Name: Thomas
Date: July 1st, 2003
Hello and
welcome to our website:
first of all we would like you to introduce yourself
-Name:
thomas-andre khouri-herzberger
-Nickname:
thomas or mad_doc
-Sex/age/location:
20/m/Germany
-Tell us about yourself and what you do?
study dentistry (i am thinking to change the subject, but not sure yet)
-In few words, describe to us the place where you live
and your history prior to living there.
I was born in a town called Viersen (a town close to the border to the
Netherlands) in Northrhine-Westphalia
When i was 13 my family moved to Düsseldorf (capital of state NRW) and has a
population of about 550.000 (to make it clearer -> Toronto has about 2.3 million
*twinkels*)After finishing school I moved with my family to north England and I
returned last autumn back to GER. Which seems the most appropriate place for me
to live.
-Your personality in few words?
loyal / tolerant /sense of humour/ /critical/unprejudiced/sometimes rebellious
and so on...you guys should discover it on your own *twinkles*
-What do you do to stand out?
I don’t try to stand out, I just don’t like to be mainstream or trying to copy
any styles or trends just trying to be myself
that’s all not more not less.
"I
don’t try to stand out, I just don’t like to be mainstream or trying to copy
any styles or trends just trying to be myself that’s all not more not less."
-How easily are you influenced by your friends and
peers in school?
I think that depends on the persons who are trying to influence me. Close
friends can have a certain degree of influence on my personality and actions.
In contrast to that ppl whom do I
not have any personal relation with or those i do not trust or don’t even know
can not influence me at all.
-What is your personal formula to success?
I think there is no unique formula of success for everybody. But my personal
opinion for success is:
1.education ->an appropriate education (it doesn’t have to be a a degree from a
university etc.) can open a lot doors
for you, your friends/family and your Assyrian nation.
2. respect and tolerance->you should have respect and tolerance to your personal
environment, even if they do not share the same values like you
and tolerate other ways of living.
i think that is the only way for people these days
to integrate themselves, play a role and live peacefully in a western and
non-western society
3. being open-minded to other opinions and try to understand them (ok only if
they’re serious)
-In general, do you think Assyrian guys have good personalities?
(Honestly, i do not like questions that generalize too much (lol).
But ok I'll try to say something) :
I see every person around me as an different individual. I mean if i meet
a person (Assyrian or not) for the 1st time I will not
try to refer to any stereotypes or prejudices...I try to form my opinion about those persons from their behaviour and views...and from the cultural/racial/religious
background (which can sometimes influence
the behaviour/views etc.)
According to your question i can say that i see as well every Assyrian alone and
up to know I've met some Assyrians
with a GREAT personality and other Assyrians who can be just defined as
“psychological wrecks”
-Why should girls be attracted to you or you personality? what do you
have that would make them come to you?
What should girls attract to me? Eh silly question lol
Nothhhhiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggg (lol)
Nada
Null
Niente
Nichts
Rien
What else...
My cooking?!
My old car (lol)?!
Or wait ...
they’re attracted by my big house my two cars and my bank account... (lmao
insider joke)
-Has a mirror or the mirror ever fooled you? do you think the mirror
can make us look good when in fact we are not? or make us look ugly when
in fact we are looking good?
(Strange question really lol)
So if you think you look good some people might not agree coz they have a
different
taste and if you think you’re not blessed with good looking maybe some people
dream of you. Well the beauty itself is a very relative topic with very
different tastes!!!!
It’s not the mirror who makes you look bad or good it is you the way you are
/the way you represent yourself /the way you behave and they taste of your
enviroment.
Look even the Hunchback of Notre Dame has found girl, so guys never give up...lol
CHAT QUESTIONS
-Who referred you to our community and when was this?
Nobody referred me to this community. It all begun last September
or October 2002 (not sure anymore),
when I was sitting on my desk and making researches about the history of Assyria
and then i found this website (with google.com) and when i first read
www.assyrianVOICE.net i thought “hey cool seems like i found an Assyrian
web radio or something (lol coz it’s named assyrian“voice”).well...and then i
clicked on this website and i found pictures of convention or something and
looked at them and thought “strange those guys look and dance like my
relatives...” (lol). From that day on i am a visitor of this website.
-Do you think it is a good idea to change nicknames at
least once a
year? or should we stick to the same nickname so that people can identify
easily and always.
I personally would not change my chat/nickname because people in here already
seem to associate me and my personality with the name.
The nickname is something like a “short profile” for them now. For other chatters that are rather unknown or
anymore in here i recommend as well to stick to their names if they want to become a “part” of this side (and
if they do not have any bad intentions ,like disturbing and complaining all the
time)
that would make them known and respected/appreciated (or maybe not lol)
-Have you met any people from the chat in real life? was the
experience different from that in the virtual world?
No. I never met anybody from this community (although some people live pretty close
to me) and i must say i am rather against the idea to meet anybody from here.
It’s not that i don’t trust you guys, but for me cyberspace will stay active as
long as my pc in on and when i switch the engine off then that cyberspace “life”
is forgotten till i switch the pc on again.
I prefer to stay “thomas from the MB” and not more.
-Who do you think are some of the most outstanding posters on the
message board?
I would say michi, tina and jacob
have great comments which I almost always read
Michi = it seems that he stands over all fights/insults and always formulate his
views in a very objective and clear manner
Tina = seems to have good “nerves” (lol) and keeps cool (lol) although she has
the nice job to be something like a “judge” (lol) there. I also like her
tolerant views.
Jacob = it seems that we both share some political views and he tries as well to
object the arguments on the mb in a respectful way.
In my point of view those three can be seen as role models (at least on the MB so
don’t don’t flatter yourselves lol).
-What services in our website do you think help Assyrians the most?
All the sections of this site do help. It is obvious that this website was made
to strengthen our relation to our Assyrian roots...some chatters
do that by visiting the music section and some do that by reading the posts on
the message board.
All the sections can help us in a special way and that underlines the fact that
some “smart” people out there made this website with a lot effort and love for
their Assyrian roots.
(my respect to the Assyrian voice team)
-What comes to your
mind when you first hear these three nicknames:
Peach, Dr_Strangelove, Nat
Peach: never talked to
Dr Strangelove: does this guy study medcine or is he just spoilt?( jk kidding
khon)
Nat: talked to her before
-What do you think is the reason for some of the rude attitude that
people have sometimes on the internet and on chat lines in particular?
I think some chatters in here just take jokes or objections too personal or just
trying to get by “loosing their temper“ some attention.
-Why do you think the people at Assyrian Voice, and other Assyrians
online in general are attracted to the photo albums we have on our
network.
I think they’re just curious about how some chatters
they seen, talked or heard about at AVN might look like. That’s all. Ok for some those albums are something like marriage proposal (jk lol)
-What do you think is the current theme of the message board? that is,
what are people talking about most?
The debate about pro or con war on Iraq ended.
The debates about life after the war didn’t have to much participants...I think there is no specific topic on the mb right now.
-First it was AOL, then ICQ then MSN. What is next do you think?
I don’t use any messengers.
-Do you think or believe the number of people who just read the message
board outnumbers that of those who actually write in there? any way to
make them write once again or for the first time?
Well, i think those ppl who come here and just read the posts and leave without
a trace are just too shy. Or maybe those ppl have seen how rude some posters are
putting down others and are a little bit scared ...or just don’t look for any
trouble.
A way to make more people post on the MB would a friendlier atmosphere and a bit
more respect and tolerance towards other people opinions (even if they don’t agree
with them). Maybe then a little more people would share their thoughts with us.
For the “dinos” on the Mb I would say, if you see somebody who’s just interested
to annoy others block or put him/her down till he/she surrenders.
Sometimes this Mb is even worse than a kindergarten or bullfight.
FAVOURITES
-favorite sport:
soccer(what else)/basketball
-favorite Assyrian/foreign singer:
assyrian singer:i don’t have any
foreign singers: a lot
to name a few r.kelly c.david isley brothers tiziano Ferro and so on
-favorite country/city:
country: Germany !!!(just kidding ) Italy
city: New york /Beirut/London (uk)
-favourite cars:
BMW M7 or Mercedes CL 600
-favourite soccer players:
Gabriel Omar Batistuta
Thierry Henry
-favourite soccer clubs:
Fc Schalke /Arsenal London/Juventus Turin
-favourite food:
spaghetti carbonara + fresh tomato salad and a good white wine (italian
plz)
-favourite movies:
a beautiful mind
gangs of new York
blue streak (already a bit old)
-favourite three companies:
siemens
armani
vodafone
-favourite computer applications
clone cd
nero bruning rom
ASSYRIANS RELATED QUESTIONS
-Tell us about the Assyrian community in your city and country?
I never seen an Assyrian community or met anybody from an Assyrian community in
Germany or from surrounding counties
-Do you trust Zowaa to be the official leader and representative of
Assyrians in Iraq and Middle East in general?
Hard to say if the Zowaa is the right representative in the middle east. I would
say rather not. We Assyrians aren’t united in the middle-east, but for the
Assyrians in Iraq i think it’s the right leader.
-What does our nation lack? how can we get them?
Well, the truth is that we’re a minority in the middle east and worldwide. The
lack of our nation is that we’re too split. We should form one association or
party that does represent all the Assyrians worldwide or try to get the
associations and parties work hand in hand with each other. Than we might arouse
the interest of powerful politicals and make them listening to our interests.
-At this very moment, what should Assyrians pay more attention to?
Well know Iraq is free from S.Hussein and his companions...
We should pay attention till the situation is stable and calm there and wait for
the right moment to invest time and money there in powerful political offices
and built powerful economic structures. I think that way we can protect our ppl
better and represent our interests much better.
-Should Assyrians stop bragging about their bold past and concentrate
on the future only?
Well I’m a rational and realistic person. The glamour of our past Empire is
gone. I don’t mean to forget it, but we should stop bragging/dreaming and
should now look at the facts and try to make the best of it to get our interests
and rights as good as possible back.
-What is your solution to make sure our language doesn't dissolve and
disappear forever?
Oh god you're asking the wrong person (i never learned Assyrian)
-Give us one last advice for Assyrians that are reading this interview.
Don’t forget where you’re coming from, appreciate your peaceful and good living
there and don’t be too avarice with your money. Help to built there at least
some medical institutions in Iraq. While we’re sitting here cosy our sister’s
and brother’s over there are dieing
coz of the shortage of medicine and medical equipment...and you’re a proud
Assyrian represent yourself (wherever you are) in the best
way you can!
General and Miscellaneous Questions
-What is your favourite way of transportation? i.e.: car, airplane etc.
Well over here paying for a car (such as insurance and petrol) is very
expensive. It is sometimes much cheaper to travel by airplane (god bless the
low-cost carriers lol) than paying the petrol. If you are
a daily commuter like me and a student it’s much cheaper to use public
transportation over here...
Nevertheless, i prefer paying my a** off and commute by car (lol)
-Speaking of this, are you the type of person who fears airplanes or
any other types of transportation? if so, why?
Well i have to travel a lot by plane to see my family and i never had any fear
to use airplanes or any other transportation.
It doesn’t make sense to think about that because it would only unsteady
me for nothing
Even if they crash the insurance pays ...(lol)
When you died then i bet you’re not interested how you died, so i use what’s the
best for me (plane/car/ train i don’t really care)
-The U.S vs. the E.U. Do you see this peaceful confrontation growing to
become like that of last century's cold war between the U.S and the
U.S.S.R. Considering that most countries in the E.U were against the war in
Iraq?
Well right now there is a big gap between the US and EU. The reasons for that
aren’t only the war on Iraq. There have been always conflicts or confrontations between the interests of the EU and the US. The EU is willing to
be a strong and powerful union that is aspiring to compete with the US and the
far east (Japan) in an economic, political and social
way. And I think this gap will become bigger by the flow of the time
because the
US is with having now with the access of one of the biggest “oil resources”
(guess where) the ability to become more and more a superpower and to control
that way the world economy and politics .
The EU now wants get now a piece of the
“cake by bagging” to “help rebuilding Iraq”
and is now trying to bulid alliances with important political and economical
partners worldwide such as the US did centuries ago to form something like
another “superpower” to be independent from the will of the US and to built
something like a opponent to the raising superpower USA.
I expect more tensions to come between the EU and the US
-In North America, there is what you call the American or Canadian
dream. Is there such a thing as the German of European dream? what is it if
any?
(I heard about the American dream such as the pursuit of happiness etc.,
but I never heard anything about a Canadian dream...tell me guys i am interested
lol)...no I never heard anything about something like a German dream or European
dream...those visions seems to be typical American
-What three websites do you visit on a daily basis?
Yahoo.de
Google.com
www.assyrainvoice.net/mb
-Has or will the internet ever replace the TV? why or why not?
For me it almost did. I watch very seldom TV if I am looking to get some news and
information i always use the internet.
The reasons for that are basically the easier and faster access to information
and news than switching on the TV and waiting or zapping through the channels to
get the requested answer.
But on the other hand, the branch of entertainment is still in the hands of TV i
think.
-According to you, what is the ultimate mystery? i.e.: UFOs, Pyramids
etc.
UFOs? ...(x-fiels theme) somebody is watching you...(lol) definitely the Pyramids. Unfortunately i haven’t seen them yet.
It’s really a miracle how people on 2560 b.c did built such monstrous
monuments with stones that weight about 1 ton without almost any technical
help...AMAZING
another miracle?! Well..up to know the last US elections are still a miracle for
me ...how did that m***n just win?! (lol relax guys!)
-According to some official estimates, some 2 billion people watched
the soccer world cup last year. While only some 250 million is the number
of combined people who watched the NHL/NFL/NBA finals. What does that
tell you about soccer other than re-enforcing the notion that it is the
dominant game with no questions asked.
Well everybody knows soccer and a lot love it because they play and identify
themselves with this sport.( No wonder that 2 billion watched the WC final)
Sports like Nhl/Nfl/Nba aren’t even known too much outside north America (I'm
not only meaning Europe)
Those are typical US and Canadian sports so not everybody can identify
himself with those sports.
-If you were given the opportunity to travel back in time. Where would
you go? or should we say to what period?
I’d prefer to stay in 2003
-What are some of your favourite newspapers and magazines?
If I have enough time to read then i prefer
German:
Spiegel(magazine)
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
English:
The Guardian
Time Magazine
-What do you think is the future of music given that MP3 is so popular
now. Do you think there will ever be a time when singers will simply
sing for free, and will only generate money from the sales of their
concerts.
Singer sing for free? Lol never!
I think that cat and mouse game between the music industry will continue a few
years.
The music industry will try to protect their products from misuses like copies
and hackers will find a way to bypass those measures somehow lol and so on ...a
vicious circle (lol)It’s all just a question of time and patience...
-SARS, AIDS, mad cow disease, and West Nile virus: just 50 years ago,
we had none of these deadly viruses. What does that tell you about this
world if anything?
Epidemics aren’t something new at all. 50 yrs ago we had cholera, plague etc.
today SARS etc....that underlines that medicine still hasn’t explored everything
...so no haughtiness
-What do you think of the following figures?
Otto Van Bismark, Fred Barham, Iraqi Information Minister "Sa3eed al
Sa7af"
-Otto Eduard Leopold Von Bismark:
-former german chancellor
-inventer of the german old age and social insurance programm which basics are
still exisitng in the actual social system
Fred Barham: never heard abouts
Iraqi Information Minister: a talking puppet / worlds most famous liar
i like this guy though lol...it was always just too funny to listen to his
comments ...hope to see him one day in hollywood (lol)
al sahafs best quote:"I speak better English than this villain Bush"
(sure you do lol...)
FINAL THOUGHTS
-What was the hardest question we asked you? or didn't like?
This question: What is your solution to make sure our language doesn't dissolve
and
disappear forever?
As somebody who can’t speak Assyrian at all this question was really unfair lol
-One question you were glad we didn't ask you?
And you think i’ll tell you huh?! (lol)
-Some hundreds even thousands of people may read this interview. Is
there any means of getting in touch with you?
The best would be to leave a message on the message board and i’ll do the rest.
-Your best quote in life:
“don’t drink and rive you might spilt your beer”
and "The advantage of the intelligence is, that you can act like you’re stupid.
The contrary can be much harder.” (Kurt Tucholsky)
-Any surprises to be expected from you in the next weeks or months?
i am unpredicatble (lol)...
-Any shout outs to anyone out there?
nope
-Have you read other interviews? which one did you like most?
They were all great really, but I concentrated on the interviews from those people
who I met before in chat and read them carefully
-Do you recommend any person to be interviewed in the future?
Yes !...According to the posts on the MB I would say tina and jacub would be intersting
And that that guy called ash shash mash clash flash Gosh what was his name
again?
Got it!
his name was Ashoor (lol)*crowd clapping*it would be nice to know more about you the inventor of this
website...i can
help you with the questions (lol)
-Any final comments or thoughts?
nope
At the end of this interview we would like to thank you and wish you a
good luck in your life.
Thanks a lot Ashoor for your time and good luck with your life and this website.