Man uses nose to roll nut across London

Associated Press ^ | 9/12/03

[GSWarrior]

LONDON (AP)--A protester rolled a nut to Prime Minister Tony Blair's doorstep with his nose on Friday, completing a 7-mile journey across London aimed at highlighting the issue of student debt.

Mark McGowan, 37, crawled on his hands and knees for 11 days as he pushed the nut from Goldsmiths College in southeast London to Downing Street using his nose.

``I wanted to do something that was particularly difficult, so I think I've proved the point there,'' said McGowan, who wore a bandage on the tip of his nose. He had spent eight hours a day since Sept. 1 pushing the nut through the capital.

McGowan gave the nut to a member of Blair's office with a letter asking the prime minister to accept it as payment for his 15,000 pounds (US$24,000) of student debt. He plans to start a masters degree in art history at Goldsmiths College in October.

``I've got a sore nose, but hopefully I've paid it (the debt) off,'' McGowan told Sky News, ``I handed the nut in. ... At least I've made my point and I think that's important.''

Asked whether McGowan's debt would be canceled in return for the nut, Blair's office said it was ``not for us to be involved in his financial dealings.''

McGowan is a veteran of unusual protests. He once rolled himself across London for 4 1/2 miles singing ``We Wish You a Merry Christmas'' to highlight the work of office cleaners. On another occasion he walked for 11 miles around south and central London with a turkey strapped to his head in a bid to persuade people to eat less and cut obesity rates.

[GSWarrior]

??????

[camle]

stoopid iz az stoopid duz

[Bikers4Bush]

I think we know who the actual nut is here.

[GSWarrior]

I prefer working off a debt the old fashioned way.

[Bluntpoint]

Man uses nose to roll nut across London

Elton John has been juggling nuts on his chin for years around London town.

[camle]

well, i'm surprised that we aren't deluged with pics of this nut nudging his nut across GB.

[mountaineer]

``I wanted to do something that was particularly difficult, so I think I've proved the point there,'' said McGowan

The point being that he's an idiot, apparently.

[GSWarrior]

I'd rather see the one with the turkey strapped to his head.

[dfwgator]

Sometimes you feel like a nut...sometimes you don't.

[camle]

i can see it now - a bunch of drunken brits having a high ho time rolling their nuts across the isle!

WWTFD? (What Would The French Do?)

[Bluntpoint]

[TADSLOS]

The NUT in question

[in the Arena]

Don't miss this nut job...

[Bluntpoint]

Just how did he "nudge" those nuts?

[Ipinawetsuit]

When I graduated law school, I had $125,000 of student loan debt. He is complaining about $24K? What a whiner! Nothing is free, and you have to spend money to make money, and the best money spent is spent while investing in yourself (or buying a really good beer).

But, it makes me wonder...I would have had to roll a nut 35 miles, and do it in about 55 days...

Hmmm....if I can pay that guy $24,000 to do it for me...I could have saved about $101,000. Then pay him 6K to roll it another 7 miles in 11 days to pay off the debt that I incured by paying him in the first place...

[GSWarrior]

He plans to start a masters degree in art history at Goldsmiths College in October.

Performance art, no doubt. He should move to America. He'd be a cinch for an NEA grant.

[Constitution Day]

"The streets were dirty.
There was hair and spit and bird poo.
There were unmentionable things."

[CatoRenasci]

What year did you graduate? $125,000????? When I graduated from law school in 1971, I had a total of $1500 in student loan debt.

[Consort]

'snot such a big deal.

[retrokitten]

He looks like Squiggy from Laverne and Shirley