How to tell Gnus not to try to send mails / postings while I'm offline?

All you've got to do is to tell Gnus when you are online (plugged) and when you are offline (unplugged), the rest works automatically. You can toggle plugged/unplugged state by saying J j in group buffer. To start Gnus unplugged say M-x gnus-unplugged instead of M-x gnus.

Note that for this to work, the agent must be active. More.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.