Today in Saratoga Springs, New York, Jim Capozzola, will be buried. If you google his name, you will find eleven pages (and counting) of progressive blogs mourning his death since it happened July 2. Daily Kos, Eschaton, Fact-esque, Jesus' General, Booman Tribine and many others call him one of the founders of the progressive blogosphere, many cite his numerous Koufax Awards for outstanding writing, nearly all speak to his generosity of spirit, good humor and the genuine friendship he offered and encouraged in others. Even mainstream media blogs, such as On Politics/USA Today, noted his death.

Last year, when Rewire was launching, I shot Jim an email, having read his blog The Rittenhouse Review, Horrowitz Watch and Smarter Andrew Sullivan (no longer a live site, but he'd haunt me if I didn't mention it). I'd followed his commentary on everything from domestic politics to global economics, pop culture to foreign policy, and always, his Bulldog Mildred.

But I mostly wrote Jimmy, because he was a dear friend from DC days, prior to his Wall Street and Philly lives, and I'd stumbled into this gig thinking blogs were the eight track tapes of our times. He quickly schooled me, saying "I knew you'd get dragged into the blogosphere sooner or later."

Before the blogosphere, hell, before cell phones, Jimmy was a dear friend; a roommate for three summers at Rehoboth Beach, and a constant source of good conversation, laughs, love. I can hear him now, on the screened porch at our boardwalk Rehoboth house, waves crashing, breakfast cooking, hangovers nursing and Jim back from the market with the Sunday Times screaming, "Can you fucking believe …" fill in the blank with the latest outrage. He was a natural pioneer for blogging once technology caught up with him.

Sites like Rewire and all the major progressive blogs stand on the shoulders of people like Jim Capozzola, whose wit, intelligence, biting sarcasm, encyclopedic knowledge of everything and love of a good time make him someone to be missed. Jimmy was recognized by many as being a pioneer in new media political writing, something for which he will never get the credit he deserves, but that's what makes him a blogger's blogger. He was creating a medium before the marketeers, piercing pundits and setting the stage for a political communications revolution long before CNN, YouTube and Google ever dreamed of teaming up for a Presidential debate, as Wolf Blitzer says breathlessly in commercials, "unlike anything you've ever seen, you won't want to miss it."

Jimmy is likely just as glad he will miss it; he's a pioneer, blazing new trails now into a life unlike anything we've ever seen. We'll miss you Jimmy!