Paris syndrome

BBC reports:

A dozen or so Japanese tourists a year have to be repatriated from the French capital, after falling prey to what’s become known as “Paris syndrome”.

That is what some polite Japanese tourists suffer when they discover that Parisians can be rude or the city does not meet their expectations.

Oh, really?  These people should steer clear of Russian then.  If they need psychiatric help after Paris, they will probably just drop dead on the streets of Chelyabinsk…

“But don’t you find it boring to wear only two col…

“But don’t you find it boring to wear only two colors?”

“Not at all. I find it liberating. I believe my life has value, and I don’t want to waste it thinking about clothing,” Malcolm said. “I don’t want to think about what I will wear in the morning. Truly, can you imagine anything more boring than fashion? Professional sports, perhaps. Grown men swatting little balls, while the rest of the world pays money to applaud. But, on the whole, I find fashion even more tedious than sports.”

Jurassic Park, by Michael Crichton

Favorite historical character

Once in a while I come across the question of who is my favorite historical character.  Sometimes, it’s over a discussion with friends. Other times, it’s as simple as a security question on a weird web form.

If you ask me blindly, straight up, no thinking, I’d have to say that Winston Churchill is my number one favorite historical character.  He was an iconic leader, very smart and powerful man.  But with that, he also had a great sense of humor.  He also smoked cigars and drank plenty of alcohol, and, somehow, managed to live until he was 90 years old.  Oh, and he didn’t like math.

My other favorite historical character is Benjamin Franklin.  Again, a very smart and powerful man, with common origins.  I have the most respect for his scientific and social advances, as well as the inventions.  The thought about all those things that he started that we still use and rely on today amazes me every time.

My third, and most recent addition to the  favorite historical person pool is Nikola Tesla, aka the electrical Jesus.  And even though I knew who he was and some of what he’s done before, I have to thank this Drunk History video for pushing Tesla way up my list.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gOR91oentQ]

So, that’s me.  Who’s your favorite and, most importantly, why?