Another former infidel-turned-true believer has joined our holy cause, welcome Sir John Garlan Applebottom who will from now on be known as Jamal al Din, a former Crusader who discovered his true faith in the Holy Lands.
Btw for those of you unfamiliar with my new avatar: its a drawing (by unknown artist) of the legendary English actor Oliver Reed depicting him in his final role of Proximo in "The Gladiator" movie, my all-time-favorite actor. He was a true old-school badass, a member of the legendary poker of hellraising aces, together with Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole & Richard Harris. There are many reasons why i fancy him but most of all because of the stylish way of his departure from this world:
He died of a heart attack in a bar after downing three bottles of Captain Morgan's Jamaica rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous doubles of Famous Grouse whiskey and Hennessy cognac, and beating five much younger Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling. His bar bill for that final lunch time totaled 270 Maltese lira, almost £450. The public house in Malta in which he died, previously known as "The Pub", was renamed "Ollie's Last Pub" in his memory.