To many of us, readers as well as reporters, sources in news stories are just names. And sometimes in our coverage of financial and regulatory stories, we aren't even given that — the advisers and analysts toiling behind the scenes to provide research and data remain nameless.

But today, we must mention the name of one — Ed Lorenzen, a senior adviser with The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Sadly, it's due to his death.

We did not know him, but research that Lorenzen and his colleagues produced at CRFB has helped to provide perspective in financial stories we've covered. As recently as yesterday, financial journalist Nick Thornton was studying PAYGO briefs and their relevance to a potential bailout for PBGC in budget negotiations—briefs that may have been authored by Lorenzen.