Hernandez Life » rama http://hernandezlife.com A blog about our life, family, & interests. Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:02:00 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc Arthur C Clarke Has Past Away http://hernandezlife.com/2008/03/19/arthur-c-clarke-dies/ http://hernandezlife.com/2008/03/19/arthur-c-clarke-dies/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:52:29 +0000 Rick http://www.hernandezlife.com/2008/03/19/arthur-c-clarke-dies/ ArthurCClark.jpgAll time great science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, author of more than 100 books, has died today in Sri Lanka at the age of 90 after a cardio-respiratory attack. Born in 1917 in England, Arthur C Clarke had lived in Sri Lanka for more than half a century. He came to popular fame in 1968 when the short story The Sentinel was made into the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by director Stanley Kubrick. However he made his first mark on this world during World War II when he published a visionary paper detailing the conditions of placing a satellite in geostationary orbit. He was paid about 20 dollars for the theory that launched a multi billion dollar industry.

Clarke always wanted to be allowed to make three wishes. Peace in Sri Lanka, evidence of extra-terrestrial life and for the world to adopt cleaner forms of energy. Recently at his 90th birthday, confined to a wheelchair due to the effects of childhood polio, Clarke said “I have no regrets and no more personal ambitions”.

Other notable books included:

  • Childhood’s End
  • Rendezvous With Rama
  • Songs of Distant Earth
  • Against the Fall of Night
  • The Fountains of Paradise
  • City and Stars
  • Expedition to Earth
  • Islands in the Sky
  • Nine Billion Names of God
  • Earthlight
  • Against Infinity
  • A Fall of Moondust

He will be sorely missed!

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]]> http://hernandezlife.com/2008/03/19/arthur-c-clarke-dies/feed/ 2 Diwali at the Office http://hernandezlife.com/2007/11/09/diwali-at-the-office/ http://hernandezlife.com/2007/11/09/diwali-at-the-office/#comments Sat, 10 Nov 2007 01:01:24 +0000 Rick http://www.hernandezlife.com/archive/2007/11/09/diwali-at-the-office/ diwali.JPG

Today my Indian coworkers brought in homemade delicacies to celebrate Diwali. We had various starters, Puri (fried, puffed, unleavened whole grain bread), 2 different biryanis (basmati rice dishes), vegetable curry, stuffed chili peppers, and lots of homemade deserts. It was a great success, everyone wanted it to become a tradition. Unfortunately I did not have regular camera with me but you can see a bunch of poorly taken photos here.

Diwali is perhaps the best known of the Indian festivals; it is celebrated throughout India, and in Indian communities throughout the world. It is also known as the “festival of lights”, for the common practice is to light small oil lamps (called diyas) and place them around the home, courtyards, verandahs, and gardens, as well as on roof-tops and outer walls. In urban areas, candles are substituted for diya. The celebration of the festival is invariably accompanied by the exchange of sweets and the explosion of fireworks. As with other Indian festivals, Diwali signifies many different things to the people across the country. In north India, Diwali celebrates Rama’s homecoming, after the defeat of Ravana and his coronation as king; in Gujarat, the festival honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and in Bengal, it is associated with the goddess Kali. Everywhere, it signifies the renewal of life, and accordingly it is common to wear new clothes on the day of the festival; similarly, it heralds the approach of winter and the beginning of the sowing season.

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