Well, I finally got around to watching the episode dubbed. It was good except for the ask/tell thing again. Even though I shouldn't, I felt like laughing every time I heard 'Jimmy Kudo's' voice coming out of 66.
About the transmuation circles, yes each have a different meaning, but they never really go into how each circle can allow the alchemist to do what they do.
These transumation circles are for each state alchemist to preform their 'trademark' techniques.
Armstrong's (on his gauntlets)
Mustang's (on his gloves)
Kimblee's (on his hands)
Basque Gran's (on his gauntlets)
Ed's (his hands *not actually drawn)
Look at
this complex transmuation circle, for human transmuation.
Ed creates his by clapping his hands together, into doing so, he creates a circle. I can't really go into specifics because it will be explained later.