Iraqi Town Builds Shoe Monument to honour journalist....

[axollot]

An Iraqi town has unveiled a giant monument of a shoe in honour of the journalist who threw his footwear at former US President George W. Bush. Fatin Abdul Qader, head of an orphanage and children's organisation in the town, said the one-and-a-half-tonne monument by artist Laith al-Amiri was titled statue of glory and generosity.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/giant-shoe-honours-journalist-who-targeted-bush-20090130-7tj7.html

hehehehehe this really made me giggle. Sorry if it's a double post - long story but it's been an insane week for me and first time I've had a proper chance to read any news. This shit just made my day. LOL!

Cheers
Sandy

[gristy]

1. Sorry to throw water on your party - it was torn down a day later

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/iraq-shoe-throwing-monument-removed/story.aspx?guid={4BE01B34-D79D-49D6-990D-1F38570957BF}&dist=msr_1

Iraq shoe-throwing monument removed

Last update: 8:39 a.m. EST Jan. 31, 2009
TAKRIT, Iraq, Jan 31, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A monument commemorating the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at then-U.S. President George W. Bush has been taken down in Takrit, officials said.

Earlier this week, sculptor Laith al-Amiri, with the help from children at a Takrit orphanage, finished erecting a huge brown replica of one of the shoes hurled at Bush last month by journalist Muntadhir al-Zaidi during a press conference in Baghdad, CNN reported.

The mostly fiberglass 11-foot monument was removed after a request from the Iraqi central government, which has criminal charges pending against al-Zaidi, CNN said.

"We will not allow anyone to use the government facilities and buildings for political motives," said Abdullah Jabara, Salaheddin's deputy governor.
The orphans helped al-Amiri build the $5,000 structure in 15 days, said orphanage director Faten Abdulqader al-Naseri.

"Those orphans who helped the sculptor in building this monument were the victims of Bush's war," al-Naseri was quoted as saying. "The shoe monument is a gift to the next generation to remember the heroic action by the journalist." Takrit is the home region of late Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein.