Thank You & Goodbye From Columbo
On his 90th birthday last December, Arthur C. Clarke filmed himself talking to the world from his wired residence in Sri Lanka
In the middle he says,
“I hope that we have learned something from the most barbaric century in history — the twentieth. I would like to see us overcome our tribal factions, and begin to think and act as if we were one family. That would be real globalization.”
His last words in the film were, “Thank you and goodbye from Colombo.”
Rest in peace, Sir Arthur.
–rakkity
I reread “The Fountains of Paradise” many times and have wondered if Arthur had settled in Colombo to be near the geosynchronous site of that magificent, visionary book (which, thanks to the nigh advent of Buckytape, might be all but feasible soon … !). Thanks for a reminder of a gracious, optimistic soul — this blue marble may never see his like again, but I hope it does; it is sorely in need of a — perhaps less reclusive — voice with his vision.
Comment by el Kib — March 20, 2008 @ 6:47 pm
Sir Arthur may have been relatively reclusive, possibly because of his polio, but he stayed in touch with the world electronically via the huge antenna on his patio. His choice of Sri Lanka for his home was motivated largely by the warm waters, where he scuba dove year round until his disease confined him to a wheel chair.
In his book, Serendip, Clarke admitted that a “Space Elevator” could not be constructed on the island of Sri Lanka, because it is just a little too far north of the equator. But Clarke’s vision was large. He moved Sri Lanka southward so his story could take place on his home island.
Comment by rakkity — March 20, 2008 @ 8:17 pm