dawnstar wrote: > > You gotta read this, to the end, its really a good laugh for the day. > Irregardless of politics, just enjoy the humor. I was at school with his > daughter, very private girl. Class 76 I think. I remember when I was in > the hospital, nearly dead, in Kathmandu when he and his family came > trotting through on their way to look at the Himalayas, and visit the > King Birendra Bikram Shah, just after we lost the reconicilation > referendum for a multiparty system, with BP KOIRALA. (he had been bagged > ina coup, US backed early sixties and had been fighting forever to for > democracy in the kingdom. It was rigged of course, but thats part of the > oppositional politics game against the status quo power. Anyway, Ripley > didnt say a damn word for the Democrats. ) > > > > Lover of Pakistani birds spied for US > > http://www.dawn.com/2001/03/19/top14.htm > > > > By Our Staff Correspondent > > > > WASHINGTON, March 18: A distinguished American who was an unlikely > > combination of bird-watcher, spy, art lover and museum expert has died in > > Washington. S. Dillon Ripley, who was 87 at the time of his death this week, > > was co-author, along with the distinguished orinthologist Salim Ali , of the > > authoritative 10-volume Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan. > > > > He was also for a time an officer in the coordination of information office, > > the forerunner of the Office of Strategic Services, which in turn assumed > > the form of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and served in various > > postings in South Asia. > > > > Mr Ripley was secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and led this > > prestigious centre of art and culture during its period of greatest growth > > from 1964 to 1984. > > > > His interest in the birds of South Asia was aroused during a visit with his > > family to India in 1926-27, and thereafter he made several trips to the > > subcontinent. > > > > In an extensive obituary, The New York Times recalled that on his retirement > > from the Smithsonian he was asked in an interview whether he used his > > unlikely disguise of bird-watcher to spy on the Japanese in South Asia > > during the war. > > > > Mr Ripley was said to have replied: "Curiously enough, the British, and I > > suppose the Indians, Pakistanis, Ceylonese and so on, thought that it was > > such a marvellous part of an old-fashioned cover. > > > > "Their theory was that most obviously we were spies. It never seemed to be > > realistic because I never could discover what someone out in the bushes > > could discover in the way of secrets." > > > > Besides his dynamic leadership of the Smithsonian, where his credo was that > > art should be made accessible to as many people as possible, Mr Ripley was > > also instrumental in the establishment of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, > > which houses Washington's most impressive collection of Asian art. > > > > During his spy work, he had kept up his passion for bird-watching, and one > > day while taking a shower in Sri Lanka, he had detected a bird through > > cracks in the bathroom door that he had been trying to collect. > > > > He wrapped a towel around himself and went out with a shotgun. Just then, > > Lord Mountbatten, Viceroy of India, with assorted officers and ladies, came > > around the corner and the towel fell off. But Mr Ripley got his bird. > > > > > > ============================================== > > SPY NEWS is OSINT newsletter > > and discussion list associated to > > Mario's Cyberspace Station > > http://mprofaca.cro.net/mainmenu.html > > ============================================== > > *** NOTICE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. > > Section 107, this material is distributed > > without profit to SPYNEWS eGroup members > > who have expressed a prior interest in receiving > > the included information for non-profit research > > and educational purposes only. > > > > For more information go to: > > http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml > > > > ---------------------------------------------- > > To subscribe SPYNEWS send a blank message: > > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-~> <FONT COLOR="#000099">We give away $70,000 a month! Come to iWin.com for your chance to win! </FONT><A HREF="http://us.click.yahoo.com/r_1oCB/BJVCAA/4ihDAA/xrOVlB/TM"><B>Click Here!</B></A> ---------------------------------------------------------------------_-> Please let us stay on topic and be civil. To unsubscribe please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cia-drugs -Home Page- www.cia-drugs.org OM Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
