THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: BenRG on 14 Jul 2019, 13:47

Title: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 14 Jul 2019, 13:47
Okay, so several of the characters have pets. Some we saw a bit (Dora's cat, for example, was practically a second-level character for a while) whilst others are just one-off jokes (like Arthur the Succulent and Melon's pet pigeon). Just as a random poll, what do you think would be the ideal pet for Roko? Don't just vote, let us know the details!

To me, Roko's pet would have to be a supporting character in her story in one way or another. For some reason, I just love the idea of Roko owning a hamster or guinea pig. I just think it would be cute to see her lounging around in her apartment with a cute, fluffy ball sitting on top of her head and so obviously having a highly-intelligent view of everyone around her. Melon claims that it has explained n-planar calculus to her whilst Yay seems to fear it somewhat! "That creature... confounds us. They are not trustworthy."
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: DashaBlade on 14 Jul 2019, 14:00
Flying Roomba. It's probably got grandchildren by now.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Cornelius on 14 Jul 2019, 14:02
How about a pet rock: a gift from Melon, that is religiously watered twice a day, as per Melon's instructions. Ostensibly kept around to humour Melon, but secretly, Roko is quite attached to it, for reasons she doesn't quite understand herself.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jwhouk on 14 Jul 2019, 17:53
Wait wait wait... that dog! It's actually Yay's!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jmsr on 14 Jul 2019, 18:59
Wait wait wait... that dog! It's actually Yay's!

yEAH, I'm pretty sure that i mentioned this a while ago: i think that's one of Spookybot's (Yay's) dogs.  I'm betting that it's just another way that spooks came up with to try to make friends or get in with a social group; but in the meantime they made friends with Roko.  Mark my words - at some point, they will meet up again with the dog again (probably while Mrs. Augustine is taking it for a walk) and become acquainted with her and possibly also Claire or Clinton or Marten or Brun as well.  They'll probably let her keep it too because "they've got lots of dogs" or something.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 14 Jul 2019, 19:09
I'm pretty sure that SB's dogs are greyhounds.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jmsr on 14 Jul 2019, 19:50
I'm pretty sure that SB's dogs are greyhounds.

Hm, you may be right.  The only place we see their dogs is in this strip here: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3418 and the tail of one of them here: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3969 . In contrast, we see mrs augustus' new borzoi in https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3878 https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3879  https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3881 and in today's strip here https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4046

At first, the distance view could have concealed the excess fur but the second strip makes it clear that they're lean.  Cosmo is clearly quite furry though.  So the only way it could be one of spook's dogs is if it hasn't been seen yet.  So while i could be right about this, i admit i don't have evidence for it yet and am therefore not justified in my conclusion that the borzoi is originally theirs.  I only suspect!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Near Lurker on 14 Jul 2019, 20:00
Carly Rae Jepsen?  Times have changed...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 14 Jul 2019, 20:10
A gecko of some sort.

Or a hedgehog.They're both a bit prickly.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: brasca on 14 Jul 2019, 20:11
Offering the challenger a free bat is what makes Claire’s mom a good sport.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 14 Jul 2019, 20:34
Awww! :D That also explains the 'pet' poll.

I'd give Roko a cat. They're good pets yet less needy.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jmsr on 14 Jul 2019, 21:49
A racoon.  Roko clearly has a pre-existing relationship.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 14 Jul 2019, 21:52
Offering the challenger a free bat is what makes Claire’s mom a good sport.
Naw, screw that. Somebody breaks into my place, they signed up for broken bones.
I'm going for a homerun swing to the base of the back of their skull at an upward angle.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 14 Jul 2019, 22:30
I was going to suggest a venomous snake for Roko that would bite her once, hit a titanium alloy "bone," and swear off biting anything too big to eat for ever after.  However, there is a lot to be said for a raccoon.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 14 Jul 2019, 23:18
At first, the distance view could have concealed the excess fur but the second strip makes it clear that they're lean.  Cosmo is clearly quite furry though.  So the only way it could be one of spook's dogs is if it hasn't been seen yet.  So while i could be right about this, i admit i don't have evidence for it yet and am therefore not justified in my conclusion that the borzoi is originally theirs.  I only suspect!

Given his own fuzzball, Jeph seems to have a thing for pointy dogs in general.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: brasca on 15 Jul 2019, 00:20
Offering the challenger a free bat is what makes Claire’s mom a good sport.
Naw, screw that. Somebody breaks into my place, they signed up for broken bones.
I'm going for a homerun swing to the base of the back of their skull at an upward angle.

The bats pertain to dog ownership.  I don’t think she’s going to arm a home invader to be fair.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: ihaveavoice on 15 Jul 2019, 00:31
Calling it, if QC's society ever falls apart somehow, Mrs. Augustine will be the badass with the aesthetically well-placed scar who is T H R I V I N G in the now lawless wasteland once known as Northampton. She effortlessly retains her position as leader of her cookie-scented turf, but she welcomes the occasional foolish challenger just to stay sharp. The last thing most remember seeing is the beginnings of a roguish grin spreading across her face as she tosses them the bat. She always lets them have the first swing.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 15 Jul 2019, 00:55
So, does anyone else think that Cosmo is inspired by Ollie? Especially with the triangular head and the troubled digestion?

All that aside, I think that there will be pressure from Claire following this visit to get a pet. We know from the fact that Dora was able to briefly settle Meiville the Cat in the apartment and from Juicy's little yap-dog that there is no 'no pets' rule in that building. But what to get her? Jeph could quite possibly write an entire arc about Claire and Marten failing to choose a dog or a cat that suits them best only for something unexpected to bizarrely fall into their lap or for the whole situation to become moot somehow.

Offering the challenger a free bat is what makes Claire’s mom a good sport.

I have this mental image of this ritualised combat with them wearing different coloured anti-impact pads and Pintsize shouting out instructions in classical Japanese.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 15 Jul 2019, 02:14
Offering the challenger a free bat is what makes Claire’s mom a good sport.
Naw, screw that. Somebody breaks into my place, they signed up for broken bones.
I'm going for a homerun swing to the base of the back of their skull at an upward angle.

The bats pertain to dog ownership.  I don’t think she’s going to arm a home invader to be fair.
One would hope.

In the event of home invaders, I can see her using a spear-club (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1bszeudJCE) for some reason.
"I said 'no thank you' and 'good day', sir!"
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: andrybak on 15 Jul 2019, 04:33
I'm pretty sure that SB's dogs are greyhounds.

Hm, you may be right.  The only place we see their dogs is in this strip here: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3418 and the tail of one of them here: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3969 . In contrast, we see mrs augustus' new borzoi in https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3878 https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3879  https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3881 and in today's strip here https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4046

There's also #3901 "Multiple Anatomy". It's overwritten for some reason on questionablecontent.net with "Family Citrus" (compare #3901 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3901) and #3906 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3906)), but is saved on imgur (https://i.imgur.com/zjXef1Z.png).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Case on 15 Jul 2019, 04:50
Veteran Service Badger, of course.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: alanari on 15 Jul 2019, 04:53
You can lose your pet that fast in us? Here, it takes months until you are no longer able to claim your pet.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Theta9 on 15 Jul 2019, 06:45
So, does anyone else think that Cosmo is inspired by Ollie?
Who?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Theta9 on 15 Jul 2019, 06:47
Given his own fuzzball, Jeph seems to have a thing for pointy dogs in general.
Shebly wasn't pointy.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 15 Jul 2019, 07:39
So, does anyone else think that Cosmo is inspired by Ollie?

Who?

Jeph's new dog; a smooth collie, I think.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: DSL on 15 Jul 2019, 09:14
You can lose your pet that fast in us? Here, it takes months until you are no longer able to claim your pet.
Some shelters are more overcrowded -- or enthusiastic -- than others. And they're not all no-kill.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 15 Jul 2019, 11:48
You can lose your pet that fast in us? Here, it takes months until you are no longer able to claim your pet.
It varies from state to state and even from county to county, but 72 hours isn't uncommon.  Given that microchipping technology is easily accessible and getting less and less expensive, it's not all that unreasonable.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 15 Jul 2019, 11:57
Given his own fuzzball, Jeph seems to have a thing for pointy dogs in general.
Shebly wasn't pointy.

Granted, Shebly was not, but Ollie is, and Jeph has been re-tweeting some Japanese account about borzois.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Theta9 on 15 Jul 2019, 12:33
Not really on topic but I just want to announce that because of JJ, I now always write and say the name Shelby as Shebly.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 15 Jul 2019, 13:03
That's pretty common around here, and I think is the only name that the mods don't mind if we totally mangle.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Carl-E on 15 Jul 2019, 15:10
I dunno about dog's ears - despite having a couple of dogs myself, I've never indulged - but I know that dog burps smell like a combination of whatever they ate or licked last and something dead. 

And when they're happy, they will burp right in your face. 
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Zebediah on 15 Jul 2019, 16:13
I’m fond of the term “dog-breath humidity” which perfectly describes a particular kind of summer weather.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Penquin47 on 15 Jul 2019, 18:27
HANNERS IS BACK!!!!  and hugging!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Zebediah on 15 Jul 2019, 18:37
And Dora apparently keeps a dagger on her at all times, or at least when she’s working.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: DaiJB on 15 Jul 2019, 19:05
She's baaaackkk!!!    :-D

Also I think Roko needs a parakeet or small parrot - but something bigger than a budgie.
I think a cockatiel would be fun. They're smart, affectionate - mischievous and therefore an appropriate companion in the QC world.  :wink:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: pendrake on 15 Jul 2019, 19:23
For comic #4047... (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4047)

1. Yay, Hannelore is back!
 - a. Or rather perhaps the return of "Tannelore"...?  ;)

 - b. Also, it seems Hannelore has removed her piercings (unless I am seeing it incorrectly?).  Which actually does make sense, if you go on a global journey of self-awareness & -growth like Hannelore has, it is generally best to leave such things behind (having to maintain them can be a distraction).

2. Dora's Kris (wavy dagger) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris) certainly has seen much use (or at least appearance) in recent.  Cannot fault Dora for having it consistently on-hand though, that is following Gibbs' Rule #9 ("Never go anywhere without a knife."), which is a good rule to live by.

3. I also predict a lot of "Eeee!" moments for Hannelore for when she gets caught-up to all the things that has happened since her walkabout journey (especially Dora & Tai's engagement, obviously).

Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 15 Jul 2019, 19:31
And Dora apparently keeps a dagger on her at all times, or at least when she’s working.

A necessity in the service industry.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 15 Jul 2019, 19:33
Yay, Hanners!

"How did you get so tanned?"

"Well, there was the whole Area 51 raid... that was interesting."

"WHAT."
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: snufflebottoms on 15 Jul 2019, 19:36
YAY Hanners is back! Also, I think the wedding planning with make for a fun story line.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Shjade on 15 Jul 2019, 19:46
Hooray for Hanners :D

Regarding her piercings: I can't tell if they're removed or if she's just wearing studs at the moment. I would think if she'd removed them they'd be a little less pronounced? Unless they're only so visible to draw attention to the rings not being there. *shrug* Who can say.

Also, regarding Roko's pet: Capybara.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jwhouk on 15 Jul 2019, 20:02
She's  baaa-aaack!!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: alanari on 15 Jul 2019, 20:57
You can lose your pet that fast in us? Here, it takes months until you are no longer able to claim your pet.
Some shelters are more overcrowded -- or enthusiastic -- than others. And they're not all no-kill.
Sometimes I forget that animal protection is basically nonexistent in that respect in us..
In my country, there are no kill shelters. They literally are forbidden by law. So, every animal is kept anyway and needs to be vaccinated and neutered. That gives every owner a bit of time to track their lost pet down.
6 month is the limit. After 6 months, your pet is no longer yours. This, too, is law. But after one month, there usually is no one searching for this pet and it gets a new owner.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 15 Jul 2019, 21:45
My first reading was that Dora snatched the kris out of Hannelore's blouse.
That would be a -huge- change for Hannelore...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: cesium133 on 15 Jul 2019, 22:11
My first reading was that Dora snatched the kris out of Hannelore's blouse.
That would be a -huge- change for Hannelore...
That would be Hannelore's clone. (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1662)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 15 Jul 2019, 22:25
I’m fond of the term “dog-breath humidity” which perfectly describes a particular kind of summer weather.

So, south central Kansas or somewhere else?
When I lived there, our cousins from Texas would complain about the humidity and say that they could at least drive to the ocean back home.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 15 Jul 2019, 23:22
My first reading was that Dora snatched the kris out of Hannelore's blouse.
That would be a -huge- change for Hannelore...
That would be Hannelore's clone. (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1662)

Not necessarily.  Hanners has been known to carry weapons for self-defense.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 15 Jul 2019, 23:33
Yeah, I knew that the news of the impending nuptials would bring Hannelore back to Northampton, even if only temporarily.  However, what she says in panel 2 really does suggest to me that the bus has dropped her off.

To me, the tan and the hug are both important symbols of just how healthy she is now. She's obviously confronted something important in her life and gained a new approach to confronting her neuroses that has left her a lot happier and more at ease, both in her own skin and with other people. Jeph probably could probably draw out for weeks about her hugging her old friends and, like Dora, them thinking: "Pod person or android replica?"

I've got a long list of 'want to see/want to know' but the most important one is whether being far more able to do casual physical contact may impact on her friendship with Sven.

My first reading was that Dora snatched the kris out of Hannelore's blouse.
That would be a -huge- change for Hannelore...

That would be Hannelore's clone. (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1662)

Not necessarily.  Hanners has been known to carry weapons for self-defense.

True but a ritual dagger would still be a bit out-of-character for her. The only weapon I've ever seen her carry is a pepper spray!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: chason on 15 Jul 2019, 23:49
True but a ritual dagger would still be a bit out-of-character for her. The only weapon I've ever seen her carry is a pepper spray!

She also (very briefly) tried out a telescoping baton, but then hurt herself with it. https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1575
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Dicrostonyx on 15 Jul 2019, 23:53
Given that Roku needs to have a rule that Melon not cause explosions after 9 PM, any pet would clearly have to either be deaf or completely passive so as not to be stressed by the loud noises and general shaking.

Maybe an Earthquake Eel (land variant). Now I know that's not a thing, but I'm pretty sure that between them Faye, Hannelore, and Emily could find, create, or adapt something that would act like a pet while gaining energy from the vibrations.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 16 Jul 2019, 00:23
True but a ritual dagger would still be a bit out-of-character for her. The only weapon I've ever seen her carry is a pepper spray!

She also (very briefly) tried out a telescoping baton, but then hurt herself with it. https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1575

Don't forget that during her "date" with Sven, she briefly panicked that she had left her bag in the sushi place, and that had stuff like her taser, pepper spray, and possibly a knife or other weapon.  I don't recall exactly, and I've had too much kava so I'm not in the best shape to try an archive dive.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Dr. ROFLPWN on 16 Jul 2019, 00:28
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Near Lurker on 16 Jul 2019, 01:17
Would that be an acceptable athame?  Genuinely not certain...

Regardless, not much Hannelore could do would be more conspiracy-theory-generating than watching a man piss in a sink...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Wingy on 16 Jul 2019, 04:51
Roko's pet: Clearly that will be Yay/SB.
Hanners back: yay!  I wonder if any of her old habits will return with the familiar environment?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: JoeCovenant on 16 Jul 2019, 05:02
Hannelore!!

HANNELORE !!!!!

HANNEL.....

...oh!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jwhouk on 16 Jul 2019, 06:30
She also wielded a Cricket bat a long time ago as well...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 16 Jul 2019, 06:58
Haven't seen Winslow yet.  My guess is that she dropped him off at the apartment.( yeah, she would have kept the lease)  had him air it out, dust, vaccum, and grab some groceries.  He'll probably pop up by the end of the week.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Theta9 on 16 Jul 2019, 07:04
I dunno about dog's ears - despite having a couple of dogs myself, I've never indulged - but I know that dog burps smell like a combination of whatever they ate or licked last and something dead. 

My cats' breath is typically a melange of ass and old spoiled fish.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: dutchrvl on 16 Jul 2019, 07:56
I dunno about dog's ears - despite having a couple of dogs myself, I've never indulged - but I know that dog burps smell like a combination of whatever they ate or licked last and something dead. 

My cats' breath is typically a melange of ass and old spoiled fish.

This is true, also for my cats. But, their chest and forehead in particular smell like heaven. I imagine dogs have similar spots, so perhaps their ears then(?)

Which reminds me: https://soranews24.com/2015/12/10/japan-finally-bottles-the-scent-of-a-cats-forehead-now-available-to-spray-on-your-belongings/
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: sitnspin on 16 Jul 2019, 08:04
I's been my experience that dogs smell fucking terrible, no matter how clean they are. But YMMV.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 16 Jul 2019, 09:28
Would that be an acceptable athame?  Genuinely not certain...
Depending on the Tradition, maybe.  There is no central authority in Wicca or Neo-paganism that can decide what is or is not an acceptable working tool.  I do know people who use a kris.

If you decide to pack one, keep it sprinkled with lime juice just in case you encounter a Berbalang (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbalang_(legendary_creature)).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Inconsequential on 16 Jul 2019, 10:37
We learned back at Emily's lake house and IIRC a few other times that Hannelore tans unusually quickly.
https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2300

Normally, a person with blonde hair, very pale skin and green eyes would quickly burn in sunlight.

I've sort of wondered if Hanners' Dad added some... enhancements. And what those might be. And what unintended effects they might have had.

Hmmmmm....
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 16 Jul 2019, 11:00
I've sort of wondered if Hanners' Dad added some... enhancements. And what those might be. And what unintended effects they might have had.

Hmmmmm....

My headcanon is that Beatrice wanted a 'perfect' daughter to be her heir. Dr Ellicott-Chatham carried out a lot of very unethical modifications to the embryo that he and Beatrice had conceived in vitro, which were only not illegal because no-one had ever thought they were possible so no-one thought to ban them. Hannelore's genes were changed to make her close to superhuman in terms of intelligence and physical condition with a borderline-sociopathic disregard for others so she could continue Beatrice's 'good work' without a flicker of conscience.

The problem was that most of these modifications simply didn't work. Yes, Hanners is a lot smarter than baseline but the multiple layers of gene alterations have left her with a string of genetic neurochemical disorders that leads to most of her mental health issues. I also suspect that the physical enhancements didn't work out either, beyond perhaps better senses that just makes her acutely hyper-aware of just how unsanitary the world around her can be. Indeed, I wonder if the genetic alterations may have made her somewhat weaker than baseline.

As was their nature, Beatrice and John tried to play god. Hannelore has spent her whole life suffering as a consequence.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 16 Jul 2019, 11:08
I's been my experience that dogs smell fucking terrible, no matter how clean they are. But YMMV.
Dogs want to smell terrible. Dogs absolutely love to roll in filth. It's an evolutionary thing. They're predators, and they want their prey to think "there's a big pile of poo nearby" rather than "there's a big dangerous pack of dogs nearby."

Cats, on the other hand, don't want you to smell them at all. Which is why they are so obsessive about burying both poo and pee, and why they'll spend an inordinate amount of time grooming themselves.

I have no explanation as to why dogs love to rummage through catboxes for, uh, "treats." We had two cats and a dog in my house in my teenage years, and it was something I observed first hand far, far more often than I wanted.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: NemesisDancer on 16 Jul 2019, 11:17
I dunno about dog's ears - despite having a couple of dogs myself, I've never indulged - but I know that dog burps smell like a combination of whatever they ate or licked last and something dead. 

My cats' breath is typically a melange of ass and old spoiled fish.

This is true, also for my cats. But, their chest and forehead in particular smell like heaven. I imagine dogs have similar spots, so perhaps their ears then(?)

Which reminds me: https://soranews24.com/2015/12/10/japan-finally-bottles-the-scent-of-a-cats-forehead-now-available-to-spray-on-your-belongings/

This time of year my cat usually smells of coconut - white cats get sunburnt easily so we have to put suncream on her ears.


Very excited to see Hannelore back! Curious as to what else she's been up to while she was away.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Zebediah on 16 Jul 2019, 11:31
I’m fond of the term “dog-breath humidity” which perfectly describes a particular kind of summer weather.

So, south central Kansas or somewhere else?
When I lived there, our cousins from Texas would complain about the humidity and say that they could at least drive to the ocean back home.

North Carolina originally, where it’s a typical summer day. Although we’ve had a few occasions recently to use the term in Massachusetts. I have a feeling that this weekend is going to be one of those occasions - Northampton is forecast to flirt with 100°F on Saturday.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: cesium133 on 16 Jul 2019, 11:34
I's been my experience that dogs smell fucking terrible, no matter how clean they are. But YMMV.
Dogs want to smell terrible. Dogs absolutely love to roll in filth. It's an evolutionary thing. They're predators, and they want their prey to think "there's a big pile of poo nearby" rather than "there's a big dangerous pack of dogs nearby."

Cats, on the other hand, don't want you to smell them at all. Which is why they are so obsessive about burying both poo and pee, and why they'll spend an inordinate amount of time grooming themselves.

I have no explanation as to why dogs love to rummage through catboxes for, uh, "treats." We had two cats and a dog in my house in my teenage years, and it was something I observed first hand far, far more often than I wanted.
Dogs are like quarks: they cannot exist outside of a pile of filth, just like a quark cannot exist outside of a hadron. If you remove the filth from a dog, the dog will generate new filth from the background vacuum.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Wingy on 16 Jul 2019, 11:56
My mother, who raised 3 boys, would make the same statement about men-children.  My wife makes the same statement about my home office, which is why she is forbidden to bring any cleaning utensils within it.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Roborat on 16 Jul 2019, 12:09
I's been my experience that dogs smell fucking terrible, no matter how clean they are. But YMMV.
Dogs want to smell terrible. Dogs absolutely love to roll in filth. It's an evolutionary thing. They're predators, and they want their prey to think "there's a big pile of poo nearby" rather than "there's a big dangerous pack of dogs nearby."

Cats, on the other hand, don't want you to smell them at all. Which is why they are so obsessive about burying both poo and pee, and why they'll spend an inordinate amount of time grooming themselves.

I have no explanation as to why dogs love to rummage through catboxes for, uh, "treats." We had two cats and a dog in my house in my teenage years, and it was something I observed first hand far, far more often than I wanted.

Yes, dogs use dead things as camouflage, to disguise their odour.  Cats are both predators and prey, so they bury their waste so predators can't find them.  Dogs eat cat poop because cat food is high in protein, which results in dogs interpreting the cat poop as being food.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 16 Jul 2019, 13:06
Quote from: BenRG
Yes, Hanners is a lot smarter than baseline but the multiple layers of gene alterations have left her with a string of genetic neurochemical disorders that leads to most of her mental health issues.

There is a reason to think you are right. Years ago, Jeph said that he knows the reason for Hannelore's mental health problems and that it is a plot point. I cannot remember where or when he said that.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: theMarc on 16 Jul 2019, 14:21
YEAH! HANNELORE! WOO!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Bollthorn on 16 Jul 2019, 14:43
Hannelore is back YEY!!  ^.^
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Stoutfellow on 16 Jul 2019, 14:59
Hannelore is back YEY!!  ^.^

Right, right, can't say "yay" anymore - it might summon Mx Newfriend!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 16 Jul 2019, 15:17
Sometimes I think QC is mostly about who is sleeping with who. Except for Pintsize, and even he goes on dates where he tosses Pumpernickel at his date.

Not that I really object to that. I've always found it a bit sad that Clin-ton never seemed to have any luck in that regard. Emily was essentially disinterested, Brunhilde wasn't interested for different reasons, and even Roko never pursued her fantasies about the actual appearance of human abs.

My point being that Hannelore's mental issues have always be an obstacle to that, and that's finally been removed. So let the shipping commence.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 16 Jul 2019, 16:08
Would that be an acceptable athame?  Genuinely not certain...
Depending on the Tradition, maybe.  There is no central authority in Wicca or Neo-paganism that can decide what is or is not an acceptable working tool.  I do know people who use a kris.

If you decide to pack one, keep it sprinkled with lime juice just in case you encounter a Berbalang (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbalang_(legendary_creature)).

The best symbol for a sharp knife is a sharp knife.
(  a friend told me  )
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Wingy on 16 Jul 2019, 16:35
I've always found it a bit sad that Clin-ton never seemed to have any luck in that regard. Emily was essentially disinterested, Brunhilde wasn't interested for different reasons, and even Roko never pursued her fantasies about the actual appearance of human abs.
Hmmm.  A second try for Hanners by Clinton now that she might be a bit more receptive.  If he can get over memories of the previous attempt...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Stoon on 16 Jul 2019, 17:28
Why was Dora just happening to be carrying a dagger in her left hand? 

Clever for Jeph to hide it until the last frame.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: zisraelsen on 16 Jul 2019, 17:45
"I'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF SOUL SEARCHING PLEASE PUT THE KNIFE DOWN"
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 16 Jul 2019, 18:39
Hannelore discovered the Poop Buddha.

As for poop being poop, I had to struggle to reach the same point. There's a pretty good reason for having a poop-touching taboo, since it's full of harmful microbes. But at the end of the day, if you're careful about washing, it's pretty much like handling dirt. Getting it on you isn't going to kill you, you just need to be a bit extra careful about really, really cleaning it off. Preferably with something that's good at killing off those microbes.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: zioninavision on 16 Jul 2019, 18:42
4048 to me is feeling incredibly crucial!!  It may even be loosely akin to when some bands create a song that shares a title with their name. 

The last several dozens of strips have really felt like this organic tesselating to another new way of arranging the characters, interactions and dialogue that feels quintessentially to relate to the concept of questionable content (to me that means the key and very active intersection between the psyche, creativity, and language.) 
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 16 Jul 2019, 19:18
Well, that was a thing.

I do hope Hanners remains somewhat quirky, or she'll just fade into the background....

Has Dora told her about the engagement yet? ;)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: DaiJB on 16 Jul 2019, 19:32
I love the Enlightened Poop....   :laugh:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 16 Jul 2019, 19:42
I dunno.  This whole thing seems rather shitty to me.

(ducks)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: TV4Fun on 16 Jul 2019, 19:54
I'm so glad OCD can be fixed with just a few mental shifts.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Scarlet Manuka on 16 Jul 2019, 20:02
Given that Roku needs to have a rule that Melon not cause explosions after 9 PM, any pet would clearly have to either be deaf or completely passive so as not to be stressed by the loud noises and general shaking.

My feeling is that Melon already fills the role that a pet would play.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 16 Jul 2019, 20:29
I'm so glad OCD can be fixed with just a few mental shifts.

Speaking as someone who has dealt with OCD amongst other anxiety disorders through IOP exposure therapy, that sounds very much like what Hanners put herself through.  I don't think that it was some sort of instant revelation, but even dealing with Yak excretions for a few months would probably do the job better than the haphazard approach to it that she was doing earlier.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: brasca on 16 Jul 2019, 21:41
Hannelore discovered the Poop Buddha.

As for poop being poop, I had to struggle to reach the same point. There's a pretty good reason for having a poop-touching taboo, since it's full of harmful microbes. But at the end of the day, if you're careful about washing, it's pretty much like handling dirt. Getting it on you isn't going to kill you, you just need to be a bit extra careful about really, really cleaning it off. Preferably with something that's good at killing off those microbes.

That's what I'm hoping.  Poop is disgusting on its own but it's what's inside that counts.  There's a reason the mortality rate dropped when sanitation improved.  If Hannelore treats contact with fecal matter without freaking out then good for her, but I hope her psychosis hasn't swung in the opposite direction.  She'd be in for a hell of relapse the first time she gets sick eating at a greasy spoon.   
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 16 Jul 2019, 22:30
It's likely Hanners sought out challenging experiences which very probably included lunching on surströmming in Sweden.  Her system now scoffs at greasy spoons.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jmsr on 16 Jul 2019, 23:25
I'm pretty sure that SB's dogs are greyhounds.

Hm, you may be right.  The only place we see their dogs is in this strip here: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3418 and the tail of one of them here: https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3969 . In contrast, we see mrs augustus' new borzoi in https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3878 https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3879  https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3881 and in today's strip here https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4046

There's also #3901 "Multiple Anatomy". It's overwritten for some reason on questionablecontent.net with "Family Citrus" (compare #3901 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3901) and #3906 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3906)), but is saved on imgur (https://i.imgur.com/zjXef1Z.png).

Huh, i never saw that 'multiple anatomy' strip, and i remember checking it every day over christmas and new years break.  That pretty conclusively puts "Spookybot" or "Yay" or whatever they go by as having two grayhound dogs which are named Azathoth and Mr. Smooches.  tyvm!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 16 Jul 2019, 23:25
What I find very interesting about Hannelore's sermon is it is very much in character for her. Waaay back when she was first introduced, she told Marten and Faye that she handles the whole defecation issue by lighting scented candles, putting on a blindfold and trying to totally divorce her conscious awareness from what is happening. For her, getting through a dirty, icky and unhygienic thing that is life requires that she teach her brain to somehow dance around the subject. Oddly enough, I'm pretty sure that everyone has to do this about something.

No, for me, the real interesting part of this comic is her comments in panels 1 and 2 about realising that she was doing the 'rich white girl finding herself/tourist' thing. I do think that people in developing world countries can rightly be a bit annoyed about these people from the First World with no problems coming to them, dripping with disposable wealth and wanting to 'experience' different cultures without any real personal stake other than curiosity and some condescending attitude about 'noble and exotic primitive ways'. What progress Hannelore made in understanding her connection with the world around her strongly depended on the fact that she forced herself out of her comfort zone to actually live it.

I do hope Hanners remains somewhat quirky, or she'll just fade into the background....

That's the thing; this isn't a 'cure by any sense of the word. What she's done is found a useful mind-exercise to help her basically not freak out all the time when dealing with the unhygienic. However, it is still a conscious process, so I think she'll be caught out on occasion. I suspect that she'll always have some issues with spontaneous acts on others' parts and something simple like making out with someone she fancies will require some before-and-after meditation to handle. Basically, she's just taken a few more steps along the road to functionality, one that makes it easier to express the love that she feels for all her friends, that's all.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Y on 16 Jul 2019, 23:36
'Holy shit'. Perhaps doing something extreme can turn your feeling about it. It's how I got cured from my shyness, I did something very 'unshy'. Perhaps she had to do baby steps to get that point and visit someone's hairy art installation among the way.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: andrybak on 16 Jul 2019, 23:37
Years ago, Jeph said that he knows the reason for Hannelore's mental health problems and that it is a plot point. I cannot remember where or when he said that.

That would be QA Dump #31 (https://jephjacques.com/post/19074445932/qa-dump-31). Googleable by query «Hannelore plot point site:http://jephjacques.com».

What she's done is found a useful mind-exercise to help her basically not freak out all the time when dealing with the unhygienic.

Personally, I expected any epiphanies to be for her anxieties in general, not just hygiene-related ones. Maybe the enlightenment would be explored more in the following comics.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jmsr on 16 Jul 2019, 23:40
... I do think that people in developing world countries can rightly be a bit annoyed about these people from the First World with no problems coming to them, dripping with disposable wealth and wanting to 'experience' different cultures without any real personal stake other than curiosity and some condescending attitude about 'noble and exotic primitive ways'.

This is pretty much why i don't take overseas vacations.  I can't enjoy them because i feel like i'm imposing on or annoying or creeping out the locals and i spend the entire time feeling fucked up and weird about it (heck, i even felt that way while touring London, and i'm Canadian!).  I may be projecting, but it's how i feel - and no amount of "but they want you to come and spend money!" can change that.  Especially when you consider that even in 'touristy' areas, only a small fraction of the locals are profiting off the tourist trade.

.

Someone also mentioned about having a knife on hand at all times.  I feel the same way because you never know when something needs to be cut or sliced or scraped off.  Heck, i use mine at work practically every day.  However, i would point out that the small blade in a swiss army knife or pliers multitool is more than enough for these purposes - there's no need to go all "Crocodile Dundee" with a "propa knoife" like Dora is kind of going here.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Razgriz on 16 Jul 2019, 23:56
Dusting off my almost decade-old account to say that I'm disappointed by the implication of this newest comic. There were a lot of angry and/or snarky comments I wanted to make but I thought better of them, I'll just say this. Having someone simply decide to get over something like OCD implies that anyone who doesn't get over their own mental illness either isn't trying hard enough or doesn't want to (a sentiment I feel would've been moderated if it was expressed about Hanners in the past, and rightly so). Mental illness isn't so simple that it can be solved with such a basic epiphany as portrayed here. It can't be switched off after some soul searching. This is equivalent to telling a person with depression they should decide to be happy. I honestly expected better from QC.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Akima on 17 Jul 2019, 00:16
Someone also mentioned about having a knife on hand at all times.  I feel the same way because you never know when something needs to be cut or sliced or scraped off.  Heck, i use mine at work practically every day.  However, i would point out that the small blade in a swiss army knife or pliers multitool is more than enough for these purposes - there's no need to go all "Crocodile Dundee" with a "propa knoife" like Dora is kind of going here.
At least Mick Dundee's knoife was a "tool knife", albeit a big one. Dora's is, I assume, an athame put to self-defence purposes?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: QuestionableIntentions on 17 Jul 2019, 00:23
That's an easy one.

The point of being grossed out is to avoid things evolution has found out to be risky/harmful to us.

Next question.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: maneyan on 17 Jul 2019, 05:13
I'm a bit apprehensive about this as well: mental issues aren't cured with an ephipany. Still though; Jeph's usually delivered on these things in the end so I'm going to presume he's going to elaborate on it.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: sitnspin on 17 Jul 2019, 07:40
I didn't interpret this as her "getting over" her mental illnesses, but as her developing an effecting coping mechanism. I have my own myriad mental health issues, and while I am fairly certain I will have them my entire life, I have learned strategies for managing them relatively effectively. That is all I am seeing here. The goal with any mental illness treatment is successful management of one's condition, not a cure.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: GentlewomanOtter on 17 Jul 2019, 08:02
I am so massively uncomfortable with today's comic that I created an account to comment. That is just not how mental illness works. It isn't how OCD/anxiety work specifically. I deal with a lot of anxiety and maybe some OCD, and I can't just decide that being grossed out or upset by or worried about something isn't helpful and make the feelings go away. I know intellectually that it isn't helpful to worry about my new job to the point of making myself nauseous. It is the opposite of helpful. That doesn't make it stop. I know that soap isn't magic disinfectant, it's mostly a surfactant, and that I will not die if i use the occasional bathroom without soap. But I just. Can't. Not without hand sanitizer or something instead of soap. This is on meds that keep me from spiraling and reduce the intrusive thoughts.

I'm confused and disappointed because Jeph is normally Excellent about things like this. But Hanners' intense OCD seems to have magically gone away just because she realized it wasn't helpful.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Y on 17 Jul 2019, 09:30
The thing is the moment you get over your main uncomfortable thing, something else pops up instead, something you might haven't even found icky before.

I know that soap isn't magic disinfectant, it's mostly a surfactant, and that I will not die if i use the occasional bathroom without soap. But I just. Can't. Not without hand sanitizer or something instead of soap.
Why should you not wash after bathroom? I remember when I was younger it wasn't as bad, but then suddenly I started washing them every time and more, after my first gf found it icky. Now I wipe the seat of the toilet every time, even if that does nothing in terms of bacteria.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 17 Jul 2019, 10:06
Soap being a surfactant is actually a major benefit. Warning: I'm dumping a bit of google research here, but it's from the National Institute of Health, so it's presumably credible.

While there are antibacterial soaps - and I always purchase those - it turns out the major benefit of handwashing isn't killing germs, it's washing them off your hands and down the drain. You get a benefit from washing your hands in even in plain water, though soap is better.

15 seconds of washing with regular soap reduces E. Coli by to 10^-1.72 (1.9%) of the original count.
15 seconds of washing with antibacterial soap reduces it to 10^-2.90 (0.12%) of the original count.
30 seconds of washing with antibacterial soap reduced it to 10^-3.33 (0.046%) of the original count.

Bacteria CAN survive on a bar of soap, and multiply. When you wash your hands with bar soap, you're transferring some of the bacteria to the soap, and the next time you wash, you're transferring some back before you start washing, where presumably it then goes down the drain. Which is an argument for using liquid soap, though you can still obsess over what's living on the soap dispenser.

Those infra-red controlled, touchless liquid soap dispensers you see in public restrooms? They're actually a benefit.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 17 Jul 2019, 10:09
Quote from: GentlewomanOtter
I am so massively uncomfortable with today's comic that I created an account to comment. That is just not how mental illness works. It isn't how OCD/anxiety work specifically.

Welcome, new person!

The interesting thing here is that Jeph has first-hand experience of mental health challenges.

I wonder if Hannelore's enlightenment was just the capstone on her months of exposure therapy, which were the real cure. That would make more sense.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 17 Jul 2019, 11:21
Quote from: GentlewomanOtter
I am so massively uncomfortable with today's comic that I created an account to comment. That is just not how mental illness works. It isn't how OCD/anxiety work specifically.

The interesting thing here is that Jeph has first-hand experience of mental health challenges.

I wonder if Hannelore's enlightenment was just the capstone on her months of exposure therapy, which were the real cure. That would make more sense.
^^^THIS^^^

Just because one person experiences mental illness in a certain way doesn't mean everyone does.

In my own experience with crippling clinical depression, my physician told me it would be a long struggle to get to "the place," but that up on arriving it would feel like I'd turned a corner.  And ya know what?  He was right.

But, Your mileage WILL vary.  That's one reason mental illness is so God damned difficult to treat.

Jeph is telling his character's story, most likely very well grounded in his own.  Please don't demand that he make it conform to yours.  Your story is yours to tell, not Jeph's, not mine, nor anyone else's.

Jeph, aside from it being an amusing yarn, I follow QC because of your insights into human nature and how relationships work.  I've gleaned things from your work that my PhD shrink wasn't able to show me.   No disappointment here, I think you're doing fine.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 17 Jul 2019, 12:11
Thank you, Old Goat.  It's not the same for everyone, and I'm starting to think that to some degree, Jeph's experiences are closer to mine than some of the other posters on this subject.  I know that there's no "cure" for mental stuff, but for a number of things, I tend to think of myself as "cured", just because they no longer impact my daily life.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 17 Jul 2019, 12:44
Thank you, Old Goat.  It's not the same for everyone, and I'm starting to think that to some degree, Jeph's experiences are closer to mine than some of the other posters on this subject.  I know that there's no "cure" for mental stuff, but for a number of things, I tend to think of myself as "cured", just because they no longer impact my daily life.
Yep.  For me part of it was realizing that I'd never be cured in the sense that it would go away and never bother me again.  It's still there, but I've acquired the ability to cope with it, or at least a large part of it.  And, y'a know?  That's even better. 

If I'm moving through life thinking, "I'm so glad that shit's behind me, it kicked my ass," it implies I might encounter it again.  I'm much better off moving through life thinking, "If that shit turns up again now I know how to deal with it."
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Razgriz on 17 Jul 2019, 13:18
There's a world of difference between "now that I've confronted the absolute worst I could imagine and done a lot of soul-searching, I'll more easily (but never totally) be able to cope with the obstacles of day-to-day life" and "I shoveled yak poop for a week and realized there's no point to being grossed out by things! Who knew, right? It seems to obvious in retrospect. Anyway, now I'm cured". The former suggests realistic coping and improvement. The latter says that anyone with OCD just isn't trying hard enough.

I mean, imagine this is years ago and someone came here and posted "I don't understand Hannelore, why doesn't she just realize there's no point to being grossed out by things?". They would've been torn apart. That isn't how it works, it's not a decision a person can just make, it isn't that simple... except apparently it is that simple?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: sitnspin on 17 Jul 2019, 13:31
A lot of people seem to be jumping to the conclusion that Hanners is cured when she never said anything of the sort. Having a breakthrough is not the same as being cured, it's a step, sometimes a significant step, but still just a step. Coping strategies are not cures, they are methods for making your condition more manageable.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 17 Jul 2019, 14:11
Personally, I've gone from Hanners level flailing when a lady I knew kissed me on the cheek for fronting her a drink[1], and had to psych myself up to shake hands with someone.  Now, as long as it's someone I trust, contact doesn't bother me.  I also no longer have to wash my hands 14 times a day or carry purell.  So I totally grok this change in Hanners' character.

And now, I'm going to have to call out those who are irritated and saying that things "don't work that way".  Jeph has fucking lived this kind of shit, and is going from his own experiences.  His approach might not work for everyone, but it's really dismissive to pretend that his journey isn't possible.

[1] First time I nearly fell off a bar stool sober
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Tova on 17 Jul 2019, 14:21
Antibacterial soaps do more harm than good, and you probably should not be purchasing them.

I'd better find something to back me up on this, hey? Hang on.

Why you should dispense with antibacterial soaps (https://theconversation.com/why-you-should-dispense-with-antibacterial-soaps-65297)

The US has banned antibacterial handwashes – here’s why Australia should too (https://theconversation.com/the-us-has-banned-antibacterial-handwashes-heres-why-australia-should-too-64965)

Quote
Many studies have shown that the use of consumer antibacterial wash products is no better at removing germs than plain soap and water.
...
Triclosan has also been implicated in the rise of resistance to antibiotics – those life-saving, bacterial infection-fighting medicines we are running out of.

Soap washes away dirt and oil carrying bacteria, but it also disrupts the cell membranes of bacteria, and so is effective at killing it. You just want to be sure to wash your hands properly. Make sure you rub all surfaces of your hands, and wash your hands for a good amount of time, rather than just a couple of seconds - a couple of choruses of happy birthday ought to do it.

I don't have a source handy for that last claim, but you can probably verify it with a bit of searching.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Razgriz on 17 Jul 2019, 15:41
A lot of people seem to be jumping to the conclusion that Hanners is cured when she never said anything of the sort. Having a breakthrough is not the same as being cured, it's a step, sometimes a significant step, but still just a step. Coping strategies are not cures, they are methods for making your condition more manageable.
Hanners is straight up saying she isn't grossed out by anything anymore. If that isn't a cure I don't know what is. And if he doesn't want to claim this cure is universal, maybe don't portray it as deep wisdom that applies to life itself.

Also real nice to see that you're all supportive of all kinds of causes, so long as they don't conflict with the golden rule that Jeph is above criticism and can do no wrong. OCD can be cured by shoveling shit. The Lord has spoken. Tell your friends it's their fault they have problems.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Tova on 17 Jul 2019, 15:45
Hanners is straight up saying she isn't grossed out by anything anymore.

She did not straight up say that.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: SmilingCat on 17 Jul 2019, 16:00
Hanners is straight up saying she isn't grossed out by anything anymore. If that isn't a cure I don't know what is. And if he doesn't want to claim this cure is universal, maybe don't portray it as deep wisdom that applies to life itself.

Also real nice to see that you're all supportive of all kinds of causes, so long as they don't conflict with the golden rule that Jeph is above criticism and can do no wrong. OCD can be cured by shoveling shit. The Lord has spoken. Tell your friends it's their fault they have problems.

You're reading an awful lot into one comic to support a conclusion for you to get angry over. It's worth noting that Hannelore had already made a ton of progress before this point. She'd already been getting accustomed to hugging (ask Marten and her father). Working at the coffee shop got her accustomed to feeling dirty and grimy, to the point that she almost decided not to shower after work, an idea that was so alien to her she had a panic attack over it.

Old Hanners wouldn't have travelled the world, met all new interesting people, done all new interesting thing, and certainly wouldn't have made it through a day of shoveling yak shit, much less a week of it. This isn't "Hanners shovels yak shit for a week and suddenly she's cured." This is "Hanners was already doing well enough to shovel yak shit for a week and suddenly she starts realizing and processing that she's getting better."

Sometimes it works like that. Sometimes you don't even realize all that work you've put into getting better was actually slowly working until a furry cow is staring you in the face wanting to know if his stall is clean yet.

(personal experiences may vary)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 17 Jul 2019, 16:41
Global Moderator Comment Folks fighting mental illness, you are among friends here. There are people on the moderator team who know first-hand what you face, and many more among the regulars.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Y on 17 Jul 2019, 17:01
Hanners shovels yak shit for a week

I already thought it was weird that latrines needed shoveling, but that's because I only know latrines from history class, the thing the romans use for instance. I thought animals just shit all over the place. If it's manure then it's suddenly way less gross than if it was poop.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 17 Jul 2019, 18:13
New comic!

Nice to see they saved Hanner's job for her.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 17 Jul 2019, 18:21
New comic!

Nice to see they saved Hanner's job for her.
That was Dora's close to a promise when she left.  She gets to reintroduce herself to Mr Burny.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Penquin47 on 17 Jul 2019, 18:27
So... is Dora no longer a fucked-up twenty-something?  Has it been three in-comic years since Faye was teasing Dora about being Mrs. Robinson at the ripe old age of 27?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 17 Jul 2019, 18:45
I already thought it was weird that latrines needed shoveling, but that's because I only know latrines from history class, the thing the romans use for instance. I thought animals just shit all over the place. If it's manure then it's suddenly way less gross than if it was poop.
It is true, herbivore dung is 'way less icky than omnivore or carnivore shit - some equestrians think horse apples smell good.  Once they dry out cowflops are actually pretty inoffensive.  Suburban kid that I am, I can't really tell the difference between common dairy cow dung and buffalo (American bison) dung, and I suspect the same is true of yak poo.  I know Native Americans and white settlers alike on the Great Plains used sun dried dung as heating and cooking fuel - not much firewood to be had out there and what little there is is of poor quality.

I suspect the same is true of the steppes of Mongolia or wherever Hanners was yak herding.   Left to their own devices, the critters will wander around and spread the stuff out by randomly plopping wherever the mood strikes them, but if they're corralled it piles up and needs to be dealt with.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: SpanielBear on 17 Jul 2019, 19:12
As they are, we once were.

As we are, so they will become.

Poor bastards.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: brasca on 17 Jul 2019, 19:21
New comic!

Nice to see they saved Hanner's job for her.

Apparently she still wants it for therapeutic purposes. 
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Shjade on 17 Jul 2019, 21:15
A lot of people seem to be jumping to the conclusion that Hanners is cured when she never said anything of the sort. Having a breakthrough is not the same as being cured, it's a step, sometimes a significant step, but still just a step. Coping strategies are not cures, they are methods for making your condition more manageable.

A lot of people are jumping in general, as often seems to be the case whenever some Major Development happens in the comic and has not yet had time to breathe, so the usual reminder:

It's been three strips, people. Give the story beat some time to develop before going straight to 100 on it. For all we know she's gonna check out the basement next and discover that, while maybe she has gained a new perspective on poop, it turns out spiders are still spiders and aaaaaAAAAAAA.

We don't know anything about what kind of state Hanners is in right now aside from "can proactively hug Dora" and "thinks she's made a major breakthrough on her personal hangups."

Give it a minute.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 17 Jul 2019, 21:24
Physical contact gets so much easier when one initiates it themselves.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: DarthSox on 17 Jul 2019, 21:48
It's been a long time since I commented here (I occasionally lurk when something controversial is happening in the comic), but I wanted to ask something random:

Is this the first time we've ever heard Hannelore say the F-word? I remember she told Faye one time to "get her shit together", and made a mental note that I didn't think she had ever sworn before or since.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 17 Jul 2019, 23:52
I wonder if Hannelore has considered the possibility that time in their universe is somehow going at a tiny fraction of its apparent rate (you know, as they were in a daily comic strip or something)? That would explain why it is taking everyone so long to get out of their twenties!

I so love Hannelore's reason for coming back. It's easy to forget how much she loves her friends and the degree to which they're core to her happiness, stability and life! Just all the'catching up' strips are going to be a treat to read! I wonder how long Jeph can sustain a running joke about Hanners making some reference to her travels that means something completely different out of context?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: anahata on 17 Jul 2019, 23:56

Is this the first time we've ever heard Hannelore say the F-word?

It could be,  but it doesn't surprise me. Travel broadens the mind, and after all the people she's met and worked with I'd expect her to be less squeamish about language than she might have been before, just as she is about yak poo.
Anyway it's easy to say when she's only quoting back what Dora has just said.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Signal Firefly on 18 Jul 2019, 02:30
I kinda want to chime in here with my own personal experience. First, let me say I am very well aware this is not remotely comparable to OCD. And I'm not saying this is the case for Hannelore; I agree with people saying this is a breakthrough, not a cure. But...

For most of my life, I had a serious nail-biting problem. Like, constantly, they were always bitten down to the quick, my fingers hurt all the time. Awful. Tried for years to quit. Then about...seven years ago?... I told myself one day, you are in control of your body. It does not control you. You are stronger than this. And...it worked. I've had a few setbacks, and I still bite the skin around my nails sometimes, but for the most part I haven't bitten my nails since. I don't know how it worked, I know it wouldn't work for most people, and people aren't weak or "not trying hard enough" because they can't just will themselves better. And like I said, nail biting is not OCD. But I can believe that, once in a while, someone CAN muscle their way through their issues through sheer will power alone.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Wingy on 18 Jul 2019, 04:43
Not to change the subject from mental illness, but can anyone read the board behind Hanners?  Advice is 2, Good advice is 69 (snrk!), and above that is a scribble I can't read and "no" as the price.  What doth the scribble sayest???
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Tova on 18 Jul 2019, 04:49
Affogato.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Oenone on 18 Jul 2019, 07:25
It’s also possible Hannelore thinks she’s “better” because she’s been practicing her self care skills in a context wildly divorced from her daily life. It might be that when she’s presented her old triggers she struggles more. We might see a return of JUICY or her mom, both of which would test her.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: rtmq0227 on 18 Jul 2019, 07:53
We might see a return of JUICY or her mom, both of which would test her.

Or it's revealed that her mom facilitated her adventures somehow/had someone watching over her and she has to juggle the righteous fury at her mother for interfering after being cut off against her insecurities and self-doubt creeping in ("How much of my success in this journey was my own?").

I agree that her mom doesn't seem to be the type to handle someone (even family) standing up to her well or just let it go.  I can see her skirting the exact terms Hanners set in their confrontation and things coming to a head.  That said, it would be interesting to see her mother's perspective on their relationship change.  We've always seen her treat motherhood as some kind of obligation or liability, but Hanners has demonstrated that she can take on her mother's aspect as much as her father's or her own.  This might have been the first time her mother has truly seen herself in her daughter and I'd love to see the aftermath of that.

She's still an asshole for using her daughter as a tool for corporate negotiation (I just want to be clear).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 18 Jul 2019, 11:32
It’s also possible Hannelore thinks she’s “better” because she’s been practicing her self care skills in a context wildly divorced from her daily life. It might be that when she’s presented her old triggers she struggles more. We might see a return of JUICY or her mom, both of which would test her.
Oenone, please correct me if I'm reading it wrong, but the way you cast that first sentence using quotation marks makes it sound to me like you believe Hanners is deluded in her belief that her condition has improved. 

I would argue that if she feels better and is finding it less challenging to negotiate the world around her, she IS better.  If it takes a JUICY or Beatrice level trigger to disrupt her day now, that's still a major improvement.  Her threshold used to be much lower.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 18 Jul 2019, 11:49
I suspect that the quotes were because of all the stuff up-thread, and not dismissive of Hanners' progress.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Zebediah on 18 Jul 2019, 12:27
Hannelore is better. She is not “better” in the sense that she is “cured” or “fixed”, and she likely never will be. But she is better in that she is more functional and balanced than she was before.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 18 Jul 2019, 12:54
Well, there isn't much meat for curing, and I don't know what her opinion of being fixed would be.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Penquin47 on 18 Jul 2019, 18:09
I suspect she'd appreciate being fixed.  No bloody mess to clean up for a few days every month.  And really, I cannot see her handling pregnancy or birth well, or babies/small children and the mess and germs that go along with them.  If she does want to be a mother, I can see her adopting an older child to avoid having to deal with diapers.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: DashaBlade on 18 Jul 2019, 19:09
Comic's up!

So, one person's breakthrough is another person's insides full of scorpions, I guess.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Case on 18 Jul 2019, 19:39
Winslow, you can't be poisoned by snakes or scorpions, you big baby.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 18 Jul 2019, 19:47
I finally cast my vote for Roko's pet.  Specifically, a budgie, one with an extensive vocabulary of vile language, delivered in several accents, including South Boston.  Perhaps to include, "My name is Andy Jackson* and I'm a dirty son-of-a-bitch!"



*Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States, is a controversial figure.  Among his claims to (in)fame are his short fuse and spectacular bursts of anger.  His beloved pet parrot seemed to have picked up certain language from his owner. 
Quote
Contemporary accounts suggest that the parrot, agitated by the crowds attending Jackson’s funeral at his home in 1845, launched into a profane tirade while surrounded by mourners.  Later, funeral attendee Rev. William Menefee Norment wrote, “Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet, got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house.”
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: St.Clair on 18 Jul 2019, 19:56
Winslow, you can't be poisoned by snakes or scorpions, you big baby.

If he's like Atomic Robo, then the issue isn't of being poisoned, but simply having bugs inside him, potentially getting their squishy crunchy bug guts into his workings/components.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 18 Jul 2019, 20:21
So Winslow has his 'Certified City Slicker' card.  :-P To be fair, the scorpions could have caused some problems.

I wonder if being kicked by a yak is worse than being kicked by a horse? I haven't been kicked by either.


EDIT: I'm no country boy, but I've got the good sense not to stand behind a large ungulate.
EDIT 2: typo fix
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: shanejayell on 18 Jul 2019, 20:42
Poor Winslow.

I've been kicked by a goat. Hurt.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 18 Jul 2019, 21:16
EDIT: I'm no country boy, but I've got the good sense not to stand behind a large ungulate.

I stay well away from any creature that a nose damaged by decades of smoking can detect from more than 6" away.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: cesium133 on 18 Jul 2019, 21:20
Winslow really needs to meet Melon and find out about her job.  :evil:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 18 Jul 2019, 22:03
Poor Winslow.

I've been kicked by a goat. Hurt.
I didn't mean to.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Tova on 18 Jul 2019, 22:43
It's in your nature?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 18 Jul 2019, 22:50
Now that's not fair, Winslow! Has it occurred to you that maybe the scorpions just wanted to be friends? Unfortunately, it is the curse of order scorpiones that people rarely want to be friends with you! (Full Disclosure: The Emperor Scorpion was my favourite childhood creepy-crawlie!)

My gut feeling is that Momo is going to counter by telling Winslow all about her problems. This may lead to consequences in the mid-term, which may be cute in an 'uncanny valley' sort of way.

Meanwhile, how long do you think that Hanners and Mar-bear will be hugging tearfully and squeeing happily? They are best friends, after all!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: brasca on 18 Jul 2019, 23:12
Winslow, you can't be poisoned by snakes or scorpions, you big baby.

I agree about the snakes, but the scorpions crawled inside him and that could do some internal damage although I'm not entirely sure how.  I know certain models have working mouths, but I didn't think they had throats that went anywhere. 

Of course Winslow may have the same inexplicable fear of creepy crawlers that Roko has of damaged AIs.  It's just a part of his personality. 
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: hedgie on 18 Jul 2019, 23:17
I either swat or flick harmless creepy-crawlies because the sensation can be maddening.  To even think of them crawling inside is some straight-up Cronenberg shit for me.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Tova on 18 Jul 2019, 23:21
It's probably a phobia, unrelated to how much damage they can do.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Shjade on 19 Jul 2019, 02:37
Regarding theories on Hanners' mom's involvement: personally I very much doubt it. I don't get the impression her mom is the type to enjoy humble pie, but Hannelore damn near blew her off her feet in that storm. I think her mom is plenty smart enough to let that blow itself out before even considering meddling in her daughter's life again, lest she compound the issue regardless of her intentions.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 19 Jul 2019, 06:57
Hanner's dad is super-wealthy in his own right.  I don't think Hanner's mom can really hold anything over her head to get her to play ball with her.  If they reconcile, it'll be on Hanner's terms, not her mom's.

And Winslow will be fine.  Could he have "picked up" OCD from Hanners?  Through constant association he might have started to mimic Hanner's mannerisms.  To be a more....sympatico.(?) companion to her?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 19 Jul 2019, 09:52
The Emperor Scorpion was my favourite childhood creepy-crawlie!)
Is that the huge, jet black one with the relatively wimpy venom that they use on TV and movies because it looks so scary but is almost harmless to humans?

Yeah, this guy.
(https://i.imgur.com/QpiHfvO.png)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: BenRG on 19 Jul 2019, 09:59
When I was ten years old, all that mattered was that it was big, scary-looking and cool!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Oenone on 19 Jul 2019, 11:54
It’s also possible Hannelore thinks she’s “better” because she’s been practicing her self care skills in a context wildly divorced from her daily life. It might be that when she’s presented her old triggers she struggles more. We might see a return of JUICY or her mom, both of which would test her.
Oenone, please correct me if I'm reading it wrong, but the way you cast that first sentence using quotation marks makes it sound to me like you believe Hanners is deluded in her belief that her condition has improved. 

I would argue that if she feels better and is finding it less challenging to negotiate the world around her, she IS better.  If it takes a JUICY or Beatrice level trigger to disrupt her day now, that's still a major improvement.  Her threshold used to be much lower.

I honestly don’t remember why I used quotes. It was probably because ppl upthread were talking about her being cured/“better” when it’s probably more accurate to say that her condition is managed and she’s able to experience better quality of life bc of that.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Y on 19 Jul 2019, 12:22
Is that the huge, jet black one with the relatively wimpy venom that they use on TV and movies because it looks so scary but is almost harmless to humans?

Isn't it the bigger the better? At least if Indiana Jones was right. Though this one seems like it can cause quite a bruise with it pincers.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: SpanielBear on 19 Jul 2019, 12:49
Is that the huge, jet black one with the relatively wimpy venom that they use on TV and movies because it looks so scary but is almost harmless to humans?

Isn't it the bigger the better? At least if Indiana Jones was right. Though this one seems like it can cause quite a bruise with it pincers.

I've always understood the smaller the scorpion, the more deadly the venom. Or at least the smaller varieties are more likely to be the truly poisonous ones.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Oenone on 19 Jul 2019, 13:10
Also, re: the idea of Hanners being deluded. It’s weird imo to insinuate I’d say that about an actual human being who was reporting their own mental health state. This is a piece of fiction that’s already explored characters having an unreliable sense of their own mental well-being (see Faye’s insistence she was fine when talking to Dora about her alcoholism and Martens sense of happiness vs complacency) so idk why it’d be weird to have some genre awareness when reading a piece of fiction. People saying and believing they’re fine when that isn’t the case has been a recurring thing here.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 19 Jul 2019, 13:28
Isn't it the bigger the better? At least if Indiana Jones was right. Though this one seems like it can cause quite a bruise with it pincers.
That's actually what most of the articles I found using Google said, they rarely use their stings because their pincers are so bad-ass.  Looking at them, I reckon they must not taste very good because if they did, we'd be calling them Forest Lobsters or something like that.

People saying and believing they’re fine when that isn’t the case has been a recurring thing here.
That's because it's a recurring thing in real life.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: SmilingCat on 19 Jul 2019, 14:07
That's because it's a recurring thing in real life.

Yep, I've made a lot of progress with my depression in the last few years.

I've also got a referral for more therapy coming because after a bad stretch recently I realized that I still wasn't okay.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: OldGoat on 19 Jul 2019, 15:10
That's because it's a recurring thing in real life.

Yep, I've made a lot of progress with my depression in the last few years.

I've also got a referral for more therapy coming because after a bad stretch recently I realized that I still wasn't okay.
I'm so with you, Brother.  Winston Churchill called it his "black dog."  Time and again he thought he'd run it off but the son-of-a-bitch kept on coming back.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Dandi Andi on 19 Jul 2019, 21:54
"When you have a junkyard dog snapping at your heels, the best thing to do is to turn around and kick it in the chops."

I've got a few coping mechanisms. I find a place where I can scream and not be a nuisance and curse very loudly until I sober up. I go to the park and scream at the ducks (they deserve it... probably). I listen to Punjabi folk metal...


Doesn't always work, though. Sometimes you have to call in reinforcements.

Godspeed, my fellow depression warriors.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: SpanielBear on 20 Jul 2019, 10:58
"When you have a junkyard dog snapping at your heels, the best thing to do is to turn around and kick it in the chops."

I've got a few coping mechanisms. I find a place where I can scream and not be a nuisance and curse very loudly until I sober up. I go to the park and scream at the ducks (they deserve it... probably). I listen to Punjabi folk metal...


Doesn't always work, though. Sometimes you have to call in reinforcements.

Godspeed, my fellow depression warriors.

Oh my god, yes all the folk metal (okay probably not all) but especially these guys!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Oenone on 20 Jul 2019, 11:53

People saying and believing they’re fine when that isn’t the case has been a recurring thing here.
That's because it's a recurring thing in real life.

Absolutely! That’s why I was surprised someone commented on my use of quotes. Whether I meant it bc of Jeph’s writing style or because of the realities of living with a chronic illness, I still agree with past!Oenone lol
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Stoon on 20 Jul 2019, 15:41
"When you have a junkyard dog snapping at your heels, the best thing to do is to turn around and kick it in the chops."

I've got a few coping mechanisms. I find a place where I can scream and not be a nuisance and curse very loudly until I sober up. I go to the park and scream at the ducks (they deserve it... probably). I listen to Punjabi folk metal...


Doesn't always work, though. Sometimes you have to call in reinforcements.

Godspeed, my fellow depression warriors.
From Mongolia:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 20 Jul 2019, 18:24
Hanner's dad is super-wealthy in his own right.  I don't think Hanner's mom can really hold anything over her head to get her to play ball with her.  If they reconcile, it'll be on Hanner's terms, not her mom's.

All that, and also Station would not let her slide into poverty.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Gyrre on 21 Jul 2019, 03:27
Is that the huge, jet black one with the relatively wimpy venom that they use on TV and movies because it looks so scary but is almost harmless to humans?

Isn't it the bigger the better? At least if Indiana Jones was right. Though this one seems like it can cause quite a bruise with it pincers.

I've always understood the smaller the scorpion, the more deadly the venom. Or at least the smaller varieties are more likely to be the truly poisonous ones.
They're only poisonous if you eat the stinger.

I've been stung by one the size of my pinky, but it was likely a dry sting as it only hurt a little and nothing else happened. Found the little dude in the Flint Hills of all places. It was a mostly dark grey, with a ruddy orange face, underside, and forelimbs.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Mr_Rose on 21 Jul 2019, 04:23
It’s not really the size of the scorpion (though the smaller ones do tend to be disproportionately venomous) but the size of the tail/stinger relative to the claws. Big claws and little sting is more likely to be less venomous, or at least have less dangerous venom.
Basically if it looks like it can rip something the same size as it to shreds with its claws, that’s usually what it will be doing rather than stinging things; in which case the sting is mostly a defence against larger predators and more likely to be painful rather than deadly.
If it’s the other way around the sting is going to be the primary weapon and could well be quite dangerous and even deadly.

Also, scorpions come in all sizes and are still Arthropods, so they have multiple life stages with moults in between, which makes a positive identification really difficult since whatever just stung you could be an adult or an early stage of something else or anywhere in between.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: pwhodges on 21 Jul 2019, 06:28
Just for fun - photos taken on a private game reserve in South Africa.  Our friend picked this not quite hand-sized specimen up briefly; it seemed very peaceful.  First photo by natural light, second under a UV lamp:

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: jwhouk on 21 Jul 2019, 09:55
By the bye, and really doesn't fit anywhere else, but: if Marten would be looking to move closer back to home in California, but doesn't want to deal with the headache of living in California, there's a job at ASU (https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=cd0e6b456d97c75b&tk=1dg8acbn42u8v001&from=companyalert&alid=5a7e5080e4b03e68fc3150ab&utm_campaign=job_alerts&utm_medium=email&utm_source=jobseeker_emails&rgtk=1dg8acbn42u8v001) that he might be overqualified for.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4046-4050 (15 - 19 July 2019)
Post by: Thrudd on 24 Jul 2019, 09:27
It's probably a phobia, unrelated to how much damage they can do.
Maybe he at one point watched Phase IV and the scorpion scene still terrifies him?