Today we celebrate the centenary of the father of science-fiction. Jules Verne , who became the patron saint of adventurers everywhere, died 100 years ago on Mar 24. He was also a prophet, envisioning space capsules and astronauts in his classic 1865 novel, From the Earth to the Moon, almost 50 years before man had even flown a few feet above Earth's surface. In 1886, Jules Verne imagined aircraft acting as a global police force, bombing barbaric races into peace and civilisation. One hundred years ago when Verne died after being consumed by diabetes, no French representative attended his funeral (although the German ambassador did!). Today, many French institutions will be present at the centenary celebrations. Verne lives!

Hoy, jueves 24 de marzo, celebramos el centenario de la muerte del primer escritor de ciencia-ficcion, Julio Verne . Esta vez, Francia le rinde los honores que le nego hace 100 años, cuando murio consumido por la diabetes. En 1905, en Amiens, el embajador del emperador aleman asistio a los funerales del escritor, pero no lo hizo ningun representante del Gobierno frances. Esta semana, Paris, Amiens y Nantes, sociedades culturales, centros escolares y organismos oficiales se han sumado para rendir homenaje al autor frances mas traducido -a 112 idiomas-, el mas leido y el que tiene mas versiones cinematograficas de sus obras. Verne vive!

The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
12C
UV Index:2 Low
Wind: From the Southwest at 10 mph
Dew Point:9C
Humidity: 82%
Visibility:9 miles
Barometer:1,011.9 mb