I suspect it's a light box like the ones they used in 1960s and 1970s sci-fi TV shows. It just sits there blinking in semi-random patterns to make customers feel that this is a high-tech establishment!Hmmm.......good suggestion.
Hmmm.......good suggestion.
Whatever it is, it's plugged in and has little vents at the top of the side.
Clearly a cabinet for punch cards.
They can't be all that heavy, or they wouldn't have battery power for very long. And if a bird can kick one heard enough to break or seriously bend the leg, that's just more evidence of light-weight construction. I expect most of the weight of an AI is the battery pack, not the body structure.
Where do you think Punchbot got his name? You didn't think it was because of the punching, did you? :mrgreen:Clearly a cabinet for punch cards.
Pity that poor AI.
In #4075 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4075) Greenie is wearing a skirt, but in #4080 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4080) she's wearing trousers.The linework in 4075 looks more like trousers than a skirt, to me. I see lines suggesting pant legs (feel free to make a "pant-y line" joke if you're so inclined) and a fly.
In #4075 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4075) Greenie is wearing a skirt, but in #4080 (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4080) she's wearing trousers.The linework in 4075 looks more like trousers than a skirt, to me. I see lines suggesting pant legs (feel free to make a "pant-y line" joke if you're so inclined) and a fly.
Fun fact: Two students at Northumbria university were accidentally dosed with twice the LD50 for caffeine for their body weight because of a misplaced decimal. they were supposed to get 3 cups of coffee worth of caffeine. they got 300.
Both students fully recovered, it seems. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-38744307That's good.
Fun fact: Two students at Northumbria university were accidentally dosed with twice the LD50 for caffeine for their body weight because of a misplaced decimal. they were supposed to get 3 cups of coffee worth of caffeine. they got 300.For those who don't know, an LD50 dose has a 50% chance of being deadly, as in Lethal Dose 50% of the time.
That's a dodgy argument there. Correlation is not causation. There are any number of unaccounted for variable there.Fun fact: Two students at Northumbria university were accidentally dosed with twice the LD50 for caffeine for their body weight because of a misplaced decimal. they were supposed to get 3 cups of coffee worth of caffeine. they got 300."which would make introversion a genetic trait, not an acquired one."
That's a dodgy argument there.Yeppers. That's why I couched it the way I did. OTOH, introversion/extroversion is often reported by parents in the behavior of their newborns, so a genetic link is probable. Whether such a gene(s) will ever be identified - who knows?
It means lethal in 50% of the studied population, and, usually with humans not even that because the dose is an extrapolated estimate, not least because getting funding to do a study where you feed a group of people poison until they die is extremely hard to get funded these days. Unless you’re selling it to them first, of course.Fun fact: Two students at Northumbria university were accidentally dosed with twice the LD50 for caffeine for their body weight because of a misplaced decimal. they were supposed to get 3 cups of coffee worth of caffeine. they got 300.For those who don't know, an LD50 dose has a 50% chance of being deadly, as in Lethal Dose 50% of the time.
I kind of like the idea of Sam ending up as the runner/gofer for some semi-responsible researchers! :-Dresponsible researchers!
Being that it's behavioral, it's likely a combination of genetic predisposition, environment, and upbringing. Along with possible epigenetic interaction(s) also being a possible factor.That's a dodgy argument there.Yeppers. That's why I couched it the way I did. OTOH, introversion/extroversion is often reported by parents in the behavior of their newborns, so a genetic link is probable. Whether such a gene(s) will ever be identified - who knows?
My expectation is there is a handful of genes that influence such things and nurture simply enhances their effect. But then, I was raised by a strong intro- and an ambi-vert. I might've got it either way. What I do know is all the effects people report caffeine having on them I don't experience. I can drink a Mountain Dew and then go to sleep a short time later, where the uncaffeinated - having had their fix - can't nap out.
We could use career politicians, tell them it's for a heart medication or stimulant (not entirely a lie), and do a double blind study.
It means lethal in 50% of the studied population, and, usually with humans not even that because the dose is an extrapolated estimate, not least because getting funding to do a study where you feed a group of people poison until they die is extremely hard to get funded these days. Unless you’re selling it to them first, of course.
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
Just don't play a prank by using a pretty powerful behaviour-altering chemical on a minor. It wouldn't surprise me if the next arc will be a Dora self-reflection arc of some form.
Probably a tag to keep the tea bag from dropping to the bottom of the cup.Tea bag!? *shudder* Western barbarians...
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
Probably a tag to keep the tea bag from dropping to the bottom of the cup.
I think I may have found my new favorite comic posting.
*Dora's red eyes = teh scary* =:O
Probably a tag to keep the tea bag from dropping to the bottom of the cup.Tea bag!? *shudder* Western barbarians...
As for the supposed evils of caffeine, parents seem quite happy to let children way younger than 13 guzzle caffeinated, sugar-loaded soft drinks.
Which was, of course, my first thought... but it looks more like the tea BAG itself...
(Looks 3D not 2D)
But a tea bag hanging on the side of the cup would make no sense.. hence my question..
Bubbles doesn't actually drink the tea, so the flavour is inconsequential.
In strip 4083,Fay is drinkingSam has ordered a drink for Faye called an, "Abomination".
What is it, and where can I get some?
the paper label on the string of the tea bag.
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
Which was, of course, my first thought... but it looks more like the tea BAG itself...
(Looks 3D not 2D)
But a tea bag hanging on the side of the cup would make no sense.. hence my question..
Most coffee places usually leave the teabag in the cup, with the idea that you let it sit for your preferred taste. Considering that Sam was going to be taking the tea back to Union Robotics, it might have run the risk of getting steeped, which ruins the flavour. So, cup of hot water, tea bag hanging on the side and bring it back so that it can be appreciated fresh.
the paper label on the string of the tea bag.
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
Probably a tag to keep the tea bag from dropping to the bottom of the cup.Tea bag!? *shudder* Western barbarians...
As for the supposed evils of caffeine, parents seem quite happy to let children way younger than 13 guzzle caffeinated, sugar-loaded soft drinks.
Funny you should mention that.
I personally started drinking coffee at a very early age, around 3 years old, obviously initially small amounts with lots of milk, but normal cups with milk at around 6-7 years old. In the Netherlands btw, where coffee is very much ingrained and I think not unusually consumed by children (albeit not at such a young age).
When I tell that here (USA), people are generally shocked, which I find amusing when observing all the garbage they typically let their kids consume at an early age, including the drinks you mention (coincidentally I had almost zero carbonated and/or caffeinated soft drinks before middle school myself)
In strip 4083,Fay is drinkingSam has ordered a drink for Faye called an, "Abomination".
What is it, and where can I get some?
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
In strip 4083,Fay is drinkingSam has ordered a drink for Faye called an, "Abomination".
What is it, and where can I get some?
I am picturing it as undiluted coffee concentrate. Which sounds utterly amazing and I may have to make one myself.
Can Sam see forever (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3114)?And will Jim be insisting on oatmeal (https://www.lackadaisy.com/exhibit.php?exhibitid=351)?
I would LOVE for May to have just walked in so she can short out at the irony of FAYE lecturing someone about bedside manner.
Faaaaaaaaaace meeeeeeeeeats.
"po bone"?
also, that is an interesting (if personal) question - what is the AI experience of chassis damage, something similar to humans or just a bunch of system alerts?
I once worked at a place that had an off-menu drink called "The Heartstopper". We had noticed that there was a section in the back of the fridge where things would freeze, so would take jugs full of espresso and just stick them back there, and pull off the ice. Then refilled with more espresso, and so on. The end drink contained a cup full of that, a touch of flavoured syrup, and some milk. I once foolishly gave one to shut up this one kid because he kept on me about it, and how since he was Italian, that he could handle it. Two days later, I find out that he still hadn't slept, and the girl he was dating at the time complained about other things not working either.
The comic mentioned at one point that AI don't feel pain, although I *think* it may have been subsequently ignored as AI characters came to the fore-front (although it was never explicitly retconned away).
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
My coffee shop uses loose tea, but we put to-go orders in these tea bags (https://www.amazon.com/Rishi-Tea-Loose-Filter-100-Count/dp/B004NC7IFQ?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-d-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B004NC7IFQ) that have a long flap that hangs over the side of the cup. The lid then holds the bag in place and holds the top of the bag closed. We double the cup and tuck the flap between the cups. If Dora doesn't double the cups, that could be the flap of the bag. It could also be the bag held on the outside of the cup. It actually works quite well with that style of tea bag.
In strip 4083,A quick and shallow web search resulted in the followingFay is drinkingSam has ordered a drink for Faye called an, "Abomination".
What is it, and where can I get some?
"po bone"?
also, that is an interesting (if personal) question - what is the AI experience of chassis damage, something similar to humans or just a bunch of system alerts?
It looks too big relative to the size of the cup to be the paper tag on a tea bag.the paper label on the string of the tea bag.
What's that brown thing stuck to the side of one of the cups???
Those system alerts had better be high priority.
"po bone"?
Those system alerts had better be high priority.
"High Priority" is what the sysadmin (in this case, the AI in question) says it is. I'd hope that they had the capacity to ignore, or at least lower the priority of such alerts in order to say, have surgery (no need for anesthetic) or to function without alerts causing a potentially dangerous distraction.
Those system alerts had better be high priority.
"High Priority" is what the sysadmin (in this case, the AI in question) says it is. I'd hope that they had the capacity to ignore, or at least lower the priority of such alerts in order to say, have surgery (no need for anesthetic) or to function without alerts causing a potentially dangerous distraction.
*Meekly raises hand*
I made up the name 'Chimevera'. As Jeph hasn't given her a canon name, most posters just started using it!
Agreed.*Meekly raises hand*
I made up the name 'Chimevera'. As Jeph hasn't given her a canon name, most posters just started using it!
Thanks for the clarification. Seems more polite than calling her "Greenie".
And in today's strip... AI surgery. Looks like AIs can definitely turn off their "pain" or "discomfort" or "damage reports" or whatever as needed.
I really like how the AI bodies in these strips have so many analogues to human muscles and systems with myomers for muscles, lubrication lines, coolant pumps, carbon fiber bones, etc. There's a lot of good engineering in humans. It'd be a shame to let it go to waste.
There's a lot of WTF engineering in humans, too... hopefully they left a lot of that out. The ability to shut off pain when you need to would be pretty sweet.
I hit pavement from a dead sprint and broke my humerus in two places running from a mugger. Didn't feel a thing. At the time.
Having minor (or even moderate) surgery under limited anaesthetic so you don't lose consciousness sounds a great idea right up until you realise that you will be hearing the surgeon work and their thoughts on the matter. Which may or may not be the sort of thing that is good for your peace of mind. As a rule for humans, we prefer to think of our bodies as integrated structures. Most people don't like hearing about their component parts and their condition and it seems that Chimevera is of the same opinion!
What makes me laugh is the way Faye is talking like a barber rather than a surgeon. Come to think of it, historically the two were the same. Is medicine for AIs following the same historical path as that for humans?
Meanwhile, I'm expecting Sam to black out in the next few minutes and sleep for the rest of the day. Jim is going to likely have some words for Dora and none of them will be nice to hear.
I hit pavement from a dead sprint and broke my humerus in two places running from a mugger. Didn't feel a thing. At the time.
<grouchomarx>
"I'll bet you never go those two places again!"
"Doesn't sound very funny to me!"
</grouchomarx>
Hope it healed well! <3
"po bone"?
also, that is an interesting (if personal) question - what is the AI experience of chassis damage, something similar to humans or just a bunch of system alerts?
There was a Q&A with Jeph where he said they don't feel pain like we do ("They're computers" or something very close to that). It was long enough ago that it may no longer be canon.
Those system alerts had better be high priority.
What Spookybot did to Corpse Witch sure looked like pain was being inflicted, and Corpse Witch responded like pain had been inflicted.And Momo did it to May. But if you were an AI and randomized voltages lashed your processor inputs, causing multiple internal restarts and who knows whatever other badness, why wouldn't you interpret that as pain?