Arthur C. Clarke dies at age 90.

[Randy_Watson]

I just saw on www.cnn.com that Arthur C. Clarke has died. I'm glad we got him as long as we did. I'll post more as it comes.

Edit: Here's the story:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/book....ap/index.html

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) -- Arthur C. Clarke, a visionary science fiction writer who won worldwide acclaim with more than 100 books on space, science and the future, died Wednesday in his adopted home of Sri Lanka, an aide said. He was 90.

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

Clarke moved to Sri Lanka in 1956, lured by his interest in marine diving which he said was as close as he could get to the weightless feeling of space.

"I'm perfectly operational underwater," he once said.

He wrote "2001: A Space Odyssey," which director Stanley Kubrick turned into a classic movie.

Clarke was regarded as far more than a science fiction writer.

He was credited with the concept of communications satellites in 1945, decades before they became a reality. Geosynchronous orbits, which keep satellites in a fixed position relative to the ground, are called Clarke orbits.

He joined American broadcaster Walter Cronkite as commentator on the U.S. Apollo moonshots in the late 1960s

He'll be missed, but at least he was able to share so much with us before his passing. I know what I am watching tonight.

[ShadowMaat]

Awwww. Of course, I knew it was only a matter of time, but still, it's very sad. He was a fave of mine.

[Jeffala]

I just read this in Twitter. Such a sad thing to lose one of the most brilliant minds in science fiction. He contributed so much joy to our lives.

I especially loved Rendezvous with Rama.

[DigiFluid]

Aw, now I'm sad.

[gopher65]

A lot of great science fiction or fantasy writers have died recently. Ah well, hopefully new (good) ones will rise to take their place.

[cheese]

An incredible author, the first "hard" science fiction author I read, every year I read at least one and am actually just about to get started with his newest novel.

A sad day for science fiction.

[Trek_Girl42]

I just saw this. Wonderful author, I love "2001: A Space Odyssey"- the book, I watched the movie when I was ten and was bored out of my mind.....though I probably should re-watch it now. Definitely a sad day for science fiction.

[the Fifth Race]

RIP Indeed. All of us fellow scifi fans owe Arthur a lot.

[trupi]

The man was a genius and far beyond his time. He will be missed!

[LaCroix]

He was such a great author and visionary. He'll be sorely missed.

[rlr149]

scuse the pun, but a monolith in the world of sci fi is gone

I hope he 'dreams'

[RJB]

Today Science Fiction has lost one of it's greatest talents.

*takes off hat*
RIP Arthur C Clarke you will be missed.

[Alchemist]

Rest In Peace, Arthur C. Clarke.

You were one of the greatest visionaries of our time.

Oh, and BTW, the monotith is referred to as a "StarGate" in the books.

[Raven6666]

Simply put, in a news article:
http://news.smh.com.au/scifi-guru-ar...0319-20cg.html

Or, just copied off the page

Spoiler:

Sci-fi guru Arthur C. Clarke dies in Sri Lanka at 90

March 19, 2008 - 7:33PM

Visionary science fiction guru Arthur C. Clarke, best known for the classic film "2001: A Space Odyssey," died in a Sri Lankan hospital on Wednesday at the age of 90.

The British writer, who had post-polio syndrome for decades and used a wheelchair, died after suffering breathing problems, his office said. He had reviewed the final manuscript of his newest work, The Last Theorem, just days previously.

Sri Lanka's most celebrated guest resident since 1956, Clarke believed mankind's future lay in space. He achieved iconic status with the film "2001: A Space Odyssey, the 1968 movie he created with acclaimed director Stanley Kubrick, and the novel he wrote by the same name.

Clarke, who was awarded a knighthood in 1998, wanted a private funeral with no religious services and to be buried in the family plot of his Sri Lankan business partner, Hector Ekanayake, with whose family he lived.

"We are awaiting the arrival of family members from Britain and Australia. They are already on the way," his secretary Nalaka Gunawardene said.

"Sir Arthur has also left written instructions that his funeral be strictly secular," he said.

"Absolutely no religious rites of any kind, relating to any religious faith, should be associated with my funeral," the statement quoted the author as saying.

Clarke, born in Minehead, Somerset, in 1917 and author of more than 100 books and over 1,000 shorter works, was prophetic in many ways.

After working during the Second World War on the pioneering development of radar, he predicted in 1945 telecommunications satellites that would broadcast television images around the world -- decades before they became a reality.

The farmer's son, who had a diverse career as an author, underwater explorer, space promoter and science populariser, also predicted space shuttles, super-fast computers, lightning quick communications and that man would reach the moon.

"I want to be remembered most as a writer -- one who entertained readers, and, hopefully, stretched their imagination as well," he told the BBC late last year on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Clarke also said in a statement marking his birthday he had sadly watched a bitter ethnic conflict dividing his adopted tropical homeland for nearly half his lifetime and called for "lasting peace."

British astronomer Patrick Moore, who had worked with Clarke on several writing projects, paid tribute to his "dear friend" and said his death was a "great loss."

"He was ahead of his time in so many ways," Moore told the BBC.

"Quite apart from artificial satellites there were other things too. A great science fiction writer, a very good scientist, a great prophet and a very dear friend -- I'm very, very sad that he's gone."

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse paid tribute to him as a "great visionary."

Clarke, who moved to Sri Lanka drawn by marine diving which he said was as near as he could come to the weightlessness in space, is survived by siblings Fred and Mary, both of whom still live in his home town of Minehead.

Their youngest brother, Michael, died earlier.

[AvatarIII]

http://forum.gateworld.net/showthread.php?t=53103

RIP
great author, i have a friend reading 3001 at the moment, i wonder if he knows yet