There's also this:
https://somethingpositive.net/comic/pintsized-recycling/
There's also this:
https://somethingpositive.net/comic/pintsized-recycling/
There's also this:
https://somethingpositive.net/comic/pintsized-recycling/
Meanwhile, Beeps' paperwork has been streamlined, codified, ratified and verified, awaiting her signature. The files have been reorganized and Dewey-decimalized. (They'll have to hire Claire now, or they'll never be able to find -anything-.)This was a plot point in The Avengers (the one with John Steed and Emma Peel not the one with Captain American and Thor) How to Succeed ... at Murder.
Is that an "Emergency" bottle of lube behind Claire's head? :-o
Okay, so what is this test supposed to do? It's supposed to make use of the military-specification impact-testing device that Beepatrice's boss bought in anticipation of being awarded a Department of Defence testing contract that never actually appearedOr it is just straight up a Military testing lab, they created explosives, high impact projectiles and devices that rip the arms of people. A few gulliable AIs who can be convinced this is a logical job (or hacked) to test sex toys.
Testing for the sake of testing? Those white panels for walls really gives a Portal vibe to the room. Are these painted with moon rock powder perhaps? Do they have an uploaded human mind turned rogue AI controlling the facility?
I'm sure they are working on a sentient dildo...
I'm sure they are working on a sentient dildo...
Is Applied Dildonics a subsidiary of Aperture Science?Nope, they are mortal enemies now, after their founders split the original company in two over creative differences. The CEO, Mesa Johnson, has been quoted as saying “we were taking a completely opposite approach on everything and we simply had to part ways.”
Okay, so what is this test supposed to do? It's supposed to make use of the military-specification impact-testing device that Beepatrice's boss bought in anticipation of being awarded a Department of Defence testing contract that never actually appeared (it turns out that an inspection of the lab found too high a level of 'comedic ineptitude'). However, he didn't want to look a fool for having ordered unnecessary equipment so he hired a number of AIs (whose overall cost is lower than human staff) to carry out completely unnecessary tests using the equipment. The paperwork generated by these tests goes straight into the Circular File as no-one wants or needs it.
Basically, Beepatrice's whole job is solely to protect the ego and reputation of a now-likely moved-on manager. I wonder how long before a New Broom sweeps in and eliminates her whole department as the unnecessary cost it is?
I did chuckle out loud over this one.
Okay, so what is this test supposed to do? It's supposed to make use of the military-specification impact-testing device that Beepatrice's boss bought in anticipation of being awarded a Department of Defence testing contract that never actually appearedOr it is just straight up a Military testing lab, they created explosives, high impact projectiles and devices that rip the arms of people. A few gulliable AIs who can be convinced this is a logical job (or hacked) to test sex toys.
Maybe the whole area is a military industry complex. Like down the road is a lab testing cloaking devices on Emu's, why Emu's, they are not endangered enough to require camouflage???.
Pintsizes chasis had to have come from somewhere, why did Bubbles end up in this town... was it where she was created.
Impact testing on the vibration motor. It's legitimate, they blast the dildos out at differing speeds to determine the kind of impact they can endure so they can label them correctly.
If you think about it, it's not entirely out there that AIs would use them too as a way of making money from websites, Rule 34 and all...
COSMO: "I kiss better. You know it's true. Admit it."
I notice she's also plugged in to something. I'm going to treat the coffee mug as a metaphor for a rebooting program equivalent to waking up.
On a related note, she has "I haven't had my coffee" face. How does that make sense if you're an AI?
I find the "fuck you" mug funny, but I do NOT want one in my house.Scent is about the only way I can enjoy coffee. If it weren't for the fact that chocolate cake using coffee grounds doesn't cause any noticeable effects, I'd guess I had a tannin sensitivity (I can't stand wine or all but two kinds of beer either).
What exactly does Iris get out of coffee? I'm having trouble seeing Iris sniffing it the way Bubbles does with tea.
On a related note, she has "I haven't had my coffee" face. How does that make sense if you're an AI?
Speaking of which... I seem to have an atypical reaction to caffeine. I drink coffee. I don't feel like it wakes me up, or that I'm not awake until I've had one. I know it's a stimulant, but I've never noticed a stimulant effect. Going a day without coffee is not a big deal.
It's not like I'm going light on the coffee when I do drink it. While I typically only drink a double espresso's worth (plus milk), there have been days when I've drunk 3 of those. I try and keep it to one, because I really don't like caffeine withdrawal headaches, and drinking a lot of coffee and then skipping a day usually brings one of those.
Scent is about the only way I can enjoy coffee.
That's not coffee, it's motor oil.
Although why you'd need a french press for it is a mystery...
What you're describing is a milkshake, IMO.Milkshakes involve ice cream. Not that I'm opposed to milkshakes made with coffee, but that's not what I'm drinking.
That's not coffee, it's motor oil.
Although why you'd need a french press for it is a mystery...
What exactly does Iris get out of coffee? I'm having trouble seeing Iris sniffing it the way Bubbles does with tea.
Hm, guys: I posted here about half an hour ago, and the post is gone.
Is she doing the AI equivalent of drinking her own pee?
Scent is about the only way I can enjoy coffee.
That used to be me. I loved the smell, but drinking it was kind of awful. In my late 40's I discovered that I could drink it, even like drinking it, with enough milk and sugar.
Hm, guys: I posted here about half an hour ago, and the post is gone.
That concerned me. I checked the moderation log and the place where we toss unwanted posts, and was at least able to rule out moderator action. Has this ever happened to you or anyone else before?
Is Jeph throwing humanoid Pintsize up against a metaphorical wall trying to find out in which scenario/cast group he'd work best?
New comic.
Iris is abrasive, but she did give Yemisi her coffee. That also answers the 'what does Iris want with coffee?' question. Have a smell, then hand it over for someone to drink.
Better clear out the building; Pintsize has his chaos-goblin face on.
That's not coffee, it's motor oil.
Although why you'd need a french press for it is a mystery...
Let's run with the idea that the black fluid in her cup is motor oil. As is the substance in the French Press.
New motor oil isn't black. It's a light, translucent brown. So it's used motor oil. And the French Press is there to strain out the grime. Which it doesn't do all that effectively, so the used oil is still black.
Where's the used oil coming from? Is she doing the AI equivalent of drinking her own pee?
I hate coffee; I'm sensitive to bitter flavors in general and the idea of drinking coffee makes my mouth twitch. I can tolerate the smell for short periods. Coffee flavored anything is obviously not my fave.
Maybe Iris just carries the cup around for effect, especially if she's living with Yemisi? Or it's intended for Yemisi and Iris just hasn't gotten there yet, only to be interrupted by Pintsize, who's scared of nuthin'... and maybe about to learn what healthy fear means? Or why AIs wear pants in public...
I carried a glass of water with me so I can "drink" in the mornings with the insufficiently-caffeinated (before my employer sent everyone home permanently). Now that I work from home, I just keep a glass of water on my desk and sip as needed.
Jeph should add it to his merchandise page
When younger I was always given milky sugary coffee because they assumed that would be better for those not used to coffee but I hated it.. turns out I don't like milk.
Iris is abrasive, but she did give Yemisi her coffee.
fresh machine grease is --oddly enough-- milk white.This is giving me flashbacks to the androids from the Alien(s) movies. Though that milk white stuff they use for blood isn’t very viscous.
Milk fat content has some bearing. I’m not fond of anything below 2%.
I drink coffee like it is water. Always black. Coffee needs no additives. Unless it's whisky. But even then, I prefer my two favourite beverage separate.
I can't figure out Pintsize's expression in the last panel. Either he has just fallen in love with someone, or he realizes that he just found his people.
He just found his new people is the way I read that. Now we have to have a week of Pintsize getting out of his companionship contract and moving on and Marten/Claire having to adjust to life without him. Prediction: this will cause Martin some discontent and who knows where that leads since Claire has now signaled she'll take any job to be near Marten.
You people are so weird!
(beat)
For the first time in my life I feel at home.
Especially Marten I feel has received relatively little attention in terms of his growth and development. But, perhaps JJ feels like the trials and tribulations of a privileged white straight male is not something that needs any attention in QC given how many much more important issues he could address in-comic?
I don't disagree there, actually.
I can't figure out Pintsize's expression in the last panel. Either he has just fallen in love with someone, or he realizes that he just found his people.
That smile reminds me a lot of the Grinch, that face-consuming smile as he conceives of his "wonderful, awful idea". Pintsize may not yet realize that his expression reveals his scheming.
It’ll be interesting to see the “sides” that form if Pintsize wants to break his contract — based on Marigold and Momo, the assumption seems to be that humans do the rejecting, not the other way around.
Jeph said once that AIs are the legal owners of the bodies they are in, but that must not have applied to the nuclear sub.I would assume that a) the military gets its own set of laws as usual and b) if the sub wasn’t listed as “issued equipment” then it was under a specific contract regarding demobilisation of the individual. Besides I strongly suspect that nuclear submarines aren’t part of the companionship programme anyway.
Jeph said once that AIs are the legal owners of the bodies they are in, but that must not have applied to the nuclear sub.
Ok so...my guess is that the answer would be 'probably not' but I am now wondering if May had been fast enough to get the fighter jet body and upload into it that even if she would still be arrested that the body in question would still be considered her own due to technicality.
Ok so...my guess is that the answer would be 'probably not' but I am now wondering if May had been fast enough to get the fighter jet body and upload into it that even if she would still be arrested that the body in question would still be considered her own due to technicality.
Probably not given that she would have bought it with stolen funds.
Also, on the note of ownership back near hte beginning there were anthropc parks and one of the anthropcs commented about being shut down and being repainted and changed and hating the new look, that was clearly a nonconsensual body modding so would the owner be liable for damaging the AIs property or is that one of those things we kind of handwave from the earliest periods as the world was still finding its feet?
I think that was handwaved away as the strip went away from AI as robopets to AI as companions/individuals with rights.
I just perused the cast page to see if I could figure out for myself who Yemisi is and why Pintsize is going to see her right now (a little help, anyone? I'm not a new reader just very forgetful) and ----- I MISS RAVEN!!! What happened to her???
I think that was handwaved away as the strip went away from AI as robopets to AI as companions/individuals with rights.
I'm not sure there was any handwaving involved. In the comic (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=1900) where Clinton was interviewing Marten, he mentioned a constitutional amendment and implied that it had been added recently. It probably was legal to treat AIs as personal possessions prior to that act, and if I remember my very limited law knowledge correctly, you can't be convicted of a crime that wasn't a crime when you did it.
That would be my guess admittedly but I suddenly imagined a setup where the laws technically as written didn't account for the body being gained illegally and were more 'once you are uploaded into it it is your and cannot be taken'It's clearly permissible for an AI to be forced out of their body temporarily if they are sent to Robot Jail (the body assignment guy explains (https://www.questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=4173) that most AIs who wish to be embodied have a body to return to upon release), but I don't know of anything in the comic (post-singularity) that addresses whether an AI could be permanently deprived of the chassis they were in.
Jeph said once that AIs are the legal owners of the bodies they are in, but that must not have applied to the nuclear sub.
Jeph said once that AIs are the legal owners of the bodies they are in, but that must not have applied to the nuclear sub.
"Within reason" is my mantra and feels like it applies as an unspoken qualifier.
I just perused the cast page to see if I could figure out for myself who Yemisi is and why Pintsize is going to see her right now (a little help, anyone? I'm not a new reader just very forgetful) and ----- I MISS RAVEN!!! What happened to her???
Ahh, you are about to discover a resource!
The QC wiki has been a labor of love by many for years.
https://questionablecontent.fandom.com/wiki/Them
I think Jeph ran out of things to do with Raven. I miss her too.
A possible explanation for the change in the way AIs are portrayed and treated in the strip is the long civil rights struggle that Momo mentioned. The AI ERA happened well after the non-consensual body mods.
Internet Jerry terrifies me. Who sells a body out of the back of a van? Who buys one?
I mean, besides Pintsize.
... if I remember my very limited law knowledge correctly, you can't be convicted of a crime that wasn't a crime when you did it.That's called an Ex Post Facto ruling, and yes, it's not legal in the USA. I can't speak for other countries. See also:
Internet Jerry terrifies me. Who sells a body out of the back of a van? Who buys one?
I mean, besides Pintsize.
Internet Jerry terrifies me. Who sells a body out of the back of a van? Who buys one?
I mean, besides Pintsize.