Dick Tracy by Mike Curtis and Charles Ettinger for August 11, 2014

Tracy is on the ball!

Good morning from Vista Bill

Two sets of codes?

Axel is even more devious than most of us thought.

That should trigger some serious action once Axel figures out Tracy is no longer under his mind control.

Does this mean that he can give different instructions to each person?

Tracy’s explanation is not as clear as it could be, but in any case I am relieved that he didn’t succumb to the hypnotic state, but worried that being free of the hypnosis/mind wipe, he can’t pick up on the secondary instructions hidden in the daily code messages…. Time for some action, Annie and Tracy!

I need a decoder for that explanation, Officer Tracy!

I don’t think I get it. What does Tracy mean when he says, “If Axel sends a message to Officer Tracy, I won’t get it.” Maybe I’m slow, but it doesn’t make sense to me.

@NightShade09 – In case you missed Sam Tomaino’s answer to your question late yesterday, “Drinking the Kool-Aid” refers to that horrible tragedy that occurred in Guyana back in 1978 when the “Reverend” Jim Jones got his followers to drink poisoned Kool-Aid and commit mass suicide. Included among the 918 dead was US Congressman Leo Ryan. The incident has been declared by several people, including survivors, not mass suicide, but mass murder. However you look at it, it was one of the greatest tragedies involving the loss of civilian life in US history.

Hmmm, my decoder ring keeps coming up “Slow as Molasses”. Wonder why? LOL!

Really enjoying this storyline.

Leapin’ linguine! I’m confused!If the code numbers in the secret message are the same as last time, and the code numbers are instructions, how can it have individual instructions? Better check with my decoder ring…

O.K., I admit I’m lost on this also. First of all, how were Annie and Tracy able to resist the hypnotic state when they listened to the radio broadcast? For that matter, Annie never seemed to be affected by it – how did she resist it?Then, this business of the code looking like a commercial (which it definitely did yesterday) but it really isn’t, but it sends instructions to the people, but now, not to Officer Tracy. This needs clarification!

Okay, I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that didn’t get it. I hope Mike can clarify this point for us soon.

Good morning fans. The plot thickens and gets murky!

I count 7 of us who are having a problem with Tracy’s explanation. Don’t get me wrong, I’m loving this story, but I think this point definitely needs clarification.

My take is that each person in town has a certain code number. When that number is read, instructions are given to the person who corresponds to that number. The broadcast is 15 minutes long and everyone listening is in a trance. Instructions to several people could be given during this time. If instructions are given to Officer Tracy and he doesn’t follow those instructions, Axel will know he is not under the spell.

I don’t fully understand how the hypnosis works, but don’t think we’re supposed to at this point. The radio show runs for 15 minutes every day. Everyone in town listens to it, unaware of its impact. Could it be that the show makes listeners believe it is 1944 and that the decoder badge, used during commercials, sends individualized messages? Axel is a sly villain, me thinks.

Relative to whether Jonestown is US or Guyana history, Jim Jones was an American, as were many of his “followers” who were recruited from a city in Calif. near SF. Their names were garnered from criminal history “rap” sheets, provided by a person not authorized to release said data, who eventually was prosecuted. So it is indeed US history, additionally because a US Congressman was killed and his aide, now a Congresswoman, was seriously wounded. Now, back to the Neverending story.

Decode the message…we’ll have to wait and see..TBC..

Could this be a behind the scenes look at how Team Tracy comes up with story advancements?

Just asking!

When the decoder badges were issued, maybe each individual was given one specifically programmed for them. That way each person would decipher the broadcast and receive a different message.As far as Annie not being affected, it could be possible that she writes down the message, then decodes it later. My guess is that the mind control is acheived when the decoder is used simultaneously with the radio broadcast. There could be an inaudible signal emitted from the badge and the Belinda program/programme that triggers the brainwashing.Since Annie seems immune to its influence, she might be able to use “Officer Tracy’s” badge and decode the message for him. That way Tracy could pretend to follow Axel’s scheme without raising a red flag.I do have one question. Are the Silos actors or are they the real (brainwashed) deal? If they were imposters it would seem Annie would have noticed it immediately. Is she playing along so Axel won’t get suspicious?

Okay. Morbid curiousity time. What movie is that scene of Donald Sutherland from?(And it’s in 3-3-3 D-D-D!)

How sad that some STILL feel the need to insult Dick Locher.

One more thing, anyone who thinks it’s Ok to try and tarnish Dick Locher should consider putting themselves in a timeout Box.

The mention of bad taste jokes about Jonestown reminds me of one, shortly after the massacre. On their Weekend Update bit, Saturday Night Live showed what had become a familiar picture of Jim Jones wearing sunglasses. Jane Curtin, as if reading the news said, “Chuck Barris is in town with another game show.” There was a gasp and boos from the audience. Curtin broke character to say, “I don’t write ’em folks.”

B-E S-U-R-E T-O D-R-I-N-K Y-O-U-R K-O-O-L A-I-D