We lost a pioneer today: John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, passed away. http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/08/health/john-glenn-dead/index.html

He lived long, and prospered. When the people of Perth, Western Australian learned that Friendship 7 would be passing overhead, there was a campaign to turn on as many lights as possible so that John Glenn would be able to see the city as a little bright dot on the planet below. (Remember the Earth wasn't as bright in those days and Australia in 1962 was even more sparsely populated than it is now - it's all the drop bears, y'see. Perth was tiny back then with an effective radius of about 10km.) It was Perth's way of saying hello. Famously, it appeared to work, as Glenn transmitted, "I can see the lights of Perth. God bless you all down there." For years afterward Perth acquired the nickname the "City of Lights" thanks to John Glenn's acknowledgement as he sped overhead. Who knows if he actually saw the lights or not? But at least he knew that the people of the world's most remote capital city were thinking of him and giving him a friendly wave from the planet far below. Goodbye, John Glenn. I'll leave a light on for you.

When I was a teen one of my favourite movies was the "The right Stuff." I read about Perth and the lights when passed over. I hope his spirit is soaring into the Stars forever a pioneer.

One of the heroes of my youth -- I didn't know the story about Perth, but it just adds to poignancy of his loss. He boldly went where no man had gone before -- and I am forever grateful for the inspiration he provided. RIP John.

Man, I was out of town for 4 days people still can't stop dying!