Home > Business Insider > Archives > 2008 > July > 10 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USTurner marks 70th birthday with autobiography
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
November will be a big month for Ted Turner.
First, his autobiography, “Call Me Ted,” is coming out Nov. 10. Nine days later, he will turn 70.
It was an older, wiser Turner who spoke to the Atlanta Rotary Club on Monday. In his unique, humorous way, Turner shared his philosophies and perspectives with Rotarians about the world, politics, business, international relations, the environment and the aging process.
For starters, Turner gave a great deal of credit to Rotary International for his international views and for his philanthropy. “I love Rotary,” he said. “My dad was a Rotarian. I’m a Rotarian born and bred. When I die, I’ll be Rotary dead.”
He said Rotary provided “the genesis of my strong international beliefs” and that the international organization believes in “a world of friends” with clubs all over the globe.
“If you want to go out and look for enemies, you can find them anywhere, like this administration has done. Drop bombs, and you make enemies,” Turner said, adding that he supports dialogue with controversial world leaders. “How are you going to make friends with someone if you don’t talk to them?”
One of Turner’s charitable causes is the Nuclear Threat Institute, which has been working to reduce weapons of mass destruction worldwide. As Turner said: “The next world war will be the last world war.”
Another one of Turner’s causes is the environment. And he has become a strong proponent of alternative energy sources, such as solar, wind and biofuels.
“I think we have to move away from fossil fuels,” Turner said. “Or we are going to be living in a hell of our own making; it’s going to be so hot.”
Turner also opposes the fence going up along the U.S. border with Mexico —- calling it the “Great Wall of Texas.”
“I remember when this country was in favor of tearing walls down,” Turner said, referencing when President Ronald Reagan stood in front of the Berlin Wall and said: “Tear down this wall.”
Closer to home, Turner described his practice of taking walks around his downtown residence and filling bags up with litter.
“I pick up trash when I take a walk,” Turner said. “If we picked up more trash than we threw down, we would live in a clean world.”
As a conservationist, Turner owns more acres of land than any other individual in the United States.
“I wanted to have some land without a mortgage on it,” Turner said. “I think when you are 60, you should be out of debt. I have no debt. But then again, I’m almost 70.”
The lunch format was a change for Rotary. The dais was gone, and Turner sat on a sofa chair while he was interviewed by Rotarian Bob Hope (a former employee). Hope asked Turner: “What’s next?”
“Stay alive,” Turner said while recommending a recent book he has read: “Younger Next Year: A Guide to Living Like 50 Until You’re 80 and Beyond.”
“We have to take care of ourselves. If you’re not here, you can’t make a difference.”
And about his charities, Turner said: “The rich should help the poor. That’s what philanthropy is all about.”
As for the book, Turner said his publishers are real happy with it, but he did say that he left some stuff out because he wanted to keep it private for his family’s sake.
Turner also told the Rotarians: “I thought it was great when you let women in.”
To that, Hope said: “You’ve always liked women.”
“I do,” Turner said.
Then Hope said: “You once told me, ‘Pretty women make you feel like you can live forever.’ “
At the end, Hope asked Turner to sing “My Old Kentucky Home.”
Turner stood and proudly sang every verse. Although many of the club’s members are likely far more conservative than Turner, they were so impressed that they gave him a standing ovation.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Column
Comments
By Dexter king
July 11, 2008 9:12 PM | Link to this
If I could learn to manage money like Ted, I wouldn’t be in all this trouble with my brother and sister.
By zeke
July 13, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
Yes, Teddy, the rich should help the poor, but, only on their own volition, NOT BY GOVERNMENT CONFISCATION! The border wall with Mexico is to keep illegals, criminals out , not as the Berlin wall to keep oppressed citizens from leaving! BIG DIFFERENCE!!!