I never met Cary and did not know he was ill, so I was taken aback by the sad news. I've read many of his columns and articles, and we exchanged a few emails. I realized a long time ago that he defined by example the concept of a "reliable source." His writing was among the clearest I've seen. He always told me exactly what I needed to know in the most efficient possible manner, avoiding all the cute cliches, misinformation, and noise that is so common in our field. He was a rare gem.