They each had distinctive styles and philosophies but they were the The Big Three.
I never much cared for Clarke's fatalistic and "European" view of the future but... the dude "invented" the geosynchronous satellite in much the same way that Leonardo invented the parachute. He foresaw what could and would be possible, once technology caught up with imagination.
So tonight, I raise a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster toast.
Good on ya, Art.
Fair winds and following seas.
P.S. Avoid Europa. There's some funky s_it happening out there.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Arthur C. Clarke RIP
3 comments:
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Clark always seemed a bit of a contradiction to me. While I didn't read much of his SciFi, I did read some, and it was rather interesting. The one nonfiction book of his that I read, The Exploration of Space, seemed unusually pessimistic for a Science Fiction writer. He didn't seem to have much faith that we would even ever reach the Moon.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, and be careful giving intelligent computers conflicting orders, eh?
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ReplyDeleteI quite liked Clarke's novel "Earthlight", but he wasn't one of *my* Big Three. I didn't particularly like his other works. He became extremely popular after Kubrick's film "2001: A Space Odyssey" became a hit.
ReplyDeleteThe Pederasty Accusation
Clarke retired to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1956 where the age of sexual "consent" was 12 years old and where health care for the aged was spotty.
On February 1, 1998, Clarke was quoted as advocating pederasty in an article which appeared in London's Sunday Mirror. He was quoted extensively saying, apparently in private conversations, that he had enjoyed sexual relations with young boys and that he praising Sri Lanka as a haven for such.
Clarke was due to receive an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II but the ceremony was postponed due to the Sunday Mirror article. He issued a short denial, but does not seem to have sued the newspaper.
Clarke's personal secretary has subsequently claimed that the paedophilia reports have been "proven" false, but does not seem to have advanced any evidence of this proof.
In 1996 the Sri Lankan government raised the age of sexual "consent" from 12 to 16. Sri Lanka is apparently still a top tourist spot for paedophile sex tourists.