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I’m happy to say that Amanda still read my blog every day. Almost.[Stolen from here.]

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Arthur Clarke, author of a number of important science fiction books, member of the British Interplanetary Society, co-inventor of marvelous technologies, and accomplished scuba diver, has died at the age of 90, in his long time home of Sri Lanka.My favorite book of his was Childhood’s End, which I read when I was about 12. I remember almost nothing about it, but somehow it impressed me. Ha. I just read Dave Bacon’s post on Clarke, at The Quantum Pontiff … Yes, Dave, I have exactly the same feeling:

Although I learned to cringe at some of Clarke’s writing as I grew older, I have very distinct and fond memories of reading “Childhood’s End” and “Rendezvous with Rama.” (Like all such memories, I dread rereading these for fear of losing my even now foggy recollections of the joy these books brought me.)

Well said.Clark said in an interview many years ago that the reason he lived in Sri Lanka is because it is one of the two spots on the earth over which dead and dying satellites tended to congregate (owing to some gravitational anomaly).Here is the web site of the Arthur C. Clarke Foundation.

The following is a total ripoff of Steve Martin, who pulled the same exact gag on one of his early TV specials. But it is still fun:[Totally ripped from Sandwalk]

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A woman was stopped at Munich airport after baggage control handlers found the skeleton of her brother sealed in a plastic bag in her luggage, police said Wednesday.The 62-year-old woman and her 63-year-old friend, who both live in Italy, were hauled in by airport police Tuesday after a scan of the bag showed a human skull and other bones. The women were traveling to Italy from Brazil.It turned out, however, that the woman was simply trying to fulfill the last wish of her brother _ who died 11 years ago in Sao Paulo, Brazil _ to be buried in Italy.

Read the gory details here.

Check it out:

Dear Friend of the Bell Museum:Thanks to your efforts, the Bell Museum’s building project is included in both House and Senate versions of the Minnesota State Legislature’s 2008 bonding recommendations.Now is the time to contact Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty to express your support for the project. You can reach Governor Pawlenty by phone at (651) 296-3391 or (800) 657-3717; or by email at tim.pawlenty@state.mn.us.As it did with our Senators and Representatives, your message to the Governor will make a difference.

Illustrious jugglers the Raspyni Brothers show off their uncanny balance, agility, coordination and willingness to sacrifice (others). Now, if you’ll just stand completely still…

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