I don’t even know where to begin. A visionary, a “thinker” in its purest form. One of these folks that looks at the space around them with the eyes of a Copernicus, Galileo or a Hubbell.

I have read and re-read many of his books.
2001 is of course, well what’s to say? And 2 if its off spring are pretty good, but just follow ups to an original novel idea. Rendezvous with Rama is, probably my favorite. Childhoods End is a great one too….

RIP.

Are you there dave? Whats happening to me dave? My mind....is slippppppping....help me dave......




Sir Arthur C. Clarke, the science fiction writer, has died aged 90 in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, it was confirmed tonight.

Clarke, who had battled debilitating post-polio syndrome since the 1960s and sometimes used a wheelchair, died at 1:30am after suffering breathing problems, his personal secretary Rohan De Silva said.

“Sir Arthur passed away a short while ago at the Apollo Hospital [in Colombo]. He had a cardio-respiratory attack,” he said.

His valet, W. K. M. Dharmawardena, said that funeral arrangements would be finalised when his close family returned to the island from Australia.

Science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke dies aged 90 - Times Online

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No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor

Sad news. The movie 2001 is likely the only movie that I thought was better than the book...but I did enjoy the book, too.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

RIP

... a shame, to be sure, but I consider myself fortunate to have had the pleasure of reading some his works.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

I saw the movie before I read the book, and I have to say I did not understand the end until I read the book. To me, the book is much better.

It is worth remembering that Sir Arthur was the first person who came up with the idea of communications satellites in geo-synchronous orbit. He did this in the 1940's.

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President Josiah Bartlet: Sweden has a 100% literacy rate. 100%! How do they do that?
Leo McGarry: Maybe they don't and they can't add.

Oh, by the way, wrong author as far as the attached picture goes (How anyone can confuse Asimov with Clarke is beyond me). Not that I have anything against Asimov, on the contrary he's probably my favorite author of all from the golden age of science fiction. In most cases I'd pick one of Asimov's books up over Clarke's to be honest, but considering I've not really read beyond the 2001-3001 and Childhood Ends I should probably eventually get around to reading some more of Clarke's books. Anyway, just wanted to point that out.

Still, of the golden age greats, I think we only have Bradbury left. No Heinlein, no Clarke, no Asimov, no Anderson, no Dick, no Herbert, no Vogt. Of course a lot of these guys bought the farm before I even started reading their works but still (and yes, they're all guys (apparently there are no women of that era). Then again, women in science fiction have/are a minority when compared to the men.

Anyway, whoo, my little rant or whatever you'd call it is complete.

yes, he and Dick had a phenomenal ability to think ahead, though Clarke did say that the SDI ( missle defense shield), was bunk in his opinion.....

__________________
No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor

I'd say William Gibson could be added to that list.

__________________
No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor

A great author no doubt, but I don't know if he qualifies as a Golden Age author. Besides, he's still around and still writing as far as I know (Though so is Bradbury too. I look forward to seeing Fahrenheit 451 come to life with a modern touch and plenty of CGI whenever that is).

true, and in 40 years we'll know more......I see gibson as a visionary along the lines of those past greats....he as clarke et al, needs time for his dieas to pan out.

__________________
No individual can plan his own existence in their view.

So the state planners must arrogate to themselves the right to manipulate any sector of the economic system if the good of “society” or the “general welfare” is paramount.

Ipso- if the rights of the individual get in the way, the rights of the individual must be sublimated.

The Road to Serfdom
FA Hayek (interpretation)


Mortgage Backed Security survivor

IIRC, I think the book came out after the film was released (could be wrong), so I also read the book, but that was after seeing the film. It does clarify a few things in the film, but I still like the mysterious nature of the film in how the ending could be interpreted in various ways. It made for good discussions at the kitchen table.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

You are right, the book was first published after the film was released.

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President Josiah Bartlet: Sweden has a 100% literacy rate. 100%! How do they do that?
Leo McGarry: Maybe they don't and they can't add.

The thing I always found with Arthur C Clarke was that his prose could be rather dull............but his ideas were so gob smackingly huge and out of this world that you got swept away by the whole sense of wonder that he created.

What a shame he's gone.

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England has no eternal friends and no eternal enemies, only eternal interests - Palmerston

I just can't wait for Rendezvous with Rama to be released in theaters. David Fincher is directing it so it should end up being pretty good.

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"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Thanks...now you're gonna make me google that ( )

__________________
I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

Rendezvous with Rama (2009)

I forgot to mention Morgan Freeman is going to be in it also.

__________________
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"