable appendages about the mouth shrivel up.
for a while closely contracted, looking like a soft crimson ball.
a cylinder, and we have a Holothurian.
only in the intellectual conception of his Maker.
And the Midnight Angel's wings.
Priest, recite the sacred runes!
And our lilies wait the dead.
waistcoat have flushed with a sudden gleam of purple or crimson.
squarely in front of the gate which gave entrance to the private lane.
his work in the garden, and walked forward in his shirt-sleeves.
in: I'll 'tend to the horse."
sun-bonnet, with broad cape, covered her head.
"What does _thee_ think?" asked his wife, after a pause.
ones might go to help set up Moses. But it's for thee to decide."
yet, and clerking isn't good for him. I saw the young man at the store.
If his looks don't belie him, he's well-behaved and orderly."
of Friend Mitchenor's house during the summer.
three-and-twenty Abigail Mitchenor at once felt a motherly interest.
as "Miss Mitchenor," Eli turned to him with a rebuking face.
extreme by calling her, with her cheerful permission, "Aunt Mitchenor."
simple process of looking on.
side by side, some distance down the lane.
thee mustn't over-exert thy strength."
enough to carry a basket?"
nothing in that that thee need be ashamed of."
it. Did thee ever study botany?"
dignity and purity thoroughly harmonized with this relation.
below the reach of tides and storms.
and truth which inclosed her.
need her and claim her!"
seats at the supper-table. "I hope thee has not taken cold."
Asenath, on the following "Seventh-day" afternoon.
banks, shone the deep yellow stars of the flower they sought.
rudbeckia, only to toss it, presently, into the water.
deep-blue eyes dim with the mist of unshed tears.
you,--forgive me now and every day of my life."
"We stand before God, Richard," said she, in a low, sweet, solemn tone.
also require His forgiveness for myself."
trust, and his heart bowed down and gave her reverence.
you for those words! Can you trust me?--can you indeed love me?"
farm-house appeared through the trees.
it may be a cross to them."
taking a quiet walk in the garden, Richard Hilton approached him.
seedling radish, and rubbing them in the palm of his hand.
with thee, and has no fault to find with me as a man."
with a face too amazed to express any other feeling.
daring to say a word more, awaited his reply in intense agitation.
expect _this_ from thee! Has thee spoken to her?"
daughter, and can't find anybody else for her, I'll let thee know."
the garden-steps on his way to the house.
evening, he heard a footstep approaching, and sprang up. It was Moses.
face was very grave, but kind.
a great cross for thee. But thee won't be alone in bearing it."
a tone of despondency which anticipated the answer.
thee'd better go back to town."
farm. A yearning, pitying look from Abigail accompanied him.
face, he was taken away.
the thought of resistance to her father's will never crossed her mind.
thought, "before she is consoled."
just come from Philadelphia, and brings bad news of Richard Hilton.
The words were those of entreaty, but the voice was that of authority.
confirmed her fears, and could but have given her pain in any case.
face to face with them.
"Richard!" she breathed, rather than spoke, in a low, terrified voice.
seemed to lurk under the set mask of his features.
feeling of duty which trampled down her pain.
the scene. His daughter stood still, and the man slowly passed on.
Asenath could not thus leave her lost lover, in his despairing grief.
She again turned to him, her own tears flowing fast and free.
precious in the sight of the Lord. Fare thee well!"
have loved, I have been beloved."
taking leave at once, as she believed, of youth and the memory of love.
protestations were of no avail.
still remembered, "thee can take away, but thee cannot give."
bid her lay down her load and follow Him.
waters took back their transparency under a cloudless sky.
him, because they thought he was too much inclined to "the newness,"
man, and had been a personal friend of Elias Hicks.
aged Deborah, crying aloud in the valleys of Israel.
arrested, not the ear alone, but the serious attention of the auditor.
words, through the contrast with those who preceded him.
of pity, of charity, of forbearance, and Christian love.
The words of the speaker sank deeply into the hearts of his hearers.
Friend Carter warmed and deepened as he went on. "I feel moved to-day,"
meeting in the street, at which only she and her father were present!
their handkerchiefs pressed over their mouths.
sit still and listen further.
face which reflected the kindness of the Divine Father looked upon him.
Friend's right hand was upon his head while they prayed.
life. His lungs had become sound and free from the tendency to disease.
of his convictions, he entered into the brotherhood of the Friends.
wrath in the hands of the Lord!"
and joy descended upon her heart.
endeavored in rain to control, approached the preacher.
come to one side, and hear me a minute?"
here! Doesn't thee know me?"
know," he said, "but I can't place thee."
and his grasp on the preacher's hands tightened.
losing my former self; but I should like to have it back again now."
walk home with Asenath, while I go with Moses?"
"Yes. There she goes, through the gate. Thee can easily overtake her.
and elastic as in the old time.
penetrated with a sympathy with her own inner peace.
followed her, and erelong a voice, near at hand, called her by name.
She stopped, turned, and for a moment they stood silent, face to face.
listening, or God Himself looked down upon them from the violet sky.
creek, where the rudbeckias grew?"
again, and, for the first time, her virgin lips knew the kiss of man.
for a sinking-fund which shall pay the debt in less than twenty years.
shall be made to pay. How shall this problem be solved?
Uncle Sam has been unwilling to take hold of with any determination.
never produced on his farm before.
money for the simple purpose of making such an improvement?
will be no burden. That is the whole problem,--no more, no less.
only to meet the expenditure promptly, but to make the investment pay.
crop of cotton has been raised in one year worth over $200,000,000.
wastes his own expenditure in the purchase of foreign luxuries.
of wool, after the removal or destruction of Slavery.
slope of the Alleghany and Cumberland Mountains and of the Blue Ridge.
free laborer in any Slave State.
experience of the very few good farmers in Georgia.
free and intelligent labor shall be applied to Southern agriculture.
only, this war can be made to pay, and taxation become no burden.
for foreign luxuries called for by the masters.
Union without the removal of Slavery.
they need leaders, and will have them.
and we restore the Union in fact and not simply in name.
a mockery and a derision to all honest men.
THE POET TO HIS READERS.
So let the better shield the worse.


text:
Long Walk to Freedom is an autobiographical work written by Nelson Mandela.

Long Walk to Freedom may also refer to:

Long Walk to Freedom (album), a 2006 album by Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, a 2013 biographical film about Nelson Mandela

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
GM Adds Pizazz Into Marketing
nsap
· Editor
DETROIT — Coming to the small screen in June is a big-budget, full-length movie starring Dennis Hopper ... and a passel of Pontiac GTOs.
So much for traditional 30-second or one-minute commercials to sell cars and trucks.
The GTO's star turn in the film "The Last Ride" is part of a three-month-old effort by General Motors Corp. to rev up marketing at its Pontiac, Buick and GMC brands.
A new team led by advertising wunderkind C.J. Fraleigh is looking to cut through the clutter and highlight vehicle attributes such as power, performance and amenities.
"The marketing will be sharper — some advertising messages will change," Fraleigh said.
Fraleigh, 40, made his name by helping GM turn around its once-inert Cadillac division. A combination of edgy new products and the use of music by hard rockers Led Zeppelin in commercials has helped convert Cadillac's image from has-been to hip.
On Feb. 1, Fraleigh moved to Buick and Pontiac-GMC as the division's general manager. He was joined by Jim Bunnell, 48, a former Pontiac executive who spent the last half decade running GM's Northeast region.
While GMC's lineup of pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles is delivering sales and profits, Pontiac remains a work in progress. GM is repositioning the brand to focus on its performance image.
"A couple of times in our history we fell off that path," Bunnell said. "We're taking Pontiac back to its roots, its true performance, not only straight line acceleration but great handling and a true driver's environment."
nsap May 13, 2004


After i've written Gotthard Base Tunnel - Reflects How S'pore Veers Off-course , Sillypore is being dumped further behind as our role model Switzerland progresses.
64% of Swiss voted Yes to building the Gotthard Base tunnel.
More congestion by greedy govt selling more vehicle ownership permits. Increased fuel consumption -> taxes. Increased pollution.
And yesterday the Swiss voted again on an important issue.
Govt ministers are paid excessive salaries while delivering pathetic results.
Monkey see monkey do. Seeing the american CEOs being paid $M salaries, sillypore ministers also pay themselves $M salaries. Whole country is being turned into S'pore Inc.
We have seen from the 2008 financial crisis that CEOs of american companies like Lehman Brothers, General Motors, Ford, Citigroup etc have performed miserably. There's no justification for american CEOs to be vastly overpaid when their companies are losing out to their japanese & european rivals.
French CEOs don't have excessive salaries.
German CEOs don't have excessive salaries.
Japanese CEOs don't have excessive salaries.
Similarly there's no justification for sillypore ministers $M salaries when their performance are compared to other 1st world countries govt ministers.
You can see from the above graph that in 1980 the average US CEO pay is 42x of average worker. Whole mess started when Ronald Reagan was voted into office in 1981 by daft americans who got conned by the actor's sweet talk which is why i consider Jimmy Carter Is the Last Great Modern American President.


The Gabriola Local Trust Committee (LTC) is being asked to look into a loophole which appears to allow property owners only an outhouse, pit latrine, or buckets - in lieu of approved septic disposal system.
It's only for a short time - but the loophole arises when property owners live in accessory buildings while constructing the actual dwelling on a piece of property.
Neighbours of people using such methods are concerned with what the septic disposal/treatment might mean for the water table and wells underground.
As was brought up during the town hall portion of the last LTC meeting, neither Island Health nor the Islands Trust have authority to require owners be hooked up to a system.
Trustee Heather O'Sullivan said she was surprised to hear of such a loophole, considering travel trailers on lots being developed are required to be hooked up to an approved system.
She asked staff for more information.
O'Sullivan asked if someone could live in the accessory building (without a permit) while the primary dwelling was being built.
Zupanec said she could speak to RDN (Regional District of Nanaimo) staff for more clarity.


1 of 3 of lots being sold ( Map 160 - Parcel 40,61 & 64). Please see other parcels. Each lot has separate Tax ID and is listed separately.(Prefer to sell as a package. Total acreage is approximately 28 acres. Total List Price $112,500).This is raw land only. Please research options for utilities and exact location using GPS coordinates from County sources.
I was searching for a Property and found this listing (MLS® #1001815087). Please send me more information regarding -parcel #64 Marshall Hall Rd, ACCOKEEK, MD, 20607. Thank you!
I'd like to request a showing of -parcel #64 Marshall Hall Rd, ACCOKEEK, MD, 20607 (MLS® #1001815087). Thank you!


text:
Kenya Royal
A safari of distinction, following a classic route through some of Kenya's finest game reserves.
Visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Drive through the semi-arid and rugged landscape of Samburu National Reserve.
Game drives in Samburu and the Masai Mara Game Reserve.
An optional Balloon Safari over the Mara.
Arrive Nairobi
Met on arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure or you can choose from a selection of optional excursions (book and pay locally).
Overnight at the Fairmont Norfolk Hotel.
Nairobi / Ol Pejeta (B/L/D)
After breakfast depart for the Ol Pejeta Conservancy (149 miles – approx 3 hours). Arrive in time for lunch before an afternoon game drive and a visit to the Chimpanzee Sanctuary.
Overnight at Sweetwaters Tented Camp.
Ol Pejeta / Samburu (B/L/D)
Depart for the Samburu National Reserve (140 miles – approx 3.5 hours). Arrive at Ashnil Samburu Camp for lunch. In the afternoon enjoy a game drive.
Overnight at Ashnil Samburu Camp.
Samburu (B/L/D)
Early morning and late afternoon game drives with time in between to relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Samburu / Mt Kenya (B/L/D)
Drive to the slopes of Mount Kenya (105 miles – approx 3 hours) arriving in time for lunch. The remainder of the day is free to relax and take advantage of the facilities on offer at this superb safari club. Overnight at Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club.
NB: Dress code at the Mount Kenya Safari Club is smart casual. Children are not allowed in the dinning area after 7 pm.
Mt Kenya / Masai Mara Conservancy (B/L/D)
Transfer to Nanyuki for your light aircraft flight to the Masai Mara (approx 1.5 hours). Enjoy lunch at Mara Safari club before experiencing an afternoon game drive in the private conservancy by 4-wheel drive vehicle.
Overnight at Fairmont Mara Safari Club.
Masai Mara Private Conservancy (B/L/D)
Enjoy an early morning balloon flight over the Mara, followed by a 'bubbly' bush breakfast (optional extra), or an early morning game drive followed by breakfast at the camp. Late afternoon game drive. Game drives are in 4-wheel drive vehicles within the private conservancy.
Masai Mara / Nairobi / Departure (B)
Depart the Masai Mara by light aircraft to Nairobi (approx 1 hour). On arrival proceed with your chosen extension or take your return flight home.
Land cost per person on twin sharing basis.
Travel Protection is offered by us and is an additional cost.
Accommodation at hotels mentioned or similar in category – travel must be on the day of one of our regular departures, where you will join a small group (options available for a private vehicle).
Meals as mentioned (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D – Dinner).
Cost of all transfers and game-drives conducted in non-air-conditioned 7-seater microbuses except in the Masai Mara where the resident driver/guide will conduct game-drives in the camp's own 4×4 vehicle on seat-in-coach basis.
Nanyuki-Mara-Nairobi airfare on scheduled flights by light aircraft (maximum baggage allowance 33 lbs only).
Cost of all park entrance fees.
Services of professional English speaking driver/guide.
International airfare.
Optional sightseeing.
Items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry, beverages, etc.)
Personal travel and medical insurance.
Visa and passport arrangements.
Tips, porterage, service charges.
Car rental fees (optional excursions).
Fairmont Norfolk Hotel
Ol Pejeta
Ashnil Samburu Camp
Samburu Game Reserve
Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club
Mt Kenya National Park
Fairmont Mara Safari Club
Masai Mara Game Reserve
Kenya Luxury Escorted
Nairobi, Ol Pejeta, Samburu Game Reserve, Mt Kenya National Park, Masai Mara Game Reserve
Wildlife Wonders
Nairobi, Samburu Game Reserve, Mt Kenya, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara
Cheetah Safari
Aberdare National Park, Samburu Game Reserve, Mt Kenya, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara Game Reserve
Kenya Moderate Escorted
Beach & Bush of Africa
Tsavo West, Tsavo East, Mombasa
Shades of Africa
Masai Mara, Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru, Aberdares
Shadows of Kilimanjaro
Amboseli, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara
Safari Acacia
Amboseli, Mt Kenya, Lake Nakuru, Masai Mara
Kenya/Tanzania
Best of East Africa
Nairobi, Aberdare National Park, Samburu Game Reserve, Masai Mara Game Reserve, Arusha, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Elsa's Footsteps
Nairobi, Meru National Park, Samburu Game Reserve, Masai Mara Game Reserve
Masai Mara Explorer
Nairobi, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara Game Reserve, Lake Nakuru
The Fairmont Mara Safari Club is surrounded on three sides by the Mara River, and on the edge of the world's Seventh "New" Wonder of the World – the Masai Mara – Fairmont Mara Safari Club is the epitome of tented luxury.
The main lodge at the center of camp hosts an indoor restaurant, bar and library with Internet access. A spacious outside deck overhangs the river and leads to a heated pool, complete with bar and private massage tents. The Club boasts of 50 superbly furnished tents with its own private, three-piece bathroom, including a number of outdoor showers. All tents have platforms for game-viewing and private dining. 42 of these tents are twin-bedded and 8 double-bedded, 10 of which are double bedded Premium tents and contain sunken baths in the bathrooms. The veranda overlooks the hippo and crocodile-filled river.
The dining room with soft light and a dining capacity of 90 people, offers a variety of European, African and Asian dishes with breakfast and lunch in buffet style. Meals are made from the abundance of fresh Kenyan produce. With beautiful views of the Mala River The Lounge and Main Bar has a seating capacity of 80 people and allows guests to enjoy a quiet evening in a fire lit cozy atmosphere with their favorite drinks.
Fairmont Norfolk Hotel has played a leading role in Kenya's colorful history, and continues to be Nairobi's finest and best-known luxury hotel. The town and later the modern city of Nairobi grew up around Fairmont Norfolk Hotel, which has its own private tropical gardens. The hotel is still the traditional starting point for safaris and the Lord Delamere Terrace is modern Nairobi's most famous meeting place, where drinks and light meals are served continuously from morning until midnight.
Fairmont Norfolk was expanded in 1999 and subsequently renovated in time for its centennial, which it celebrated in 2004. The Nairobi hotel now offers accommodations in 165 guest rooms and suites, has eight conference rooms, the largest seating 175 delegates, a heated outdoor swimming pool, health club with gym, sauna and steam room, beauty salon, book shop and gift shops.
Deep in the animal wilderness of Samburu – home to some of the most unique wildlife in Kenya and a host of birds lies the 24 deluxe tents of Ashnil Samburu Camp, spread out along the shady banks of the Ewaso Nyiro River, under a thick stand of doum palms and acacia trees that are a feature of the area. The lovely swimming pool is a welcome place to cool off after, perhaps, a guided walk. To relax, there is a massage tent and refreshing sundowners are offered at night.
With magnificent views of majestic Mount Kenya, the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club Resort's 120 luxurious rooms are set on over 100 acres of landscaped gardens and offer a unique blend of comfort, relaxation and adventure. Originally the retreat of movie star and Club founder, William Holden, the Club's illustrious former members have included Winston Churchill and Bing Crosby.
The Hotel's 120 guest rooms comprise Fairmont and Deluxe rooms, Suites, and Cottages. All rooms feature fire place, in-room safe, a fully stocked mini-bar, tea and coffee facilities, separate WC and rain shower. Suites are located in the Garden Suites, William Holden Cottages, Riverside Cottages as well as in the Manor and the main building. The Cottages offer two bedrooms with en-suite bathroom, a spacious lounge with fireplace, private veranda and lawn garden overlooking the manicured grounds and Mount Kenya.
Enjoy elegance at the Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club restaurant in Nanyuki. Dress is strictly smart casual, and ladies are asked not to wear mini-skirts, and gentlemen are asked not to wear sports gear. Long trousers are mandatory for dinner. Special early supper can be served in the main dining room for children under 12 years old; children are not allowed in the public areas after 9.30 p.m. A room service menu is available, together with a choice of liqueurs, soft drinks, cocktails, wines, spirits, tea and coffee. Room service is available 24 hours.
A sheltered oasis, clustered around a waterhole, Sweetwaters Tented Camp is in a class of its own. Abounding with wildlife, unfettered by the more rigorous strictures of the Kenyan National Parks and designed to offer a charming blend of under canvas ambiance and uncompromising luxury, it has long been the preferred retreat of wilderness and safari lovers alike. Built in the 1970's, the Camp's main building was originally the residence of the ranch manager.
Accommodation is provided in 39 luxuriously appointed tents (12 doubles and 27 twins). Each tent has a thatched roof, an ensuite bathroom and its own veranda with views over the waterhole. Full room service is provided.


text:
Therapy & Coaching for Autism, Asperger's, ADHD
Autism/Asperger's
Child ADHD
Autistic Artists: Chris Murray
Perhaps because the visual world is so intense for many autistic individuals, there are a number of excellent autistic artists. I recently blogged about artist Ping Lian Yeak, a young autistic man who displays his artwork in shows around the world. Chris Murray, the subject of the documentary Dad's In Heaven with Nixon is another successful autistic artist. Murray, who lives independently and has worked in several jobs for a number of years, could easily support himself through his art, but has chosen to keep it as a side project.
I recently purchased Murray's poster "Red Brick" for my office. While every artist is different, I think this work really highlights some of the strengths of autism. While the work is a cohesive whole, the details are more compelling than is often the case in more neurotypical work. Murray painstakingly represents each window, brick and taxicab. But the details don't overwhelm, because the rhythm of the piece is so apparent. The detail I enjoy the most is that the artist isn't constrained by taking just one point of view. Each aspect is represented from its most interesting viewpoint. The building is seen head on, the taxis driving away have a regular top down spacing, and those passing in front of the building are seen from the side. Somehow, although this is different than what we're used to seeing in a representational painting, it works, maybe because it captures the details much the way we would notice them individually. The tension between whimsy and structure makes this a much more sophistocated work than it might appear to be at first.
You can learn about the excellent documentary, and see some examples of Chris Murray's work on the Dad's In Heaven with Nixon Movie website.
Patricia Robinson MFT
I'm a licensed therapist in Danville, California and a coach for Asperger's and ADHD nationwide. I work with individuals of all ages who have special needs, like Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD, ADHD, and the family members and partners of special needs individuals.
I'm also an engineer, with two degrees from MIT and over a decade working in high tech corporations.
I work hard to help you solve problems and make a difference in your life.
Bay Area Local
College And Career Issues
Dating And Marriage And Sex
patricia@patriciarobinsonmft.com
Material on this website is for informational and/or educational purposes only and is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional services. Use of this website does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Copyright 2013 Patricia Robinson MFT All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms of Use


FIA recently published eight sets of contractual indirect clearing terms to help clearing firms document indirect clearing arrangements under MiFIR and EMIR. Developed by FIA with Clifford Chance and member firms,the FIA Indirect Clearing Terms supplement contractual terms based on either the 2011 Professional Client Agreement or the soon-to-be-launched 2018 Terms of Business.
Different versions of the FIA Indirect Clearing Terms are available for use depending on the FIA documentation being supplemented, whether the terms will apply between the CM and DC or the DC and IC, and whether they will be used with Basic OSAs only or Basic OSAs and GOSAs. Drafted for use with simple indirect clearing chains (CCP-CM-DC-IC), separate advice guides their modification for use with longer chains. The FIA Indirect Clearing Terms include explanatory footnotes and a disclaimer that FIA encourages firms to read before they start using the templates.
FIA also published three supplementary memoranda on (i) longer chains, (ii) indirect clearing segregation/the concept of netting sets and (iii) the impact of FIA Indirect Clearing Terms on the FIA netting and collateral opinions.
The FIA Indirect Clearing Terms complement and complete FIA's suite of indirect clearing documentation. They form part of the wider FIA Documentation Library, which includes the soon-to-be-launched 2018 Terms of Business and a number of different legal opinions. The FIA Indirect Clearing Terms are available to FIA member and non-member firms for a fee. For further details or in case of any questions, visit the FIA Documentation Library or contact Mitja Siraj.
FIA and Clifford Chance will host multiple breakfast briefings and webinars related to the FIA Indirect Clearing Terms and the 2018 Terms of Business throughout May. Member and non-member firms are welcome to attend. The first breakfast briefing takes place on 10 May in London. Learn more and register!


Austria offers its winter sports guests not only Alpine fun, but also gets the hearts of the cross country skiers beating a little faster. The majority of the ski areas offer well prepared and well marked tracks. Regardless if you are a beginner or expert: there is something for everyone. Relax and enjoy yourself on a leisurely roving track around an incredibly lovely winter landscape. The distance from the tracks to the next cosy ski lodge is usually not far. For ambitious racers there is a plentiful selection of paths. And, for those who have not had enough during the day, try out the flood lit tracks in the evening.
The cross country skiing season in some areas is quite expansive. In the Stubai Valley the season begins at the start of November and end in May. On the valley floor of Neustift there a well prepared tracks to take a round on. Nearby, the Maria Waldrast plateau is a real paradise for cross country skiers. With its Kaser track, the Serles track and the beginners track there is a possibility in every level of difficulty.
Further information on cross country skiing in Neustift and Stubai Valley.
The Kaiservwinkl is much liked by cross country skiers. One high point is the the year round Kaiser run, a cross country track for everyone. The SkiWelt Kider Kaiser is located not too far away. Here you will find the agony of choice: in this region there are 180 km of the best prepared tracks.
Further information on cross country skiing in the Kaiserwinkl region and on cross country skiing in the SkiWelt Wider Kaiser.
An additional large network of tracks is located in the Achensee region. A special recommendation is the track from Pertisau to Falzthurntal with its impressive Karwendels scenery.
Further information on cross country skiing in Achensee.


text:
/*
 * To change this license header, choose License Headers in Project Properties.
 * To change this template file, choose Tools | Templates
 * and open the template in the editor.
 */
package io.github.d0048.riding;
import org.bukkit.plugin.java.*;
import org.bukkit.event.*;
import java.util.logging.*;
import org.bukkit.Material;
import org.bukkit.command.Command;
import org.bukkit.command.CommandSender;
import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
import org.bukkit.event.block.*;

/**
 *
 * @author HXB
 */
public final class IoGithubD0048Riding extends JavaPlugin{
public static IoGithubD0048Riding test1;
breaksense breaksense1;
    @Override
    public void onEnable() {//这个就算是这个插件的main函数了,插件从这里开始执行
        test1=this;
        breaksense1=new breaksense();
        getServer().getPluginManager().registerEvents(breaksense1, this);//注册监听器,也就是另一个类里面的onBlockPlace(BlockPlaceEvent e)
        String name="HXB";
        breaksense1.addtoPlayerList(name);//就是这句话的调用会出问题,详细去看addtoPlayerList(String name)这个方法
        getLogger().info("你的插件已被加载!"); //向日志写入
    }

    @Override
    public void onDisable() {
        test1=null;
       getLogger().info("你的插件已被卸载。");//相当于析构函数,不过其他还没写完这里就还没写,内存泄漏什么的先不管了
    }

    @Override
public boolean onCommand(CommandSender sender, Command cmd, String label, String[] args) {//当玩家执行了注册的指令时,让该玩家加入监听器的响应列表
    if (cmd.getName().equalsIgnoreCase("addtoplayerlist")) {
        if (!(sender instanceof Player)) {sender.sendMessage("这个指令只能让玩家使用。");} //如果不是玩家执行的,就直接报错返回
        else {
                //Player player = (Player) sender;
                //是玩家执行的就执行下面的内容
                if(breaksense1.addtoPlayerList((Player)sender)==false){//鉴于这里也会出相同的错误,我判断就是那个方法的问题
                    sender.sendMessage("玩家已满");//这里是报错至玩家
                }
            }
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


I need a logo and a business card design for my company.
My company's name is Phuc Thinh, it means Fortune and Wealth in English. My company works in gas industry and trading industry.
The logo should be simple and clean, and reflect trustworthiness.
Color: I prefer blue but you can feel free to choose others.
please kindly check my entry #77 .
to be clear, i want a logo design and a business card design, so freelancer should submit 1 logo design and 1 business card design; or you can submit a business card design with logo on the card. Thank you.
Dear Sir Pls. check#61 hope you like it thanks.
check #48 & #50 .
Please check #33 , #34 , #35 and #36 . Thanks!


Nokia has decided to add Groupon offers to maps on its Lumia smartphones.
By clicking on a green "G" icon, US users can now buy Groupon's discounted deal-of-the-day vouchers from their handsets and then locate the retailers participating in the offers by using Nokia's navigation system.
An analyst said the deal could be an advantage for Groupon, which had so far not been "local enough".
Nokia said it was interested in different ways of monetizing its maps.
The new location platform will be integrated into the phone's Windows Phone 8 operating system.
"It is to our benefit to ensure that many different companies use this, and there will be companies taking advantage of the platform who may compete with other elements of Nokia," said the Finnish company's head, Stephen Elop.
Nokia had been trying to make its maps available to a wide range of people, said Martin Garner, an analyst from CCS Insight.
He added there were already some major web players using them, including social network Foursquare and Yandex, Russia's main search engine.
"It's not a surprise that Groupon is doing this, it's a logical extension," he said.
"There's a whole area of web use that could be made better if it used local information and maps, and one of the big weaknesses of Groupon's strategy has been that it hasn't been local enough.


Islamabad, Nov 29: Suspecting massive irregularities in accounts of Higher Education Commission (HEC), the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP) has threatened disciplinary action against the Commission's management for hindering its functions and non provision of key record pertaining to its expenditure for the year 2012-2013.
According to audit document available with The News, the HEC management did not provide key financial documents to audit authorities despite repeated requests, a move that can make it liable to disciplinary action under the relevant law.
The document states that management of Higher Education Commission (HEC) Islamabad was requested to provide the record including details of long term and short term investments; record pertaining to deposit of surplus/unspent funds into government treasury, and record pertaining to payments/expenditure amounting to Rs1.76 billion met out of the funds transferred from the Assignment Account No. 2159-7 to Bank account No. 7060-4 maintained with HBL, Islamabad.
"Audit is of the view that in the absence of record, the authenticity of the expenditure could not be ascertained besides the management hindered the auditorial functions of AGP by not providing the relevant record," says the para 03 of the audit report. "Audit recommends that responsibility be fixed for hindering the audit functions of the AGP besides non-production of record to Audit," says the document.
In response to objections raised by AGP, the management of the commission replied that record of HEC employees fund accounts was provided to Audit. Unspent balance of PSDP funds amounting to Rs30.055 million were surrendered to Government of Pakistan against completed projects. Regarding record pertaining to expenditure incurred from funds transferred to Bank Account No. 7060-4 maintained with HBL Islamabad. HEC management also mentioned that these were transferred to foreign remittances.
However the audit authorities did not accept the response saying that "detail of other long-term/short term investments, unspent balances of PSDP funds surrendered was not provided to audit. Cash book, expenditures detail and vouchers of transactions made from Bank Account No. 7060-4 were not provided."
When contacted by The News, Executive Director of HEC, Dr Mukhtar Ahmed denied that the commission is hiding any information from Audit authorities. "There must be some misunderstanding as we have provided them with all required information," Dr Mukhtar said adding that a written response will be sent to audit authorities to further remove their objections.
He said if the authorities could not be convinced the issue will be discussed in DAC (departmental audit committee).According to audit document, Section 14 (2) of 2001 Ordinance regarding Auditor Generals Functions and Powers states that the officer in charge of any office or department shall afford all facilities and provide record for audit inspection and comply with requests for information in as complete a form as possible and with all reasonable expedition.
Similarly, Section 14(3) of the ordinance also states that any person or authority hindering the auditorial functions of the Auditor General regarding inspection of accounts shall be subject to disciplinary action under relevant efficiency and discipline rules, applicable to such person.Earlier audit authorities had also raised serious objections on modified salary package and irregular payment of salary to Executive Director who is principal accounting officer of HEC.
Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the government to make appointment of regular chairman of Higher Education Commission (HEC) within 15 days.
A three-member bench of the apex court, led by Justice Nasirul Mulk, took up law colleges' case for hearing. During the hearing, the court remarked that no acting appointment can be made on regular posts. The court was told that two names had been presented for appointment of HEC chairman and consultation process was under way. Imtiaz Hussain Gillani had been appointed as acting chairman for the time being, it was told.
The court expressed displeasure over it, remarking, "This is a regular post and neither any ad hoc appointment can be made against this post, nor an acting chairman can be appointed."The HEC and Punjab University Lahore presented two reports in the court with reference to the inspection of law colleges.
Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Syed Qalab Hussain told the court he had reviewed these reports and it was said therein Punjab University has completed inspection of 24 law colleges and inspection of 10 law colleges will be conducted soon. The court was told by the PBC that three different rules and regulations were enacted in different years with reference to law colleges and four weeks will be needed to review them. Justice Mulk remarked, "We cannot make any compromise on the standard of education of law. We cannot tolerate such long delay on this important matter; therefore we are giving two weeks." The court directed the PBC to evolve rules and regulations within two weeks and present report thereof before it.
Islamabad: Bahria University has incorporated in its system extra educational measures to promote multi-faceted education. The academia should come forward with strong commitment to contribute to the nation-building process, as the nation is set to embark on strengthening state institutions.
These views were shared by Pro-Chancellor of Bahria University and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila NI(M) who was chief guest at the 10th Convocation of the Bahria University held at the Jinnah Convention Centre here on Saturday to commemorate the academic accomplishments of its students.
Students were honoured with gold medals and silver medals for their outstanding achievements in their academic career at the convocation. The pro-chancellor of Bahria University conferred degrees on the graduating students of masters and undergraduate programmes. In total 965 students were awarded degrees.
Naval Chief Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila NI(M) along with Bahria University Rector Vice Admiral (r) Shahid Iqbal HI(M) awarded 20 gold medals and 17 silver medals to students, who achieved top positions in their respective departments to acknowledge their outstanding performance.
Anwa Sohail, Sidra Malik, Ubbaid-Ullah Amir, Maham Khalil, Madeeha Tahir, Usman Afzal of Management Sciences Department, Sana Mahmud and Sidra Riaz of BSS Humanities and Social Sciences Department, Hafiz Muhammad Bilal and Usman Shafique, Bushra Sattar, Momina Khan of Computer Sciences Department, Kaynat Zia of BS ETM, Bushra, Masab Toosy, Bilal Ahmed Malik, Hiba Zahra, Saad Iltaf, Hira Eijaz, Syeda Sara Haider of Earth and Environmental Sciences Department, Haris Mumtaz, Muhammad Owais of Software Engineering Department received gold medals on the occasion.
Addressing on the occasion, Naval Chief Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila NI(M) congratulated students and their parents on their splendid success. He said "It is a matter of great satisfaction and encouragement for all of us that university is effectively contributing in building up human resource of the country." The naval chief also shed light on the important role of faculty of the university which has to be conscious of the fact that they are preparing young people who are required to steer the nation out of the present crises which is multi-faceted and complex.
The pro-chancellor congratulated Rector Vice Admiral (r) Shahid Iqbal HI(M) and assured fullest cooperation and support for the development of the university. He said that the accelerated pace of development which the university management has embarked upon would soon make Bahria University one of the leading universities.
Earlier in his welcome address, Vice Admiral (r) Shahid Iqbal HI(M) expressed his gratitude to the Bahria University pro-chancellor and chief of the naval staff for his presence in the convocation. He said that higher education is now considered and accepted as tool of economic growth the world over. The universities have great responsibility of producing quality graduates who could contribute positively in various fields for economic growth of the country.
The rector congratulated students and their parents, and wished them a prosperous future.
Islamabad: A total of 72 graduates received degrees in the disciplines of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the second undergraduate convocation of the School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST).
The convocation was held at the main campus of the university here on Saturday.
The President's Gold Medals were awarded to Chemical Engineer Anum Shafique and Materials Engineer Tooba Shoaib. Whereas, the Rector's Gold Medals for the best projects were awarded to Chemical Engineer Khan Ume Salma Danish and Materials Engineer Tooba Shoaib.
Karam Green Energy CEO Engineer Sohail Wajahat Siddeequi extended his felicitations to the graduating students, their parents and the esteemed faculty. He said, "The knowledge that the students gain at the university serves as the backbone of our industry and economy."
He advised the students to increase their knowledge and professional expertise and give the society their best. He said he could see prospective industrialists in them, and hoped that they would take on professional challenges and transform them into golden opportunities. He stressed the need for developing academia-industry linkages and commended the NUST's role in this area. He was all praise for the fast-paced growth of the SCME, terming the school a glorious addition to the NUST.
NUST Rector Engineer Muhammad Asghar said it was indeed a matter of great pride for the NUST to be able to produce its second batch of SCME graduates. He apprised the audience that the school was undergoing evolutionary growth and was offering undergraduate, MS and PhD programmes.
Earlier, SCME Principal Dr Mujahid welcomed the gathering. He said, "I hope you have not cultivated the illusion; after acquiring engineering degrees, you have completed the learning process."
He urged them to capitalise on the acquired knowledge and utilise their energies in exploring new knowledge through research.


text:
One Heart, Many Voices
by Fr Claude Mostowik msc
Browsing A Celebration of Ut unum sint: The 25th Anniversary, I wondered how I could add to the rich voices there. Despite differences between traditions, there are links that make the dialogue possible, necessary, and inevitable, if the love Christ in our hearts moves us toward reconciliation and unity in a world broken and wounded. It requires a listening that makes possible the hearing of the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth. A Celebration of Ut unum sint: The 25th Anniversary links John Paul II and Pope Francis, who seems to take things further.
Ut unum sint synthesises the Church's journey through its history. It appeals for a response to Jesus' prayer and desire for unity among his followers. It calls for a dialogue that prioritises discovering and receiving the riches of others (Samaritan Woman, Syro-Phoenician Woman, Cana Wedding, and the Uluru Statement from the Heart) and breaking down walls of division and distrust, overcoming obstacles and prejudices, eliminating hurtful words and expressions, choosing the path of humility, meekness, and fraternal generosity. Ecumenical dialogue according to Ut Unum Sint is not about comparing teachings and practices, but an "exchange of gifts" between the Christian churches. We have the one heart that loves and speaks, and many voices that make it present.
I was born and raised in a mixed marriage of migrant parents. My mother was a Lutheran from Germany and my father a Catholic from Poland. There was no suspicion of other denominations. It seemed to be more outside the family. My encounter with people from other denominations over the years has made clear that being a Christian with others dwarfed any of our differences. I have been nurtured by thinkers such as Thomas Torrance, Rowan Williams, C. S. Lewis, Paul Tillich, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jim Wallis, and Jürgen Moltmann. Alongside my Catholic community, my faith has been anchored in encounters—one of which has been the NSW Ecumenical Council Peace and Justice Commission. Here was not abstract ecumenism, but a framework for sharing God's message of incarnate love for all in Jesus. I learnt that we cannot indulge in any kind of parochialism, racism, nationalism, or exclusivism, even though we may, at times, be complicit in systems of violence, injustice, militarism, racism, intolerance and discrimination. Hence, the challenge of justice—right relationships—that contributes toward reconciliation and unity. Inclusivity, believing intensely in and abiding by the oneness of humanity.
Since becoming Pope, Francis has consistently militated for developing a "culture of encounter," more through gestures than by talking about it. He has said very little about ecumenism, but has done much through ecumenical gestures and cultivating relationships with the Orthodox, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, and Lutherans. Witnessing through gestures is of greater importance. For example, when asked by a young person during World Youth Day in Krakow 2016, "What must I say to my friend who does not believe in God? How do I convert him?" Francis replied, "The last thing that you must do is to say something. Take action! Live! Then, seeing your life, your witnessing, the other one will perhaps ask you why you live thus." It is in the area of peace and justice that the God of life calls us to "let the suffering speak," from the earth and suffering, colonised, excluded, marginalised, and discriminated against people. This is a preferential option for the poor. It is a call to go public by building bridges and speaking the truth beyond our walls. There are many contrary examples of structural violence—either weapons or physical force, or merely tolerating widespread poverty, humiliating treatment of the stranger, trade disparities and inequality where vast amounts go to military spending and a pittance to the eradication poverty, hunger, and sickness.
Ut unum sint uses the word "dialogue" often. The dialogue of love, as Ut unum sint suggests, points to a collaboration in commitment to "freedom, justice, peace, and the future of the world" where a "united voice" inculcates "respect for the rights and needs of everyone, especially the poor, the lowly and the defenceless" (cf. Matthew 25: "I was hungry and you gave me food…").
Pope Francis seems to take this further through gestures. And this has been picked up by a number of contributors to the book published last year, A Celebration of Ut unum sint: The 25th Anniversary. Pope Francis (in his Apostolic Letter Evangelii Gaudium, 2013), devotes only three sections (244-246) to ecumenism. He emphasises the common witness for peace in the world. Its starting point should not be our differences, but the common faith. There are recurring themes that relate to ecumenical relationships and the unity among Christians, namely dialogue, encounter, journey, the model of unity as "reconciled diversity," and an "ecumenism of blood."
The video recording of Fr Claude's speech and of the conference
Dialogue is essentially an encounter and conversation, a matter of speaking and of listening. Francis says that "To dialogue entails a cordial reception, not a prior condemnation. In order to dialogue, it is necessary to know how to lower the defences, open the doors of the house, and offer human warmth." This culture of encounter is the foundation of peace. It is not about convincing the other of one's own deeply held convictions, but about deeply understanding the other. Each speaks from a personal context, and from a personal perspective of the world. The approach must be one of humility without sinking into the toxic, demonising, and demoralising rhetoric of much of current politics. Thus, the Church does not engage in this dialogue with ready-made solutions (Evangelii Gaudium 240).
Dialogue entails an encounter and then a journey together. He continues by saying the following:
We must never forget that we are pilgrims journeying alongside one another. This means that we must have sincere trust in our fellow pilgrims, putting aside all suspicion or mistrust, and turn our gaze to what we are all seeking: the radiant peace of God's face (Evangelii Gaudium 244).
In the same being, in his 2014 Message for World Communications Day, Francis added:
The walls which divide us can be broken down only if we are prepared to listen and learn from one another. We need to resolve our differences through forms of dialogue which help us grow in understanding and mutual respect. A culture of encounter demands that we be ready not only to give, but also to receive.
When he refers to "unity in reconciled diversity" (Evangelii Gaudium 234-237), Francis comments: "In ecumenical relations it is important not only to know each other better, but also to recognise what the Spirit has sown in the other as a gift for us," and "We must walk united with our differences: there is no other way to become one. This is the way of Jesus."
Referring to the "ecumenism of blood," Francis writes:
When Christians are persecuted and murdered, they are chosen because they are Christians, not because they are Lutherans, Calvinists, Anglican, Catholics or Orthodox. An ecumenism of blood exists. (Present day persecution of Christians; Ugandan Martyrs).
Francis talks much of fraternitas as the expansive bond between people. It is a disposition or value we put on relating to other people, including strangers and those very different ideas from us. It prioritises relationships. It means caring for people regardless of their identity or their affiliations, and reflects our fundamental interdependence and connection. As St Francis crossed many borders and built many bridges with people, Pope Francis calls on all his brothers and sisters, regardless of their religious tradition or nation of origin, to "see things in a new light and to develop new responses" to the challenges before us (Fratelli Tutti 128). There is an increasing tendency to erect borders and walls that separate, isolate and exclude the other, often the most vulnerable in our world. For Francis, love is the necessary ground for our building a "culture of encounter," which "means that we, as people, should be passionate about meeting others, seeking points of contact, building bridges, planning a project that includes everyone" (Fratelli Tutti 216). Apathy and indifference not only block our capacity for compassion and for being in solidarity with others, but also promote an individualism that creates separation and prohibits authentic relationship. The ones who suffer the most are the poor and vulnerable.
Toward the end of Fratelli Tutti, Francis writes:
In many parts of the world, there is a need for paths of peace to heal open wounds. There is also a need for peacemakers, men and women prepared to work boldly and creatively to initiate processes of healing and renewed encounter (225).
In the final chapter of the encyclical, the pope appeals to all religious believers, regardless of their tradition, to be agents of reconciliation, recognising the fundamental commitment we all have to promote the common good. Commitment to Christ's Gospel is of the essence in this regard.
Thus, in Evangelii Gaudium Francis calls us to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter us (3). God reaches out to us in the hope of a response that leads to a society and a culture where we can encounter each other and the living God. This culture denounces situations and systems that marginalise people. Accordingly, Francis criticises a system that obsesses over some stock market downturn yet ignores the death of a homeless person. The poor are of particular importance because they are the most ignored and seen as the most dispensable. To encounter the poor person is quite literally to encounter Christ. This encounter has macro-social and interpersonal implications, underscoring the humanity of the other.
As well as denouncing injustice, the prophets of encounter also proclaim the goodness of human relationship. Encountering another is to realise their inherent human dignity and the privileged place of the poor. On Pentecost Sunday in 2014, Francis noted that in stepping out of ourselves, we can see that other people "have something in common with us: they are images of God, they are children of God."
A final point about the culture of encounter is the value it places on mystery. When we look at our home—the Earth—we see the world as the place where God is present all around us; we see that we are connected to each other through visible and invisible ties. God is present in each and every person who manifests God's love in ways only she or he is able. The spirituality of encounter, while it critiques certain aspects of society and human relationship, at its core is a realisation of God's immanent presence and an acknowledgement that we experience the love of God together with other people. This culture of encounter moves us to walk the journey of our lives tenderly holding each other's hands, knowing all the while that it is Christ who is our companion.
Fr Claude Mostowik is a member of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, President of Pax Christi Australia, and Co-Chair of Peace and Justice Commission, NSW Ecumenical Council.
Acknowledgment: This paper was presented at the online conference "What Does It Mean to Be Ecumenical?" organised by the NSWEC's Theological Reflection Commission, 9 October 2021. For details about this conference, see this news item.
28 October 2021 © AIOCS
AIOCS LTD is a not-for-profit charitable organisation that promotes the study of Orthodox Christianity, Eastern and Oriental, in Australia
Unity: A Gift from God


What was one thing that was said or done to you in the past that played a pivotal role in shaping your story?
Read and discuss Matthew 7:1-5. What do you note about the nature of man? What does it indicate about the nature of God? How do you personally respond to this text?
Read and discuss Luke 7:36-50. Compare and contrast Jesus with the Pharisee in this account. Where do you see yourself in this account? How does this section relate to the verses from Matthew 7 in the previous question?
Who comes to mind in your life when you think of a difficult person or group? How do you see them? How do you think Jesus sees them?
Even if you don't know the specifics, how does knowing that someone has a story guide us toward compassion toward them?
"The church should be safe place to tell your story." Have you found this to be true? Why or why not?
In what areas of your life do you struggle with hypocrisy? How might people on the "outside" who don't know your story judge you for those? How does the gospel of Jesus address those areas?
Spend some time in prayer asking God for the grace to see difficult people as Jesus sees them.


My Basilian Priesthood is a memoir of Michael Quealey's six years in the order in the 1960s. During his priesthood, Quealey was director of the Newman Centre at the University of Toronto and engaged in reforming the mass and in other theological matters. The 1960s was a time of questioning traditions, including the role of Biblical criticism, the nature of liturgy, the place of women in the Church and in society, and the power of community living and decision-making. Quealey was deeply involved in all these matters, and sought to fulfill his commitment to service and balance that with his faith and vows of obedience to the institution of the Church. Written decades after the events he describes, the book is his reflection on the excitement of the times and the tensions created when tradition encountered new ideas and new forms of communal living. Here's a story that blends Toronto history with Catholic Church history and an inside look at 1960s counterculture.
Michael Quealey was born and educated in Toronto. He received his Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the University of St. Michael's College at the University of Toronto and his Ph.D. in Canadian history in 1968. He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1961 as a member of the Basilian Order. Quealey left the priesthood in 1967 but remained in the Church. He went on to teach at York University and became engaged with Therafields, an experiment in communal living. He retired in 2000 and moved with his family to Alliston, Ontario. He died in 2013, in his eightieth year.
Jan Rehner is University Professor Emerita at York University and a member of the writing department. She is the author of works of literary criticism, critical writing, poetry, and three novels.


The Berrien County Transportation Forum scheduled for April 2019 would not be happening if James Ivey didn't make it happen. James is a young adult with a developmental disability and cerebral palsy who has a passion for the disability rights movement and isn't afraid to speak up about it. James represents the Berrien County area on the Self- Advocates of Michigan (SAM) Board. He serves on the Public Policy, Advocacy, and Public Relations committees of SAM, and is chairperson of the Transportation Committee. Through his involvement with the Michigan Developmental Disability Council and SAM board, James identified transportation as the biggest issue for people with disabilities in his area.
Disability Network staff worked with James to connect with community officials, politicians, and people with disabilities in his community to discuss issues around local public transportation and assisted him in planning a local transportation forum. This forum will be a model for SAM representatives to use throughout the state.
James is not a novice to advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. He has traveled to Lansing and Washington DC on numerous occasions to provide input to legislators. James speaks with a passion you can't miss – he is a voice to be heard!