Indeed. They were considered the classy way for women to smoke back in the day (first half of the 20th century mostly, particularly in ‘high society’ crowds). Audrey Hepburn and her contemporaries often had them in movies or photographs.
Also, it became something of the symbol of snotty, unpleasant Upper Crust European-types, the kind who also hold their ciggies betwixt the thumb and forefinger, instead of the American way between the forefinger and index finger, as it SHOULD be done……
Watch some old spy or WWII movie sometime, and watch the SS and Gestapo guys smoke.
thx for that information.
(as things happen, I am a germ and was at the army, where you still get order to smoke “camouflaged” outside, no matter if at any front or save and warm at a base. I think we are a bit, hm, fixed on that
Also what you describe as “Gestapo” style of smoking, has actually it’s reason.
People who work outside (constructions etc.) tend to smoke this way. When you turn against the wind and hold the cigarette by your thumb and first finger, you can cover the burning end from the wind also.
From a soldiers POV, you cover the burning end from sight as well.
Ok, its been bugging me a while; but after that last panel i really have to wonder what happened to his face to leave a scar that long. My favorite idea so far is that he got into an accident with a can opener.
Also… is that a monacle permanently imbedded into his eye-socket? Because it’s way bigger than his other eye, but it’s clearly wedged in there in a semi-permanent fashion.
I take it back. I quick trip through the archives reveals it is indeed working. Perhaps the monocle saved it, or a mad scientist made a successful transplant.
Hmm, looking at the color, I’d say it were some kind of chemical burn. A simple cut would heal over and turn skin colored again, but a burn could leave a colored scar. Maybe he tried to heat the can before opening it on the can opener, it exploded, and the burning lid dragged across his face leaving a burned scar.
Incidentally… he clearly doesn’t understand US politics. Shoving 16 politicians out of office due to scandals would make for a lot of great ratings on the news and talk shows, but it wouldn’t really upset the general population much. We sort of assume they’re all dirtbags with all kinds of salacious things in their closets anyway.
Showing us that our politicians are sleazy liars is kind of like showing us that Ke$ha uses autotune… it’s already obvious, we just already dislike them too much to care.
well in his plan he doesn’t want the public disturbed. He’s shoving off the 16 dudes who wouldn’t give him the password to their bases, by giving the dudes whose base he’s in the smut on the 16. (sorry for the reference, it snuck in…)
He’s basically choosing a team to sponsor and manage,
rather than destroy the corrupt system he abuses it worse (therefore better) than the competition
It seems from the comments about the coloration of the scarring that he MIGHT have been injured by a malfunctioning prototype of their laser rifles? Cut down the forehead, across the eyeball and down the cheek. And the monocle is an affectation, and despite Von Gernsbach’s genre savviness, he’s a slave to the cliche (just like his love of the Evil Overlord Rant).
About that scar :
In Germany of old, higher class students were engaged in ritualized sword play – academic fencing – and scars received were treated in a way to delay healing, so they stood off – as a kind of battle trophy.
A really rare thing today that lost its status in modern Germany after WW2.
This guy must have blocked a low blow with his left brow and ate the whole blade.
You might be surprised how much Germany and Japan has in common when it comes to rituals and virtues. Or better… HAD in common, as Germany lost a lot of that after WW2 and more after 1968 – because the Nazis used, played and betrayed the old virtues and used the rituals to substantiate their “culture” as based on knightly grounds.
I am a very oldfashioned german and I hate the Nazis for ruining german culture. (No, I don’t want monarchy back. I want honorable statesmen… Hahaha! Seems I’m quite mad for even dreaming of it!)
I hope he does release the information – and then suffers the great disappointment (as have other whistle blowers before him) when nothing happens. :-p
The reason for cigarette holders like this is twofold; it prevents nicotine stains on your fingers, and it greatly reduces the smell of cigarette smoke in one’s hair and clothing.
One old story has it that Hitler was a complete Nazi (ba dump bump) about smoking; even sending more than one high-ranking officer to the front lines because he could smell the smoke on them. Since then, it has become a staple of period films.
Another story has it that they were adopted by Nazi officers to thwart Allied snipers who could “hit a glowing cherry from a mile away”.
And here I always thought it was just a snooty fashion statement!
Heard about the Hitler thing–There’s an old movie [Was that Alec Guinness playing Adolf in "Hitler: The Last Ten Days"? Why Yes, it was!] about the last days in Hitler’s Secret Bunker that makes much ado about it–
As for the sniper thing, that may have actually started in WWI with the “Three on a Match” superstition, wherein snipers in the trenches were so accurate that nobody wanted to share a light with more than two other cigarettes, for fear that the third one would give the sniper the time needed to aim and shoot them.
But Wikipedia says that’s not necessarily true, either…..
What is he smoking? No, seriously, what is that thin, dark object he is smoking?
i believe that’s a cigarette holder.
Indeed. They were considered the classy way for women to smoke back in the day (first half of the 20th century mostly, particularly in ‘high society’ crowds). Audrey Hepburn and her contemporaries often had them in movies or photographs.
Also, it became something of the symbol of snotty, unpleasant Upper Crust European-types, the kind who also hold their ciggies betwixt the thumb and forefinger, instead of the American way between the forefinger and index finger, as it SHOULD be done……
Watch some old spy or WWII movie sometime, and watch the SS and Gestapo guys smoke.
thx for that information.
(as things happen, I am a germ and was at the army, where you still get order to smoke “camouflaged” outside, no matter if at any front or save and warm at a base. I think we are a bit, hm, fixed on that
forefinger and index finger are the same finger therefore Americans would have to use both hands to smoke
Also what you describe as “Gestapo” style of smoking, has actually it’s reason.
People who work outside (constructions etc.) tend to smoke this way. When you turn against the wind and hold the cigarette by your thumb and first finger, you can cover the burning end from the wind also.
From a soldiers POV, you cover the burning end from sight as well.
Thank you, All Three, for more info–
I just have what I’ve seen in movies to go by, especially since I don’t smoke, myself……
FDR used one, as well as Hunter S. Thompson.
Ok, its been bugging me a while; but after that last panel i really have to wonder what happened to his face to leave a scar that long. My favorite idea so far is that he got into an accident with a can opener.
Also… is that a monacle permanently imbedded into his eye-socket? Because it’s way bigger than his other eye, but it’s clearly wedged in there in a semi-permanent fashion.
No way is that eye still functional. It’s a patch, or some sort of glass eye.
I take it back. I quick trip through the archives reveals it is indeed working. Perhaps the monocle saved it, or a mad scientist made a successful transplant.
My favorite idea is that he got so angry that his monocle exploded. It ruined his eye and started his life of crime.
I know right that thing must’ve hurt like a mug. X(
Hmm, looking at the color, I’d say it were some kind of chemical burn. A simple cut would heal over and turn skin colored again, but a burn could leave a colored scar. Maybe he tried to heat the can before opening it on the can opener, it exploded, and the burning lid dragged across his face leaving a burned scar.
Or maybe he tried to microwave soup still in the can?
Incidentally… he clearly doesn’t understand US politics. Shoving 16 politicians out of office due to scandals would make for a lot of great ratings on the news and talk shows, but it wouldn’t really upset the general population much. We sort of assume they’re all dirtbags with all kinds of salacious things in their closets anyway.
Showing us that our politicians are sleazy liars is kind of like showing us that Ke$ha uses autotune… it’s already obvious, we just already dislike them too much to care.
Valid point–
Tho’ he seems a mite Power Hungry, himself, if ya’ ask me……
well in his plan he doesn’t want the public disturbed. He’s shoving off the 16 dudes who wouldn’t give him the password to their bases, by giving the dudes whose base he’s in the smut on the 16. (sorry for the reference, it snuck in…)
He’s basically choosing a team to sponsor and manage,
rather than destroy the corrupt system he abuses it worse (therefore better) than the competition
This is the wiki leaks guy on steroids
Or perhaps the eye has been replaced by a cyborg eye like in terminator.
Persoanlly, I think the top of the can permanently embedded itself during the Whole Nasty Can-Opener Incident–
Which would explain a LOT about this Nut…..
DRAT!
I hate the way you can’t go back and correct the spelling on a comment after it’s posted!
It seems from the comments about the coloration of the scarring that he MIGHT have been injured by a malfunctioning prototype of their laser rifles? Cut down the forehead, across the eyeball and down the cheek. And the monocle is an affectation, and despite Von Gernsbach’s genre savviness, he’s a slave to the cliche (just like his love of the Evil Overlord Rant).
Well, he almost sounds like he is a good guy – a bit on the extreme though.
hma, extreme “good” is just another variant of evil. Even if he wasn’t up to all that for egoistic reasons
Stampers Saverem :
>DRAT!
>I hate the way you can’t go back and correct the spelling on a comment
>after it’s posted!
Yeah, same over here.
About that scar :
In Germany of old, higher class students were engaged in ritualized sword play – academic fencing – and scars received were treated in a way to delay healing, so they stood off – as a kind of battle trophy.
A really rare thing today that lost its status in modern Germany after WW2.
This guy must have blocked a low blow with his left brow and ate the whole blade.
if it is from a burschenschaft, the extension must still be accidential (never seen a schmiss so huge)
*OUCH!*
German Aristocracy and Anime Heroes–
Who’d think they’d have something in common, as in Ritual Scarring?
You might be surprised how much Germany and Japan has in common when it comes to rituals and virtues. Or better… HAD in common, as Germany lost a lot of that after WW2 and more after 1968 – because the Nazis used, played and betrayed the old virtues and used the rituals to substantiate their “culture” as based on knightly grounds.
I am a very oldfashioned german and I hate the Nazis for ruining german culture. (No, I don’t want monarchy back. I want honorable statesmen… Hahaha! Seems I’m quite mad for even dreaming of it!)
“Honorable Statesmen” don’t seem to be around very much these days, in ANY country!
As for Japan, they’ve lost a few things to Capitalism in modern times, methinks.
I think Honorable statesmen may be an oxymoron…..sadly, just about every country is infested with dishonorable politicians……..
I hope he does release the information – and then suffers the great disappointment (as have other whistle blowers before him) when nothing happens. :-p
Yep–Just the usual reaction these days……
[Except that there will probably be a few Ne'er-do-wells out there with way too much time on their hands who'll start up a Conspiracy website for 'im]
The reason for cigarette holders like this is twofold; it prevents nicotine stains on your fingers, and it greatly reduces the smell of cigarette smoke in one’s hair and clothing.
One old story has it that Hitler was a complete Nazi (ba dump bump) about smoking; even sending more than one high-ranking officer to the front lines because he could smell the smoke on them. Since then, it has become a staple of period films.
Another story has it that they were adopted by Nazi officers to thwart Allied snipers who could “hit a glowing cherry from a mile away”.
mnem
[IMG]http://i1183.photobucket.com/albums/x462/mnemennth/TheMoreYouKnow.jpg[/IMG]
And here I always thought it was just a snooty fashion statement!
Heard about the Hitler thing–There’s an old movie [Was that Alec Guinness playing Adolf in "Hitler: The Last Ten Days"? Why Yes, it was!] about the last days in Hitler’s Secret Bunker that makes much ado about it–
As for the sniper thing, that may have actually started in WWI with the “Three on a Match” superstition, wherein snipers in the trenches were so accurate that nobody wanted to share a light with more than two other cigarettes, for fear that the third one would give the sniper the time needed to aim and shoot them.
But Wikipedia says that’s not necessarily true, either…..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_on_a_match_%28superstition%29