Genghis reconsidered

Aunt Becky steered us toward a humorous column on a man who had been thought to have been an ancestor of the great Temujin himself. The would-be ancestor is an accountant named Tom Robinson:

No wonder I cruised right through every accounting course at the top of the class. I had to, to fulfill my destiny and become the modern-day Genghis Khan with an eyeshade and a calculator, the most feared chartered accountant the world has ever seen, the scourge of every H & R Block office! Even IRS auditors will tremble in my presence! I'll command whole vast armies of bookkeepers and notary publics and Quicken experts, and they'll have to hand over gifts—chickens, precious spices, Rolexes—and call me "Sire." I’ll show no mercy to those who resist buying my six-CD set on the Tom Robinson Road to Riches Home Double-Entry Accounting System, With Two Sets of Books.

It's funny stuff, worth a read. dad is careful to note though that the great Khan kept taxes relatively low, was benign and even helpful toward cities that surrendered, and had a strong appreciation for international trade. =)

The author also seems to be paying homage to a certain Monty Python sketch involving piratical insurance folks and actuaries. Coming on the heels of that brother-in-law's celebration of "Talk Like a Pirate Day," maybe all this makes sense to somebody.

mom adds: This family already has its share of economists, lawyers and CPAs. Enough with the nit-pickers! Our kid deserves better.