"In Loving Memory of Saddam Hussein" memorial plaque appears on London park bench

[Bernel]

Maybe it was Tony Blair with a case of bad conscience?

[Immutable_Mike]

@Bernel

Tony Blair with a case of bad conscience

Can we please keep comments within the bounds of possibility?

[Prentiz]

I see whoever stuck this on used those anti-theft screws that can’t easily be undone. It would be interesting to see if any other plaques in the area are attached with the same ones…

[phart]

Truly masterful work.

[the_borderer]

@beschizza

Adds the BBC: “Some came to the conclusion there must have been another person called Saddam Hussein who was born and died on the same dates as the dictator, and lived locally in Wanstead.”

We meet today’s translator, Yunes, and cram into a taxi just as the army start to tear-gas the other end of the village.

Yunes has a round and mischievous face, and, ‘You must not say anything bad about Saddam Hussein,’ he proclaims, as he slides into the taxi next to me.

‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know,’ I reply wearily. ‘Saddam defied America. Saddam supported the Palestinians. Saddam fired a missile at Israel. Yeah, yeah, yeah.’

‘No,’ says Yunes in mock outrage. ‘It is because Saddam Hussein is my friend.’

At this, the taxi driver turns around smiling, offers his hand and says, ‘I am Saddam Hussein.’

‘See!’ grins Yunes.

-Mark Thomas - Extreme Rambling: Walking Israel’s Barrier. For Fun.

[Auld_Lang_Syne]

Markoff Chaney.

[HMSGoose]

@reactionabe

My father’s name is my middle name, and if you ever visit an Arab country and fill in immigration info, there is a space for “father’s name” for this reason. You might be even be referred to as “Amanda Joseph Smith” or “Amanda Joseph” for this reason

You’re tempting me to pitch a single long text input for names in all our databases at work again (NYC nonprofit). The first time I brought it up, I was met with blank stares, but I’ve been quietly gathering anecdotes and arguments since then…

[prodigalphreak]

wait…he was 69 when he died?..Nice.

[reactionabe]

@HMSGoose

You’re tempting me to pitch a single long text input for names in all our databases at work again

Ooh… so many arguments for and against. I’d be curious to know how that works for people in certain contexts where being able to formulate [last name, first name] is important for legal reasons.

My mother is Chilean and has a “complex” name and because in both Chilean and Arab cultures wives don’t take husband’s names the concept of “mother’s maiden name” has never held any meaning for me in web forms. I didn’t realize it until I was older, but my North Carolina grade school teachers were always baffled to discover my parents were married because of how the forms were filled out.

[LurksNoMore]

@ephoph

Banksy

… Benchsy?

[Tamsin_Bailey]