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Hannelore is on the space station for her dad's birthday party

5 (13.2%)

Another impromptu party in the centre of town (no beer sledding, alas)

1 (2.6%)

A busy day at Coffee of Doom

9 (23.7%)

Bubbles takes Faye to a robot night-club to show her how synthetics party

2 (5.3%)

Either Elliot or Clinton or both take Roko to a human night-club to show her how humans party

4 (10.5%)

There is a party at the apartment; lots of people show up

0 (0%)

The town fayre has come around and Faye wants Union Robotics to have a presence there

4 (10.5%)

Opening night at the LEGAL Ultimate Robot Fighting Championship

11 (28.9%)

Other (specify in comment)

2 (5.3%)

Total Members Voted: 37

[brasca]

Dropping out of lurking mode to ask - is the bald guy with a mustache supposed to be a famous historical mathematician or physicist?  He's wearing kinda an old-fashioned suit, so that was my first thought. 

Maybe it's supposed to be Max Planck?  He has the bald head, the mustache, usually wore bow ties for pictures, and was German after all.

I thought he was Marigold’s Dad, but his business is shoes not physics.

[Killspree]

Forgot to mention it earlier but the Coffee of Doom power ranger suit would pair well with a Skullmaster helmet.

[TV4Fun]

I'm wondering if Emily may be part Senor Cardgage.

[OldGoat]

???

But the first syllable of Marigold IS Marr... not Mare.

Eh?  So in your neck of the woods they call the flowers "marr-i-golds," not "mare-i-golds?"  Perhaps this is still another example of USAians and Brits being two peoples separated by a common language, but the latter is how it comes out on this side of the pond where the story is set.

The given name Mary is sometimes reduced by dropping the final Y so it comes out sounding like "Mare" (a she-horse).  It doesn't shift to "Marr."  It may sound different closer to the Prime Meridian.

[Wombat]

I assumed that Mar-bear would be pronounced with the first syllable rhyming with "bear," because that's how nicknames like that work in my experience. Meredith-> Mer-bear, Tara-> Tar-bear; but like with those examples, the spelling can be confusing because the syllable is pronounced differently in the name as a whole than it would normally be read if it was just those letters.

[DSL]

This is hilarious. Wonder why Jeph would be angry at the comic (see rant line). The only thing I can figure is there's an error in the "Lorentz factors" on the board, or in calling the "Lorentz factors." Not that I would know.

So I am left to wonder (and this is why I think the comic is hilarious): What is in the cup?

[Perfectly Reasonable]

New comic.
I am scared, creeped out, and excited --- all at once.
[edits]
Since Jeph has made no real attempt to obscure the blackboard equations, I am forced to conclude that they are the Real Thing and not high class handwaving. Now if only I could have a chat with Emily about the Riemann hypothesis...

[cesium133]

New comic... I have to admit that I at first thought Philip Patrick Paul Peterson was a shrunken Elliot.

[brasca]

And now we get to see what Brun and Renee are up to since the last time.

[jwhouk]

Let's not get all negative over Paul, now.

[shanejayell]

Well, Brun is back... 

[Toe]

Did Jeph just decide to forget whatever storyline he was working on before and do random "let's see what X is up to" stuff until he comes up with a new storyline idea?

[DaiJB]

"Not gonna make space in my head to remember that..."     I do like Brun...


BTW, I think Peter's fighting a losing battle getting anyone to remember his real name - potential running gag?:

"Who's that guy?"
"Who - Philip?"
"Is that Philip - he's Renee's internet hookup isn't he?"
"I thought Renee's internet hookup was Paul..."
"No, Patrick is Renee's internet hookup - that's Peter..."
"Who's Peter?"
"That guy over there."
"Him? That's Perrin, isn't it?"...
 

[TV4Fun]

Anyone remember Roko? Anyone at all?

[BenRG]

After I read this strip for the first time on Patreon, several things came to my mind:

• It's easy to forget but this is actually Renee's apartment; Brun is just staying there until she gets back onto her feet, financially, after the fire so it's up to Renee who she invites in;
• Despite everything, it's possible to interpret Peter's words in panel 4 as just teasing proportionate to Brun's 'I won't bother learning your name until you're a regular' (if it were a crack rather than literally how her brain works - Peter doesn't know that of course);
• The eyes are treacherous and, frankly, harder to control that I, for one, would like.

All that set aside, the biggest flaw in Peter in this, his first appearance, is this: He's breaking what I consider to be the first commandment of even casual hook-ups: "Thou shalt not openly flirt with others whilst with your current partner, no matter the context or location." For that alone, I think Renee's anger is justified. That's setting aside her oft-expressed concerns about people exploiting Brun.

That said, there is a definite reflection of that one-night stand of Marten's where the two of them had trouble remembering the other's name and we all remember how well that worked out for Marten. I wonder how much alcohol was involved... and I find myself wondering whose toothbrush Peter is using here!

[OldGoat]

Well, Brun is back... 

And Renee is back to being an asshole.  (She's jealous over a guy whose name she can't remember.)  Her consistent kindness to Brun is the only credible evidence that she has any redeeming social value.

[Loki]

Hm.

After much thinking, I can finally lay my finger on what is bothering me. Rene is angry at Brun for walking around in her underwear, but not angry at Peter for doing exactly the same (as far as we have seen so far).

[Thrillho]

Yeah, quite the heteronormative perspective on nudity that Renee has there.

Also she has no ties to this guy. He is literally described as her internet hookup.

[JoeCovenant]

???

But the first syllable of Marigold IS Marr... not Mare.

Eh?  So in your neck of the woods they call the flowers "marr-i-golds," not "mare-i-golds?"  Perhaps this is still another example of USAians and Brits being two peoples separated by a common language, but the latter is how it comes out on this side of the pond where the story is set.

The given name Mary is sometimes reduced by dropping the final Y so it comes out sounding like "Mare" (a she-horse).  It doesn't shift to "Marr."  It may sound different closer to the Prime Meridian.

I'm STUNNED at this...
(No, seriously...)  I can't say I've ever heard any of my USer-type friends say the name Marigold, but your description above seems so un-natural to me to be almost unbelievable!
BUT I will also say I've never heard them say Mary in the way you describe either... an that's my mum's name, so that I have heard!

You guys need to choose an accent! 
(Says the Scot!)

[traroth]

This Parsifal guy seems to be nice, actually...

[traroth]

Renée has internet hookups. And is all over any guy who even only talks to Brun, like Clinton, who she accused of harassing Brun, even if he only tried to be helpful. That's more than protective, that's condescending. She seems to be convinced Brun cannot take care of herself.

[Case]

New comic... I have to admit that I at first thought Philip Patrick Paul Peterson was a shrunken Elliot.

Remember to stretch your internet hookups after washing!

[Milayna]

I didn't know anyone pronounced it anything other than mare-i-gold. Ya'll weird. Though I've been reading the nickname as marr-bear since there's no vowel to make the a long, and the other way sounds too close to "care bear".

I see people are still getting polarized over Renee, somehow, and I still don't really get it. She's in the range of normal human behavior, even without considering this is a slapstick comic that can extend the normal social rules somewhat. *shrug* Of course there's the current of condescension toward Brun though I think this strip is more just in line with how she usually is.

Also I wonder if Brun helped pick this one

[Case]

Yeah, quite the heteronormative perspective on nudity that Renee has there.

Also she has no ties to this guy. He is literally described as her internet hookup.

"Did you bring enough hookups for everybody, Renee?"

[BenRG]

Actually... whose toothbrush is Peter using? That's a bit of an imposition there (unless he actually brought an overnight bag just in case he 'struck lucky' or something). Using others' hygiene tools without so much as a by-your-leave is a bit of an asshole move, IMO at least.

[Milayna]

Is...is...sticking someone else's...toothbrush...in your mouth...a common enough thing, even as a jerkwad move, that you wouldn't automatically assume he brought his own? O_o

[sitnspin]

And Renee is back to being an asshole.  (She's jealous over a guy whose name she can't remember.)  Her consistent kindness to Brun is the only credible evidence that she has any redeeming social value.

I am honestly perplexed how, given anything we have seen thus far about her relationship with Brun, you could interpret this as jealousy and not Renee being protective of Brun.

[traroth]

Obviously, Piotr won't be invited over ever again...

[pwhodges]

So there (probably) was a period when you'd hear a lot of German on US physics campuses

These days they'd be ticked off and told to use English in order to integrate (socially) better.

[pwhodges]

I didn't know anyone pronounced it anything other than mare-i-gold. Ya'll weird.

I say it with the first syllable having the vowel of "hat" - (for a UK value of "hat", of course).

[pwhodges]

Is...is...sticking someone else's...toothbrush...in your mouth...a common enough thing, even as a jerkwad move, that you wouldn't automatically assume he brought his own? O_o

Just a hint: don't watch Nisemonogatari, as I think it would shock you...

[Tova]

I'm just going to have a chuckle at the comic and let all of these reactions through to the keeper today.

[Zebediah]

Personally I’m hoping this is the beginning of an arc where Brun goes apartment-hunting. It’s long overdue.

[TheEvilDog]

And that's when Renee and Brun whack Pedro over the head with a shovel and bury him with the other Pauls, Peters, Phillips, Pascals and Pongos in the cellar.

[Tai Fanboi]

All the hate on Renee for being jealous.  I think it's more trying to be protective of Brun as she always had.  She's in her underwear next to an internet hookup who's making a joke or possibly hitting on her.  They might not know what type of guy Pavlov is, so while Brun in her underwear seems in her mind like another Thursday, depending on the situation he could see it as a little more than that maybe.  I mean, I would think there's some basic vetting going on through IM's between Renee and her hookups, but even then it's hard to do online. 

[BenRG]

I'm starting to get a feeling that 'Other' is the right answer for the poll. I'm suspect that we're going to be following Brun to The Horrible Revelation and her interactions with people there. Maybe she's decided that Renee is getting all the fun or maybe something Peter says to her will strike a chord and make her decide to be proactive.

Will she ask Elliott or Clinton to be her 'Not an Internet Hook-Up' or something similar? I'm sort of hoping so if just for the comedic potential of their reactions!

[Is it cold in here?]

Why would anyone arrange an internet hookup and not have a spare toothbrush on hand?

[traroth]

All the hate on Renee for being jealous.  I think it's more trying to be protective of Brun as she always had.  She's in her underwear next to an internet hookup who's making a joke or possibly hitting on her.  They might not know what type of guy Pavlov is, so while Brun in her underwear seems in her mind like another Thursday, depending on the situation he could see it as a little more than that maybe.  I mean, I would think there's some basic vetting going on through IM's between Renee and her hookups, but even then it's hard to do online.

That's the whole point: Renée has no problem with having fun herself, but is protective with Brun to the point most people would feel belittled.

[sitnspin]

That's the whole point: Renée has no problem with having fun herself, but is protective with Brun to the point most people would feel belittled.

The two have nothing to do with each other. Renee isn't stopping Brun from hooking up, she's never even suggested that Brun can't do so if she chooses. This isn't Brun pursuing a sexual relationship and Renee getting in the way. This is Renee stopping a dude from creeping on her friend.

[Oenone]

That's the whole point: Renée has no problem with having fun herself, but is protective with Brun to the point most people would feel belittled.

The two have nothing to do with each other. Renee isn't stopping Brun from hooking up, she's never even suggested that Brun can't do so if she chooses. This isn't Brun pursuing a sexual relationship and Renee getting in the way. This is Renee stopping a dude from creeping on her friend.

This. Also, keep in mind Brun is sleeping on a couch. He’s creeping on her friend who feels safe enough at Renee’s to sleep in underwear but who does not have a room to go to to get away from a creep. I’d be annoyed too.

Also, we don’t know if he’s a good person. Maybe he was a jerk and Renee is over his shit and wants him to get out. She doesn’t look like someone who had an awesome time.

[Toe]

Is...is...sticking someone else's...toothbrush...in your mouth...a common enough thing, even as a jerkwad move, that you wouldn't automatically assume he brought his own? O_o

Why would anyone arrange an internet hookup and not have a spare toothbrush on hand?

I never really saw occasional toothbrush sharing as that big of a deal. I mean, it's safe to assume that they've been swapping far more spit (and probably other bodily fluids) by more direct means...

[Timemaster]

If Peter/Patrick/Philip is an experienced hooker-upper and tinderist, he has brought his own toothbrush to the date. 
In my wild years I used to carry a foldable toothbrush with me most of the time. Not so much for the (unlikely) possibility of hookups, more for unexpected partys and not beeing able to drive home the same evening.

Aaah, those were the days...

TM

[OldGoat]

I didn't know anyone pronounced it anything other than mare-i-gold. Ya'll weird. Though I've been reading the nickname as marr-bear since there's no vowel to make the a long, and the other way sounds too close to "care bear".

Give the time-line, it probably is a rif on "care-bear."

WRT the toothbrush - Since he's an Internet hook-up, it's probably safe to assume he and Renee have been playing a prolonged game of tonsil hockey at the very least, so sharing a toothbrush would be trivial.

[Magniras]

Is...is...sticking someone else's...toothbrush...in your mouth...a common enough thing, even as a jerkwad move, that you wouldn't automatically assume he brought his own? O_o

Just a hint: don't watch Nisemonogatari, as I think it would shock you...

That's one scene, and it would shock a lot of people for a different reason.

[pwhodges]

Indeed.

As an observation on the side, the toothbrush scene becomes more understandable (and interesting) when you read the book (it's available in English).

[Milayna]

Well in fairness face-mashing sounds pretty gross to me too, especially if it's someone that you don't even know off the internet. Grosser even than putting "other body parts" in your mouth, especially since those are actually stimulating. Not sure why you'd even engage in tonsil-jousting with someone you weren't emotionally connected to at all, but ehhhh.

May be even easier to just leave the toothbrush at home and wait to rinse till you get back. Not like your teeth are going to fall out if you wait a couple extra hours, or even a couple days, depending on travel time and how long you expect to ride that particular meat train.

Though I guess if you intended to dive back in quickly being minty fresh might be a sellpoint

[NemesisDancer]

Actually... whose toothbrush is Peter using? That's a bit of an imposition there (unless he actually brought an overnight bag just in case he 'struck lucky' or something). Using others' hygiene tools without so much as a by-your-leave is a bit of an asshole move, IMO at least.

Probably a spare one (as toothbrushes often come in multipacks).

[Tova]

If jumping to conclusions is exercise, then reflecting is stretching. It prevents you from getting too tense.   

“In the absence of data, we will always make up stories. In fact, the need to make up a story, especially when we are hurt, is part of our most primitive survival wiring. Mean making is in our biology, and our default is often to come up with a story that makes sense, feels familiar, and offers us insight into how best to self-protect.”
― Brene Brown, Rising Strong

[Thrillho]

Why would anyone arrange an internet hookup and not have a spare toothbrush on hand?

If a grown-ass adult is staying at my house they bring their own toothbrush or have morning breath the next day.

You'd have to get a lot of toothbrushes if you hook up on a regular basis, otherwise they're all using the same one.

Is...is...sticking someone else's...toothbrush...in your mouth...a common enough thing, even as a jerkwad move, that you wouldn't automatically assume he brought his own? O_o

Why would anyone arrange an internet hookup and not have a spare toothbrush on hand?

I never really saw occasional toothbrush sharing as that big of a deal. I mean, it's safe to assume that they've been swapping far more spit (and probably other bodily fluids) by more direct means...

Take it from me, I enjoy the fluids of others. The little bits of left over food in their teeth, though? I'm good.

[Oenone]

 

Decaying food bits omg