Congratulations, Doris!

Already in childhood reading was a favoured activity.
Besides making pictures of course.
And both have been building the intelligence, the knowledge, the wealth and the wisdom.

In this process some authors of books have been most important.
Douglas Hackney, a fellow traveller also driving a Mitsubishi Fuso FG 4x4, has opened an interesting experiment.
He invites people to give him a list of books one would take along if send to a desert island.
These lists he publishes on his website and it is fascinating to learn who people maybe are by seeing the books they are taking with them to the island.

The list of books of this photographer has been published on Douglas Hackney’s website some weeks ago and one of the books is “Shikasta” by Doris Lessing.



In the past, on several postings of this blog, books by Doris Lessing have been mentioned.
Besides “Shikasta”, also “The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five” and “The Making of the Representative for Planet 8”.




Doris Lessing is not particularly famous for these books which are from the series “Canopus in Argos: Archives”.
Her reputation comes more importantly from her 1962 book “The Golden Notebook”.
Because that book became one of the initiating powers of the Women’s Movement.

There is a memory from the early 70’s when the partner in life at the time, a wonderful Dutch woman, was very involved in the Emancipation Movement and was reading in fascination “The Golden Notebook”.
This is how Doris Lessing came to be known but never the urge was felt to read “The Golden Notebook”.
Maybe by mistake, it was considered a book specifically for emancipating women.

It was only later that “Shikasta” was read and this book made a devastating impression.
Deeply it influenced the way of thinking and understanding.
It is one of the few books that was able to create a whole new concept of how to see creation, mankind, history, the world and the universe.
Every few years this book is re-read.

Some years ago, in 2001, a letter was written to Doris Lessing.
Just after it was known that V.S. Naipaul had won the Nobel Prize for Literature.
In the letter it was explained how important her books had been and still were and how much it was regretted she had not been awarded the Nobel Prize.

It was therefore with ultimate pleasure that it was learned today that at the age of 88 Doris Lessing got the Nobel Prize.



This choice of the Nobel Prize Committee is not controversial.
Everybody will agree Doris Lessing is a great writer and deserves the award.
But the choice for the Peace Prize, The United Nations Climate Change Panel and Mr. Al Gore, results certainly in a lot of debate.
Debate about Al Gore getting this prize: everybody will instantly forget about The United Nations Climate Change Panel.

Mr. Gore has not exactly been campaigning for peace.
Obviously the jury of the prize has wanted to make a statement.
This inconsistency between a man who made himself the controversial spearhead of a widely promoted message of warning about climate change and its devastating consequences and awarding for 50 % to him the most important prize for peacemaking is a trivial matter.
Trivial in the light of what we can expect if we do not listen and do not take immediate actions to what Al Gore is warning of.

The only thing we must now hope for is that Al Gore doesn’t decide to run to become the next President of the USA.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

To see the list of books people take with them to a desert island, a project of Douglas Hackney, click on:
http://www.hackneys.com/travel/index-booksdesertislandlist.htm

To learn more about Doris Lessing, click on:
http://www.dorislessing.org/


To learn more about Al Gore's "An inconvenient truth", click on:
http://www.climatecrisis.net/








.

A massacre.

These are exciting days working on the beach of El Triple, Baja California, Mexico.
There are fabulous results and let’s be generous and share one of the pictures of today with the loyal and fervent blog readers.




This morning when preparing all the photographic equipment to go down to work on the beach, a coyote was spotted eating something that had washed ashore.
Recently, no coyotes had been seen and not heard at night.
It was therefore surprising to see that coyote.

Shortly after, down at the beach, the coyote had seen the approaching of the photographer and made his way to the dunes to vanish in the bushes of the desert.
Coyotes are very shy animals and appreciate their liberty and life highly.

Curious what the coyote had found the walk was made to the spot where he had been eating.

This had washed ashore.




A beautiful sea turtle.
Very dead.

On the long beach of El Triple are three bodies of dead sea turtles now.
And again it is suspected they are, like the giant squids, victims of the nets of the Mexican fishermen.

When the bodies of the dead squids were found some feelings of regret for the lives of these beasts were experienced.
But seeing a dead sea turtle affects much stronger.
It makes a grown man sentimental.
One more or one less squid, who cares?
But a sea turtle we don’t want to see dead on the beach.
Such beautiful animals.
In spite of their beauty, all species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered.
We humans have massacred them to a point close of no return.
While sea turtles play key roles in two ecosystems that are critical to them as well as to humans: the oceans and the beaches and dunes.
If sea turtles were to become extinct, the negative impact on beaches and the oceans would potentially be significant.

If the suspicion is correct that the dead sea turtles on the beach of El Triple are victims of the nets of the Mexican fishermen, the poor animals died for no good reason.
Some relatively inexpensive changes of fishing techniques, such as slightly larger hooks and traps from which sea turtles can escape, could dramatically cut their mortality rate.
But this awareness and concern cannot be found in this area and by the time the Mexican fisherman sees the light, it will probably be too late for the sea turtle.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For more about sea turtles click on:
www.seaturtle.org







.

Human contact.

Last week, when on the way in the Fuso Szulc to El Triple, a stop was made at La Ballena.
La Ballena is a large valley not far from the Pacific Ocean and at a 45 minutes walk from El Triple.
There used to be a rancho at La Ballena but the Mexican family had to give up because of drought.
Nature was not offering enough food for their grazing cows.

Now La Ballena and all the land around it belongs to an American project developing company whose intention it is to build a resort.

The old rancho building has been knocked down and a metal hangar has been constructed.
The well with salty water got a pump and a pump house.



To protect this property in an area where hardly anybody comes, an old motor home has been hauled to La Ballena.
In this RV Cosme lives.
A friendly Mexican who lost his upper front teeth and who has a tremendous stutter and both characteristics make it very hard to understand what he is saying.
But he is a nice guy and has a charming wife and two adorable children.



Last week Cosme complained that he had no light.
He has batteries and a solar panel but somehow it is not working.
He asked to come by in a few days to check it out.

So today was the day to visit Cosme and check out his solar system.

The solar panel was on a pole and in an angle.
That was good.
But the angle was towards the north.
Quite a job to change the position because the pole was in a large concrete block in the sand.
The solar panel was fixed to the pole impossible to turn, hence the solution is to dig up the pole, turn it and burry it again.

The cable going from the solar panel to the solar controller was a mismatch of 354 different cables all fixed together with tape or simply twisted.
An incredible mess.
Having the voltmeter available, it could be measured that miraculously plenty of amps were entering from the solar panel into the solar controller.
Also into the battery.
But no juice from the solar controller into the motor home.
Obviously something inside the solar controller was not well.
It being an electronic device, no solution came to mind to fix that problem.
Except to advice Cosme to change the position of the solar panel and charge during the day the battery.
And to connect the battery directly to the motor home electrical system in the evening to have light.

Cosme a happy man.
Also because his wife and kids are coming tomorrow.





.

Landed.

Today Leif Erikson arrived in North America.
So what, many fervent and loyal blog readers might think.
What is so important that Leif Erikson arrived in North America?
Well, it happened today but 1005 years ago.
Leif Erikson was a Norwegian explorer known to be the first European to have landed in North America.
In Newfoundland, Canada to be precise.
With him, it all started…

Every day a long beach walk is made after the siesta.
One day to the north, the next day to the south.
For about an hour and a half.

Often interesting things are found on the beach.
Like yesterday.
Washed ashore were 5 giant squids.
Never seen before at El Triple.



These giant squids are remarkable animals.
For example, they have not one heart but three.
And their only predator is the sperm whale.
They are not using fins to swim but use a system of jetting water to propel themselves.

Now, why were there 5 giant squids on the beach?

Was it a phenomenon as is happening sometimes with whales and dolphins that they loose their sense of orientation and find a dramatic end on the beach?

More likely the giant squids on the beach of El Triple had ended up in the nets of the local Mexican fishermen.
There are days the fishermen come from their camp at Punta Marquez and put long nets right in front of El Triple.



Giant squids are not good to eat.
This is because giant squids and some other large squid species maintain neutral buoyancy in seawater thanks to the ammonium chloride solution that flows throughout their body and that is lighter than seawater.
This differs from the method of flotation used by fish, which involves a gas-filled swim bladder.
The ammonium chloride solution tastes somewhat like salmiakki and makes giant squid unattractive for general human consumption.
So, the Mexican fishermen simply let go of the giant squid.
The animal has no food value.

Too bad giant squid die when trapped in a net.
And when dead close to the coast they eventually, like Leif Erikson, wash ashore.
Where scavenger birds don’t mind the salmiakki.

Spiralling spics.

Many fervent and loyal blog readers will remember how recently a massage was experienced in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.
Don Sergio Olachea Martinez applied shiatsu and chiropractic but unfortunately the recent increased trouble with the muscles in the back has not disappeared.
Any small job, like cleaning the window screens yesterday, resulted immediately in violent pains in particular muscles in the back.
Maybe it is getting time to go to the USA and visit a medical centre specialised in scoliosis and have them fix it.

Don Sergio Olachea Martinez knew El Triple, the location where currently the Fuso Szulc is parked and where new conceptual photography is made.
He confirmed what more Mexicans from La Paz have been saying.
El Triple and nearby La Aguja have a reputation of being the place where many years ago pirates used to live.
The reputation also includes that there might be treasures buried in this area.
But more threatening is that people say that the spirits of the pirates are still hanging out here.
They say those spirits show themselves as flames of fire moving quickly around just above the surface.

That is all very well and this rational and pragmatic mind accepts these stories as local folklore and exaggerations of the imagination.

But it is not without some shame and embarrassment that it has to be admitted that those stories about wandering spirits of pirates are creeping into the mind nevertheless.
And this especially after dark while being at El Triple with not a soul nearby.

Like last night.
Highly concentrated while working on the computer, suddenly a figure passed by outside.
It could clearly be seen from the large window.
This figure moved like floating and without making sound.
The heartbeat went up instantly and lungs filled unable to let go of the air.
A ghost !!!!
One of those pirates !!!!

There is the agreement made a long time ago, that if ghosts or extraterrestrials should be encountered here at El Triple, they will be approached with friendliness.
Without any aggression.

But sitting inside the illuminated Fuso Szulc, with a pitch black night due to the almost new moon, everything outside seemed to be scaring, unknown and freaking out.
To go outside into the black darkness to meet in a friendly way the spirit of a pirate, who don't have exactly the reputation of being very friendly themselves, needed the courage of Neil Armstrong.

While contemplating how high the levels of courage and coward ness were, this so called spirit passed by the window once more and this time it could be seen it was just a large transparent flying insect.

“Got you”, it was ringing in the head.
The imagination, fear and paranoia having a ball.

This is part of being by oneself in a place like El Triple.
An intense self-confrontation.
Walls are torn down to see behind who one truly is.

Most fervent and loyal blog readers in comfortable homes located in friendly neighbourhoods where are no spirits and ghosts to speak of, will laugh about all this nonsense of pirates, flames moving around and buried treasures.

Well, this may be so.
But then, what will a loyal and fervent blog reader think of this experience from El Triple that happened some years ago?
That time staying at El Triple was together with the Japanese artist Mayumi Nakazaki.
Mrs. Nakazaki is Japanese, from the town of Miyazaki in the South Eastern corner of the island of Kyushu.
Besides being a fabulous and highly talented painter, Mayumi Nakazaki also speaks fluently Japanese and English.
One day together a walk was made on the beach and we found a large plastic container.
It had recently washed on the shore.
We happened to notice there were inscriptions on that container.
We picked it up and to our uttermost astonishment discovered the container was full of Japanese characters.
In other words, decorated by someone with a marker with texts in Japanese.
They were like haiku’s: short poems about life.

The question is now, for all the fervent and loyal blog readers to contemplate, how is it possible that on a deserted beach somewhere in Mexico a container washes ashore decorated with a text in Japanese that is found by a Japanese lady?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the work of Mayumi Nakazaki, click on:

http://www.location1.org/mayumi-nakazaki/





.

All or nothing.

Suddenly summer is over at El Triple.

This can be noticed in several different ways.

Most dominantly by the northwestern wind that has started to blow violently during the day and the night.
This wind is very much feared because it makes staying at El Triple very uncomfortable, cruel and hard.
And it makes working impossible.
Many seasons El Triple was abandoned because of this wind.
And maybe this year as well.
But the Fuso Szulc has recently arrived at El Triple, in its 4th day only, therefore the planning is to simply stay and experience this wind.

Summer is over and therefore the sun rises later and sets earlier.
This shortening of the days and lengthening of the nights goes by 2 minutes a day.
For example, on August 14 the sun rose at 7.07 am and was setting at 7.58 pm.
On October 6 the sun rose at 7.25 am and was setting at 7.07 pm.
At the same time, the sun each day rises and sets closer to the South and is lower in the sky.
This affects the production of solar energy but because the Fuso Szulc is equipped with 6 solar panels and 6 large batteries, no limit has been reached yet in the available and needed capacity.

Temperatures are changing as well.
But not that much.
During the daytime it is about 2 to 3 degrees Centigrade cooler but this is in the shade of sun and wind.
Being in this northwestern wind it is dramatically cooler.
The nights are about 5 degrees Centigrade cooler and the time is over that for sleeping simply a sheet would suffice as a cover.

These days the self-built terrace next to the Fuso Szulc is a place much in use.
Because the Fuso Szulc is covered with tarpaulins, to protect it from the salty wind causing corrosion, on the terrace is little wind.
It is nice and warm there with the fabulous view of the Pacific Ocean and the long sandy bay.

However, at the end of the afternoon, no matter how strong the wind blows, the daily routine of doing the yoga and the running is performed.
Running is on the dirt road leading to El Triple because on the beach is just too much wind.
After the running, tired and covered in sweat, a sensational experience refuses to be denied.
The brave athlete goes down to the beach, undresses and dives into the Pacific Ocean.
To come out after a while to wash the body with soap while standing in this cool and strong Northwestern wind.
Next there is the second dive into the Pacific Ocean to rinse all the soap and enjoy the still warm water.
Although warm in this context has a relative meaning.
After the bathing the physical sensation is unique.
One feels strong and healthy and optimistic and happy.
Back in the Fuso Szulc warm clothes are put on and windows are closed.

But nevertheless, because this change of weather conditions at El Triple came so suddenly, the protagonist’s body caught a light flue.
The system of controlling the body temperature is out of control.
It makes feel miserable, weak and needing sweet nursing.

However, and it is realised it is foolish, the daily running and bathing continues like nothing is the matter.

One may wonder why?

The explanation is simple.
It is another exercise of mind over matter.
In order to make exceptional and unique new photography the circumstances, both physically and mentally, need to be extraordinary.
If the mind can be above the matter, the region is entered where magic and innovation can be found.
It is where the genius and the madman go.

This explains why nobody knows where exactly the Fuso Szulc is these days.
And how to get here.
Except one person.
If something happens at El Triple, there is no rescue.
Nobody will know.
It will take weeks and months before somebody might stumble on the Fuso Szulc to investigate what is going on.
This knowledge that the situation is like this, helps to have the mind over matter.
It is now or never.
Like the flying acrobats in the circus doing their routine without a safety net.
If they know there is a safety net, they grab the hands of the other acrobat with less vigour and desperation to want to survive.
If they know no safety net protects them from possibly falling to their death, they perform at 100 % of their capacity.
It is all or nothing.

The bonus of this attitude is that life becomes very intense, pure and worthwhile.







.

Update report 281/FS/10/07

Time for an update on the state of being of the Fuso Szulc expedition vehicle.

In general the conclusion is that the Fuso Szulc serves its purpose very well.
It’s comfortable and efficient to live in.
It drives smoothly and its 4x4 capabilities are impressive.

Concerning the minor issues reported on before, the different situations are as follows:

The connection of the camper box to the chassis.
During the last visit to La Paz, Chaim, the mechanic, loosened the U-bolts, lifted up the camper box and put rubber in between.
The whole problem of the metal of the camper box scraping on the chassis has now been solved.
In fact it is a very simple procedure because it can be done lifting up one side of the camper box at a time.
As rubber was used the sidewall of an old tire.
Two pieces on top of each other.
The Fuso Szulc drives now more smoothly than ever.

The problem with the water pump in combination with the Seelevel Tank Monitor.
The water pump operates now on a direct power line circumventing the Seelevel Tank Monitor.
It is a temporary solution.
Garnet Industries Ltd, the producers of the Seelevel Tank Monitors, has shipped a new panel together with a relay.
UPS was asked to transport this small parcel from Granbury, Texas, to La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.
UPS picked it up on September 20 and, after 16 days, it has still not been delivered.
The parcel was transported to many different destinations in the USA and Mexico for inexplicable reasons and is now for 3 days in limbo in Louisville, Kentucky.

A similar story is going on with the National Sportster Deluxe Truck Seats that were purchased and installed in the Fuso Szulc driving cabin.
Very expensive seats but with air suspension for having a smoother ride.


Bought from a company called “Industrial seats”, soon the seats turned out to be very noisy.
Strong squeaking sounds coming from them making a peaceful and quiet ride impossible.
The company “Industrial Seats” was contacted after everything had been tried to stop the squeaking sounds.
Lubricating the frame, tightening the nuts and bolts, spraying WD40 everywhere possible.
“Industrial Seats” referred eventually to the company who makes these seats.
“National Seating”, a department of the Commercial Vehicle Group.
Many months later, and after many e-mails and many phone calls, nothing has been happening.
The reality is that both companies are not taking good service seriously.
It is becoming a matter now of hiring a consumer lawyer and have him handle the case.
Because the reality is that each time when the Fuso Szulc is on the road, the seat is making so much noise that it is even stronger than the sound of the radio.

A company that takes service to the customers very serious is Fantastic Fan.
For the second time the power controller broke down and after informing Fantastic Fan they immediately promised to send for free this new part.


A new issue has become the flush of the Dometic Sealand toilet.
A pedal next to the bowl can either be lifted or lowered after which a generous amount of water washes the bowl.
A hand shower connected to the Dometic Sealand toilet is available for washing and spraying the bowl with water under higher pressure.
For some reason no more water comes into the bowl.
This might be the switch inside the mechanism of the toilet bowl controlling the flow of the water.
Soon attention will be given to this problem to see if it can be repaired here in the boondocks.

It may sound that there are many issues with the Fuso Szulc.
This is a wrong impression.
One must always remember the many things that are working well and without a problem.






.

Getting it straight

When a man has been working hard all by himself for three weeks and next goes to town, what is it he needs?
Many fervent and loyal blog readers will scream in unison: a good massage!

So what else to do as to head to Senor Sergio Olachea Martinez?

Don Sergio has a centre in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, he calls:

“Vida Alternativa”.

Here people come to get a relaxing or therapeutive massage.
Including shiatsu and chiropractics.

Don Sergio is a warm man making his clients feel comfortable with him instantly.
A no-nonsense and mater-of-fact attitude.

The actual massage took place in a booth decorated in a most remarkable way.
The walls were dressed with plastic fantasy flowers, huge artificial shells and an enormous sign saying: “Mi casa es su casa”.
“My home is your home”: a characteristic demonstration of the always-impressive hospitality in Mexico.

Next to the massage table was a small console on which a colour picture of the Polish Pope John Paul 2nd.

While the Pope looked on the client undressed, lay down, got a small towel put on the delicate parts for decency and the massage took off.

Some menthol cream was put around the nose and behind the ears and the strong hands of Don Sergio started to work.

It is not known if the Pope is aware of this but Don Sergio, man, he has strong and powerful hands.
The shiatsu came close to like being tortured in a prison cell.
Pressing muscles with his thumbs so they would almost snap and create doubts to ever get out alive the “Vida Alternativa”.
Next day’s headline in the newspaper:

“European photographer massaged to death”

Of course there was meanwhile a relaxing chat going on with Don Sergio.
He knew El Triple and the reputation for it being an area where pirates used to hang out and treasures are buried.

While this conversation was going on one of the most extraordinary experiences ever in life happened.
Suddenly it was realized that Don Sergio was massaging the shoulders and the feet AT THE SAME TIME...

This was most confusing and after calmed down more attention was paid to the phenomenon.
And indeed, without a doubt, there were two hands massaging the shoulders and two hands on the feet.
That is pretty scary.
Some kind of magician masseur?

Don Sergio was asked:
“Please, Don Sergio, tell me you are not alone.
That there is someone else.
Please!
If not, what was that cream you have put around the nose earlier?”

And fortunately an assistant had silently been coming in and was doing his part of the body.

Later, this assistant was needed to do their way of Mexican chiropractics.
While talking in a relaxed way they would take the body in some weird strangling fashion in their hands and arms and totally unexpectedly harmoniously and in complete unison pull vigorously and suddenly so the whole skeleton sounded and felt like every bone was put in a new place.

Meanwhile a new client had arrived and Don Sergio was hiking between two booths now.
Do some massage in one and run to the next for some massage in the other.
This gave a whole new dimension to the deal of 60 minutes for 60 USD.

As it happened the client in the other booth was a young girl.
And it could be heard what a charming personality Don Sergio had.
Saying sweet nothings to her.

But nevertheless he did his way of doing a massage on the girl's body pressing almost violently here, there and everywhere.
The girl was an expressive one.
She loudly screamed and laughed and moaned and grunted.
“Aaaaaiiiii, Don Sergio!!!”
“Caramba, oooooooooohhhhhhhh!!!!!”
“Dios mio, eeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh!!!!!!”

While waiting for Don Sergio to interrupt his treatment of the girl to continue with his first client, it was innocently realised how erotic in fact these sounds of the girl were.
It was like some soft sado-masochistic porno movie without image.
And the imagination of the photographer was able to create those missing images easily.
Before anything could have avoided it, the towel Don Sergio so prudently had draped on the crucial part of the body was erected into a circus tent.
What an embarrassing situation…
How to explain this to Don Sergio?

Quickly the mind was forced to think of the courier UPS who until now has not been able in over 14 days to bring a small parcel from Texas, USA, to La Paz, Mexico.
These thoughts made the circus tent quickly change into a sheet-cover without its mattress.

Surprisingly Don Sergio had a tool for people suffering of scoliosis.
He claimed it was from Japan and it consists of an object as long as the spine.
It has two rubber ridges that stick out and in between fits exactly the spine.
One has to lie down on the object and this forces the spine to become straight and give up its s-shape.
It is very painful but it seems to make sense.
According to Don Sergio one has to lie down on this scoliosis-tool 10 minutes for 10 days each.
He promised he could get another one and now it is seriously considered to purchase it and use this smart thing.
To straighten things out once and for all.







.

FLASH!!!!

Jimmy Carter Confronts Sudan Officials


Oct 3, 8:42 PM (ET)

By ALFRED de MONTESQUIOU


KABKABIYA, Sudan (AP) -

Former President Jimmy Carter confronted Sudanese security services on a visit to Darfur Wednesday, shouting:

"You don't have the power to stop me!"

at some who blocked him from meeting refugees of the conflict.

The 83-year-old Carter, in Darfur as part of a delegation of respected international figures known as "The Elders," wanted to visit a refugee camp.
But the U.N. mission in Sudan deemed that too dangerous.

Instead, Carter agreed to fly to the World Food Program compound in the North Darfur town of Kabkabiya, where he was supposed to meet with ethnic African refugees, many of whom were chased from their homes by militias and the Arab-dominated government's forces.

But none of the refugees showed up and Carter decided to walk into the town - a volatile stronghold of the pro-government janjaweed militia - to meet refugees too frightened to attend the meeting at the compound.
He was able to make it to a school where he met with one tribal representative and was preparing to go further into town when Sudanese security officers stopped him.

"You can't go," the local chief of the feared Sudanese secret police, who only gave his first name as Omar, ordered Carter.
"It's not on the program!"

"We're going to anyway!"
an angry Carter retorted as a small crowd began to gather around.
"You don't have the power to stop me."

However, U.N. officials told Carter's entourage the powerful Sudanese state police could bar his way.

"We've got to move, or someone is going to get shot," warned one of the U.N. staff accompanying the delegation.

Carter's traveling companions, billionaire businessman Richard Branson and Graca Machel, the wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela, tried to ease his frustration and his Secret Service detail urged him to get into a car and leave.

"I'll tell President Bashir about this," Carter said, referring to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

Omar, the security chief, said Carter had already breached security once by walking to the school and would not be allowed to breach it again.

"We are in the security field. We're not that flexible," he said after the confrontation ended.

In an interview with The Associated Press later in the day, Carter played down the encounter, saying the security chief was only doing his job.

"But it's true that I'm not accustomed to people telling me I can't walk down the street and meet people," he told the AP after returning to a United Nations compound in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

Branson said some refugees had slipped notes in his pockets.

"We (are) still suffering from the war as our girls are being raped on a daily basis,"
read one of the notes, translated from Arabic, that Branson handed to the AP.

The note said that on Sept. 26, a group of girls had been raped, one of them a 10-year-old, and that a refugee had been shot two days ago.
Branson said it had been handed over by an ethnic African man.

"All (refugees) living in the town of Kabkabiya are vulnerable prisoners who live under injustice and intimidation," the note also said.

For the most part, the refugees here appeared too frightened to speak to the visiting delegation.
The single refugee representative Carter managed to meet at the school pleaded with an AP reporter out of earshot of Sudanese security for Carter to ensure he would not face government retaliation.
Carter then went back to the man and wrote down his name, assuring him he would look out for his safety.

Most of the community leaders the mission met during its two-day visit to Darfur appeared to be government-vetted, and several ethnic African delegates told AP they had been intimidated by authorities into turning down invitations from "the Elders."

"This illustrates the challenges that communities and humanitarian workers face in Darfur," said Orla Clinton, spokeswoman for the U.N. Mission in Sudan, who witnessed the incident.

More than 200,000 people have been killed since the conflict in the western Sudanese region of Darfur began in 2003 when ethnic African rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated Sudanese government, accusing it of decades of discrimination. Sudan's government is accused of retaliating by unleashing a militia of Arab nomads known as the janjaweed - a charge it denies.

The visit by "The Elders," which is headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureates Carter and Desmond Tutu, is largely a symbolic move by a host of respected figures to push all sides to make peace.

The group made Darfur its first mission, trying to use their influence at a crucial time in the conflict.
A peacekeeping force of 26,000 United Nations and African Union troops is to begin deploying later this month while new peace talks between the government and rebels are set for the end of the month in Libya.

Tensions in Darfur are running high after rebels overran an African Union peacekeeping base in northern Darfur over the weekend, killing 10 in the deadliest attack on the beleaguered force since it arrived in the region three years ago.

Tutu led a separate group to a refugee camp in South Darfur, where he told British Broadcasting Corp. radio, the BBC, the joint African Union-U.N. force was needed immediately.

"It's awful that AMIS (African Mission in Sudan) should be allowed to be here when it is so inadequately equipped - I mean they couldn't evacuate their injured from the camp after the attack because they don't have military helicopters," he said, referring to the weekend attack on the African Union base.

Carter accused the international community of neglect for taking too long to mobilize over Darfur.

"Because of Iraq, this crisis had been simmering at a lower level," he told the AP.

However, he said he disagreed with Bush and others who called the killings in Darfur a genocide.

"Rwanda was definitely a genocide; what Hitler did to the Jews was; but I don't think it's the case in Darfur," Carter said.
"I think Darfur is a crime against humanity, but done on a micro scale.
A dozen janjaweed attacking here and there," he said, noting many refugees have survived the violence.

"I don't think the commitment was to exterminate a whole group of people, but to chase them from their water holes and lands, killing them in the process at random," he said.
"I think you can call it ethnic cleansing."

He also vowed to hold world powers to their pledge of ending this "crime against humanity."

Tomorrow never knows.

This morning at the agreed time the Fuso Szulc arrived at Chaim’s workshop.
Where the job was going to be performed of disconnecting the camper box from the chassis, putting rubber blocks and attaching it again.

Chaim had a sad expression on his face.
With a voice trying to trigger understanding he explained that the job was not an option for today anymore.
Things had come in between.
But tomorrow for sure it could be done.

There is only one attitude possible in such a context.
Accept peacefully the situation.
No benefit will come from becoming angry, upset or irritated.
Or showing effort to try to reverse the situation.
It is as it is.

It is better to adapt fully to a context in which one happens to be in.

Several years ago the project was to make a photo book together with Professor Michiel van Kempen about modern days authors and traditional storytellers in a country called Surinam.
Not many fervent and loyal blog readers will immediately know where is this country called Surinam.
It is on the northern part of South America.
North of Brazil.
East of Venezuela and Guyana.
A former colony from the Netherlands populated by 5 different ethnic groups.
A tropical country in permanent disarray.
To make the book the different authors and storytellers had to be met and appointments with them were made.
But soon it was learned that an appointment had a different meaning in Surinam.
If it was agreed that a meeting would be the next day at 10 am, nobody would show up at that time.
Maybe nobody would eventually come.
Maybe someone would come but many hours after the agreed time.
In the beginning this created a lot of aggravation.
And frustration.
And annoyance.
But eventually it was realized that what was happening was that the European way of dealing with appointments was applied in the Surinam context.
While the Surinam way of dealing with appointments is completely different.
The conclusion was that it was not the Surinam friends who were to blame.
It was the Europeans who were so stupid not to be able to understand and to adapt.

The principle is that if everybody comes on time, there is a problem if someone is late or worse, doesn’t show up.
The reverse is true as well.
If nobody shows up at the agreed time, the one who comes on time is stupid and ignorant.

Once this was understood the strategy was quickly changed.
If a person needed to be seen on a specific afternoon an appointment was made with him or her for the morning.
If one wanted to see a person at 5 pm, the appointment was made for 11 am.
This worked well and there was no problem whatsoever.
The book was successfully made, was beautiful and interesting and sold out in a short time.



With the Fuso Szulc needing repairs in Mexico the same flexibility is applied.
If not today, tomorrow is a new day.
What is the problem?

There is a famous song by The Beatles on their 1966 album “Revolver”.
Titled: “Tomorrow never knows”.
The lyrics explain what happened in La Paz today:

Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream,
It is not dying, it is not dying

Lay down al thoughts, surrender to the void,
It is shining, it is shining.

Yet you may see the meaning of within
It is being, it is being

Love is all and love is everyone
It is knowing, it is knowing

And ignorance and hate mourn the dead
It is believing, it is believing

But listen to the colour of your dreams
It is not leaving, it is not leaving
So play the game "existence" to the end
Of the beginning, of the beginning

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The ISBN-number of the photobook "Deep rooted words" is
90-71877-12-6
Copies could possibly still be ordered by contacting
Uitgeverij Voetnoot Publishers, Amsterdam/Antwerpen.
http://www.voetnoot-publishers.nl/





.

Lalapalooza's in La Paz.

The day before to arrive in the town of La Paz, Baja California, Mexico, in cold blood the police commissioner was assassinated.
A man pumped 9 bullets in his body and escaped in an old Toyota later found.

This used to be a peaceful and quiet town but now it has become clear much more is happening here.
A few days ago a load of cocaine was confiscated in a house in Comondu.

Drugs, because in this part of the world they are illegal, bring havoc and destruction to societies.
It ruins lives and social infrastructures.

As long as there is demand and as long as it is illegal, an underground movement is created that is hard to control and impossible to eradicate.

Today the Fuso Szulc will undergo another technical adjustment.
Chaim, the mechanic, will lift up the camper box from the chassis and put rubber blocks in between.
To stop the scraping and gliding.
To have the slight movements the front part of the camper box is making absorbed into the rubber instead of having them released in friction of the metal of the bar underneath the camper box with the top of the chassis.
Actually, in the original list of requirements presented to Santek Trailers before the building of the Fuso Szulc, this inventor and designer had clearly indicated that the front part of the camper box had to be on rubber blocks.
This had been learned from a visit to Bimobil in Germany a year before.
But somehow, like several other things, this requirement was not followed.

The other technical adjustment is to replace the monitor of the Seelevel Tank Monitor.
However, it looks this is not going to happen at short notice.
The parcel containing the new part had finally arrived in Mexico City and was waiting to be cleared by customs, so UPS said.
Yesterday, for inexplicable reasons, after having been in limbo for 5 days, the parcel was returned from Mexico City to Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
And the same day from Louisville, Kentucky, USA to Tijuana, Mexico, where the parcel already has been before.



For a simple photographer, and probably many other people as well, including many fervent and loyal blog readers, it is hard to understand why it is so difficult to transport a small parcel from a place in Texas, USA, to a place in Mexico.
And why it is being shipped in loops to the same places.
It has been in Louisville, Kentucky 4 times now…

It is all becoming rather absurd.
Fortunately, Don Shapansky of Garnet Industries Ltd has explained a way to solve temporarily the problem with the water pump.
If someone needed a part real bad, maybe even have life depend on it, good luck!
This parcel is now travelling in Franz Kafka’s sphere for 12 days…

Not mentioned yet is the break down of the Fantastic Fan Ventilator in the spacious bathroom.
This is the second time it breaks down.
And again it is the same part.
A small thing that controls the on/off of the ventilator by lifting up or closing down the dome.
It should automatically jump in an upward position when the dome opens, but it is not doing this.
Seems a spring inside is missing.
Customer Service of Fantastic Vent has been informed but as for now no response has come.
The failing part is now circumvented and the fan controlled by another on/off switch.

Meanwhile in La Paz mixed feelings rage inside the personal emosphere.
This is mainly because the work at El Triple is not finished.
There are still some great ideas waiting to be executed at El Triple and the moment to return cannot be soon enough.






.

25 days by yourself is nothing

It may sound like an exceptional feat to have stayed in seclusion in the boondocks by oneself for 25 days.
But it is a poor showing compared to what the 34-year-old Puerto Rican/Russian David Blaine is doing.

He started out as a street magician.
Performing card tricks and illusions such as levitation.
But he developed into a spectacular event maker.

For example, on November 27, 2000, he had himself locked in a large block of ice in Times Square, New York, and stayed in there for over 61 hours.

In London he was in a Plexiglas case suspended 30 feet (9 meters) in the air for 44 days.

But most spectacular was his “Vertigo” stunt.
On May 22, 2002, in Bryant Park, New York, David Blaine was hoisted by a crane onto a 105 feet (27 meters) high and 22 inches (56 cm) wide pillar.
He remained standing on top of that pillar for 35 hours.

It is all-spectacular, gets a lot of media attention and it interests a large audience, but we may wonder what sense David Blaine’s extravagant performances actually make.
It is sensational.
There is always the tension he may not survive.
Things may go wrong.
But what sense does it make?

The answer is: nothing at all.
It is just entertainment only.
Original and innovative.
But without a constructive message or a social contribution.

We may also wonder how will be the health of David Blaine later in his life.
He tolls his body in such an extreme way that probably he will suffer disabilities when he is older.

It is with modesty that El Triple is left after a seclusion of 25 days having David Blaine in mind.
A departure at the right moment though.
A new tropical storm, called Juliette, is passing in front of El Triple bringing some rain.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To see the stunts of David Blaine click on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvAThivQjdQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CTMFudo5Yw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqKnvAvP7Us







.

Become!

It cannot be denied that there is special excitement raging inside today.
The retreat at El Triple, Baja California, Mexico, is now in its 23rd day and supplies have run very low.
Hardly any more fresh fruit and vegetables.
It is time to break up the camp and make the 3-hour trip to the town of La Paz.

This is a very hard thing to do.
One enormous side wants desperately to stay at El Triple and continue peacefully this life of living healthy and being fully focused on making new conceptual photography.
A much smaller side sees that for practical reasons a trip to La Paz is unavoidable.

In the end it is a forced departure.
No more drinking water.
No more food.

In La Paz there are several things to do besides getting new supplies.
Seeing friends.
Seeing a lawyer.
Returning to the mechanic to have rubber put between the camper box and the Fuso chassis.

The plan was also to pick up the parcel transported by UPS to La Paz containing a new Seelevel Tank Monitor panel.
But that seems not to be an option.
The parcel had been sent to Tijuana, Mexico, but then back to the USA.
Next, it was sent to Mexico City where it is being on hold for 4 days now.


According to UPS this is because of Mexican Customs.
There is the NAFTA-agreement between Canada, the USA and Mexico.
North American Free Trade Agreement.
Free trade means that a parcel containing a part with a value of less than $ 50 takes more than 10 days to ship from one country to the other…
But there is no worry about this stagnating trade between the USA and Mexico.
The water pump is working well now based on instructions by Don Shapansky of Garnet Instruments, the makers of the Seelevel Tank Monitor.



In all this turbulence of parcels lost in bureaucracy and having to quit being in the peaceful existence of El Triple to have to return to the dazzling town of La Paz, only one person comes to mind.

Mowlana Jalaluddin Rumi.

Rumi lived in Turkey in the 12th century and was an accomplished scholar in religious and positive sciences.
He wrote many beautiful poems and as it is Sunday today we take the opportunity to enjoy this one:

From these depths depart towards heaven,
may your soul be happy, journey joyfully.

You have escaped from the city full of fear and trembling,
happily become a resident of the Abode of Security.

If the body’s image has gone, await the image-maker,
if the body is utterly ruined, become all soul.

If your face has become saffron pale through death,
become a dweller among tulip beds and Judas trees.

If the doors of repose have been barred to you,
come,
depart by way of the roof and the ladder.

If you are alone from friends and companions,
by the help of God become a Lord of happy circumstance.

If you have been secluded from water and bread,
like bread,
become the food of the souls,
and so,
become!

++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about the Sufi mystic Mowlana Jalaluddin Rumi, click on:
http://www.khamush.com/






.

No naked man today.

Many fervent and loyal blog readers will know Robert Benton.
He is the film director who made in 1979 the famous film “Kramer vs. Kramer”.
It won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

Now, Robert Benton has made a new film called “Feast of Love”.
An adaptation of the novel by author Charles Baxter.

Recently Robert Benton had an interview on National Public Radio with Bob Edwards because of the release of his new film.

Benton explained how he was limited in his artistic expression by a system existing in the USA called the film rating.
Every film maker who wants to present his film in American movie theatres need to have his film rated by the rating board of the Classification and Rating Administration (“CARA”).
CARA attempts to select a diverse group of raters who represent the diversity of American parents such as parents from different parts of the country, including small towns and big cities.
Each member of the rating board is a parent and has no affiliation with the entertainment industry outside their employment with CARA.
There are 10-13 members of the Board who serve for periods of varying length.
They work for this Classification and Rating Administration, which is funded by fees charged to producers/distributors for the rating of their films.

There are 5 ratings possible: G, PG, PG-13, R, and, NC-17.
Issues like violence and nudity play an important role in deciding the rating.

For filmmakers the rating they get for their film is very important.
It decides to how large an audience they can present their film.
And hence have it commercially successful.

The complain of Robert Benton is that female frontal nudity is not a big issue for the Rating Board.
A film with frontal female nudity could get a PG-13 rating, reach a wide audience and therefore get a chance to make money.
But as soon as there is male frontal nudity in a film, the Rating Board will give the film an R or even the feared NC-17 and condemn the film to a marginal marketing and distribution and hence little chance to make money.

Jim McBride who runs a website called www.mr.skin.com that chronicles nude scenes in films, notes that full-frontal male nude scenes pop up only every few years.
And most of those films are rated R or NC-17 and are limited to art-house releases.

This is why no film director in his right mind will have frontal male nudity in his or her film in case that director wants to reach a large audience and be commercially successful.
Frontal female nudity yes, but male frontal nudity a big no.

By itself it is a scaring situation that a film maker’s creative liberty and freedom of expression is decided by opinions about nudity of 13 average Americans all of them parents.

We may wonder why there is such a discrepancy between accepting female frontal nudity and banning male frontal nudity.

Mark Kingwell, a professor of philosophy at the University of Toronto, says:
“As a society, North America has more hang-ups about male nudity than female, and censorship and/or regulatory strictures tend to reflect that.”
“In other words, a film is much more likely to get a severe rating in the U.S. if male frontal nudity is depicted.
This explains why big-budget mainstream films tend to shy away from male frontal nudity”.

Originally it was planned to illustrate this posting with a picture showing frontal male nudity.
To demonstrate a lack of hang-up concerning frontal male nudity.
And to enforce equality between men and women.
Right here, on this posting, because in the end, Blogger informs us that:

“Blogger is a free service for communication, self-expression and freedom of speech.
We believe Blogger increases the availability of information, encourages healthy debate, and makes possible new connections between people.
We respect our users' ownership of and responsibility for the content they choose to share.
It is our belief that censoring this content is contrary to a service that bases itself on freedom of expression”.

But how re-assuring this may sound, Blogger also says:

“Pornography and Obscenity: Image and video content that contains nudity, sexually graphic material, or material that is otherwise deemed explicit by Google should be made private. Otherwise, we may put such content behind an interstitial.”

This puts every blogger in the same situation as Robert Benton.
One picture of a naked man and probably the fervent and blog reader has here no more postings to enjoy.








.

Are you spick and span ?

When NASA successfully had a team of astronauts land on the moon, there were people who denied this truly happened.
They claimed that it was all a set up.
The landing of the moon was enacted in a large hall on Earth.

When President Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald immediately there were conspiracy stories launched that it all had been a complot with many more organizations and people involved than just Oswald.

It seems when most impressing events take place, part of humanity resists believing it.
This phenomenon has now also spread to the 9/11 events.

A video documentary was made that is explaining that it was not an airplane that hit the Pentagon but a missile.
And that the Twin Towers were loaded with explosives that were ignited after the planes flew into the buildings.
In other words, the 9/11 events were orchestrated by the Bush Government, claims this documentary.

The issue is not whether the event actually happened or not.
Or in the way the Government says or not.
The issue is whether the people believe the authorities.
And many do not.
Many members of the population have no trust in the authorities.
They deeply distrust politicians.
And for good reason.
There are many examples how politicians have been fooling the people.
Hiding and lying about things, twisting and spinning reality and denying and obscuring the truth.

This is a situation not only relevant in the USA.
We see the same thing in most other countries as well.

In business it is accepted not to reveal the truth about the own position.
It is called wheeling and dealing.
Like going to a market and negotiating the price.
The discussion between the two sides has nothing to do with truth.
One could for example say that the price asked is too high and cannot be afforded while it could be that the price is rather low and could easily be paid.
But it is part of a game.
Both sides know this game and play it as well as they can.

Politicians, although there are some exceptions, have created reputations comparable to second hand car salespeople.
When a second hand car salesperson is met he or she makes the customer feel a new and wonderful friend has been made.
The salesperson knows how to make the customer feel good and relaxed.
But once the deal is done, the customer notices that this pretended new friendship lasted only for as long as the money was still in the own pocket.
The priorities of the salesperson abruptly change.
Most people know about this and are very careful when buying a second had car.

Many people give politicians like Tony Blair, Jacques Chirac, General Musharaf, Nouri al-Maliki and George Bush no credit whatsoever.
They have come to realize and accepted that these politicians cannot be trusted.

Hence the conspiracy theories every time a major event takes place.

Lack of trust creates paranoia.
And that is what those conspiracy theories are.

Paranoia is a sad thing.
It corrupts the daily life in a damaging way.

Better to think that it doesn’t matter that maybe the world is full of lies.
If one personally lives in complete truth, at least the personal domain is spic and span.

++++++++++++++++++++

To see this documentary about the conspiracy behind the 9/11 events, click on:


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7866929448192753501&q=loose+change+recut







.

The travelling parcel

Most fervent and loyal blog readers will remember how the Seelevel Tank Monitor in the Fuso Szulc almost caught fire.


But fortunately Garnet Industries Ltd, producer of the Seelevel Tank Monitors, has excellent service.
They made a complete new monitor available to replace the one that burned out.
As well as a relay to have less strain of amps on the Seelevel Tank Monitor.

All this in a small parcel shipped by UPS to an address in La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.

UPS has a website where one can follow the journey of a parcel by filling in a tracking number.
This is fascinating.
It shows us how a courier like UPS is handling the request to send a small parcel from Granbury in Texas, USA to La Paz, Baja California, Mexico.



UPS picked the parcel up in Granbury, Texas and brought it to Fort Worth in Texas.
From Fort Worth, Texas, the parcel went to Louisville in Kentucky.
From Louisville, Kentucky, it went to Ontario in California.
From Ontario, California, it went back to Louisville in Kentucky.
From Louisville in Kentucky the parcel went back to Ontario in California.
From Ontario, California it was send to Tijuana in Mexico.
The parcel has arrived now in Mexico!
And close to La Paz: there are airplanes with direct flights from Tijuana to La Paz: a journey of 2 hours.
However, the parcel is sent from Tijuana, Mexico to Louisville in Kentucky again.
The parcel likes to go there very much!
But now the parcel is send from Louisville in Kentucky to Mexico City in Mexico.

On this Thursday morning there is no news yet what will happen with the parcel today.

If fervent and loyal blog readers want to remain updated they can go to the UPS website and fill in the tracking number to follow the adventures of the parcel.
Tracking number: 1ZA46F450446639190

The parcel was picked up from Garnet Industries LTD on September 20.
It is traveling for one week now…

There might be a reason for these logistic maneuvers.
It is full moon!






.

What's our bussiness?

One of the persons the most highly respected in futurology in our days is the world-renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist, the English professor Stephen Hawking.



He wrote the influential best sellers “A brief history of time” and “The universe in a nutshell”.

One of the things Professor Hawking is saying is that the future of mankind must be found in the universe.
He sees us surviving only if we manage to colonize other planets.

It is understandable a professor like Stephen Hawking comes to this conclusion because he has a mind that thinks in a rational way.

However, we must hope the professor is wrong.

In a way man is still a rather primitive creature.
Man still operates with methods from the days he was a caveman.
Evolution from being a caveman into a more enlightened and spiritual person has been happening but with only extreme minorities.

Colonizing space will copy situations as we are witnessing in our days.
Simply watch films like “Starwars” to get an idea how the colonization of space by humans will be going.
There will be conflicts, trouble, wars, deaths, pollution, catastrophes, and disasters.

There is though another approach seeing the future.
Professor Stephen Hawking predictions are all based on the fact that the world population will expand.
And that eventually the world will be too small for all of us.
This is similar to the “Lebensraum”-doctrine of Adolf Hitler and his Nazis in the 1930’s.
And we all know what disaster that resulted in.

A different approach is to NOT think from the assumption that the world population will grow.

There are two reasons for this assumption.

One is that overpopulation of Earth will initiate reactions from the environment.
Nature is already responding with ways making it harder for people to live on this planet.
These confrontations will only increase and the humans will not be able to win this war.
Therefore the amount of people living on this planet is regulated by nature.
No unlimited grow of world population will be possible.
Many will be massacred by natural disasters.

Second reason NOT to think having the assumption that the world population will grow so much we will need to colonize space is that evolution of the mind might result in humans that are conscious, aware, sensible and pragmatic.
If humans in enough numbers achieve this state, they will manage a world community where all have a prosperous life.
Once there, humans will understand that to have children is neither a necessity nor an obligation.
Already, a conscious person in our days, living in a developed country, will think twice before to have children.

Earth is a good place but only if we are not with too many.
If we don’t want to accept that idea and see the solution in colonizing planets in space, we will export and plant over there the mess we have created here.

It is a taboo to speak of limiting the amount of children.
It is a concept that initiates indignation.
It shakes and rocks the roots and foundation of a human.
But it is an unavoidable truth coming our way.
Unless we want to perish either here by natural catastrophe or eventually in space.

We have no business in space.
We have business here on Earth.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To learn more about Professor Stephen Hawking, click on:
http://www.hawking.org.uk/home/hindex.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/hawking/html/home.html








.

Welcome to heaven

Is this visit of heaven something exclusively for the own pleasure and satisfaction and for other people to look at and be jealous about?
Or is there a totally different intention?

Yesterday the posting was about the effects of deprivation being in retreat for weeks.

There are some people who create a privileged situation in their lives eventually making them feel elated.
They even communicate about it and because the purpose is only personal benefit, the audience becomes passive witnesses.
A very ugly way of egotism.
Exhibitionistic self- centeredness.

The only purpose of the retreat at El Triple is to achieve a state of purity, simplicity and balance because from there it is possible to create images that possibly can touch the audience and have meaning for them.
The images become a meeting point.
It offers the audience to be there as well.
To experience the same state of being.
To join on the level arrived.

Therefore, loyal and fervent blog readers must realise that they are not witnessing some eccentric behaviour of a self-centred person.
To the contrary!
Fervent and loyal blog readers are participants in a process of creating images to serve to open more the consciousness of people now and in the future.

This is why today we make it a special day.
We are going to see some examples of the images that were made here at El Triple.
Called the “PS-series”.













There are more images of the “PS-series” to see.
Go to the website www.szulc.info and click on “Recent news”.
And continue your visit to heaven.





.

Where is heaven?

There are still some scattered clouds in the sky above El Triple.
Remnants of what was first a hurricane, then a tropical storm and eventually some minor wind and rain.

The excitement of the need to evacuate El Triple and find shelter at La Ballena has subsided.
Yesterday the tarpaulins protecting the Fuso Szulc against the salty winds were put back in place after they had been put down and stored the day before.
Rather ironic and crazy this 2-hour job, like the neurotic behaviour of a patient in a madhouse, but with hurricanes it is wise to be cautious.
Better to be prepared just in case dramatic natural phenomenons do happen than to be hesitant and timid.

One fabulous result of all the meteorological turbulence of the last days is that the temperature of the ocean water is very high now.
It is a fantastic experience to dive into the water and to be surrounded by such warm liquid.
However, the waves are still big and strong because of the recent storm.
Before one knows a wave knocks one off the feet.
Or a strong current pulls the person away from the beach.
This is rather scary.
As was almost fatally experienced in Puerto Escondido in the south of Mexico, the Pacific Ocean can be a cruel and mortal enemy.
Therefore bathing is with much caution as no lifeguard is on duty on the beach of El Triple.

Now that 18 days are spent here and the effects of the retreat are becoming stronger and stronger, one aspect is becoming more and more dominant.
It is the self-confrontation.
This meeting with oneself, as one really is, focuses on a delicate question:

“Why are you here?”

There are many answers to that question and they can be divided into two categories.

The evading and simple answers.
For example:

• To get a tan.
• To live healthy and to get in shape.
• To get away from the crazy world.
• To remember all the lovers and partners.
• To enjoy tranquillity and pure nature.

The confrontational and psychological answers.
For example:

• To work out the issues in life.
• To progress on the way to enlightenment.
• To go through the emotions of past experiences.
• To find balance and harmony.
• To be able to be angry without hurting anyone.

But guess what eventually an extended retreat is making the ascetic believe and understand:

it is all nonsense what one thinks about life.

All these simple and complicated answers to the question of why someone is somewhere are simply illusions and games of the mind.

One is here.
In this case El Triple.
Getting completely out of thinking.
And into simply being.
To be amazed, surprised and enjoyed by everything that wants to happen.

To be.
Just that.

No more questions.
No more answers needed.

As the band Traffic sings:
“Guiding your visions to heaven
and heaven is in your mind”.







.

A hollow hurricane

Last night at 4 am the raindrops falling on the roof of the Fuso Szulc woke up the peaceful sleeper.

Immediately there was an acceleration of heartbeat, blood flow, adrenaline production and of the thinking process.
Because the sound of the raindrops falling was indicating that tropical storm Ivo had reached El Triple.

Surprisingly, because the National Hurricane Centre had informed on Saturday evening that Ivo would hit land late Sunday afternoon.
But with these tropical storms you never know.
They can become stronger or weaker.
And they can change course unexpectedly as well.

Already everything outside the Fuso Szulc had been stored away yesterday.
All the tarpaulins protecting for the wind and all the furniture.
The only thing to do at 4 am on Sunday morning was closing the Seitz roof vents.

Suddenly a flash like someone making a picture.
But it was lightning above the ocean.

Besides strong winds, lightning at El Triple is highly feared.
Because the Fuso Szulc is positioned in open field without any protection nearby of trees, buildings or the 911 rescue team.

Checking the barometer it was not down much: 1007 HPA.
Even the wind was not strong and violent as it always is before the storm really starts.

Back in bed contemplating the situation and trying to keep the fantasy limited in imagining dramatic disasters that could happen, the rain stopped.
The lightning as well.

This morning there was light rain and dark clouds in the west and a sunrise in a relative open sky in the east.
Resulting in spectacular rainbows above the ocean.




After breakfast the Datastorm Satellite System was switched on and, although heavy clouds covering the sky, connection was established with the Satmex 5 satellite anyway.

And this is what the National Hurricane Centre has to report:

Tropical Depression IVO Public Advisory
Home Public Adv Fcst/Adv Discussion Wind Probs Maps/Charts Archive

000
WTPZ32 KNHC 231132
TCPEP2
BULLETIN
TROPICAL DEPRESSION IVO INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 20A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP122007
500 AM PDT SUN SEP 23 2007

...WEAK AND DISORGANIZED IVO APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BAJA...

AT 500 AM PDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION IVO WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 111.2 WEST OR ABOUT 85
MILES...135 KM...WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF THE BAJA
CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH...AND
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24
HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF THE DEPRESSION IS EXPECTED TO
PASS OVER OR VERY NEAR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN TIP OF THE BAJA
CALIFORNIA PENINSULA LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 35 MPH...55
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST AND
IVO COULD DEGENERATE INTO A REMNANT LOW LATER TODAY.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1007 MB...29.74 INCHES.

RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE
SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

REPEATING THE 500 AM PDT POSITION...22.4 N...111.2 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35
MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1007 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
800 AM PDT.

$$
FORECASTER MAINELLI/PASCH


So, Ivo got weak.
Ivo got disorganized.
And changed course now versus the southern tip of Baja California to surprise the tourists in Cabo San Lucas.




All right, Ivo, you make the Fuso Szulc stay at El Triple then.
No evacuation.
Thanks for the excitement!





.

A new hurricane approaching.

One of the gadgets of the Fuso Szulc is the LaCrosse Wireless Weather Station.



Well, wireless, wireless.
Not really because after one year the transmitter gave up and is now connected to the base station with a cable.

This handicapped transmitter is underneath the Fuso Szulc and measures the outside temperature and the humidity.
It also transmits the wind speed and direction coming by cable from a third device.



LaCrosse Wireless Weather Station is showing the time and date and obtains this information from a satellite that gets it from an atomic clock somewhere in Colorado, USA.
Even here in Mexico that works.

There is the possibility to hook up the LaCrosse Wireless Weather Station to a computer and download data.
Like the minimum/maximum of temperatures.
However this works only with a PC, not with an Apple computer.

Therefore, by hand certain data is written down and later introduced in a spreadsheet document in the MacBook Pro computer.
By now minimum and maximum temperatures have been collected at El Triple during several years.

Today we read from the LaCrosse Wireless Weather Station that the pressure is high: 1007,8 HPA.
Therefore it predicts bright sunshine and a mounting barometer.

But what the LaCrosse Wireless Weather Station not yet knows and not indicates is that a new hurricane is on its way…

This one, called Ivo, has started west of El Triple above the Pacific Ocean and is heading straight for the Fuso Szulc.



This will bring new heavy rainfall and winds are expected of over 100 km. per hour. (62 miles per hour).

These are unsafe conditions to remain at El Triple.
Already this morning the hurricane could be seen coming.





The nucleus of the hurricane is supposed to arrive at El Triple Sunday at 11 PM according to the National Hurricane Centre.
This gives time to think what to do.

There are three options:

1. Return to the town of La Paz,
2. Go and find shelter with Cosme at La Ballena half an hour from here,
3. Stay at El Triple.

Because hurricanes are unpredictable concerning their path and because with Internet the exact track of the hurricane can be monitored, for the moment no activity of running away is deployed.

But it is highly likely that action has to be taken.
Either today or tomorrow.
We may expect extraordinary circumstances.

Not being able for example to put up the Datastorm satellite disk and get on line.
If there is an interruption in the daily publication on this blog, don’t blame it on the Bossanova.
It probably will be because of Ivo.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To follow the track of hurricane Ivo, click on:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_ep2+shtml/083526.shtml?3day#contents


To learn more about the WS-2315AL Weather Pro Centre, click on:
http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/2315/index.php

To learn more about La Paz, click on:
http://www.lapaz-tourism.com/

To learn more about the Bossanova, click on:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bossa_nova





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