Darth Fluffy

Ooh, how did you get that? Were you reviewing the situation? If she transforms into a cat girl, I'm not eating there.

If you consider a "date" as getting acquainted, I suppose they've been on fast forward. Elliot's response fits, in-universe. In real life I would say, "Elliot you need more grounding. You've seen each other in exceptional circumstances, see if you still like each other with some normal dates under your belt." Not to say that people can't ever bond quickly, but it tends to work better if they're older and know themselves; and it has been pointed out that Elliot is weak in introspection. Ashley seems a little better at it, but she has little experience with dating, and Nanase's concerns, "Seriously? No questions?" may reflect perceiving immaturity in Ashley. To be fair, Elliot's recent showing initiative may reflect overall maturing in his character over the last school year. Eh, <shrug>, I'm sure it will work out within their setting. Another question is, "Where are they carrying all the shoes they keep dropping?" I'm waiting for Wednesday for yet another shoe to drop. Must be what the backpacks are for.

Who would she transform into?

Granted, they have a lot in common, but they've know each other for two weeks, and been on two abortive dates, ... my parental senses are kicking in as saying, "You are using that L word too quickly, my 18 year old friend." Given the characters we've seen and how Dan has been developing them, I'm sure it will work for them, but if this was real life the result would not be pretty. Then again, Nanase, was it?, said, "Elliot is not ready to date." ...

Beats the alternative.

"Why" indeed. That was a totally unexpected question, but applies to everything we do. And on one hand, if we answer it for every major effort, we would have the means to manage our time well, yet I suspect it would rob life of much joy as it sucks the spontaneity out of it. It really is a good question. Toddlers ask it all the time, because they want to learn (or are being difficult, or both), and parents hate it because the don't want to deal with it (they should probably be viewing it as an opportunity to teach). Heh, you are reminding me that I got a reputation for asking this, in the form of "What is the impact if we don't?", when stupid $#!+ came down at one of my former jobs. I thought about "Why", and here's what I came up with: First, we're in a forum that is devoted to discussing fictional events that take place in another universe, and others beyond that one. In the comic and on this forum, we make note of and discuss the motivations of fictional characters. We sniff at the rabbit trails, run down some of them, and chase the squirrels. Wanting to see Dr. Strangelove edited with magic WMDs is just another rabbit trail, another interesting smell to roll in. You might ask (or maybe you did), "Why are we wasting our time in this forum?" I can answer that for myself, I was drawn back trying to make sense of the latest story line, but in general, I would say, "It's not a waste, it fills a social need." So, we've slipped into a topic that has allusions to the real world issue, the threat of annihilating ourselves, that's been hanging over us for our lifetimes. It's a big part of our lives, and while I suppose we're all numb from the constant enormity of the weight of it, it is worth reflecting on from time to time, lest we grow callous enough to consider it. Dr. Strangelove perfectly highlights the absurdity of the situation. There is no movie, no other media event, that does this more spot on. For the mere investment of two hours, you, too, can live the rest of your life with a subtle undercurrent of sheer terror of our mutual folly, and have fun getting there. Why Dr. Strangelove? Contrast it with a very similar movie, same plot, also excellent cast, Fail Safe, which came out around the same time. By cushioning the message in dark humor, Dr. Strangelove has had far more impact. "Is the scenario realistic? Why should I care?" It's all too real. Both sides have had system failures and false alarms. Not often, but it only takes once. Now, post Cold War, we appear to be a bit less trigger happy, but there are a few more players, some with less apparent restraint. I dunno. This rabbit trail makes sense to me. If you do it, post a link. I was thinking with some visual editing as well. Slim Pickens would be riding something other than a bomb. Maybe a dragon? Maybe a bomb with magic graffiti? "Spellboy was here"? .

I want to see Dr. Strangelove with magical weapons edited in.

I do not share your optimism. Our track record is not good.

I haven't seen candy cigarettes in the US in ages. I remember hard white candy ones (like a foamed sugar), chocolate foil wrapped ones, and bubble gum cigars when I was little. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cigarette - not banned in the US but banned in three states and one major city. https://www.oldtimecandy.com/collections/walk-the-candy-aisle-candy-cigarettes

It can be a healthy choice. Not a fan of greasy pizza, i tolerate pepperoni, if it's ordered, never my choice. Not keen on pineapple on pizza, either. I tend to like heavy on the veggie toppings and some, but light, meat. It's not entirely wrong. There are things in life I have no desire to try. Even foods. Certain cultures are said to find the back end of large spiders delicious. I'll pass; they may be right, but it doesn't seem worth the mental gymnastics to get to where I'd eat one.

I recall even in junior high (middle school today, slightly different age bracketing), the "bad kids" having cigarettes. Some stores or some clerks might not care that they were under-aged, though I think enforcement and consequences for the store are greater today, at least in the US. Recall the flak in the not so distant past over Joe Camel and cigarettes being marketed to kids. Hell, Flintstones used to have Flintstones cigarette commercials with Fred and Barney smoking, you can watch them on You Tube. But I doubt that most kids buy them. They are not cheap. Swiping a few at a time from parents is a common source. By high school, some kids had weed and would get high during school. FWIW, they hid it better than the cigarettes. Alcohol was not so much a school time thing, but there was alcohol at parties. This link was off by one comic. Yeah, I wasn't assuming cigarette manufacturing for one unique customer. You're right, he does. Seems odd, doesn't it? Why are they technologically backward in this one specific wean you off smoking technology? If a dragon says, "Mind if I smoke?" it means something different, doesn't it?

Laws about abortion are passed by majority-male legislatures. You can analyze their health impact. By calling pizza "trash", that seemed to be where Kitty was coming from. I suppose this is going to be Green Eggs and Ham, isn't it?

"We can sell it for $41 for a month's supply." "No, marketing says to charge $141, it will increase the demand."

In WWII, the US, the Soviet Union, and both Chinese factions cooperated against the Axis, and we supplied weapons to Ho Chi Minh's Viet Minh in SE Asia. If the need is urgent enough, it can be done. That said, track record is, everyone has covert research to weaponize whatever is available, in spite of overt agreements to the contrary. You don't hired idealistic naive people to perform an Edward function, nor is he portrayed as being that. He might not be privy to the technical details about how each system works, aside from specific need to know examples that come up in his line of work, but he would know a general sense of capabilities and limitations, what various players are capable of, and such. Recall, he convinced an alien warlord to invade elsewhere through exposition; he must have briefed capabilities. I have more trouble with "it's part of the FBI". The FBI is about law enforcement. They tend to get a lot of oversight and FOIA types of scrutiny. If you are hiding that magic exists, you don't have laws about it. I would think a department under the Secret Service (lower profile, already doing specialized missions) (not it's own agency, with a budget line item, you want to hide this under another line item) with more or less direct executive control. We are currently tracking an interstellar asteroid that's right out of Rendezvous with Rama. Scientists that suggest it might be artificial are being scoffed at by a significant segment of their peers. I think there's something akin to change blindness that would allow aliens to show up in lunar orbit unnoticed. (When I say "we", I don't mean "me, personally".) Also, if you recall the golem's flashback to Heka, they've been doing it for quite a while. It's a given that they would have an awareness of stealth technology, should they choose to use it. They could have cloaking; we aren't that far from several approaches to this, I believe there's been prototypes built, and we have biological examples; octopuses in particular. (Yes, it's octopuses, Google it.) We are going to misread each other badly. Skewed motivations that don't intersect at all are going to mislead each of us. We're already doing it, and we haven't even met anyone from another world (that I know of); people and their pets do it all the time. Hell, we do it within our own species.

Not buying panel 2. That's not being a boy scout, that's being unrealistically nonobservant. Although, weirdly, Liz is the only student pictured as smoking. ... at all ... . OK, different universe, tobacco never caught on ... . Actually, the rebel girl started at sixteen; that's kind of late for the stereotype, ... implies few others smoke. Definitely plausible, then. People smoke much less than they used to, declining for at least two generations. It was never as popular in the EGS universe, or the decline started earlier. For that matter, weed is not discussed or implied at all, although the reason I assumed Liz is smoking a cigarette in the goo story is that she is not hiding it; but different universe ... who knows? No mention has been made of what was being smoked. Nah, I'm going to go with, "Assume the norm is similar to our universe unless it's pointed out to be otherwise". Panel 2 still seems unrealistic, but I can suspend my disbelief.

Oops, you're right, it's canon.

I'm pink, therefore I'm ham. ... I think.

We don't know that it is strictly a US government agency. To be effective, it would have to be more like Interpol. What is the good of suppressing the knowledge of magic in one boundary, if all the neighbors let it run wild. It could be based on, "we'll take care of our mess, and trust you to take care of yours", but you can bet they'd still talk. But, yes, there would be a US piece of it, either way. The paycheck and building maintenance would come from federal funds. You are making a good case for why it has to be international.

I googled it after I posted, and Mythbusters came to the same conclusion, the shock wave is lethal to fish.

So, I reference the phrase, "Like shooting fish in a barrel" in my last post on the NP thread, then I realized, that is not actually easy. Assuming a standard wooden barrel (the expression is old) and that you were using small arms. Wooden barrels are thick, and functional ones are well fitted hardwood, so they're tough. A rifle round should have the power to penetrate, or a hefty caliber pistol, but not a small round; leave your .22 at home. You can't see the fish, so your odds are no better than fish cross section over barrel cross section. A steel barrel would probably be no easier. A plastic one would be easier, and you might be able to track the fish. But you already have the fish confined, why are you bothering to shoot it? Just grab it, gut it, and pop it on the grill already.

Ok, I can see that. Hopefully, you learned what actual pizza was before you graduated high school. Pizza with no tomato sauce can work; I suppose it's debatable at what point it's no longer pizza. Greek and Margherita pizzas are common offerings around here. There's a truth in advertising issue going on as well. If you say "Pizza with tomato sauce" and hand me something with ketchup, in my mind, you've lied, allowances made for recent post toddlers. Ketchup can be wonderful stuff, in the right context. I expect it with fries, and will often use some on a burger or chicken sandwich. I don't have any of those all that often. Not all ketchup is equivalent, either, although the major brands are all very similar. More on topic, I like how Mr. LargePizza's "... ought to clear that right up" is coming to fruition. Eh, fish in a barrel, really, but still ...

That doesn't seem to be her style; some of the pieces fit. Smokey was direct. OTOH, I don't see Liz having a driving urge to observe spells to copy them. Seems like something like that would have come up in conversations with Ashley, few though they were on screen in the comic.

Ketchup on Pizza? Who does that?

Liz rocks in panels 4 and 5. She should be Eliot's new sensei and train him to think issues through.

"Eh, Abraham had just attempted to murder a child and wasn't detained yet. In such a situation, basically any corrupt cop could get away with shooting first and asking questions later." He's still an alleged perpetrator until convicted by a court (aside from "It's in another universe, maybe the Constitution is different"). Edward is not even an eye witness (not that that would matter), all he has is a phone report of an incident (assuming nothing like scrying was used, but he could have some way of knowing more than is normally evident).