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Bradley, Chadley, and Thadley

Bradwick, Chadwick, and Thadwick

Braddeus, Chaddeus, and Thaddeus

Eric, you fool, the bros are not of House Bros, they are mere pretenders!

Purple Monkey Hamwasher for Space Dishes

[Neko_Ali]

It is clear that Jeph's Butts Disease is acting up again. Maybe there was a full moon out when he wrote this script.

[Bollthorn]

It is clear that Jeph's Butts Disease is acting up again. Maybe there was a full moon out when he wrote this script.

I see what you did there 

But yes, dat ass :3

[TheEvilDog]

By the 60s, the printing technology still meant that the quality of the inks and paper meant the inks were prone to running and so capitalised letters still kept their legibility.

Curiously, I have read that research into the legibility of text demonstrated that all lower-case text was easier to read in poor print quality, since it is less dense and has more distinctive letterforms.

It depends, as many companies tended to be "draw up, scale down" in their operations, so it was basically who would scale down the lettering and keep it legible. Marvel had more success than DC did for some time.

I mean, the technology has improved in leaps and bounds since the days of pulp paper and runny ink printed en-masse. Today, lettering is done by computers and the materials are significantly better than they were.

I think I know the research you've read, and it does make a fair point, but another study suggested that readability decreased with length of sentence. Rather, the idea is that caps worked fine for a visual medium like comics, but you go for mixed case for something like a novel.

But the idea of all uppercase standing for shouting is actually a recent phenomenon, with the rise of emails and the internet in popularity in the last couple of the 90s. Before that, it was considered a more polite, though uncommon way to write things, especially for left-handed writers, architects and people with horrendous hand-writing.

[fayelovesbubbles]

Bubbles definitely has a nice, dare I say, bubble booty.

[izerth]

But the idea of all uppercase standing for shouting is actually a recent phenomenon, with the rise of emails and the internet in popularity in the last couple of the 90s. Before that, it was considered a more polite, though uncommon way to write things, especially for left-handed writers, architects and people with horrendous hand-writing.

The rise of the email in the 60s and 70s actually reduced the conception of caps as shouting, since early computers often did not have the option of lower case.   The first known use of caps as shouting is from 1856 in the Washington DC newspaper the Evening Star, well before the internet.

[ronbo]

I think someone needs to inform McKayla Maroney that it is on.

[Akima]

And I'm pretty sure they consider the real life robot sex dolls to be sexually objectifying, at least when the robots look like women.

Well, sex-dolls are sexually objectifying, but then they are inanimate objects. In the QCverse, sentient AI people complicate the issue in that some people see them as objects in a way that they don't see human beings (see the remark above comparing Bubbles to a shop-window dummy), and yet AIs as sophisticated as Bubbles are thinking, feeling, sentient beings surely as worthy of respect as we meat-bags. In a sense, all physical attraction is based on objectification, but I think it becomes objectionable if people are seen primarily (and often only) as sexual objects.

On a tangent, I was pleased to see Tai looking more recognisably like Tai again.

On a chord, I suppose Jeph had to find a way to make clear that Dora was bringing a non-alcoholic drink to the party to head off all the "OMG! DORA IS GIVING BOOZE TO AN ALCOHOLIC" reactions, but it's a bit uncool to announce it like that. Better just to hand over the bottle of apple-juice, and pass over the reason in silence, I think.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

To be fair, my only problem with Comic Sans is that it looks bloody awful.

Seconded. It just plain looks bad.

If one absolutely NEEDS something that looks kinda like Comic Sans, a much better designed alternative is Comic Neue: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Neue .

Now I'm curious as to what you all think of Anime Ace.

Anime Ace looks like a creditable effort. Alas, it seems to be upper case only. I'm thinking of doing manga translations, and for that I want upper and lower case. (Full disclosure: I have used MS Comic Sans before I knew of alternatives.)

[TheEvilDog]

Wow, really early comic tonight.

And I guess they'll need to take care of Dora.

[Tova]

I found the answer!

"I am a font of merriment and good cheer."

Forget Comic Sans, we have Akima. 

[QuestionableIntentions]

Plot twist: Hanners and Bubbles explain, entirely serious, that they are not. The rest of QC consists of the robots take over by subtle and not so subtle means.

[Random Wanderer]

The rest of QC consists of the robots take over by subtle and not so subtle means.

You say that as if that hasn't been the plot of the entire comic already. 

[Tova]

Plot twist: Hanners and Bubbles explain, entirely serious, that they are not. The rest of QC consists of the robots take over by subtle and not so subtle means.

Close. What will actually happen is that Hanners and Bubbles will laugh. Yes, they will cry! Of course we are just kidding!

Later, Dora will mysteriously have no memory of her toast, and will never mention the robot hegemony again.

*cough* Obviously there is no robot hegemony plot and I don't mean to imply otherwise.

...

[dreed]

Haha.  I love the page.  And the fact that it's implied that Han would be privy to robot uprising.

[Method of Madness]

but it's a bit uncool to announce it like that. Better just to hand over the bottle of apple-juice, and pass over the reason in silence, I think.

Wait, what? She just said that it was sparkling apple juice and apologized for not helping with the move. It's not like she said "here's apple-juice, IT'S NOT CHAMPAGNE, WINK WINK!" Unless there was another text change and I missed it?

(Also sparkling cider is gods damn delicious, I prefer the taste of it to champagne)

[Tova]

Appletiser has been a popular sparkling apple juice in Australia for a long time. It is pretty tasty. There is Grapetiser as well.

[War Sparrow]

Re: Non alcoholic champagne alternatives

I had apple cider wine or something at one point, and I don't recall the cidery. It bothers me.
If you are in Maple country (Or at least Ottawa) you can get sparkling maple sap. I highly recommend. For those unfamiliar, maple syrup comes from boiled sap, and it takes 40 buckets of sap to make 1 bucket of syrup. So they take the unboiled sap, add some CO2, and Bob's your uncle. 

Bubbles has nailed the deadpan, hasn't she?

[Squiddlywinx]

Hanners is gonna be fine since she got a cybernetic teleportation implant. She's more machine than man now.

[DSL]

It is clear that Jeph's Butts Disease is acting up again. Maybe there was a full moon out when he wrote this script.

It's just a phase.

[Squiddlywinx]

It is clear that Jeph's Butts Disease is acting up again. Maybe there was a full moon out when he wrote this script.

It's just a phase.

 

[Gyrre]

for little kids who had not yet learned to read Mixed Case?

I don't get this. Do kids not learn mixed case from the very beginning? Why would kids learn with all caps?

It'd make about as much sense as Common Core education°.

 ° The 'Common Core' education system was created by a comitee of 297 people, only 2 of which were educators. Both of educators strongly advise against the implementation of Common Core education. And, Common Core's biggest proponents send their kids to private schools that refuse to implement it.

[Nycticoraci]

If Hannelores dad is considered the God of AI, is Hannelore Jesus?

[brasca]

Robot Hegemony?  Please that's so pretentious.  Call them Spookybot.  Dora already met them even if she was knocked out the whole time. 

[Method of Madness]

Wait, that's who they're talking about?

[Tova]

I can neither confirm nor deny that.

[Akima]

Forget Comic Sans, we have Akima. 

Very droll.

A robot hegemony would be fine until a civil war broke out over how to pronounce hegemony...

(click to show/hide)

I was taught to pronounce it with a hard g.

[Tova]

What? I thought it was a hedge o' money!!*

* Just kidding**.
** Kind of kidding. I did think that the first time I saw the word, how ever long ago that was.

P.S. The comic kind of reminds me of this scene from Moana (first 20 seconds or so).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-TQs2bOdbc

P.P.S. Sorry about the terrible joke.
P.P.P.S. Okay, both of them.

[BenRG]

We are reminded of something important here: A universal in-joke that everyone knows to play along with is indistinguishable from objective reality. Bubbles' deadpan delivery doesn't make it any easier. I suspect that Faye will be urgently demanding a reply to her question, based on her expression!

Meanwhile... Am I the only one slightly puzzled by Dora needing Tai to act as memory backup? It's cute but Dora is usually so detail-oriented that I can't help but wonder if she has something else on her mind.

[TinPenguin]

I got the impression Dora hadn't thought to ask the name of the company, but luckily for her Tai had managed to acquire the saving knowledge.

[Gyrre]

If Hannelores dad is considered the God of AI, is Hannelore Jesus?

Don't be silly. She'd be 'Yeshua', not 'Jesus'.



Also, theologically speaking, that's a "no". Since Hanners and her dad are two entirely separate beings as opposed to being two parts of the same trinity (see the term "god head"). The deeper stuff is kind of hard to wrap your head around at first. Ravi Zacharias helps.

[BenRG]

If Hannelores dad is considered the God of AI, is Hannelore Jesus?

She's certainly a celebrity of sorts amongst some AI, based on May's reaction to the first time they met 'in the flesh', as it were. Whether there is anything further than that, Jeph hasn't specified. The possibility that AIs consider her a kind of 'sister' is my headcanon and not shown in the strip in any way of which I am aware.

Also, theologically speaking, that's a "no". Since Hanners and her dad are two entirely separate beings as opposed to being two parts of the same trinity (see the term "god head"). The deeper stuff is kind of hard to wrap your head around at first. Ravi Zacharias helps.

Not all Christians accept the teaching of the Trinity as being anything but recycled Babylonian paganism adopted for marketing reasons.

[pwhodges]

but it's a bit uncool to announce it like that. Better just to hand over the bottle of apple-juice, and pass over the reason in silence, I think.

Wait, what? She just said that it was sparkling apple juice and apologized for not helping with the move. It's not like she said "here's apple-juice, IT'S NOT CHAMPAGNE, WINK WINK!" Unless there was another text change and I missed it?

(Also sparkling cider is gods damn delicious, I prefer the taste of it to champagne)

Does the US call sparkling apple juice "cider", then?  Where I live, cider (or occasionally "cyder") is an alcoholic drink made from fermenting apples, stronger than beer and sold as a minority alternative to it.

[BenRG]

In the US, 'cider' does not automatically mean an alcoholic drink, no. There have actually been some incidents on trans-Atlantic children's TV as a result of this linguistic quirk.

[Nycticoraci]

If Hannelores dad is considered the God of AI, is Hannelore Jesus?

Don't be silly. She'd be 'Yeshua', not 'Jesus'.



Also, theologically speaking, that's a "no". Since Hanners and her dad are two entirely separate beings as opposed to being two parts of the same trinity (see the term "god head"). The deeper stuff is kind of hard to wrap your head around at first. Ravi Zacharias helps.

I'll be honest, I was actually joking .

Personally I think a more likely Jesus candidate would be if Hanners dad successfully completed a human->machine upload, and uploaded a copy of himself to a machine. Then we have the father and the son. Station is totally the holy ghost.

That said, current research puts doubt on how likely non-destructive complete scan technology might be, so the possibility of a digital copy might be moot. Whether it is possible or not, there's a number of interesting ethical conundrums either way.

[Morituri]

Does the US call sparkling apple juice "cider", then?  Where I live, cider (or occasionally "cyder") is an alcoholic drink made from fermenting apples, stronger than beer and sold as a minority alternative to it.

It's ... regional.  'Applejack' is a term that's completely unambiguous in the US for alcoholic cider.  If you just say 'cider', you'll get applejack in small patches of the south and midwest, apple juice on either coast, or apple juice mulled with spices (and ideally served hot) in the midwest to north. 

It's also seasonal.  Cider is juice mulled with spices and served hot in the coldest months of the winter, even in places where it's just juice, and served cold, for the rest of the year.

If you want to be sure, you can ask for "mulled cider" or "apple juice" or "applejack". 

And of course the sparkling apple juice that gets bottled with carbonation is a much newer invention which is none of these things.

[Tova]

Well, whatever the name... enjoy the bubbles, Bubbles.

[Stoutfellow]

"Hard cider" is also unambiguous for alcoholic cider. (I don't recall ever hearing "soft cider", though; but my memory in this respect may be faulty.)

[cesium133]

Pintsize told her. It's coming in July, so she doesn't really have enough time to stop it anyway.

[Neko_Ali]

I swear we've had the cider discussion here before. Cider in the US usually refers to the liquid of pressed apples. Mostly available seasonally in the fall, as it is generally not overly processed and sweetened like apple juice. It also tends to be a darker brown color rather than light amber like apple juice. It is non-alcoholic. Hard Cider is the alcoholic version of it, or as mentioned in some places it's called Applejack. I've never heard it called that along the East Coast.

Sparkling cider is what Dora brought. It's filtered and often sweetened like apple juice is, then carbonation is added to make it look similar to a champagne/sparkling wine.

[TheEvilDog]

I swear we've had the cider discussion here before.

Yes, yes we have had this discussion before. And the exact same things were said then too.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.

[Neko_Ali]

Okay, I wasn't sure if that was deja vu again or not...

[pwhodges]

Unlike some alcoholic drinks, my memory does not improve with age...

But at least I can still recall my name.

[Storel]

Okay, I wasn't sure if that was deja vu again or not...

"It's deja vu all over again!" -- Yogi Berra

[Kugai]

Now we know what the Spookybot Hive Mind is the  beginning  of

[SubaruStephen]

Forget Comic Sans, we have Akima. 

Very droll.

"akima" would actually be a good name for a font.

[Storel]

Forget Comic Sans, we have Akima. 

Very droll.

"akima" would actually be a good name for a font.

Yes, but it would have to have both Chinese and Australian characteristics... somehow. 

[Perfectly Reasonable]

I for one welcome our new robot hegemons.

...
There are some interesting First Name logos out there.

[Storel]

I for one welcome our new robot hegemons.

Fortunately, it appears we don't have much to worry about in our universe... yet:

An AI invented a bunch of new paint colors that are hilariously wrong

There are some interesting First Name logos out there.

Nice! I had to disable my ad-blocker to see any of them, though.

[JimC]

... And the exact same things were said then too.

You must admit it would be distinctly disturbing if completely different things had been said back then.

[jwhouk]

Forget Comic Sans, we have Akima. 

Very droll.

"akima" would actually be a good name for a font.

Yes, but it would have to have both Chinese and Australian characteristics... somehow. 

Inverted Chinese?