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Comic Discussion => QUESTIONABLE CONTENT => Topic started by: Gyrre on 19 Jul 2020, 01:51

Title: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 19 Jul 2020, 01:51
Well, May finally said 'yes' to getting some financial help with obtaining a new chassis. I wonder what hi-jinks may ensue?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 19 Jul 2020, 04:54
I think that Jeph will find some way to make May's new chassis look like the old one (probably save joint seams and maybe with some mostly-invisible 'optional extras' that can't be seen under normal circumstances but will have at leats one hilarious test run (like Momo's navel being a hidden button that randomises her hair colour). Probably at Emily's hands too!

I'm still hoping that she looks a lot more like her AR avatar form, right down to the less-visible nose and longer hair in a top-knot.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 19 Jul 2020, 13:36
May has issues with certain, um, features, (or lack thereof) on the AR avatar we met her in.  My guess is that Nu-May will resemble her current self, kind of what we saw with Roko, just so she doesn't have to reintroduce herself to her circle of friends.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 15:29
So, May's gonna get a new chassis now, I guess? I guess. How heartwarming, right?


So nice! Yay!

(https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/questionablecontent/images/1/1d/Spookybot.png/revision/latest/top-crop/width/360/height/450?cb=20180717071831)

No, not you. Go away.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 19 Jul 2020, 16:46
*very large donation hits*

"HANNERS."

"I didn't do it! Really!"

Meanwhile....

Sven: "Can I write it off on my taxes?"
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 19 Jul 2020, 18:26
For Beepatrice, it will always be the little things in life :)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 18:38
And for the first comic of the week....

Yes, I remember cheques. I also remember how odd it was to watch people in the US paying for groceries using cheques. Um, checks.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 19 Jul 2020, 18:54
And for the first comic of the week....

Yes, I remember cheques. I also remember how odd it was to watch people in the US paying for groceries using cheques. Um, checks.

No worries. I'm an American from the Midwest and my brain still insists it should be spelled 'cheques'.
I blame the British-Canadian and the Scottish from my maternal grandma's side.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 19 Jul 2020, 19:11
It's interesting that Hanners, of all people, uses physical checks.

Tho it may be because her family is so high tech. "I KNOW how insecure the system is. Here's some hard currency."
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 19:14
Writing a cheque and then scanning it, though? Is that really a thing people do?  :?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cesium133 on 19 Jul 2020, 19:16
Yep! A lot of people still use checks, and phone banking apps provide the ability to scan them, to avoid having to take them to the bank.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 19:27
Hang on sec.

Scanning a cheque that you've just received makes some kind of sense to me, because yes, it saves you carting it off to a bank branch.

It's writing a cheque and then immediately scanning it that I'm finding confusing.

Edit: Do people use PayID (https://payid.org/) in the US?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cesium133 on 19 Jul 2020, 19:32
Considering I had to look it up because I had never heard of it, I'll say the answer is no. There is something similar in the U.S. called Zelle, but it isn't all that frequently used.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 19:49
I just realised I'm being completely daft. Hanners wrote it and told Beeps that she could scan it... just... I ...

Ignore me.  :roll:

So.. what about other electronic forms of payment? PayPal et al?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 19 Jul 2020, 20:00
I just realised I'm being completely daft. Hanners wrote it and told Beeps that she could scan it... just... I ...

Ignore me.  :roll:

So.. what about other electronic forms of payment? PayPal et al?
Pretty much.
It blew my mind the first time I clocked the PayPal logo on a card reader, though. It's been a few years but it's still weird to me.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: jwhouk on 19 Jul 2020, 20:19
 It was weird for me the first time I used Apple Pay at a cashier.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cesium133 on 19 Jul 2020, 20:40
The first time I used Apple Pay was by accident. I was holding my cell phone at a soda machine as I was looking for change in my pocket without knowing it accepted Apple Pay, and I accidentally put the phone close enough to activate Apple Pay without noticing, and my finger happened to be on the fingerprint scanner at the moment.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 22:00
Okay, so my next question...  :-D

If you wanted to pay a friend rather than a business for some reason (say, you're buying something off them)... what form of payment would you use, apart from cash?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gnabberwocky on 19 Jul 2020, 22:27
Okay, so my next question...  :-D

If you wanted to pay a friend rather than a business for some reason (say, you're buying something off them)... what form of payment would you use, apart from cash?

I feel like Venmo could be a good option--that seems to be the preferred method among people I know--but I'm not really the best person to answer this.

Also, because I'm still a high schooler and don't know this stuff yet, what would happen with taxes if you do an official non-business transaction with a friend (such as a donation)?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 22:35
I am not an expert, so this will require confirmation, but I believe that nothing at all would happen with your taxes unless you are quite wealthy and generous. You can give gifts up to a threshold tax free.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 19 Jul 2020, 23:15
When I first saw this strip on Patreon, I thought about the unlikelihood of the daughter of the God of Synthetics and The Wicked Witch of Corporate America not having access to dozens of electronic payment and donation methods. Then I thought about it and I realised that Hannelore's background and condition probably actually makes having some physical payment method reassuring to her. A kind of symbol of control over her life.

She also strikes me as someone who might be attracted to the romanticism of 'the old way of doing things'.

I am not an expert, so this will require confirmation, but I believe that nothing at all would happen with your taxes unless you are quite wealthy and generous. You can give gifts up to a threshold tax free.

I think that they were referring to the fact that, in the US, significant charitable donation is rewarded with tax credits.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: St.Clair on 19 Jul 2020, 23:21
and after Beeps goes to the bank, she can drop by the Horrible Revelation and get a sarsparilla while a boy with a small wood box shines her shoes.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cybersmurf on 19 Jul 2020, 23:22
I wonder what will be next? May being unable to transfer out of her current body because she's still on probation?


Okay, so my next question...  :-D

If you wanted to pay a friend rather than a business for some reason (say, you're buying something off them)... what form of payment would you use, apart from cash?

Bank transfer, or maybe PayPal.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 19 Jul 2020, 23:28
I am not an expert, so this will require confirmation, but I believe that nothing at all would happen with your taxes unless you are quite wealthy and generous. You can give gifts up to a threshold tax free.

I think that they were referring to the fact that, in the US, significant charitable donation is rewarded with tax credits.

Oh. Right. So... probably... the same answer? Nothing at all unless you are quite wealthy and/or generous? I mean, is that relevant to a high school student donating to a friend, I dunno.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 19 Jul 2020, 23:30
Writing a cheque and then scanning it, though? Is that really a thing people do?  :?

It's one of the features of most mobile banking apps...and before you ask, a lot of small charities have to use checks because of legal and accounting issues. Even if you digitize the check, you still have to retain the original for your records
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 19 Jul 2020, 23:34
And for the first comic of the week....

Yes, I remember cheques. I also remember how odd it was to watch people in the US paying for groceries using cheques. Um, checks.

I bet one Loonie that the person paying with a check was an older woman...they were the last stalwarts using checks and the majority of them was due to their banks not offering ATM cards at the time. By the very late 90s the usage was all but ended*

*own shopping experiences and retail family with two sisters who manned registers hours at a time during this transition period
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 19 Jul 2020, 23:38
Hang on sec.

Scanning a cheque that you've just received makes some kind of sense to me, because yes, it saves you carting it off to a bank branch.

It's writing a cheque and then immediately scanning it that I'm finding confusing.

Edit: Do people use PayID (https://payid.org/) in the US?

It's simple: it's going from one bank account into a different bank account. there's a strong possibility that someone uses two banks for their accounts, or has one that's a personal account and one that's a joint account. It's not at all odd, I've seen it myself with my cousin doing it with money from her savings account into her husband's savings account
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 19 Jul 2020, 23:44
and after Beeps goes to the bank, she can drop by the Horrible Revelation and get a sarsparilla while a boy with a small wood box shines her shoes.

I think that this would make Beepatrice feel guilty. "No, I can do that for you, son!" is a phrase I'd expect to hear.  :wink:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 19 Jul 2020, 23:46
I am not an expert, so this will require confirmation, but I believe that nothing at all would happen with your taxes unless you are quite wealthy and generous. You can give gifts up to a threshold tax free.

I think that they were referring to the fact that, in the US, significant charitable donation is rewarded with tax credits.

Oh. Right. So... probably... the same answer? Nothing at all unless you are quite wealthy and/or generous? I mean, is that relevant to a high school student donating to a friend, I dunno.

The threshold is $15,000 to a single person...pretty much the vast majorty aren't required to report it due to being nowhere near the limit. But if you're giving them your vintage car or antique guitar collection you'd be slapped with a tax on it.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 20 Jul 2020, 01:07
It's simple: it's going from one bank account into a different bank account.

I do get the whole concept of transferring money from one bank account to another.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Cheetaur on 20 Jul 2020, 11:59
I suspect Yay will donate as well, I don't believe she put themselves in the poor house when they gave away all that money.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Mordhaus on 20 Jul 2020, 12:17
Some of us still use checks. :P
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: St.Clair on 20 Jul 2020, 12:23
I still have (part of) the last batch of checks I ordered from my credit union.  The address on them is now about 8 years out of date, and since I'm going through them at a rate of maybe one per year...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: pwhodges on 20 Jul 2020, 12:40
Hmm.  I last wrote two cheques in 2017, one each in 2015 & 2014, two each in 2012 & 2011, eight in 2010, three each in 2009 & 2008.  I doubt I'll ever finish my present cheque-book.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cesium133 on 20 Jul 2020, 12:55
I had to use checks to pay for my rent in my previous apartment. My current apartment accepts electronic payments.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Mr Intrepid on 20 Jul 2020, 13:40
The question of taxes might depend on the way the fundraising is set up.  After all, is the money going to May?  Or to the manufacturer of a chassis?  Would taxes kick in only when an AI consciousness inhabits it(takes possession)?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: hedgie on 20 Jul 2020, 14:13
I don't have them for any of my own accounts, but as treasurer of a local nonprofit, I have to.  Mainly, because the credit union that we use doesn't offer us a bank card.  It's *really* inconvenient having to pay for things off my own card, and then write a cheque for reimbursement.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 20 Jul 2020, 18:01
Hmm.  I last wrote two cheques in 2017, one each in 2015 & 2014, two each in 2012 & 2011, eight in 2010, three each in 2009 & 2008.  I doubt I'll ever finish my present cheque-book.
I use mine for rent and student loans. And occassionally for my car loan.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gnabberwocky on 20 Jul 2020, 18:21
Comic's out!

I do and don't want to know why Pintsize has to go all the way to Canada to find a strip club.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 20 Jul 2020, 18:29
All the Canadian strippers are not in Canada.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 20 Jul 2020, 18:47
Obviously Jeph is celebrating 850 strips since this one.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 20 Jul 2020, 19:33

I do and don't want to know why Pintsize has to go all the way to Canada to find a strip club.

Clearly he's a robot of taste. ;)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cesium133 on 20 Jul 2020, 19:41
All the Canadian strippers are not in Canada.
I know what you meant was (where c is a Canadian stripper, and C is "is located in Canada"):
¬∀c: C(c)

but I still managed to read it as:
∀c: ¬C(c)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: ANeM on 20 Jul 2020, 19:59
I can't believe Pintsize overlooked the most important benefit of Canadian bills: being made of plastic they won't fall apart if you keep them hidden in the toilet tank.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 20 Jul 2020, 20:11
Other than the security and accessibility features, sure.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Is it cold in here? on 20 Jul 2020, 20:12
My wife the linguist was delighted with the train announcement at a stop which said "All doors will not open".
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 20 Jul 2020, 20:34
I wonder if Canadian strippers accept cheques?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 20 Jul 2020, 20:41
I can't believe Pintsize overlooked the most important benefit of Canadian bills: being made of plastic they won't fall apart if you keep them hidden in the toilet tank.

Rainbow colored money too.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Reaver on 20 Jul 2020, 21:40
"Why is it Canadian Money?"

..B..because you're in Canada...?
 :?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Penquin47 on 20 Jul 2020, 22:49
They're in Massachusetts.  Jeph moved to Canada; the cast hasn't gone with him yet.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 20 Jul 2020, 23:24
Somehow, I like the idea that Pintsize is 'old school' enough to have a hidden stash or two in cash. He's actually a fairly middle-of-the-road persona but he really enjoys pretending to be edgy and, at best, semi-legal doesn't he? I kind of wonder how much cash in unlikely denominations he's salted away over the years, just in case his humans need it or maybe that nice girl who he's been trying to help out for a while now (even thought he attempts to turn it into self-interest)?

I'm looking forward to the outcome when whoever it is goes to see Sven about this (probably Momo). I suspect that, if Sven donates big, May will reflexively want to reject it, afraid what it might mean for her independence and their own relationship. "I don't wan to be his 'bought woman'!" she will say (or words to that effect).

Of course, Sven would never see it like that but it would be May's fear. It might take Sven a while to convince her that she isn't 'his sexbot' and that she still has agency and a right to make her own choices. That said, the two may ultimately find it cute/funny to roleplay it out on occasion.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 20 Jul 2020, 23:55
...hey, they're bills so it's not chump change he's giving you! That's gotta be maybe $50 CAD or more there($37 USD)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 21 Jul 2020, 00:01
It's simple: it's going from one bank account into a different bank account.

I do get the whole concept of transferring money from one bank account to another.

You ignored the rest of my response to snipe at me. Excuse me for answering your question as someone who actually experienced what you were asking about as both a witness to this kind of transaction from a similar small-sized nonprofit organization and as a recipient of a check from a nonprofit organization.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 00:12
It's simple: it's going from one bank account into a different bank account.

I do get the whole concept of transferring money from one bank account to another.

You ignored the rest of my response to snipe at me. Excuse me for answering your question as someone who actually experienced what you were asking about as both a witness to this kind of transaction from a similar small-sized nonprofit organization and as a recipient of a check from a nonprofit organization.

I wasn't trying to snipe - sorry if it came across that way. What I'm trying to say is that I understand the aspect that you're explaining to me. I've used nothing but purely electronic bank transfers in one form or another for many, many years now. It's the concept of conducting the transfer via a scanned piece of paper that is unusual to me. If you've got the tech to scan the cheque in, you've probably got the tech to skip the piece of paper entirely and lose literally nothing except a bit of extra headache.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Oh dear on 21 Jul 2020, 01:23
...hey, they're bills so it's not chump change he's giving you! That's gotta be maybe $50 CAD or more there($37 USD)

More. Those are green bills, so they're twenties. Gotta be 60-100 for a stack that thick at least.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 04:33
In fact, I think you can make out the '20' in panel three.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: zisraelsen on 21 Jul 2020, 06:13
Yea, but only the top and bottom bills are legit. The rest is  Canadian Tire money (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3462).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: dutchrvl on 21 Jul 2020, 06:22
Obviously Jeph is celebrating 850 strips since this one.

(click to show/hide)

Not to mention 822 strips since this one:
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cybersmurf on 21 Jul 2020, 06:37
Dang, you were faster.

Obviously Jeph is celebrating 850 strips since this one.

(click to show/hide)

Not to mention 822 strips since this one:
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 21 Jul 2020, 08:53
I guess now we know why it was damp.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 21 Jul 2020, 09:10
It's simple: it's going from one bank account into a different bank account.

I do get the whole concept of transferring money from one bank account to another.

You ignored the rest of my response to snipe at me. Excuse me for answering your question as someone who actually experienced what you were asking about as both a witness to this kind of transaction from a similar small-sized nonprofit organization and as a recipient of a check from a nonprofit organization.

I wasn't trying to snipe - sorry if it came across that way. What I'm trying to say is that I understand the aspect that you're explaining to me. I've used nothing but purely electronic bank transfers in one form or another for many, many years now. It's the concept of conducting the transfer via a scanned piece of paper that is unusual to me. If you've got the tech to scan the cheque in, you've probably got the tech to skip the piece of paper entirely and lose literally nothing except a bit of extra headache.

I have a hunch that those aspects of the US financial system that are surprising & unfamiliar to non-USnians are maybe not the things USnians would assume to be uncommon & surprising to ppl outside the US?

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that differences in common practises wrt money transfer may have much more to do e.g. with differences in ID laws, and the practises & workarounds that result from those differences. I do admit that this is not what you'd call an informed opion, though!

Edit: I'm thinking about stuff like eg the fact that credit cards never took off in Germany the way they did in the US - IIRC that was not due a supply-side lack (ie German banks not offering them), but rather ppl not finding the product attractive or useful enough against the backdrop of the already existing ecosystem in Germany. Afaics, this factoid has vexed a lot of banking execs for something like three decades.

EditEdit: Also, IIRC, there's a difference between a check and a simple transfer in that in order to transfer, the issuer has to have advance information about the account information of the recipient. In countries where that situation is the norm wrt the most basic needed transfers (salary and/or transfers from government institutiona) checks would satisfy a need that doesn't exist, or isn't as pressing.

Like - I've never been in the situation wheregovernment, employer and insurers did not have my account details, so there was never any need to write me a check in order to get money into my hands.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Mr_Rose on 21 Jul 2020, 10:50
EditEdit: Also, IIRC, there's a difference between a check and a simple transfer in that in order to transfer, the issuer has to have advance information about the account information of the recipient. In countries where that situation is the norm wrt the most basic needed transfers (salary and/or transfers from government institutiona) checks would satisfy a need that doesn't exist, or isn't as pressing.
This is probably what is troubling people about the concept of someone writing themselves a cheque to transfer money between two accounts they hold.  :psyduck:  What purpose is served by using a slip of paper as an intermediary?


On the topic of cheque use, my bank (in common with all consumer banks here) has recently stopped issuing chequebooks at all, having long since dropped down to on request only.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 21 Jul 2020, 13:08
EditEdit: Also, IIRC, there's a difference between a check and a simple transfer in that in order to transfer, the issuer has to have advance information about the account information of the recipient. In countries where that situation is the norm wrt the most basic needed transfers (salary and/or transfers from government institutiona) checks would satisfy a need that doesn't exist, or isn't as pressing.
This is probably what is troubling people about the concept of someone writing themselves a cheque to transfer money between two accounts they hold.  :psyduck:  What purpose is served by using a slip of paper as an intermediary?

I have to admit that I was ... blessedly ignorant ... of the very existence of the practise until this very moment?  :psyduck:

Edit: And I've just now groked that this was the very example of Awkward's that confused Tova. :facepalm:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: theMarc on 21 Jul 2020, 13:29
Pintsize is a Concern Hydra: every time you ask him a question, two more are raised by the answer.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Zebediah on 21 Jul 2020, 13:37
The real question is: How is Pintsize still allowed to enter Canada?

I suppose it’s possible that he isn’t any more, which is why he’s so willing to part with his CAD.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 21 Jul 2020, 13:43
The real question is: How is Pintsize still allowed to enter Canada?

They've had him sign an affadavit that he will not apply for asylum, citzenship or any other legal way of failing to return to the US?

Other possible explanation is that it's part of a secret annexe in NAFTA/USAMC added at the behest of the Adult Entertainment Association of Canada? (apparently there is no 'Canadian Strippers Association' - just mentioning this so you don't have to have that on your Google Search History, too ...)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Zebediah on 21 Jul 2020, 18:01
Comic’s up.

I’m not a hentai fan, so I have no way of judging just how bad Colo-Rectal Mecha Dorm Room truly is. But I’ll take Marigold’s word for it.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: DaiJB on 21 Jul 2020, 18:45
"...It's the horniest anime ever made but it's also terrible."

Well, that's not really surprising - hentai is essentially just porn, a genre which is not exactly renowned for its production values  :-P
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 21 Jul 2020, 18:53
I'd say Jeph's underestimating the resale value. I belong to a anime collectors group, and some sealed, out of print anime go for up to $500. Plus they say the print runs were destroyed? Then who knows how high it'd go.

Collectors are WEIRD.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 21 Jul 2020, 18:53
UhmmmmmmmmmOkaaaaay?  :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 21 Jul 2020, 19:20
Ah, Marigold and Dale. Yours is a wondrous relationship :)

I can imagine May finding it both hilarious and touching that the proceeds of the sale of 'Colo-Rectal Mecha Dorm Room' will go towards her fundraiser. It would appeal to her sense of humor.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 19:23
What would appeal to my own sense of humour would be if May ended up buying it herself.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 21 Jul 2020, 19:24
What would appeal to my own sense of humour would be if May ended up buying it herself.

Nah. Pintsize! :D
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 19:37
I mean, that would miss the humour of May paying money into her own fundraiser, but it could happen I guess...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gnabberwocky on 21 Jul 2020, 19:55
Rather than selling it straight up, they should hold an auction for it. Die-hard collectors can be willing to pay through the nose, so if they could get a few people desperate to get their hands on it to bid, that could ratchet the price into the hundreds or thousands.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 21 Jul 2020, 20:10
I'd say Jeph's underestimating the resale value. I belong to a anime collectors group, and some sealed, out of print anime go for up to $500.

A realistic value would ruin the joke. I really enjoyed all that build up, like it was the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and then he deflates it with the real value being maybe $90.

$500 isn't mega-millions, but it's enough that the joke wouldn't work. $90 is just enough so worrying about the value is halfway plausible without being too much.

I do agree with you, though. There are copies of E.T. for the Atari 2600 on eBay for $1000. I imagine there's more enjoyment to be had from Colo Rectal Mecha Dorm Room than that game.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Scarlet Manuka on 21 Jul 2020, 20:36
There are copies of E.T. for the Atari 2600 on eBay for $1000.
While I take your point, that's not evidence of anything much unless they're actually selling at that price.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 20:39
Rather than selling it straight up, they should hold an auction for it. Die-hard collectors can be willing to pay through the nose, so if they could get a few people desperate to get their hands on it to bid, that could ratchet the price into the hundreds or thousands.

I hope that is, in fact, their plan.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 21 Jul 2020, 21:30
Rather than selling it straight up, they should hold an auction for it. Die-hard collectors can be willing to pay through the nose, so if they could get a few people desperate to get their hands on it to bid, that could ratchet the price into the hundreds or thousands.
As an attendee of several cons, just don't get w/o about 10 to 20ft (~3.33m to ~6.67m) of them.
Granted, I'm told con-goers have gotten better about personal hygiene (for the most part) over the past couple of years. It's nice to know the whole 'soap-and-deoderant-exist-please-use-them' thing is being pushed in more places to help battle con-funk.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Cheetaur on 21 Jul 2020, 21:36
Not quite sure I understand today's strip. Sometimes Im thick headed....but what does her having a sealed copy of an Anime (even pron one) have to deal with May getting a new body or fundraising. I could see if it was worth thousands of dollars...and she was going to use it for retirement....and then wanted to share the decision with Dale...but still not sure what it all means.  :?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 21:42
Not quite sure I understand today's strip. Sometimes Im thick headed....but what does her having a sealed copy of an Anime (even pron one) have to deal with May getting a new body or fundraising. I could see if it was worth thousands of dollars...and she was going to use it for retirement....and then wanted to share the decision with Dale...but still not sure what it all means.  :?

Okay. So I can explain in story terms and in joke terms.

In story terms, this is another instance of May's friends finding ways to chip a bit of cash into her fundraiser. They plan to sell the anime and donate the proceeds. Every bit helps, basically, and all of her friends are chipping a bit in.

In joke terms, the strip sets up joke by creating an expectation that Marigold has unveiled a way to raise a significant amount of money, as it appears that the unsealed copy would be extremely valuable. And then delivers the punchline by subverting that expectation in explaining that the anime is not really worth all that much.

That's all, hope it helps.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Sorflakne on 21 Jul 2020, 21:44
Art shift...Dale and Marigold look way different, as if they're several years younger than their last appearance.

Not quite sure I understand today's strip. Sometimes Im thick headed....but what does her having a sealed copy of an Anime (even pron one) have to deal with May getting a new body or fundraising. I could see if it was worth thousands of dollars...and she was going to use it for retirement....and then wanted to share the decision with Dale...but still not sure what it all means.  :?

That's the joke.  It's built up as being a super rare anime that is impossible to get and worth a lot of money, only for it to be like $90.  Still a nice sum they can use for a donation, but not the thousands of dollars the comic builds our expectations to be.  Also serves as an example of a Shaggy Dog story. (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShaggyDogStory)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Cheetaur on 21 Jul 2020, 21:49
Thanks Sorflakne and Tova, I see now...I appreciate the answers. :) Be well all
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 21 Jul 2020, 21:59
While I take your point, that's not evidence of anything much unless they're actually selling at that price.

True. I didn't do any in-depth research, I just did a quick search. ET being the canonical example of something horrible that is still a collector's item.

If you search on sold listings on eBay, it runs from a high of $965 to a low of $90 for a new, sealed copy, to $5 for a working cartridge with no box or manual.

Why the price range for sealed copies is so wide is beyond me. Four copies sold for $400 or more, and there are dozens in the $150-$200 range.

Also serves as an example of a Shaggy Dog story. (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ShaggyDogStory)

Links to TVTropes should probably come with some sort of warning that you're about to disappear down a rabbit hole and may be following tangential links for hours.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 21 Jul 2020, 22:06
ET being the canonical example of something horrible that is still a collector's item.

The way you say "still a collector's item" would, if I didn't know better, lead me to think you believed it is collectible in spite of being famously horrible, rather than because.

BTW its infamy is one of those truthy things that everyone says because every says it, though, right? There are a ton of YouTube videos claiming it's not as bad as people say. Just putting that on record.

Disclaimer: I've never played it myself. I do recall watching a YouTube video of someone who decided to try and play through it. It was pretty amusing, I'll grant you that.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Romanticide on 21 Jul 2020, 22:25
What would appeal to my own sense of humour would be if May ended up buying it herself.
Maybe they could even add to the fundraiser audio of May comenting the rip to every person that donates and asks for it XD XD

And oh well 90 bucks may not be much considering how out of print anime can get... but it's a step closer.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 21 Jul 2020, 22:37
Is it weird that I now want to see that?

OK I'm weird...no need to blame it on an anime :D
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 21 Jul 2020, 22:42
The real question is: How is Pintsize still allowed to enter Canada?

I suppose it’s possible that he isn’t any more, which is why he’s so willing to part with his CAD.

Maybe he hasn't been caught breaking the law in a way the prevents his crossing the border? He's shifty enough to know the laws, a lot of criminal masterminds are ;)

Then again, wooded areas are easy to cross the border if you know the routes of the border patrols...or so i've seen(seriously, on TV)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 21 Jul 2020, 22:46
There are copies of E.T. for the Atari 2600 on eBay for $1000.
While I take your point, that's not evidence of anything much unless they're actually selling at that price.

...oddly, it actually is  (https://www.ebay.com/p/56242726?iid=363010117378&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=363010117378&targetid=915708758100&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9001918&poi=&campaignid=10454925545&mkgroupid=109413764331&rlsatarget=pla-915708758100&abcId=2145999&merchantid=6296724&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqNKz_pPg6gIVCYizCh3h1w_9EAQYAiABEgIsmPD_BwE)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 21 Jul 2020, 22:53
ET being the canonical example of something horrible that is still a collector's item.

The way you say "still a collector's item" would, if I didn't know better, lead me to think you believed it is collectible in spite of being famously horrible, rather than because.

BTW its infamy is one of those truthy things that everyone says because every says it, though, right? There are a ton of YouTube videos claiming it's not as bad as people say. Just putting that on record.

Disclaimer: I've never played it myself. I do recall watching a YouTube video of someone who decided to try and play through it. It was pretty amusing, I'll grant you that.

The bigger thing about the game was that it came at the worst possible time: Atari fell flat as the videogame market bottomed out and they lost millions. It was infamous as it was highly touted but in reality it didn't do to well, alongside a lot of other games that came out then. Its gameplay wasn't that good(not bad, but not good either), and within two years it was overshadowed by Nintendo exploding onto the scene. It wasn't hte only game buried in the infamous landfill in New Mexico, thousands of other copies of other games were buried alongside it but it's the most remembered because it's ET.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: citizenfive on 21 Jul 2020, 23:13
Links to TVTropes should probably come with some sort of warning that you're about to disappear down a rabbit hole and may be following tangential links for hours.

I second this; I just fell down the aforementioned rabbit hole. TVTropes links are dangerous.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Geographus on 21 Jul 2020, 23:15
I'd say Jeph's underestimating the resale value. I belong to a anime collectors group, and some sealed, out of print anime go for up to $500. Plus they say the print runs were destroyed? Then who knows how high it'd go.

Collectors are WEIRD.
Definitely. (Yes I know the low value is part of the joke.)

I once got a promo-CD from some obscure metal-band out of such a blind bag at a fundraiser for a local metal/rock pub. Looked up their music
on Youtube, it wasn't my taste so I put the sealed CD up on eBay.

Apparently it was one of the bands first ever promos which had like 200 copies and they became quite famous since then (for their genre of music)
so it ended up selling for way over 100€.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 21 Jul 2020, 23:24
I'm guessing that CRMDR is a good example of entertainment media that one owns to own, not to actually consume because no-one would actually want to consume something written and produced that badly. The film's rep probably adds to its market value but the question remains whether or not it was withdrawn and mostly eradicated because it was so explicit or because it was so bad that everyone, including the producers and distributors, wanted it gone!

Given what Marigold says about its actual money value, I assume that the real value comes from bragging rights. "Oh yeah, I got a pristine never-opened one!" However, not strong enough bragging rights that people would be willing to part with money for it.

Meanwhile, we are reminded that Dale and Marigold are May's friends. She might not admit it to herself but it is a fact and Marigold proved it by giving up her emergency secret trade stash! Actually from what Momo says in panel 1, it's obvious that this group has been waiting for a while for a sign that May will accept their help, which is a wonderful thing, really!

Prediction: Pintsize was the vendor of the blind bag in which Marigold got that disc. Even he has standards!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 21 Jul 2020, 23:30
ET being the canonical example of something horrible that is still a collector's item.

The way you say "still a collector's item" would, if I didn't know better, lead me to think you believed it is collectible in spite of being famously horrible, rather than because.

BTW its infamy is one of those truthy things that everyone says because every says it, though, right? There are a ton of YouTube videos claiming it's not as bad as people say. Just putting that on record.

Disclaimer: I've never played it myself. I do recall watching a YouTube video of someone who decided to try and play through it. It was pretty amusing, I'll grant you that.
They found the legendary Atari dump site in New Mexico. (https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/04/26/atari-graveyard-found-millions-of-e-t-cartridges-legendary-worst-video-game-ever/)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 22 Jul 2020, 04:09
Ah, now I remember! I watched the documentary about that. Atari: Game Over (https://youtu.be/oRxR9tmoLN8). It was enjoyable.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: JoeCovenant on 22 Jul 2020, 06:17
There are copies of E.T. for the Atari 2600 on eBay for $1000.
While I take your point, that's not evidence of anything much unless they're actually selling at that price.

...oddly, it actually is  (https://www.ebay.com/p/56242726?iid=363010117378&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=363010117378&targetid=915708758100&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9001918&poi=&campaignid=10454925545&mkgroupid=109413764331&rlsatarget=pla-915708758100&abcId=2145999&merchantid=6296724&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqNKz_pPg6gIVCYizCh3h1w_9EAQYAiABEgIsmPD_BwE)

"plus $306 'additional costs'..." !??!?!??!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Perfectly Reasonable on 22 Jul 2020, 08:54
A new poll topic suddenly appears!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 22 Jul 2020, 12:07
Ah, now I remember! I watched the documentary about that. Atari: Game Over (https://youtu.be/oRxR9tmoLN8). It was enjoyable.

Ummh - from what I remember of the time (which is just slightly after the videogame-industry crisis proper - got my C64 in '86, by which time the crisis was pretty much history), a lot of it was Jack Tramiel repeatedly being so far ahead of the curve he ended up out-competing himself (and a lot of other folk to boot). Pushed the C64 at Commodore, coined the nifty 'Home Computer' label for rigs that were basically the common ancestor of both the contemporary PC (Commodore C64/128, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and a few others, iirc) and almost pushed consoles of the market for half a decade - and just when his baby started taking off, he acquired Atari and the 2600 he'd just made forever obsolete?

Similar story with the Amiga/Atari ST competition in the latter half of the decade, I think I recall?

I have to admit I'm a bit peeved at accounts that appear to pretend that kids in the 80s and 90s only used consoles for gaming until the Intel-clone PCs entered peoples' living rooms. Far as I recall it, the 80s were very much the decade of the Home Computer.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 22 Jul 2020, 12:47
Yes, my mother owned one of those 'kit computers', the Sinclair ZX81 with a whopping 16kb of memory (thanks to an expansion pack), a keyboard augmentation that made the touch-sensitive keypad go from about 20% to 50% functional and a thermal printer that smelled awful. Still, she could program in BASIC fairly well!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: SmilingCat on 22 Jul 2020, 14:08
Panel three reminds me of buying anime at the local store in the late nineties. The store owners didn't know the difference, so anything anime was all mixed together regardless of... content.

Somewhere, among my circle of friends, there's a VHS tape of a Hentai that one friend picked up with only a cursory glance, thinking it was some sort of vampire anime. It has circulated amongst my friends ever since, nobody really knowing where it ended up.

Some say it will return again one day, to once again create a really awkward viewing experience among the unaware.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 22 Jul 2020, 14:16
Ah, now I remember! I watched the documentary about that. Atari: Game Over (https://youtu.be/oRxR9tmoLN8). It was enjoyable.

Ummh - from what I remember of the time (which is just slightly after the videogame-industry crisis proper - got my C64 in '86, by which time the crisis was pretty much history), a lot of it was Jack Tramiel repeatedly being so far ahead of the curve he ended up out-competing himself (and a lot of other folk to boot). Pushed the C64 at Commodore, coined the nifty 'Home Computer' label for rigs that were basically the common ancestor of both the contemporary PC (Commodore C64/128, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and a few others, iirc) and almost pushed consoles of the market for half a decade - and just when his baby started taking off, he acquired Atari and the 2600 he'd just made forever obsolete?

Similar story with the Amiga/Atari ST competition in the latter half of the decade, I think I recall?

I have to admit I'm a bit peeved at accounts that appear to pretend that kids in the 80s and 90s only used consoles for gaming until the Intel-clone PCs entered peoples' living rooms. Far as I recall it, the 80s were very much the decade of the Home Computer.

Weren't console usually cheaper, though? It'd make them more common along with not having to know any programming.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 22 Jul 2020, 14:47
I don't recall whether the doco itself really pretended home computers didn't exist, but it's been awhile since I saw it. Obviously the trailer hyped up the possibility that this one guy destroyed an industry. I think in the documentary itself they end up admitting, 'hmmm, nahhh, not really,' but it makes for a catchy trailer, no?

I grew up with a C64 myself, just to clarify.

Consoles may have been cheaper - I don't recall. But home computers like the C64 were insanely popular because parents could reassure themselves that they were getting their kids something educational rather than just a toy. The marketing definitely pushed the educational angle.

One of my fondest memories as a kid was visiting the Powerhouse Museum (https://maas.museum/powerhouse-museum/) where they had at the time a room full of C64s and BASIC programming classes. Those were the days.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 22 Jul 2020, 15:28
Quote
Consoles may have been cheaper - I don't recall. But home computers like the C64 were insanely popular because parents could reassure themselves that they were getting their kids something educational rather than just a toy. The marketing definitely pushed the educational angle


Yeah that was one part of the story, and for some kids, it even turned out to be true...

But another reason the 64 (and homecomputers in general) was so much more popular than the consoles was quite simply bootlegging - unlike consoles with their ROM cartridges, it came with adapter ports for rewritable storage media.Either a "datasette", or a 5.5 " Floppy disk drive. IIRC, it even had a serial port that supported acoustic couplers (the thingy's ppl used before modems).

So along with that 'toy' came the implicit possibility an entire ecosystem of fillicit hacking & trading acquiring tons of games more economically than your pocket would have allowed for.

Those crude toys turned into what we'd call platforms today - and they offered a lot of kids an accessible entry into coding, and some important early success experiences with something 'difficult' and intimidating.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Penquin47 on 22 Jul 2020, 18:47
I miss my Commodore 64 so much.  That thing taught my big brother to read, I swear.

Edited because new strip went up: I did NOT RECOGNIZE SVEN.  I have no idea who that guy is, but I do not recognize him.  If anything, when I first saw him, I thought it was Angus coming back to visit from New York.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Torlek on 22 Jul 2020, 19:22
Edited because new strip went up: I did NOT RECOGNIZE SVEN.  I have no idea who that guy is, but I do not recognize him.  If anything, when I first saw him, I thought it was Angus coming back to visit from New York.

Without his glasses, longer hair and smug look, he's kinda generic QC male character #1746. Especially since I don't think we've seen him since the last art-style shift(?).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 22 Jul 2020, 19:22
"Good news! Sven paid the whole cost of replacement!"

"What's the bad news?"

"The new body is a de-comissioned sex-bot."

"WHAT."
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cybersmurf on 22 Jul 2020, 19:33
Is it just me or has Sven never been that consistent, style wise? Or were there just enough gaps inbetween to us not seeing the changes creep in slowly?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Sorflakne on 22 Jul 2020, 19:45
There was a recent art shift, from what I can tell.  Didn't notice it until yesterday.  Everyone (humans, anyway) so far looks like they've been jr high-ified.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gnabberwocky on 22 Jul 2020, 20:00
Am I overthinking it, or is that postscript text one of the most horrifically bad puns of all time? I honestly can't tell if he realized its meaning.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 22 Jul 2020, 20:55
I'm glad Sven is considering the ethical ramifications. Perhaps he'll set a charity fund for this sort of thing so he can contribute more indirectly.

EDIT:
Seriously?!? Nobody but me thinks it'd be hilarious if May's new chassis turned into a slightly bigger blue one of these?
(https://altdriver.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/01/screen-shot-2020-01-02-at-3.35.20-pm.png?resize=768,401)
EDIT2: changed img size and ditched spoiler tag.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 22 Jul 2020, 21:14
Am I overthinking it, or is that postscript text one of the most horrifically bad puns of all time? I honestly can't tell if he realized its meaning.

Fairly sure it was intentional.

And yeah, the art shift... there just seems to be an increased incidence of characters looking more and more generically like each other.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 22 Jul 2020, 21:22
I seriously wonder if Jeph just forgot about Sven's glasses. Oh well, good thing Hanners recognized him.

"...donating to something I might benefit directly from." My, so presumptuous!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 22 Jul 2020, 22:21
Honestly, I'm not seeing the ethical dilemma. Who exactly is harmed if Sven gives money to May? If it's not entirely altruistic, so what?

Now, we'd certainly have a case for conflict of interest if Sven had control of how the money's spent, but he doesn't. What gets done with the money is entirely up to May.

Likewise, there'd be an issue if Sven were donating someone else's money, making decisions based on his own self-interest. But since it's his money, that's not an issue.

And Farideh is right, May could have no interest in further shenanigans. Though honestly, I doubt that she's done experimenting, and Sven is convenient.

Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 22 Jul 2020, 22:24
I miss my Commodore 64 so much.  That thing taught my big brother to read, I swear.

Aye, the breadbox was magic  *nods sagely*
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 22 Jul 2020, 22:36
The way you say "still a collector's item" would, if I didn't know better, lead me to think you believed it is collectible in spite of being famously horrible, rather than because.

I probably should have phrased that as something more like "the canonical example of something that's collectible because it's horrible, rather than because of excellence."  And since I don't want to hear a nitpick of that phrase either, I'll make explicit that excellence is often enough a relative value with collector's items, rather than an absolute. Something may be collectible because it was excellent for its time, even if it's outdated today.

And no, I don't think ET's infamy is in any way Truthy. Leaving aside the commercial failure, it was an incredibly rushed project by a single programmer, and videos showing exactly how bad the gameplay was aren't difficult to find. The most you can say about ET's infamy as that many people accept it without doing research on it - but just because it's a popularly held opinion doesn't mean it's wrong, or that there's no basis for the reputation if you do dig.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 22 Jul 2020, 23:18
Ah! Of course! Hannelore probably is out of the gossip loop. That confirms that Momo can keep a confidence and that May isn't telling everyone and anyone about her new relationship of sorts with Sven. To me, that suggests that it is more important to her than she's willing to say aloud. That it's making Sven hesitate because he doesn't want to appear to be 'buying an upgrade' for May suggests to me that maybe May is more important to him than he's willing to admit to himself just yet too.

I do get what Sven is saying though. I suppose, to him, it's like paying for extensive cosmetic surgery of his choice for a hook-up. Turning her into what he wants her to be. Far too close for his liking to implicitly taking ownership of someone whose independence of spirit is a key aspect of what makes her what she is.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 22 Jul 2020, 23:23
And no, I don't think ET's infamy is in any way Truthy. Leaving aside the commercial failure, it was an incredibly rushed project by a single programmer, and videos showing exactly how bad the gameplay was aren't difficult to find. The most you can say about ET's infamy as that many people accept it without doing research on it - but just because it's a popularly held opinion doesn't mean it's wrong, or that there's no basis for the reputation if you do dig.

Truthy is probably a bad choice of word, but people who think it was not all that bad do exist. On the other hand, people who say "worst game ever" are generally using that phrase because the rest of the Internet does, not because they have played the game themselves. Which, let's face it, is a thing that happens.

To be honest, I'm probably going to regard "worst game ever" as hyperbolic regardless of what game you are describing.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 23 Jul 2020, 00:03
There are copies of E.T. for the Atari 2600 on eBay for $1000.
While I take your point, that's not evidence of anything much unless they're actually selling at that price.

...oddly, it actually is  (https://www.ebay.com/p/56242726?iid=363010117378&chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=363010117378&targetid=915708758100&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9001918&poi=&campaignid=10454925545&mkgroupid=109413764331&rlsatarget=pla-915708758100&abcId=2145999&merchantid=6296724&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqNKz_pPg6gIVCYizCh3h1w_9EAQYAiABEgIsmPD_BwE)

"plus $306 'additional costs'..." !??!?!??!

No idea...but it's not the only one selling for that high of a price listed
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 23 Jul 2020, 00:11
Ah, now I remember! I watched the documentary about that. Atari: Game Over (https://youtu.be/oRxR9tmoLN8). It was enjoyable.

Ummh - from what I remember of the time (which is just slightly after the videogame-industry crisis proper - got my C64 in '86, by which time the crisis was pretty much history), a lot of it was Jack Tramiel repeatedly being so far ahead of the curve he ended up out-competing himself (and a lot of other folk to boot). Pushed the C64 at Commodore, coined the nifty 'Home Computer' label for rigs that were basically the common ancestor of both the contemporary PC (Commodore C64/128, ZX Spectrum, Atari ST, Commodore Amiga and a few others, iirc) and almost pushed consoles of the market for half a decade - and just when his baby started taking off, he acquired Atari and the 2600 he'd just made forever obsolete?

Similar story with the Amiga/Atari ST competition in the latter half of the decade, I think I recall?

I have to admit I'm a bit peeved at accounts that appear to pretend that kids in the 80s and 90s only used consoles for gaming until the Intel-clone PCs entered peoples' living rooms. Far as I recall it, the 80s were very much the decade of the Home Computer.

He bought Atari back, the ST was hsi baby...he pushed the Atari PCs and held steady as a distant 3rd or 4th before he stepped away. They continued to make both consoles and PCs before falling flat under his son
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: awkwardness on 23 Jul 2020, 00:12
I miss my Commodore 64 so much.  That thing taught my big brother to read, I swear.

Edited because new strip went up: I did NOT RECOGNIZE SVEN.  I have no idea who that guy is, but I do not recognize him.  If anything, when I first saw him, I thought it was Angus coming back to visit from New York.

He's the latest victim of Jeph's obsession with short hair...and the worst part is he doesn't have his glasses on either
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: TinPenguin on 23 Jul 2020, 00:20
And Farideh is right, May could have no interest in further shenanigans. Though honestly, I doubt that she's done experimenting, and Sven is convenient.

Apart from sheer subversive curiosity, one of the main reasons she may have been willing was that her body was broken enough already that it didn't matter to her what she did with it.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cybersmurf on 23 Jul 2020, 00:48
I miss my Commodore 64 so much.  That thing taught my big brother to read, I swear.

Edited because new strip went up: I did NOT RECOGNIZE SVEN.  I have no idea who that guy is, but I do not recognize him.  If anything, when I first saw him, I thought it was Angus coming back to visit from New York.

He's the latest victim of Jeph's obsession with short hair...and the worst part is he doesn't have his glasses on either

He's been seen without glasses several times, and we actually got a reasoning for him cutting his hair.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Case on 23 Jul 2020, 00:49
Am I overthinking it, or is that postscript text one of the most horrifically bad puns of all time? I honestly can't tell if he realized its meaning.

Fairly sure it was intentional.

Uhmmmmmmh ...? :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 23 Jul 2020, 01:17
Or not? I dunno, honestly. Not even sure I realise now.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: badbum61 on 23 Jul 2020, 01:59
One of my fondest memories as a kid was visiting the Powerhouse Museum (https://maas.museum/powerhouse-museum/) where they had at the time a room full of C64s and BASIC programming classes. Those were the days.

I'm ancient enough to remember visiting the old Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (before it moved to the Powerhouse) in the early '70s, and the thrill/frustration of trying to beat the primitive tic-tac-toe 'computer' they had there! (spoiler: it couldn't be beaten, but if you were pretty good you could force it to a stalemate)

C64s? That was, like, the future, maaan...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: ihaveavoice on 23 Jul 2020, 02:17
I miss my Commodore 64 so much.  That thing taught my big brother to read, I swear.

Edited because new strip went up: I did NOT RECOGNIZE SVEN.  I have no idea who that guy is, but I do not recognize him.  If anything, when I first saw him, I thought it was Angus coming back to visit from New York.

I think he looks like mini-Elliot now.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: N.N. Marf on 23 Jul 2020, 02:26
"...donating to something I might benefit directly from." My, so presumptuous!
He didn't say that he will benefit directly from it. He said he might. There's nothing presumptuous about considering the possibility that something that occurred multiple times before might occur again. Also, there's nothing unethical about doing something mutually beneficial. Butt, if he's considering whether it's ethical to donate to this cause enhancing a fruitless pleasure, instead of using the money for greater benefits that are farther away, then I'd say it's immoral at least. Well, it depends on just how much pleasure he expects to get. Probably not enough to justify the investment, so donating it, though nice for May, may be unethical against himself. So then he's questioning whether the charitable contribution is for the charity, or for the enhanced potential sex.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: thedevilissix on 23 Jul 2020, 02:30
Oh Sven. Time to fill out a Declarations of Interest form and refrain from participating in any such discussions in meetings.
 :-D

Also, that’s Sven?  :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 23 Jul 2020, 04:24
So is there an ethical problem with him contributing to a fundraiser that he might derive some benefit from?

It's good that he's considered it, but I'm struggling to think of any.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 23 Jul 2020, 04:28
So is there an ethical problem with him contributing to a fundraiser that he might derive some benefit from?

It's good that he's considered it, but I'm struggling to think of any.

What Jeph appears to be alluding to is a fear that May in a more strongly anthropomimetic chassis might make the sexual experience of her that much more pleasurable and that Sven doesn't want to even indirectly appear to be 'upgrading the sexbot' or make May feel an obligation to him.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 23 Jul 2020, 05:31
Okay, so the second point did occur to me, but I figured easily solved via donating anonymously.

The first one... he would always feel as though the donation was selfishly motivated. I can understand that, but I feel that even if he were being 100% selfish in giving, it wouldn't be unethical. It just wouldn't be selfless. Taking some kind of credit for giving, on the other hand, would feel unethical. Again, anonymously giving and not telling anyone would solve that.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 23 Jul 2020, 10:14
I just watched this interview with Jack Tramiel (interviewed by Gary Kildall) from 1985 about the new Atari ST last week: https://youtu.be/AMD2nF7meDI?t=260 (https://youtu.be/AMD2nF7meDI?t=260)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gnabberwocky on 23 Jul 2020, 18:08
Comic's out.

This can't end well. Remember the last time May was involved in a financial negotiation routed through a European country?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: N.N. Marf on 23 Jul 2020, 18:13
Either Hannelore doesn't understand cash, or understands it too well. Any slight unique feature of the bill (like the serial number), and it may be traced back---so better safe, proxyn the transaction?

Everyone (humans, anyway) so far looks like they've been jr high-ified.
So he finally begins to heed Emily Partridge's advice (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2421)?
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: shanejayell on 23 Jul 2020, 18:19
Yeah, Hanners, that's a LITTLE excessive.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 23 Jul 2020, 18:24
Comic's out.

This can't end well. Remember the last time May was involved in a financial negotiation routed through a European country?


When was that? It doesn't ring a bell (not surprising, given the amount of comics that Jeph has created so far).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 23 Jul 2020, 18:24
Luxembourg? I think Jeph meant Liechtenstein. Although Luxembourg can work too.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 23 Jul 2020, 18:31
Hannelore takes the concept of protecting PII very seriously indeed.

It's good that Sven takes the possible emotional ramifications of his donation into account, and that he doesn't expect May to tumble back into bed with him out of gratitude. That shows he's growing as a person.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: alc40 on 23 Jul 2020, 18:32
Comic's out.

This can't end well. Remember the last time May was involved in a financial negotiation routed through a European country?


When was that? It doesn't ring a bell (not surprising, given the amount of comics that Jeph has created so far).
When she tried to steal money to buy a drone, the process involved a Swiss bank (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2502).
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: zmeiat_joro on 23 Jul 2020, 18:38
I can't quite believe I'm discussing how to best establish a shell corporation, on a forum discussing an online comic, and _then_ it gets recursive.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 23 Jul 2020, 18:56
When she tried to steal money to buy a drone, the process involved a Swiss bank (https://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=2502).


Aha, thanks! Your archive-fu skills are amazing :)
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 23 Jul 2020, 18:56
Thank you, Hannelore.

When all you have is an extraordinarily high-tech pervasive and powerful space hammer ...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 23 Jul 2020, 19:23
BTW, I will feel a little let down if we don't get a party featuring a comically oversized novelty check.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: RevEddie on 23 Jul 2020, 19:49
And Hanners is sounding like her mum again...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: sitnspin on 23 Jul 2020, 20:33
Belize is your best choice for money laundering and shell corporations. You can complete the whole process in a matter of minutes.

Not that I know from experience or anything.  :angel:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: hedgie on 23 Jul 2020, 21:24
And Hanners is sounding like her mum again...

“Release the virus.”

Unfortunately, when she did, it entered our world.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 23 Jul 2020, 22:27
Truthy is probably a bad choice of word, but people who think it was not all that bad do exist. On the other hand, people who say "worst game ever" are generally using that phrase because the rest of the Internet does, not because they have played the game themselves. Which, let's face it, is a thing that happens.

To be honest, I'm probably going to regard "worst game ever" as hyperbolic regardless of what game you are describing.

Oh, definitely. "Worst game ever" is pretty hard to quantify, and I wasn't thinking of E.T. in those terms. I was merely thinking "really memorably bad."

I'm having a bit of trouble with the idea that some people think it's not that bad, from what I've seen. I'm not sure I want to have a conversation with someone who thinks that way, either. I've had enough frustrating discussions about games in the past, like the guy who felt Civilization was a terrible game because living in mud huts and never advancing to agriculture wasn't a viable strategy. Some opinions are just too... alien.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gus_Smedstad on 23 Jul 2020, 22:47
OK, now Jeph has spelled out the ethical dilemma. Which doesn't really fit the language used in the prior comic, but I get it now. It's not something that crossed my mind because, well, I don't think in terms of using gifts as leverage.

I'm not sure it's automatically a problem anyway. To take a personal example, I got married shortly after college, and I paid off her student loans. There was no "sex for money" dynamic going on, we were married, and I considered her financial issues to be my financial issues. A few years later she had an affair and we got divorced, but there was no expectation that she'd repay me.

Sven and May aren't married, or even in a relationship. It's not even clear that they're really friends. They don't really hang out aside from banging. Still, contributing to a pool of money, along with a lot of other people, shouldn't make things weird. It's pretty clearly on the "things friends do for friends" side of the line. If he outright bought May a new body, or contributing an excessive amount, that might be awkward. But only because Sven thought of it at all, and because May's pretty suspicious of everyone.

There are positive aspects of letting her know, too. May would benefit from knowing that a lot of people cared enough to contribute, and the more names on that list the better. They don't need to have dollar amounts attached to the names.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 23 Jul 2020, 23:14
Hannelore? You're trying to protect Sven's privacy. You're not trying to launder the mass illegal sale of weapons, technology or conflict diamonds!

You know, her expressions in panels 1 and 2 indicates that Hannelore ships Svey. She really, really ships it. Possibly more than the two principals in that relationship. This could easily lead to trouble because I always shudder a little at the thought of Hannelore, with her resources, her intelligence and what she learned from her parents about problem-solving, genuinely attempting to help.

This is the second time recently that Hannelore has let her inner Beatrice out to play. It's almost reflexive to her to behave like a Corporate Dark God. She's indicated interest in the Robot Support Group and one wonders just what a force of nature her skills and Roko's drive might be!

I do hope that, one day, Sven tells May all about his mixed feelings. May's response might surprise them both!
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Mr_Rose on 23 Jul 2020, 23:16
Truthy is probably a bad choice of word, but people who think it was not all that bad do exist. On the other hand, people who say "worst game ever" are generally using that phrase because the rest of the Internet does, not because they have played the game themselves. Which, let's face it, is a thing that happens.

To be honest, I'm probably going to regard "worst game ever" as hyperbolic regardless of what game you are describing.

Oh, definitely. "Worst game ever" is pretty hard to quantify, and I wasn't thinking of E.T. in those terms. I was merely thinking "really memorably bad."

I'm having a bit of trouble with the idea that some people think it's not that bad, from what I've seen. I'm not sure I want to have a conversation with someone who thinks that way, either. I've had enough frustrating discussions about games in the past, like the guy who felt Civilization was a terrible game because living in mud huts and never advancing to agriculture wasn't a viable strategy. Some opinions are just too... alien.
Isn’t ET qualified to be objectively bad because the thing was so badly written it’s nearly impossible to actually progress, never mind complete? Like there’s a bug that is incredibly easy to trigger that locks it up completely requiring a restart, and no save states?
In terms of terrible gameplay though, I personally reckon it’s ‘beaten’ to worst place by Superman 64 but ymmv.

As for Civ, I think your friend just wasn’t trying hard enough; someone just beat Civ VI without any cities at all, never mind huts…
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 24 Jul 2020, 01:34
Side note that occurs to me: Rebellion Games are in the latter stages of developing a sequel to the game Evil Genius (basically a tower defence game mixed with 'You, too, can be Bloefeld'). Suddenly I find myself wishing for a playable character based on Hannelore with another character, maybe Pintsize, as her senior henchman. Can you imagine how much fun Hannelore would be shown to be actually trying to take over the world? Executing a minion for 'failing her for the last time' before squeaking: "Oh! I'm sorry!" or "Messy, messy messy! Someone clean it away now!" Her doomsday device is, of course, a plague of robot cleaners who will wash and scrub 24/7 until the nations of the world surrender! She's evil but she's also sweet and you couldn't help but feel sorry for her sometimes...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: dutchrvl on 24 Jul 2020, 07:00
Okay, I accidentally missed the Thursday comic, and upon opening QC this morning I had no idea who that guy was.....At first I thought it was Landon (who Roko talked to about AI body assignment recently [not the body assignment fucker who was condescending, the other one]) but then I realized the hair color was different. Even after reading the Thu comic I was still doubtful whether it actually was Sven...

Can't say I'm in love with the recent art changes as I think it's not an improvement over his previous style, but it's his comic and I'm sure I'll get used to it again.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Theta9 on 24 Jul 2020, 08:58
I've had enough frustrating discussions about games in the past, like the guy who felt Civilization was a terrible game because living in mud huts and never advancing to agriculture wasn't a viable strategy. Some opinions are just too... alien.
As for Civ, I think your friend just wasn’t trying hard enough; someone just beat Civ VI without any cities at all, never mind huts…
Ha, I'm reminded of Ascendancy (https://www.myabandonware.com/game/ascendancy-2qs). Supposedly it was possible to "win" without ever leaving your home planet and becoming a spacefaring species.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: BenRG on 24 Jul 2020, 09:07
Or Nier Automata, where it is possible to finish the game simply by jumping off the wrong ledge in the opening level! Although that's the lead game designer's idea of a practical joke so I'm not sure if that can be called a balancing mistake.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: dutchrvl on 24 Jul 2020, 09:58
And Hanners is sounding like her mum again...

“Release the virus.”

Unfortunately, when she did, it entered our world.

Oh man, I was kinda hoping he wrote that comic in 2015 to make it line up exactly (since it was her 5-year plan). Alas, it was 2013....I suppose I can imagine it was released and already around in 2018 but slowly building...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Thrillho on 24 Jul 2020, 15:34
This week is the first time I have come to realise my Seth hatred is My Problem.

He's not even being particularly egregious this time. In fact he is actively trying to work out what doing the right thing consists of.

Still hate him. Is it time for me to forgive?

...Also why was I mad at him? I've only read all these strips once  :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Mr_Rose on 24 Jul 2020, 19:20
This week is the first time I have come to realise my Seth hatred is My Problem.

He's not even being particularly egregious this time. In fact he is actively trying to work out what doing the right thing consists of.

Still hate him. Is it time for me to forgive?

...Also why was I mad at him? I've only read all these strips once  :psyduck:
Who the feth is “Seth?”
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: cesium133 on 24 Jul 2020, 21:42
Sveth.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 24 Jul 2020, 23:41
...Also why was I mad at him? I've only read all these strips once  :psyduck:

It's generally first impressions that do it, so let's check it out.

(click to show/hide)

You be the judge.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Farideh on 25 Jul 2020, 00:27
Who the feth is “Seth?”


Sven and Steve's love child
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Thrillho on 25 Jul 2020, 02:37
This is what happens when you have a wrestling forum open at the same time  :psyduck:
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Gyrre on 25 Jul 2020, 05:22
I'm admittedly disappointed that nobody voted for the power wheels transformer chassis.
I might still take a crack at drawing it anyways.

Also, because I'm tired; segway-mermaid chassis.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: sitnspin on 25 Jul 2020, 08:31
...Also why was I mad at him? I've only read all these strips once  :psyduck:

It's generally first impressions that do it, so let's check it out.

(click to show/hide)

You be the judge.

Personally, I'm not going to blame an artist for doing work that pays the bills. Especially as an artist myself.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Thrillho on 25 Jul 2020, 09:58
...Also why was I mad at him? I've only read all these strips once  :psyduck:

It's generally first impressions that do it, so let's check it out.

(click to show/hide)

Personally, I'm not going to blame an artist for doing work that pays the bills. Especially as an artist myself.

You be the judge.

It definitely isn't that. If I am a capitalist anywhere it is in music.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Tova on 25 Jul 2020, 23:54
Oh well. Hmm.

I'll stop guessing now.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: JimC on 26 Jul 2020, 02:36
Personally, I'm not going to blame an artist for doing work that pays the bills. Especially as an artist myself.
Yes, its amazing how many people forget that the phrase professional musician includes the word professional.

I'm also reminded of an old interview with Richard Thompson (a musicians' musician if ever there was one, but whom major commercial success has always eluded. If memory serves me right it went something like this:
Inteviewer: So is this intended as a more commercial recording?
RT: I always try and make commercial recordings. Obviously I'm not very good at it...
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: celticgeek on 26 Jul 2020, 15:40
Richard Thompson is one of my favorite guitarists and songwriters.
Title: Re: WCDT strips 4311-4315 (20-25 July 2020)
Post by: Thrillho on 26 Jul 2020, 16:40
Same. Big favourite of mine in recent years.

Currently working on learning to play 'Beeswing.' Broken the back of it, but it's very hard despite being easier than it sounds...