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About senatortom
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Epinions.com ID:
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senatortom
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Location:
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Portland, OR
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Member Since:
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May 19 '01
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Activity Summary
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Reviews Written: 9
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Member Visits: 349
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Total Visits: 33,124
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About senatortom
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By reading press accounts of me it would be difficult to categorize me. On one account the Los Angeles Times called me the world's leading authority on the history of violin making in the United States. However, a publication in Portland called me a wacky, evil savant. Perhaps they both are correct, but my wife is quick to disagree with my being a savant.
For an auto accident case the other side sent me to a psychologist who might disagree with my wife. Seems on one of the aptitude tests I scored in the 100th percentile, and on another posted the fastest time he had ever witnessed. I think it all is kind of funny, these supposed certified smart people living their horribly boring lives.
My background is about as varied as you get. I grew up in politics with a father who was vice-president of a major university. A primary task was obtaining funding from the legislature and congress. He seemed to be quite successful, as he eventually transformed that university into the largest in the nation.
I've gone from being a cabinet maker, to a violin maker, to a violin historian (having written two reference books on violin history), to a book publisher, to a home builder, to a state senator, and back to a home builder.
I'm now married (for the past 19 years) to an attorney/mortgage banker/musician (watch out when getting married to attorneys, they can be tricky ones) and have two children - Evan Theodore Copernicus and Alexander Benjamin Galileo. If only adults could remember that at one time they were children maybe they wouldn't always take themselves so darn seriously.
I have to say working with wood is far more enjoyable than working with politicians. I'm sure they are just as pleased to see me back in the "real" world again, as well. For those who suspect most politicians have absolutely no idea what they are doing, and are simply controlled by the lobbyists and the drive to maintain their seats in office, I can say with great certainty that you are correct concerning perhaps 90% of elected officials. Power does corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
My philosophy is, never demand of yourself less than you demand of others, and, perfection is not a dirty word.
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