It’s funny how, in the year you turn 70, so do a lot of your friends. I have a strange sense of the befores and the afters. Greg and Chris have made the transition, and so have I, but Nat is still just 69.

As many have noted, 1955 was also a big year for baby boys on the larger stage. John Roberts (Jan 27), Steve Jobs (Feb 14), Alan Garber (May 7) and the Pope (Sept 14) are behind us. Bill Gates (Oct 28) is up next.

In my own world of scientific computing, we have Volker Mehrmann (Apr 24) and Bill Gropp (Sept 23) as well as youngsters Randy LeVeque (Sept 30) and Jim Demmel (Oct 19).

[28 September 2025]