Second Opinions

Rand Simberg of Transterrestrial Musings posted this link weeks ago, but I’ve been too lazy to point it out. Till now. Cause I know you want it.

The Jedi Order?s mistakes in dealing with Anakin Skywalker are numerous and damning. First, the Order was aware from the very start that Anakin missed his mother, yet did nothing to free her from slavery, nor did they arrange to keep an eye on her.
Second, while acknowledging that Anakin might be ?The Chosen One?, the Jedi entrusted his training to Obi Wan Kenobi, who began training Anakin just after having graduated from being a Padawan learner himself. Surely if the Chosen One was important enough to potentially bring balance to the Force, he was important enough to receive instruction from their best teacher…
Third, the Jedi Order did not realise that they should have instructed Kenobi to be more flexible in his approach. Obi Wan was a strictly rules-based Jedi who forced his rebellious young charge to adhere to the letter of the law…
Fourth, the Jedi Order did not allow Anakin to follow his premonition regarding his mother?s torture and death. He was merely told, ?dreams pass in time?; the Jedi did not send anyone to investigate, nor allowed Anakin to go to his home planet to check. It was not until Kenobi was otherwise occupied that Anakin actually disobeyed orders, and by then, it was too late.
Arrogance has deep roots in the Jedi Order: as their librarian Jocasta Nu showed in her disregard of the absence of the planet Kamino from her records (?if a planet does not show up in our records, it does not exist?) the Jedi believe their knowledge is perfect. This was by no means an isolated incident…

Don’t be shy, there are nits enough for all. My own efforts begin to look amateurish. Perhaps I can redeem my geek reputation by pointing you toward this amusing livejournal entry by Maya. I found it at Brian Tiemann’s blog, Peeve Farm.
From time to time I’ll mention that you should “read the whole thing”. This time I really, really mean it. Really. She’s very funny.
SPOILERS FOLLOW

…it amazes me how much people love it. There was an enormous queue of people who already had tickets but wanted really good seats! Two queues!
MAYA: Muahahahahahaha. I mock you all.
MY FRIENDS: You. Write. Harry Potter. Porn.
MAYA: … now the Star Wars fans are laughing at me. This is rock bottom.
MY FRIENDS: I dare you to kiss that lifesize cardboard cutout of Angelina Jolie!
MAYA: And behold, we drilled through rock bottom and struck humiliation oil!
And then… wonder of wonders, I… think I liked it…
OBI-WAN: Right then, it’s time to fight General, er… (Ewan nobly controls himself) Grievous.
ANAKIN: Grievous? Seriously?
OBI-WAN: Yes. General Grievous. Seriously. Because that is what his name is.
ANAKIN: You know, if I was evil, I’d want something with a more sinister ring to it. Not that I’m evil. Totally not evil.
COUNT DOOKU: I will fight you both, Jedi! I am leader of this rebellion, and I could completely have a higher rank, but you see how Duke Dooku would be an unfortunate name, don’t you?
ANAKIN: Don’t even care. Killing you like whoa.
EVERYONE: God, Anakin, you are one hot piece of ass.
ANAKIN: Well, yeah, I’ve been lifting weights… Oh, hey. There’s my secret wife, to whom I am secretly married. I have to go passionately embrace her behind a pillar a couple feet away from the Senate leaders right about now, because it’s a secret…
PALPATINE: I want you to be my special friend.
ANAKIN: Jedis aren’t allowed to do that kind of thing.
PALPATINE: Special representative on the Jedi Council.
ANAKIN: Really? Oh my God, what an honour! I’m not ready!
PALPATINE: Sure you are. You’ve been working out.
OBI-WAN: Now that you’re pissed you weren’t made Master, is this a good time to ask you to go against the Jedi way and spy on Palpatine, who you really like?
ANAKIN: *does a very good impression of an angry, vain kid who doesn’t understand about moral shades of grey*
AUDIENCE: That’s weird. It looks like Hayden Christiansen, but it’s acting.
OBI-WAN: … that’d be a no, then?
DOCTORS: So, Padme’s fine and all, but she’s dying of a broken heart, just like in a Victorian romance OMG! Who here has read Richardson’s Clarissa?
PADME (faintly): Oh la, sir, I do believe I have the vapours…

There’s plenty more where that came from, and believe me, I was sorely tempted to post it here.
But that would be wrong.