Anne McCaffery, author of the Dragonriders of Pern series, has died at the age of 85. The NY Times has the obit. While we didn’t lose Anne as we lost Robert Jordan (to a sudden illness that stole decades of his life and cut short The Wheel of Time series…at least as by Jordan), but still it cuts. Like Jordan’s WOT series, Anne McCaffery will forever be associated with the summers of my youth: at lake Norfolk, curled up under a tree or sitting on a rock next to the lake, and reading The Dragonriders of Pern. She was one of my teachers on life, and I cherish her books to this day. We will not see her like again.

Let the Dragon keen be heard throughout all of Pern and among its fans, Anne McCaffery, the true masterharper of Pern, has gone between. RIP Anne.

D.GOOCH

That question has been raised in the wake of the spontaneous celebration that occured in response to OBL’s demise. I certainly understand those of faith who hesitate to cheer the end of any life, and I understand those who are uneasy with the ‘party’ atmosphere that emereged on Sunday.

But I celebrate.

I celebrate the end to his reign of destruction.

I celebrate the justice obtained for his innocent victims.

I celebrate the unparalleled courage of our military forces.

I celebrate the awesome skill Seal Team 6 displayed in taking OBL down.

I celebrate the fact they gave him an opportunity to surrender.

I celebrate the fact they minimized civilian casulties and collateral damage.

I celebrate Presidents Bush and Obama for their dogged pursuit of this monster.

I celebrate the intelligence personel who worked for years, unheraled, to bring him down.

I celebrate the countless innocents, Muslim and Christian, who will now not be victims of his murderous terrorism.

I celebrate the untold number of young pople who won’t be poisoned by his evil ideology.

I celebrate the fact OBL had to face his Maker and account for his actions in this life on Sunday.

I celebrate. D.GOOCH