Swords

October 21, 2010

Eastern swords against western swords, there are a multitude of key differences. In the east, the most noted swords are used for their slashing and chopping ability. One could stab with them, but the nature of the blade would make it difficult. This is due either to a rather large size, or a very key curve. Stabbing weapons are mostly spears, and if you need to slash something, you need to slash it good.

Western swords, on the other hand, like to be stabbed. This can either be prominent, as with the rapier, or subtle, with the longsword. Enemies often like to wear armor, which can be forged of plate or mail, both of which cannot be sliced through. To deal with such pesky defenses, one was forced to push through. In terms of the short sword, which was oft' used with a shield, one would stab through and break the rungs of the opponent's mail. In terms of the longsword, used more against plate armor, one was avoiding the armor all together and stabbing it into the uncovered joints. If you needed to hack or slash in the west, axes were far cheaper, and rather abundant. The sword was meant to do what other weapons wouldn't.

Image via Wikipedia

And then there's the rapier. This sword wasn't fit for combat. If you took such a blade onto a battle field, it would probably break. The real usage of this sword was in single unarmored combat, where both combatants had only a single weapon. Here, the rapier was king. It could strike anywhere whenever the wielder so wished, and could do it with such 

speed that blocking with a common variety of sword would be foolish.

New Rule - only qualified can comment

New Rule - only qualified can comment
People on TV who tell scary stories on the deficit? Why would we listen to a housewife about the Federal deficit? Of course she could be a Nobel Prize winner in Economics - but don't you think they'd brag about it if she was? Of course they would. And would you take advice on car repair from a banker? Probably not. These Tea Bag ads are the worst - what kind of people are they fooling?

Election crazies in Alaska

Image via WikipediaElection time again in the USA. I'm out in Alaska, and for the first time am getting to see a three person race for the first hand.
As you can see from my previous posts - I'm not much of a fan of Joe Miller and the Tea Baggers. But the shear lack of rational thought among a large number of his supporters lead me to believe most of them are really only interested in one issue - abortion. Otherwise their talking points regarding finance and international relations wouldn't be so shallow and undependable.

The second candidate, is from one of Alaska's best known but not always popular families. Lisa Murkowski has raised millions of dollars from out of State donors - like Joe Miller. She is in the middle of the fight - her niche with the Republicans had been with women and choice. But voters have a much better choice there - and are moving...

To Scott McAdams, who is surging this morning. Last night Rachel Maddow flew in to see the excitement in person, as well as to talk with the other canidates. The feeling was electric - and Lisa has responded in kind with negative ads featuring McAdams homey residents. I'm not much of a TV watcher and thus haven't seen it but I would guess the Miller camp is cheering this morning.
Image by yksin via FlickrThe path in voting in Alaska as well as elsewhere remains the same - vote Democrat - no Blue Dogs - McAdams - Berkowitz - Crawford.

But I think Miller will pull it out - giving Alaskans and the rest of the US a humorous but deadly sad target for the next four years as his demogogaury frightens the less educated - as he gets traction on his one real item - taking reproductive rights away from women in banning abortions.

Scott McAdams

Ran, review

Ran

Director:

Akira Kurosawa

Writers:

Akira Kurosawa, Hideo Oguni

Hidetora Ichimonji, the main character: Tatsuya Nakadai
Taro Ichimonji, Hidetora’s eldest son:  Akira Tarao
Jiro Ichimonji, Hidetora’s middle son: Jinpachi Nezu
Saburo Ichimonji, Hidetora’s loyal son: Daisuke Ryu
Kaede, evil wife of Taro: Mieko Harada
Lady Sue, Jiro’s wife: Yoshiko Miyazaki
Tsurumaru, Sue’s blind brother: Takeshi Nomura
Kyoami, the jester: Shinnosuke Ikehata
Tango Hirayama, the wise:  Masayuki Yui.

The film starts in the aftermath of the hunt. It is noted that Hidetora is having a great bit of trouble compared to what he had been going about his entire life. In his younger days, he could route an army without breaking a sweat, but now he was having difficulty bringing down a boar. It is very clear that the seasoned warlord is aging, and will soon not be capable.

During the aftermath of the hunt, Hidetora has a nightmare. Convinced by the frightful aspect of it, he decides to abdicate his rule to his sons. Taro and Jiro offer no resistance to his plan, but Saburo regards it as foolishness.  Not wishing to be stood against, Hidetora banishes Saburo, diving his power between his other two sons.

It doesn’t take long for the situation to start going against what had been planned. Hidetora, while defending Kyoami, slays one of Taro’s guards. This irritates Taro, and prompts him to force his father into a contract. Hidetora reluctantly signs, before deciding to no longer stay in the lands of his eldest son.

He then goes to stay with Jiro. Jiro states that he will only accept Hidetora, and none of his men. Furious, Hidetora also refuses to stay with Jiro, and thus departs.

On the road, they had no place to go. Matters were made worse, as there had been a degree that punishment would come to any who assisted the old man.  His sons seemed to have something against him at this point, and Hidetora sensed it. He thus decided to take up residence in an empty fortress, hoping to avoid whatever negative will had been placed against him.

The fortress, however, turned out to be a trap. In an attempt to remove the old man permanently, Taro and Jiro launch an attack on the fortress, receiving very little resistance. Taro is slain in the chaos, and Hidetora simply walks out, with Jiro incapable of giving the order to finish him.
Hidetora is found yet again by Kyoami and Tango, and the two begin taking care of him in his emotionally weakened state. They suggest that he go to Saburo, but Hidetora refuses due to shame. They take him first to the house of Tsurumaru, whom Hidetora had earlier demanded be left blind. Oddly enough, this man had no qualms with taking care of the man who had made his life hell.

Back with Jiro, Kaede comes to him furious about her husband’s death. She threatens him, leaving him alive with the promise that she will stay in her family’s castle. To further her foothold, she demands that she be his wife, and thus demands that lady Sue be slain.
Hidetora, by this time, had been moved to a fortress that he burned. Lady Sue had been preemptively warned and escaped to the same place with her brother. Things were needed elsewhere, however, so Sue went to retrieve Tsurumaru’s flute and Tango went to retrieve Saburo.

Saburo then enters the stage, determined to take his father back. Jiro refuses to let him. A minor farce of a battle ensues as the search for Hidetora is carried out, ending with Jiro retreating and Saburo finding Hidetora. The happy ending is cut short, however, when Saburo is shot, and Hidetora collapses out of grief. Back at the castle, it is revealed that Lady Sue has been slain, and that Kaede had been hoping to drag the situation down into the dirt. Kurogane, Jiro’s general, takes it upon himself to slay her, and give some rest to the Ichimonji’s.


Divine_Malevolence: The old guy was a very interesting fellow. Strict one second, overly open with his boys the next.

Sam Glass: ? strict one?

Divine_Malevolence: They mentioned something about his normal behavior being that of directing.

Sam Glass: the old lord? he conquered his territory by authoritarian methods.. we heard all through the movie how he killed and tortured his enemies

Divine_Malevolence: He was mean to his enemies, and he was more of a leader to his kids than a father. They wern't used to him being nice.

Sam Glass: yes. true.. but was interesting to me about his sons was that the one was most afraid of, and the one he was the worst to when it came time to divide up his land... Sanjuro.. ended up being the nicest to him

Divine_Malevolence: Sanjuro was the fake name of Mifune's character in Yojimbo and Sanjuro. He was Saburo.

Sam Glass: aha, Grasshoper

Divine_Malevolence: And it was because he was honest. The other brothers were merely attempting to remain on his good side.

Sam Glass: the other brothers were more interested in power and land.. Saburo was more interested in his relationship with his father.. like in the end.. when they were going to have that long father to son talk.. and he was shot

Divine_Malevolence: 'Twas a good guy, Saburo. Saw no need in falsehoods, and remained honest to the end. Where he met the wrong side of a rifleman.

Sam Glass: but the same issue with the blind man.. sister to Taro's wife and another of the conquered.. he was nice to the Old Lord.. even though the old man was afraid

Divine_Malevolence: Poor blind man. There was resentment, and I think he would've done something if he could see. But, alas, he had no eyes.

Sam Glass: But he gave anything to the Old Lord.. even though he had nothing to give... and he played the flute.. how is his playing compared to yours?

Divine_Malevolence: Different styles of flute. And he really had no reason not to. It wasn't effecting him negatively, and they would've forced it out of him if he refused.

Sam Glass: But he was so kind and relaxed..  and Juro's wife... also a victim of the Old Lord's cruelty... seems unwise to let her live and marry his son or she will just come back and get him in the end... and she did.

Divine_Malevolence: The evil one? Kaede?

Sam Glass: I have them backwards.. Taro was oldest with evil wife victim of Old Lord.. and Juro had Buddhist wife who was sweet... and the blind brother.

Divine_Malevolence: Poor Sue.

Sam Glass: Yes evil. She must really have some kind of skill under the sheets if Juro would agree to cut his wife's head cut off...

Divine_Malevolence: Or Juro was just a moron.

Sam Glass: That is obvious! But thinking with the "little head" is a common joke amongst men... was she that good?

Divine_Malevolence: I 'unno.

Sam Glass: Yea, got to think rationally there.. always millions of other fish in the sea.. especially if you are lord.. I liked what Juro's advisers said as he was leaving for battle "A Man doesn't run to his wife when leaving for battle.."" or something like that.

Divine_Malevolence: She was very manipulative indeed.

Sam Glass: Yea.. and what about the Fool?  Clown?

Divine_Malevolence: I'm surprised only one person tried to kill 'im.

Sam Glass: But he was entertaining.. and wise

Divine_Malevolence: And was wondering what his gender was for most of the movie.

Sam Glass: Aha.. not me.. obvious male.. no confusion here..

Divine_Malevolence: But he broke down into tears one too many times.....
[
Sam Glass: "When a man's born he cries, when he's had enough he dies."  And something in the end about the Lord being the one that doesn't make sense and he wasn't.. and now roles were reversed.

Divine_Malevolence: Striving for immortality with a never-ending stream of tears.

Sam Glass: ? Quote? Or your thoughts?

Divine_Malevolence: My thoughts.

Sam Glass: OK.. overall.. what was the movie about to you?

Divine_Malevolence: The power hungry destroy what's good in the world.

Sam Glass: Build and destroy! I thought it was about how things you do in life can come back to bite you in the ass.. and how difficult it is to transfer power to multiple sons who want to rule... and how a good person who loves his father is there no matter - interesting Saburo told his father what was on his mind?

Divine_Malevolence: Ah, yes, there was a bit of karma about it.

Sam Glass: Karma.. good.. but Saburo told his father he was wrong.. to his face and in front of others... courage

Divine_Malevolence: Though karma doesn't exactly explain why Tsurumaru lost his sister.

Sam Glass: his sister was the Buddhist.. she was at peace with herself

Divine_Malevolence: And she got her head chopped off going back for his flute.  After he pleaded to not be left alone. Poor dude.

Sam Glass: Yea.. but Saburo... telling his father how it is? What about it dude? Would u ever be able to do that?

Divine_Malevolence: Saburo didn't suck up enough to stay in favor.  And what favor is there to stay in? If anything that'd have a negative effect.

Sam Glass: The other brothers didn't say anything and they got the power.

Divine_Malevolence: Because they didn't stand up against their pops.

Sam Glass: Yea.. but the good son did. And my unanswered question to you? Could you say it to me?

Divine_Malevolence: I 'unno. Maybe? Would such a situation arise?

Sam Glass: Always. We always need people beside us to tell the truth.. no matter how hard it is. As you saw.. yes men can't be trusted. I believe this is another message of the movie...

Divine_Malevolence: Cannot trust people. Like with Rashomon.

Sam Glass: But you can trust some.. that is the point.. who can you trust and who can't you..

Divine_Malevolence: You can usually trust the people who say it like it is.

Sam Glass: Exactly... courage.

Divine_Malevolence: Heart. Speak one's mind even when negative consequences are about. Care more about the truth than security.

Sam Glass: or feelings.. so back to you again... Grasshopper.. see my point about us? Hard isn't it?

Divine_Malevolence: Not quite sure.

Sam Glass: I've never heard you critical of me... and I'm not perfect.. granted I'm not looking for someone to be negative all the time.. but like in the website... your opinions and ideas? very very valuable to me...

Divine_Malevolence: I'm not critical of anyone. People aren't perfect, and callin' 'em out on every negative aspect isn't a way to get things done.

Sam Glass: We're not talking about all negatives.. but you see the point of the movie above.. you even admitted it.. the "yes men" aren't trusted and the ones that go along are not...  something to work on...?

Divine_Malevolence: But one shouldn't just say no for the sake o' saying no. If something's sensible, there's little trouble going along with it.

Sam Glass: True.. but assertiveness is a skill and something to be honed.. like a sword.. it can't be used unless it is ready.

Divine_Malevolence: But one musn't be needlessly assertive. Putting too much pressure on breaks things.

Sam Glass: Brick wall! But if one is never assertive, it is quite another story.

Divine_Malevolence: Thus one must find balance.

Sam Glass: Grasshopper! Great.. anything else on Ran?

Divine_Malevolence: Nicht that I can think of.

Sam Glass: OK, any suggestions for next week?

Divine_Malevolence: Dis Kagemusha that you mentioned?

Sam Glass: Yea.. OK good..

Light and surpassing it.

October 14, 2010

Light is fast. Fast is light. I like to light fast east and light.

.......

Senseless was the above, but alas, my topic this day is light, and my disagreement with the thought that it's speed cannot be surpassed. I don't even quite understand how people come to that conclusion. The reasons..... Are just odd.

One, time gets screwy as you go faster. If you look at something going really fast, the time is somewhat off with it to you. I can believe this, because I'm very fond of the use of illusion.

Fact is, light always moves relative to what shot it off. If you're moving at the speed of light, light will be going faster than you in the direction you're going. At the same time, the light coming off your rear won't be moving at all.

Thus something moving away at high speeds will seem to be effected by time differently, because the light takes longer to get to you. Things that play with light to give off falsehoods I deem as illusion, so the time discrepancy and eventual disappearance of something moving fast is.....

An illusion.

Second reason against it is...... Just kind of odd, and less sensible.

"Things moving fast have increased mass."

It's a relative line, apparently. Somehow, it got applied to light speed to claim that something will have an infinite mass when it's moving at the speed of light.

Which would imply that every particle of light would destroy the universe. Infinite mass means infinite gravitational force, which will cause infinite acceleration if there's a distance that happens to be less than infinity.

That makes no sense whatsoever.

Instead, I think that the quote is.... More of a misquote. It'd make more sense to me if it was.

"Things moving fast when compared to you take more force to accelerate."

Which is undeniable. For one reason. You first have to accelerate so that the force exerted upon the object wouldn't be negative, and then place that much more force to accelerate it further.

For example, a child on a swing with 'er pops. He's the type who loves to go all out, so he'll push with the same force every time. The first push will undeniably be the most significant. Second will have a diminished effect. And, eventually, he'll be pushing full force to keep his kid at one height.

It's not because the kid's heavier. It's because he has to accelerate his arms with a good portion of the force he's putting in so that he can apply force to the swing.

The implication from this is that it would be a pain in the arse to make something go away when it's already going. It would take quite a few tonnes of force to push something past the speed of light from earth.

However, if the thing was exerting force upon itself, such as a rocket with engines, the force required to accelerate further would not increase.

Thus as long as something can accelerate itself, there's no problem surpassing the speed of light.

Unfortunately, things have difficulty accelerating themselves. Cars use friction that they shares with the earth. Planes use their interaction with the air. In space, such acceleration is far from simple, as things only have themselves. But difficult and impossible are two completely different things.

Job creation from health care and insurance benefits

Today I'm sitting in a hospital, waiting for an appointment for a class. This morning I dropped off my wife, for some surgery. And in between, I have had some blood drawn for an appoitment on Friday, and had lunch.

But it is a lot more than lunch - a nice bright cafe in the Cancer Center.

We're all good for the economy and Anchorage. Wow. We are really providing for the city we live in, and for this hospital, providing for them an economic boost - just by ourselves.

Take my case: I have stage 4 lung cancer, and my insurance company, Aetna lists Providence Hospital in Anchorage as my preferred provider. After my maximum out-of-picket expense is met, as long as I go to this hospital then I won't have to pay anything other than my premium. The copay for prescritpions is relatively small and is not included.

And what expenses do I have? In August alone, I had an MRI of my spine, a CT scan of my abdomen and some kind of nuclear bone test - listing for about $14,000. And Aetna paid Providence in Anchorage. 

The tests were the third round for me this year. And I also took radiation treatments at Alaska Radiology, on the first floor of another Anchorage Hospital, Alaska Regional - and also chemo-therapy at a local pharmacy.

And now my wife gets to bring in her share.

Together we might bring in $60,000 this year. Pretty good for two middle aged folks - just for getting old and sick.

And what does Providence and the other providers use the money for? A big share woule be for the equipment that is bought out of state and shipped in. But most would be to pay variable and fixed costs, for example as in for the staff, doctors and buildings. Local folks build the buildings and staff the offices, so all good there.

So, as someone looking at the end of my life - after paying for insurance around the country for decades: now I'm cashing in those insurance credits in Alaska.

.

Seven Samurai, review

Director: Akira Kurosawa

Writers: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto

Toshirô Mifune  ... Kikuchiyo

Takashi Shimura  ... Kanbê Shimada

Keiko Tsushima  ... Shino

Yukiko Shimazaki  ... Rikichi's Wife

Kamatari Fujiwara  ... Manzô - Father of Shino

Daisuke Katô  ... Shichirôji

Isao Kimura  ... Katsushirô Okamoto

Minoru Chiaki  ... Heihachi Hayashida

Seiji Miyaguchi  ... Kyûzô

Yoshio Kosugi  ... Mosuke

Bokuzen Hidari  ... Yohei

Yoshio Inaba  ... Gorobê Katayama

Yoshio Tsuchiya  ... Rikichi

Kokuten Kôdô  ... Gisaku, the Old Man

Eijirô Tôno  ... Kidnapper

Sam Glass: A veteran samurai, who has fallen on hard times, answers a village's request for protection from bandits. He gathers 6 other samurai to help him, and they teach the townspeople how to defend themselves, and they supply the samurai with three small meals a day. The film culminates in a giant battle when 40 bandits attack the village. Written by Colin Tinto

In the Sixteenth Century, in Japan, a poor village is frequently looted by armed bandits losing their crop of rice. Their patriarch Grandpa advises the villagers to hire a Ronin to defend their village. Four farmers head to town to seek out their possible protectors, but they just can offer three meals of rice per day and lodging for the samurai. They succeed in hiring the warming-hearted veteran Kambei Shimada that advises that they need six other samurai to protect their lands. Kambei recruits the necessary five samurai and the brave jester Kikuchiyo and move to the village. After a feared reception, Kambei plots a defense strategy and the samurai start training the farmers how to defend their lands and families for the battle that approaches. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A village is constantly attacked by well armed bandits. One day after an attack they seek the wisdom of an elder who tells them they cannot afford weapons, but they can find men with weapons, samurai, who will fight for them, if they find samurai who are in down on their luck and wondering where their next meal will come from. They find a very experienced samurai with a good heart who agrees to recruit their party for them. He selects five genuine samurai and one who is suspect but the seven return to the village to protect it from the forty plus bandits. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>

In 16th century Japan, farmers in a small village face the prospect of again losing their crops to a band of roving thieves. Their solution is to go to the nearest city and see if they can hire samurai to protect them. The farmers are poor and can only offer food and lodging but they soon recruit Kambei Shimada who determines that they will need a total of seven samurai to properly guard the village. Slowly, he recruits other samurai for their task and once complete, move tho the village. There they teach the farmers basic self defense and fortify the village itself. When the bandits attack, they are prepared but suffer many losses. Written by garykmcd

Sam Glass: u watched the movie?

Divine_Malevolence: Yup yup. It was a long one. Even had an intermission.  http://www.livestream.com/moneymike9  And then there were three!

Sam Glass: Yea. But a good death!

Divine_Malevolence: Get shot through a door, then continue on to kill the bandit leader. Great way to end a conflict.

Sam Glass: Yea.. but what did you find interesting about the movie?

Divine_Malevolence: Many different thing. Such as the cutting of the daughter's hair. Crazy peasants.

Sam Glass: But you like the girls, yea?

Divine_Malevolence: The important one was weird.

Sam Glass: Cute weird, but the" little chick" samurai figured her out quickly

Divine_Malevolence: He was fooled at first, though. The only one to get fooled by it!

Sam Glass: he was fooled until he was wrestling with her and got a look down her shirt

Divine_Malevolence: Took 'im way too long, it did.

Sam Glass: what, she was a good fighter?

Divine_Malevolence: Doubtful. I just wouldn't e'er figure that figure was a male.

Sam Glass: ahh.. then he would bring her rice but she wouldn't eat it..

Divine_Malevolence: Gave it to the old lady.

Sam Glass: the one who the bandits had liked her son..  no one to look out for her

Divine_Malevolence: Poor old one. Got revenge on the scout.

Sam Glass: oh yea.. out come the hay forks..  but the kids caught coming out of the house... by her father

Divine_Malevolence: Dun dun dun.  "We expect much out of you. Last night, you became a real man."

Sam Glass: exactly.. I was wondering if you would catch that line

Divine_Malevolence: Difficult to miss. Would've been amusing if they didn't stop calling him kid.

Sam Glass: do you think he stayed in the village with her in the end?

Divine_Malevolence: Doubtful.

Sam Glass: poor girl  ...

Divine_Malevolence: Who'd you steal this family tree from?

Sam Glass: u mean Mifune's character... he stole it from any samurai.. with a thirteen year old kid

Divine_Malevolence: Kimikuchi! Divine_Malevolence: I think..... Rippin' off children.

Sam Glass: so what made them samurai? the seven of them...how were they similar?

Divine_Malevolence: They were all crazy?

Sam Glass: naaah...  they all had character

Divine_Malevolence: Very true.

Sam Glass: wanted to make a difference, hungry, poor

Divine_Malevolence: Probably the first. Old man was a good guy, managed to convince others.

Sam Glass: yes, and not all of them were trained as samurai... two were not at all

Divine_Malevolence: I only recall the one who definitely wasn't.  The kid looked trained.

Sam Glass: somewhat trained, but he still lacked a master - and looked to the old ronin

Divine_Malevolence: True. I'd say half-trained.

Sam Glass: 'not all were obviously sword guys, or were they?

Divine_Malevolence: All were more or less capable with one.

Sam Glass: the straight sword

Divine_Malevolence: Don't recall any.

Sam Glass: oh yea, carried it over his shoulder like a rifle

Divine_Malevolence: 'Twas a Tachi.

Sam Glass: yea,, it was straight but very long

Divine_Malevolence: It wasn't straight. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tachi

Sam Glass: I'm not so sure my friend...

Divine_Malevolence: Or it was http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daito_(weapon)

Sam Glass: remember how they found out he was born a peasant? And they hoarded armor...

Divine_Malevolence: Hoarded. Yup yup. Peasants are very protective of their gains, ill gotten or no.

Sam Glass: I also recall reading somewhere that there were long straight swords from the continent.. from Koreans, and Mongols

Divine_Malevolence: 0.o - Dao.

Sam Glass: http://www.swordsswords.com/Musashi-Handmade-Swords.aspx

Divine_Malevolence: A sixty dollar rapier? Dude, I want.

Sam Glass: anyway back to the movie...

Divine_Malevolence: Skill test. "You've got to be kidding."

Sam Glass: which one was that?

Divine_Malevolence: The guy stood in the doorway with a stick.

Sam Glass: oh yea.. didn't work on the trained samurai.. but did work on your guy.. wazza name?

Divine_Malevolence: Kikuchio! Or perhaps Kikuchiyo.

Sam Glass: drunk.. I thought it was great that after they chased him around, he passed out.. and they all laughed. They didn't try to kill him first.

Divine_Malevolence: http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:yyWF72ML0lT-lM:

Sam Glass: awesome I want one

Divine_Malevolence: 'Tis Kikuchyo.

Sam Glass: what about when he left his post?

Divine_Malevolence: He got a musket. So it worked out half well.

Sam Glass: and the half that didn't work?  which one died here.. one of the samurai was killed when he left his post..  and he mourned after

Divine_Malevolence: I don't recall if one did.....  He was upset about the dead peasants.

Sam Glass: hmm.. I believe there was a sword in the mound he was around

Sam Glass: first sword was at the bandit hideout

Divine_Malevolence: I don't recall. The first, and the last two are those that I remember.  Which is three of the four.

Sam Glass: one was Kikuchyo's fault!!!\

Divine_Malevolence: I'm not sure it was.

Sam Glass: He was the one who made the flag.. and he was on the road...  the woodchopper.. the one to keep them interested in hard times, and the fourth was the one that the kid admired

Divine_Malevolence: That was the first one to go. The third to go was the admired one.

Sam Glass: OK, deal.. and last, what about the trick the old leader did in the beginning?  shaved his head... with the crowd all around?

Divine_Malevolence: Pretended to be a monk.

Sam Glass: yea.. and what was going on? kid hostage of..?

Divine_Malevolence: A thief took a kid hostage.

Sam Glass: ahh.. and the samurai goes in without a sword.. and out comes a man...

Divine_Malevolence: I think he stole the thief's sword.

Sam Glass: but the thief staggered out with the sword.. and collapsed - so he was cut with his own sword

Divine_Malevolence: Yup.

Sam Glass: any other thoughts? I enjoyed it, this one has been copied too

Divine_Malevolence: There seems to be an animated version.

Sam Glass: and a Western in the US

Divine_Malevolence: Oh?  "The samurai train the villagers in the use of bows, building walls, and construct a giant ballista to defend the village against the bandits. After successfully defeating the bandits, the samurai then launch an attack upon the capital to defeat a power-hungry ruler who has recently risen to power as Emperor. After heavy casualties for the samurai, and the near-destruction of Kanna village, the capital is finally defeated." The anime sounds weird.  "Kikuchiyo (キクチヨ?) Voiced by: Kong Kuwata (Japanese), Christopher Sabat (English)
He is a cyborg with a mechanized exoskeleton."

Sam Glass: ahhh.. mine was called The Magnificent Seven, a western..

Divine_Malevolence: O-ho!

Sam Glass: OK, Ran next week, god willing as they say

Divine_Malevolence: Sounds good~