I wasn't sure where to post this one. Two of the brightest minds in analog design passed away in June. Jim Williams died following a stroke. Bob Pease died in a car accident while driving home from Jim's memorial service. These men made huge contributions! I couldn't tell you how many "Pease Porridge" articles I've read over the years.
http://www.edn.com/article/518496-Analog_guru_Jim_Williams_dies_after_stroke.php

http://www.edn.com/article/518568-Analog_engineering_legend_Bob_Pease_killed_in_car_crash.php

Those of us, who went from amplidynes to 741s owe a lot to Mr.Pease and Mr. Williams and their compatriots.

I wager there are not two dozen people on this board who have ever seen an amplidyne.

The loss of Mr. Pease and Mr. Williams is a big loss for all of the electronics community.

I still have a Philbrick K2-W opamp around here somewhere...
/mike