Facing the certainty that a fall would kill him, Robertson crossed the overhang, pulling himself up on a piece of aluminium riveted to the iron structure that he said creaked as it took his weight.
As Libya's interim leaders prepared Saturday to formally start the transition to an elected government and set a timeline for national elections in 2012, sweeping away Colonel Qaddafi's dictatorship, they faced the certainty that even in death the colonel had hurt them.
They included Syrian students granted admission in American universities and facing the certainty that they would not be able to attend, and Iraqi or Iranian green-card holders traveling abroad and terrified at the possibility that they would not be able to return home.
While it turns out that this life — to say nothing of the man living it — is far from perfect, it is the only one Romain has, and for most of "Time to Leave" ("Le Temps Qui Reste"), he must face the certainty that it will soon be over.
Faced with the certainty that President Bush can get Congress to pass a package of tax cuts, Democratic lawmakers are still struggling with how to put their own stamp on the issue.
Burke, who made waves by airing her disappointment at her omission from the new Labor frontbench in a comment piece for Guardian Australia on Monday, told the MPs she had once given a speech on banking regulations at 2am, "half asleep, with drool running down my face", in the certainty that no one would be listening.
President Clinton returned to Washington tonight facing the near certainty that the House of Representatives would vote to impeach him later this week unless he found some extraordinary means to reverse the Republican tide running against him.
But union leaders weighing that option faced the near certainty that President Bush would intervene to delay a strike for 60 days.
Both women tried to become pregnant with medical assistance, but after repeated disappointments they faced the growing certainty that parenthood through giving birth was not to be.
