Jwalsh07 is my dearest friend on FR bar none, even though we got "introduced" back when he was flaming me over my dalliance with McCain with great vigor. He was right and I was wrong on that, which is often the case. The man is a gentleman and a great American, tough but fair and with an open mind when it is justified to be so. Sabertooth and DoughtOne I admire for their strong opinions and civility and willingness to engage in a productive dialogue backed up by substance even though we disagree more often than not, particularly in the latter case.
But when it comes to raw erudition and brain power and good judgment, "x" is numero uno on this forum on social science topics bar none in my opinion. Beckett and Southern Federalist are strong too, and I admire them. I enjoy Wiskey Papa for his encyclopedic knowledge of the civil war, slavery and Lincoln, and it is a mere bonus that I agree with him. Another gentlemen is rdf even though we often disagree, but we both take great pleasure when we do find areas of agreement.
And yes Common Tator was and is a sui generis genius curmudgeon, and it is a pity that he lost his patience with us. He was always worth reading, even when his point of view was to me outrageous. Just as often however he hit the nail on the head. His knowledge of the realpolitik and often seamy side of politics was unmatched, because he had been there, and witnessed it first hand.
I know I am forgetting many others, but when you get past 50, memory is not what it once was. In any event, thank you all and, as Peggy Noonan has put it, be good to your troop.