AND FINALLY

And how could we not mention the Bush shoe incident. ..

As Dubya spends his last days in office jetting around the world visiting his 'successes' in fortified compounds, he has been surrounded by well-armed bodyguards to protect him from reality. However one journo managed to puncture any illusions he may still have about Iraqi welcomes of 'flowers and sweets' by hurling his pair of size 9s at him. "This is a farewell kiss you dog," shouted Muntazer al-Zaidi, "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."

Journalists whose job it is to report on the vacuous and sycophantic press conferences with the talking monkey and his favourite puppet of the day were gladdened by the opportunity to report on something actually happening. The video of the shoe attack has been played, replayed and thoroughly enjoyed. Although Bush avoided any physical damage, the impact of Muntazer al-Zaidi's twin shoes of justice have been felt around the world. Across the Arab world al-Zaidi (who writes for a non-sectarian, anti-occupation Iraqi rag) has become the man of the hour. In Iraq itself demos to secure his release from imprisonment in the Green Zone (and torture at the hands of Bush-installed freedom lovers) have united Shia and Sunni, secular and religious around the country.

Waste a minute of your time and play the shoe throwing game at www.sockandawe.com or kill time at http://bushbash.flashgressive.de