THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)
Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: jwhouk on 28 Jan 2012, 19:43
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And here we go with the SECOND week of "QC in SPAAAAAACE!".
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Did you put Cleese in because he'd be "something completely different"? 'Cause that's why I voted for him. Also, here's one vote from Hanners (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=978) for Hawking.
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oh gross nooooooo!
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Bill must be visiting from Station Alpha Beta
Hope HannnerDads Station isn't over Macho Greande.
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Me 2.
But what if HannerDad has ... uploaded, and we won't really see "him"?
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That makes so much sense.
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Visualised as Holodad.
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Bill must be visiting from Station Alpha Beta
Hope HannnerDads Station isn't over Macho Greande.
I KNEW I forgot one! Thanks!
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Bill must be visiting from Station Alpha Beta
Hope HannnerDads Station isn't over Macho Greande.
I KNEW I forgot one! Thanks!
*Bows Courtly Style*
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Comic up! Space station donut shaped! Spaceship in no hurry to dock! I'll stop using exclaimation points now!
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For someone who complains so insistently about his own art quality, Jeph sure doesn't spare many expenses.
I mean, wow.
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Looks like they need to wait quite a while ...
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Looks like someone is gonna get defraged.
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Was the pilot deliberately giving them more chances to look at the station?
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Probably. Just like Scotty in ST:TMP.
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Was the pilot deliberately giving them more chances to look at the station?
Probably just taking time to align and synchronize the orbits. There is a reason it takes a spacecraft two to three days after launch to reach the ISS.
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Was the pilot deliberately giving them more chances to look at the station?
Probably just taking time to align and synchronize the orbits. There is a reason it takes a spacecraft two to three days after launch to reach the ISS.
Well, then Hanner's "Bad spaceship!" was just impolitely uncalled for.
But I love how she treats unbelievably advanced technology like pets or childhood toys. ... that basically seems to be what they were and always will be for her. A thought I adore, actually. :)
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Why aren't Marten and Marigirl taking continuous snapshots?
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Well, then Hanner's "Bad spaceship!" was just impolitely uncalled for.
But I love how she treats unbelievably advanced technology like pets or childhood toys. ... that basically seems to be what they were and always will be for her. A thought I adore, actually. :)
"Bad spaceship! No Spaceship treat!"
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Why aren't Marten and Marigirl taking continuous snapshots?
Holowang-camera. Films it.
But actually, you're right. And its something that gets me all the time as well. When I'm having an awesome time, I always forget to take pictures. Or to remind anyone else to take some.
Afterwards, I usually kick myself for it. As will those two. And nobody will believe them when they tell the story. (Is it all maybe just a dream?)
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Visualised as Holodad.
or downloaded into robodad.
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There is a reason it takes a spacecraft two to three days after launch to reach the ISS.
Enormously more primitive launch technology than is available to J E-C? I'm sure Hannelore knows the drill, and she was obviously surprised. She can probably compute orbits in her head. Skewbrow would approve. :-D
So Jeph opts for the classic "Wheel In Space". You can't go wrong with the classics. Or lens-flare.
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I was hoping for a 2001 double wheel, still its pretty and classic.
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There is a reason it takes a spacecraft two to three days after launch to reach the ISS.
Enormously more primitive launch technology than is available to J E-C? I'm sure Hannelore knows the drill, and she was obviously surprised. She can probably compute orbits in her head. Skewbrow would approve. :-D
Absolutely. :-D
But do any of you have an idea, how much manouverability something like a space shuttle has, when attempting to dock? If there is a speed difference of 80 meters per second (or about 1 per cent of the orbital speed, or 180 mph), can you still comfortably decelerate/accelerate to match speeds after you first spot the station with (un)aided eye? I mean with 1 per cent speed difference you would have to wait for a hundred laps (or close to a week) to get another change, so surely they can do better than that, but by how much?
Edit: Thanks @DSL, @akronnick for the overview below. I did know about the need to align the orbital planes (math guys always assume that this has happened before they start, because then your picture will fit on a chalkboard or any 2D). The stuff about speeding up putting you on a higher, and consequently also slower orbit, is something that is also obvious, but I'm ashamed to admit I completely overlooked :-) Therefore any calculation based on 1% speed difference is best forgotten. Practice...
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Ability to change velocities while in orbit is most of it. Also, if the orbit is inclined, there's a matter of matching the ground track of the target. That's why you heard talk of "launch window" for missions to ISS. What little I know comes from trying to read what Buzz Aldrin wrote in his books, but there's the seeming paradox of trying to match a higher orbit from a lower one, in which the net effect of speeding up is to slow down (because more velocity puts you in a higher, slower orbit) ... so you retro-thrust to slow down to catch up with your target, then hit the gas to slow down. Or as one of the other Astros is supposed to have told Aldrin, "Dammit, Aldrin, you're not messing up my mission profile with this rendezvous crap!"
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DSL speaks the truth.
If the Station is big enough to use the wheel concept for artificial gravity, it would be easy to spot dozens if not hundreds of miles away.
Orbits are weird.
To change an orbit in an efficient manner, it is not enough to burn your engines, you have to burn them at the right time, for the right duration, and in the right direction.
To achieve rendesvous you must:
1. Align the orbital planes of you and your target. You have to match the target's inclination as well as the ascending node and descending node (the nodes are where your orbital plane crosses the Equator). This is most easily achieved during launch.
2. Match orbital profiles. You have to get yourself in an orbit that has the same apogee(point farthest from Earth) and perigee(point nearest Earth). To change your perigee, you burn at apogee, and to change your apogee, burn at perigee.
3. Then you have to synchronize the orbits. This is where you have to burn forward to go back and vice versa. During this phase you could easily pass within visual range of the target, but you would not be able to catch it because the velocity doesn't match, and if you change your velocity now, your altitude will be wrong.
4. Once you get yourself close to the target, in the same orbit, going the same speed, congratulations you have achieved Rendezvous! Now comes the hard part, Docking.
It doesn't matter how fancy your spaceship is, or how much fuel you have. Isaac Newton cares not for your fancy technology. Gravity is the LAW.
I know all this stuff because I have dabbled in a free open source space flight simulator called "Orbiter". If you want to check it out, Google is your friend.
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Why aren't Marten and Marigirl taking continuous snapshots?
Because sometimes it's nice to view the world for real, rather than through a camera viewfinder. To live in the moment, not thinking about how you're gonna post all this on tumblr tomorrow.
Also, if people want pictures of space they can google for high-quality satellite images. They don't need blurry snaphots taken by some excited bozo with a cameraphone.
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Based on the options, I want the Captain's duel. How much ham can the station hold?
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I was hoping for a 2001 double wheel, still its pretty and classic.
Why are you reminding me of MST3K for some odd reason?
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Was the pilot deliberately giving them more chances to look at the station?
Probably just taking time to align and synchronize the orbits. There is a reason it takes a spacecraft two to three days after launch to reach the ISS.
During Gemini, they could do rendezvouses in less than an orbit. It all depends on where the vehicle you want to catch is, and how much fuel you have.
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If that's what I think it is in the background, I believe the station is situated over the Pacific, roughly near Hawaii.
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Was the pilot deliberately giving them more chances to look at the station?
Probably just taking time to align and synchronize the orbits. There is a reason it takes a spacecraft two to three days after launch to reach the ISS.
During Gemini, they could do rendezvouses in less than an orbit. It all depends on where the vehicle you want to catch is, and how much fuel you have.
That's because NASA synchronized the launches for the mission, which was expressly for the purpose of practicing rendezvous. Other factors can affect a launch schedule, necessitating more or less time on orbit before rendezvous. For example, last week's rendezvous and docking of a Progress uncrewed freighter with ISS came after the freighter was on orbit for about two days -- and for whatever reason, probably more politics than anything, required coordination between ground stations in Houston and Korolev, as well as ISS.
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Clearly Spaceship hasn't had any particular HAL 9000 moments if Hanner's responses are so laid back about him going for another orbit!
I'm really liking the positive nature of these interactions though - Hanners seems to be going into her comfort zone while Marten and Marigold are out of their own comfort zones, and it's quite interesting to see.
But I'm also worried; Jeph hardly ever (never?) writes arcs where's it's all fluffy bunnies and good times, and if I had to pick out a likely clash it'd be between Hannerdad and Hanners. Could be depressing, yo.
Anyhow, anyone interested in experiencing trying to launch a rocket and get it into orbit or even orbital rendezvous, find Kerbal Space Program and give it a go. I played it a few months back and managed to get my own rocket design orbiting the moon - it took me days of planning. It's probably one of the easiest ways to gain experience / understanding (in slightly simplistic terms) of how space flight works.
(Mods, I tried to check if it's okay for me to talk about KSP here but couldn't verify - apologies if it's not cool)
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Dammit, now I want an intelligent, autonomous HOTOL/SSTO spaceplane I can treat as a pet.
Wonder how Hanners feels about that other Strauss fella's work? Something about a river ...
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The HOTOL/SSTO bit is being worked on, and it's even automated, but I don't think it's AI, just remote control.
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Why is it I suddenly have the drum music from the BSG Mini-series running through my head. :D
Undoubtedly, Spaceship will be in the Doghouse when they finally dock - and no treats.
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Spaceship just reminded me of a horse that loves to run and doesn't get many chances to do so. :-D
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Anyhow, anyone interested in experiencing trying to launch a rocket and get it into orbit or even orbital rendezvous, find Kerbal Space Program and give it a go.
Or Orbiter if you run Windows. And yes, working out orbits is tricky, but the very tight Delta-V budgets enforced by our existing technology are a big part of why orbit changes take days.
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Spaceship just reminded me of a horse that loves to run and doesn't get many chances to do so. :-D
I like this comment more than I can adequately explain. Thank you for posting it.
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"Orbiter".
Gonna check it out. Is it like a regular flight simulator, but in SPACE? Also, is it bound to annoying things like things that are possible, or can you make a spaceship fly at .999c into the sun?
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The game has officially changed. (http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-PLUSHES&Category_Code=PLUSH)
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyn3h5TLTM1qzlnwmo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1328066639&Signature=LIVnjZn4KfV1Qi%2BHyJQ0qy0n4nI%3D)
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"Orbiter".
Gonna check it out. Is it like a regular flight simulator, but in SPACE? Also, is it bound to annoying things like things that are possible, or can you make a spaceship fly at .999c into the sun?
Relativity is not modeled, so you can tool around at Warp 9 if you like, but the universe outside of the Solar System is simply painted on an infinitely distant backdrop, so you can't get to, say, Alpha Centauri.
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If that's what I think it is in the background, I believe the station is situated over the Pacific, roughly near Hawaii.
As we have seen the station move across the sky in the Hanners/Sven story and as the Earth still looks pretty huge I doubt it is in Geo-stationary orbit.
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Learn physics with Hannelore! I wonder if she'll explain that they're not in zero gravity, but in free fall...
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The game has officially changed. (http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-PLUSHES&Category_Code=PLUSH)
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyn3h5TLTM1qzlnwmo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1328066639&Signature=LIVnjZn4KfV1Qi%2BHyJQ0qy0n4nI%3D)
I think I know what I'm getting my friend for a present... (I got her hooked on QC and she LOVES Pintsize...)
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the spinning section
It makes sense to keep the hub still, of course, because you don't want to make spaceships have to start spinning before docking. But now I'm wonder how they transfer from the hub to the spinning section without some awful acceleration or alignment problems. At best, I can imagine a lift-tube that rotates along with the rest, and that periodically aligns with a hatch in the hub. You'd have to time your entrance well to avoid getting squashed, though.
The same question was bothering me in Ender's Game, too.
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Ever step onto one of the moving loading platforms that Disney World rides have? Same principle.
The transfer would happen in the hub, and since your still at the center, there's not much relative motion to deal with.
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the spinning section
It makes sense to keep the hub still, of course, because you don't want to make spaceships have to start spinning before docking. But now I'm wonder how they transfer from the hub to the spinning section without some awful acceleration or alignment problems. At best, I can imagine a lift-tube that rotates along with the rest, and that periodically aligns with a hatch in the hub. You'd have to time your entrance well to avoid getting squashed, though.
The same question was bothering me in Ender's Game, too.
As was explained by Akima and PWHodges in the "spinning space station" thread a practical solution is to make the docking spaceship spin at the same rate as the station. That is probably preferrable to docking with a non-spinning hub connected to the rest of the space station by a giant ball bearing or something. The latter solution would just move the problem from the hatch separating the spaceship from the hub to the connection between the spinning and non-spinning sections of the station.
Because the spaceship is so small (in comparison to the space station), the resulting centrifugal acceleration (proportional to the radius of the ship, or more precisely, to the distance from the axis of the rotation) is barely noticeable. More like a drift towards the "floor". I am assuming that the spaceship docks at its nose (or the rear-end), but I may be wrong about this.
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Ever step onto one of the moving loading platforms that Disney World rides have? Same principle.
The transfer would happen in the hub, and since your still at the center, there's not much relative motion to deal with.
Oh, I guess I misjudged the radius and the angular velocity you'd need for Earth gravity. I haven't actually tried to work the numbers out yet.
Edit: According to Wikipedia, centripetal acceleration is v˛/r, and of course v is 2r*pi*(rotations per second), then for 1g at, say, 50m radius (if it's comparable to the ISS), you'd be going at 22.14m/s, which would be 0.07rps. I guess if your central corridor has a radius of 5m, the hatches would move relatively at about 2m/s. Which is still kinda quick. Maybe they keep the gravity somewhat lower than 1g, and the space station is a bit wider than that, and the corridor a bit thinner. At 0.8g, 100m and 2m, it'd be just over 0.5m/s.
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As was explained by Akima and PWHodges in the "spinning space station" thread a practical solution is to make the docking spaceship spin at the same rate as the station.
And we can thank Clarke and Kubrick for an excellent representation of how this would look (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3oHmVhviO8) in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
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the spinning section
It makes sense to keep the hub still, of course, because you don't want to make spaceships have to start spinning before docking. But now I'm wonder how they transfer from the hub to the spinning section without some awful acceleration or alignment problems. At best, I can imagine a lift-tube that rotates along with the rest, and that periodically aligns with a hatch in the hub. You'd have to time your entrance well to avoid getting squashed, though.
The same question was bothering me in Ender's Game, too.
As was explained by Akima and PWHodges in the "spinning space station" thread a practical solution is to make the docking spaceship spin at the same rate as the station. That is probably preferrable to docking with a non-spinning hub connected to the rest of the space station by a giant ball bearing or something. The latter solution would just move the problem from the hatch separating the spaceship from the hub to the connection between the spinning and non-spinning sections of the station.
Because the spaceship is so small (in comparison to the space station), the resulting centrifugal acceleration (proportional to the radius of the ship, or more precisely, to the distance from the axis of the rotation) is barely noticeable. More like a drift towards the "floor". I am assuming that the spaceship docks at its nose (or the rear-end), but I may be wrong about this.
Now that I think about it, maybe Hanners' "spinning section" remark didn't actually imply that only the rim moves, but that only the rim moves fast enough to experience centrifugal force.
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In Comic 2111 (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2111) I don't see any room for a central docking bay on the top or bottom of the station... but I DO see some airlock-like looking extension on the lower section...
(edit: and in 2112, they're coming out of a sort of gangway...)
This has me a bit puzzled. Wouldn't it be VERY hard (if not impossible) to dock at that point if every part of the station rotates at all times? I mean... trying to match the station's rotations per minute with an external object circling it would create SOME sort of centrifugal force, wouldn't it?
... or could the station cease its rotation for a couple minutes whenever docking occurs? (That would never be cost- or fuel-efficient of course, but would it be possible?)
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I only just noticed,
1) The funniest part of this comic is actually Hannership saying "You may now exit the, uh, me", which rather reminds me of
Everybody loves the me! I'm a terrific athlete!
2) Marigold has some sort of square yet skin-shaped patch on her neck. Is that how her medicine was administered, and is all medicine administered like that in the QC universe?
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Isn't it possible that the small section which sticks out to the right on the lower part of the station (just above the antenna array) could be a section/module spinning anticlockwise at the same speed as the station spins clockwise (or vice versa), making it relatively stable enough to be docked with?
Also: loving the floaty shoelaces.
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I had a violent bout of vertigo 30 years ago. Got immediate relief from a patch applied to my throat. It administered scopalamine, as I recall.
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Panel 3 there's a side of Marigold we've never seen before! :laugh:
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Oh Marten, your hipster chic will be your undoing! That single strap tote will be next to useless in weightlessness!
Nerds with two strap backpacks rule in space!
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2) Marigold has some sort of square yet skin-shaped patch on her neck. Is that how her medicine was administered, and is all medicine administered like that in the QC universe?
Probably administered somewhere on the carotid arteries. Makes sense for a drug targeting the vestibular system, but what about the blood-brain barrier? Is the vestibular system outside it? Can you help by targeting it directy? This is not my forte...
EDIT: Didn't notice Redball's post.
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Oh Marten, your hipster chic will be your undoing! That single strap tote will be next to useless in weightlessness!
Hanners is happy to use one, though.
And Marten's is on the wrong shoulder in the first frame.
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Given what's depicted so far, I'd vote for a hub that can be de-spun (contra-rotated) at least temporarily to meet a docking ship. This allows for docking ports off-axis, which you'd need to allow for more than one ship at a time to dock. The big (solar?) panels shown would have to work the same way, to maintain orientation to the sun.
For a depiction of moving from the non-spinning section to the spinning section, see also ... Kubrick's 2001, which shows Bowman and Poole leaving Discovery's "Carousel" for the passageway to the bridge and/or pod bay. (Ignore that scene with the stewardess aboard the Aries. She didn't need to do that whole walking-around-the-circle thing; no passengers were watching. She was just messin' around.*)
Marten's first attempt to enjoy free-fall is, unfortunately, teaching him the same lesson his earthbound life has taught him: Launch too enthusiastically, try to enjoy life, and you get hurt. Can't catch a break, unless it's his nose and the bulkhead. Berf.
Also, Marigold's changed into long pants. She must have had a bad time on orbit, poor thing.
*Yes, I know it was a camera trick on a rotating set in that one-g environment we like to call Earth.
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Is some form of regenerative braking possible in a structure rotating in a vacuum? It seems to me there should be. The more I think about it.
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As was explained by Akima and PWHodges in the "spinning space station" thread a practical solution is to make the docking spaceship spin at the same rate as the station.
And we can thank Clarke and Kubrick for an excellent representation of how this would look (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3oHmVhviO8) in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
There's another good example about 40 seconds into this clip (http://youtu.be/qnPGDWD_oLE).
"You may now exit the, uh, me"
"That's what she said."
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum_wheel
Motor-generator with a flywheel.
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the perspective in panel 3 makes marten look about 30ft tall.
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The game has officially changed. (http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QC-PLUSHES&Category_Code=PLUSH)
(http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyn3h5TLTM1qzlnwmo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1328066639&Signature=LIVnjZn4KfV1Qi%2BHyJQ0qy0n4nI%3D)
I think I know what I'm getting my friend for a present... (I got her hooked on QC and she LOVES Pintsize...)
My only question is - WHICH ONE DO I GET?
EDIT: The answer was easy - WINSLOW.
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as to the docking thing, i seem to recall seeing them do it in a somewhat plausible way on babylon 5 once, where a small ship flew into the docking bay, synchronized it's rotation with the station, and waited for a set of extendable clamps to pull it in toward the deck.
of course i only remember it because the ship ended up flying out of control and crashing into the sides, but nevertheless.
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In other news, Marten has overtaken Faye to become "character in most QC strips" for the first time in ages... at least according to my slightly subjective and undoubtedly inaccurate count, that is...
I saw that - incredible that it's not all about Faye anymore, hey?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momentum_wheel
Motor-generator with a flywheel.
I know they use electromagnetic/gyroscopic flywheels in navigation, I was wondering how it would scale. The first thing that came to my mind was also flywheels.
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There is one huge problem with having different parts of the space station moving and non-moving - friction. Any sliding contact between the two sections, provided it isn't absolutely frictionless, is going to be losing momentum. But I'm sure they'll have found a way to make frictionless sliding contacts in the QCverse. And I bet it involves lube.
And what are the odds that Apple tries to sue Jeph or TopatoCo for selling something in the image of an iPod? Hopefully TopatoCo is low-profile enough not to matter to a giant like Apple, who have largely abandoned the image of the click-wheel iPod anyway. On the other hand, they seem to be suing everyone lately. At worst they could force Jeph to write Winslow out of the comic, or just replace his chassis with one of those green Androids.
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And now - what WILL we see on Space Station Hannerdad?
HannerDad, of course. - 49 (25.9%)
Richard Branson. - 3 (1.6%)
Stephen Hawking. - 9 (4.8%)
Robots. Lots and lots of Robots. - 29 (15.3%)
AnthroPC AI #000001. - 21 (11.1%)
Birthday cake. - 17 (9%)
Marigold puking over everything. - 9 (4.8%)
Transformers. - 0 (0%)
Waffles. - 4 (2.1%)
Cookies. - 1 (0.5%)
Pod Bay Doors. - 11 (5.8%)
Patrick Stewart. - 7 (3.7%)
William.... SHATNER! - 17 (9%)
Bruce Boxleitner. - 3 (1.6%)
John Cleese. - 9 (4.8%)
Robert Hays (I KNEW I forgot one...) - 0 (0%)
Total Voters: 65
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On one hand I'd love Winslow and maybe Pintsize to change appearance - perhaps into humanoid chassis' or even just a partial change - but it's fraught with difficulty. It would be hard for Pintsize to be Pintsize if he was in a humanoid chassis - the change in Momo after changing to a full body was pronounced, and she's a much more reserved character than Pintsize.
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Learn physics with Hannelore! I wonder if she'll explain that they're not in zero gravity, but in free fall...
Ah dang. This is one of the times I just know what happened... I know the reason is somewhere in the back of my head but I can't find it anywhere. :psyduck:
Could you explain what exactly happened?
Damn... I feel bad, I did very well in physics just a year ago. :-(
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Without gravity to slow his jump, he hit the other end of the shaft as hard as if (say) he'd run into a wall.
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Oooh yeah you are right. Thanks a lot!
But if they are in free fall... How would the scenario look like if they were in zero gravity? He could jump without problems then?
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He still has the same mass though, therefore unless atmospheric drag can slow him sufficiently then he will still hit the wall. in this respect, '0g' and 'free fall' mean the same, as there is nothing attracting Marten to one wall/floor/ceiling of the space station, thereby reducing his momentum.
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thanks for that Deadlywonky, I was struggling with explaining that myself.
For our purposes (as I understand it) Zero G and Free fall are often used interchangeably. I've read that there's no such thing as true zero G - there's always some form of gravity (no matter how infinitesimally small) - but I think the right term for Marten and co is free fall.
I think it's to do with frames of reference really; a person in a space craft is often described as in free fall, where as the concept of a person in a space suit outside would often be described as in zero G.
Edit: Though this is my understanding of it, I'm no expert and would welcome some more informed information!
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory much?
I like it.
Edit: I'm so far the only one to see the resemblence to the scene where charlie and his grandpa eat the weightless candy and go up in a room such like that?! They do come down and survive but they are the only ones NOT kicked out for doing something they weren't supposed to.
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Thank you guys. :)
Science is fun!
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...but they are the only ones NOT kicked out for doing something they weren't supposed to.
Because that wasn't the test :wink:
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Free fall is a way of experiencing zero G's. In free fall, you're within something that is falling freely under gravitational pull, and so the reference frame has no pull (see "vomit comet"). Another way is to get far enough away from things exerting gravitational pull, so that the effective pull rounds down to zero. Or you can go to a gravitational balance point (LaGrange points), of which there are about 5 locally IIRC.
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It looks like Marten will have a neck brace to accompany him to the party.
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Without gravity to slow his jump, he hit the other end of the shaft as hard as if (say) he'd run into a wall.
Thanks, I was embarrassingly confused by this: I assumed Marten was in a tube leading to the outer part of the station and didn't understand why he wasn't hit by the wall on the way down as the station rotated.
Many years ago I worked out the math of "spin-diving": skydiving on an O'Neill Colony (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_habitat), which is kind of a fun exercise in combining the physics of rotating reference frames with fluid dynamics. It turns out that under some reasonable assumptions (1/2 g on the outer rim, some clever changes in orientation just before you hit) you can spin-dive from the axis to the surface without any additional gear.
The path you take is a kind of broken spiral: because aerodynamic drag goes as v**2 you basically "fall" outward until the tangential wind picks up, which throws you sideways on a path that becomes more radial as you get further from the axis, and this process repeats itself until you go splat on the surface. The trick is to star-fish with your back to the wind as you get near the surface, maximizing your drag and bringing your tangential speed up. You still have to land running under most reasonable scenarios, but it's the tangential rather than the radial velocity that is the problem.
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What happened to Marten could be perhaps best emulated in RL in a skating rink. If a skater trips in a way that the blades no longer make contact with the ice, s/he will continue to travel at the same speed in the same direction sliding on nearly frictionless ice (you need to use the blades or something similar to exert friction or other forces to the ice). Of course, even a smooth wet ice is not completely frictionless, so you will be slowing down, but if the fallen skater is going head first to the boards serious injuries may result. Conservation of momentum and all that.
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Which begs the question: just how much force can a skinny indie young man generate with a jump straight up?
At any rate Marten just got schooled in the difference between leg strength and arm strength.
Edited to add: just realized from panel 4 that Marten is *damn* flexible. Even in full collision, that's a hell of a body position for someone who's not an advanced yoda practitioner.
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Reports from places like Skylab (very roomy inside; it started life as a fuel tank, after all) indicate: Less force than you'd think to get yourself going, more than you'd think to stop. In less technical terms: Ow.
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I guess your legs are used to holding up the weight of your body under normal earth gravity - your arms generally aren't. It would make sense that people would propel themselves forward with their legs too hard when they first got into space..
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Dumb mass!
C'mon. Someone hadda say it.
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eeeeeeeeeeeeee
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Wouldn't Marigold have been more comfortable if she'd held on to something instead of floating topsy-turvy? Hanners might have told her to grab the rungs if she hadn't been distracted.
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DSL has got it right, me thinks. IIRC the Skylab-astronauts practiced doing a mid-air tumble/somersault so that they would also land legs first at the other end. Controlling your rotation is also tricky, but at least you can extend your body to slow down the rotation or wrap your arms around your legs (as in a diver's tuck position) to speed up the rotation.
Poor Marten probably didn't even realize the need to brace for impact.
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2) Marigold has some sort of square yet skin-shaped patch on her neck. Is that how her medicine was administered, and is all medicine administered like that in the QC universe?
Transdermal scopalamine patches (http://www.transdermscop.com/) have been used to control motion sickness for years. There is nothing to see here, move along. :police:
Hannelore, the experienced high-frontier resident, follows the old maxim "One hand for yourself, one for the ship". And she can obviously move very quickly in a free-fall environment.
Free fall is a way of experiencing zero G's.
I give up... :wink:
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Hannelore ... can obviously move very quickly in a free-fall environment.:
She might have a familiar motivation. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1633)
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Jeph has just got to make a t-shirt related to 'you still have all your mass'.
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I'm enjoying this week's comics but unfortunately I don't feel smart enough to really comment on the physics and such discussions in the forums.
berf
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Congratulations Mr. Reed, you have just given us a new visual definition fo the term Faceplant.
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Marten's going to find this rather difficult without his helmet.
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I'm enjoying this week's comics but unfortunately I don't feel smart enough to really comment on the physics and such discussions in the forums.
berf
I'm enjoying the comment about the science as well as the art. Even when commenters aren't sure of the science, the conversation is entertaining, instructive, helpful, not mean-spirited.
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Marten's going to find this rather difficult without his helmet.
Maybe he should take a stress pill, and we can talk about this...
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It never occurred to me until I read this update to consider the implications of zero gravity. Martin is completely weightless. Weight as a variable has been completely removed from the equation. His momentum is now due to his mass. This establishes mass and weight to be two separate variable when calculating momentum. Information that's relevant when designing any form of projectile. By nature of having set foot outside of our planets gravitational field we're now able to launch things with more precision. It probably also effected the development of things like aircrafts.
Not like I wasn't aware of the individual facts. I've just never connected them to eachother like that. I don't think I ever really realized how these things relate to eachother before.
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I like turtles.
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Free fall is a way of experiencing zero G's.
I give up... :wink:
I didn't get this. I may be just dense, but do you feel that something essential has been left out? Like the fact that acceleration is always relative to some frame of reference? In fact we have...
Principle of equivalence: All effects of a uniform gravitational field are identical to the effects of a uniform acceleration of the coordinate system.
... that basically says that an observer confined to a small region (like the interior of a spaceship without windows) has no way of telling the difference between being in a gravitational field or being inside an accelerating rocket. Or (in the absence of such effects) lack of gravity is indistinguishable from free fall unless you can peek out of a window and make long range observations.
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It never occurred to me until I read this update to consider the implications of zero gravity. Martin is completely weightless. Weight as a variable has been completely removed from the equation. His momentum is now due to his mass. This establishes mass and weight to be two separate variable when calculating momentum. Information that's relevant when designing any form of projectile. By nature of having set foot outside of our planets gravitational field we're now able to launch things with more precision. It probably also effected the development of things like aircrafts.
Not like I wasn't aware of the individual facts. I've just never connected them to eachother like that. I don't think I ever really realized how these things relate to eachother before.
Actually, not really. Weight is always irrelevant (and mass always the determining factor) when calculating momentum (and everything else, really), and we've known that since Isaac Newton back in the 17th century. Weight is entirely derivative of mass, as it is a function of mass and gravitational pull, and thus is involved directly in no physical equations - it's always the mass that matters.
Actually going into orbit didn't help us understand any new fundamental facts about physics that helped us make better aircraft or calculate better launch trajectories - although the billions/trillions spent in R&D to get there probably did.
Also, getting into orbit is not getting outside of earth's gravitational field. Even the moon isn't - otherwise it would just float away. Granted, on the moon, you're going to be more affected by the moon's own gravitational field, but Earth's is still there - and the moon is 1000 time further away from Earth then the ISS.
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Today's title makes me very happy :D
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A staff of 128! There must be more than one shuttle for resupply.
Were there fewer people on the station when Hannelore was a kid? She acts a lot like someone who grew up in isolation, not like someone who grew up in a village.
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I don't get Marigold's MC Hammer reference, but I only know one song by MC Hammer...
Also, 128 researchers, security and support staff who get wrapped up in their uties are not likely to be equipped to raise a child...
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Station has the same mannerisms as Spaceship; presumably they are running the same kernel.
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Station is slightly more organized enough to appear with pants on the first try.
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I don't get Marigold's MC Hammer reference, but I only know one song by MC Hammer...
Marten is rearranging a rap song by a different artist (the late Biggie Smalls).
Marigold knows as much about rap as you do, and only slightly less than me.
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Ah. A joke. I see...
So cute that daddy let li'l Hanners name the AI's...
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Surely all the AIs treat Hannelore as their "Little Miss". ripping off Asimov's Bicentennial Man
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Station is slightly more organized enough to appear with pants on the first try.
Spaceship could've just told Station via wireless. (I am all for the name-versions of those nouns with capital first letters, btw.)
Or Station has much more regular contact with humans that expect it him to follow protocol about how not to unwillingly present your holodong. (This has potential to be a meme, btw.)
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I didn't get this. I may be just dense, but do you feel that something essential has been left out?
I was giving up on people misdescribing the environment in Earth orbit as "zero g". The International Space Station's orbit ranges from roughly 320-400km above ground level, for example, and gravity up there is still about 90% of that on the Earth's surface. Earth's gravity holds the Moon in its orbit; you certainly don't escape it in measly LEO. Edit: Apologies to A.Smith. I didn't notice he'd made the same point earlier.
Station has the same mannerisms as Spaceship; presumably they are running the same kernel.
There are subtle differences. I suspect Station has known Hanners since early childhood, and is on first-name terms with her like an old family retainer. Spaceship, by contrast, called her Miss. Ellicott-Chatham like an employee. I also notice that Station's avatar does not wear the same "badge" on his "shirt" as Spaceship, so it was presumably pilot's wings. Pilots will always be pilots, even AI ones. :laugh:
Also, 128 researchers, security and support staff who get wrapped up in their duties are not likely to be equipped to raise a child...
Especially if they're spread over 3 or 4 shifts and working in places you wouldn't want a child wandering about.
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she's what, 22 now i think? which would make her descriptive phase about 13 years ago. i could see station being in orbit that long easily, but i don't know if i'd want to go to orbit & back in a 13 year old spaceship.
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The Space Shuttles were all around 20 years old when they were retired.
Discovery was 27, Atlantis was 26 and Endeavor was the baby of the fleet at 19.
Most jet airliners have a service life of 15-20 years, otherwise they wouldn't be economical to build.
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A staff of 128! There must be more than one shuttle for resupply.
Were there fewer people on the station when Hannelore was a kid? She acts a lot like someone who grew up in isolation, not like someone who grew up in a village.
Here's what Hanners says about her upbringing. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1904) Just because people are around doesn't mean they all have time for you, especially in such an environment. When she was with her mother, she was pawned off to nannies (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=922) so there it depends how many there were, how they treated Hanners and if he mother didn't regularly fire them so Hanners could actually develop a bond with any one of them.
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Hah! That last panel reminds me! (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=923) ... where is dem presentations and 3D models? :-D
And also, they forgot to bring a male okapi (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1925) (or Elliot).
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128, huh? *jumps to conclusions* Wonder if Hannerdad has some kind of OCD regarding binary numbers.
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Signed up cuz I wanted to post about today's comic.
That rap is by Biggie(rip) not MC Hammer lol
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If Martin hit his face, what happens when you get a nose bleed in zero gravity?? Does it just shoot out every heartbeat? Does it matter if you tilt your head back? or forward?
Since there's no gravity to move it downwards, and the blood still starts out in contact with your nose, your nose probably just slowly fills up with blood. Until your exhalation blows little globules of it around, anyway.
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I don't get Marigold's MC Hammer reference, but I only know one song by MC Hammer...
Also, 128 researchers, security and support staff who get wrapped up in their uties are not likely to be equipped to raise a child...
She got the wrapper wrong (she thinks Marten's singing MC Hammer, when he's really singing Notorious B.I.G.)
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I don't get Marigold's MC Hammer reference, but I only know one song by MC Hammer...
Also, 128 researchers, security and support staff who get wrapped up in their uties are not likely to be equipped to raise a child...
She got the wrapper wrong (she thinks Marten's singing MC Hammer, when he's really singing Notorious B.I.G.)
I totally thought, "That's not MC Hammer! That's the Notorious B.I.G.!" for a split second before I realized Jeph did that to me on purpose. Good one, lol.
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get wrapped up in their
She got the wrapper wrong
(http://f.static.memegenerator.net/cache/instances/500x/13/13589/13915263.jpg)
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I got the wrapper wrong once. Thought I was buying unsalted butter when the wrapper clearly said it was salted. Blurgh. I believe the technical psychological term for this is "brain fart."
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"Science Daddy" is a lot better than "Neglectful Father." My parents had Hannermom's philosophy on child rearing.
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Even nerdy people do recreation, and a cute little girl would trigger nurturing instincts. She'd wind up pretty strange, but not with social phobia.
Sitnspin, Eep. Something tells me you didn't get the best nannies a billionaire could buy.
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i wish my dad was a scientist so i could call him 'science daddy'
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Station was named during Hannelore's Descriptivist phase? How disappointing. I figured that she was a big fan of Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_and_Ted%27s_Bogus_Journey).
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Hmmmmm
I wonder if Hannerdad looks like Peter Cullen?
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get wrapped up in their
She got the wrapper wrong
(http://f.static.memegenerator.net/cache/instances/500x/13/13589/13915263.jpg)
Truth: it was a typo.
Also, a confession: I have red text turned off.
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I got the wrapper wrong once. Thought I was buying unsalted butter when the wrapper clearly said it was salted. Blurgh. I believe the technical psychological term for this is "brain fart."
"Cerebral flatulence" works for me.
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Also, a confession: I have red text turned off.
I honestly can't imagine why one would want to do that.
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The station AI avatar looks kinda like a cheerful, better-fed Marten. Wonder if Hanners ever sent photos. Or, y'know, samples.
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The Space Shuttles were all around 20 years old when they were retired.
Discovery was 27, Atlantis was 26 and Endeavor was the baby of the fleet at 19.
Most jet airliners have a service life of 15-20 years, otherwise they wouldn't be economical to build.
Plus, it's probably more about the number of takeoff/compression/decompression/reentry/landing cycles than how actually old the ship is... Hannerdad can probably afford ridiculously meticulous maintenance, and there's an onboard AI to tell them which parts to look at.
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Also, a confession: I have red text turned off.
I honestly can't imagine why one would want to do that.
One word: Annoying.
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I don't know, I kind of like how it takes away the risk of being ninja'd.
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Sitnspin, Eep. Something tells me you didn't get the best nannies a billionaire could buy.
They did well enough, I suppose. After a certain point, increased money can't do much better as far as non-parental care givers go. I was mostly just left to my own devices. I went through a pretty rough patch in my teens and early 20s, but I didn't turn into a social cripple, like Hanners, at least. Just your usual abandonment and emotional intimacy issues. Plus some other neurochemical disorders and a spattering of PTSD not directly related to their parenting styles.
My gf, on the other hand, got "Science Daddy" and she turned out awesome.
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The AIs in the station and the ship may be older than their respective hardware incarnations.
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The asymmetry of Lt. Potter's collar is presumably deliberate, but irritates me every time I notice it.
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The asymmetry of Lt. Potter's collar is presumably deliberate, but irritates me every time I notice it.
I suspect if she pulled the zip up fully it would look better.
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What's worse than Facebook? Facebook with AI and a sense of humour.
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The asymmetry of Lt. Potter's collar is presumably deliberate, but irritates me every time I notice it.
I suspect if she pulled the zip up fully it would look better.
She presumably ran a ways to get to the group; shes a bit disheveled.
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Man, if I were Marigold or Marten, I'd be IMMENSELY freaked out by an A.I. casually slipping into conversation the fact that it SCANNED me DOWN to the MOLECULAR LEVEL... holy mother of something thats like the epitome of psi~ing!
(Personal space invading)
Also, so far I like that this has been one of the most skin-happy - not to say "erotic" - story-arcs as of yet. (second only of course to the "happy-Padma-week").
We got to see holodong and Lieutenant Uninhibited in underwear. What next? °o
This is frightening.
The asymmetry of Lt. Potter's collar is presumably deliberate, but irritates me every time I notice it.
I can't stand uneven collars. Or when they stand up in the back. Eugh. I obsissevly straighten those. (On occasion its actualy a nice ice-breaking device.)
...
Warning - while you were typing 2 other guys were typing faster than you. HURRY THE FUCK UP, SLOWPOKE!
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wow, station/s a bit of a dick
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wow, station/s a bit of a dick
Pretty much. Don't envy the Lt. at all. (Actually, I don't envy any lieutenant.) Has to enforce a rule she acknowledges makes no sense and gets to be the one out-bullied for it.
Got a TSA screener in the family; she was "federalized" from her private-security company screening job after 9-11. And no, she doesn't particularly want to touch, see or think about your junk.
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Okay, so I watched Starship Troopers the other day, and now the moment I saw Lieutenant Potter I expected to see giant arachnids come out of somewhere.
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I feel great sympathy for the lieutenant, though I had initially thought the grad party photo was meant to be from some cheesecake calendar she posed for while in school. On a side note the plush winslow is adorable.
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The asymmetry of Lt. Potter's collar is presumably deliberate, but irritates me every time I notice it.
Presumably the WO has already spoken to her about her dress and deportment - and will speak to the Maj if she hasn't corrected the problem next time they meet.
And as to the photo - looks like a lot of course "smokers" and university parties I remember.
But yeah, she's drawn a real interesting posting location, but a really redundant position.
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So...is Lt Potter single? Just curious...
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Hmmmmm
I wonder if Hannerdad looks like Peter Cullen?
Dunno about Hanners', but mine does.
Got a TSA screener in the family; she was "federalized" from her private-security company screening job after 9-11. And no, she doesn't particularly want to touch, see or think about your junk.
Are you sure? Because I've been told my junk is amazing.
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So...is Lt Potter single? Just curious...
NO SHIPPING.
(ahem)
Sorry, wanted to nip it in the bud.
Anyways...
I suspect that (given we actually get to see his face) we've already seen Dr./Mr. JEC. It's been noted that Spaceship and Station look somewhat alike... and who, of course, would not be too vainglorious to put his own likeness on that of holographic images he created for AI's?
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Okay, so I watched Starship Troopers the other day,
You poor unfortunate person.
What, because I got to spend two hours watching sexy people shoot at giant insects? I regret nothing.
Anyway, was just a throwaway comment because the whole 'military in space' thing was giving me a Troopers-ish vibe. Today's comic probably shows the less-glamorous reality of it, though. Being posted to space must be boring as hell. I don't blame the lieutenant for wanting to take every opportunity to actually do her job.
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I wonder if the military was invited or if they insisted.
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Lieutenant Potter has a fantastic pair of hooters. It is my sincere hope we can see more of them.
I also think it would be great if Jeff could explore the mechanics of intimate relations in zero g. It has been too long since we've seen action, and it seems like it'd be fun.
:angel:
I wonder if the military was invited or if they insisted.
It's the US military. They most likely insisted. Or perhaps they own the place and rent it to Hannersdad, rather like they did with GPS?
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I also think it would be great if Jeff could explore the mechanics of intimate relations in zero g. It has been too long since we've seen action, and it seems like it'd be fun.
1) Who is Jeff?
2) the fist thing I thought when they went zero-G was Marigold: Zero-G boobs! (yes, I'm a horrible person. Still, Boobs!)
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1) Who is Jeff?
2) the fist thing I thought when they went zero-G was Marigold: Zero-G boobs! (yes, I'm a horrible person. Still, Boobs!)
Speaking of correcting spellings, that's an interesting typo you've got there.
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1) Who is Jeff?
2) the fist thing I thought when they went zero-G was Marigold: Zero-G boobs! (yes, I'm a horrible person. Still, Boobs!)
Speaking of correcting spellings, that's an interesting typo you've got there.
:golf clap: DSL wins the forum prize today.
= = =
Total lunatic random theory: the reason why Hannelore's gotten samples from Marten is that he bears an uncanny resemblance to J E-C! The slightly paranoid isolated scientist is worried that he's an illegitimate son / clone / unknowing AI escapee. So he sent his daughter to collect samples to verify that indeed Marten is in fact not genetically related.
Also, this explains why Hannelore feels so comfortable with Marten: he is a close physical match to her own father, while being reassuringly different.
= = =
Nitpicking: how exactly does the Station AI do a scan 'down to the molecular level' without zapping Marten and Marigold with a massive dose of ionizing radiation?
After all the orbital mechanics / obscure computer science arcana discussed in this forum, I figure someone here will know.
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The title of this comic is one of my favourites in a while.
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So...is Lt Potter single? Just curious...
NO SHIPPING.
I could easily see her getting drunk on duty (happens more often than you think) and hooking up with an equally drunk Marten as he's trying to drown his sorrows and forget Padma. And since she's from the Academy and in security forces, you know she's in shape for...happyfuntime?
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Ahem!
Anyway, Marten is thoroughly distracted merely by being in space - I don't think he'll have time for moping in the immediate future.
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But is the mere presence of a female a loaded gun? That could be seen as a rather sexist way to look at it.
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Anyone else really want a large image of the pic of Potter? Cause damn.
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I find myself intrigued by the Lieutenant. I wish to get to know her better.
not a sucker for a woman in uniform... really...
actually I am
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Anyone else really want a large image of the pic of Potter? Cause damn.
I think you mean daaaaaaang.
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(moderator)
There is a difference between observing that characters are portrayed as being attractive, and wanting them for partners. Jeph has specifically objected to what he calls "creepy character fetishization".
(/moderator)
Dr. Ellicott Chatham doesn't seem like the sort who'd invite strangers on board. If it really is his own station, as Hannelore said it was, then we're looking at a Third Amendment violation.
Station was probably scanning them with terahertz radio waves.
Nobody knows who "Jeff" is? He invented Martin, Fay, and Hannelore.
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New favorite character.
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After being far too long away due to family, illness (hospitalized), binfuls of work, gaming-guild "drama," and a late start to being able to Force-choke jawas (thankfully I had pre-ordered my Collectors' Edition box)...
(Thorin Oakenshield voice) I...have...returned!
And my gods, QC has apparrently jumped the shark so high in that time that it needed orbital booster rockets!
For comic #2114...
1. "Today's Special: Space Cake!" Hopefully better than Astronaut Cake, because I have had the latter and it was terrible (vaccum-dehydrated neopolitan ice-cream cake...blech)
2. Aww...poor Lt. Potter, she (hopefully) did not deserve that. Not that I am complaining about Station's action at a sense of humor, either... :evil:
3. Art-wise: it is also pretty cute & funny how much Lt. Potter is blushing (from bottom lip all the way up to her beret), so much so that Hannelore is to be somewhat subdued in the punchline panel for it. Wonder if that was on purpose, since a blushing Hanners often takes center-stage among the fans?
4. I find it very uplifting to see that in Jeph's world, the space program and pure-scientific R&D is healthy and thriving, unlike their Real Life versions :cry: . If the Arachnids ("bugs") of Starship Troopers were ever to find us now, when we cannot even get off our planet for any long period of time, Humanity would be extinct in a single generation, if not in a single year.
5. As for military presence, it was likely "insisted" (military speak for: "we ask out of courtesy, but you do not actually get a choice") rather than requested. Especially if Professor Ellicot-Chatnam is a brilliant as been hinted at. Genius is often looked upon closely by government &/or military, for good and bad.
6. @jwhouk... And don't you mean no Space-Shipping...? (baa dumm tssht)
7. Warning - While you were typing, pwhodges & Is it cold in here? had to put on their Moderator uniforms and berets. You may wish to review you post, and tread lightly... (Nice to see some things have not changed that much while I was away :wink: )
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...but when you introduce a loaded gun in the beginning of the story, it usually winds up getting fired by the end. (Yes, that's a metaphor.)
No, it's Chekhov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov's_gun).
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Station was probably scanning them with terahertz radio waves.
Station only says he can scan to the molecular level. Maybe he only scanned them to a less invasive level sufficient for security.
Never mind that though. I want to know about the SPACE CAKE!
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Doesn't Hannelore have anything to say about her guests getting searched and patted down in her home? Like "I vouch for them, do you have a problem with that, miss"?
I do not envy Lt. Potter, even if she does live aboard a space station. Living someplace where you're working at cross purposes to the provider of your life support sounds stressful.
EDIT: what about chemosensors? Station has to monitor the onboard air pretty closely anyway. Sampling the airlock and checking for explosives and gun oil seems feasible.
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But is the mere presence of a female a loaded gun? That could be seen as a rather sexist way to look at it.
It's more than just a female. It's a pic of a female that got drunk and kind of nude which gives the vibe that it might happen more than just once.
It's not like I'm agreeing with Kugai. I'm just saying what I think he is saying because I didn't thought about sexism when I read his comment.
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It distracted me from noticing there's some curvature in this passageway. This must be a main corridor and not a transverse. If the Lt. ran in the direction of the spin, she probably felt a slight weight increase. She is not starting this encounter in the best frame of mind and DAMMIT STATION YOU ARE NOT HELPING.
Seriously, who wants to be defined by a mistake they made once? I once had the dubious pleasure of working with a fellow who seemed to think that Buzz Aldrin's alcohol problem outweighed anything else he might have done with his life, say for example that moon thing.
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I feel great sympathy for the lieutenant, though I had initially thought the grad party photo was meant to be from some cheesecake calendar she posed for while in school.
My first thought was that Station was using (& abusing) his "molecular level scans" to CGI up that picture.
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The title of this comic is one of my favourites in a while.
I hadn't noticed it before, but bahaha, yes indeed.
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I'm pretty sure just about everyone's been drunk in a compromising position at some point. Certainly most of the cast has. The youtube video being pulled up probably doesn't have any greater significance.
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Really, really overthinking things, but the political scene in the QCverse must be very scary / very funny, what with AI's that can dig up embarrassing photos and/or videos at the blink of an eye.
Come to think of it, it's just a matter of time before that comes to pass in the real world anyway.
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Something tells me that this was not the first time Station used this pic.
Or at least he was prepared.
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RE: Starship Troopers, the movie with the same name as a really good book:
First time I saw it, the best I could think of it was, "Eh, at least Virginia Heinlein gets some money and more people are reading the book, even if it has that friggin' Casper Van Dien poster as the cover." At least, I hope she got some money. The Grand Master was already deceased by then ...
My younger self was, of course, offended by the complete lack of any of the book's political and social philosophy.
Now that my spinchter has relaxed with age and the stick has fallen out, I've come to see the movie, particularly the "newscasts," as satire on society's credulousness, fueled by a complicit media, yada yada yada yada.
As to whether Verhoeven meant to do that, or whether most people watching it get that ... I can't say.
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I'm wondering if Station has spent too much time with the military -- the "interference" excuse is something that you would expect out of an indisciplined officer. Similarly finding a mistake like that amusing is something that I would expect in a youth orientated testosterone fuelled environment.
{edit} I can think of several ways of scanning people without incurring radiation damage:
Magnetic sense: Dolphins can map the strength of magnetic fields around them. Through that they can sense where rocks and other significant features are. If an animal can do it it's only a matter of time before the technology exists to do it with technology. The brilliant thing is that it is a completely passive system.
Other wavelengths: Another way of scanning someone passively is to scan them a multiple wavelengths (not just using light). If you go right the way from ULF radio to gamma you could probably detect a lot.
Ultrasound: You could scan someone with ultrasound without causing any radiation damage.
I'm sure there are other ways as well.
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Station was probably scanning them with terahertz radio waves.
Station only says he can scan to the molecular level. Maybe he only scanned them to a less invasive level sufficient for security.
Never mind that though. I want to know about the SPACE CAKE!
Well, I doubt it's the kind of space cake that you can pick up in the netherlands. Though if it is...wheeeee.
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It bugs me that she doesnt have a rank insignia.... nitpicky i know. still it just annoys me that it isnt there.
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After being far too long away due to family, illness (hospitalized), binfuls of work, gaming-guild "drama," and a late start to being able to Force-choke jawas (thankfully I had pre-ordered my Collectors' Edition box)...
(Thorin Oakenshield voice) I...have...returned!
Ooh, a fellow TOR player! Might I inquire of your forum username and/or play server? I'm new to these forums, but the TOR forums have been my stomping grounds for literally years (over 4000 posts before the prelaunch wipe).
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It bugs me that she doesnt have a rank insignia.... nitpicky i know. still it just annoys me that it isnt there.
Might not be practical to have pins on a station that occasionally could lose gravitational pull.
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As a current Air Force member, this entire comic threw me for a loop. I saw the camo maintenance jumper and black beret and thought: "Ok maybe she is Army." Then the grad picture came up and I was completely lost If she is a Lt, why no rank insignia on either uniforms? She can get away with the green flight suit/maintenance jumper suit but why the black beret? Only Security Forces are authorized to wear a black beret, etc. So much is wrong with this comic it's mind boggling.
It bugs me that she doesnt have a rank insignia.... nitpicky i know. still it just annoys me that it isnt there.
Might not be practical to have pins on a station that occasionally could lose gravitational pull.
.
I understand that but if you are going to start throwing military into the story at least do it right. Just my take.
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...Only Security Forces are authorized to wear a black beret...
Station: Please excuse the intrusion, the US Military has a security presence on board...
I think there's your answer.
-
IOW - she's an MP assigned to Ellicott-Chatham AFB. Total staff: 8.
-
Which would also account for the lack of Rank Insignia if the Military is trying to maintain a 'Mid-low Profile'. Easily recognisable in their Uniform with a small enough contingent that it's easy to recognise who's who and what rank they are.
-
Hannerdad John may have insisted that they refrain from using rank insignia while on his station.
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...Only Security Forces are authorized to wear a black beret...
Station: Please excuse the intrusion, the US Military has a security presence on board...
I think there's your answer.
Yes thank you for pointing out the obvious but you would never see a Security Forces personnel donned in a maintenance jumper/flight suit. I'll let it slide for the sake of the comic but this is generally a big no-no.
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Budget crunch. The post on SSJEC might not be the "best" the USAF or military has to offer. Especially if they have to deal with the holo-AI's all the time.
-
...Only Security Forces are authorized to wear a black beret...
Station: Please excuse the intrusion, the US Military has a security presence on board...
I think there's your answer.
Yes thank you for pointing out the obvious but you would never see a Security Forces personnel donned in a maintenance jumper/flight suit. I'll let it slide for the sake of the comic but this is generally a big no-no.
How many Security Forces personnel have you seen embarked on a Space Station?
-
Plus, the military is probably among the best if not the best of hannerdad's customers... he probably goes a long way to keep them happy, including acceding to rules n regs that would otherwise be considered asinine or stupidly inappropriate given the locale and technologies involved. He knows which side his bread's buttered on.
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you would never see a Security Forces personnel donned in a maintenance jumper/flight suit.
Maybe not in this world.
Maybe in QCverse that's what all the hip Security Force cats are wearing these days.
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...Only Security Forces are authorized to wear a black beret...
Station: Please excuse the intrusion, the US Military has a security presence on board...
I think there's your answer.
Yes thank you for pointing out the obvious but you would never see a Security Forces personnel donned in a maintenance jumper/flight suit. I'll let it slide for the sake of the comic but this is generally a big no-no.
How many Security Forces personnel have you seen embarked on a Space Station?
The next time will be the first.
-
So much is wrong with this comic it's mind boggling.
I know, right? Private space stations, the USDoKYA, passenger-carrying HOTOL/SSTOs with Boeing Business Class seating and absent-minded AI pilots, interdimensional robotic dinosaur coffeemakers, little robots running around causing trouble ... it ain't real, I tells ya.
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By the bye:
Friday's comic (2115) will be the 1,600th comic "anniversary" since our blonde heroine first appeared in the comic.
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So much is wrong with this comic it's mind boggling.
I know, right? Private space stations, the USDoKYA, passenger-carrying HOTOL/SSTOs with Boeing Business Class seating and absent-minded AI pilots, interdimensional robotic dinosaur coffeemakers, little robots running around causing trouble ... it ain't real, I tells ya.
Well, my AnthroPC is on order right now.
-
Um... the Pintsize and Winslow plushes are only cuddly, not sentient.
-
Um... the Pintsize and Winslow plushes are only cuddly, not sentient.
Don't feed them after midnight, and don't ever, ever get them wet.
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It bugs me that she doesnt have a rank insignia.... nitpicky i know. still it just annoys me that it isnt there.
Might not be practical to have pins on a station that occasionally could lose gravitational pull.
You mean like being despun for maintenance?
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It bugs me that she doesnt have a rank insignia.... nitpicky i know. still it just annoys me that it isnt there.
Might not be practical to have pins on a station that occasionally could lose gravitational pull.
You mean like being despun for maintenance?
Something like that. Hannerdad might not like pins, either; he might have some sort of OCD or Aspergers-like affixation to them.
-
And, of course, if they are security people tasked with intercepting visitors before they leave the docking bay, then being ready for microgravity would be a must.
-
[ ... ]
Never mind that though. I want to know about the SPACE CAKE!
Don't you know? Its a lie!...
I just had a thought that maybe Lt. Uninhibited being up in the Station is the military's way of penalizing her for her occasional lewd behavior...
-
If there is a space cake, then there might also be a space café.
If there is a space café, then there might also be a space barista.
...
moar doppelgangers?
...
But is 128 people enough clients to support a café?
-
Station is a butt and you are also a butt.
Would a human get away with that?
-
Is anyone else suddenly frightened that Hanners has apparently unlimited powers over the AI that controls her father's space station?
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Oh .. Oh my.
:nerdgasm:
Could Hannelore BE any more awesome?
-
Yay, a mini MLP makes an appearance!
And the fandom rejoiced ("yaaaaaay~")
Furthermore, if William... Shatner happens to be a choice, should there also be one for "Spoooooock"?
-
[ ... ]
Butt is 128 people enough clients to support a café?
Wouldn't the coffee be free of charge? I mean, I can't imagine a lot of cash money being on a space station. An e-transfer system with uplink (downlink?) to earth's e-banking would be possible. (Uuuuh, futuristic...)
...
Erm... comic posted while I was writing and I forgot what my point was gonna be, because... erfghl... PONIES!
...
Haha, if its possible to create a holo-pony, what else could be done with that holotech? I am thinking HOLODECK IN DA HIZZOUSE!
edit:
Marten is staring at Hanner's finger like its edible... or he wants that power as much as he thirsts for it! He LUSTS for Hanner's power! He wants the precious for himself...!
(Seriously, Marten, way to creepily stare at a finger, man.)
-
Woo, late to the party. Also, hi, super new to the boards ^.^
(moderator)
There is a difference between observing that characters are portrayed as being attractive, and wanting them for partners. Jeph has specifically objected to what he calls "creepy character fetishization".
(/moderator)
Dr. Ellicott Chatham doesn't seem like the sort who'd invite strangers on board. If it really is his own station, as Hannelore said it was, then we're looking at a Third Amendment violation.
Does the Third Amendment apply to a space station? One not owned, at all or in part, by the US government? Or was it built by US grants, or otherwise government property, and therefor strange that they have such a small military force?
Really, really overthinking things, but the political scene in the QCverse must be very scary / very funny, what with AI's that can dig up embarrassing photos and/or videos at the blink of an eye.
Come to think of it, it's just a matter of time before that comes to pass in the real world anyway.
They did pass the AI Singularity quite a while ago(I'd have a link handy if I were a regular, so I'll leave it to one of you XD) and at this point, the AI pretty much just keep humanity around because they're fun.
Much nicer than dolphins.
Haha, if its possible to create a holo-pony, what else could be done with that holotech?
We already saw that, and I don't think it needs to be seen again. :angel:
-
I want a holo-pony! :cry:
Marigold's face in the last panel is epidorable. Those eyes... :-o
-
Is anyone else suddenly frightened that Hanners has apparently unlimited powers over the AI that controls her father's space station?
Actually, I'm glad about that. I would be a lot more worried if the AI was actively disobeying direct orders, because then you're just one step away from HAL 9000.
Besides, Hannelore uses her powers for good! Sure, that was a bit of a killjoy thing to do, but she made up for it by giving Marigold a holo-pony! Which is awesome! ;D
-
Haha, if its possible to create a holo-pony, what else could be done with that holotech?
We already saw that, and I don't think it needs to be seen again. :angel:
But... but... Star Trek!? ´~`
-
...Only Security Forces are authorized to wear a black beret...
Station: Please excuse the intrusion, the US Military has a security presence on board...
I think there's your answer.
Yes thank you for pointing out the obvious but you would never see a Security Forces personnel donned in a maintenance jumper/flight suit. I'll let it slide for the sake of the comic but this is generally a big no-no.
Ah, you have seen the curent uniform of the United States Low Earth Orbit Security Squadron? You haven't? Then shush. A universe that has sentient AI's could easily have slightly different rules on uniforms.
-
Hannelore seems to have a very well defined grasp of right and wrong.
Must why she has such a hard time integrating with regular society. :mrgreen:
-
Damn Hanners, you want to get the wrath of Bronies?
-
edit:
Marten is staring at Hanner's finger like its edible... or he wants that power as much as he thirsts for it! He LUSTS for Hanner's power! He wants the precious for himself...!
(Seriously, Marten, way to creepily stare at a finger, man.)
I think it's more that "waaugh" feeling of started recoil when someone suddenly sticks their hand in front of your face.
I want a holo-pony! :cry:
Marigold's face in the last panel is epidorable. Those eyes... :-o
I want one! (an adorable Marigold, not a holo-pony) :-D
-
I want a holo-pony! :cry:
Marigold's face in the last panel is epidorable. Those eyes... :-o
If you like it, there's a bigger version on Jeph's Tumblr (http://jephjacques.com/).
oh
my
god
-
Marten is staring at Hanner's finger like its edible... or he wants that power as much as he thirsts for it! He LUSTS for Hanner's power! He wants the precious for himself...!
(Seriously, Marten, way to creepily stare at a finger, man.)
Looks like a "WTF?!" stare to me. We've seen Hanners launch a "That's enough of this sh!t" strike at Faye and a less-angry one at Marigold, but has Marten seen one before?
Yeah, she called him and Steve out once on a "friggin' women" comment at the bar, but she was diffident about it.
Posit: Hanners might be the one in-universe character Marten actually respects. Including himself.
RED TEXT RED TEXT OK OK dangit.
-
I decided to post about this most recent comic just to squee over the mini Rainbow Dash. Huzzah for Jeph Jacque's acknowledging ponies!
Also I really have been enjoying the comic in general lately. Some nice drama, some neat new settings, and we're finally about to meet Hannelore's dad! All in all, it's been a good couple of months.
-
It's very simple.
She's back on home turf.
-
And now - what WILL we see on Space Station Hannerdad?
HannerDad, of course. - 71 (24.1%)
Richard Branson. - 8 (2.7%)
Stephen Hawking. - 13 (4.4%)
Robots. Lots and lots of Robots. - 42 (14.3%)
AnthroPC AI #000001. - 32 (10.9%)
Birthday cake. - 25 (8.5%)
Marigold puking over everything. - 14 (4.8%)
Transformers. - 0 (0%)
Waffles. - 8 (2.7%)
Cookies. - 2 (0.7%)
Pod Bay Doors. - 18 (6.1%)
Patrick Stewart. - 15 (5.1%)
William.... SHATNER! - 24 (8.2%)
Bruce Boxleitner. - 5 (1.7%)
John Cleese. - 15 (5.1%)
Robert Hays (I KNEW I forgot one...) - 2 (0.7%)
Total Voters: 103
This week - top three Moments!
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...there's some curvature in this passageway.
Lt. Potter's grad photo being the prime example. :-D
Also, omgpony!
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...there's some curvature in this passageway.
Lt. Potter's grad photo being the prime example. :-D
BaDUM tish, says Station.
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Yes thank you for pointing out the obvious but you would never see a Security Forces personnel donned in a maintenance jumper/flight suit. I'll let it slide for the sake of the comic but this is generally a big no-no.
I'm guessing here, but when designing a uniform for microgravity, I assume you'd:
Step 1: make sure it doesn't catch on things.
Step 2: require the minimum possible amount of laundry.
--> Personally-fitted jumpsuit.
-
Well, with a 1g environment, they'd be able to do laundry (unlike on most of the Space Shuttle flights).
A null-g environment would probably help with drying and removal of dirt, though.
-
Water use would still be an issue for laundry.
-
It could be suctioned out easier in null-G. (Do a Google search for "Ken Bowersox washes shorts", and watch the ensuing video.)
-
If there is a space cake, then there might also be a space café.
If there is a space café, then there might also be a space barista.
...
moar doppelgangers?
Which brings up a disturbing thought. Jeph's "the fans are gonna hate this story arc" comment was because of who the gang run into on the station, running the cafe.
Padma.
She didn't leave to go take care of Granny, she left to go into orbit. Too bad she had no idea that Marten's blonde friend Hannelore was that Hannelore.
-
It could be suctioned out easier in null-G. (Do a Google search for "Ken Bowersox washes shorts", and watch the ensuing video.)
No matter how it's used, gray water has to be re-processed. That takes energy, always in short supply on a spacecraft.
-
If there is a space cake, then there might also be a space café.
If there is a space café, then there might also be a space barista.
...
moar doppelgangers?
Which brings up a disturbing thought. Jeph's "the fans are gonna hate this story arc" comment was because of who the gang run into on the station, running the cafe.
Padma.
She didn't leave to go take care of Granny, she left to go into orbit. Too bad she had no idea that Marten's blonde friend Hannelore was that Hannelore.
No. no, NO.
It's going to be...
Sara.
She didn't get eaten by an Allosaur. She got hired by the US Gummimint as a Military Contractor.
-
It could be suctioned out easier in null-G. (Do a Google search for "Ken Bowersox washes shorts", and watch the ensuing video.)
No matter how it's used, gray water has to be re-processed. That takes energy, always in short supply on a spacecraft.
Not on one that theoretically has regenerative power (that solar panel is pretty darn BIG if you ask me....)
-
All I can say is Pintsize, Momo and Winslow need to hurry up and upload their consciousness into the space station server, I want holographic Anthro-hyjiinx!
I registered just so I could express that desire.
-
I am pleased Jeph has made homage to us. But, wouldn't have Fluttershy been better suited to Marigold? I certainly think so.
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nnnnnNNNNNNOOOOOONNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO![/DarthVader]
oh good grief please tell me Jeph is NOT a brony.
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Might not be practical to have pins on a station that occasionally could lose gravitational pull.
There's this thing called sewing. Rank insignia could be sewn onto uniforms.
Butt is 128 people enough clients to support a café?
Well if sunrise takes place every 3-4 hours, yeah, that's a lot of coffee being drank.
No matter how it's used, gray water has to be re-processed. That takes energy, always in short supply on a spacecraft.
Given the ability to create Momo's recent body and she doesn't need to recharge every couple hours, I suspect that along with True AI and dimension hopping coffee makers, the QC universe has also solved the battery/energy issues that plague our modern tech. I'd guess small scale cold fusion is also a reality in the QC universe.
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My Holo-Pony, My Holo-Pony
Isn't space a lovely place
My Holo-Pony, My Holo-Pony
Everywhere you go, a holographic face
-
Yes, I typo'd. Was in a bit of a rush at work and my fingers went on autopilot. However, my typo was immediately followed by a far more amusing one.
Whoever the actual owners of the station are, it's clear that the AIs respect Hannelore much more than the security detail. Is this from affection toward the "lady" of the house, or is this a result of the time she broke them down to their component code and reassembled them to be standards compliant? (joking, though I could see Hanners doing something like that)
RE: Verhoeven's film
I honest to God loved it for being a mindless action flick. It led me to Heinlen's far superior book, which tempered my enthusiasm. I cannot imagine the sort of spite it takes to go out of your way to license something specifically to give it a middle finger larger than Mount Everest.
-
It's great when we get to see assertive, take-no-prisoners Hanners -- whipping both Faye and Marigold into shape at different times.
I'm gonna take a wild guess: either Marigold or Hanners will be staying on the station -- Marigold for the toys and holoponies, Hanners for her dad. That's the part of the story arc that Jeph thinks we're all gonna hate.
-
It's possible that Hannelore doesn't have formal command authority over the station, but can simply embarrass it into doing things.
Hannelore's first take-charge moment had Marten as a target, along with Dora. Strip 981.
-
I'm gonna take a wild guess: either Marigold or Hanners will be staying on the station -- Marigold for the toys and holoponies, Hanners for her dad. That's the part of the story arc that Jeph thinks we're all gonna hate.
I could sort of see Marigold getting put on the bus as a gigantic act of risk taking/shaiking up the status quo given that she's very popular. But Hannelore? I think you'd have an all out revolt if she was to leave the series. Unless of course the intent was to give her a spinoff or something, which given the workload QC already is I can't see happening.
-
Hannelore with actual command authority would make me start thinking "I'm DJ Phalliz, and I'm here to say, kill your friends, kill them with explosive decompression".
Momo had holographic projection equipment in her old chassis, and presumably in the new one since it's a high end model. Why couldn't Marigirl have had a holo-pony all along?
-
Holo ponies? :| :-D
Marten should ask for holo dinosaur.
Always love it when Hanners goes into control mode. Cute.
And speaking of Starship Troopers. I know it is cliche, but I wanna see a joke about that.
Scratch that.
I want Trekkie zings already. Surprised there hasn't been a joke about Data.
-
Well, there hasn't been anyone similar to Data yet.
Just the Doctor and Andromeda.
...Oh boy, did I just say that?
What was the MOMENT... OF... THE WEEK???
Space Station Hannerdad! - 2 (2.2%)
Uh, were we supposed to pass it? - 0 (0%)
Just one more orbit, I promise. - 1 (1.1%)
BAD Spaceship! - 10 (11.2%)
Docking completed... - 0 (0%)
We just have to go up to the hub bridge... - 0 (0%)
Race you there! - 0 (0%)
Marten, no! You still have all your - - 1 (1.1%)
- mass. BERF - 6 (6.7%)
Hello, Station! - 1 (1.1%)
Aren't there any, um, PEOPLE? - 0 (0%)
128 researchers, security, and support personnel oboard - 0 (0%)
Station, Spaceship... notice a pattern - 0 (0%)
Hannelore went through a descriptivist phase... - 1 (1.1%)
I called my dad "Sceince Daddy" until I was 17. - 7 (7.9%)
Notorious Marten Reed (ugh I hate MC Hammer) - 2 (2.2%)
Lieutenant Potter. - 3 (3.4%)
US Military takes their duties more seriously than they ought. - 1 (1.1%)
Station, I'm just trying to do my job. - 0 (0%)
Fine, fine... Okay... what? - 0 (0%)
USAF Academy Graduation Party! - 17 (19.1%)
Lots of solar interference all of a sudden. - 1 (1.1%)
That was awful, Station! - 0 (0%)
Don't apologize to me, go apologize to Lt. Potter. AND MEAN IT! - 5 (5.6%)
And give Marigold a holo-pony! - 21 (23.6%)
oh my god - 10 (11.2%)
Total Voters: 34
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I wonder if one of Hanners heros is Ellen Ripley? :-D
Bad Station. Mamma spank!
And why a Holo-Pony? Wouldn't a Holo version of her favorite Manga/Anime character be better? :evil:
-
I wonder if one of Hanners heros is Ellen Ripley? :-D
Bad Station. Mamma spank!
And why a Holo-Pony? Wouldn't a Holo version of her favorite Manga/Anime character be better? :evil:
Hanners + bad day + space station: "I'm DJ Hanners / and i'm here to say / ORBITAL LAAAAAAAASER"
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I wonder if one of Hanners heros is Ellen Ripley? :-D
Bad Station. Mamma spank!
And why a Holo-Pony? Wouldn't a Holo version of her favorite Manga/Anime character be better? :evil:
Well, Hanners was a little upset, and probably headed back toward her comfort zone. Might have caught herself before she said "Holo-kitty." Had she given it a little more thought, she would have told Station to holo-simulate Sousuke or Ichiro.
Wonder what she'd have ordered up for Marten? Besides the obvious, I mean.
-
If anyone's staying, it's Marten, but only as long as lieutenant Potter is on deployment up there. :p
As for Hanners and her mysterious ability to get what she wants from Station and Spaceship, I don't think she does technically have command authority…it's just that disobeying her is unthinkable to the AIs, much as it would be to a large chunk of the forums. :psyduck:
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I could sort of see Marigold getting put on the bus as a gigantic act of risk taking/shaiking up the status quo given that she's very popular. But Hannelore? I think you'd have an all out revolt if she was to leave the series. Unless of course the intent was to give her a spinoff or something, which given the workload QC already is I can't see happening.
But it wouldn't really be interesting to see Hanners on the space station. As we've already seen, she's in her element. It takes away from what makes people care about her, her vulnerability. (This assumes we would see her on the station sometimes. Or actually assumes that because she's OKAY we wouldn't see her on the station sometimes.)
-
I want a holo-pony!
-
I learned to ride horse at the age of five on an ornery pony we had.
Yeah, I'm a guy, and I had a pony as a kid, what of it?
*broniefist*
-
Marten should ask for holo dinosaur.
No, a Holo 1952 Telecaster. (http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1543)
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"oh my god" is gonna be the QC version of the MLP fandom and Fluttershy's "yay". Calling it now.
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"oh my god" is gonna be the QC version of the MLP fandom and Fluttershy's "yay". Calling it now.
And there will be absolutely nothing wrong with that. :D
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As for Hanners and her mysterious ability to get what she wants from Station and Spaceship, I don't think she does technically have command authority…it's just that disobeying her is unthinkable to the AIs, much as it would be to a large chunk of the forums.
Hannelore is their princess. Trivialities like chain of command doen't come into it.I wonder if one of Hanners heros is Ellen Ripley? :-D
Isn't she everyone's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnOIvn8hMS4) hero?
-
RenewMan, would you be willing to add your observations about uniforms to the QC wiki?
-
I can practically hear Mar-bear's omg in the last panel. I likey :lol:
Holo ponies? :| :-D
Marten should ask for holo dinosaur.
Station: No, last time we tried that, we somehow summoned a tiny one that made espresso. Odd.
-
RenewMan, would you be willing to add your observations about uniforms to the QC wiki?
Haha! Sure, I'd be delighted to add my commentary. Also, I apologize for my outburst about uniforms. When you've been brainwashed as long as I have about rules and regulations, one becomes a little irate to see things misinterpreted as such. Of course this is QCverse where everything isn't going to make sense. I'll learn to remember hat next time I have a spaz attack. :-D
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I can practically hear Mar-bear's omg in the last panel. I likey :lol:
Holo ponies? :| :-D
Marten should ask for holo dinosaur.
Station: No, last time we tried that, we somehow summoned a tiny one that made espresso. Odd.
<applause>
-
This space station arc is gonna go longer than I thought it would, it is a fire hose of ideas.
The reason it's going longer than I thought is I actually know where I'm going with it! There's just a lot of stuff I gotta set up. HEHEHEH
And we're still only arriving anyway!
Also:I've only ever seen one episode of MLP, so I don't think I qualify as a "brony" or whatever. They're fun to draw though.
-
I can practically hear Mar-bear's omg in the last panel. I likey :lol:
Holo ponies? :| :-D
Marten should ask for holo dinosaur.
Station: No, last time we tried that, we somehow summoned a tiny one that made espresso. Odd.
<applause>
*bows* thank yew :-)
-
I can practically hear Mar-bear's omg in the last panel. I likey :lol:
Holo ponies? :| :-D
Marten should ask for holo dinosaur.
Station: No, last time we tried that, we somehow summoned a tiny one that made espresso. Odd.
Didn't want to save that for the next Caption thread?
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RenewMan, would you be willing to add your observations about uniforms to the QC wiki?
Haha! Sure, I'd be delighted to add my commentary. Also, I apologize for my outburst about uniforms. When you've been brainwashed as long as I have about rules and regulations, one becomes a little irate to see things misinterpreted as such. Of course this is QCverse where everything isn't going to make sense. I'll learn to remember hat next time I have a spaz attack. :-D
Great; you can add your commentary to Lt. Potter's entry! :D
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As for Hanners and her mysterious ability to get what she wants from Station and Spaceship, I don't think she does technically have command authority…it's just that disobeying her is unthinkable to the AIs, much as it would be to a large chunk of the forums.
Hannelore is their princess. Trivialities like chain of command doen't come into it.I wonder if one of Hanners heros is Ellen Ripley? :-D
Isn't she everyone's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnOIvn8hMS4) hero?
Nope. Don't like horror films, never seen it.
The second one's more of an action film than a horror film. The first one's the horror film (and the far better one, but that's a discussion for another place.)
-
Alien is an excellent suspense thriller/horror flick
Aliens is an excellent action thriller with horror overtones
They are both at or near the top of their respective games
Which one is "better" is and always will be subjective and based mostly on which genre you prefer.
What they are definitely both, is iconic cultural artefacts.
It is a pity the third one was so poorly received that they never made another one, isn't it?
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To be fair, the Bourne movies took almost nothing from the books they were based on, and that arguably made them significantly better.
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To be fair, the Bourne movies took almost nothing from the books they were based on, and that arguably made them significantly better.
And I agree with you on that point MM, the Bourne films were damned good.
That doesn't excuse Verhoven's butchery
Nor De Laurentis for his murdering of Dune in that god awful film a few years back
-
Alien is an excellent suspense thriller/horror flick
Aliens is an excellent action thriller with horror overtones
They are both at or near the top of their respective games
Which one is "better" is and always will be subjective and based mostly on which genre you prefer.
What they are definitely both, is iconic cultural artefacts.
It is a pity the third one was so poorly received that they never made another one, isn't it?
In my mind, the third one was a faithful adaptation of the graphic novel bit where they meet another one of the aliens that flew the ship from the original.
-
The Winslow has arrived. :D
I get what Jeph said about the plushes - they're probably a lot smaller than they would be IRL. Either that or Hanners and the rest of the cast are a bunch of midgets.
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Plus, the military is probably among the best if not the best of hannerdad's customers... he probably goes a long way to keep them happy, including acceding to rules n regs that would otherwise be considered asinine or stupidly inappropriate given the locale and technologies involved. He knows which side his bread's buttered on.
seeing how he created AI and probably many many of QC crazy tech I believe it is the other way around. Military go a long way to keep him happy allowing him to have a space station of his own and just keep small military personnel just in case and maybe protection from other countries.
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He did a lot of great stuff, but no matter how good you are at your job you're always replaceable. That being said Hannerdad is probably in a position now where he could replace his employers as easily as they could replace him. Relations are probably pretty delicate on both ends.
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According to (Jeph writing dialogue for) Hannelore, HannerDad's made his pile and works on what he wants, when he wants. My guess pending further revelations is that Lt. Potter and Co. are there to keep an eye on DefenseNet and the KillSats.
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Assuming we're about in the same calendar time frame as QC, the Station was probably built sometime in the early-to-mid 1990's, possibly even during Desert Storm - which is assuming DS actually happened in the QCverse. I've never wanted to ask Jeph specifically if 9/11 actually happened in the QCverse, but you can infer from the 1999 AI Rights article Momo was reading that it didn't.
I wonder if Jeph's ever timelined out what happened when in the QC Universe (including birthdates and such of our main characters, like Marten, Faye, Dora and Hanners).
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What was the MOMENT... OF... THE WEEK???
Space Station Hannerdad! - 3 (2%)
Uh, were we supposed to pass it? - 1 (0.7%)
Just one more orbit, I promise. - 1 (0.7%)
BAD Spaceship! - 12 (8.1%)
Docking completed... - 2 (1.4%)
We just have to go up to the hub bridge... - 0 (0%)
Race you there! - 1 (0.7%)
Marten, no! You still have all your - - 1 (0.7%)
- mass. BERF - 13 (8.8%)
Hello, Station! - 1 (0.7%)
Aren't there any, um, PEOPLE? - 0 (0%)
128 researchers, security, and support personnel on board - 0 (0%)
Station, Spaceship... notice a pattern - 0 (0%)
Hannelore went through a descriptivist phase... - 2 (1.4%)
I called my dad "Sceince Daddy" until I was 17. - 11 (7.4%)
Notorious Marten Reed (ugh I hate MC Hammer) - 3 (2%)
Lieutenant Potter. - 5 (3.4%)
US Military takes their duties more seriously than they ought. - 1 (0.7%)
Station, I'm just trying to do my job. - 0 (0%)
Fine, fine... Okay... what? - 0 (0%)
USAF Academy Graduation Party! - 29 (19.6%)
Lots of solar interference all of a sudden. - 2 (1.4%)
That was awful, Station! - 0 (0%)
Don't apologize to me, go apologize to Lt. Potter. AND MEAN IT! - 5 (3.4%)
And give Marigold a holo-pony! - 34 (23%)
oh my god - 21 (14.2%)
Total Voters: 56
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OK, I think I've got all the discussion that was exclusively about Starship Troopers into Enjoy.
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Assuming we're about in the same calendar time frame as QC, the Station was probably built sometime in the early-to-mid 1990's, possibly even during Desert Storm - which is assuming DS actually happened in the QCverse. I've never wanted to ask Jeph specifically if 9/11 actually happened in the QCverse, but you can infer from the 1999 AI Rights article Momo was reading that it didn't.
The real question is whether Walternate is the Secretary of Defense.
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Wonder what she'd have ordered up for Marten? Besides the obvious, I mean.
I'm really drawing a blank here. What do you mean? I don't think he would be able to actually play a holo-guitar, if that's what you mean?
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I wonder if Jeph's ever timelined out what happened when in the QC Universe (including birthdates and such of our main characters, like Marten, Faye, Dora and Hanners).
It looks and sounds like he hasn't gone for that kind of world building.
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...Lt. Potter and Co. are there to keep an eye on DefenseNet and the KillSats.
'DefenseNet and the KillSats' is the name of my 'Kilburn and the High Roads' cover band.