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2/16/07

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erin_broadley

erin_broadley

Los Angeles, CA
October 2006

FEB 13, 2007 02:36 PM



Superstition provokes bizarre behavior in us all, giving us free reign to indulge in wacky "good luck" rituals. Some people hold their breath when passing a cemetery, some prefer to rub a dead rabbit's foot stashed in their pocket, and some even erect shrines for sacred figures they think will summon good fortune.

That said, officials from the small, disaster-prone Serbian village of Zitiste, located just north of Belgrade, have announced their decision to build a public statue of Rocky Balboa, the imitable film character that boosted Sylvester Stallone to fame in the late '70s. Zitiste locals hope that bringing the Italian Stallion within their borders will boost village morale, seeing as the "jinxed" community has repeatedly suffered wrathful floods and landslides, prompting many villagers to seek residence elsewhere.

The idea came from Bojan Marceta, a village resident, when he saw the latest Rocky film Rocky Balboa.

"I felt as if Rocky has come from our village, he had to fight to win his place in society," he told B92 radio.

Zoran Babic of the local council said he and other officials agreed with the plan.

"This is the chance to give a better, more positive image to Zitiste," he said.

Salura

Salura

Philadelphia, PA
June 2006

FEB 13, 2007 02:53 PM

umm.. wow.

JOVANKA

JOVANKA

Toronto, ON
October 2002

FEB 13, 2007 02:55 PM

How totally absurd. As a Serb, I know for a fact that ROCKY has no cultural significance to that region of former Yugoslavia. Why not choose Hannibal Lecter, Superman or Godzilla for that matter? Do they think it will function as a Band-Aid for the horrors of war that still choke the nation's people during their nightmares?

Wow.

DrTchock

DrTchock

Montreal, QC
October 2005

FEB 13, 2007 02:55 PM

They can make it out of tin foil.

seanvegas

seanvegas

Lincoln, NE
December 2004

FEB 13, 2007 02:58 PM

Great, now if only Kazakhstan would honor Borat!

JonnyJonnyH

JonnyJonnyH

Seattle, WA
June 2003

FEB 13, 2007 03:33 PM

ZOMBIEQUEEN said:
How totally absurd. As a Serb, I know for a fact that ROCKY has no cultural significance to that region of former Yugoslavia. Why not choose Hannibal Lecter, Superman or Godzilla for that matter? Do they think it will function as a Band-Aid for the horrors of war that still choke the nation's people during their nightmares?

Wow.



Hannibal Lecter is evil and did not have to fight to reach his place in society. Godzilla is not human, and often times evil, and he also did not have to fight to overcome poverty to reach his place in society.

Superman? Again, not human.

I think the better question is: Why not Rambo?

ThisIsWhoWeAre

ThisIsWhoWeAre

Oakland, CA
July 2004

FEB 13, 2007 03:47 PM

Maybe the money would be better spent to build... Oh I don't know.. Some sort of dam or levee to keep the recurring flood waters from ravaging the town?

No, no, a staute of a celebrity would certainly do the trick....

Jimbo

Jimbo

Austin, TX
August 2003

FEB 13, 2007 03:56 PM

makes sense to me

Bastardo

Bastardo

Boston, MA
January 2005

FEB 13, 2007 04:06 PM

Holy old story. They put that up a looong time ago.

JOVANKA

JOVANKA

Toronto, ON
October 2002

FEB 13, 2007 04:44 PM

ankiel66

Hannibal Lecter is evil and did not have to fight to reach his place in society. Godzilla is not human, and often times evil, and he also did not have to fight to overcome poverty to reach his place in society.

Superman? Again, not human.

I think the better question is: Why not Rambo?



"There are no friendly civilians!"

theyCALLmeMIKIE

theyCALLmeMIKIE

Philadelphia, PA
February 2006

FEB 13, 2007 05:51 PM

it's true. i'm from philly and ever since we put up the Rocky statue we haven't had a landslide....believe in the Rocky.

danbobs27

danbobs27

I'm lost
December 2004

FEB 13, 2007 06:02 PM

Weird. reminds me of something else...

I visited a Bosnian town called Mostar a couple of years ago. It was the scene of some horrific battles between Croat and Muslims against Serbs, then later Croats against Muslims.

After the war the town was uttterly polarized on ethnic divisions, but yet one figure moved that city to erect a statue.

no less than Bruce Lee:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3620752.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4474316.stm

btw, visit Mostar if you ever can. The beautiful reconstructed old bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stari_Most) over the river neretva is something to behold.

l8rs

mcflury

mcflury

New York, NY
April 2004

FEB 13, 2007 07:16 PM

funny i have the same statue in my closet

Markus001

Markus001

United Kingdom
November 2004

FEB 14, 2007 06:54 AM

ZOMBIEQUEEN said:Why not choose Hannibal Lecter, Superman or Godzilla for that matter?



I think any town that puts up a statue of Hannibal Lecter would be crossed off anyone's 'visit anytime ever' list. Although if a town feels it needs to celebrate a murdering cannibal with a statue I suppose it would deserve exactly what it got.

I think if a town wants to put up a statue of Rocky Balboa, let it. If it makes them feel better, if they like it, if it gives them some civic pride...why not?

No, it's not going to cure the ills of the world. But the weirdest things can make people feel better.

RudieCantFail

RudieCantFail

I'm lost
January 2006

FEB 14, 2007 07:04 AM

theyCALLmeMIKIE said:
it's true. i'm from philly and ever since we put up the Rocky statue we haven't had a landslide....believe in the Rocky.



I heard they took down the Rocky statue recently, any landslides since then?

CuriousTomcat

CuriousTomcat

Germany
November 2005

FEB 14, 2007 11:01 AM

If it serves the cause... Well, build it! I would personally chose different heroes but while better suited they might be less effective as they are not accepted by the general public. wink