LOC from David B. Williams, Whitestown, Indiana
Dear Guy,
Challenger 23 is another great (and big) issue.
Joseph Green’s account of snagging John W. Campbell Jr. as a houseguest is mind-boggling. I’m trying to imagine the reactions when he phoned his two SF-reading friends and said, “Oh, by the way, John Campbell is staying at my place, want to come over for a chat?” Talk about diving into an Olympic-size pool of egoboo. It says a great deal about Campbell’s force of character that he could smoke just two cigarettes per day. If he could dominate himself like this, I can see how he could dominate the SF field as editor during his glory days.
As a Libertarian Monarchist (Reformed), I am not enthusiastic about this issue’s political content. I could fill the next issue with my personal selection of the Bush administration’s missteps and blunders. But your desire to reverse the tax cuts is way off. Since the day they were fully implemented, we have had 12 consecutive quarters of economic growth. Federal revenues increased more than 10 percent last year. This is George Bush’s only successful domestic policy!
The accounts of surviving Katrina were riveting and moving. But I’m mystified: Dennis Dolbear curses Bush for flying over the disaster scene, then Don Markstein scorches him for having the gall to actually set foot on the soggy ground. What’s our beleaguered Chief Executive to do???
Bravo to Greg Benford for predicting the collapse of the Soviet Union before it happened (which puts him ahead of the people who spent billions of our tax dollars to monitor such things and missed it!). But you have published his remarks a couple of decades too late for him to gain the credit. Fortunately, his other musings on science and science fiction are as timely as when they were delivered.
By the way, has anyone mentioned that your own essays are often the best writing in each issue?
FANatically yours,
David B. Williams
Challenger 23 is another great (and big) issue.
Joseph Green’s account of snagging John W. Campbell Jr. as a houseguest is mind-boggling. I’m trying to imagine the reactions when he phoned his two SF-reading friends and said, “Oh, by the way, John Campbell is staying at my place, want to come over for a chat?” Talk about diving into an Olympic-size pool of egoboo. It says a great deal about Campbell’s force of character that he could smoke just two cigarettes per day. If he could dominate himself like this, I can see how he could dominate the SF field as editor during his glory days.
As a Libertarian Monarchist (Reformed), I am not enthusiastic about this issue’s political content. I could fill the next issue with my personal selection of the Bush administration’s missteps and blunders. But your desire to reverse the tax cuts is way off. Since the day they were fully implemented, we have had 12 consecutive quarters of economic growth. Federal revenues increased more than 10 percent last year. This is George Bush’s only successful domestic policy!
The accounts of surviving Katrina were riveting and moving. But I’m mystified: Dennis Dolbear curses Bush for flying over the disaster scene, then Don Markstein scorches him for having the gall to actually set foot on the soggy ground. What’s our beleaguered Chief Executive to do???
Bravo to Greg Benford for predicting the collapse of the Soviet Union before it happened (which puts him ahead of the people who spent billions of our tax dollars to monitor such things and missed it!). But you have published his remarks a couple of decades too late for him to gain the credit. Fortunately, his other musings on science and science fiction are as timely as when they were delivered.
By the way, has anyone mentioned that your own essays are often the best writing in each issue?
FANatically yours,
David B. Williams
posted by David B. Williams at 10:52 AM
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