Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008)
Arthur C. Clarke passed away yesterday afternoon, having suffered from breathing problems and back trouble during the last days of his life. His was some of the first “hard” science fiction I read, after graduating from the Star Trek spin-off novels in my local public library.
ZDNet’s Jason Perlow reminds me of a passage from 2010 that seems appropriate for the occasion. In this exchange, the dead/assimilated David Bowman talks with HAL about his own impending demise:
HAL: What is going to happen?
Dave: Something wonderful.
HAL: I’m afraid.
Dave: Don’t be. We’ll be together.
HAL: Where will we be?
Dave: Where I am now.
Thanks for your stories, Sir Clarke. Have fun exploring the universe. 
