Persepolis Reminds Me Of…

A year back, I was able to pick up both volumes of what is now an incredible film known as Persepolis, and I was quite impressed by it. The animated film was as good as the comics it was pulled from, and worth seeing if in a theater near you.



The film reminded me of some other great European graphic novels that are a bit less known, more specifically, Guy Delisle’s “Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea” and “Shenzhen: A Travelogue From China”. Guy is a French Canadian animator that had spent time in both countries working with western animation studios. What folks may not realize when they watch their favorite cartoons, is that most of the in-between animation (the movement that incorporates an action, like raising a hand or kicking a ball) is done by a studio overseas. But because these foreign studios are geared towards a quick profit, and the language and culture divide between the writers in the West and the animators in the East can be vast, it often requires a western mediator to live near the studio and oversea the project and make sure they achieve what the script asks for. Guy acted in that role in both China and North Korea, and created a comic based on his time in each nation.



Originally published in French, the wonderful Drawn and Quarterly has recently published both books in English and are readably available in the United States. Both of them are worth your time and money if you happen to fall upon them at any quality book depository.



Unrelated to Guy’s wonderful work is the grand animated music video by Tatarstan musician Zulya that also reminds me of Persepolis mixed with an American Saturday morning cartoon from the 70s, and here it is for your enjoyment.

Shelby Steele on Obama

Shelby Steele gives a speech About why Obama excites voters, and why he can’t win.


View Shelby Steele on Why Barack Obama Cannot Win on FORA.tv

Onward, Murderous Theocrats!

I think that sign says everything you need to know about this lovely bunch of morons. We are all Hezbollah now? More like they are all useful infidels now.

Now that their dear leader has abandoned them and taken a handy chunk of their party with him, Britain’s RESPECT stumbles on.

and Now for Something Fun

From the great Ethiopian singer Gossaye Tesfaye.



From Vampire Weekend.

McCain is One Step Closer

If this election season has taught me anything, it is not to make any strong predictions, but I none-the-less think McCain is heading towards the Republican nomination. I am sure that fat pill-popping talk show host will put his entire weight (and he is a big guy) behind whoever can stop McCain, but it doesn’t seem like a majority of the Republican vote is listening to good old rubber gut. Unless it ends up really close next Tuesday, the primary season should be over for the Republicans. McCain has to then spend the next few months trying to hold enough conservatives from fleeing to some third party candidate to cost him the election.

I will say that I am very happy about today’s results in Florida. Throughout the summer, I started to feel like a chump when I would send the McCain camp money every time they came knocking. I really did not believe he would be able to come back from the hole he was in. But with the Surge just beginning, I wanted to give its most vocal advocate as much time as possible to push for its furthered advocacy.

I was a bit saddened to hear Joe Lieberman say he would not take the VP slot on McCain’s ticket. I felt that would be a beautiful team up for the left leaning Iraq war supporters like me. Perhaps we can still see a McCain Giuliani ticket, but I foresee McCain picking a younger, more conservative member of government as his running mate (assuming he gets it….we are not out of the woods yet). But I can always dream I suppose…