Click on the post title to go to a quick quiz about your political views and which candidate you match up with. (Or click
here .)
Hillary Clinton got first billing for me,
with Obama a fairly close 2nd--but he tied with Gravel? whom I'd never heard of. (Okay, I confess, I'm not much of a political junkie.)
Interesting questions. As always, the choices are limited.
I'm glad Hilary Clinton won in the New Hampshire Democratic primary. I like Barak Obama, but I like Hilary better. I think Obama is just as much an old-school politician as any of them, despite his youth. I like his oratory, and his personal success, and his ability to motivate young adults to get out and vote, but I have more confidence in Hilary's ability to judge issues and made important decisions. Hilary is smart, hard-working, capable, experienced, and I like her stand on issues.
So, either way--Clinton or Obama, I think the Democractic party stands a chance of doing a better job in the president's office than the Republicans. But hey, those New Hampshire voters did good on the Republican side, too--McCain isn't all bad. He's definitely got the personal grit to lead.
So now--here's a nifty contest for those who like to make movies or who just enjoy parody: NHPR parody video contest.
One of my favorite comic book series is getting extended! See press release below from DH:
Yo Ho Ho, a Samurai’s life for me . . .
Shiro and Yoshiko are like two ships forever taken in different directions by the wind. Their quest to be together has taken them from Japan to China to Paris to Egypt, where their reunions have been fleeting. And yet, they have pledged to belong to only each other, “If not in life, then in death.”
Samurai: Heaven and Earth Volume Three kicks off on the open sea, with star-crossed lovers, samurai Shiro and his love Yoshiko torn from each other’s arms after being reunited at the end of volume two. This time, Shiro crosses the open seas in pursuit of Yoshiko, who has again fallen into the hands of his arch-nemesis, the Spaniard, Don Miguel Ratera Aguilar. The journey takes them to the New World at the dawning of the golden age of piracy. Shiro is now a reluctant crewman on an English privateer during Queen Anne’s War, when colonial powers battled for supremacy in the Caribbean and the Americas. When he hears of a Spanish nobleman with a beautiful Asian woman at his side, Shiro knows his enemy, and his lover, are close at hand.
Shiro must enlist his crewmates in his quest, characters whose origins span both historical and literary pedigrees. Will this marauding, motley crew be just the allies Shiro needs to finally be reunited with his lady-fair, Yoshiko, for once and for all?
“Ever since the idea of Samurai: Heaven and Earth first occurred, this is the story we’ve wanted to tell, the one we’ve been pointing toward. Putting a samurai warrior amidst a crew of Caribbean cutthroats is the most fun you can have in comics, as far as Luke and I are concerned. I’ll gladly walk the plank if this isn’t the best volume yet,” writer Ron Marz said.
Acclaimed creators Ron Marz and Luke Ross reunite for the next volume of their historical epic. Samurai: Heaven and Earth Volume Three, a five-issue limited series, sets sail in spring, 2008. Each issue has a retail price of $2.99.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth
Writer:
Ron MarzColorist:
Jason KeithPublisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN-10: 1593073887
ISBN-13: 978-1593073886
Samurai: Heaven and Earth is simply astonishing. Both the artwork and the story are just gorgeous. It is the story of Shiro, a Samurai warrior who was the only survivor in a great battle. He returns home to find his love, the beautiful Yoshiko, only to find she has been taken by the victors in the battle. Determined to find her, he sets off to the stronghold of the Warlord Hsiao only to find she has been sold and sent to Europe.
What follows is an incredible tale of love and devotion, of Shiro’s vow to Yoshiko that nothing on Heaven or Earth will keep them apart.
Shiro travels to Europe, meets the Musketeers, even lands in the palace of Versailles. He will do anything, go anywhere to get Yoshiko back.
The story is mesmerizing and riveting and each page is a dream. The pages look like paintings, they are so lush and vivid. The battle scenes are action packed and vividly intense. The sword fight with the Musketeers is just unbelievable and realistic. The page where the Musketeers and Shiro are in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles is just glorious. The light literally bounces off the page and you get the feel of light bouncing off mirrors. Incredible!
Samurai: Heaven and Earth is one of the most beautiful and evocative comics I’ve ever seen. Shiro is an incredible hero – determined, completely ruthless and vicious in battle yet so tender and devoted to Yoshiko. It’s quite the contrast and completely compelling. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2-Chapter 1: Enemies and Allies
Writer: Ron Marz
Penciller: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
In a prior post, I raved about
Samurai: Heaven and Earth and this next comic in the series is no disappointment.
The samurai Shiro is back and still hunting for his lost love Yoshiko. In
Enemies and Allies, Shiro travels to Spain to find the Arab slavetrader that sold Yoshiko in the first place. He forces the Arab to join him on his quest for revenge against the Spaniard Don Miguel Ratera (funny last name - in Spanish a ratero or ratera is a thief) and in keeping his vow to find Yoshiko. Shiro tells the Arab of his vow that nothing on Heaven or Earth will keep him from her and together they set off to find them. Meanwhile, Don Miguel is keeping Yoshiko captive as they board a ship to Veracruz.
As in the other comics, there are flashbacks to Shiro's and Yoshiko's life in Japan and some of the images are so heartbreakingly lovely that you have to stop and catch your breath.
The artwork is astounding and I can’t say enough about it. The story has you on the edge of your seat and rooting for Shiro while the artwork has you right in the midst of bloody samurai battles, on the ship and in the beautiful gardens of Japan. Stunning, stunning, stunning!
Samurai: Heaven and Earth is simply magnificent.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2, Chapter 2: Land and Sea
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Once again Ron Marz and Luke Ross have created a believable and stunning adventure.
In Land and Sea, the samurai Shiro along with the Arab he has forced into helping him hunt for Don Miguel Ratera and Yoshiko who have boarded a ship bound for Vera Cruz. The two leave Barcelona and board a ship headed for the Americas.
Once they are on board and halfway across the ocean, Shiro finds that the ship Yoshiko was on was captured and the people on it taken to Egypt to be sold. Frustrated at being stuck on a ship with no way out or to Yoshiko, he battles the crew and jumps ship taking the Arab along with him.
Meanwhile Yoshiko is sold to a pasha and taken away to a harem where she will live out her days. Don Miguel is also sold to the same pasha. Will he find a way to the harem?
It’s a marvelous adventure on the high seas and across the blistering desert sands. The art is amazing, especially the scenes on the ocean. I don’t know how they make the sea look so real but it’s fantastic. You get the feel of a stormy sea, big waves and movement. It’s incredible.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2, Chapter 3: Lust and Lies
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
I am astounded by this series and can’t wait for the rest of it. Shiro the samurai has completely captured my heart and imagination.
In
Lust and Lies, Shiro and the Arab have washed up on the desert shore. Because Shiro has saved the Arab’s life, he continues to help him as part of repaying his debt. There are again scenes of a loving life with Yoshiko in Japan as Shiro remembers the good times. The two set off to find where Yoshiko has been taken with Shiro determined to get her back at any cost.
Yoshiko is taken to the harem of the pasha and is able to communicate in French with the first wife. She learns that she will spend her life in the harem and is subject to the whims of the pasha. While trying to escape, she runs into Don Miguel who tries to force her to come with him. This is Yoshiko’s chance for revenge and she takes it. She will make Don Miguel pay for what he has done to her and Shiro.
One of the things that makes this series so visually arresting is the contrasts between worlds. On one page you have the burning sun of the desert, on another the cool gardens of Japan overhung with cherry blossoms and on another the inside view of a harem. Of course, the artwork is stunning and so realistic that you feel you’re inside those contrasting worlds.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2, Chapter 3: Lust and Lies
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
I am astounded by this series and can’t wait for the rest of it. Shiro the samurai has completely captured my heart and imagination.
In Lust and Lies, Shiro and the Arab have washed up on the desert shore. Because Shiro has saved the Arab’s life, he continues to help him as part of repaying his debt. There are again scenes of a loving life with Yoshiko in Japan as Shiro remembers the good times. The two set off to find where Yoshiko has been taken with Shiro determined to get her back at any cost.
Yoshiko is taken to the harem of the pasha and is able to communicate in French with the first wife. She learns that she will spend her life in the harem and is subject to the whims of the pasha. While trying to escape, she runs into Don Miguel who tries to force her to come with him. This is Yoshiko’s chance for revenge and she takes it. She will make Don Miguel pay for what he has done to her and Shiro.
One of the things that makes this series so visually arresting is the contrasts between worlds. On one page you have the burning sun of the desert, on another the cool gardens of Japan overhung with cherry blossoms and on another the inside view of a harem. Of course, the artwork is stunning and so realistic that you feel you’re inside those contrasting worlds.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2, Chapter 2: Land and Sea
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Once again Ron Marz and Luke Ross have created a believable and stunning adventure.
In Land and Sea, the samurai Shiro along with the Arab he has forced into helping him hunt for Don Miguel Ratera and Yoshiko who have boarded a ship bound for Vera Cruz. The two leave Barcelona and board a ship headed for the Americas.
Once they are on board and halfway across the ocean, Shiro finds that the ship Yoshiko was on was captured and the people on it taken to Egypt to be sold. Frustrated at being stuck on a ship with no way out or to Yoshiko, he battles the crew and jumps ship taking the Arab along with him.
Meanwhile Yoshiko is sold to a pasha and taken away to a harem where she will live out her days. Don Miguel is also sold to the same pasha. Will he find a way to the harem?
It’s a marvelous adventure on the high seas and across the blistering desert sands. The art is amazing, especially the scenes on the ocean. I don’t know how they make the sea look so real but it’s fantastic. You get the feel of a stormy sea, big waves and movement. It’s incredible.
Samurai: Heaven and Earth, Volume 2 # 1
Writer: Ron Marz
Penciller: Luke Ross
Colorist: Rob Schwager
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
In a prior post, I raved about Samurai: Heaven and Earth and this next comic in the series is no disappointment.
The samurai Shiro is back and still hunting for his lost love Yoshiko. He’s arrives in France after a dangerous ocean crossing only to be reunited for the briefest of seconds in the Hall of Mirrors before being wrenched apart by an evil Spaniard who is determined to have Yoshiko for himself. He takes Yoshiko prisoner and they sail away on a ship.
Shiro is sworn to avenge himself on the Spaniard and get Yoshiko back. He forcibly enlists the aid of the Arab slave trader who sold Yoshiko in the first place to help him find the Spaniard. They travel from Spain to Egypt and encounter many adventures including pirates on the high seas. Talk about your swashbuckling tales!
The artwork is astounding and I can’t say enough about it. The story has you on the edge of your seat and rooting for Shiro while the artwork has you right in the midst of bloody battles, on the ship, swimming for your life and walking across the desert sand. Stunning, stunning, stunning!
Samurai: Heaven and Earth is simply magnificent
Samurai: Heaven and Earth
Writer:
Ron MarzColorist:
Jason KeithPublisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN-10: 1593073887
ISBN-13: 978-1593073886
Samurai: Heaven and Earth is simply astonishing. Both the artwork and the story are just gorgeous. It is the story of Shiro, a Samurai warrior who was the only survivor in a great battle. He returns home to find his love, the beautiful Yoshiko, only to find she has been taken by the victors in the battle. Determined to find her, he sets off to the stronghold of the Warlord Hsiao only to find she has been sold and sent to Europe.
What follows is an incredible tale of love and devotion, of Shiro’s vow to Yoshiko that nothing on Heaven or Earth will keep them apart.
Shiro travels to Europe, meets the Musketeers, even lands in the palace of Versailles. He will do anything, go anywhere to get Yoshiko back.
The story is mesmerizing and riveting and each page is a dream. The pages look like paintings, they are so lush and vivid. The battle scenes are action packed and vividly intense. The sword fight with the Musketeers is just unbelievable and realistic. The page where the Musketeers and Shiro are in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles is just glorious. The light literally bounces off the page and you get the feel of light bouncing off mirrors. Incredible!
Samurai: Heaven and Earth is one of the most beautiful and evocative comics I’ve ever seen. Shiro is an incredible hero – determined, completely ruthless and vicious in battle yet so tender and devoted to Yoshiko. It’s quite the contrast and completely compelling. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
I'm a die-hard liberal, but I actually used to have a fondness for McCain.
I was also a Hillary fan, until I really started paying attention to Obama and actually researched his voting record. He has generally made good decisions with regards to his congressional voting and hasn't simply "gone with the group". Hillary has on any number of instances. So, I changed my candidate.
I do think you're right with regards to either of them being better than what we've currently got. Which certainly isn't much. :)
Don't worry about a primary, just place an X under the donkey...Hillary, Obama, Edwards, and Gore are all tied in one important catagory...they are not Republicans. I wish Hillary and Obama would run as one ticket.