| If clicking a photo on this website does not enlarge it, change your browser settings to allow pop-ups. |
|
 |
Welcome to Don Parrish's website. Search it using the box above.
Surf using navigation buttons above,
e.g., Jefferson’s evaluation of Washington is in Essays.
Enjoy my annual Reviews. There are always new Trip Reports.
Check out Favorites. See me photographed with famous people.
Visit Family Tree to see 700
of my ancestors and 7 dozen Presidential/famous cousins.
When I told Margaret Thatcher (Read her Reagan eulogy) that it was my
birthday, she smiled, swept her arms around and announced grandly: “They have prepared a marvelous banquet for
you.” We both had a good laugh since the banquet was in her honor. |
|
 |
On September 29, 2002, I met Rudy Giuliani before his well-received speech to 2500 people in
Lisle, Illinois on leadership.
I gave him a map of Manhattan
to show him the results of my research to discover the first owner of the land on which the World Trade
Center was built. Rudy was eager to learn the name: Jan Jansen Damen. His wife,
Ariaentje Cuvilje Vigne my 11 x great
grandmother, the Matriarch of New Amsterdam, was the second owner. My research was used by
Eric Lipton in his article in the New York Times on June 27, 2004. |
|
 |
On May 11, 2006, I had the honor to meet former Secretary of State, General Colin Powell before his speech at
Benedictine University. General Powell, a hero to this audience, was greeted
with a standing ovation. Powell told a series
of ancedotes explaining the United States unique power in the world. In this
patriotic speech, he quoted the Declaration of Independence at length.
During Q & A, General Powell got another standing ovation when he patiently and forcefully corrected an anti-war person who
accused him of lying about WMD in Iraq. |
|
 |
On September 4, 2008 in Austin, I congratulated Emily Russell for becoming the eighth winner of the Parrish Computer
Science Scholarship after a large banquet at the University of Texas.
Scholarship supporters Eleanor Moore, Tiffany Grady and I enjoyed
our annual luncheon at the authentic Eastside Cafe. We missed
Judith Quinney who was unable to make it this year. |
|
|
 |
On May 31, 2008, over 300 people attended a ceremony
to honor Revolutionary War soldier Israel Warner,
the most important 9 year old in the War.
He enlisted at 9, served for 6 years and died in 1862 at 93. John Reynolds Jr, playing young Israel,
thanked me for locating his grave and chairing the committee that
restored his headstone,
dedicated 5 new headstones
for his family and a historical marker.
Buried by Israel are both grandsons who lost their lives in the Civil War. |
|
 |
 |
At the Libertarian Party Convention in Denver on May 25, 2008, I encouraged
our Presidential candidate Bob Barr and VP Candidate
Wayne Allyn Root.
Libertarians are the choice of voters who want a smaller, more respectful government.
Ron Paul supporters should vote for Barr & Root in November.
|
|
 |
One of my 11th cousins, our common ancestor was Richard Warren on the Mayflower,
recently sent me this photo of Texas Congressman Dr. Ron Paul and me taken back
in 1988 when he was the Libertarian Party candidate for President. Dr. Paul was a
candidate for the Republican nomination for
President, but dropped out in June 2008. Even people who supported other candidates in the primaries were deeply
impressed with his arguments in favor of libertarian solutions. Dr. Paul
has a very strong following on the Internet. |
|
 |
 |
On October 24, 2007 at the New Orleans Conference
I thanked famous economist Art Laffer for lowering my taxes.
Dr. Laffer gave President Reagan the economic insight that led to the successful fight
to lower the top income tax rate from 70% to 28% launching a generation of prosperity in America.
|
|
 |
 |
On October 6, 2007 in Washington at the 50th anniversary gala event
for Atlas Shrugged,
I met Vadim Perelman, who will be directing
the movie.
I also chatted again with the main speaker and my favorite investigative journalist,
John Stossel of
ABC News.
See my trip report on Rand sites. |
|
 |
 |
On May 14, 2007, at the airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan during my Central Asian trip, I met
Jung Ji-Hyun
who won the gold medal in Athens
in 2004 in men's 60kg Greco-Roman wrestling
by beating the competitor from Cuba.
It's unusual to meet someone famous who is exactly my size. |
|
 |
It was a delight to be photographed with the charming
Alexandra Rosenfeld,
Miss Europe of 2007 and the former
Miss France of 2006. Photo taken February 25, 2007
at the Meridien Hotel in Brazzaville in the Congo where
she and her entourage were also staying. |
|
|
 |
On November 17, 2006, I thanked Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U.S. House for his masterful analysis
of the world situation delivered to the
New Orleans Investment Conference. Newt, a
former history professor, can connect the dots effortlessly and convincingly. |
|
|
 |
Having read Forbes magazine for 30 years,
it was a thrill to meet Steve Forbes after his upbeat talk to the
New Orleans Investment Conference
on November 18, 2006.
I thanked him for his free-market editorials and for his advocacy of innovative
solutions like the flat tax. |
|
|
 |
On October 8, 2006 at the
Serena hotel
in Kabul, Afghanistan, I had a chance encounter
with Claudia Roth, former Chair of the Green Party in Germany. I learned that the
Afghan Foreign
Minister is a former German Green Party member. Read my reports on my Middle East trip. |
|
|
 |
In October 2005, I was in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea with 4 other members of the
Traveler's Century Club.
Only 500 Americans have been allowed to visit North Korea in the past 20 years.
Read my insightful trip reports to learn about North Korea
and Arirang. |
|
|
 |
On May 28, 2005, as President of the Fox Valley Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution,
I thanked Speaker of the U.S. House Dennis Hastert
for his heart-felt speech at the the 250th anniversary of the birth of
Daniel Burroughs,
a soldier in the American Revolution who fought at Saratoga.
The memorable ceremony at the Griswold cemetery in Plano, Illinois was an extraordinary patriotic
event that will be long remembered by all 300 attendees. |
|
|
 |
 |
On November 13, 2004, at the
New Orleans Investment Conference, I spoke again with two legends of
financial forecasting Jim Dines of the Dines Letter
and Bob Prechter of Elliott Wave. I admire both of these gentlemen.
I've subscribed to their publications for many years. |
|
 |
 |
On September 23, 2004, at the banquet celebrating the 20th anniversary of the free market think tank, the
Heartland Institute, I was photographed with one
of my favorite journalists, John Fund
of the Wall Street Journal
and old friend Scott Hodge, President of the Tax Foundation.
I talked to many old friends among the 640 attendees. |
|
 |
 |
On July 23, 2004, my friend John Lewin and I had a grand adventure on a segway touring Chicago's lake front led by
Kathryn Lake [773-271-3011] of CitySegwayTours. In the background is the
famous Sears Tower.
This is a fantastic 3 hour tour including Kathryn's effective segway training
that starts at the Adler Planetarium and goes to the new Millennium Park.
The fountain towers at the $470M park are also a high tech wonder. I highly recommend this $65 tour.
It's 2004 - time for you to try segway! See more photos and my report. |
|
 |
On July 9, 2004 in Vancouver at TOC
summer seminar, I chatted with Nathaniel
Branden. Ayn Rand dedicated Atlas
Shrugged to him and her husband. I met all 3 of them for the first
time in New York in 1965. Mr. Branden is well known for books
on self-esteem. I've attended his talks dozens of times; he sat next
to me at the Ayn Rand stamp ceremony
in 1999. |
|
