Happy 90th, John Glenn!

Happy 90th Birthday, John Glenn. The term "American hero" is usually applied these days either carelessly or sarcastically. John Glenn, a decorated fighter pilot in two wars, a four-term senator, a record-breaking test pilot, the first American in orbit, later the oldest man into space on the Shuttle, a man who, at 90, still flies his own plane and has hardly slowed down - that's an American hero. If we have the courage to face new frontiers, there will be many more heroes of exploration, but there will only be one John Glenn.

Mary Chapin Carpenter (a big NASA booster, BTW), wrote in a recent song:
We believe in things
We're told that we cannot change
Why shouldn't we
We had heroes once, and we will again
Why shouldn't we