Having technical issues, so you get this enchanting discussion of late 19th century politics as a delicate bon-bon to tide you over!

Geoff and I both attended Fanime this last weekend, though at different times. On the day I went I brought some of my students and proceeded to wait in line for FOUR AND A HALF HOURS to get in - I was hearing from other people that the on-site registration was nowhere near this bad last year, so perhaps they simply had not planned on scaling up to meet demand, but in any case the whole entry process struck me as the draconian dream child of a paranoiac. But, once in we had a fine time - I took this picture of somebody who went as PRUSSIA!

I have probably got to start watching Hetalia at some point here. The problem is, and I think many others of my age experience this too, is that I always watched anime with other people, so it's odd for me to do it on my own. I started watching Nadesico, FLCL, Abenobashi, and Excel Saga with my personal life guide, Art Wong, and then went on to Outlaw Star, Cowboy Bebop, Hellsing, Trigun, Princess Nine (which started out as a joke and became an obsession), and The Irresponsible Captain Tylor with Geoff. Since then, I don't think I've seen a single series all the way through. Anyway, if you have a Prussia Hetalia costume lying about and want the world to see how rad you are, send it and we'll post it up here in the chatter!

Onto more important matters than my lack of anime, tomorrow is the LAST DAY to contribute $10 and get art while helping the teenagers of Castro Valley High make a stand for equal rights in their community! So, in the words of Stanley Spudowski, if you're waiting for the last minute, this is it!

- Count Dolby von Luckner