The Old Hack

The Moderator: Let us not. We are getting a wee bit close to RL politics here and they do not belong in the story comics threads, please.

I suspect not. I rather think she would strongly disapprove of the way these girls were taught. Even so, it would be mandated by the State that they join. Just as with the Hitlerjugend, there was no easy way around. Still, exactly Susan and Nanase are the sort of people to make any organisation rue compulsory enlistment.

No they bollocking wouldn't. I don't see any version of Nanase or Susan tamely joining an organisation dedicated to turn them into good little obedient homemakers. At least, not planning to leave it intact.

It is possible to influence someone without being manipulative. Sheer raw force of personality often works fine. Absent a steadying influence like Elliot, a more aggressive and vengeful one might well take its place.

So is mine. Though I have to admit, that first panel sounded a lot like the snide comments I sometimes hear aimed at sex ed classes that don't do a good job. "Dude, the magic health classes at your school sucked."

Mine as well. The goo failed initially because Elliot destroyed it, not Tedd. It seems plausible.

Hm! Not good, but fortunate timing. I hope it is not anything too bad!

Maybe your computer was dreaming about some legal weed?

The irony is that it is a revived nationalism akin to Nazism that is one of the largest threats European democracies face, that and foreign sabotage attempts of our elections. Here in Denmark we have one small advantage: direct interference with our voting is very hard as we still use paper ballots. It has benefits, being a minuscule country with only a small population.

I disagree. I am equally concerned about both. It is the side we lower our guard against that we will be taken down from. The price of freedom is constant vigilance.

I do not really think it did. It is merely that sometimes a Hitler reference is exactly what it is, as you say. I agree. Unfortunately if there is one thing Nazis are very good at, it is using Nazi tactics.

Godwin's Law referred to a political climate in which comparisons with Nazis happened frequently and unjustly. As XKCD (again) hinted, the law becomes absurd when the comparison is actually logical and fairly applicable. In this time and day, it is perhaps not far from the truth to say that Godwin's Law has largely been repealed. Or at least rolled back. In short, if it moves like a duck, quacks like a duck and wears swastika armbands on its wings...

I should stress that I did not wish it to be, which was why I said 'resolve' rather than holding it up as a warning example. As someone who happens to be on the Nazi target list along with my family and my wife (she is not Jewish, she was born with spina bifida due to her father being poisoned with Agent Orange in Vietnam) I am well aware of the fact that when it comes to Nazis, I tend to err on the side of intolerance. If there is a way to prevent the Nazis from attempting a repeat of their former rather doubtful glories without challenging the First Amendment I am all for it. I merely hope it will be found in time.

Maybe it made the fire alarm hungry and this is the only way it can beg for food.

Unfortunately aforesaid sympathy does exist and the Nazis do not hesitate to make use of it. As to the political argument I shall not engage in it here, merely recall to mind Popper's paradox and hope it may somehow be resolved without the destruction of said freedom of speech.

So am I. But I still get to eat my own words and I hate the corvid aftertaste.

Having had time to digest, it seems I owe Magus an apology. If he never intended to change Ellen without her consent, my anger against him loses most if not all of its basis.

Before Magus had even started on that syllable, Elliot had already made the decision to transform and attack. In the heat of the moment it most likely came across as a nonsense sound.

April 9, 1940. Denmark is invaded by the Nazis and is taken completely by surprise. The Danish air force, consisting of only a few fixed-undercarriage fighter planes, is destroyed on the ground. The occupying forces quickly overrun all defences. The Danish government, which had relied on its declaration of neutrality, decides that the situation is hopeless and orders all its armed forces to stand down. The Luftwaffe drops fliers on all major Danish cities, stating the Nazi intent to 'protect' Denmark from British aggression. Five years of occupation follow where the Nazis steadily tighten the screws, culminating in 1943 with first the arrest and internment of all Danish police officers and then the application of the Final Solution to all Danish Jews, LGBTQ, disabled, Rom, mentally ill, suspected Communists, the 'racially impure' as well as anyone the Nazis thought looked at them funny. Happily some German diplomat took his life in his hands by sending out advance warning. Thus many slated for the camps managed to escape to Sweden, by a hair's breadth avoiding incarceration, starvation, unimaginable brutality and probable mass executions or alternately being worked to death. Denmark as a whole suffered a massive national trauma that it took decades to live down and to this day we fly our flags at half mast on April the Ninth. We never called it the day that would live in infamy. There was no need. It managed that fine on its own. April 9, 2018. Today in history, many people will continue to argue that those poor misunderstood Nazis have a right to freedom of speech so they may promulgate their message of hatred, mass murder and dictatorship. By some strange happenstance, these defenders tend not to be on the abovementioned list of those slated for the extermination camps.

I have been a longtime fan of the comic Erfworld. I have followed it through many ups and downs. I have been a Patreon for it for a while and have always loved it. Rob Balder, creator of Erfworld, just posted the news that his wife has been diagnosed with liver cancer. They are taking up the fight but it is not looking good. I know all too well how that is. One of my closest friends died from liver cancer less than two years ago. I still vividly remember his long hard struggle. Erfworld is going to continue at a reduced level of activity but that is the least of things on my mind right now. I am not sure even what to think. This... hit me harder than I can offhand explain. Damn it.

Ah... I do believe that Pharaoh was speaking ironically. Hence his addition of the line "The powers-that-be tend to like academics who say what they want to hear."

Fair enough. You have a point. I have been in a horrible mood the past day or so and not inclined to be charitable, which is just not a good thing; it skews my judgment, such as it is.

Also, the clear advantage of big boobs while running around and fighting is shown here:

Back Strain Fu, obviously.

For all we know, the baseline version of Elliot is Ellen.