I'll raise my glass to him as well. We spoke a number of times on the phone, and he was a real pleasure to talk with. We shared much of our political outlook, and as everyone says, he was always generous with his advice.
My two regrets are that I never got to meet him in person and that the deal for a Blowtorch never came to fruition because of his increasing health problems.
He was one of a kind, and the universal warmth with which he is remembered speaks volumes about the true nature of the man. The world is a poorer place without him.