Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
'He never grew up; but he never stopped growing.'
Sir Arthur C. Clarke dies at 90.
[link] Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who wrote "2001: A Space Odyssey" and won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday, an aide said. He was 90.
Thank you, Sir Arthur, for the many happy hours I spent in awe and wonderment, reading your amazing thoughts, words, and ideas. The world is a less-bright place without you in it.
His last message to the world, recorded in his home on his 90th birthday back in December, 2007, appears after the fold.
(For those of you wondering, the title of this blog post is Sir Arthur's epitaph, as quoted in Wired Magazine today.)
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I wish I was cool enough to have everyone use my middle initial
I'm not exactly what you'd call "a weeper", but I'm glad nobody was around when I read that headline on Digg earlier today.
--
"Ponies are atheists, you know, technically."
- Todd S. Sayre
Cross-posted comment.
Last night a good thread got going early about Clarke's death over on dKos (it was how I found out about it). People were citing this and that book of his, and here's what I said:
Clarke was indeed one of the greats, right up there with Heinlein and Asimov, and above most of the rest.
After posting that comment, I popped open a beer in recognition of the White Hart, and watched 2001.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
On the Death of a Friend
You have your third wish, Arthur, and it is my deep delight to share its fulfillment with so many others. You caused a powerful thing to happen to me through your written word; the notion that people are smart and noble and capable.
Against your successful predictions of (then) future technologies, even against your mind twisting tales of meetings with alien races, that accomplishment I consider your richest. While all about people were decrying the state of humanity and denigrating its intellectual and technological accomplishments you stood tall among a small cadre of thinkers who had a very different message. You told us that we could achieve great things and even showed us a bit of how it would happen. I am indebted to you for this, for my own world view and personal philosophy bear your distinctive mark. You'd be amazed at how "A Fall of Moondust" changed me forever, for better.
My deepest thanks to you, old friend. I shall pass on to my children and my grandchildren what you have given me in the expectation that their lives will also be enriched and challenged and revealed as worthy.
And may it amuse you to hear me say that I haven't grown up either, by virtue I suppose, of the constant wonder and sheer delight of contemplating this universe and our place in it. Even more, the consideration of what might happen in the future. You have done me an inestimable service after the fashion of Issac Asimov and Martin Gardener and Bob Heinlein and Robert Campbell and others that instructed as they entertained, helping me to see beyond the constricting views of the mainstream and perceiving something greater; "Something wonderful."
Goodbye, old friend. And thank you so much.
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