Samurai Champloo

Any anime fan wondering why I haven't posted has probably immediately got the picture from the title of this post.

For the uninitiated, I've been geeking out on an awesome series and after several days, have seen it in it's entirety.

Samurai Champloo at IMDb

Beautiful doesn't begin to describe this jewel, it's impressive without being flashy, hip without being pandering, heartfelt without being sappy. It isn't perfect, but it comes darned close.

Once again kicking the living life out of the vast majority of TV in the states.

The dialogue is perfect, at once laugh out loud funny and smart. The show runs along the lines of the culture clash between Japan and the west in the days of the first contacts and is thoroughly irreverent.

Hearing Japanese voice actors give impressions of an American accent will likely be a treat for those who wonder what we sound like to the speakers of non-latin languages.

That and other qualities make it worth the hassle to watch this show in Japanese with the subtitles. The dub is great as well, but there's something about a rapping Samurai that sounds better in his native language.

The characters are stereotypical and yet complex. There is appeal in their predictable motives, while their thoroughly unpredictable actions kept the viewer guessing.

The ending seems a bit forced, though it's still appealing, but the show is, quite literally, more about the journey than the destination.

A must see for anyone who likes to laugh, a samurai epic not one moment ahead (or behind) its time.

Iraqi Draft Constitution

The AP has finally completed a full English translation of the draft constitution circulating in the Iraqi Parliament.

There has been a lot of hand wringing over this, but read it for yourself and I think you'll find it is quite and enlightened.

It creates a state that is certainly distinct from Western democracies and some of that distinction may well be an improvement.

It's far from perfect, as is any constitution, but it does enshrine democratic government and human rights.
Link to Full Text

So.. here we are again...

Alright, transition complete. I am now back in a college dorm with morning classes and high-speed internet.

This means many things, most of them good. In particular it means that I won't have to deal with dial-up for a few more months.

Thank heaven for small favors.

On the down side, I now owe the Feds money but they've promised not come around looking for money until I graduate.

That's reasonable, how I wish the private sector could be so giving. The college wants monthly payments, eating into my pizza money, the fiends.

At this rate I might have to consume something healthy every week or so.

New theory:

It's all a plot to reduce the obesity rate among college students, it's not working.

Transition Period

I'm fine.. I'm fine. Just a little busy is all.

I'll be working this week on preparations for the return to school which mostly explains both why I haven't been updating and why I am often hard to get it touch with by other means.

No worries. I should be moving back into the dorm this weekend, God willing. Once things settle down all normal action may continue.

Until then I'll be fretting and making phone calls like every year.

Oh, and I saw the new Deuce Bigelow movie.

It was, of course, utterly despicable, but also quite funny. The movie Bad Santa should have been. I wouldn't see it twice and I wouldn't recommend it to the squeamish or even reasonably moral.

The degenerates among us however would love it.

Robin Cook (1946-2005)

I admit, although I'm hard to surprised, this news shocked me.

Robin Cook, former UK foreign secretary and leader in opposition to Iraq War passed yesterday.

In learning about and debating the Iraq war have had occasion to read and promptly disagree with many of Mr. Cook's views on the international stage, but all disagreements aside it was clear that this was a singularly intelligent and influential individual.

A man does not speak with conviction like his merely in an effort to garner popularity, there was clear integrity at work in his words.

I don't know much about British politics, but I do know he will be missed.

Galloway Shows His Brilliance

Remember how I said in the original Galloway post that the man didn't really have his facts straight.

Well, here he is again ruining a perfectly good show of confronting the Senate with at least a partially truthful testimony by demonstrating idiocy on a monumental scale.
From the BBC:

These poor Iraqis ... with the lightest and most basic of weapons - are writing the names of their cities and towns in the stars[...]"It can be said, truly said, that the Iraqi resistance is not just defending Iraq. They are defending all the Arabs and they are defending all the people of the world against American hegemony."
-George Galloway

Gee, maybe I should thank the people that have callously targeted thousands of Iraqi civilians for murder. Thank them for blowing up the water facilities, the Red Cross, and the UN.

Thanks for killing Margaret Hassan guys, that'll teach those lousy Americans.

"Two of your beautiful daughters are in the hands of foreigners - Jerusalem and Baghdad.

"The foreigners are doing to your daughters as they will.

"The daughters are crying for help and the Arab world is silent. And some of them are collaborating with the rape of these two beautiful Arab daughters."

Link
Someone please stop electing this moron.

..and they call Bush stupid....