Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction giant has died today at age 90.

Farewell and thanks Mr. Clarke. You will be missed.

Read the Wired news here.

First things first: I got to bid AND win a first edition autographed book by the incredible journalist Seymour M. Hersh. Not only did I get to see him (speak briefly) and Harry Belafonte (!) among others, but I won his book My Lai 4 A Report on the Massacre and its Aftermath in a silent auction afterwards (an architect outbidding lawers? Who knew…).

Another image and the clips of Mr. Belafonte’s and Mr. Hersh’s speeches after the jump.

Now onto the explanation: I was invited by Mara to a gala night by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund in Chelsea Piers. The event, which was the organization’s benefit gala, had a fantastic dinner followed by the 2008 In Justice Awards Presentation in which Art Chong, Harry Belafonte and Seymour Hersh were given awards for their work related to activism and justice.

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[flv:http://www.erratica.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/belafonte.flv belafonte.jpg 640 480]

BBC

Kurt Vonnegut, whose dark comic talent and urgent moral vision in novels like “Slaughterhouse-Five,” “Cat’s Cradle” and “God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater” caught the temper of his times and the imagination of a generation, died Wednesday night in Manhattan. He was 84 and had homes in Manhattan and in Sagaponack on Long Island…

the new york times