Topic: WCDT 2116-2120 (6-10 Feburary 2012) QC in SPAAAAAAACE! Week 3 (Read 88768 times)

Truec · « **Reply #150 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 16:39 »

Quote from: sitnspin on 08 Feb 2012, 11:58

I have never once used "iPod" to refer to any music player that wasn't actually an iPod. Then again, I don't really use any other brand names as synonyms for generic products. I am starting think I am weird for that.

Not even Band-Aids? Because I have never once met somebody who actually calls them adhesive bandages.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #151 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 16:50 »

Quote from: DSL on 08 Feb 2012, 15:18

That's better than the couple episodes of the Glen Larson version of "Buck Rogers" in which Buck or Wilma visited the "Archives." The Jerry can on the side of the stagecoach, the hair dryer that was called an "early hand laser" ...

Or for that matter, Futurama. "We're whalers on the moon, we carry a harpoon! But there ain't no whales so we tell tall tales and sing our whaling tune!"

RyanW1019 · « **Reply #152 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 17:41 »

Question: When does the UStream generally go live? Never watched it before.

akronnick · « **Reply #153 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 17:52 »

Depends on when Jeph is drawing the comic.

Jeph has a bit of a weird sleep schedule and usually draws the comic late in the evening, after 11pm Eastern, posting it as soon as it's done.

This week he has been doing the Ustream in the morning and posting the comic around 9-10pm.

Jeph's sleeping pattern is something he struggles with constantly, and I sympathize with him because it is something that I have problems with myself

RyanW1019 · « **Reply #154 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 18:01 »

Thanks. So did I miss it today already?

akronnick · « **Reply #155 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 18:04 »

Yeah, he did it this morning.

The best way to keep up with the Ustream is to follow Jeph on Twitter.

RyanW1019 · « **Reply #156 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 18:06 »

Again, thanks.

Wreck Smurfy · « **Reply #157 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 18:38 »

Wow. I guess I'm a bit surprised that I've been reading QC a bit longer than many of the regulars here. I don't remember exactly the first strip I read, but I do remember that the banner ad I clicked on to bring me here (from Something Positive?) featured art from this strip: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=272, (specifically, the second panel) so I guess I've been reading since sometime in the early 300s.

And I still look forward to it every weekday morning. Great work, Jeph, including this arc. WHEEEE!

Method of Madness · « **Reply #158 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 19:10 »

I've been reading since the 800s or so, but I remember the exact comic that was my first exposure. I just have to find it.

(one brief archive peek later)

I'm pretty sure it's this one, http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=726, which means I've been reading a bit longer than I thought! That was the newest comic when I first looked at the site, and I immediately read the archive over the next day or two. I joined this forum in December of 2010, I guess I started posting regularly a few months later, and I became a mod in January 2012, also known as "a few weeks ago".

RyanW1019 · « **Reply #159 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:29 »

This was my first comic: http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2002

That puts me, what, sometime back in October? Anyway, I caught up fast; I Archive Binged through all 2000+ comics in (I kid you not) two VERY unproductive days. Just now getting into the forums.

Sorflakne · « **Reply #160 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:44 »

Wait what? Station has stocks?

Why would an AI need stocks?

akronnick · « **Reply #161 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:49 »

Quote from: Sorflakne on 08 Feb 2012, 20:44

Wait what? Station has stocks?

Why would an AI need stocks?

Sound investment strategy.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #162 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:49 »

Station has about six hundred million in stocks. I'm assuming that's a negligible amount, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Hannerdad's personal wealth was in the trillions. Also, I like that she was so surprised that her hair undid itself.

ducktape · « **Reply #163 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:49 »

Quote from: Sorflakne on 08 Feb 2012, 20:44

Wait what? Station has stocks?

Why would an AI need stocks?

I first read that as "socks." Confusion ensued.

It may be a result of the entire company's progressive stance toward AI rights, though I as well am not sure what a space-locked AI would do with approximately $605 million.

sitnspin · « **Reply #164 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:52 »

Quote from: Truec on 08 Feb 2012, 16:39

Quote from: sitnspin on 08 Feb 2012, 11:58
I have never once used "iPod" to refer to any music player that wasn't actually an iPod. Then again, I don't really use any other brand names as synonyms for generic products. I am starting think I am weird for that.
Not even Band-Aids? Because I have never once met somebody who actually calls them adhesive bandages.

That might be the exception, but I can't recall the last time I actually used it in a conversation. I generally think of them as "bandages."

sitnspin · « **Reply #165 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 20:53 »

Oooh! Offend me next!

Wait. That makes the total stock value equal to roughly 605 million dollars. I would have thought it would be worth more than that.

EDIT

Okay, that is in his PERSONAL stock holdings. That makes much more sense, or at least as much sense as can be made when an AI owns stock in the company that designed it. That is what I get for reading so late. I am somewhat amused by the idea of an AI being rich but having no real concept of the value of money, but then there are people who are the same way and they are much less amusing.

ducktape · « **Reply #166 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 21:05 »

It may be that Station only has stock as a symbolic, AI-rights sort of thing. As previous posters have said, Station's personal(?) wealth probably doesn't get used for much.

Near Lurker · « **Reply #167 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 21:13 »

Quote from: ducktape on 08 Feb 2012, 21:05

It may be that Station only has stock as a symbolic, AI-rights sort of thing. As previous posters have said, Station's personal(?) wealth probably doesn't get used for much.

That's a lot of money for a token gesture, even for a big company.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #168 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 21:18 »

For Hannerdad? This is just speculation, but it's probably not. Hell, Mark Zuckerberg's token gesture was a sixth of that. Sure, he's rich, but he's probably not Hannerdad rich.

sleypy · « **Reply #169 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 21:20 »

Quote from: BoDJangles on 08 Feb 2012, 21:13

That's a good point. I mean, what *would* an AI like Station spend money on? He's in a weird pseudo-state of being both an employee and part of a valuable piece of corporate property AND the only thing keeping a hundred or so important people alive. He probably gets all the upgrades he wants free of charge, and I'm sure he can already plug himself into any hardware he likes on, er, himself, so he'd never have Momo's situation of wanting a new/better chassis.

I will assume that he uses his money to run a number of charitable organizations on Earth until evidence to the contrary arises.

Upgrading business class seats to first class.

iduguphergrave · « **Reply #170 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 21:29 »

If A.I. have the same rights then it makes sense that they're entitled to all the ways humans make money, including the right to own stock. He gets treated like any human would. Just because he doesn't need basic necessities doesn't mean he doesn't have anything to pay for; what if he wanted to form his own company for whatever reason? He'd definitely need money then.

soren121 · « **Reply #171 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 21:33 »

I think we should talk about that MAGIC UNFOLDING HAIR BUN.

WAYF · « **Reply #172 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 22:05 »

I like Jeph saying "Have you ever surprised a lady so hard her hair exploded?" on Twitter.

Well, I haven't personally, but I think Jim came fairly close...

Carl-E · « **Reply #173 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 22:32 »

I like the shuttle poster in her room.

"Aim HIGH... or ELSE"

Diin · « **Reply #174 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 22:42 »

Quote from: iduguphergrave on 08 Feb 2012, 21:29

... what if he wanted to form his own company for whatever reason? He'd definitely need money then.

And there's the mental image of a giant spaceship with its giant velvet chair holding a business meeting.

Then again, what are the capacities for Station's holograms? Can they only be projected inside the station, or...?

Gilthwixt · « **Reply #175 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 22:43 »

Assuming Ellicott-Chatham Technologies is worth roughly the same as Apple was last summer (approximately 301 Billion USD), that would put Station's ownership at 0.2%...seems reasonable for the "person" running the whole Space Station.

Truec · « **Reply #176 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 23:03 »

Quote from: Gilthwixt on 08 Feb 2012, 22:43

Assuming Ellicott-Chatham Technologies is worth roughly the same as Apple was last summer (approximately 301 Billion USD), that would put Station's ownership at 0.2%...seems reasonable for the "person" running the whole Space Station.

He stated that the 4.6 million he transferred to her was .76% of his shares. That means Station alone owns shares totaling more than $500 million.

So either he owns a sizable portion of the company (maybe he designed the station before transferring himself into it?), or the ECT is much, much bigger than Apple.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #177 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 23:08 »

We've already established his shares as about $600 million, which would be about .2% of $300 billion. We don't know that he owns .2% of ECT, and we don't know its total market cap. I do agree though that it's most likely in the trillions, though.

Soulsynger · « **Reply #178 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 23:13 »

Now that's what I call "please-don't-hold-a-grudge"-bribery.

Also, Lt. Uninhibited is cute with open hair and an expression of bafflement.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #179 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 23:16 »

Maybe Station is trying to head off a sexual harassment lawsuit. If so, the amount implies that laws are stricter in the QC universe.

AIs have free will, so you have to do something to secure their loyalty. Or their discretion.

Asking what an AI would do with $600 million invites the question of what a human would do with it.

Soulsynger · « **Reply #180 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 23:19 »

Quote from: BoDJangles on 08 Feb 2012, 23:18

I'm very glad that Jeph is planning to keep things in space for a while. I like all these new characters already!

For a while...

... or permanently? *doooooooooooooooooooom*

Method of Madness · « **Reply #181 on:** 08 Feb 2012, 23:36 »

In space, no one can hear you *doooooooooooooooooooom*

Arancaytar · « **Reply #182 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 00:07 »

Quote from: Method of Madness on 08 Feb 2012, 20:49

Also, I like that she was so surprised that her hair undid itself.

At least it didn't spontaneously turn into a cockatoo pompadour.

dreed · « **Reply #183 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 01:08 »

She is definitely going to get in trouble for that. She is military and now just received a money from someone who she supposed to monitor. even 1000 extra dollars on her account would be hard to explain.

this
will not only end her military career but can result in USA taking all those shares back from her resulting in her being a)completely broke with debts b)without job c)no pension of any kind d) a possibility of a jail time in military prison

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #184 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 01:27 »

I wondered about that too. Ellicott-Chatham lawyers might help.

Delator · « **Reply #185 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 01:47 »

Quote from: dreed on 09 Feb 2012, 01:08

She is military and now just received a money from someone who she supposed to monitor. even 1000 extra dollars on her account would be hard to explain.

That has not been stated as being any part of her duties...in fact, panel 2 of #2114 states that Station and Lt. Potter are essentially coworkers.

Besides, even if the USAF had anything to say about it, I'd guess a word from The Doc would clear everything right up. It helps to have friends in high places (no pun intended), especially when they have access to a bottomless pit of money.

akronnick · « **Reply #186 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 01:55 »

She should just run for Congress. She'll be fine.

dreed · « **Reply #187 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 02:07 »

@Delator @Andy147

You are concentrating on a wrong thing. It is not important what is exactly her job on the station (although she was supposed to monitor incoming guests to the station)
she, as a military person, who just received millions of dollars while on duty as a member of american military force. That is definitely not going to be seen as innocent gesture by her superiors as you seem to believe.
Was it a bribe?
Why she even accepted it?
Did she betray any military secrets?
Does she do her duties correctly or was she supposed to not see something because of that money?

Military can probably take all that money away from her probably while at the same time kicking her out (or worse) from the service.

Of course it all depends how much power the doc has over usa government.

cpflux · « **Reply #188 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 02:13 »

"Official" first comick: http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1313

Followed by a period of apathy, until...

Second comick: http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1334

At least, as far as I remember.

Also, boob mole!

StevenC · « **Reply #189 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 03:11 »

What does an AI do with stocks?

snubnose · « **Reply #190 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 03:25 »

I dont get todays Comic.

Why does an AI hold money ?

Why does an AI give THAT much money away ?

It all doesnt make sense.

pwhodges · « **Reply #191 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 03:40 »

It doesn't make sense in our world. We are learning a bit more about the QC world.

akronnick · « **Reply #192 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 03:46 »

It's already been established that AIs can hold money during the "Momo Gets a Job" arc.

If they can have money, there's no reason they can't have a shitload of money!

Soulsynger · « **Reply #193 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 04:07 »

Quote from: snubnose on 09 Feb 2012, 03:25

I dont get todays Comic.
Why does an AI hold money ?
Why does an AI give THAT much money away ?
It all doesnt make sense.

In a world where AIs have been granted a majority of the rights of humans, the two are pretty much interchangable on most counts, don't you think? Including "reasons to have money".

An AI holds money because a human does. It might've been given that money for working on a space station much like a regular person (and over time converted it into shares by buying them) ...
It probably sees the "giving" as an act of good will and doesn't/can't comprehend the implications of such an amount because as an AI it has no sense of worth in the way of "how much does living cost"?

btw...

Code: [Select]

If     0.76% => 4.600.000 US-$  ("4.6 million dollars")

then      1% =  4.600.000 x ( 1 / 0.76 ) = 6.052.631,579 US-$

ergo    100% =  605.263.157,9 US-$

Now... is my math faulty or do I just not see the "billion"? °O

Somebody · « **Reply #194 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 04:28 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 08 Feb 2012, 23:16

Maybe Station is trying to head off a sexual harassment lawsuit. If so, the amount implies that laws are stricter in the QC universe.

AIs have free will, so you have to do something to secure their loyalty. Or their discretion.

Asking what an AI would do with $600 million invites the question of what a human would do with it.

But what would a computer do with a lifetime supply of chocolate?

Delator · « **Reply #195 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 04:37 »

Quote from: dreed on 09 Feb 2012, 02:07

@Delator @Andy147

You are concentrating on a wrong thing. It is not important what is exactly her job on the station (although she was supposed to monitor incoming guests to the station)
she, as a military person, who just received millions of dollars while on duty as a member of american military force. That is definitely not going to be seen as innocent gesture by her superiors as you seem to believe.

If she had been given that money by a human while Earthside, you'd have a point.

She was given the money by an AI while in orbit...and off duty, i might add, unless being half dressed in your own quarters counts as on-duty these days.

I'm pretty sure her CO is not so daft as to assume that the AI upon which all their lives depend is for some reason going to subvert station operations via bribery to a low ranking officer. Considering their physical autonomy, it probably never gets farther up the chain than that.

Hell, for all we know, Station already told him about it and received approval.

Quote

Military can probably take all that money away from her probably while at the same time kicking her out (or worse) from the service.

My guess is Station himself has probably set things up in such a way as for that to be impossible. They might kick her out of the service (not bloody likely...pretty sure Jeph doesn't give two shits about this notion), but the money's probably untouchable in a legal sense.

daryljfontaine · « **Reply #196 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 04:51 »

LOVE the hairsplosion.

Art speculation: That little photo to the right of Lt. Potter's calendar -- a younger Sam? If so, perhaps she's the Lieutenant's favorite niece or something. The situation doesn't fit Potter being Sam's mother.

We all know how small details can come back to be plot points later...

D

Skewbrow · « **Reply #197 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 05:09 »

Quote from: Soulsynger on 09 Feb 2012, 04:07

btw...
Code: [Select]
If 0.76% => 4.600.000 US-$ ("4.6 million dollars") then 1% = 4.600.000 x ( 1 / 0.76 ) = 6.052.631,579 US-$ ergo 100% = 605.263.157,9 US-$Now... is my math faulty or do I just not see the "billion"? °O

That 605 million dollars would be the value of Station's share of E-C technologies. Those who have commented on HannerDad's net worth first attempt to guesstimate the percentage of the stock owned by Station. 0.1 per cent might be in the ballpark. In that case Station offered Ltn Potter 0.76% of 0.1% of HannerDad's company making the company worth 605 billion. Of course, that 0.1% figure could be too high or (less likely IMHO) too low. We have no way of knowing.

dreed · « **Reply #198 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 05:19 »

Quote from: Delator on 09 Feb 2012, 04:37

If she had been given that money by a human while Earthside, you'd have a point.

She was given the money by an AI while in orbit...and off duty, i might add, unless being half dressed in your own quarters counts as on-duty these days.

I'm pretty sure her CO is not so daft as to assume that the AI upon which all their lives depend is for some reason going to subvert station operations via bribery to a low ranking officer. Considering their physical autonomy, it probably never gets farther up the chain than that.

Hell, for all we know, Station already told him about it and received approval.

She is on duty. She is always on duty when being stationed. That's being part of military. She gets time to relax, free time but she is never off-duty when being stationed. Just like soldiers ain't off-duty when playing pool in Iraqi base.
so
she is off-duty as in having free time for herself during that particular part of the day
but she is on-duty by being part of military on assignment. Two different on-duty concepts.
not sure how being on orbit changes anything tough?
Why would CO agree? Where is the gain for him/for military in that? I can only see drawbacks.

Quote

My guess is Station himself has probably set things up in such a way as for that to be impossible. They might kick her out of the service (not bloody likely...pretty sure Jeph doesn't give two shits about this notion), but the money's probably untouchable in a legal sense.

probably true if he is 'smart' enough to do that. he does act a bit reckless so we can't be sure he did all proper paperwork (she is going to have to pay tax on that and IRS will check everything very carefully. You can't just give 4 million dollars worth of stocks to someone)
but it is possible.

There is also another problem.

Most lotto winners lose the money fairly quickly. Some even kill themselves because they can't handle so much wealth. It depends on how rich she/her family was before and how well she can handle this situation but the odds are against her.

Spiff · « **Reply #199 on:** 09 Feb 2012, 05:38 »

Have you considered that we don't know if she has accepted the apology or if she even gets anything. Station could easily trick her.

Station: "Blink once for 'go fuck yourself', twice for 'apology accepted'."
.
.
.
Station: "Alright, so you want me to 'fuck myself' twice."

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

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Author Topic: WCDT 2116-2120 (6-10 Feburary 2012) QC in SPAAAAAAACE! Week 3 (Read 88768 times)

Gilthwixt