Shocked, he asked a finance professor at the premier business school in Ahmedabad, Indian Institute of Management, to double-check him.

FORBES: On the Right Track

Relax, SAS people: He looked shocked when I asked him if he thought much about succession, and indicated that was something one did at age 72.

FORBES: SAS-We Spurned IBM, Now To Win

But Sax said that after he had seen a "60 Minutes" interview with the Marine squad leader who had led a deadly sweep through Haditha he was shocked and felt his battalion should have asked hard questions much earlier.

NPR: Haditha Witness Describes Finding Bodies

What evidence did he have for this rather bizarre suggestion, I asked, shocked?

FORBES: D'Souza to Obama with Malice

When he asked for references in a follow-up call, they were shocked, maybe even insulted.

FORBES: Just plain uppity

But when Barack Obama in April bluntly asked him whether he had it in him to get a deal, Japanese officials were too shocked to record the question, let alone the answer.

ECONOMIST: Banyan