Yes, there are many a leaky abstraction involved in learning it, but if AJAX is your focus, you'll be good w/ just learning js object literals. You're a Javahead, anyhow, so the learning curve will be close to nil.

>and now I've got to go and learn a whole new language that is
>being propped up by the ever increasing power of computers and
>browsers.
>
>WHOLE APPLICATIONS ARE BUILT IN JS NOW!!
>
>that's why. nothing against the language or it's uses.