• The landlord of Marten's/Faye's/Hanners' apartment building decides to evict them as he's converting the building into condos. After protracted shenanigans, our heroes are allowed to stay, but soon the building is overrun with investment bankers and other rich scum.
Dora is such a boring mind. Coffee is fascinating!
The problem is, I see very little evidence of this rapid progress in the comic's setting,
Today's strip was odd. I find myself wondering how that conversation with Dora started in the first place. Did she ask? If she did, was it curiosity or was it a follow-up to something Clinton said? It certainly shows how much CoD has changed since Faye left - I couldn't see her letting him just stand there and exposit thus.
On top of that, if an AI created a device that no science can adequately explain, there's ten different reasons why this special device would not be crammed into consumer electronics.
I have to accept the poetic license of the world, which I'm prepared to do, but the comic that tries to be exposition-y and creates more issues than it solves kinda leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
On top of that, if an AI created a device that no science can adequately explain, there's ten different reasons why this special device would not be crammed into consumer electronics.
Not quite convinced, consider the work that's been done on genetic algorithms and evolved circuits - eg Thompson http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.50.9691&rep=rep1&type=pdf . There's a possible line of development there.
"It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed, the hands acquire shakes, the shakes become a warning. It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion."
I don't think it's prejudice, anymore, to be all "I'm surrounded by technology that I have no idea how it works and what it might do".Since we are all surrounded by people of whom it is equally true that we don't know how they work, and what they might do, I think it would qualify as prejudice if we applied different standards to AI sentient beings.
Instead of lithium, researchers at UC Irvine have used gold nanowires to store electricity, and have found that their system is able to far outlast traditional lithium battery construction. The Irvine team's system cycled through 200,000 recharges without significant corrosion or decline.
However, they don't exactly know why. The original idea of the experiment was to make a solid-state battery: one that uses an electrolyte gel, rather than liquid, to help hold charge. Liquid batteries, like the common lithium variety, are extremely combustible and sensitive to temperature. The Irvine team was experimenting by substituting a much thicker gel.
"We started to cycle the devices, and then realized that they weren't going to die," said Reginald Penner, a lead author of the paper. "We don't understand the mechanism of that yet."
... engineering usually *follows* theoretical science, not the other way around. Usually the process is well understood way before we can make it viable. The first atomic bomb operated on a fairly simple principle. Take two particles of a certain kind and smash them together. The problem was to get the particles to *do* that, and that cost a lot of time, money and thinking.
I don't think it's prejudice, anymore, to be all "I'm surrounded by technology that I have no idea how it works and what it might do".Since we are all surrounded by people of whom it is equally true that we don't know how they work, and what they might do, I think it would qualify as prejudice if we applied different standards to AI sentient beings.
The issue of battery-safety is a real one though, and has come up with proposed technologies (sodium sulphur batteries (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium–sulfur_battery), for example) in our world. However, it's important not to apply different, neophobic standards to new technologies from those we apply to ones we live with every day. I'm pretty sure that if someone proposed today a transport technology involving motor-cars driving around under unreliable guidance, with a tankful of highly inflammable, and in some circumstances explosive, liquid fuel, we would declare it too unsafe to be allowed.
If you think worldbuilding is more important than story, then maybe QC is not the comic for you.
Over analyzing is a fun game.
If you think worldbuilding is more important than story, then maybe QC is not the comic for you.
Note the rest of my comment: "with the caveat that Jeph is obviously more interested in funny storylines than in world-building. If the storylines are funny enough, we don't care about how unlikely they are."
I chose the Deathmøle option because, if Marten's story is to progress, Deathmøle is the most obvious vehicle.
If Jeph isn't just pulling our legs and Claire is on her fifth Mocha, then I strongly suspect that she's going to have visibly blurred edges and betalkingextraquicklyandinahigher-pitchevoice right now.
It's interesting that Clinton specifically says that Claire has a hard time differentiating 'helping' from 'manipulating'. One can't help but wonder how long this has been the case and why it came about. More fall-out from the example in life given to them by their absentee father? Was he manipulative and accidentally gave young Claire the idea that this was the way to work with people?
If Jeph isn't just pulling our legs and Claire is on her fifth Mocha, then I strongly suspect that she's going to have visibly blurred edges and betalkingextraquicklyandinahigher-pitchevoice right now.
From only five cups of coffee? Five cups is not that excessive.
If Jeph isn't just pulling our legs and Claire is on her fifth Mocha, then I strongly suspect that she's going to have visibly blurred edges and betalkingextraquicklyandinahigher-pitchevoice right now.
From only five cups of coffee? Five cups is not that excessive.
Not entirely sure since cappuccino is as exotic as I've been with my coffee consumption and it also depends on the blend. I had one cup of a Sumatran blend that allowed me to bend time once.
If Jeph isn't just pulling our legs and Claire is on her fifth Mocha, then I strongly suspect that she's going to have visibly blurred edges and betalkingextraquicklyandinahigher-pitchevoice right now.
From only five cups of coffee? Five cups is not that excessive.
10-20 espresso shots sounds wonderful, to be honest.
10-20 espresso shots sounds wonderful, to be honest.
But really, blurry vision is a pretty severe side effect.
(http://steelwhitetable.org/media/images/chocolate-frosted-sugar-bombs-calvin-hobbes-3.gif)But really, blurry vision is a pretty severe side effect.
It isn't her vision that's blurred; it's ours because she's vibrating at a high enough frequency.
I once got an iced drink with 12 shots of espresso (I had a free drink) and the barista was worried (she'd never made one with more than eight). I drank it, went back during lunch for an iced tea, since...well, I was thirsty. I thought maybe they'd given me half decaf or something, but she seemed genuinely surprised I hadn't completely crashed, so apparently not!
On top of that, if an AI created a device that no science can adequately explain, there's ten different reasons why this special device would not be crammed into consumer electronics.
Not quite convinced, consider the work that's been done on genetic algorithms and evolved circuits - eg Thompson http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.50.9691&rep=rep1&type=pdf . There's a possible line of development there.
Thanks for the link, JimC! Good reading!
My former coworkers at Nokia told me that story. When they reached the punchline in the end, and told the bit about how removing totally disconnect parts of the circuitry made it malfunction, I recall being impressed at first and a bit skeptical later. After all, it would have been very much in character for them trying to put a fast one by a math guy largely ignorant about EE. Not unlike other rookie tricks: "remember to lube the muffler bearings" or "you go fetch the keys to the trebuchet shooting range".
emily accidentally opened a portal to hell with her computerNew headcanon: The Phobos Anomaly is Emily's fault.
Or she will crash in about 2 and a half hours and sleep for like 20 hours.
Fairy Girl! Emily sees Fairy Girl!
Would I have been able to order it without the cream and sugar?I once got an iced drink with 12 shots of espresso (I had a free drink) and the barista was worried (she'd never made one with more than eight). I drank it, went back during lunch for an iced tea, since...well, I was thirsty. I thought maybe they'd given me half decaf or something, but she seemed genuinely surprised I hadn't completely crashed, so apparently not!
My first job had an "off-menu" drink called "the heart-stopper". We made it by sticking espresso shots in a part of the fridge where the water would freeze at the top and we could concentrate them further. A 16 oz cup had about 14 oz of this concentrated expresso, 2 oz of cream, and a dash of sugary flavour. For most of the time I had worked there, there was only one regular who I'd even serve them to. Then one day, I was dumb enough to say what it was to someone I knew. I broke down and served him after a week of begging and cajoling. He didn't sleep for two days, and his girlfriend said that he had *ahem* problems because of it.
My first job had an "off-menu" drink called "the heart-stopper". We made it by sticking espresso shots in a part of the fridge where the water would freeze at the top and we could concentrate them further. A 16 oz cup had about 14 oz of this concentrated expresso, 2 oz of cream, and a dash of sugary flavour. For most of the time I had worked there, there was only one regular who I'd even serve them to. Then one day, I was dumb enough to say what it was to someone I knew. I broke down and served him after a week of begging and cajoling. He didn't sleep for two days, and his girlfriend said that he had *ahem* problems because of it.
Would I have been able to order it without the cream and sugar?
Take the sugar, cream, and flavouring out of it, and that sounds amazing. Concentrated espresso is a brilliant idea. I am surprised and annoyed that in all my time as a coffee afficianado, including my time as a barista, I had not thought to try that. This must be corrected.
New headcanon: Emily is Garry.emily accidentally opened a portal to hell with her computerNew headcanon: The Phobos Anomaly is Emily's fault.
Do it Quentin
Climb the Asian giant
Do it Quentin
Climb the Asian giant
Take the sugar, cream, and flavouring out of it, and that sounds amazing. Concentrated espresso is a brilliant idea. I am surprised and annoyed that in all my time as a coffee afficianado, including my time as a barista, I had not thought to try that. This must be corrected.
This is not dissuading me from my point. I'm a fan of both.Take the sugar, cream, and flavouring out of it, and that sounds amazing. Concentrated espresso is a brilliant idea. I am surprised and annoyed that in all my time as a coffee afficianado, including my time as a barista, I had not thought to try that. This must be corrected.
I literally found too much coffee to have a larger immediate affect than some class A narcotics. Less of a comedown, mind :psyduck:
This is not dissuading me from my point. I'm a fan of both.Take the sugar, cream, and flavouring out of it, and that sounds amazing. Concentrated espresso is a brilliant idea. I am surprised and annoyed that in all my time as a coffee afficianado, including my time as a barista, I had not thought to try that. This must be corrected.
I literally found too much coffee to have a larger immediate affect than some class A narcotics. Less of a comedown, mind :psyduck:
If any character could see through the Fourth Wall as if it were a plate glass window, it would be Emily. She has the potential to be Questionable Content's Pinkie Pie.
No WTF Macchiato?
My archive-fu is failing me, but IIRC, Emily's attitude towards heels is "never again".
It says sad things about Claire and Clinton's relationship to date that he's expecting his sister's first reaction to be a tidal-wave of ironic abuse. Admittedly, Claire has given him reason to expect it. I'm glad that she's growing out of it and, for that matter, the Clinton is growing up too.
Well, I did say some time ago that Clinton's gender role models were probably pretty bad. No, according to orthodox social rules, males are not allowed to have any emotion except righteous anger. I've always found that ridiculous but I imagine that someone who wasn't raised by their mother in a single-parent family probably has a much harder time resisting that social programming than I ever did.My archive-fu is failing me, but IIRC, Emily's attitude towards heels is "never again".
For some reason, I've always imagined that Emily's only experience with heels was falling off of them. She has further to fall, after all!
Pintsize becomes upset because some artist in Boston has salvaged his Butt Rocket and is now passing it off as her own original work of art. He confronts her, but she's delighted to meet him and wants to team up for their next project - his transformation into a dildo chassis! It turns out her porn collection is both larger and weirder than his own and she has three exes who are all somewhat traumatized by having known her.She has a friend named Marcie who claims to have worked for a mysterious "Department of Irradiation", and owns an assortment of strange 'peripherals' for online interaction with her long distance boyfriend.
On top of that, if an AI created a device that no science can adequately explain, there's ten different reasons why this special device would not be crammed into consumer electronics.Not quite convinced, consider the work that's been done on genetic algorithms and evolved circuits - eg Thompson http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.50.9691&rep=rep1&type=pdf . There's a possible line of development there.
While some people try to think outside the box, Emily thinks outside the Solar System.No no, you are still thinking Euclidean Space.
Nobody explains this to guys!
QuoteNobody explains this to guys!
Wait, who explained this to Claire?
Nobody explains this to guys!
On top of that, if an AI created a device that no science can adequately explain, there's ten different reasons why this special device would not be crammed into consumer electronics.Not quite convinced, consider the work that's been done on genetic algorithms and evolved circuits - eg Thompson http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.50.9691&rep=rep1&type=pdf . There's a possible line of development there.
Hell, just look at how pharmaceuticals are released in our own world. Then there's the long-term ramifications of GMOs (some will be fine, others are more worrisome). Then there's the laws that get past.
"LOL, what are long term effects? I just want reelected and to find my golden meal-ticket."- some Congressman probably
Granted, I'd wager that the QCverse must have better politician. Either that or certain key families from our universe never came to power there, thus making things substantially better. Either way, I'm curious as to what sort of alternate history the QCverse clearly must have.
But during Claire's formative years, she would have been perceived, and presumably treated, as if she were male. When would she have received the cultural conditioning that a perceived-female does?
BLEMINDA RETURNS (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3126)
And she still likes large lattes.
I bow to your expertise. Thank you.
I think brains are as gendered as bodies (which is to say, yes there's a few differences and some of them are important, but mostly we can do the same day-to-day things).
As a general strategy, however, it's fairly useless to try to understand women.
Instead, for most purposes it's far better to concentrate on a simpler problem with a smaller scope; understanding the woman (or man) whom you are interacting with. Generalities are interesting, but specifics are vital.
BLEMINDA RETURNS (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3126)
And she still likes large lattes.
Is that the Bleminda from the past strip or the actual Bleminda that Emily might have mistaken her for?
BLEMINDA RETURNS (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3126)
And she still likes large lattes.
Is that the Bleminda from the past strip or the actual Bleminda that Emily might have mistaken her for?
I don't think there was ever an actual Bleminda. Emily seems to have made up the name as part of her training to sass the customers (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3113).
Once again, we are reminded that Emily exists in a unique world not entirely like that experienced by anyone else. I'm not even going to bother how a grizzly murder could be part of a 'meet-cute'. However, I can only assume that, if she writes fan-fiction, anything she posts under a 'romance' tag ends up being flagged to the moderators fairly quickly.
Now... Is Jeph confirming to us that Emily is still interested in Clinton and doesn't understand that she's been giving him 'no thanks' coded signals? I've been wondering that for a while now.
Meanwhile, Bleminda has started to forget that this isn't her name due to positive feedback (good coffee)/
So many problems could be avoided and replaced with other different problems.
A lot of problems could be avoided by keeping your mouth shut. Too.
BLEMINDA RETURNS (http://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3126)
And she still likes large lattes.
Is that the Bleminda from the past strip or the actual Bleminda that Emily might have mistaken her for?
I know someone who has a "coffee name." Whenever she orders a coffee, she gives her exotic coffee name instead of her real one. I always thought that was a neat idea, but it can kind of backfire if you're with someone who knows you but isn't in on this.
...give an ordinary name instead of my (unusual) real one to avoid confusionOne takeaway shop I worked in did none of these things, instead we put a description in the order book and worked from that. It was a distinct art! We didn't normally let on to customers that was how we worked. It was more normal round where we were in those days to hand out tickets with numbers on, and every now and then someone might ask if we were going to give them a number. Very often we'd oblige , and write down the number in the book along with the usual description. So the customer would be sitting there seeing all the other orders handed out without any apparent identification, and then when we got to them we'd call out the number without having done it for anyone else...
I think brains are as gendered as bodies (which is to say, yes there's a few differences and some of them are important, but mostly we can do the same day-to-day things).
As a general strategy, however, it's fairly useless to try to understand women.
Instead, for most purposes it's far better to concentrate on a simpler problem with a smaller scope; understanding the woman (or man) whom you are interacting with. Generalities are interesting, but specifics are vital.
I wish I'd said that. +1 Insightful, and may I please steal your first line for future use (with attribution)?
Once again, we are reminded that Emily exists in a unique world not entirely like that experienced by anyone else. I'm not even going to bother to ask how a grizzly murder could be part of a 'meet-cute' because I suspect that my brain wouldn't be able to follow Emily's chain of reasoning.
Romantic comedies with body counts: There's Heathers, and, um... :?Shaun of the Dead? And I disagree with Benergy, Scott Pilgrim absolutely had a body count.
Romantic comedies with body counts: There's Heathers, and, um... :?
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World had the potential to go there but didn't.
"Expository context"? Is Emily aware that she is in a comic or something?
Ohmygosh, this is really true? Women appreciate guys who show their feelings? I´m having a personal epiphany here.
I´ve been doing something wrong my whole life!
:wink:
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World had the potential to go there but didn't.
Haven't seen Scott Pilgrim, so was this
- because it wasn't romantic enough, or
- because no one died?
I recommend the comic series, the movie didn't do it justice at all. The comic series is a lot more nuanced with a lot more character development and deeper themes. The film is an incredibly shallow and pale shadow of the source material.Scott Pilgrim vs. The World had the potential to go there but didn't.
Haven't seen Scott Pilgrim, so was this
- because it wasn't romantic enough, or
- because no one died?
IMHO, it wasn't a romantic comedy at all but a rather surreal slapstick parody.
Shaun definitely counts as a horror rom-com. But sadly there's no grizzly murder meet cute.
Grosse Pointe Blank. Hit-man meets girl he dumped in high school, Hit-man decides not to kill her dad as he's been paid to do. Everyone else, though ...Doesn't he go to their high school reunion and tell more or less everyone he meets (and doesn't immediately have a gun battle with) that he is in fact a hitman? Like every scene here there isn't shooting, explosions, or both goes "hi, we were in shop together, I'm an engineer now, what's up with you?" "Not much really, just a mercenary assassin."
For an incisive critique of research on intrinsic sex differences in behavior, by someone with a ZoeB-grade mind, see
https://www.amazon.com/Brain-Storm-Flaws-Science-Differences/dp/0674063511/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474049641&sr=8-1&keywords=brain+storm+the+flaws+in+the+science+of+sex+differences
Bleminda revealed (https://twitter.com/SamMaggs/status/776634027679715329)
Why do people keep claiming that a macchiato contains two shots of espresso? I mean, it is if you ask for a double shot, sure.Agreed. A proper one has at least four.