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Remembering Arthur C. Clarke

By Kee Hinckley on March 19, 2008 1:35 PM | | Comments (1)

Yesterday, one of the stars went out.

Sir Arthur C. Clarke wasn't just a "futurist" who wrote about possibilities. He was an integral part of the community which made our global society possible. His first novel, Glide Path, was based on his WWII experiences using radar for the first time as a means to help aircraft land. And most appropriately, he was the first person to realize the potential power of planting a satellite at 35,780km and using it for communications.

But Clarke's fiction wasn't about science and technology. Like the best science fiction authors, he merely used those to talk about what it meant to human. His focus was on communities, on the importance of understanding our own planet, and on reaching our greatest potential as human beings without forgetting that we have a responsibility to all life on this planet.

The best obituary you can offer him is to go and read one of his books. Or better yet, give one to a child to read.

I find it fascinating (and appropriate) to watch the remembrances as they wend their way through the time zones. Here is a sampling (via Tweet Scan).

  • vinta : Arthur C. Clarke 死掉了啊 << (2008-03-19 12:46:05)
  • carloshotta : 2a. lei de #Clarke: "A única maneira de descobrir os limites do possível é passá-los um pouco na direção do impossível." << (2008-03-19 12:38:40)
  • jaysolo : Still haven't posted even a small bit about Clarke, but the whole world did that for me and little to add. << (2008-03-19 12:38:33)
  • djgotga : Los grandes artistas y literatos se van siempre en triadas: Gary Gygax - Anthony Minghella - Arthur C. Clarke. << (2008-03-19 12:33:02)
  • conniecrosby : Sir Arthur C. Clarke passed away today. Here is the Mars Society's tribute: http://www.marssociety.org.... << (2008-03-19 12:25:10)
  • niklasgv : "Aún tiene que probarse que la inteligencia tenga algún valor para la supervivencia." (Arthur C. Clarke 1917-2008) << (2008-03-19 12:21:48)
  • ourfounder : March is taking community thought leaders. Gygax and A.C. Clarke. Sigh. An obit for A.C. would require much wordsmithing. Or be a limerick. << (2008-03-19 12:17:05)
  • yurusuke : "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." by Arthur C. Clarke << (2008-03-19 12:14:08)
  • argent_bury : Another one of my memetic ancestors has passed away. Rest in peace, Mr. Clarke. Without you, I would not be here. << (2008-03-19 11:47:20)
  • PragueBob : Arthur C. Clarke has died. I mourn his passing as one of the most inspiring authors of my youth. Another satellite is in the heavens tonight << (2008-03-19 11:44:47)
  • brandonw : Arthur C. Clarke died yesterday. His "Childhood's End" was the first real novel I ever read. << (2008-03-19 11:45:41)
  • LPI_Library : In library catalogs Clarke, Arthur Charles, 1917- is now Clarke, Arthur C. (Arthur Charles), 1917-2008. http://tinyurl.com/ypz6wt << (2008-03-19 11:46:41)
  • Merras : Arthur C. Clarke blogkörkép: http://tinyurl.com/29be29 - ha valaki tud még ide ajánlani postokat, dobjon nekem mailt: merras@sfportal.hu << (2008-03-19 11:29:29)
  • nickellis : @spiceee Comentários de Arthur C. Clarke sobre religião. http://tinyurl.com/393rqb << (2008-03-19 11:24:44)
  • teledyn : The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. (Arthur C Clarke) << (2008-03-19 11:17:51)
  • titanas : Πέθανε ο Arthur C. Clarke << (2008-03-19 10:43:28)
  • oliver : Folllowing @adrianh call: today is Arthur C Clarke avatar day. << (2008-03-19 10:40:35)
  • monkchips : @Blag no i love my red avatar. but arthur c clarke died, and we're giving him a shout out. avatars need not be static, any more than we are. << (2008-03-19 10:42:00)
  • widgetapps : Thank you Arthur C Clarke, you will be missed! << (2008-03-19 10:12:58)
  • elinwang : Arthur C. Clarke (1917 -2008, English Physicist & Science Fiction Author) formulated three "laws" of prediction: << (2008-03-19 10:11:07)
  • elinwang : Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008, English physicist Science fiction author) << (2008-03-19 10:06:01)
  • greenideas : gary gygax, and now arthur c. clarke. it's a rough month for geek heroes. << (2008-03-19 10:01:21)
  • awerner : A.C. Clarke once denigrated religion as "a necessary evil in the childhood of our particular species." R.I.P. << (2008-03-19 09:58:15)
  • niklasgv : Obituarios en The Guardian: sobre el director de cine Minghella y sobre el escritor Clarke << (2008-03-19 09:57:28)
  • pipperl : Retweeting @tmas68: Watching: BBC NEWS | UK | Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90。2001太空漫遊的原作者Arthur C Clarke 逝世。 http://tinyurl.com/2qbwgo << (2008-03-19 09:54:20)
  • steppek : Don' t know if you guys saw this. A Video Message from Arthur Clarke just before his 90th http://www.aintitcool.com/n... << (2008-03-19 09:47:57)
  • burning_chrome : Arthur C. Clarke: RIP "Open the Pearly Gates, HAL" << (2008-03-19 09:46:10)
  • Urwings : 阿瑟克拉克(Arthur C.Clarke)于2008年3月18日在斯里兰卡的家中去世，享年90岁。他一共写过100多本科幻小说，其中包括《2001太空漫游》系列等。向克拉克致敬!他前瞻性地向我们描述了未来。 << (2008-03-19 09:34:11)
  • Technoir : so I told a group of coworkers last night that Arthur C. Clarke had died. They asked me who that was. Almost made me want to cry. << (2008-03-19 08:58:22)
  • TeeMonster : @steppek: Yeah....pretty freakin' creepy moment...I love my tech, but Clarke is always present, you know? << (2008-03-19 08:50:31)
  • Daranifer : Anscheinend ist Arthur C. Clarke ex gegangen. Die Blogs quellen über. << (2008-03-19 08:46:42)
  • lawboop : Arthur C. Clarke had his Rendevous With Rama today. Greg Boop << (2008-03-19 08:43:57)
  • avyuro : Thank you Sir Clarke for so many wonderful dreams. << (2008-03-19 08:42:15)
  • TeeMonster : @RapidEye: "I'm sorry. I can't do that." (RIP Sir Arthur C. Clarke. http://tinyurl.com/236pbx) << (2008-03-19 08:33:38)
  • oedenfield : “A Short Pre-History of Comsats, Or: How I Lost a Billion Dollars in My Spare Time”. Sadly, Arthur C. Clarke died. NYT has a good sto ... << (2008-03-19 08:26:48)
  • aliengirlbr : Arthur C. Clarke, descanse em paz!! << (2008-03-19 08:24:16)
  • TRBlogs : Dave? What are you doing, Dave? The legacy of Arthur C. Clarke - http://tinyurl.com/24ry85 << (2008-03-19 07:59:17)
  • SmarkYou : Arthur C. Clarke has been absorbed by the monolith. RIP. << (2008-03-19 07:58:59)
  • sam33r : Childhood's end. R.I.P., Sir Arthur C. Clarke. << (2008-03-19 07:59:02)
  • tachyondecay : Rest in peace, Arthur C Clarke. It's your turn to find the nine billion names of God. :) << (2008-03-19 07:56:01)
  • izlmichael : Arthur Clark逝世了？！http://tinyurl.com/2s4cmb << (2008-03-19 07:54:26)
  • randomquotes : "He was a rigorous extrapolator of what we know to what we don't know." Unknown tribute to Sir Arthur C. Clarke. << (2008-03-19 07:53:27)
  • skyadv : painful day, today we lost the big one, the Master, a thinker interested in the future of the humanity Arthur C. Clarke we will miss you =(( << (2008-03-19 07:53:43)
  • cadusimoes : Um minuto de silêncio para Arthur C. Clarke: http://www1.folha.uol.com.b... << (2008-03-19 07:51:48)
  • simplyarun : "How inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is Ocean." - Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917 - 19 March 2008) << (2008-03-19 07:42:00)
  • markiddon : I'm so upset that Arthur C Clarke is dead. One of my biggest heroes and an inspiration throughout my childhood. Very sad news. << (2008-03-19 07:22:49)
  • asesino : "Sir Arthur Charles Clarke" かぁ。今後は Wikipedia にあった「ナイトの称号」という言葉が気になる。Japones には関係ないか... << (2008-03-19 07:21:52)
  • deantenea : addio Arthur Clarke... che moria 'sto mese. << (2008-03-19 07:17:28)
  • madd0 : RIP Arthur C. Clarke. how cool is it however that Wikipedia is already up to date? http://is.gd/2mI not long ago this would've been sci-fi! << (2008-03-19 07:11:28)
  • melissa_bxl : Ai-je dis que j'étais triste de la mort d'Arthur C. Clarke? Un de mes auteurs de S-F préféré! << (2008-03-19 07:09:26)
  • JJFlash : Nel frattempo tramite @Bander apprendo della morte di Arthur C. Clarke. Molto molto dispiaciuto. << (2008-03-19 07:05:41)
  • kirdan : saluta Arthur C. Clarke, uno di quelli che ha fatto crescere @kirdan. http://tinyurl.com/yp959s << (2008-03-19 07:02:03)
  • spitsnet : Sciencefictionschrijver Arthur C. Clarke overleden http://spitsnet.nl/nieuws.p... << (2008-03-19 06:52:42)
  • aribadler : RIP Arthur C. Clarke - you've begun your final odyssey... << (2008-03-19 06:48:14)
  • weas : Arthur C. Clarke la ha palmado. Tenía ochocientos años o así, pero aún era un grande... << (2008-03-19 06:08:24)
  • SuperErnie : Rob wilde nog vragen of ze Clarke had ontmoet (want dat had ze) maar er was geen tijd meer, zonde << (2008-03-19 05:56:56)
  • Cryolite : Clarke 大先生なら「お疲れ様でした」って笑顔で送り出せるよね．今，仮に ( あくまでもしもの話ね！ ) 某 K 大先生がくたばったりでもしたら「テメー！ The Art of ナントカ書き終わるまでは絶対逝かせねーぞ！」っていってあっちから全力で連れ戻してく ... << (2008-03-19 05:42:25)
  • pauloflaherty : R.I.P. Arthur C. Clarke begiins his final odyssey: http://snurl.com/22370 << (2008-03-19 05:14:59)

The G Spot Produces Nitric Oxide

By Kee Hinckley on February 21, 2008 4:11 PM | | Comments (0)

While I'm sure having scientific evidence for the G spot will reassure all those women who previously thought they were imagining their orgasms, what I really found interesting was this.

The elusive G spot really does exist, say researchers The Guardian

The research supports a previous study by the team which reported differences in the chemical make-up of the G spot tissues. Women who appear to have a G spot produced specific chemicals, including an enzyme that processes nitric oxide, the substance that triggers male erections.

That's a wonderful piece of biological feedback. Stimulating the G spot produces chemicals that trigger and (I presume) help maintain male erections. You gotta love nature.

The other interesting tidbit from the article (which goes a long way in explaining why it was a controversy in the first place) is that not only is this an easily recognizable area in the vagina, but some women have it, and some don't. So a quick examination can determine whether or not you are capable of having G spot orgasms.

(The article is safe for work, unless you count the gratuitous picture of Meg Ryan pretending to have an orgasm. I bet she just loves that picture.)

Both. But never mind the bread.

By Kee Hinckley on February 18, 2008 11:45 PM | | Comments (0)

That's what Pooh said when Rabbit asked him if he wanted honey or butter with his bread. The right answer for eating perhaps (or not, if you recall what happened to Pooh next), but it turns out that for burns, one should stick to just the honey.


Honey Can Soothe a Burn New York Times

In studies of quick and easy treatments to soothe mild burns, scientists have found that honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that may promote healing. One study in 2006, examining results of more than a dozen previous studies, found that small, nonserious burns healed faster when treated with gauze and a dash of honey, on average, than those treated with antibiotic creams and other dressings. A separate report published earlier found similar results.

Butter, on the other hand, can lead to infections.

Scientists Find Solar System Like Ours

By Kee Hinckley on February 14, 2008 3:45 PM | | Comments (0)

A great step in the search for extraterrestrial life, but also cool in that it shows that the amateur astronomer is still a major player in discoveries.

Scientists Find Solar System Like Ours New York Times

The new discovery was made by a different technique that favors planets more distant from their star. It is based on a trick of Einsteinian gravity called microlensing. If, in the ceaseless shifting of the stars, two stars should become perfectly aligned with the Earth, the gravity of the nearer star can bend and magnify the light from the more distant one, causing it to suddenly get much brighter for a few days.

If the alignment is especially perfect, any big planets attending the nearer star will get into the act, adding their own little bumps to the more distant starlight.

That is exactly what started happening on March 28, 2006, when a star 5,000 light years away in the constellation Scorpius began to pass in front of one 21,000 light years more distant, causing it to flash. It was picked up by the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment, or Ogle, a worldwide collaboration of observers who keep watch for such events.

Ogle in turn immediately issued a worldwide call for continuous observations of what is now officially known as OGLE-2006-BLG-109L. The next 10 days, as Andrew Gould of Ohio State said, were “extremely frenetic.”

Among those who provided crucial data and appeared as lead authors of the paper in Science were a pair of amateur astronomers from Auckland, New Zealand, Jennie McCormick and Grant Christie, both members of a group called the Microlensing Follow-Up Network, or MicroFUN. Ms. McCormick, who described herself as “an ordinary New Zealand mother,” said she had done her observing with a 10-inch Meade telescope from a shed in her back yard.

Here's the Microlensing Follow-Up Network (MicroFUN) web site.
Original article at Ohio State.

And nothing about space would be complete without an artist's conception. :-)


200802141541.jpg

Alzheimer's does not necessarily reduce mental function

By Kee Hinckley on December 11, 2007 6:32 PM | | Comments (0)
Memory - Aging New York Times

But when these sharp old folks die, autopsy studies often reveal extensive brain abnormalities like those in patients with Alzheimer’s. Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas and Yaakov Stern at Columbia University Medical Center recall that in 1988, a study of “cognitively normal elderly women” showed that they had “advanced Alzheimer’s disease pathology in their brains at death.” Later studies indicated that up to two-thirds of people with autopsy findings of Alzheimer’s disease were cognitively intact when they died.

Interesting. In summary, this study shows that Alzheimer's isn't in itself a reason for decreased mental functions. Some people who remained mentally active by doing lots of things requiring mental skills, had normal cognitive skills even though autopsies showed that they had Alzheimer's.

Of course, just to put a mild damper on it, I'll point out that we don't *know* that the mental activity actually prevented harm. For all we know there's some other genetic difference which makes it possible for some people to work around the damage. But in the meantime. Keep mental exercising! (Mentaling?).

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