Obituaries for 2024

[Smokin Joe]

Thomas Kurtz, co-creator of the BASIC programming language, dies at 96

If you grew up in the 1980s, or were like me and grew up in the 1990s surrounded by a lot of outdated 1980s tech, you were immersed in the Beginner's All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code as your introduction to computer programming. Though BASIC was largely obsolete by the turn of the millennium replaced by object-oriented languages, derivatives of BASIC continue to be released for various applications. We owe that to the work, in part, of Dartmouth math professor Thomas Kurtz, who died November 12.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-14/thomas-kurtz-co-creator-of-computer-language-basic-dies-at-96

First computer course I took in college was BASIC. FORTRAN came later...

RIP, sir.

[DB]

I still use https://www.freebasic.net/ for making quick tools.

[PeteS in CA]

I learned some BASIC back in 1973, at DeVry Phoenix (and some Fortran in high school Physics when our teacher got some time on the Burroughs computer at UC Davis ... punch cards!!!).

[PeteS in CA]

Bela Karolyi, who led Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton to Olympic gymnastics gold, dies

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/bela-karolyi-who-led-nadia-comaneci-and-mary-lou-retton-to-olympic-gymnastics-gold-dies/ar-AA1udcwE

Bela Karolyi, who led Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton to Olympic gold and revolutionized the sport of gymnastics, only to see his legacy destroyed by allegations of abusive coaching, has died. He was 82.

Comaneci confirmed the news with a post on her Instagram, showing a carousel of photos including a black and white photo of her with the coach on a walk in the woods. The caption read: "A big impact and influence in my life. RIP Bela Karolyi."

[Lando Lincoln]

First computer course I took in college was BASIC. FORTRAN came later...

RIP, sir.

Likewise. I remember the experience well. The language, not so much.

[Ghost Bear]

Thomas Kurtz, co-creator of the BASIC programming language, dies at 96
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-11-14/thomas-kurtz-co-creator-of-computer-language-basic-dies-at-96

I taught myself BASIC on the Sinclair ZX-81 that I bought with my high school graduation money. I learned FORTRAN shortly after that, in a class during my first quarter of college.

[jafo2010]

When I learned BASIC and COBOL back in the 80s, both were dying out, and yet they insisted we learn both languages.  Now, even to program in COBOL, you are a dinosaur.  But he launched something absolutely grand.  Look where we are today!

[DB]

I taught myself BASIC on the Sinclair ZX-81 that I bought with my high school graduation money. I learned FORTRAN shortly after that, in a class during my first quarter of college.

I had one of those... That was my first experience with BASIC too.

[Kamaji]

I taught myself BASIC on the Sinclair ZX-81 that I bought with my high school graduation money. I learned FORTRAN shortly after that, in a class during my first quarter of college.

I learned on an Atari 800.  Learned Atari assembler on that machine, too.

[Hoodat]

First computer course I took in college was BASIC. FORTRAN came later...

RIP, sir.

I learned BASIC on a TRS-80.  I would stop at Radio Shack every day on the way home from Jr. High School and learn to program.

[Timber Rattler]

I learned BASIC on a TRS-80.  I would stop at Radio Shack every day on the way home from Jr. High School and learn to program.

TI-99 and Apple 2E here in the early 1980s.

[PeteS in CA]

Our first home computer was a Commodore 64, using a 9” B & W TV as a monitor.

Back in 1980 or 1981 I tested an Apple II+ power supply for my employer. It was rated for just 43W. Unlike Chee-Pee no-name Chinese-built “800” or “1000” watt power supplies, that Astec could actually do 43W, all day long, without launching.

[mountaineer]

Arthur Frommer, who changed travel with his guidebooks, has died at 95
NPR
By Ayana Archie
Published November 19, 2024 at 11:54 AM CST

Arthur Frommer, who revolutionized travel with his 1957 guidebook Europe on 5 Dollars a Day, has died at 95, his daughter confirmed Monday.

He went on to write a series of Frommer's guidebooks, which eventually became Frommers.com. He additionally was a writer, television and radio host and speaker. ...

https://www.tpr.org/arts-culture/2024-11-19/arthur-frommer-who-changed-travel-with-his-guidebooks-has-died-at-95

His guidebooks have been invaluable to me, always the first place to go when planning a trip that won't break the bank.

[mountaineer]

‘Red-Letter Christians’ Founder Tony Campolo Dead At 89
Staff Writer
Protestia
Nov. 19, 2024

The Father of the Progressive Left, Tony Campolo, passed away this evening at the age of 89.

Campolo was a popular teacher, speaker, and sociologist who pastored several American Baptist Churches. He was perhaps best known for being the spiritual advisor to Bill Clinton and for founding the left-wing organization ‘Red-Letter Christians’ Movement 2007, with the help of Shane Claiborne and Sojourner’s Jim Wallis.

Red-Letter Christians was envisioned to be a counter-movement to the political influence of conservative Christianity, advancing social justice by focusing on the words of Jesus (the red letters) frequently at the exclusions or depreciation of other portions of the biblical text. By failing to see the entire bible as cohesive and God-breathed, all from the mouth of God, the organization quickly evolved into a liberal rag that eventually released articles supporting abortion and homosexuality.  ...

[AllThatJazzZ]

It would be impossible to fathom how much damage Campolo did to the church. Praying for the souls he led astray. 

[deb]

It would be impossible to fathom how much damage Campolo did to the church. Praying for the souls he led astray. 

And Compolo knows the Truth now.

[Free Vulcan]

And Compolo knows the Truth now.

And it burns.

[PeteS in CA]

Jim Wallis was a "Progressive Evangelical" long before Campolo, possibly 2 or 3 decades. As for the "Red-Letter Christians" movement, God didn't write first- and second-class Scripture. "Red-Letter Christians" should know this, since Jesus directly and expressly avowed the laws Moses wrote and quoted from Moses, Isaiah, and other prophets and pointed toward more Scripture to come. Red-Letter-Buffet Christians is probably more accurate, as even among things spoken by Jesus, "Red-Letter Christians" pick what they like and ignore what they don't.

[mountaineer]

Red-Letter-Buffet Christians is probably more accurate, as even among things spoken by Jesus, "Red-Letter Christians" pick what they like and ignore what they don't.

Agreed. I always associated Wallis with The Wittenburg Door humor publication, and even considered visiting his church when I spent a few months in D.C. as an intern (never did it, though), not realizing just how insidious his brand of theology was.

[PeteS in CA]

Agreed. I always associated Wallis with The Wittenburg Door humor publication, and even considered visiting his church when I spent a few months in D.C. as an intern (never did it, though), not realizing just how insidious his brand of theology was.

A Christian friend of mine back in the mid 1970s subscribed to "Sojourners" magazine and that is how I came to hear of Wallis. How "Progressive Christians" do not realize that Jesus command to charitly pertains to believers' personal lives and is not a command to hijack government tax $$, I do not understand.

[jmyrlefuller]

Alice Brock, the owner of "Alice's Restuarant," dies at 83

Brock's restaurant the Back Room, open only for a brief time in the mid-1960s, was immortalized by her friend and former student Arlo Guthrie in the song "Alice's Restaurant." For more information, I recommend the Wikipedia article on her life I wrote, which she famously called "all bullshit" in 2022, though she later admitted in private it was mainly because of a couple of date errors.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/11/22/lifestyle/alice-brock-alices-restaurant-has-died-arlo-guthrie/
https://theberkshireedge.com/alice-brock-of-alices-restaurant-dies/

[Fishrrman]

"Alice Brock, the owner of "Alice's Restuarant," dies at 83"

"Walk right in, it's around the back,
Just a half a mile from the railroad track,
And you can get anything you want
At Alice's Restaurant"

Scanned photos I took just about 55 years ago, October 1969.
Alice had moved on by then, but the interior was pretty much the same:


And it really was "in the back":

[PeteS in CA]

Chuck Woolery, Game Show Host Behind ‘Love Connection' and More, Dies at 83

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/chuck-woolery-game-show-host-behind-love-connection-and-more-dies-at-83/ar-AA1uEd61

Chuck Woolery, the veteran game show host who gained fame as the original emcee behind "Wheel of Fortune" and later as the face of the popular syndicated dating show "Love Connection," has died. He was 83.

The news was first reported on the social media site X by Woolery's friend Mark Young, who noted that "it is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother."

The website TMZ confirmed the news, reporting that Woolery died in his Texas home after having trouble breathing.

Woolery, who spent more than ten years as host of "Love Connection" (where he famously told viewers before commercial breaks that the show would be back in "two and two"), became known in recent years as a conservative talk show host and pundit. He hosted a nationally syndicated radio commentary show, "Save Us Chuck Woolery," as well as the podcast "Blunt Force Truth," with Young as his co-host.

[Timber Rattler]

That's a real shame.  I always liked Chuck on the game shows.

He also sang with Dolly Parton!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKU7wKeGjHA

[Free Vulcan]

Chuck stood tall when conservatives were very much endangered species in Hollywood.

Respect and RIP.