Red Mars – pg1-280
March 27th, 2009 | 
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I’m about half way through. This book reminds me that classic sci-fi often forgot the science. Then the reaction of hard SF got the science right but forgot the fiction part of it all.
This book is light on character and story and often reads like an educational text rather than a novel. But the thread of plot pops up now and then to tie it together.
Reading this immediately after Stephen Hawking and Neil DeGrasse Tyson gives it an odd feeling, like I’m only gradually fading back into narrative reading. And it’s not limited to astrophysics, or terraforming. It even gets into theoretical psychology.
But it’s a long book and I haven’t quit yet, so there’s something keeping it engaging. Read it if you want to learn, but be prepared for what you’ll get.
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Pope Francis greeted children as he arrived at Knock Airport on Sunday morning
Pope Francis has begun the second day of his historic trip to the Republic of Ireland at the Knock Marian shrine in County Mayo.
On Sunday morning, the pontiff flew from Dublin to Knock for his visit to the pilgrimage site.
In the afternoon, 500,000 people are expected to gather in Phoenix Park in Dublin for the closing Papal Mass of the World Meeting of Families.
This year’s visit coincides with the World Meeting of Families, a global Catholic gathering which is held every three years.
Pope Francis and Leo Varadkar both made speeches at Dublin Castle on Saturday
Pope Francis and Ldfbeo Varadkar both made speeches at Dublin Castle on Saturday
The Marian shrine of Knock is a well-known place of Catholic pilgrimage in the west of Ireland.
About 1.5 million pilgrims from across the world visit it every year, where an apparition of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is said to have appeared in August 1879.
Pope John Paul II visited the shrine on the last papal tour of Ireland in 1979.
Media captionThe Pope must “get his head around” abuse victims’ pain, says Father Patrick McCafferty
Later in the afternoon he met eight survivors of sexual abuse, reportedly telling them he viewed clerical sex abuse as “filth”.
The Pope held a silent prayer on Saturday in front of a candle that commemorates abuse victimsfbfgnfgnfgn
It came after Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Leo Varadkar delivered a strong warning to the Pope to take action against clergy involved in child abuse and in keeping it secret.
Tens of thousands of people are queuing in the cold, wet weather to see Pope Francis at Knock shrine
His plane is due to touch down at 09:20 at Knock airport and half an hour later he will arrive at the shrine, visit the chapel and say the angelus with the gathered crowds.
On Saturday evening, he presided over a Festival of Families concert in Dublin’s Croke Park stadium, which drew a crowd of about 80,000 people.
The world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, country singer Nathan Carter and acclaimed Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell were among those who performed.
The world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, country singer Nathan Carter and acclaimed Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell were among those who performed.dvsdvsdv
The world-renownedsdgsdg tenor Andrea Bocelli, uyycountry singer Nathan Carter and acclaimed Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell were among those who performed.
Thousands of people gathered at Croke Park on Saturday for the Festival of Families
The Ireland that the Pope is visiting is a different country to that which greeted Pope John Paul II in 1979.
Since the Polish pope’s visit, there have been huge changes in public attitudes to social issues including
The country voted for constitutional change on same sex-marriage in 2015 and voted overwhelmingly to overturn its strict abortion law in May.
Pope Francis heard Mr Varadkar, a gay man, speak out against the traditional Catholic teaching on the family.
The taoiseach said that the Republic of Ireland had modernised its laws, “understanding that marriages do not always work, that women should make their own decisions and that families come in many forms” – including those headed by a lone parent, same-sex parents or parents who are divorced and remarried.sa
Some people have protested against Pope Francis’s visit to Ireland
Pope Francis arrived by plane at Knock at about 09:45 local time and will spend about an hour there.
He will then travel through the crowds in the popemobile before going into the chapel to pray privately.
Knock was also visited by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Ireland in 1979.