This dude is the man

[Silent Dob]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/3776098/Thousands-demand-release-of-shoe-throwing-journalist.html

[Samurai_Pooh]

I'll say this, the man had balls the size of tangerines

[haterllnation]

The dude couldn't even hit him. Fail. He had two tries and still missed. Bush even had a smirk...embarrassing. I know only throwing them is the disrespect; it doesn't do it for me.

[ruaidhri]

It's Sad for America. Regardless of your opinion of George Bush, he is the President. Any physical attack on the President of the United States is not a laughing matter nor is it an action to applaud. Certainly, the Iraqi reporter's action does not make him "the man". From what I heard on the news the reporter was fired from his job and the Iraqi PM wants to jail him for 8 years.

As I noted in the thread What the rest of the world the thinks of America this was a slap in the face of every American.

http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=463687&postcount=1002

Personally, I believe the reporter is an asshole who's lucky he wasn't shot.

[Silent Dob]

How many hundreds of thousands and millions of Iraqis have to be raped, murdered, oppressed and have their lives destroyed by Bush for it to be appropriate for one of the oppressed to try to open some whoop-ass on him?

[Beowulf]

It's Sad for America. Regardless of your opinion of George Bush, he is the President. Any physical attack on the President of the United States is not a laughing matter nor is it an action to applaud. Certainly, the Iraqi reporter's action does not make him "the man". From what I heard on the news the reporter was fired from his job and the Iraqi PM wants to jail him for 8 years.

As I noted in the thread What the rest of the world the thinks of America this was a slap in the face of every American.

http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=463687&postcount=1002

Personally, I believe the reporter is an asshole who's lucky he wasn't shot.
But honestly are you surprised it took this long for something like this to happen?

[Plekto]

The fact is that we honestly do deserve what we get over there, because we are the ones who invaded and took over their country. Our press seems to overlook this fact. That if we were ANY other country(maybe U.K. or Russia would be exceptions), we'd have had our asses handed to us in short order for invading another country like this.

We are the aggressors, as much as Japan was in WWII(if you need a comparable reference, though I doubt that's necessary) The level of hatred over us being there is comparable to what China felt, I'd suspect. And it'll likely take just as long for it to go away.

It's never good to have our leaders attacked, of course. But Iraq is an enormous nest of hornets that we've created. Bush is frankly a bit of an idiot to even set foot in the place given how much they hate us right now. He needs to just quietly ride out his last few weeks in office and go back to being his normal billionaire playboy self.

[SlickWilly440]

I started busting out laughing when I saw that video footage on the news. I mean, I guess that guy didn't have a plan to escape given that he would have no shoes on to runaway. It would have been funny if Bush caught both of the reporters shoes in his hand, mid-air, and said "Do you want these back."

And did you see Bushes comment about the incident. He was all come and acted like he didn't mind that two shoes had gotten hurreled at him.

[Darth_E_]

It's Sad for America. Regardless of your opinion of George Bush, he is the President. Any physical attack on the President of the United States is not a laughing matter nor is it an action to applaud. Certainly, the Iraqi reporter's action does not make him "the man". From what I heard on the news the reporter was fired from his job and the Iraqi PM wants to jail him for 8 years.

As I noted in the thread What the rest of the world the thinks of America this was a slap in the face of every American.

http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=463687&postcount=1002

Personally, I believe the reporter is an asshole who's lucky he wasn't shot.

So Bush wasn't an asshole for invading, killing, torturing and wrecking havoc in Iraq and this reporter (who lived and is still living through hell because of Bush) is? Bush is shameless enough to go back in there for a "goodbye visit"! How do you expect anyone; iraqis especially, to respect your president when he doesn't respect you, the citizens, nor the global community nor his own position. I say that man was a brave man to stand up infront of the one that caused dismay and sorrow in his country and I say that Bush deserve every shoe he gets from the free citizens of this world. He'll go down as the worst US president and the first to be publicly humiliated/insulted by shoes hurled to his dumb face. Quite the legacy.

4 more weeks before Obama. Hopefully that guy can restore some respect and dignity to ya guys.

[Jetsetlemming]

So Bush wasn't an asshole for invading, killing, torturing and wrecking havoc in Iraq and this reporter (who lived and is still living through hell because of Bush) is? Bush is shameless enough to go back in there for a "goodbye visit"! How do you expect anyone; iraqis especially, to respect your president when he doesn't respect you, the citizens, nor the global community nor his own position. I say that man was a brave man to stand up infront of the one that caused dismay and sorrow in his country and I say that Bush deserve every shoe he gets from the free citizens of this world. He'll go down as the worst US president and the first to be publicly humiliated/insulted by shoes hurled to his dumb face. Quite the legacy.

4 more weeks before Obama. Hopefully that guy can restore some respect and dignity to ya guys.
Fun fact: Bush has never killed, tortured, or invaded anything. :) Shit for brains.


This wasn't an attack, it's a thrown shoe, for chrissakes. I'd paraphrase Austin Powers from the end of the first movie if I could remember what he said so I could paraphrase it. Guy deserves one of those "Public display of shame" punishments like they did in the 1600's where they stuck you on a wooden contraption that held you in place bent over in the middle of town for everyone to throw garbage at you for being such a sissy. I mean, come on, really. Who the fuck thinks throwing a shoe is a good idea in any situation ever unless it's someone asking you "Hey bud, throw me my shoe there I left near you? I'm going to a protest."

[Darth_E_]

Fun fact: Bush has never killed, tortured, or invaded anything. :) Shit for brains.


This wasn't an attack, it's a thrown shoe, for chrissakes. I'd paraphrase Austin Powers from the end of the first movie if I could remember what he said so I could paraphrase it. Guy deserves one of those "Public display of shame" punishments like they did in the 1600's where they stuck you on a wooden contraption that held you in place bent over in the middle of town for everyone to throw garbage at you for being such a sissy. I mean, come on, really. Who the fuck thinks throwing a shoe is a good idea in any situation ever unless it's someone asking you "Hey bud, throw me my shoe there I left near you? I'm going to a protest."

Bush didn't kill or torture -per se-. He just gave the orders to invade and wreck havoc. Responsibility falls on his shoulders due to him being the upper chain of command.

Now to the shoe thrower - they (iraqis) don't think in our logic. Throwing the shoe is meant as an insult and utter contempt. It signifies that the target is lower than the shoe, which covers the lowest part of the body and is well known for its smelliness and dirtiness. What may seem to be irrational here is very rational in their thinking.

[Samurai_Pooh]

This wasn't an attack, it's a thrown shoe, for chrissakes. I'd paraphrase Austin Powers from the end of the first movie if I could remember what he said so I could paraphrase it. Guy deserves one of those "Public display of shame" punishments like they did in the 1600's where they stuck you on a wooden contraption that held you in place bent over in the middle of town for everyone to throw garbage at you for being such a sissy. I mean, come on, really. Who the fuck thinks throwing a shoe is a good idea in any situation ever unless it's someone asking you "Hey bud, throw me my shoe there I left near you? I'm going to a protest."

Its a cultural thing. I guess its like giving somebody the finger.

They would have to do the public shaming in america because I don't think any Iraqis would throw garbage at him. Roses, maybe.

[Beowulf]

Fun fact: Bush has never killed, tortured, or invaded anything. :) Shit for brains.


This wasn't an attack, it's a thrown shoe, for chrissakes. I'd paraphrase Austin Powers from the end of the first movie if I could remember what he said so I could paraphrase it. Guy deserves one of those "Public display of shame" punishments like they did in the 1600's where they stuck you on a wooden contraption that held you in place bent over in the middle of town for everyone to throw garbage at you for being such a sissy. I mean, come on, really. Who the fuck thinks throwing a shoe is a good idea in any situation ever unless it's someone asking you "Hey bud, throw me my shoe there I left near you? I'm going to a protest."
Your cultural ignorance is, at times, stupefying.

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

The dude is a fucking idiot.

We have polite society for a fucking reason. We have protest, civil disobedience and everything else under the sun to let Bush know he did a horrible job as a president.

Inciting acts of violence and throwing shoes is dumb even if its an Iraqi citizen. I can certainly understand their anger, but I assume they have rational thought and throwing shoes just isn't a good idea at all. I'm sure people wanted to do the same thing to Nixon, but hey, polite society dictated that no one did it.

He'll be out and we will get to move on with our lives.

[stsparky]

I'm embarrassed the Secret Service didn't react. But this is akin to getting a pie in the face. Bush should insist the man be freed.

As to Iran, Bush set this mistake in motion. It is his fault. All of it is. The deaths are on his hands. All of them should haunt the man if he had any conscience. I was remarking to my cousin, who was with me when we saw Neil and "W" snort while his Dad was giving an honor to Arnold Schwarzenegger, that no one would do anything about the jerks. Then and now, the man remains a stain on the American dream.

[Silent Dob]

What if....ruaidhri had been a German citizen in 1944 after Operation Valkyrie, and all it had involved was having a pie thrown in Hitler's face?



It's Sad for Germany. Regardless of your opinion of Adolph Hitler, he is the Fuhrer. Any physical attack on the Fuhrer is not a laughing matter nor is it an action to applaud. Certainly, the soldier's action does not make him "the man". From what I heard on the news the reporter was fired from his job and the Fuhrer wants to jail him for 8 years.

As I noted in the thread What the rest of the world the thinks of Nazi Germany this was a slap in the face of every German.

http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=463687&postcount=1002

Personally, I believe the soldier is an asshole who's lucky he wasn't shot.



This is all just a parody, I'm not saying you love the Nazis R.

But what I am pointing out is that THIS is why saying a man deserves respect just because he's the ruler of your nation is wrong.

[Mechs]

I agree with ruaidhri. Fuck that Iraqi, hope he gets some jail time. You just don't go throwing shoes at leaders of other countries, no matter how disliked he is.

[puzzo]

Am I the only one who is proud of bush? He must be like an All-American on the National Dodge-Ball Team.:karate:

[Silent Dob]

I take it you are a fan of rising national deficits, rising trade deficits, going to war on lies, pollution, torturing innocent people and economic depressions? :clap:

Oh wait, we haven't been attacked since 9/11! Obviously the two events are intrinsically connected and only a great mastermind like Bush could have kept us safe. (never mind that Bush has gotten more of our soldiers murdered than the number of people who died on 9/11)

[puzzo]

I take it you are a fan of rising national deficits, rising trade deficits, going to war on lies, pollution, torturing innocent people and economic depressions? :clap:

Oh wait, we haven't been attacked since 9/11! Obviously the two events are intrinsically connected and only a great mastermind like Bush could have kept us safe. (never mind that Bush has gotten more of our soldiers murdered than the number of people who died on 9/11)

No I'm a fan of ninjas and/or pirates.

The fact you dislike president Bush's duck/dive skills makes you an obvious troll and a communist.

[Charrington]

Am I the only one who is proud of bush? He must be like an All-American on the National Dodge-Ball Team.:karate:

I thought his dodge skills were awesome, but we already knew that from his press conferences. I wish I knew him IRL. We would be like BFF. I don't discuss politics with friends anyway.

[puzzo]

I thought his dodge skills were awesome, but we already knew that from his press conferences. I wish I knew him IRL. We would be like BFF. I don't discuss politics with friends anyway.

I don't discuss politics with anybody, mostly because I don't care what others opinions are. I also don't need to state mine for people to agree with in order to make my e-penis bigger.

Seriously though that guy needs a Dojo when he is no longer president

[h2orowe]

I thought his dodge skills were awesome, but we already knew that from his press conferences.
BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AA ZING!

[archdukezeb]

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AA ZING!

Didn't he already make that joke about himself today?

[Karthak]

Its a cultural thing. I guess its like giving somebody the finger.

They would have to do the public shaming in america because I don't think any Iraqis would throw garbage at him. Roses, maybe.
Feet are considered to be ritually unclean in the middle east, so throwing a shoe at someone is pretty much THE most insulting thing you can do there.

Also, I'd like to shake that journalist's hand. He's done what I've dreamed of doing for years.

Well, not exactly, since I've dreamed of throwing a knife, not a shoe.

[Jetsetlemming]

Your cultural ignorance is, at times, stupefying.
"Stupefied" is a good description of your manner of posting. :)
I'm embarrassed the Secret Service didn't react. But this is akin to getting a pie in the face. Bush should insist the man be freed.

Agreed. Completely disregarding the dumb cultural significance of throwing a shoe and going "He threw a shoe. His public shame for being a goddamn sissy is enough, let him go. Ahahahaha." would be the best response.

[mugen]

I agree with ruaidhri. Fuck that Iraqi, hope he gets some jail time. You just don't go throwing shoes at leaders of other countries, no matter how disliked he is.
You should use cruise missiles instead. AMIRITE??!1

[Jetsetlemming]

Oh shit, I didn't realize there was a video until puzzo's posts, just watched it. That WAS a great dodge on Bush's part. He should've caught it and thrown it back, though.

[Scarabomb]

Oh shit, I didn't realize there was a video until puzzo's posts, just watched it. That WAS a great dodge on Bush's part. He should've caught it and thrown it back, though.

Must be a president thing. Or maybe the secret service teaches presidents how to dodge projectiles nowadays for their protection. I also have to agree that that was quite a dodge.

[Hikoku-Y]

I'm surprised nobody has posted this yet. Bush's response (and this is a real quote): "I don't know what his beef is."

To hear Bush say this is so infuriating. I believe that Bush must know on some level exactly what this guy's "beef" is, but I'm incensed that he can still, almost eight years into his nightmarish reign, utter something so characteristically idiotic and childish. This comes on the heels of a bipartisan Senate report that unequivocally states that Bush is directly responsible for the torture and murder of detainees by—with his own hand—signing an order that stripped those detainees of Geneva Convention protections in contravention of American and international law. When I think back over the last eight years (with perhaps the most outstanding memory being Bush's staff, pre-9/11, whining that Clinton was "obsessed" with catching bin Laden), I am quite sure that we have witnessed the most incompentent, fantastically destructive Presidency in the last hundred years at least.

The day cannot come soon enough when this malicious, cretinous mouthbreather is replaced by the former-president-of-the-Harvard-Law-Review-and-Professor-of-Constitutional-Law Barack Hussein Obama, who, unlike Bush, has a fucking moral compass and a functioning adult brain.

(I italicize "Hussein" because our President-elect had a Muslim grandfather and we should all be proud of that. Now that the campaign is over we can finally refer to Barack Hussein Obama by his full name without fear of frightening off the bigots whose support was so tenuous that the mere utterance of "Hussein" would send them fleeing into McCain's arms.)

[japanat]

I'm sure people wanted to do the same thing to Nixon, but hey, polite society dictated that no one did it.Have you ever seen some of the things people did in their anger toward Nixon? Maybe no one threw a shoe at him, but that's only because he didn't present himself as a target.

Personally, I think the reporter should get a slap on the wrist, and then be released. It was an insult, that's all. Bush gets insulted all the time. An insult, even with the cultural significance of the shoe in the middle east, is nothing. How many times have I read people saying "Fuck Bush" on this forum? That is the worst insult possible in the States, other than fucking his daughters and saying, "See!"

I think people are overreacting. Even if they want to go for assault and battery, he didn't actually hit Bush, so jail time should be minimal. The secret service, however, should really look at their protective detail, and do a little shakeup.

[Beowulf]

"Stupefied" is a good description of your manner of posting. :)

Agreed. Completely disregarding the dumb cultural significance of throwing a shoe and going "He threw a shoe. His public shame for being a goddamn sissy is enough, let him go. Ahahahaha." would be the best response.
This is pretty much one of the worst things you can do to a person in the muslim world. People get killed over incidents like this, and it's really not a laughing matter.

Oh and those saying he was a lone nut were apparently completely wrong since thousands rallied to demand his release. (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/16/2447162.htm?section=justin)

[Silent Dob]

God bless those people protesting for his belief. Each and every one. Well, except for any terrorists of course, but the majority of them aren't all terrorists. You don't have to be a terrorist in Iraq to fucking hate America for the way it's completely fucked their country, most people there fucking hate us enough as it is. Remind me again, Bush supporters, why it was so important to chase after those invisible WMD's and those invisible links to Osama bin Laden who is a SAUDI ARABIAN AS WERE MOST OF THE HIJACKERS ON 9/11!

[Plekto]

There are articles that I came across mentioning that hundreds of people were throwing their shoes at the motorcade as well on the way back to the airport.

They really really hate him. Like I said, he should just go home, stay quiet, and sink back into obscurity once his term is over. He has over a billion dollars last I heard and can pretty much afford to buy all the girls, cars, and other "toys" that he wants. So I say good riddance - go back to being your normal ass hat playboy self and leave the country to people who have an interest in actually trying to fix it.

[Vincent]

Why don't Iraqis hate the crazy bastards blowing themselves up to kill their fellow citizens instead of our dumb ass president?

[Plekto]

Because in most of the rest of the world, there is no "melting pot". Imagine if every race, religion, and ethnicity in the U.S. hated each other with a passion and wanted each other dead, but the government was the only thing really keeping them in check.

Remove that control and the place falls into anarchy.

To the average media outlet, explaining all of this is just too cumbersome, so they lump everyone in together. The simple fact is that the people over there don't see themselves as "Iraqi". They never really have. That was just some made up territory formed out of a part of the Middle East by foreign powers a little over a hundred years ago.

[Jetsetlemming]

Why don't Iraqis hate the crazy bastards blowing themselves up to kill their fellow citizens instead of our dumb ass president?
There are many different times of Iraqis with many different types of angers and acceptances, they aren't all throwing their shoes (like sissies) at our dumb ass (shoe-dodging like a ninja) president

[Kyletherealninja]

This is just disgraceful, if anyone threw a shoe at Obama the whole world would faint in horror. I don't like Bush (mainly because he's a big-government, phony conservative) but every time I see assholes on the internet ranting about how he's the worst person in human history the obnoxious melodrama (and double standard) is too much. People need to quit behaving like frothing-at-the-mouth lunatics over this hapless president and act like civil adults. There are plenty of US politicians I don't like, but I never give them even a quarter of the vitriol Bush usually receives.

I was never quite sure about whether the whole Iraq invasion was justified in the first place (in retrospect, it certainly wasn't) but I really don't care what happens over there anymore. We have enough of our own problems to worry about back in the States, and the less energy we waste trying to change other countries, the better. It's just not worth it.

[Roxie]

I'm surprised nobody has posted this yet. Bush's response (and this is a real quote): "I don't know what his beef is."
Wow. I had not heard that part of his response. I only heard his joke about them being a size 10. As if the guy couldn't possibly have any legitimate grievances and even if he did, he's got small feet (and you know what THAT means!)
This is just disgraceful, if anyone threw a shoe at Obama the whole world would faint in horror.
Cause Bush and Obama are SO much a like that this comparison is totally appropriate?

[Joe Rocket]

well all this at least this incident provided for good gifs
http://imagegalaxy.org/images/6xgato4jhel15ss0bm.gif
http://imagegalaxy.org/images/msm1kgxr259if4dzlwe.gif
http://imagegalaxy.org/images/4q076tq5cqcc37y10rdf.gif
http://imagegalaxy.org/images/0fi68p3fclouf3l8atk1.gif
http://imagegalaxy.org/images/bhnx31ovrbgkuc634zve.gif

[vasca]

But do they REALY have to lock him up for up to 8 years? Sounds like people are going way overboard. Not even Bush gave much of a crap about the incident (but let's not forget that Bush almost chocked to death eating a pretzel, so go figure).

Some crazy french woman threw a bag of flour at Lindsey Lohan's face in front of the media and wasn't even arrested. According to mexican law, even if the shoe had hit Bush, the assault wouldn't even require any jail time because (unless it hit him in the eye socket or something weird like that) the injuries Bushie boy could have suffered would have healed in less than 15 days.

I loled at the part where they secured the shoes as "evidence". Haha

BTW, I don't consider myself an Obama-fanatic, nor do I like Bush or most of the idiotic things he did in his presidency.

---

Hey, no Pokéball gifs? They showed that one on mexican tv the other night. Hilarious. Gotta catch a Bush! :duh:

[Jetsetlemming]

Cause Bush and Obama are SO much a like that this comparison is totally appropriate?
Yes? There's a lot of people that wouldn't be going "Oh it's just a shoe and he's totally wrong the guy's totally justified in being angry let him go!" and instead going "He attempted to assault our president omfg lock him up!" if it was Obama. It's not really a RELEVANT comparison, really. But it's not inappropriate.
http://imagegalaxy.org/images/4q076tq5cqcc37y10rdf.gif
I love how they used the Mario 2 "Bom!" for this.

[Comazon]

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m256/comazon/in7dw6.gif

[Hikoku-Y]

I don't like Bush (mainly because he's a big-government, phony conservative) but every time I see assholes on the internet ranting about how he's the worst person in human history the obnoxious melodrama (and double standard) is too much. People need to quit behaving like frothing-at-the-mouth lunatics over this hapless president and act like civil adults. There are plenty of US politicians I don't like, but I never give them even a quarter of the vitriol Bush usually receives.

Ah, yes. The well-worn conservative argument that the poor, defenseless Right is an unfortunate victim of the wild, spittle-flecked Left. Glenn Greenwald exposes this argument for the hilarious fantasy that it is quite thoroughly here (http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/2006/10/peggy-noonans-poetic-love-of-dissent.html).

Bush is not merely "hapless." His decisions are directly resonsible for an enormous number of horrible things that have happened in the past eight years (examples: Iraq war with death toll in the tens of thousands, torture of suspected "evildoers," extraordinary rendition, near-destruction of America's alliances with Europe, failure of U.S. to stabilize Afghanistan because we went into Iraq) and indirectly responsible for an even larger number of horrible things that have happened. As just a single example of national damage for which Bush is indirectly responsible, Bush's decision to appoint unqualified cronies to even extremely important government posts (see, e.g., Michael Brown, Alberto Gonzales, Harriet Myers) has been massively destructive (see, e.g., Katrina, Justice Dept. politicization scandal resulting in Gonzales' resignation-in-disgrace, Myers' nomination-fiasco-and-withdrawal). This culture of cronyism explains why the U.S. was willing to bind itself to cost-plus contracts with Halliburton in Iraq and then continued to contract with Halliburton even after Halliburton proved unable to account for billions of dollars it had "spent" on Iraq reconstruction.

I was never quite sure about whether the whole Iraq invasion was justified in the first place (in retrospect, it certainly wasn't) but I really don't care what happens over there anymore.

I care, for many reasons. And you should too. I care about what's happening in Darfur, but at least in Darfur my tax dollars aren't getting poured into a nightmarish, U.S.-government-sponsored cycle of violence, destruction, torture, and corruption that foments Islamic extremists and puts people who live in big cities (like me) at greater risk for a terrorist attack every day. Furthermore, what happens in Iraq exerts other forms of influence on our lives as Americans. For example: whether we continue to spend $10 billion per month on—very inefficiently—reconstructing a foreign country and whether tens of thousdands of servicemen are able to return home.

We have enough of our own problems to worry about back in the States, and the less energy we waste trying to change other countries, the better. It's just not worth it.

This makes sense only to the extent that you view the security and/or prosperity of other countries as being unconnected to the security or prosperity of the U.S. Whether Iraq or Afghanistan becomes a destabilizing influence on its neighbors, or whether Pakistan destabilizes, will have a tremendous impact on the safety of U.S. residents.

[Black fist]

Bush reacted god damn well for a fourty something, he dodged that shit like he knew 5 minutes ahead.

[Charrington]

Bush reacted god damn well for a fourty something, he dodged that shit like he knew 5 minutes ahead.

The impressive part is that he's in his early sixties.

[Black fist]

oh fuck, he's in his sixties? Jesus, he doesn't look that old.

[archdukezeb]

oh fuck, he's in his sixties? Jesus, he doesn't look that old.

The man does have all gray hair. My dad's in sixties and he barely even has any gray hair.

[Plekto]

For example: whether we continue to spend $10 billion per month on—very inefficiently—reconstructing a foreign country and whether tens of thousands of servicemen are able to return home.

To put this in perspective, California is facing a budget crisis of about 15 billion dollars. The is roughly 1/8th of the entire various states' budget problems right there(a few of the smaller ones don't have a huge problem).

That's roughly $80-100 billion in the red. Or ten months of Iraq. If we stopped the war over there, we would have a net surplus and still be able to bail out things like roads, hospitals, pension funds, and keep idiocy like what's facing the university systems from happening. Most are being forced to double tuition and cut back on everything. The California system is cutting enrollment. That's ten thousand students that just simply won't have a class to learn in at any price. And no jobs program or apprenticeship to fall back on, either.

It's hitting the fan and the money we need to get this economy moving again is over in Iraq. So that leaves a crippling loss of jobs, lack of services, and a crumbling infrastructure to deal with, because there's no damn help coming any time soon.

Btw - that scenario of the country imploding and the government telling us to fend for ourselves... that's exactly what causes a long term depression.

See, I believe that we are entering one precisely because of the fact that while things are getting worse, the local, state, and federal governments that are supposed to keep things running at least at a basic level and help out when times get tough(not talking handouts but instead basic services and keeping things physically moving, power on, and so on) are flat broke and can't do a damn thing about it.

[MurphBurger]

Feet are considered to be ritually unclean in the middle east, so throwing a shoe at someone is pretty much THE most insulting thing you can do there.

Also, I'd like to shake that journalist's hand. He's done what I've dreamed of doing for years.

Well, not exactly, since I've dreamed of throwing a knife, not a shoe.

Enter the Secret service in 3...2...

[MurphBurger]

The man does have all gray hair. My dad's in sixties and he barely even has any gray hair.

then your dad has good hair genes, whoopdee do.

[archdukezeb]

then your dad has good hair genes, whoopdee do.

I was just wondering why someone thought bush was in his 40s. Even Obama is 47.

[Jetsetlemming]

http://www.sockandawe.com/

[SlickWilly440]

I bet if someone tried to sell those shoes that were thrown at Bush on eBay, they would make a lot of money.

[japanat]

http://www.sockandawe.com/That's funny: 47 million plus hits on his face already.

[Campion]

It's Sad for America. Regardless of your opinion of George Bush, he is the President. Any physical attack on the President of the United States is not a laughing matter nor is it an action to applaud. Certainly, the Iraqi reporter's action does not make him "the man". From what I heard on the news the reporter was fired from his job and the Iraqi PM wants to jail him for 8 years.

As I noted in the thread What the rest of the world the thinks of America this was a slap in the face of every American.

http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=463687&postcount=1002

Personally, I believe the reporter is an asshole who's lucky he wasn't shot.

Can you clarify something for me please Ruaidhri? Is it an attack on the American Presidency as an ideal or a response to the actions taken by one particular president do you think?

Or do you believe that you cannot disassociate one from the other?



Campion.

[nanashi]

http://www.sockandawe.com/

I love how the USA is the number 1 country ranked at playing that game.. Followed by the French.