Congrats Bill! Can't wait for Sanctuary.

About time!

Just kidding...

Good to hear you finally finished the re-editing project.

Looking forward to Sanctuary.

Glad to hear the long slog of a project is behind you now. I can't wait to read "Sanctuary".

Reader of Eject! Eject! Eject! ab initio, and before,

I can't wait for more. I've already worn out my copy of Silent America.

Even though I've been retired from the "game" for five years, I understand precisely how you feel. It's like taking a albatross off from around your neck. Good luck with the new book. Next time around, don't be too ready to accept an impossible deadline - they do bite.

Good to know you're still with us!

I actually tuned into AMC's Shoot-Out this weekend in time to catch the credits just so I could see the name "Bill Whittle" on the screen.

Is that obsessive?

Glad to hear it, Bill. We've been waiting eagerly, and patiently. Take the time to enjoy your "vacation," though. We can sit tight a few more days.

JK

Welcome back, sir!

I've not had the chance to communicate to you directly, the honor and pleasure it was to meet you (however briefly) at the DuToit's on your Velocity stopover.

As one separated from steady blogging due to equipment failure, I know all too well the withdrawl-from-regular-posting syndrome. If I can't write, I can at least read, and it'll be a pleasure to have your wisdom back on my screen.

Again, best wishes to you as you take your next keyboard solos.

Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX

I am damn glad to see you back sir. After one month hiatus, I saw my small hit count drop to nothing daily. It is a testament to you, your writing and your beliefs that within hours of posting for the first time in 3 months, people are here and commenting. I can't wait for Sanctuary.

Looking forward to the new essay. Also looking forward to finding out what the system dislikes about my comment...

Ah, t'was my Yahoo address.

Does this mean we finally can take you out to belatedly celebrate your birthday?

Hooray! I'm very much looking forward to Sanctuary, and I'm very pleased to see you back!

Proteus
.....you are cleared for takeoff.

Passengers
.....for your listening enjoyment,we have Van Halen-DREAMS.....Creed-HIGHER.....music to lift your Spirit!

Oh, that's right! You hit the big four-six a couple weeks back!

BAH-hah-hahahahahaha!

(ahem)

No, seriously, happy boitdee, man. Gettin' antsy to read the new stuff.

GHS

I check the site everyday, never expecting anything. And then, BLAM, he's back.
Sweet.

“What’s behind me is not important!”

Is from the vastly superior 1976 film "The Gumball Rally." Said by Raul Julia, also Staring Michael Sarrazin and Gary Busey.

You shoulda left the dremel, I'm gonna need it before I see you.

Bill! Glad you are alive and well! Looking forward to the brain candy.

Welcome back! Glad to know you're still among us.

Keep writing, sir -- your audience is loyal but hungry, and anxiously awaiting the jewel that "Sanctuary" is sure to be. No hurry -- anytime yesterday would be fine.

cheers,
Daniel

I echo Harry- you're bookmarked, & I "hit" every day. Since "steenkin' badges" was taken down, & empty space prevailed, I expected the worst, & hoped for the best. Welcome home Bill.
Regards,
Jack

Bill, glad you're back and I look foward to your paper soon.

Ooo. Quick question for the collective wisdom of the readers: Someone in the blog-o-sphere made this great visual presentation of how the two sides of the culture wars see the 1950's vs the 1960's, but I can't remember where it was. It had like this steroetypical white-bread 1950's family and then said how everything was just dandy and then showing how a bunch of bad stuff happened in the sixties and then to juxtapose it had a series of pictures showing how bad things had been in the 50's and how the counter-culture revolution made everything better. Each piece written as if it's proponents were angels and the other side were devils.

Anyone know what I'm talking about? Anyone know where it is?

Cheers,
Mike

Be careful, Bill. As the saying goes, the reward for a job well done ... is often a bigger job.

Hope you get the chance to take a well-earned break before the next marathon. We look forward to hearing from you when you're ready. Good to have you back.

Ah yes, "The first rule of Italian race-driving..." as he yanks the rearview mirror off and throws it over his shoulder.

Great to see you back! There was a little dust accumulating here...

Finally! The internet will again have some intelligable work.

Seats forward and tray tables up Bill, you're cleared for take-off. Looking forward to more digital diamonds. America+friends await for your next contribution of clarity.

Like a lot of others, I've been looking in here every couple of days for a long while. Today I'm smiling.

About twenty years ago there was a science fiction writer who wrote one really superb book that everybody loved – it was compared to Heinlein at his best -- and then a second fine book that was the first volume in a projected trilogy. But then he stopped. I have always wondered whether this author (and some will know who I mean just from this description), facing the HUGE expectations of his fans, simply ran into terminal writer’s block. Damn shame. I still occasionally check to see if a new book by him has appeared.

So take your time, Bill. Relax. Think deep. Enjoy doing what you do so well. But don’t let our rather over-the-top enthusiasm scare your Muse away.

yeah! I like it when you are back.

Thank you Bill.

Woo Hoo!!!

Jus' sayin' "woo hoo", is all.

Ben - you talkin' about Palmer?

If so, he says writing SF didn't pay enough, and he was making way more as a court reporter. Planned to write 2 and 3 after he retired, and maybe a sequil to the his first. The second book in the trilogy got an ISBN number, so someone was serious about it at one time.

Loved the first one. The second was a step down, but still terrific.

Good to have to back, Bill - thought you might have dropped off the radar & joined Den Beste.

Richard R.

Yes, that's who I meant. I didn't mean to be coy; but my remarks were admittedly speculative -- and who knows, he might read this site.

I had heard somewhere that Palmer had quit his court-reporting job to try to write full time, but this had not panned out financially; so he'd had to return to his past profession and shore up his finances. But many people, including Our Most Excellent Host, manage to write good things even while doing a day job that pays the bills. It has saddened me that Palmer has not done this, even at a greatly reduced rate, over the last couple of decades. My speculation was about why.

No blame attaches to him, of course. Each of us is responsible to make our own way in the world, and some commitments demand so much of us that we don't have time or energy for other work. A sad reality, perhaps -- but we are morally obliged to deal with reality, sad or not. I'm just glad to hear that there will be more excellent writing here from Bill Whittle.

Bill,

All work and no play...

Did you get my email reply about the certificate? The crew says you are cleared in hot to post if you desire. You should be hearing from several of them soon.

So glad to hear the flag and certificate arrived on your birthday. Fate and luck are funny, yes?

Thanks again for Silent America. We look forward to more.

Regards,

Beav

No, it wasn't Cannonball Run, it was GUMBALL RALLY!

When Sig. Bugatti, designer of the Bugatti Royale, was questioned by a reporter about the poor braking of his automobile, he replied " I do not build my car to stop... I build it to GO!

Welcome back.

Job?...........JOB?......

You should quit that stinkin job............

Don't need no stinkin job...........

It takes up way too much of your valuable writing time. Besides you could fly more often if you didn't have that job and boss around your neck. You could syndicate and become a regular member of the NYT editorial staff freelance.....
just think, the book deals......spots on Crossfire and Chris Mathews........MSNBC analyst.....The President would be calling for your advise.......then the Pope......NEW WORLD ORDER! !..........
.
.
.
.
sorry, I forgot to take my Zoloft this morning..........

Back at Last,

Back at Last,

Great God Almighty,

He's Back At Last!

Welcome back! We sometimes commit, in good faith, to something which develops into another entity, larger by (powers) than what we committed to!

Good on ya, Guy!

Wow Bill. What can I say. I bought Silent America for my uncle, and now I got a copy of my own.

America is the greatest right or wrong, and we will not let the rest of the world or the Enemy Within spoil that. You are the most eloquent American alive today. We are lucky.

To the so-called Europeans, Muslims and other foreigners can suck our chunks.

Great blog. Keep up the posts. They are interesting.
--
http://linuxhelp.blogspot.com

As we used to say years ago, man, that's heavy!

I'd like to send this to my nephew who is absorbing a bit to much of college at Austin.
Okay with you?

Bravo!

Words fail me at how inspired and impressed I am by "Sanctuary." Please accept what follows in the interest of that asymptotic lurch toward perfection. Your comparison to Cheops makes a fine example but for certain minor errors in fact: For example, ancient Egyptians drank warm beer, not river water, probably had ice, etc. It might be worth your time to have those paragraphs checked with an Egyptologist.

Sir, I don't mean to nitpik, but I know what liberal reviewers are like (I work among 'em) and want to spare your piece the slander that a trivial slip will undoubtedly allow them to craft.

Bill,

You said what I've been feeling for a long time. Thank You.

Bill, that is perhaps the best essay I have
read in years, it encompasses so many things
unsaid and untold about our current situation
and why we face an uncertain future.
My best to you and look forward to your book.

Tet68

BILL WHITTLE,
You deserve the PULITZER PRIZE for writing this classic narrative testimonial on the American suicide mission in Iraq.

The "SANCTUARY" should be read by everybody who wants to know the naked truth about the nightmares of the Marines in the house of horrors called Iraq.

Bush went round the bend and sent thousands of young brave American Marines to their early grave.

Where have all the flowers gone?

Combined, Santuary 1 & 2 are the most outstanding essay I have read in the last 20 years. I'm sure you're aware, Bill, that you are also getting raves on FreeRepublic for this work.
Congrats!

P.s. to Orikinla: The 1st 7 words you wrote were correct; everything after that shows your ignorance and inability to follow a carefully crafted and argued thesis.

The momoment you noticed the uniform shows sides, sent me flying into thought. Of course we who choose sides use uniforms, we are in the fight or a reason, not some rhetorical or judicial, even etherical notion of right and wrong, but to know who we are. Let's presume we know neither ourselves or anyone else, does not the point of life tend to bemuse, if not become worthless? One thing I have learned from Bill Whittle, is when I think, use logic, facts, and an open mind... I shall read the rest of the thesis now, and perhaps learn more, but that is a very valuable notice, how one chooses sides. One fights for what one believes, I pity those that believe in only hope. Freedom is, perhaps must be fought for, for everyone is willing to take from you what you are unwilling to protect. How can we take care of those unwilling to work, the unable is another subject. I shall read the rest, and thanks, Bill. I know ghs has your back, I have myth and future. My best hope is that everyone is free, but we can't all think alike.

Rik

This essay has me reeling, excellent points. When I first met Bill, he said never debate what you can not prove, provable is not irrefutable evidence. Thoughts are not emotions, emotions lose all justice, judges must make decisions. We must live with what is real, not what we wish, though we can certainly live alone. Freedom is precarious in the hands of one that controls your actions, or thoughts. My respect for my enemy is emmense, I have little respect for anyone unwilling to fight for what they belive. To believe in what is wrong, is a right, in a free society, though I doubt you can prove it to be right. Lincoln had a reason, I have my own.

Rik

The Medic does not choose sides, he, or she, merely sees harm to evaluate, it is not political, but rational. Why is the absolute we must discuss, not the rationale. Freedom demands much of us, are we willing? I could argue that some are not, but why? Let us allow ALL TO FAIL, or succeed, but this seems family based, and not a government concern. Newton had models, thoughts that few considered, Darwin had thoughts, Einstien had his decisions, but none knew the truth. Freedom should be revisited, not for it's merits, but for the myths created. One thing I can share, is value. All that try have value.

"That damn war took a piece of us all". or did it teach us?

Who learns the lessons?, certainly not someone that never tried.

Rik

Bill,

This essay was pinged to my attention on a conservative political website. Below is my response:

Whittle is an absolute genius at describing, in a single essay, all that ails us regarding our generally debased view of ourselves – our self-imposed defeatism, our minimized perception of the bloodthirst and barbarism of our foreign enemies, and the ruthlessness of our domestic ones. And he brilliantly illustrates how our perceptions, more often than not, are molded by dishonest media/academia/elitists. Yet he also shows us how easy it can be to see the overwhelmingly noble truths embodied in the real America, through a little common-sense introspection … and by isolating ourselves from those who have redefined common sense as radical.

He does not lie. It does indeed take close to an hour to read his essay. Yet he had me hooked after the first paragraph – and the hour flew by and left me wanting more. This man’s mental meanderings are priceless treasures, and this essay is far and away the most brilliant political commentary I may ever have read. Ever.

I enjoy offering my own insights, such as they are, on articles of interest that are pinged to my attention. But I can’t excerpt any of this one for comment. Believe me, I tried. Whittle’s observations simply can’t be dissected or parsed. Every single word is as indispensable as the next. Nor can I add my own comments. They would seem petty … trivial in comparison.

Any American patriot who finds himself debating a left-leaning ideologue, on any topic of contemporary political relevance, needs simply to ask his opponent to read this essay before continuing the debate. If the opponent agrees to do so, and still holds fast to his leftist beliefs, he is either without the ability to comprehend elementary logic and simple analysis, or he is without a soul.

I’ll never hear or read the word ‘sanctuary’ again, without according it a newfound reverence. Nor can I recall an hour better spent. God bless the Bill Whittles of this world. There are damn too few of them left.

Fucking briliant. Just fucking brilliant.

Thanks.

Bruce

Let's consider thought, shall we share those, or use our own minds? I am not impressed with those that follow illogical thought, therefore, why bother thinking about it? We have a life to live, some of us will notice reason, others will steal and become criminal, that is life. Choices are our own. I choose to be demure, and follow a great thought. That hardly makes me more than an idiot to anyone else, I accept that. Ellaborate at will, calling anyone an idiot is useless.

Rik

Nature often makes me think, rather than worry or concern myself why, I choose to exist in it. Bill is correct, of course, Nature is ruthless, we need not be. Consider a Tsunami, a volcano, avalanche, or any "natural" life. Sancuary is man's domain, never natural, so play by the same rules. Those that choose to "cheat", do so at their own peril. I believe we are getting a bit angry that so few think for themselves, but I really doubt many read what is really meaningful. I presume the next essay will be about "Respect", for that is what so many lack, for vicarious reasons. I respect all life, even my own, even knowing how valueless I am. Death is not my fear, life is, but how do you survive life? Our Union proves an important point, we can survive, together. I only type what I believe, I can prove nothing more than existance, if that. What value is an opinion that has no validity?

Rik

I agree with you about the way you view the issue. I remember, long time ago, Jack London said something like "Everything positive has a negative side; everything negative has a positive side." I also find it interesting to see different points of views and learn useful things in the discussion.

Posted by: Richard Hill at May 25, 2005 08:59 AM

Bill, this is your best yet. Thank you.