There’s an absolutely fascinating paper (yes, I’m being sarcastic) called “Message Format Standards,” that in 1999 was presented to the Department of Health and Human Services National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics. What’s interesting about it is that the paper was written by Doug Pratt, who happens to work at a leading competitor of the company where I’ve worked for 26 years. He’s a systems integration specialist and, well, so am I. Although to be precise about it, Doug specializes in the medical application layer, and I work below that, dealing mostly with LAN/WAN/SAN issues. Still, I think it’s a remarkable coincidence.
Category: Life with Pratts
Pratt Attack – 9
Mitt Romney is no longer governor of Massachusetts. Now he’s running for the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States.
Being a resident of the state (or, like Virginia, “Commonwealth”), I feel Romney did one thing worthy of note. He forced Billy Boy Bulger, brother and protector of the infamous crook Whitey, out as president of the University of Massachusetts. Other than that, I’m inclined to agree with Mike Dobbs‘ opinion of Mitt Romney.
What does this have to do with my family name? Romney’s great-great grandfather was the infamous Mormon leader and polygamist Parley Pratt. Yes, the very same Parley Pratt who had 11 — no, 12! — wives, and was murdered in 1857 by the former husband of one of them. Whew!
Here’s the story of the Romney-Pratt connection:
Polygamy a prominent feature in Romney’s family tree
By Jennifer Dobner, Associated Press Writers | February 24, 2007
SALT LAKE CITY –While Mitt Romney condemns polygamy and its prior practice by his Mormon church, the Republican presidential candidate’s great-grandfather had five wives and at least one of his great-great grandfathers had 12.
Polygamy was not just a historical footnote, but a prominent element in the family tree of the former Massachusetts governor now seeking to become the first Mormon president.
Romney’s great-grandfather, Miles Park Romney, married his fifth wife in 1897. That was more than six years after Mormon leaders banned polygamy and more than three decades after a federal law barred the practice.
Romney’s great-grandmother, Hannah Hood Hill, was the daughter of polygamists. She wrote vividly in her autobiography about how she “used to walk the floor and shed tears of sorrow” over her own husband’s multiple marriages.
Romney’s great-great grandfather, Parley Pratt, an apostle in the church, had 12 wives. In an 1852 sermon, Parley Pratt’s brother and fellow apostle, Orson Pratt, became the first church official to publicly proclaim and defend polygamy as a direct revelation from God.
Continue reading Pratt Attack – 9
Pratt Attack – 8
Last week’s Newsweek had a feature on comedy in the Baby Boom generation. I was surprised and pleased to see how much influence MAD Magazine is credited as having.
Alfred E. Neuman, a slightly altered spelling of the name of one of Randy Newman’s uncles, is of course the MAD Magazine mascot. The image of the face and the famous catch phrase, “What, Me Worry?”, were far from new when Harvey Kurtzman, MAD’s creator and its first editor, adopted them.
Helen Pratt was one Pratt who really did go on the attack! She sued MAD Magazine for copyright infringement. Her husband, Harry Stuff, had obtained a copyright for this image and slogan, for this postcard that he produced in 1914:
Helen Pratt Stuff lost after the case went all the way to the Supreme Court. The full story was written up by Maria Reidelbach in chapter 8 of her excellent 1991 book, Completely MAD. Here are excerpts of Reidelbach’s account.
Continue reading Pratt Attack – 8
The Flight of the Phoenix on Netflix
What’s on Netflix Watch Now? The Flight of the Phoenix. Not a great movie, but it’s one that I remember enjoying on TV with my father, decades ago.
I’d forgotten that it features Academy Award® winner Ernest Borgnine. Long ago, my mother was with Borgnine in a traveling troupe of actors from the Barter Theater. She always called him Ernie. Ya know, I’ve never really thought about it before, but Borgnine bears something of a resemblance to my father. Hmm…
Adams Lane, Norwalk CT
I wish there were some good online aerial photos of this area, instead of just this satellite image. This area shows most of my world for six years while growing up. In the lower, left corner is the Silvermine School. Our house was just below the “n” in Adams Ln. We had 2½ acres. The property was a perfect mix of grassy and rocky, woods and fields, flat and hilly. Here’s to Norwalk!
Vince Beck Postscript
I hope you’ve seen the post about my late mother’s friend, the character actor Vince Beck. If not, please click here. The New York Times has put its obituary archive online. Here is Vince’s obit.
Published: July 27, 1984
Vincent Beck, an actor and an official of two actors’ unions, died of cancer Tuesday at his home in Manhattan. He was 56 years old. Mr. Beck appeared in television commercials, films and several Broadway and Off Broadway productions.
He made his stage debut in ”A Flag Is Born” on Broadway in 1946. He also appeared in ”Peter Pan,” ”The World of Sholom Aleichem,” ”The Merchant of Venice,” ”Oliver,” ”Irma la Douce,” ”Gypsy” and ”Bells Are Ringing.” He had been president of the New York branch of the Screen Actors Guild since 1983 and third vice president of Actors Equity since 1982. Mr. Beck is survived by a sister, Carol Joyce.