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Total Members Voted: 66

[KOK]

@BR - Except she didn't lie at all. Faye is definitely a friend and obviously she considered Dora one too or Dora's remark wouldn't have been so hurtful. Also, how is a coffee shop an unusual place to go to hang out with friends?

It is deception by implication. While technically true, it is meant to mislead. If you call that a lie is a matter of definition. It is definitely something you do not want your child to do (to you).

[Method of Madness]

I don't even see that, unless the reason she said that was Jim told her not to go there (did he?). In which case still not a lie, but a little sneaky.

[Lubricus]

...does Sam *have* friends?

Momo?

Seriously, we haven't seen any so far.

We have seen only a very tiny part af Samantha's life. We don't know anything about her friends.

Hence my "so far".

[Is it cold in here?]

We know she's OK at making friendly approaches and made friends with Momo quickly.

Creative tomboys, however, do not always lead easy lives socially.

[Welu]

I saw Sam's last line as just a guilt trip, considering panel 3a and 3b in this, I don't think she really considers Dora a friend. Sam obviously knows how to weasel her way around things, like a lot of teenage girls and she's trying to convince Dora to let her stay and/or not tell Jim she's at CoD.

Edit: Also there's this comic which shows Sam hasn't been completely honest with her father before.

Double edit: Sam was close enough with Padma to go hiking with her, also if I remember right it seemed implied Elliot had gone hiking with them too.

[ankhtahr]

I'm not sure if Jim is so happy about her going to the woman who gave her knives, a sword and a blowtorch to play with. On the other hand, of all the people who could give her knives, swords or blowtorches, why not Faye, at least she shows her proper handling of those. Well, maybe except the sword. Trying to play Fruit Ninja IRL and getting the sword stuck in the ceiling is something I would not consider proper sword handling.

[Border Reiver]

@BR - Except she didn't lie at all. Faye is definitely a friend and obviously she considered Dora one too or Dora's remark wouldn't have been so hurtful. Also, how is a coffee shop an unusual place to go to hang out with friends?

Faye was a babysitter, and Dora is a storeowner who very likely does not want to be the place where the tweens come to hang out and not buy product.  Liability and being  the responsible adult is a wench.  My wife used to run a pet store and absolutely hated when parents used the place as a babysitter - "Just wait here and watch the pretty birds/fish dear, Mommy/Daddy will be right back after I get the groceries done." 

[FunkyTuba]

I think it's an extension of the boss:employee::parent:child/sibling dynamic:

Dora, having gone on a date with Jim, attached herself to a potential stepmom role--at the boss=parent tier--which Sam then reinforced by denoting Dora as Jim's friend (not hers).

Faye then is set up to have a fellow employee == sisterly relationship with Sam

As for Sam, that usage, though wrong, is also well established in many circles, sometimes in specific idiomatic phrases like "the boy done good".

In fact, she's probably echoing a previous instance of hearing it from Faye.

[celticgeek]

You done splendid.

[JohnTheWysard]

@BR - Except she didn't lie at all. Faye is definitely a friend and obviously she considered Dora one too or Dora's remark wouldn't have been so hurtful. Also, how is a coffee shop an unusual place to go to hang out with friends?

Faye was a babysitter, and Dora is a storeowner who very likely does not want to be the place where the tweens come to hang out and not buy product.  Liability and being  the responsible adult is a wench.  My wife used to run a pet store and absolutely hated when parents used the place as a babysitter - "Just wait here and watch the pretty birds/fish dear, Mommy/Daddy will be right back after I get the groceries done."

She needed a sign:

UNATTENDED CHILDREN WILL BE FED TO THE PIRHANAS

[DSL]

@BR - Except she didn't lie at all. Faye is definitely a friend and obviously she considered Dora one too or Dora's remark wouldn't have been so hurtful. Also, how is a coffee shop an unusual place to go to hang out with friends?

Faye was a babysitter, and Dora is a storeowner who very likely does not want to be the place where the tweens come to hang out and not buy product.  Liability and being  the responsible adult is a wench.  My wife used to run a pet store and absolutely hated when parents used the place as a babysitter - "Just wait here and watch the pretty birds/fish dear, Mommy/Daddy will be right back after I get the groceries done."

CoD needs, and your wife's pet shop needed, the sign I saw recently on a sidewalk: "Any children left unattended will be given a double-shot mocha and a pet gerbil."

[Carl-E]

Came across this at the military vehicle shipping station in Baltimore, picking up a friends vehicle when they got back from HI;

[Shjade]

@BR - Except she didn't lie at all. Faye is definitely a friend and obviously she considered Dora one too or Dora's remark wouldn't have been so hurtful. Also, how is a coffee shop an unusual place to go to hang out with friends?

Except she both did lie and knew she lied. Otherwise she wouldn't have said "sort of" when asked if her Dad knew where she was. While it's possible she said that to indicate her Dad doesn't think Faye and Dora are Sam's friends, even in that case, knowing his thoughts on the matter, she intentionally misled him by telling him she was hanging out with friends. She may as well have said, "Not hanging out with Dora and Faye."

Also, given my vast experience with teenage girls, I guarantee you her "I am so emotionally damaged by what you have said to me with your words" response in the last panel is just classic puppy eyes guilt-trip material, not an indication of genuine hurt.

[Method of Madness]

If so, Jim should know better than to accept such a vague answer, then.

[Welu]

I'd say Sam, like many sitcom style teenagers, explained where they're going as they were running out the door. Also that's assuming she left home while Jim was home or she was at work with him.

[jwhouk]

You done splendid.

And you could look it up.

[Is it cold in here?]

Jim wound up feeling content with Samantha visiting CoD.

Good point about Dora not wanting all of Sam's agemates to wind up occupying the coffee shop.

[Kugai]

Show us your "Mum face", Dora!

Bullshit!  You don't scare me. Work on it.

[GarandMarine]

Ugh épée, proving that the small sword can actually be more pathetic and useless. Though it's not quite as disgusting as the bastard creation that is the fencing "saber". At least the small sword in it's original incarnation was about as lame as the épée or foil is presently and doesn't take the name of a proper combat weapon... not to mention ignore a good century plus of actual saber form.

Meh.... give me the British, 1796 pattern Heavy Cavalry Sword, a weapon only marginally more refined than an axe.

Not marginally, saber techniques survive to this day, the way to tell what was considered an unrefined weapon in Europe is if any one bothered to write down fighting techniques for it. Axes or smashing weapons like warhammers and maces? Nope, but there's tons of text on various forms of swordsmanship including longsword, zweihanders, rapiers, sabers, cutlasses and so forth. (The cutlass is on the edge of unrefined, it's the bastard offspring of a saber and a machete and it unsurprisingly not very complex to effectively employ, the reason written forms exist for it is military standardized training manuals.)

Show us your "Mum face", Dora!

Bullshit!  You don't scare me. Work on it.

My mum does scare me... concentrated centuries of Irish Catholic guilt. *shudder*

[Zebediah]

My mum does scare me... concentrated centuries of Irish Catholic guilt. *shudder*

Ah yes, powerful stuff. If they could weaponize that guilt, it would probably violate the Geneva Convention.

[jwhouk]

There's a reason why Ireland hasn't been attacked by a foreign power in centuries.

[Akima]

The cutlass is on the edge of unrefined, it's the bastard offspring of a saber and a machete and it unsurprisingly not very complex to effectively employ, the reason written forms exist for it is military standardized training manuals.

An odd quirk one often sees in English subtitles for Chinese wuxia movies is to translate 刀 (dāo) as "machete" in martial contexts where "sabre", "cutlass" or "broadsword" would be more appropriate. Of course 刀 can mean any single-edged cutting weapon or tool, including a machete, but as always in Chinese, context is everything. The dao was traditionally regarded as requiring less training to use effectively than the jian, which is probably why it gradually became "standard issue". The jian might be the Gentleman Of Weapons, but the dao is the General Of Weapons.

[GarandMarine]

There's a reason why Ireland hasn't been attacked by a foreign power in centuries.

....you mean aside from constant war and invasion by Great Britain?

The cutlass is on the edge of unrefined, it's the bastard offspring of a saber and a machete and it unsurprisingly not very complex to effectively employ, the reason written forms exist for it is military standardized training manuals.

An odd quirk one often sees in English subtitles for Chinese wuxia movies is to translate 刀 (dāo) as "machete" in martial contexts where "sabre", "cutlass" or "broadsword" would be more appropriate. Of course 刀 can mean any single-edged cutting weapon or tool, including a machete, but as always in Chinese, context is everything. The dao was traditionally regarded as requiring less training to use effectively than the jian, which is probably why it gradually became "standard issue". The jian might be the Gentleman Of Weapons, but the dao is the General Of Weapons.

Really? I've never noticed a dao getting labeled as a machete, and Kung Fu movies are one of my secret guilty pleasures. My small contact with dao in the martial arts world has always had them labeled as Chinese broadswords in my mind, even if they are functionally very different from the European version of a broadsword. Always been a fan of the jian though, beautiful weapon.

[Zwammy]

I saw one that said "Children left unattended will be given espresso and a free puppy".

[Kugai]

I've always felt the Gladius is a good close in/indoor/tight quarters fighting weapon.

[Is it cold in here?]

Well, but of course it's difficult to translate.

The dao that can be put into words ...

[TinPenguin]

There's a reason why Ireland hasn't been attacked by a foreign power in centuries.

....you mean aside from constant war and invasion by Great Britain?

Took the words from my mouth. Irish Catholic guilt is one thing, British Imperial guilt is another (and it comes weaponised on factory settings).

[Fen]

Is it normal to be that concerned for a 13-year-old? When I was her age I was running about freely =/. She's not exactly a preschooler.

[GarandMarine]

Shit I wish someone like Faye had been around to direct my creative energy into something awesome and interesting.

[Is it cold in here?]

My mum does scare me... concentrated centuries of Irish Catholic guilt. *shudder*

Ah yes, powerful stuff. If they could weaponize that guilt, it would probably violate the Geneva Convention.

They put the ire in Ireland.

[Skewbrow]

There's a reason why Ireland hasn't been attacked by a foreign power in centuries.

Nor snakes. Let's not forget the snakes.

Edit: Sorry, all. I forgot about the rule of no politics in WCDT.

[jwhouk]

Faye is doing WHAT to a WHAT, now?

[Loki]

The comic title is appropriate, as always.

[Akima]

The dao that can be put into words ...

    It is possible that I'm misremembering how often I heard "machete" or other inappropriate translations, but they certainly did it in the DVD release of House Of Flying Daggers, and used "chopper" in Reign Of Assassins.

Truck springs into swords? I once read a novel where the good guys built a crossbow with a truck spring. Faye could write a book: "The Lethal Leaf-Spring". I think she must be an avatar of one of the blacksmith-gods.

[Mr_Rose]

Spring steel is actually pretty good for swordsmithing; it already has the right mechanical properties for the core of the blade and the edges can be hardened from there using carbon from the fire easily enough. Plus it comes pre-packed in handy flat bars that are already roughly the right shape.

[J]

in nepal they use salvaged leaf springs to make khukris

[GarandMarine]

leaf springs are extremely popular for blade crafting. I have a leaf spring knife and I'll probably make myself a leaf spring sword just for the training exercise with various shop tools.

[J]

The dao that can be put into words ...

    It is possible that I'm misremembering how often I heard "machete" or other inappropriate translations, but they certainly did it in the DVD release of House Of Flying Daggers, and used "chopper" in Reign Of Assassins.

Truck springs into swords? I once read a novel where the good guys built a crossbow with a truck spring. Faye could write a book: "The Lethal Leaf-Spring". I think she must be an avatar of one of the blacksmith-gods.

they did it on junkyard wars too

[Border Reiver]

One question does spring to mind about Faye's proposed activity is why does Dora let her keep a small machine shop in the back room?

[Mr_Rose]

Because its not being used for anything else?

[Technoir]

Really? I just thought someone came in and vomited 70's all over her.

Mr Furley called. Even HE doesn't want that outfit back.

What, seriously? That dress is awesome. If there was one good thing the 60s/70s gave us it was clothes like that.
Also

What on earth is Faye wearing? Is this actually a style in the USA? The colour is good for her, but... It also seems to be "wear white belts to work day", and white belts are naff IMHO, but YMMV of course.

she's worn it before, back in October with 2289

It's not that I'm against retro-looking outfits, but I was born in 1970, and I had to live through that era. Once was enough.

Good catch on noticing that Faye'd worn it before. I usually have a good memory for that sorta thing, but I missed that one. I always get a little kick when she wears the Bear Monster shirt (cuz I haz one too!).  RAWR!

[jwhouk]

I was born in 1967. I had to WEAR that look. And watch my parents wear it, too. 

[GarandMarine]

you wore... ahem... old style dresses with a belt on the hips on a regular bases jwhouk? I mean I'm not judging, I'm running around in my kilt today (Yay spring!) but still...

[jwhouk]

No, just that ugly shade of green.

My mom wore dark blue with the same white fringes.

[Carl-E]

There was a (mercifully brief) time when damn near everything came with a white pleather belt...

I was born in '62.  I had to go through adolescence with that crap.  You should've seen the tux I wore to the junior prom...

[Border Reiver]

There was a (mercifully brief) time when damn near everything came with a white pleather belt...

I was born in '62.  I had to go through adolescence with that crap.  You should've seen the tux I wore to the junior prom...

Powder blue, extra wide lapels, with a pleated shirt pouffing out, white belt and shoes with a clip on powder blue bow tie?

Or reddish. a la "Murph and the Magictones" in the Ramada Room from the Blues Brothers?

[TinPenguin]

My mother recently apologised to me for the awful clothes she made us wear as kids.

[Carl-E]

More like cream colored tails, with bright green piping, mint colored ruffled shirt (not pleated - pleated was hard to find in colors  ), and bright green butterfly bow tie (matched the piping and cummerbund, of course). 

I was going for classy. 

[Pilchard123]

Nor snakes. Let's not forget the snakes.

What did St Patrick say when he was driving the snakes out of Ireland?

"Are yis alright in the back there, lads?"

[TRVA123]

I've got to "side" with Dora on this one, as a business partner and friend to Jim, she needs to contact him and tell him that Sam is at Coffee of Doom.

Sam is in Dora's coffee shop, and anything that happens to her there becomes Dora's responsibility. I think Faye's attitude towards Dora is undermining Dora's authority in Sam's eyes. That sort of attitude is fine between friends like Faye and Dora, but it is not at all fine between adult/owner and child.

idk, honestly if it were my situation, the minute that Faye says "lighten up Dora, she's not your kid" Dora should have agreed and told Sam that she had to leave the shop and couldn't come back without her father's explicit permission. Its harsh, but this precedent of Sam obscuring the truth and disrespecting Dora is not acceptable.

At the same time I can see where some people would chalk this up to Dora's control issues. But this is exactly the situation where those instincts become an asset as opposed to a liability. This isn't a social situation with a friend or lover, this is a business partners child.