So I'm at the dentist monday for a regular cleaning and as I'm sitting there letting the dentist poke, prod, gauge, and scrape i got to doing some thinking. The rest of the medical world seems to making advances through technology, but what about dentists? I'm sure they have fancy new ways of doing fillings or prettier ways of replacing teeth, but what about the basic stuff, what about simple cleanings?

Seems like you still go in and have someone grind away with a sharp, pointy metal object while you try not to cry. After about 15 minutes of this they give your teeth a quick polishing and you're done. Can't they come up with some kind of new sonic cleaning, laser plaque removal, deep gum massaging, etc, etc? Anything better than sharp metal objects scraping away at my teeth?

Maybe then people wouldn't mind going to the dentist?

I haven't talked about anime in quite a while, but Samurai Champloo deserves some recognition. This was a very highly anticipated series for me since it was the follow up from Shinichiro Watanabe, the director of Cowboy Bebop (which still holds the title as my favorite anime series ever). With Samurai Champloo Watanabe once again displays his devotion to artistry of the highest caliber.

All I really need to say about Champloo is that it's hip-hop and samurai woven together. Does it get any better than that? I think not. The basic story is that Fuu, Mugen, and Jin are a trio on a journey to find the sunflower samurai. Like Bebop, most episodes can stand on their own but do come together to provide a loose framework story. Champloo's story doesn't offer quite as much cohesion as Bebop and the ending isn't all you'd hope for, but the real enjoyment comes from watching the episodic storylines anyways.

As you'd expect from Watanabe, the soundtrack is amazing. The series is littered with great, original hip-hop beats which change from episode to episode. I guarantee you'll be astonished at how well the hip-hop beats fit in with the 17th century Japanese visuals.

At the end of the day Champloo isn't at the same level as Cowboy Bebop, but what anime is? Despite that, Champloo is still top notch. Definitely a highly recommended series.

Well, the sunny season has definitely started here in the Bay Area ... I can tell from the sun burn =(

And from the looks of things this weekend, I am not at all alone.