Author: DOuG pRATt

Neil

Neil Pappalardo has died. Sixty years ago, with Curt Marble and others, Neil created MUMPS*. To this day, MUMPS software technology, or one of its derivatives, drives the majority of hospital information systems.

I was fortunate to have started working for the great man when the company was small enough that Neil knew every employee. He was incredibly supportive of me through two extremely difficult crises; one medical (detached retina), and one financial (the mortgage underwriting fiasco).

The last time I met with Neil personally, I was both flattered and stunned when he told me, “I know what you’ve been working on. Keep it up. You have a job here for as long as you want one.”

This video will start with Neil talking about a class he took at MIT. The instructor was Amar Bose.

* Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System

Is Objective Journalism Lost?

The Fox News clips that Colbert, Kimmel, Meyers and Stewart spotlight are unbelievable. It’s truly propaganda. From what I see of MS NOW on YouTube, as opinionated as they are, there is nonetheless a general adherence to journalistic integrity.

I actually agree with Trump, that his interviews and all of his public appearances should be shown uncut. Mainstream media has been making him look good for a long time by editing videos.

They’ve been doing Trump a favor. Honor his demand and let everybody see what a full-blown mess he is. The hard-core fans will always love him, but more of the less committed who voted for him in 2024 will come to realize they made a terrible mistake.

Then is Now

Friend and former colleague Scott Murawski with his band Max Creek. (Thanks to tastewar for pointing it out.)

For further context, after the Kent State shootings on May 4, 1970, there was the Sterling Hall bombing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on August 24. The event hit close to home, because my eldest sister was starting her sophomore year there and she had classes in Sterling Hall.

https://www.library.wisc.edu/archives/exhibits/sterling-hall-bombing-of-1970/