Friday, September 12, 2008

More idiotic savagery from Saudi Arabian "intellectuals"

Last week, one of THE top "holy men" in Saudi Arabia put out a call for TV executives to be murdered by the faithful followers of the Religion of Peace.

This week, a member of the "Higher Council of Clerics" is saying that astrologers should be tried as sorcerers and put to death if found guilty.

I have to wonder: If the sort of idiot who believes there is ANY validity to astrology--let alone thinks it's some sort of magic--can be admitted to the "Higher Council of Clerics," I have to wonder what sort of retarded morons make up the lower council.

What's next? Fatwas declaring that Chinese restraunts should be burned to the ground as lairs of sorcery because of fortune cookies?

Arabs and Muslims may not all be backwards idiots, but what passes for scholars among certainly are.

RIYADH, Sept 14 (Reuters) - A senior Saudi cleric has said purveyors of horoscopes on Arab television should face the death penalty, a paper said on Sunday, days after another cleric argued death for TV owners.

"Sorcerers who appear on satellite channels who are proven to be sorcerers have committed a great crime ... and the Muslim consensus is that the apostate's punishment is death by the sword," Sheikh Saleh al-Fozan told al-Madina daily.

"Those who call in to these shows should not be accorded Muslim rites when they die," the prominent cleric added.

Many of the hundreds of Arab satellite channels have sprung up in recent years specialise in horoscopes and other advice to callers on solving problems that is seen as "sorcery".

In their capacity as judges, clerics of Saudi Arabia's austere form of Islam often sentence "sorcerers" to death.

Fozan, a member of the Higher Council of Clerics, was responding to a controversy ignited by a Council colleague, Sheikh Saleh al-Lohaidan, who said last week that owners of Arab TV shows should be tried and face death over some shows.

Lohaidan, who is the head of Saudi Arabia's Islamic sharia courts, told Saudi radio: "I want to advise the owners of these channels that broadcast programmes with indecency and vulgarity and warn them of the consequences ... They can be put to death through the judicial process."

He was referring to comedy shows and soap operas airing in Ramadan, a month of fasting when Muslims are supposed to focus on God. Critics say Ramadan has become an orgy of food and television consumption once the fast ends at sunset.

Fozan said entertainment channel owners should be "banished" but stopped short of advocating the death penalty for them.

"The position of Muslims and their rulers about these channels is that they should be talked to and if they continue airing depravity and shamelessness they should be banished from this place and others brought in their place."


Turkish soap operas that became hugely popular in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries this year provoked a storm of anger among Saudi conservatives who fear the spread of secular culture in the key U.S. ally.

The government's official advisor on religious affairs, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdelaziz Al al-Sheikh, said in July it was not Islamically permissible to watch the Turkish serials.

The owners of Arab entertainment channels, including MBC, ART, Orbit, Rotana and LBC, are mostly Saudi royals and businessmen closely allied to them.

Concerned about the country's international image, some key members of the Saudi royal family have promoted liberal reforms. The clerics fear plans to limit their extensive influence in what is the world's largest oil exporter.

(Reporting by Andrew Hammond; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Where are the calls for boycotts against MTV?

Very Special Protestors and their Even More Special Spokespeople were all lathered up for no reason over "Tropic Thunder". It's been three days since MTV aired Russell Brand using "retarded" (or "the R-word" as Very Special Spokespeople like to say) in a truly derogatory and insulting way, yet I;'ve not heard a peep from the Special Olympics or any other group who were driving short buses to screenings of "Tropic Thunder".

You can watch the bit by clicking on this video:



Where are the calls for boycotts against Viacom, Russell Brand, and MTV?

The top features on the Special Olympics homepage (the group that seemed to be the loudest when it came to the "Tropic Thunder" boycott) still has their distortions about the movie's content at the top of their home page and at the rediculous spin-off site r-word.com.

Is it too much to ask for some consistency from these "advocacy groups"? Hell, even some blogs that went on and on about how "Tropic Thunder" should be boycotted seem to be giving MTV and Brand a pass.

Perrhaps it's okay to actually use the "R-word" if it's being direected at a sitting American president while makinng at attempt to boost a candidate running for the office. The silence from the "advocacy groups" makes me think it is.

Or maybe there was another agenda involved as far as "Tropic Thunder" was concerned? Or maybe the other agenda is showing up here... the "advocates for the disabled" are okay with the "r-word" so long as it's being directed at someone they don't like?

I'm even more convinced now than ever that these "advocates" are a bunch of hypocrites looking to line their pockets and further their personal political agendas through the exploitation of the Very Special (aka the retards).

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

UFOs, mysticism clash in 'Black Harvest'

Black Harvest (2007)
Story and Art: Josh Howard
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

An investigative journalist (for a blog) comes to a small Texas town to witness an annual display of lights in the skies that have elevated the area to a Roswell-like reverence among UFO enthusiasts. When he almost runs over a young woman in the road--a young woman who vanished without a trace three years ago and now has returned under equally mysterious circumstances--he finds himself tangled in a web of treachery, deceit and unholy bargains where the payment is coming due.

"Black Harvest" is an excellent graphic novel from the pen of writer/artist Josh Howard, the creator of the zombie series "Dead@17" and "The Lost Books of Eve". Like those other works, this book incorporates touches of Christianity (although less than "Dead@17" and far less than "The Lost Books of Eve") into a creepy tale that will remind you of "The X-Files" television series at its best.


Howard continues to refine both his writing and artwork since the debut of "Dead@17" and here he delivers a perfectly paced story where he creates a dark world where aliens, supernatural horrors, secret socieites and dark secrets can and will consume entire communities. Howard's story is sharpened by skillfully written dialogue that gives each character a unique voice and personality, bringing them fully to life and making us care about their fates.

Unfortunately, while Howard does a fabulous job at building tension and juggling several mysteries, midirections and disparate elements that would clash and create a jumbled sloppy mess in the hands of a lesser creator (like what happened with "The X-Files" at its worst), he doesn't quite manage to deliver a finale that's worthy of the build-up. The end of the book is a disappointment and something of a cop-out. I was left asking myself "That's all?", but not in the way that had me wondering if there was going to be a "Black Harvest 2".

The weak ending aside, "Black Harvest" is a well-written, well-drawn book that will be an enjoyable read for anyone who likes a little dark conspiracy and strange beings from beyond with their horror fiction.

Monday, September 8, 2008

'Tropic Thunder' slips to #2 at box office

Well, now I'll stop gloating over the failed boycott of "Tropic Thunder". It was knocked from the #1 position by the pathetic display of "Bangkok Dangerous", a Nicholas Cage-starring action film.

"Tropic Thunder" took in $7.5 million (after one month in theaters) and "Bangkok Dangerous" took in $7.8 million. According to a number of sources, it was the slowest weekend at the box office in five years.

(But the movie that was subject of a retarded call for boycotts is still going strong. And if you haven't seen it, you should. The boycott was based on distortions and lies about what actually takes place in the film. You can read my review of the film here.)

Sunday, August 31, 2008

'Tropic Thunder' still stops US box office

Ben Stiller's filmmaking spoof "Tropic Thunder" was the top box office earner in the US, taking in $11.5 million during its third week of release. The film has so far made $91.3 million dollars worldwide, which means it has earned back it's shooting budget.

There's still some $60 million left that it needs to earn before it's profitable--marketing, print manufacturing and other post-production costs--but it's looking like I may have to eat my words as far as declaring the film a financial failure.

And I'm taking great delight in that fact. It shows that Americans aren't the sheeple that media hungry "advocates" for the retarded thought they were. They called for boycotts against this movie based on lies about its content, but Americans didn't listen and they gave this funny movie the support and viewership it deserves.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Someone should sue Warner Bros and JK Rowling

Warner Bros. has sued an Indian film company for releasing a movie called "Hari Puttar: A Comedy of Terrors." They say the title is too similar to their Harry Potter movies,and they want the other movie stopped.

This is where whoever owns the rights to the Charles Band-produced "Troll" movie steps up and sues Warner, JK Rowling and Scholastic for stealing the whole concept of a boy named Harry Potter living and existing in a world where magic secretly co-exists in a modern setting.

In "Troll," Noah Hataway played a kid named Harry Potter Jr. and Michael Moriarity played his father, Harry Potter.

What is it with these assholes who get it in their heads that they own a name and a concept that appears to have been ripped off in the first place?

Monday, August 25, 2008

Gary Glitter soon to receive just rewards?

London, Aug 25: Pop paedophile Gary Glitter, 64, fears that his ill health will not make him last for more than six months.

Glitter has been in hiding ever since he returned to the UK last week, after three years of imprisonment in Vietnam for molesting two girls aged just ten and 11.

The rock and pop singer is now believed to be suffering from tuberculosis and severe heart problems, which is causing him to live in the fear that he will be dead within months.

News of him not being in the best of health was revealed by a medical source, who spoke to him in Vietnam while behind bars.

“Gary Glitter is not a well man at all,” the Daily Star quoted the source as saying.

“His health has suffered during the three years he has been in prison here.

“He needs urgent medical attention otherwise he may barely last the next six months. He thinks he has a maximum of six months to live.

“From what we have heard from people in Britain they will think that is a good thing,” the source added.

Glitter arrived in Britain on August 22, and has been ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register. (ANI)

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