A Mortal After All

Good riddance. AP (12.21.06):

"President Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan's eccentric and iron-fisted leader who created a lavish cult of personality during two decades of rule over his isolated nation, died Thursday. He was 66. A terse report from state television said Niyazov died early Thursday of heart failure and showed a black-framed portrait of the man who had ordered citizens to refer to him as 'Turkmenbashi' — the Father of All Turkmen." Turkmen President Niyazov Dies at 66

Eccentric? Jesus, the guy was as fuggin' crazy as they come. "The funeral is to be held Sunday in his hometown of Kipchak, where Niyazov built Central Asia's largest mosque, called 'Spirit of Turkmenbashi,' at a reported cost of more than $100 million." Pig bastard.