John Barry dead at 77

British film composer John Barry, who won five Oscars and is best known for creating iconic music for the James Bond movies, has died of a heart attack, at the age of 77.

"I think James Bond would have been far less cool without John Barry holding his hand," film composer David Arnold wrote on Twitter upon hearing of Barry's passing

Barry is rightly regarded as being one of the greatest ever composers of incidental music – and individual songs – for movies. In addition to scoring 11 Bond films--including the groundbreaking music for "Goldfinger" and "Thunderball"--he created soundtracks for such diverse films as "The Ipcress File", "The Lion in Winter", "Midnight Cowboy", "King Kong", "Body Heat", "The Cotton Club", "Jagged Edge", "Chaplin", and dozens more.

Video emerges of Taliban stoning couple to death

Ah, the Religion of Peace and the grand civilizations that arise from it.

TALIBAN SPOKESMAN: 'Anyone who knows about Islam knows that stoning is in the Koran, and that it is Islamic law. There are people who call it inhuman - but in doing so they insult the Prophet."
Yes, let's all respect the great religion of Islam for its life-enhancing philosophies and its respect for humanity.



Or perhaps we can start to recognize this sick and twisted "religion" as the vehicle for wish fulfilment by psychopaths that it is. (Please allow me to join the chorus insulting "the Prophet." May the piss of a thousand diseased homosexual prostitutes be upon him.... because that would probably be his idea of a good time.)

Great Mike Oldfield songs with trippy videos

Here are a pair of classic tunes from the great Mike Oldfield with vocals by Anita Hegerland.

Mike Oldfield and Anita Hegerland

Reports of Massive International Support for Lars Hedegaard

A while back, I passed along a plea for much-needed attention from the Danish Free Press Society to the fact that Danish courts, in the grip of rampant Islamophobia, are putting those who DARE speak truthful criticism about Islam and its followers on trial. Just for speaking those truths.

It seems Denmark is seeking closer ties with the government of Iran and other oppressive Muslim theocracies. Even the Canadians, with their outrageous so-called Human Rights Commission aren't this bad, as the tales about them standing up to demands from Iran to stop a movie screening shows.

But, speaking of Canada, it is from North of the Border that I have learned of massive international support for Lars Hedegaard, the latest victim of the Islamophobic Danish "justice system." (Not that I'm saying my post had anything to do with it, but I want to encourage my readers to add their voices of support for Hedegaard.)

Maybe the Danish authorities can be shamed into rejoining the civilized people who believe in freedom of speech and truthful news-reporting?

Click here for more Jesus and Mo

Iranian terror comes to Canada

The terrorists in charge of Iran are wetting their pants over a forthcoming movie, so they decided to cause a little pants-wetting among Canadian authorities (as reported at Big Peace)....

Iran Shuts Down Canadian Showing of ‘Iranium’

The Canadians first stood up to the demands of Iran to stop the screening of the documentary, so Iran apparently issued a couple of more explicit threats, which sent everyone running for cover, and resulted in the screening being cancelled.

Sounds like this film is worth supporting. At the very least, Iran and their terrorist buddies in Canada need a Mo-toon style lesson in the law of unintended consequences. Go to the Iranium, watch the preview and register to see the entire film free online on its official launch date of February 8, 2011.

Or perhaps even arrange a screening of the film in your local area.

Don't let the terrorists and their asshole allies win. Whenever they try crap like this, there should be push-back from every direction.

Manning did great adaptations of Tarzan novels

Tarzan of the Apes (The Tarzan Library, Vol. 1)
(Dark Horse, 1999)
Art and Plot: Russ Manning
Adapted Dialogue: Gaylord DuBois
Rating: Eight of Ten Stars


Russ Manning is the Tarzan comic book artist. Despite much of his work on the character being done 50-60 years ago at this point, the clarity, grace, and beauty of his artwork, the majesty and sense of adventure he brought to the comic book versions of Edgar Rice Burroughs' most famous character has yet to be exceeded, or even matched by the dozens of artists that have followed since. Only Joe Kubert and Burne Hogarth have come close, and this only because their approaches were so very unique and different from Manning and each other. And none of them presented Tarzan with the grace that Manning did--Kubert and Hogarth captured the savagery, but not the grace. (Actually, if there is a fault with Manning's interperation of Tarzan is that it's almost too clean and streamlined.)

Among the many Tarzan adventures that issued forth from Manning's drawingboard were adaptations of ten original Burroughs' novels, starting with "Tarzan of the Apes" and going through "Tarzan the Terrible." Published in monthly installments in the "Tarzan" comic book, these adaptations have been reprinted by Dark Horse Comics in the "The Tarzan Library", a three-volume, pocketbook-sized series.

The first book in the Dark Horse series, titled "Tarzan of the Apes", contains four Burroughs' adaptations, including two of the most-often retold in comics "Tarzan of the Apes" and "The Return of Tarzan", as well as "The Beasts of Tarzan" and "The Son of Tarzan".

All of these adaptations are excellently illustrated and scripted with great skill. They capture the essense of each novel, with "The Beasts of Tarzan" and "The Son of Tarzan" being particularly fine adaptations. In fact, they are almost better reading than the original novels themselves, as "Beasts" tends to meander at times, while the necessarily brief adapation (it was retold in a single 26-page issue of the "Tarzan" comic book series) stays focused on the main story elements of Jane's struggle for survival against the minions of the evil Rokoff and Tarzan's race to rescue both her and his infant son.

The "Tarzan of the Apes" retelling has a slightly rushed, perfunctuary feel about it, especially if you've read either the Kubert or the Hogarth adaptations, but it's still very atractive art-wise. (The era in which Manning and DuBois were working also had an impact on their adaptations, particularly of "Tarzan of the Apes"; some of the grimmer, more violent aspects of that tale are absent or glossed over, although Tarzan's life-altering battle with the bully ape--when he first uses the "sharp tooth"--unfolds as it does in the novel and in every adaptation.)

All in all, this book is a great way to introduce a young reader to the adventure stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs--parents can get them started with the comics and then have them graduate to the novels. It's also a fine example of the work by one of the greatest craftsmen to ever work in comics.

Who caused the Tucson shootings? Mojo Nixon!

Just listen to this horrible, horrible anti-government and anti-censorship song, "You Can't Kill Me"! He even calls for an armed insurrection! And if you couple it with the terrible imagery of American flags, it's clearly an incitement to violence.



(If you're insane.)

...

Oh! And then there's "Redneck Rampage"... a song that glorifies guns and bombs in the hands of retarded rednecks! And the computer game it came from is obviously one big code for hatred against immigrants!



(If you're a lunatic. Or Keith Olbermann.)

...

If there is any doubt whatsoever that Mojo Nixon is responsible for the horrible attack, "Destroy All Lawyers" will dispel it. Rarely has there been such a clear-cut incitement of hatred against an entire class of people.



(If you're stupid. Like Michael Moore.)

...

Or maybe Andrew over at Who Wants Taters??? placed the blame where it belongs in his "Commies And Fascists" post.

'Batman/Spirit' is a team-up for the ages

Batman/Spirit (DC Comics, 2006)
Writer: Jeph Loeb
Artist: Darwyn Cooke and J. Bone
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

When police commisioners from all across America converge on Hawaii for their annual convention, the mysterious criminal mastermind known only as Octopus organizes a "convention" of his own. He the most dangerous criminals from around the world and both Gotham City and Central City to Hawaii so they can kill all the top law dogs of the United States with one single bomb. Good thing Batman and the Spirit happen by to save the day!

"Batman/Spirit" was a comic book that was inevitible once DC Comics acquired the publishing rights for the late Will Eisner's signature series, "The Spirit". It was also a great bit of foreshadowing of the great things that Darwyn Cooke (whose work I had previously praised in the masterful graphic novel "Catwoman: Selina's Big Score") would do in the early issues of DC Comics' new monthly The Spirit comic from the late 2000s.

"Batman/Spirit" is a fun little story in the mold of traditional superhero team-ups: The heroes are brought together when villains from their respective "rogues galleries" team up for a grand masterplan. There's some misunderstanding that leads to the heroes fighting each other at first, but that is soon cleared up, and they get on with the business of busting the bad guys.

In this story, The Spirit and Batman do indeed end up working together (and Robin helps out, too), but the running gag of Spirit refusing to believe Batman is real ("he's just something the Gotham City P.D. made up to scare criminals") is a highlight of the tale... and a great way to keep the two "universes" seperate despite their cross-over here. Other highlights are the seduction scenes, as a femme fatale from the Spirit (P'Gell) uses her charms on Commisioner Gordon, while Batman foe Poison Ivy turns her feminine wiles toward Commisioner Dolan, all in an effort to set up the masterplan.

Other villians who get their turn in the spotlight are the Joker and Harley Quinn (here more in their 'Batman Animated Series' personas than the comic book titles), Catwoman (who cons the Spirit into thinking she's undercover with the FBI), Killer Croc and the Cossak (who become the common ground for the Spirit and Batman when they are subjected to "extreme" interrogation techniques). Just about every major Batman and Spirit villian get a smalll apparance, and alll either get a dramatic moment of a nicely done laugh line.

The way the story resolves itself is also clever and funny. It's even one of the few times where a deus ex machina ending seems satisfying and wholly appropriate.

Fans of Will Eisner's "The Spirit" will get a kick out of this hilarious comic book, and lovers of the more lighthearted Batman of the animated series or the comics from the 1970s and 1980s will find an atmosphere that will inspire nostalgia. And every reader who likes a good superhero team-up romp will find this title a worthy of their time and money.

WENN: Kennedys Demanded Miniseries be Axed

Kennedys 'Demanded Miniseries Axe': "Family members are said to have been upset over Greg Kinnear's depiction of JFK as sex-crazed and the portrayal of Joe Kennedy as power-hungry."

The truth hurts, but when your clan helped establish America's ruling oligarchy, the media outlets snap to when you make demands to hide the truth. Otherwise, said media outlets might be the ones feeling pain. (And no one is more fearful of feeling pain than American media outlets these days. Just look at how quick they are to make excuses for terrorists their betters have decided need to be excused, and how quick they were to sign onto the patently false mantra that the mass-shooting in Texas this weekend was motivated by "hate speech" from the "right" [aka "anyone our Masters don't agree with politically"].

Greg Kinnear and Katie Holmes star(red) in the ill-fated series.

Holy Social Security Checks, Batman!

If you were to make a Top Ten list of best TV show theme songs, the theme from the "Batman" television series would have to be somewhere near the top. And it never fails to make me smile.



Today, January 11, 2011, it is 45 years since the Batman television series debuted on the ABC network (with the Big Screen "Batman: The Movie", featuring the mostly the same cast and comedic attitude, following shortly thereafter). The series aired for two seasons, and consisted of 120 half-hour episodes, most of which were two-part story lines.

Here are a promotional stills and posters from Back in the Day to mark the ocassion!

Tectonic Tuesday: Yvonne Craig

Last Spring, the great and wise Imam of Imam's Hojatoleslam Kazem Sedighi, full of Allah-given insight that no one since Mohammed Himself (may peas be upon him) has been, revealed to the world the real cause of earthquakes. Forget the lies spread about tectonic plates by the so-called scientists of the West--those tools of the evil Zionist conspiracy--but believe instead this simple, divinely inspired truth, as these are the words of Allah himself as spoken by the Imam of Imams: "Many women who do not dress modestly... lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which increases earthquakes."

This series of posts spotlights the immodest women that Imam Slammy (as he is known by his friends) warned us about, while proving beyond any doubt the truth of his claims with the historical proof that their wanton ways have caused the earth to crack and buildings to crumble.


Eighteenth Case Study: Yvonne Craig

Born in 1937, teenaged Yvonne Craig immodestly paraded her body before audiences under the guise of "ballet," but it was when she turned to acting that she became a major threat to the stability of earth. In 1959, she appeared with numerous other bikini-clad women in "Gidget." Their wontoness caused the Hebgen Lake quake in August of that year.

But it was 1967 that she became a clear and present danger to civilizations and life around the planet. During that year, and into 1968, Craig appeared as Batgirl on the television show "Batman." Although she made a half-hearted show of modesty by wearing a cowl that covered her hair and part of her face, the rest of her skin-tight purple outfit (and the way she pranced around in it) was anything but modest.

Craig is the one responsible for the 1968 earthquake in 23 states and Canada, cracked roads and toppled structures from Toronto to Missouri, and threatened to bring down the legendary St. Louis Arch. With the "Batman" television show airing around the world even now, there is truly no way to accurately measure the damage and suffering that has been visited upon the world by immodesty of Yvonne Craig.

Freedom of expression dying in Denmark?(Another documented case of Islamophobia)

From the Danish Free Press Society:

Free speech is under attack in Denmark. Please help us preserve it.

Those who have been following the Danish cartoon crisis and several subsequent attempts by radical Muslims to kill and bomb Danes and Danish institutions may be excused for believing that Denmark is in the forefront of the battle for free speech. And indeed it used to be that way.

No longer. For the past year the Danish public prosecutor has been waging a lawfare offensive against outspoken critics of Islam and Muslim practices.

On December 3, 2010, Member of Parliament Jesper Langballe was convicted of “hate speech” – or as the judge in the lower court of Randers put it: “racial discrimination” – for having called attention to honour killings in Muslim families.

Next in line is Lars Hedegaard, President of the Danish Free Press Society and The International Free Press Society, who will stand trial in the lower court of Frederiksberg on January 24, 2011.

His crime has been to point to the great number of family rapes in areas dominated by Muslim culture. This well documented fact has brought him an indictment under the Danish penal code’s “racism” clause: Article 266b.

Both MP Langballe and Lars Hedegaard have long ago emphasised that they did not intend to accuse all Muslims or even the majority of Muslims of such crimes. This has made no impression on the public prosecutor.

We fear that the public prosecutor intends to stifle open debate on Islam and Muslim culture. And we fear that he is doing so with the tacit approval of the governing parties, which first signalled their intention to remove the racism clause from the penal code but have recently recanted.

If the authorities succeed in silencing such critics as Jesper Langballe and Lars Hedegaard, who will dare speak out?

We must put a stop to these attempts to undermine free speech if we wish to preserve Denmark as a free country. And where Denmark – that former beacon of free speech – goes, the rest of the West may follow

You can help us.

Please send a few words to katrinewinkelholm@gmail.com in defence of Lars Hedegaard’s freedom of expression. We will then publish them in The Free Press Magazine, Sappho.dk.

Please do what you can to spread the word about the trial of Lars Hedegaard.

Kinds regards

Ahmed Mohamud
Vice President, The Danish Free Press Society

Katrine Winkel Holm
Chief Editor, Sappho.dk

Happy Birthday to Elvis!

Fact: Elvis is everywhere, Elvis is everything.

Visit the Elvis Blog for verification that All is Elvis.

More on the Motoon Jihadists

I'm sure it's all a big misunderstanding. No follower of the Religion of Peace--even members of the Mo-Ron sect who so worship the Prophet Mohammed (may peons blow upon him) that they have spastic attacks over the very thought of Infidels gazing upon His Holy Image--would contemplate murdering innocent office workers, would they?

From the Telegraph: British links to Mumbai-style machinegun plot against Danish newspaper offices

No, of course not. It must be some plot by those damn dirty Jews. Quick! Someone come up with a proper conspiracy theory!

And remember, kids: May 20 is Everybody Draw Mohammed Day!

And now EVERYTHING goes to 11!

And here are some celebratory music videos from the hard rockers who originally took it to 11--Spinal Tap!