Overlooking The San Miniato In Florence

Overlooking the Southern part of Florence, the mosaic facade of church San Miniato al Monte glittering in the light of lowering sun is even more impressive, when seen from close distance.

To reach the church you need to leave the city center move over Arno river and climb the path rising from Piazzale Michelangelo. Several minutes of ascending will be revarded with the splendid panorama of Florence with Forte di Belvedere, Dome and Piazzale di Michelangelo when turning down the path, and enchanted Tuscany landscape, looking into the opposite direction.

The patron San Miniato was the Roman soldier, who in the third century A.D. was executed because of his Christian, at that time forbidden, religion. The order of Caesar Decius has been executed in a Roman amphitheatre, but as the legend goes the corpse of beheaded martyr saint took his head under arm and walk away into the hills.

On the place where the saint found his final shelter the funeral chapel was build to be replaced later by the Romanesque church finished in 1018. The buildings of the cloister were firs occupied by the Benedictine monks, later by Cluny and finally by Olivetes who take care abuot the church till the present time.

At the end of 11th century the church received the typical Tuscany facade of white and green marble, adorned with the sculpture of an eagle carrying the lump of cloth, the coat of arm of powerful medieval guild of cloth merchants Arte di Calimala, the church donators.

The richness of the families sponsoring San Miniato one can judge from the preserved tombstones on adjact cemetery.

The outside mosaic from 13th century shows adult Jesus with Saint Mary and San Miniato aside, these saints are also depicted inside of the chuch.

The interior features the wooden ceiling from 14th century,and the floor finished in 1207 with lions, doves and signs of zodiac. Besides the main altar there are the side chapel commissioned by Michelozzo in 1448, and the tomb sculpture by Cardinal Jacopo di Lusitania surrounded by the angels, the work of Antonio Rosselino ( 1466 ).

The belfry rising above the church has never been finished, as it was changed into the gunpowder tower with guns firing angainst the Medici family in the 1530 war.

Thailand Is The Most Popular Tourist Destination

Thailand is the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, and for a reason. You can find almost anything here: thick jungle as green as can be, crystal blue waters that feel more like a warm bath than a swim in the ocean and food that can curl your nose hairs while tap dancing across your taste buds. Exotic, yet safe; cheap, yet equipped with every modern amenity you need, there is something for every interest and every price bracket, from beach front backpacker bungalows to some of the best luxury hotels in the world. And despite the heavy flow of tourism, Thailand retains its quintessential Thai-ness, with a culture and history all its own and a carefree people famed for their smiles and their fun-seeking sanuk lifestyle. Many travelers come to Thailand and extend their stay well beyond their original plans and others never find a reason to leave. Whatever your cup of tea is, they know how to make it in Thailand.

This is not to say that Thailand doesn't have its downsides, including the considerable growing pains of an economy where an agricultural laborer is lucky to earn 100 baht per day while the nouveau riche cruise past in their BMWs, Bangkok, the capital, is notorious for its traffic jams and rampant development has wrecked much of once-beautiful Pattaya and Phuket. In heavily touristed areas, some lowlifes have made scamming tourists into an art form.

The combination of cultures and backgrounds makes Thailand an interesting and memorable country to visit. More people visit Thailand than any other country in Southeast Asia. This is no surprise as the Royal Kingdom of Thailand has much to offer for the visitor: historic culture, lively arts, beautiful beaches, great nightlife, friendly and hospitable people and some of the best food in the world. Travel in Thailand is easy due to a good network of trains, busses and airplanes. Most visitors enter the country via the Southeast Asian travel hub Bangkok. From there you can do great daytrips to cities like the former capital Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi, known for the River Kwai Bridge. From there most visitors head either north or south. In the north you can visit the interesting cities of Sukhothai,Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai or Mae Hong Son.

The north is known for its fantastic trekking possibilities and the interesting hill tribes. In the south the traveler can relax at some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, for example, Koh Tao, Krabi, Koh Samui or Phuket. Some areas are very touristy, but it is easy to find some quiet spots. A little closer to Bangkok there is the resort town of Hua Hin which is home to one of the most used Palaces. The Northeast is popular with independent travelers. Known by Thais as Isaan this area hosts some lovely forested mountains and national parks and very friendly people. The major highlight is probably the famous Khao yai national park, but other interesting places are easily found in this area including Nong khai and Surin.

You Will Love It,Mexico

México is a land of contrasts. From the vibrant colors woven into our textiles to the stunning hues of its landscape. From mountain ranges that run right down to the ocean's edge to lush tropical jungles and high snow capped volcanoes.whether one comes to explore the archaeological treasures, wander through the colonial cities, or simply relax on the beautiful beaches, rest assured, one will take home memories and some of the magic of México as well.

Yet Mexico’s tourism sector is doing rather well. After an appalling 2009, in which the outbreak of swine flu emptied hotels overnight, the number of visitors this year will be close to 2008’s record total of 22.6m. Even excluding 50m annual day-trippers, Mexico remains the world’s tenth most-visited country. The numbers in August were the highest-ever for that month, despite a bomb attack on a United States consulate a few months earlier. “A lot of people looked at me with a funny look on their face when I told them I was going,” admits Patrick Mathiasen, an American tourist on his way to Chiapas with his wife for a volunteering holiday. In fact, slightly more foreigners take holidays in Mexico now than before the drug wars began.

México has a wealth of natural and cultural resources due to the diverse climatic conditions and to a historic tradition of more than 3,000 years. This makes the country an ideal destination for international tourists.The opportunities for getting out to Mexico’s spectacular wild places and interacting with local communities are greater than ever – from world-class canyoneering near Monterrey or cooking lessons in the Veracruz countryside to hiking the Oaxaca cloud forests and snorkeling the coral reefs of the Yucatán.

Planning your first trip to Mexico? Be ready for more crowds, noise, bustle and poverty than you're accustomed to, especially if it's your first trip outside the developed world. But don't worry – most Mexicans will be only too happy to help you feel at home in their country. Invest a little time before your trip in learning even just a few phrases of Spanish – every word you know will make your trip that little bit easier and more enjoyable.

Surfing And Traveling Go Hand In Hand

The home of surfing. Pipeline, Sunset Beach, Waimea, Jaws. Big big waves. World class surf. The above pretty much sums up Hawaii.

Hawaii receives numerous swells from October to March, generated from deep lows tracking across the North Pacific. The swells can be anywhere in the region of 10-30ft - now that is big surf. That said, the North Shore is often flat, but when it is going off there are large crowds, huge crowd pressure and localism. Respect has to be earned. A surf trip to Hawaii will be better spent away from the North Shore as there are no shortage of spots and less crowding elsewhere. The other side of the islands see frequent 3-8ft waves so you will not be missing out too badly.

Surfing and traveling go hand in hand. Why spend your whole life surfing the same break when there is waves to be ridden on every stretch of coast. Every surfer travels, but not all of them score. Have Jamie Sterling make sure your trip is one a professional would go on. With swell forecast and equipment dialed in, you’re sure to spend your time in the water getting barreled, not reading maps and buoy reports.

Traveling with surfboards is not easy, especially if you’re looking to do some Stand Up Paddling, Tow Surfing and long boarding. Meet up with Jamie Sterling and his mobile surf garage for surf packed trip ready to handle anything the ocean has to offer. If the swell is down, let Sterling take you on some of the local adventures, or train for surf with his routine designed for getting more of the best waves.

It’s hard to show up to a surf destination for the first time and feel like a local. Let Jamie Sterling help dial you in to your next surf trip with all the local knowledge of places to surf, accommodations, and activities. Whether your looking for the best fish tacos or the best place to fish, Jamie Sterling is there to give you the help you need to make your surf trip one of surfing not searching.

Hawaii's Best Beaches

Our guide to Hawaii's best beaches will give you a good idea of what Hawaii has to offer. Keep in mind that there are over 100 great tourist beaches in Hawaii (see our individual island beach guides for Kauai's Beaches, Maui's beaches, Oahu's beaches and Big Island beaches), and many have dual personalities - dependent on weather, surf, seasonal sand erosion and recent rainfall. So even beaches that are not on this list can be paradise when conditions are right. The list below excludes beaches from Molokai and Lanai.

The Typical Hawaiian Beach
The typical Hawaiian beach has semi-coarse golden brown sand and is flanked by large lava rock formations where colorful tropical fish congregate. The water transitions from a dark blue to a ‘greenish blue’ near the shore. The water is rarely crystal clear as kicked up sand, ocean debris (plankton, coral bits etc.) and sediments from streams reduce visibility. The beach and sand are clean and well maintained, and free of sand flees (no-see-ums) and other annoying critters. A light fragrant breeze blows over calm ocean waters in the morning. In the afternoon the trade winds pick up, turning the ocean choppy with small waves. If it’s a weekday the beach comfortably accommodates all its patrons with ample amounts of play room.
Rating Factors
Below we describe the factors that form the basis for our ratings. Keep in mind that we don’t walk around with a sheet of paper and pencil, taking notes and giving marks, tasting the sand and gargling the water. We attack the beach! Our weapons include surf boards, boogie boards, goggles, soccer balls, shovels and sand trucks, kites and frisbees, and hopefully a little sun screen.
Quality of Sand
Fine, soft sand is nicer to walk and play on than coarse sand, and also better for construction projects like sand castles. Rocks or other debris greatly reduce the quality as running and playing are not possible. Light colored sand is visually more appealing in our opinion, although it produces more blinding glare than dark sand.
Waves and Water
Waves influence how much fun a beach is. The most fun and accessible ocean sport is boogie boarding, and as such we judge a beach that normally has active surf by its ability to produce the ideal boogie boarding wave.
In contrast, the most fun and accessible ocean activity is snorkeling. A location that aims to please as a snorkeling spot must have little surf, clear water, and plenty of fish.
The ideal wave is about 3 ft high, breaking perhaps 20-30 yards from the beach in waist high water. This size is challenging and exciting for those who are comfortable in the water, but not overwhelming. After the wave breaks, less experienced swimmers can still catch the white water without fear of being tumbled.
With Hawaii’s reputation as a surfing destination, some may be disappointed by what the ocean offers for non surfers, with waves often being too big or too small for boogie boarding. At many locations, the beach slopes into the ocean rather quickly, resulting in a wave that breaks on top of the beach instead of in the water. Reefs or neighboring islands also deflate wave energy, with trade winds further deforming the waves.
Size & Crowds
Some people enjoy visiting the beach to people watch, sun tan, and check out the latest beach fashions. Indeed, you'll see people sporting everything from Brazillian bikinis to snazzy one piece swimsuits. However, when we rate a beach our primary consideration is how much room there is to walk and play. Can you fly a kite, play Frisbee, build forts, put up a volleyball net, or go for a long walk or jog? Bigger beaches offer more possibilities and as such are more desirable.
Most of Hawaii’s beaches are not crowded during week days and offer plenty of room to play, both on the sand and in the water. Only a handful of beaches and snorkel locations lose points for being consistently crowded.
Surroundings
Surroundings that detract from a beach include busy roads directly adjacent to the sand, camp grounds, industrial buildings, litter, un-kept facilities (parking lot, park or BBQ area, facilities) etc. Fortunately Hawaii’s beaches tend to be very well maintained with local communities and organizations (like the Surfrider Foundation) helping to keep them clean. Also influencing the ambiance of a beach are the adjacent parks, hotels, vegetation, homes, and neighborhood.

Top 10 Best Places to Travel 2012

If past years (or recessions) have sucked up your travel budget, plan smart and get more in bang for your buck in these value destinations, from Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012.

 1. Northeastern USA
Cities of the American northeast – New York, Boston and Washington DC – might not be the world’s cheapest, but you can save a bundle by taking advantage of the recent boom of budget bus companies. These buses, which also connect with Philadelphia, Toronto, Pittsburgh and even Charlotte, are a steal at about US$5 one way (and sometimes just US$1). Considering most destinations are ped-friendly (with good public transport and walkable centres), you can hop-scotch across the region without booking a flight or hiring a car. Better still, the ride’s comfortable, there’s free wi-fi, buses leave on time and there’s often plenty of room.
2. Japan
Japan had a rough 2011, with the March earthquake and a hard year for tourism, so travelling there is not only a good thing to do, but can actually make financial sense. Compared with destinations like London, Paris or New York, its attractions and accommodation are often much cheaper. In Tokyo, for example, it’s possible to find simple, Japanese-style minshuku guesthouses from ¥3000 (US$37). Also, many attractions are free (eg temples, botanic gardens) or just cheap (the Tokyo National Museum is a fifth the cost of Tower of London), while attractions like the Nagano ski runs or Disney tickets are cheaper than Alps lift tickets or Mickey Mouse​’s entry in Anaheim.

 3. Tajikistan
Marco Polo​ was impressed – and you will be too, once you experience the stunning scenery of this safe, stable Central Asian nation. And it can be accessed at dirt-cheap rates, even including the hire of a car and driver. Getting a Russian Lada for several days can be arranged for about US$300, which opens up the Afghan border and Pamir Highway, one of the world’s greatest road trips. You’ll stop off at hot springs, 2000-year-old stone structures and cartoon-style forts, finishing your days at village homestays or yurts for about US$10 per person. For even less, make a DIY trek to emerald lakes close to the Uzbek border.
4. Porto, Portugal

The town that put the ‘Port’ in Portugal (as well as the port in your wine glass) is a seriously good deal. Connected with much of Europe via budget airlines, Porto is a lovely town of atmospheric narrow lanes, village-like plazas and buildings decked in azuelo tile. You can stay in antique-filled inns with river views from just €25 (US$37.75), take a ride on an historical tram (€1; US$1.40) or head to the beach near Afurada village by ferry (€1). A few hours east is the traditional wine district of Alto Douro, where you cruise in a flat-bottomed boat (€20; US$28.50) and sleep in 200-year-old homes (€60; US$86). And did we mention the port?

 5. Lesotho
Mountains, cannibal caves, dinosaur footprints, crafts markets – and you get around by pony. Welcome to Lesotho, the ‘kingdom of the sky’. Completely enveloped by South Africa, it’s a cheaper proposition than its powerful neighbour, with pony treks its main tourist drawcard. The best deals are to the west at off-the-beaten-track Malealea, about 60km southeast of the capital Masuru, where multiday treks lead into a massive mountain range and landscape coloured musk and orange. It’s extraordinary – and cheaper than pony treks in the east. Overnight trips, including a pony, food and a guide, begin at US$50 per day.
6. Iquitos, Peru
Booking a five-day Amazon cruise from abroad can run to US$3500 per person, not including flights. That can be cut at least in half by dealing directly with folks in Iquitos – the world’s biggest city not reachable by road. Local outfits can tailor trips to venture into piranha fishing spots, look for pink dolphins in the wildlife-rich Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve (stopping at native villages to mingle with Amazonians) or reach the rustic Otorongo Lodge on the Colombian border. Meanwhile, Iquitos is interesting in itself: Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower) fame came to build rubber baron’s mansions. The best time to visit is October or November, when it’s still dry but before summer crowds.
7. San Francisco, USA
The city by the bay might expensive to live in, but San Francisco practically begs you to visit. Little boutique hotels near Union Square can be had for under US$100 – a fraction of what you’ll pay in New York or London. Beyond the street cars (the historical ones on Market St are cheaper than the touristy cable cars), BART has cheap, easy links to San Francisco’s airport – so no need for US$60 taxi rides. Food-wise, San Francisco’s ‘mission burrito’ (stuffed with rice, beans and carne asada) goes for US$5 in the bar-filled Mission. And there’s so much cheap and free stuff to do: walking on the Golden Gate, Pacific beaches, vintage arcade Musée Mécanique and a host of free art galleries.

8. Ohrid, Macedonia
There’s always a race for the next big thing in Europe, and budget-friendly Macedonia is rising in popularity for its mountainous setting of vineyards, lakes and Byzantine churches; it’s also a mainstay stop-off on Balkan trips. Beyond the lively capital Skopje, the spiritual heart is three road hours’ west at Ohrid, a lovely town with a medieval castle looking over church-lined hilly streets and the lush coastline of Lake Ohrid​. Private rooms are easy to find for €10 euro or less, while opulent historic villas turned into B&Bs run for under €50 (US$71.50). Bus services run to sites along the lake coast, including Galičica National Park with hiking, boating and swimming spots.
9. Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Vietnam is always good value, but you can now skip the package trips arranged in Ho Chi Minh City that tread the same worn-out routes. It’s become easier, more rewarding and just as cheap to go on DIY multiday adventures to destinations like Ben Tre, Chau Doc and the floating markets of Vinh Long, and some less-seen ones like Ha Tien or Tra Vinh. Go by air-conditioned bus or hire moto-taxis as you go; the latter know ferry crossings on roads not on any map. Boat trips go for US$5 to US$10, while most guesthouses run US$10 to US$25.
10. Mérida, Mexico
Most equate the Yucatan with the beaches, but the best place to experience the food, life and architecture of the ‘real Mexico’ is a few hours inland at this lively city. Historical homes have been turned into inns, often for the fraction of the cost of Cancún resorts. The Spanish colonial centre of Plaza Grande has 16th-century cathedrals and free art museums; on weekends it becomes the scene of dance, food and parties. Day trips to five Mayan sites on the public Ruta Puuc bus loop go for about US$40, or head to the village of Celestún and hire a motorboats (US$17 per person) to see hundreds of pink flamingos in the mangroves.

Top 5 reasons you should travel

　　There are so many excuses not to travel – no time, not enough money, fear of the unknown – but letting those anti-travel sentiments get in the way of seeing the world means you’re missing out. We’re not suggesting you spend your life savings on a trip around the world or take weeks off work to see a new place, but giving yourself the opportunity to experience new places, cultures and people is a great way to get more out of life. If you’re still not convinced to take a trip, we’ve put together a list of the top five reasons to travel. Bon voyage!

1.To get a fresh perspective
One of the best and most rewarding aspects of travel is its ability to provide you with a fresh perspective. It can be so easy to get into a routine – or worse, a rut – that we forget there’s an entire world out there just waiting to be discovered. Laundry, cooking, cleaning, shopping – not to mention going to work and coming home (likely through traffic) – keep us fused to a certain mindset, which is: Not much changes. Even if you’re happy in your job and don’t really mind folding all that laundry, taking a trip can mean opening your eyes and giving you a totally new lease on life.
Why it’s important: Whether you go one state over or halfway around the world, what you experience outside your daily routine will help you see that there is much more to life than what's on your to-do list.
2.To recharge
Day-to-day life can wear you down. There’s so much to do that time passes in a blink of an eye, and by the time dinner time rolls around all you want to do is lie on the couch, feet up and television on. While there’s nothing wrong with a little downtime, if you really want to recharge, why not get away from it all? When you’re away there’s so much more to think about than whether or not you left dirty dishes in the sink, if your boss is going to give you that raise you asked for or if that colleague is going to actually put in any work on that project you’re (allegedly) doing together. The stress of daily life is replaced with thoughts of where you want to sightsee, what you’re going to eat, whether to hit the beach and what kind of souvenirs to take home.
Why it’s important : Being away gives your brain a chance to recharge and reboot in a way that just can’t happen as easily at home.
3.To see something new
It’s a big world out there, and while there’s no way to see it all, just experiencing a small sampling of what’s outside of your own town, city or state can open your eyes to all the interesting and wonderful things there are to see and do. You may be madly in love with where you live (which is great) but if you get out there to explore, you never know what treasures you might find. From new foods and customs to great people and places you never imagined you’d see, traveling is full of surprises.
Why it’s important: Any new experience you have can only help you become a better person and enrich your life in myriad ways.
4.To challenge yourself
This is probably one of the most important reasons to book a trip. Challenging yourself is never easy – that’s why they call it a challenge – but pushing past your lingering reservations about going abroad can be very good for you. Travel is challenging for a number of reasons – everything from not knowing the language to eating unfamiliar foods and even getting lost can keep you on your toes and pull you out of your comfort zone (and let you realize you can rise to the occasion). Life is too short to skip out on great experiences just because it could prove difficult in some way.
Why it’s important: Going out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself will help you grow as a person, gain confidence and push past emotional and physical limitations that may be holding you back in other areas of your life.
5.To learn
Travel is a great way to learn about yourself and others, not to mention get a crash course in totally new ways of doing things. You can pick up new languages, try new and interesting foods, learn about other cultures and gain insight into new customs you've never seen or taken part in. You may think that learning stopped the minute you left school, but you should never stop learning, no matter how old you are, and traveling gives you a great opportunity to soak up knowledge from other cultures, people and places.
Why it’s important: The more you learn, the better you’ll feel about yourself and the more fun and enriched your life will be.

Crazy Horse Memorial,South Dakota

The Sioux fought unsuccessfully to block the development of Mount Rushmore on hallowed Native American ground. Out of defeat, they decided to erect their own monument: the Crazy Horse Memorial, which is being carved into Thunderhead Mountain within eight miles of Mount Rushmore. Yet it has sparked its own controversy within the Native American community. Some view its construction as an attack on the landscape and an affront to Crazy Horse’s beliefs.

Lonely Planet names top 10 cities for 2012

　　A king's palace, a princess's castle, and underwater habitats make the cities on Lonely Planet's just released 2012 Best in Travel list famous. The guidebook publisher announced their picks of the top 10 cities to travel to in 2012, and the destinations may surprise you.

　　An aerial shot of Hong Kong, one of Lonely Planet's top cities to visit in 2012.

　　Not surprisingly, however, is the city across the pond that takes the number 1 spot: London. From the royal wedding to the upcoming Olympics, London is the most-talked about town right now. The only U.S. state on Lonely Planet's list is Orlando (we're surprised, too, but given the recent news of new hotel developments in Disney World, including the world's largest Four Seasons resort, it's possible Orlando is making a comeback).

　　"As always, our shortlist has some known gems and a few to raise a quizzical eyebrow, but each one is poised for greatness in 2012," according to Lonely Planet's website.

　　So, travelers, pack up and plan ahead -- if Lonely Planet knows what they are talking about, these cities will be the place to be in the coming year:

　　1.London: The Olympics are riding into town and a whole swath of the capital is being transformed in the process.

　　2.Muscat: Oman is firing on all fronts to attract international visitors, expanding everything from its museums to its resorts. Muscat is the focus for the revamp, with cultural events, luxury accommodation and aquatic activities taking center stage.

　　3.Bengaluru (Bangalore): This South Indian metropolis packs in the best brews, the scrummiest cuisines, and the liveliest arts and music scene, not to mention the hippest population you could hang out with.

　　4.Cádiz: Once a year, sleepy Cádiz undergoes a Superman-like transformation and hosts Spain’s most raucous carnival – a 10-day bender of drinking, singing and dancing.

　　5.Stockholm: This is as seductive a capital city as can be imagined – cozy yet cosmopolitan, wilfully alternative and effortlessly picturesque.

　　6.Guimarães" This northern Portugal city is breathtakingly beautiful, as recognized by its place on the Unesco World Heritage List, yet mysteriously it doesn’t figure on the radars of many foreign visitors.

　　7.Santiago: Culture and sports have come to the fore and new museums have opened to acclaim. Visit Santiago and you’ll feel the buzz.

　　8.Hong Kong: Enjoy views of skyscrapers marching up hills from the Star Ferry, before challenging your senses at a wet market or divining your future at a temple. Go shopping, gallery hopping and check out the bars of Soho. Explore walled villages or go hiking on Asia’s most breathtaking trails.

　　9.Orlando: This should be a great year for Orlando as it’s hosting the 61st NBA All-Star Weekend. The hippest sporting event in the USA , it brings much of the basketball and music worlds together for slam-dunk contests, after-hours parties and concerts, as well as the all-star game itself.

　　10.Darwin: Today, Darwin is the triumph of Australia’s Top End. Beat the crowds to the redeveloping Waterfront Precinct with its wave pool, bars and wharf eateries; or score some brilliant Indigenous art before East Coast galleries snap it up and charge double.

Spatial Protest in the Era of Fast Capital

　　A video by Iva Radivojevic and Martyna Starosta exploring how Liberty Plaza is being inhabited by the Occupy Wall Street movement. "This space is our sonogram of potential."
On May 6, 2010, trillions of dollars — about 9 percent of the total world market — sloshed in and out of existence like a clumsy child carrying an over-flowing milk pail. The celebrated capital liquidity that is the hallmark of the wide spreads and cheap trades associated with High Frequency Trading (HFT) turned into hot lava as a result of the automated programming of a few trading algorithms. Traders the world over watched open-mouthed as the second-largest point swing (1,010 points) and the biggest one-day point decline (998.5 points) in the 114-year history of the Dow Jones Industrial Average unfolded over the course of 30 minutes.
Especially jarring for those who pay attention to the world's financial ecology was how the Flash Crash seemed to defy traditional conventions of space and time. Even the traders on the floor were confounded: Their bodies, the frantic voice of the announcer and the space of the stock exchange itself seemed pitifully quaint in comparison to the typhoon of 0's and 1's rocketing back and forth.
The “flash” was no more than a horrific blip only because the Chicago Mercantile Exchange​ was eventually able to pull the plug on the algorithms that were playing hot potato. But it became apparent that capital is hanging by a thread, as lightning-fast trades circle the globe continuously, beyond the average person’s understanding.
Traditionally, trades were executed by humans in close physical contact with each other. Hand gestures, emotional vibes and verbal outbursts ricocheted in the chambers of the Chicago, New York and Tokyo stock exchanges. Capital was moving, but within the context of humans communicating with other humans — even a day trader was in close contact with his or her clients over a phone line. The rapidity of HFT leaves human perspective in the dust, as market trends fall increasingly into an endless loop of responding to their own responses before the human world has a chance to catch up.
But there is another event unfolding that also pushes the boundaries of speed and unpredictability. While millions of trades are executed every second with little human oversight, the world is collectively witnessing — if not participating in — a rapidly evolving gesture that solidifies the power of a particular body in a particular place.
Today's globalized market place and the decentralized claiming of public space through protest are both powerful examples of how unpredictable flow — the gyrations of capital, the rhizomatic distribution of bodies – dictate and restructure ecologies. The collective gathering of human bodies is a different sort of liquid force, one that has the power to dissolve the traditional boundaries of territory and of how community is usually imagined under the umbrella of capitalism. One could see the emphasis on direct action through spatial occupation as a direct response to the mercurial unpredictability of today's robotized financial systems.
As Yves Smith wrote on the blog Naked Capitalism:
“There is nothing to oversee the hyper growth of derivatives or high frequency trading or endless debt games, because there is no global institution that equates with the global markets. It is a clash of the market state and the nation state … The market state is winning, which is probably why we are all on the brink of losing everything."

　　The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement that manifested on Sept. 17, around the corner from the New York Stock Exchange, recognizes the failures of our current systems of government and market-capital. There is a critical misunderstanding on the part of the mainstream media that the people who gather in New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Stockholm and hundreds of other cities are a disparate mob of disaffected and powerless individuals.
Instead, what I saw (and participated in) at Liberty Plaza was a quick adaption to change through the decentralized organization of a constellation of groups created on a need-by-need basis. Being able to change quickly, a trait lauded in the financial world, is generating new forms of conversation and possibility within the human network of the OWS movement. Basic needs are attended to by dedicated committees that distribute good food and sleeping bags. The very ground of the plaza is mapped by new territorial alignments, dictated by the overlapping and connected needs of people in close contact and constant communication with each other.
Painting the protesters as directionless individuals becomes a manufactured problem of spatial isolation. We are taught to be bodies that need to be clothed, fed and entertained so that we can function as productive workers, rather than bodies who can move together into a larger network of physical possibilities. The power of this movement lies in the fact that the gatherings of people represent themselves not as consumers, or even as voters, but as bodies in communication with other bodies, actively participating in the creation of a new horizontal community.
The importance of representation by physicality came to a head in the wee hours of the morning of Oct. 14 at Liberty Plaza. Brookfield Properties, the plaza's owner, had expressed worry about the “sanitation conditions” of the park, and a vacate order was issued for that Friday morning. In response, protesters took about $3,000 out of their OWS fund, bought cleaning supplies and washed every inch of the contested space. As of that Thursday, the vacate order remained in effect. It was not until thousands of bodies streamed into the park, despite a torrential rainfall, that the vacate order was “postponed.”

　　Liberty Plaza is a POPS — a Privately Owned Public Space. In return for tax abatements or increased building height, a developer can construct a space that must be available for public use 24/7. Developers construct these spaces with the intention that they are used by a passive public to eat lunch or as a resting place for a peripatetic tourist. OWS has forced both Brookfield Properties and the Bloomberg administration to examine what it means to create a space for the use of actual people, and not just as a decorative piece for “city beautification.”
The protesters who literally got down on their knees to scrub the plaza clean (which had been maintained from the beginning of the occupation by a dedicated OWS Sanitation Crew) became a powerful example of swiftly enacting ownership by taking responsibility. Brookfield Properties will now have to come up with a stronger pretense for enacting private rules in a public space.
This movement is exciting because it is in a constant flux. This flux is always mediated by the fact that groups of humans are working with the physical limitations of occupying an urban space built with a consumer in mind. This is a movement of anti-stasis through redrawing boundaries and expectations. This is a movement of bodily articulation over the cold manipulations of code attempting to generate capital for capital's sake.
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