When in doubt, blame the French. That's a tactic Tom Perkins has honed to perfection in explaining his conviction for manslaughter. The legendary venture capitalist, whose giant yacht killed a local doctor, blamed the indifference to justice of French courts. But let's throw in another stereotype, the obnoxious American abroad. Writes David Kaplan, author of a new book on the Kleiner Perkins partner's yacht mania: "Perkins behaved at the start of the race like a shark that hadn't been fed in a week... He was recognized as a bellicose if brilliant tactician who could squeeze both an extra knot out of a vessel and the gonads of any opponent. Maybe there was a reason he always had to be at the big wheel of the Mariette, even when other owners were content to let their professional captains drive the boat... Perkins lived for drama." [Amazon via Page Six]</img>


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