It is worth noting that Mesopotamia – now Iraq did not exist prior to the end of WW I, unless you want to consider the Babylonia Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, which was absorbed into the Persian Empire. From that time Mesopotamia did not exist as an independent nation. It is important to understand that Iraq is a creation, not by Arabs, or Muslims, or any indigenous group in Iraq, but was created by the British led by that intrepid self-proclaimed genius and aristocrat – Sir Winston Churchill – aided and abetted by that other self-promoting genius Colonel T. E Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia. This was the last gasp of European Colonialism.
It is worth remembering that Queen Victoria had died only 17 years before the end of WW I so the colonial mentality that was so prevalent throughout Europe had not yet expired so the French and English felt it was totally within their right – indeed divine right – to set up the world to suit themselves. So what once had been the Ottoman Empire now became Turkey, Lebanon, Trans-Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Persia and Egypt had always existed except they were now Iran and Egypt. At the same time that these artificial lines were being drawn Churchill upheld the controversial policy aimed at establishing a Jewish State in what was then Palestine. Palestine, like Persia had ancient roots and had always been a fractious place that had given fits to the Romans who had barely been able to maintain peace there even with massive military force. Nevertheless, Palestine has ancient roots and has long been ethnically diverse and home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Ironically had you asked a Jew what his nationality was up to the time Israel was created he would have said he was a Palestinian. It was only after the creation of Israel and the schism between the Jews and Muslims that the Jews became Israeli’s and the Muslims became Palestinians. Today there are Muslims AND Palestinians and while to western eyes this distinction seems pretty fine, but Muslims are a very fragmented group and these distinctions are very real to them.
But it was Churchill who was the driving force – along with T.E. Lawrence – who Post WW I, set up the country then called Mesopotamia and now called Iraq. Initially this was a constitutional monarchy and independent democracy from 1925 until 1958. But the bloodletting never abated and these “democratic” governments supported pogroms against the Jews and genocide against the Assyrians. The Shi’ites in Mesopotamia rebelled and were cruelly suppressed by the Sunni’s and the British. The British had occupied the ancient territory of Mesopotamia as liberators of the Iraqi people. In British eyes they were being freed from the oppression of the Turkish Ottomans. And initially the British Army was welcomed as liberators as they determinedly set up a constitutional and democratic government. Unfortunately the people turned on their liberators and killed thousands of the British troops – so the current situation in Iraq is simply an encore of the British experience in the 1920’s. The British ultimately crushed the rebellion but at a cost, the lesson was that it required a massive military intervention applied with an iron hand. This was a lesson lost on the American Military who suffer from the American Disease – this disease is the belief that all peoples are alike, they desire freedom, and that a democratic government will bring peace. The sad reality is that not everyone in the world is prepared for a democratic government either psychologically or culturally and the Muslim World in particular is not ready for democratic government. Democracy has failed every time it has been implemented in the past and the current situation in Iraq shows every sign that it will fail once again.
The western liberals simply cannot let go of the idea that the Arab world is desperate for freedom and democracy. The only Muslim state that has come close is Turkey and that democracy was implemented by force. The Muslim World is actually fragmented by tribes, cultures, feuds, and ironically – religion. They are somewhat unified by their hatred of the West which dates back to the Crusades which is still evidenced by Osama bin Laden and others referring to Westerners and Americans in particular – as Crusaders. Currently the liberal establishment is totally convinced that the American invasion of Iraq was instigated by George Bush for the sole purpose of enriching the oil companies or even worse as a distraction to the failed domestic policies. Both of these are totally false but the truth may be even more pathetic.
Iraq under Saddam Hussein was a strategic bulwark against the Shi’ite dominated Iran but it was increasingly unstable as Saddam began to have visions of grandeur. But the US policy wonks mistakenly thought that if they toppled Hussein the people would view the US as liberators and immediately establish a stable democratic government. It was as if these highly educated people from all of those liberal elite eastern universities never read a history book. Instead of liberators the US was quickly seen as invaders and Crusaders and instead of following the historical precedent of ruthlessly crushing all dissent with overwhelming force, the Americans held an election. The real question is didn’t any of those fancy universities ever hear of Machiavelli? So instead of bringing democracy and law and order, the US managed to unleash all of the pent up hatred and feuds already present and these were exacerbated by the external influence of Al Qaeda. Worse, the stabilizing influence of Sunni Iraq is now gone and the weakened Iraq is falling under the influence of Iran and fueling their nuclear ambitions.
It seems the mess in Mesopotamia is much worse than anyone realizes. If the US exits Iraq it will be a strategic disaster because it will be seen as a defeat of the US by Al Qaeda. If the US stays it will continue to inflame Muslims worldwide as it will be seen as an invasion of Islamic lands by Crusaders determined to crush Islam. Also if and when the US does leave Iraq it almost guarantees that an enterprising General will rise to power and overthrow the democratic government which is only a sham anyway. If this General is pro-Iranian, which is likely then we will be faced with an anti-American alliance that could destabilize Saudi Arabia and threaten the World’s oil supply. It would be better if the CIA orchestrated this coup and saw to it that a pro-American General became dictator, but it is unlikely any administration would have the courage to do this and face the wrath of the liberal press. Mesopotamia is a mess and it has always been a mess.
Showing posts with label Winston Churchill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Winston Churchill. Show all posts
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Friday, February 15, 2008
The Mess in Mesopotamia
It is worth noting that Mesopotamia – now Iraq did not exist prior to the end of WW I, unless you want to consider the Babylonia Empire under Nebuchadnezzar, which was absorbed into the Persian Empire. From that time Mesopotamia did not exist as an independent nation. It is important to understand that Iraq is a creation, not by Arabs, or Muslims, or any indigenous group in Iraq, but was created by the British led by that intrepid self-proclaimed genius and aristocrat – Sir Winston Churchill – aided and abetted by that other self-promoting genius Colonel T. E Lawrence aka Lawrence of Arabia. This was the last gasp of European Colonialism.
It is worth remembering that Queen Victoria had died only 17 years before the end of WW I so the colonial mentality that was so prevalent throughout Europe had not yet expired so the French and English felt it was totally within their right – indeed divine right – to set up the world to suit themselves. So what once had been the Ottoman Empire now became Turkey, Lebanon, Trans-Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Persia and Egypt had always existed except they were now Iran and Egypt. At the same time that these artificial lines were being drawn Churchill upheld the controversial policy aimed at establishing a Jewish State in what was then Palestine. Palestine, like Persia had ancient roots and had always been a fractious place that had given fits to the Romans who had barely been able to maintain peace there even with massive military force. Nevertheless, Palestine has ancient roots and has long been ethnically diverse and home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Ironically had you asked a Jew what his nationality was up to the time Israel was created he would have said he was a Palestinian. It was only after the creation of Israel and the schism between the Jews and Muslims that the Jews became Israeli’s and the Muslims became Palestinians. Today there are Muslims AND Palestinians and while to western eyes this distinction seems pretty fine, but Muslims are a very fragmented group and these distinctions are very real to them.
But it was Churchill who was the driving force – along with T.E. Lawrence – who Post WW I, set up the country then called Mesopotamia and now called Iraq. Initially this was a constitutional monarchy and independent democracy from 1925 until 1958. But the bloodletting never abated and these “democratic” governments supported pogroms against the Jews and genocide against the Assyrians. The Shi’ites in Mesopotamia rebelled and were cruelly suppressed by the Sunni’s and the British. The British had occupied the ancient territory of Mesopotamia as liberators of the Iraqi people. In British eyes they were being freed from the oppression of the Turkish Ottomans. And initially the British Army was welcomed as liberators as they determinedly set up a constitutional and democratic government. Unfortunately the people turned on their liberators and killed thousands of the British troops – so the current situation in Iraq is simply an encore of the British experience in the 1920’s. The British ultimately crushed the rebellion but at a cost, the lesson was that it required a massive military intervention applied with an iron hand. This was a lesson lost on the American Military who suffer from the American Disease – this disease is the belief that all peoples are alike, they desire freedom, and that a democratic government will bring peace. The sad reality is that not everyone in the world is prepared for a democratic government either psychologically or culturally and the Muslim World in particular is not ready for democratic government. Democracy has failed every time it has been implemented in the past and the current situation in Iraq shows every sign that it will fail once again.
The western liberals simply cannot let go of the idea that the Arab world is desperate for freedom and democracy. The only Muslim state that has come close is Turkey and that democracy was implemented by force. The Muslim World is actually fragmented by tribes, cultures, feuds, and ironically – religion. They are somewhat unified by their hatred of the West which dates back to the Crusades which is still evidenced by Osama bin Laden and others referring to Westerners and Americans in particular – as Crusaders. Currently the liberal establishment is totally convinced that the American invasion of Iraq was instigated by George Bush for the sole purpose of enriching the oil companies or even worse as a distraction to the failed domestic policies. Both of these are totally false but the truth may be even more pathetic.
Iraq under Saddam Hussein was a strategic bulwark against the Shi’ite dominated Iran but it was increasingly unstable as Saddam began to have visions of grandeur. But the US policy wonks mistakenly thought that if they toppled Hussein the people would view the US as liberators and immediately establish a stable democratic government. It was as if these highly educated people from all of those liberal elite eastern universities never read a history book. Instead of liberators the US was quickly seen as invaders and Crusaders and instead of following the historical precedent of ruthlessly crushing all dissent with overwhelming force, the Americans held an election. The real question is didn’t any of those fancy universities ever hear of Machiavelli? So instead of bringing democracy and law and order, the US managed to unleash all of the pent up hatred and feuds already present and these were exacerbated by the external influence of Al Qaeda. Worse, the stabilizing influence of Sunni Iraq is now gone and the weakened Iraq is falling under the influence of Iran and fueling their nuclear ambitions.
It seems the mess in Mesopotamia is much worse than anyone realizes. If the US exits Iraq it will be a strategic disaster because it will be seen as a defeat of the US by Al Qaeda. If the US stays it will continue to inflame Muslims worldwide as it will be seen as an invasion of Islamic lands by Crusaders determined to crush Islam. Also if and when the US does leave Iraq it almost guarantees that an enterprising General will rise to power and overthrow the democratic government which is only a sham anyway. If this General is pro-Iranian, which is likely then we will be faced with an anti-American alliance that could destabilize Saudi Arabia and threaten the World’s oil supply. It would be better if the CIA orchestrated this coup and saw to it that a pro-American General became dictator, but it is unlikely any administration would have the courage to do this and face the wrath of the liberal press. Mesopotamia is a mess and it has always been a mess.
It is worth remembering that Queen Victoria had died only 17 years before the end of WW I so the colonial mentality that was so prevalent throughout Europe had not yet expired so the French and English felt it was totally within their right – indeed divine right – to set up the world to suit themselves. So what once had been the Ottoman Empire now became Turkey, Lebanon, Trans-Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Persia and Egypt had always existed except they were now Iran and Egypt. At the same time that these artificial lines were being drawn Churchill upheld the controversial policy aimed at establishing a Jewish State in what was then Palestine. Palestine, like Persia had ancient roots and had always been a fractious place that had given fits to the Romans who had barely been able to maintain peace there even with massive military force. Nevertheless, Palestine has ancient roots and has long been ethnically diverse and home to Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Ironically had you asked a Jew what his nationality was up to the time Israel was created he would have said he was a Palestinian. It was only after the creation of Israel and the schism between the Jews and Muslims that the Jews became Israeli’s and the Muslims became Palestinians. Today there are Muslims AND Palestinians and while to western eyes this distinction seems pretty fine, but Muslims are a very fragmented group and these distinctions are very real to them.
But it was Churchill who was the driving force – along with T.E. Lawrence – who Post WW I, set up the country then called Mesopotamia and now called Iraq. Initially this was a constitutional monarchy and independent democracy from 1925 until 1958. But the bloodletting never abated and these “democratic” governments supported pogroms against the Jews and genocide against the Assyrians. The Shi’ites in Mesopotamia rebelled and were cruelly suppressed by the Sunni’s and the British. The British had occupied the ancient territory of Mesopotamia as liberators of the Iraqi people. In British eyes they were being freed from the oppression of the Turkish Ottomans. And initially the British Army was welcomed as liberators as they determinedly set up a constitutional and democratic government. Unfortunately the people turned on their liberators and killed thousands of the British troops – so the current situation in Iraq is simply an encore of the British experience in the 1920’s. The British ultimately crushed the rebellion but at a cost, the lesson was that it required a massive military intervention applied with an iron hand. This was a lesson lost on the American Military who suffer from the American Disease – this disease is the belief that all peoples are alike, they desire freedom, and that a democratic government will bring peace. The sad reality is that not everyone in the world is prepared for a democratic government either psychologically or culturally and the Muslim World in particular is not ready for democratic government. Democracy has failed every time it has been implemented in the past and the current situation in Iraq shows every sign that it will fail once again.
The western liberals simply cannot let go of the idea that the Arab world is desperate for freedom and democracy. The only Muslim state that has come close is Turkey and that democracy was implemented by force. The Muslim World is actually fragmented by tribes, cultures, feuds, and ironically – religion. They are somewhat unified by their hatred of the West which dates back to the Crusades which is still evidenced by Osama bin Laden and others referring to Westerners and Americans in particular – as Crusaders. Currently the liberal establishment is totally convinced that the American invasion of Iraq was instigated by George Bush for the sole purpose of enriching the oil companies or even worse as a distraction to the failed domestic policies. Both of these are totally false but the truth may be even more pathetic.
Iraq under Saddam Hussein was a strategic bulwark against the Shi’ite dominated Iran but it was increasingly unstable as Saddam began to have visions of grandeur. But the US policy wonks mistakenly thought that if they toppled Hussein the people would view the US as liberators and immediately establish a stable democratic government. It was as if these highly educated people from all of those liberal elite eastern universities never read a history book. Instead of liberators the US was quickly seen as invaders and Crusaders and instead of following the historical precedent of ruthlessly crushing all dissent with overwhelming force, the Americans held an election. The real question is didn’t any of those fancy universities ever hear of Machiavelli? So instead of bringing democracy and law and order, the US managed to unleash all of the pent up hatred and feuds already present and these were exacerbated by the external influence of Al Qaeda. Worse, the stabilizing influence of Sunni Iraq is now gone and the weakened Iraq is falling under the influence of Iran and fueling their nuclear ambitions.
It seems the mess in Mesopotamia is much worse than anyone realizes. If the US exits Iraq it will be a strategic disaster because it will be seen as a defeat of the US by Al Qaeda. If the US stays it will continue to inflame Muslims worldwide as it will be seen as an invasion of Islamic lands by Crusaders determined to crush Islam. Also if and when the US does leave Iraq it almost guarantees that an enterprising General will rise to power and overthrow the democratic government which is only a sham anyway. If this General is pro-Iranian, which is likely then we will be faced with an anti-American alliance that could destabilize Saudi Arabia and threaten the World’s oil supply. It would be better if the CIA orchestrated this coup and saw to it that a pro-American General became dictator, but it is unlikely any administration would have the courage to do this and face the wrath of the liberal press. Mesopotamia is a mess and it has always been a mess.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
The Last Lion
I have completed both volumes of the two volume biography Winston Churchill titled “The Last Lion”. Overall this work confirms the old adage that within every fat book there is a thin book struggling to get out. While this is a very complete and detailed biography it is filled with minutiae and asides that are not all that interesting, contribute little to the forward motion of the book, and generally break the flow of the story. Nevertheless, for all of its flaws this is an excellent book and one well worth reading, because it reveals the man as he must have truly been, brilliant but flawed.
There is no doubt and this book confirms the assessment that Churchill was a brilliant and gifted man. However, it also shows his flaws and they were many. He was a man with one foot solidly planted in the 19th Century and one in the 20th Century but clearly he was never comfortable in the 20th. Ironically, he was one of the few – and maybe only – British leaders who actually looked into the future, while most of them couldn’t come to terms with what was obviously the future. Yet Churchill himself maintained many of the same values that characterized his colleagues and 19th Century Britain – the Britain of Empire, pomp, glory, and most of all power.
Churchill was an aristocrat and personified everything that most Americans find distasteful with the aristocracy. He lived his entire life with servants, other aristocrats, and the royal family. He was a “gentleman” and felt that only other ‘gentlemen” were suited to lead. By gentlemen he of course meant other aristocrats or the upper classes, but he didn’t equate upper class to money (he himself always struggled for money) but to birth – either you were born a gentleman or you weren’t and if you weren’t you could never become one. He pulled every string and used every connection to further his own ambitions which were generally to benefit the country but always seemed to benefit him as well. He was soundly disliked by almost everyone who came into contact with him. Some – like General Lord Kitchener—came to respect and admire his abilities and to tolerate him but could not be construed as friends.
Perhaps the most revealing thing about Churchill was the way he conducted himself as a junior officer. He was a subaltern – equivalent to a 2nd Lieutenant – but he regularly went off on his own, ignoring orders from superior officers, pulling strings in London to get different assignments, and simply moving on to other countries and conflicts as it suited him. Had any other junior officer attempted this they would have been court-martialed or at least called on the carpet. He simply had his mother see the King or one of her many connections and got his way. This was the root of the dislike Lord Kitchener had of Churchill. Furthermore, all of his life – including his tenure in the service – he traveled with an entourage. He always had servants and baggage – mountains of baggage that included fine wines and foods – even in the service. Unior officers do not – as a rule – have an entourage and certainly do not travel with mountains of baggage filled with luxuries. So there is no wonder in that he was heartily disliked by virtually all of his superior officers and most of his colleagues.
He was always for the country and could never really accept the loss of empire. He almost single handedly prolonged the First World War by insulting the Turks. When the Turks who were clinging to the tottering Ottoman Empire contacted him to establish an alliance prior to the war—he rejected them because they ‘weren’t gentlemen”. He then added insult to injury by confiscating three battleships built by Britain for the Turks without even offering to pay for them. He needed them – Britain needed them – the Turks were not British and therefore inferior so they had no right to them. This arrogance characterized him his entire life.
He never considered anyone except himself and what he wanted was important and necessary and what anyone else wanted or needed was unreasonable, irrelevant, or unnecessary. Opinions and needs of those not of the aristocracy or ruling class were simply ignored unless he was running for office and in that case he was willing to address their collective needs and desires – as long as it suited him.
His arrogance was monumental and was the root cause of almost all of his problems. His colleagues in Parliament detested him and conspired to keep him out of office. While this was understandable – given his personality – it cost Britain and the world dearly because he had the best grasp on the world situation and a private intelligence network that was probably superior to the governments. The result was he was a voice crying in the wilderness – ignored and vilified until the incompetence of the administration and the inevitability of war became obvious. Of course the result was he was name Prime Minister and led Britain throughout WW II. However, at the conclusion of that conflict he was turned out of office and remained for the rest of his life a man admired but not liked.
Overall – a brilliant man who foresaw most of the woes of the 20th Century but could do little to stop them primarily because of his lack of tact, sensitivity, and overall arrogance based on class.
There is no doubt and this book confirms the assessment that Churchill was a brilliant and gifted man. However, it also shows his flaws and they were many. He was a man with one foot solidly planted in the 19th Century and one in the 20th Century but clearly he was never comfortable in the 20th. Ironically, he was one of the few – and maybe only – British leaders who actually looked into the future, while most of them couldn’t come to terms with what was obviously the future. Yet Churchill himself maintained many of the same values that characterized his colleagues and 19th Century Britain – the Britain of Empire, pomp, glory, and most of all power.
Churchill was an aristocrat and personified everything that most Americans find distasteful with the aristocracy. He lived his entire life with servants, other aristocrats, and the royal family. He was a “gentleman” and felt that only other ‘gentlemen” were suited to lead. By gentlemen he of course meant other aristocrats or the upper classes, but he didn’t equate upper class to money (he himself always struggled for money) but to birth – either you were born a gentleman or you weren’t and if you weren’t you could never become one. He pulled every string and used every connection to further his own ambitions which were generally to benefit the country but always seemed to benefit him as well. He was soundly disliked by almost everyone who came into contact with him. Some – like General Lord Kitchener—came to respect and admire his abilities and to tolerate him but could not be construed as friends.
Perhaps the most revealing thing about Churchill was the way he conducted himself as a junior officer. He was a subaltern – equivalent to a 2nd Lieutenant – but he regularly went off on his own, ignoring orders from superior officers, pulling strings in London to get different assignments, and simply moving on to other countries and conflicts as it suited him. Had any other junior officer attempted this they would have been court-martialed or at least called on the carpet. He simply had his mother see the King or one of her many connections and got his way. This was the root of the dislike Lord Kitchener had of Churchill. Furthermore, all of his life – including his tenure in the service – he traveled with an entourage. He always had servants and baggage – mountains of baggage that included fine wines and foods – even in the service. Unior officers do not – as a rule – have an entourage and certainly do not travel with mountains of baggage filled with luxuries. So there is no wonder in that he was heartily disliked by virtually all of his superior officers and most of his colleagues.
He was always for the country and could never really accept the loss of empire. He almost single handedly prolonged the First World War by insulting the Turks. When the Turks who were clinging to the tottering Ottoman Empire contacted him to establish an alliance prior to the war—he rejected them because they ‘weren’t gentlemen”. He then added insult to injury by confiscating three battleships built by Britain for the Turks without even offering to pay for them. He needed them – Britain needed them – the Turks were not British and therefore inferior so they had no right to them. This arrogance characterized him his entire life.
He never considered anyone except himself and what he wanted was important and necessary and what anyone else wanted or needed was unreasonable, irrelevant, or unnecessary. Opinions and needs of those not of the aristocracy or ruling class were simply ignored unless he was running for office and in that case he was willing to address their collective needs and desires – as long as it suited him.
His arrogance was monumental and was the root cause of almost all of his problems. His colleagues in Parliament detested him and conspired to keep him out of office. While this was understandable – given his personality – it cost Britain and the world dearly because he had the best grasp on the world situation and a private intelligence network that was probably superior to the governments. The result was he was a voice crying in the wilderness – ignored and vilified until the incompetence of the administration and the inevitability of war became obvious. Of course the result was he was name Prime Minister and led Britain throughout WW II. However, at the conclusion of that conflict he was turned out of office and remained for the rest of his life a man admired but not liked.
Overall – a brilliant man who foresaw most of the woes of the 20th Century but could do little to stop them primarily because of his lack of tact, sensitivity, and overall arrogance based on class.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Answers Answers
Here are my answers to the 30 questions. I thought these were good questions to use as a conversation starter. But as I read answers they don't seem to be very provocative or even unusal, but here they are -- the real me.
Thirty Questions
1. Do you have a personal hero? If so, who is it?
I don't really have a personal hero, but the people I admire the most are George Washington (set aside absolute power), Winston Churchill - a true leader
2. What is your favorite book of all time?
I love books but the ones I have reread many times are the various books by Issac Asimov and Shakespeare, but I read extensively – mostly non-fiction.
3. What does "diversity" mean to you?
A left wing political slogan used to justify the destruction of the American melting pot and blatant discrimination against English Speaking Caucasians
4. What is the wildest thing you've ever done?
Getting drunk on Rum and Coke (I hate it to this day), falling into a river, losing all of my clothes, including a new pair of custom made boots, getting toasted over a fire by my roommate and the two of us waking up the following day without any clothes and no knowledge as to where they were or how we got home. I was hung over for a week and I no longer drink alcohol in any form.
5. Do you regret doing it?
No, it makes for some great stories when we get together now.
6. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yes
7. What’s the highest speed you've ever traveled in a car?
A bit over 130mph in my corvette.
8. Were you driving, or riding at the time?
Driving and I got a ticket too
9. How do you define success?
Difficult thing to define but I think if people respect you, seek your opinion and look up to you then you are successful. It has nothing to do with wealth. If your children grow up to be productive citizens that too is the mark of a successful person.
10. What is the most disgusting thing you ever ate?
I don't know but it was an unidentified Chinese thing – disgusting. I ate it at a business dinner and couldn’t refuse it. No wonder I hate multi-cultural diversity (LOL)
11. Have you ever wet your pants? Be HONEST!
Not recently, but once I was in such a hurry that I didn’t get it all the way out in time and managed to wet my pants pretty good. I covered by saying that I splashed water on myself (LOL) (Now that I think about it -- I guess SIZE may have been a factor in association with haste).
12. Was losing your virginity an enjoyable experience?
No
13. Should oral sex be outlawed or encouraged?
I don't think it is anyone's business one way or another
14. Name one man with a fine ass.
Believe it or not, I racked my brain and I can't think of any man whose ass I noted as either good, bad, or indifferent. I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms and can’t think of one ass that I remember.
15. Do you watch golf on television? If not, will you iron my shirts?
No and No
16. Who is John Galt
Character in Atlas Shrugged (bet you thought I didn’t know)
17. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I think I'd lose some weight and about 20 years
18. Do you eat raw oysters?
No. Maybe that was what that disgusting Chinese thing was??
..
19. Are you claustrophobic?
Not especially.
20. If you rode a motorcycle, would you wear a helmet even if the law said you didn‘t have to?
I wouldn’t ride a motorcycle to begin with.
21. Name five great Presidents.
Washington, Lincoln, Truman, Reagan, and George W. Bush All conservative except for Truman who easily weighs in as number 3..
22. Name three really bad Presidents.
Clinton, Carter, and Harding but I'm revising my opinion of Clinton so maybe Grant should be substituted.
23. What was the dumbest thing you ever did?.
Aside from the rum and coke incident, I stood next to a shooting (geophysical) hole when they blew 250lbs of dynamite. The result was I was showered with mud, crud, and humiliation since I just proved a college education doesn’t make you smart. Everyone else took cover. It did mark me as human rather than the priggish college boy that people thought I was.
24. This is the 4th of July. Did you set off any fireworks?
Too hot – watched the neighbors
25. Are you successful or unsuccessful?
I have always considered myself a failure since I have never achieved my goals, but then some one calls me every day looking for insight, advice, or help. So I guess by some standards I am successful as a person even if I am not as an executive. But I guess I don’t think of myself as successful.
26 What do you consider the most boring activity?
Watching most sports on TV – in fact I am not much of a spectator so I guess watching life go by is boring. Too many people must be entertained rather than entertaining themselves. So I think passiveness is the most boring thing.
27 Do you have a “best friend”? Who is it?
Not really. I have been in a leadership position since I was 22. That has isolated me from almost all personal connections. My wife is my best friend today and at various times in my younger life I had close friends. Even today I keep in touch with my college friends and my roommate but I don’t think I have a “best male friend.”
28 Have you ever been naked outside in a public place? Where?
Apparently the Rum and Coke incident resulted in me being naked outside in a public place since my roommate and I later found our clothes by the river side several miles away. Obviously we came home naked as jay birds so I was outside in public naked as the day I was born. However, I had several opportunities to be naked outside in a public place while I was in the Army and I am not shy about being nude even though I don't parade around naked.
29 Who is the most interesting person you know? (Spouses don’t count)
I know several well known psychics and they are quite interesting. I also know a gay guy who used to work for me who is an absolute stitch and he is a great conversationalist. But I find almost everyone interesting.
30 If you could have dinner and conversation with anyone in the history of the planet, who would you choose?
That's a tough question but I think I would pick Jesus Christ, to get the real scoop, Tallyrand - for his wit and consummate political skills, Winston Churchill for his command of English and English History, Cicero for his insight into law and history, and Benjamin Franklin for his intelligence, wit, and charm.
Well there you have it -- my life in a nutshell. Sort of like everyone else's life. I discovered a long time ago that people are all pretty much alike. There are some evil people in the world but they are a small minority. Most people are good upstanding people whose lives are pretty much like mine.
Thirty Questions
1. Do you have a personal hero? If so, who is it?
I don't really have a personal hero, but the people I admire the most are George Washington (set aside absolute power), Winston Churchill - a true leader
2. What is your favorite book of all time?
I love books but the ones I have reread many times are the various books by Issac Asimov and Shakespeare, but I read extensively – mostly non-fiction.
3. What does "diversity" mean to you?
A left wing political slogan used to justify the destruction of the American melting pot and blatant discrimination against English Speaking Caucasians
4. What is the wildest thing you've ever done?
Getting drunk on Rum and Coke (I hate it to this day), falling into a river, losing all of my clothes, including a new pair of custom made boots, getting toasted over a fire by my roommate and the two of us waking up the following day without any clothes and no knowledge as to where they were or how we got home. I was hung over for a week and I no longer drink alcohol in any form.
5. Do you regret doing it?
No, it makes for some great stories when we get together now.
6. Can you drive a stick shift?
Yes
7. What’s the highest speed you've ever traveled in a car?
A bit over 130mph in my corvette.
8. Were you driving, or riding at the time?
Driving and I got a ticket too
9. How do you define success?
Difficult thing to define but I think if people respect you, seek your opinion and look up to you then you are successful. It has nothing to do with wealth. If your children grow up to be productive citizens that too is the mark of a successful person.
10. What is the most disgusting thing you ever ate?
I don't know but it was an unidentified Chinese thing – disgusting. I ate it at a business dinner and couldn’t refuse it. No wonder I hate multi-cultural diversity (LOL)
11. Have you ever wet your pants? Be HONEST!
Not recently, but once I was in such a hurry that I didn’t get it all the way out in time and managed to wet my pants pretty good. I covered by saying that I splashed water on myself (LOL) (Now that I think about it -- I guess SIZE may have been a factor in association with haste).
12. Was losing your virginity an enjoyable experience?
No
13. Should oral sex be outlawed or encouraged?
I don't think it is anyone's business one way or another
14. Name one man with a fine ass.
Believe it or not, I racked my brain and I can't think of any man whose ass I noted as either good, bad, or indifferent. I’ve been in a lot of locker rooms and can’t think of one ass that I remember.
15. Do you watch golf on television? If not, will you iron my shirts?
No and No
16. Who is John Galt
Character in Atlas Shrugged (bet you thought I didn’t know)
17. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I think I'd lose some weight and about 20 years
18. Do you eat raw oysters?
No. Maybe that was what that disgusting Chinese thing was??
..
19. Are you claustrophobic?
Not especially.
20. If you rode a motorcycle, would you wear a helmet even if the law said you didn‘t have to?
I wouldn’t ride a motorcycle to begin with.
21. Name five great Presidents.
Washington, Lincoln, Truman, Reagan, and George W. Bush All conservative except for Truman who easily weighs in as number 3..
22. Name three really bad Presidents.
Clinton, Carter, and Harding but I'm revising my opinion of Clinton so maybe Grant should be substituted.
23. What was the dumbest thing you ever did?.
Aside from the rum and coke incident, I stood next to a shooting (geophysical) hole when they blew 250lbs of dynamite. The result was I was showered with mud, crud, and humiliation since I just proved a college education doesn’t make you smart. Everyone else took cover. It did mark me as human rather than the priggish college boy that people thought I was.
24. This is the 4th of July. Did you set off any fireworks?
Too hot – watched the neighbors
25. Are you successful or unsuccessful?
I have always considered myself a failure since I have never achieved my goals, but then some one calls me every day looking for insight, advice, or help. So I guess by some standards I am successful as a person even if I am not as an executive. But I guess I don’t think of myself as successful.
26 What do you consider the most boring activity?
Watching most sports on TV – in fact I am not much of a spectator so I guess watching life go by is boring. Too many people must be entertained rather than entertaining themselves. So I think passiveness is the most boring thing.
27 Do you have a “best friend”? Who is it?
Not really. I have been in a leadership position since I was 22. That has isolated me from almost all personal connections. My wife is my best friend today and at various times in my younger life I had close friends. Even today I keep in touch with my college friends and my roommate but I don’t think I have a “best male friend.”
28 Have you ever been naked outside in a public place? Where?
Apparently the Rum and Coke incident resulted in me being naked outside in a public place since my roommate and I later found our clothes by the river side several miles away. Obviously we came home naked as jay birds so I was outside in public naked as the day I was born. However, I had several opportunities to be naked outside in a public place while I was in the Army and I am not shy about being nude even though I don't parade around naked.
29 Who is the most interesting person you know? (Spouses don’t count)
I know several well known psychics and they are quite interesting. I also know a gay guy who used to work for me who is an absolute stitch and he is a great conversationalist. But I find almost everyone interesting.
30 If you could have dinner and conversation with anyone in the history of the planet, who would you choose?
That's a tough question but I think I would pick Jesus Christ, to get the real scoop, Tallyrand - for his wit and consummate political skills, Winston Churchill for his command of English and English History, Cicero for his insight into law and history, and Benjamin Franklin for his intelligence, wit, and charm.
Well there you have it -- my life in a nutshell. Sort of like everyone else's life. I discovered a long time ago that people are all pretty much alike. There are some evil people in the world but they are a small minority. Most people are good upstanding people whose lives are pretty much like mine.
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