How Many Shoes Is That In Dog Terms?

From the Unintentionally Funny Files, we have another good 'un! I read about this in this morning's paper, and after I wiped up the bits of scone I sprayed over the page I reckoned that this was definitely mock-worthy:



We certainly have not seen anything approaching the antics in the smackdown that is the Taiwanese legislature:



About the closest we ever seem to get here (beyond the occasional pie throwing incident) is some offhanded cussing:



The shoe throwing incident just about ices the cake. I am not condoning any kind of violence against individuals, but while I was watching the various videos of the event, I couldn't help but feel a little...sympathetic?... towards the reporter who threw the shoes. I guess that is because of the unbearable frustration he was feeling, that many of us are all feeling here and around the world with the Current Occupant. Even now, in the waning days of an administration that has given new depth to the word 'clueless' there are still declarations that that things are just great, and we are winning, that victory is in sight (please, sir, define 'victory' when we still don't really have a good explanation for 'starting this mess') and it just comes across as violently galling.

What a fine example of the amazing cultural differences that exist around the world. The fact that the reporter threw his shoes at POTUS (POTUS sounds like a good hillbilly name: 'Potus, git yer ass out of that trash can!) speaks volumes about how many Iraqis probably feel. I'm sure that many Iraqis were glad to see Saddam Hussein gone, but look at the collateral damage! And then the person chiefly responsible for setting in motion the events that led to the horrible violence, misery and near destruction of their country shows up saying something like 'Great, we're doin' great, y'all!' Well, how would you expect them to feel? Throwing shoes is a sign of contempt in that part of the world ("A farewell kiss to a dog", is that what he said?), and probably one of the most effective methods of expressing displeasure that most likely would not result in personal injury.

Who knows, maybe the guy was intoxicated. Maybe he is secretly affiliated with an insurgent group. Maybe he is just a nutcase with an axe to grind. Or maybe he was just a fairly ordinary citizen who has seen his country torn apart, and was just fed up with it all. I'm glad nobody was hurt, but you have to admire the chutzpah. And in all fairness, W deserves some props: he ducked those shoes like a pro. But then, he's had a lot of practice.