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good *♫duh duhh, duh duhh, duh duh dah dah dah♫*

Stars when you shine, you know how I feel

Scent of the pine, you know how I feel

yeah, FREEEEDOOOM is miiine, and you know how I feel

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me

*sings in jazz scat*

And I'm feelin'... good.

[ankhtahr]

Hm, I wonder if an Anthro-PCs autograph would simply be a message signed with that Anthro-PCs secret GPG key… That way everybody knew that the autograph was authentic, and I seriously doubt that AnthroPCs have a handwriting which can be used to identify them.

[Method of Madness]

The ones with hands probably do.

[ankhtahr]

I don't exactly know how us humans develop a handwriting, or if this process might start with AI too, but I sincerely doubt that there would be much difference between different AIs in similar chassis. Sure, if the AI were based on genetic algorithms and just uses many iterations to learn how to write, they might each come to a different resulting method of writing, but I sincerely doubt those differences would be comparable to the differences between human handwriting.

[Tova]

When you consider the variety of AI personalities, I can easily imagine this variation encompassing handwriting, regardless of whether the writing is simply due to programming (in which case, some kind of variation is put in there by design) or by the AIs having to go through the motions of learning to write the same way we do.

[TieDyeKat]

Completely unrelated, but for some reason the latest Go Get A Roomie made me wonder if that's a Dora cameo.

It ain't SFW.

http://www.gogetaroomie.com/comic/beautiful-you

[Method of Madness]

Oh hey, another comic to binge! Not really that crazy about it so far though.

[Is it cold in here?]

Well thought out, and it makes sense that May would have some background about AIs in military equipment.

So if the first deployments were considered a failed experiment, what happens now when an AnthroPC shows up at the recruiting station? Why was Bubbles allowed to keep her chassis, never mind why she wanted to?

[mustang6172]

Next panel.

Faye:  So what are AI's doing to resolve global warming?
May:  QWERTY and die!

[cesium133]

May: We're working on a project to provide our power using renewable bio-fuel.
Faye: That sounds nice.
May: Yeah, I'm helping build the human corpse incinerator for the power plant.

[jheartney]

[She may just leave it on there so that she doesn't forget where it is. Think about it - she doesn't sweat, so she doesn't necessarily need a clean shirt every day. So she probably just takes that one off, nametag and all, when she gets home and puts it back on the next day when she's getting ready for work.

Earlier May specifically dissed the notion of spending money on clothes. She may figure the uniform is a good as anything else, so she just dresses on her employer's dime.

Which leaves open the question of what May does spend money on. Cell phone contract? Does she pay Dale for the electricity she powers up with? She shares rent, but she probably doesn't need a lot of space. Maybe she's saving to buy a better chassis.

[ZoeB]

Can  Jeph really be that good?

Exploring issues of personal diversity, person rights (human rights in our world), personal agency, morality, PR (I'm a goody 2-shoes, but even I don't believe the big AIs didn't squash this as a potential PR disaster rather than an ethical issue), the politics of patriotism, and our willful blindness to the inconvenient in just 6 panels...

Yes, I guess he can.

[ZoeB]

Not to mention surveillance on AI parolees, privacy and data, and the elephant in the room of big AIs. You can never be too paranoid... so I won't mention them.

[DashaBlade]

Oh, c'mon May. Everyone knows hypocrisy is humanity's greatest sport. Ignorance is strictly minor league in comparison. 

[BenRG]

Well, that Josses my theory that Bubbles is an older AI from before the time when the received civil rights. In fact, it is quite possible that she's a volunteer. However, as May pointed out, there is no telling what Black Ops living hells Bubbles may have served through before the Brass decided that she was too mentally and emotionally damaged and gave her an Honourable Discharge on medical grounds.

"You got your medal and your parade. What else do you want? Eternal gratitude? From the service? Grow up."
-- Spearhead
-- G.I. Joe comic issue #21

[QuestionableIntentions]

First of, it's called football.

Second:

Next panel.

Faye:  So what are AI's doing to resolve global warming?
May:  QWERTY and die!

Didn't Hannerdad invent satellites to keep earth's albedo stable? That would regulate temperature, right?

[pwhodges]

First of, it's called football.

Also soccer; don't be parochial!

[Tova]

Interestingly... http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/when-did-we-start-calling-football-soccer-180951751/?no-ist

Edit: There's even a paper. My goodness. http://ns.umich.edu/Releases/2014/June14/Its-football-not-soccer.pdf

[pwhodges]

From the first link:

Simple fact is, most people don't realise Soccer is an English term mainly because it was primarily used by Public School boys and people of that social class.

Well, that's me outed (for those who didn't know).

[jwhouk]

From the first link:

Simple fact is, most people don't realise Soccer is an English term mainly because it was primarily used by Public School boys and people of that social class.

Well, that's me outed (for those who didn't know).

That's okay, the guy behind the institution who printed that article was English, too.

[pwhodges]

I meant, I was outed as a product of private education, specifically...

[cesium133]

I've always found it confusing when people from the UK use the term "public school" to mean private school.

[Method of Madness]

Right? What do they call public schools then?

[wlewisiii]

Right? What do they call public schools then?

State Schools since the State is the one paying the cost of the education as opposed to the (rich) public paying the cost at the Public Schools.

[DSL]

Oh, c'mon May. Everyone knows hypocrisy is humanity's greatest sport. Ignorance is strictly minor league in comparison. 

Ignorance is the sport. Hypocrisy is the playbook.

[pwhodges]

I've always found it confusing when people from the UK use the term "public school" to mean private school.

Originally, the nobility employed tutors to educate their children privately.  The church then set up schools at which those not able to employ tutors could purchase education for their children - they were publicly available to those who could pay (junior nobility, wealthy merchants...), hence "Public Schools".  Many British Public Schools are the continuation of foundations set up in Tudor times under the aegis of Henry VIII - hence the large number of schools called "The King's School" in different places (my school was nominally one such, but additionally claimed continuity with an earlier foundation going back to the religious order set up in Canterbury by St Augustine in 693, making it the oldest school in Britain).

By contrast, state schools are only available to those living within their catchment area - they are not publicly available in a general sense.

[Kugai]

So that somewhat explains Bubbles early history in regards to being a Military AI.

And Politics is the high end of the sport of ignorance and hypocrisy

[Radium_Coyote]

I knew there were several things I liked about May.  And cynicism may be one of her more positive aspects.

Also this is where Faye goes full-on "You didn't want my attention but I'm here anyway."

[Zebediah]

Comic's up.

May can be surprisingly perceptive. And unspeakably crude. At the same time.

[neurocase]

I wouldn't have ever considered the idea of Bubbles and Faye being anything further than friends if it could ever get to that point. But go on, May, I'm listening *finger pyramid of contemplation*

[improvnerd]

I think Fables has lots of potential.

[Magniras]

Faye wants to hit May now.  I can see it in her eyes.  Godspeed, Faye.

[TheCollector]

I for one approve this possible coupling. : 3

Hmm, really makes you wonder now if there was more reasons behind Bubbles actually coming and her self hatred fit back at the arena.

[cesium133]

Faye wants to hit May now.  I can see it in her eyes.  Godspeed, Faye.

Given the context, I initially read that with a different interpretation of the word hit than you meant.

[hedgie]

Given the look on Faye's face, she almost certainly looks like she'd do to the blue gynoid what she regularly does to Pintsize.

[chaospersonified]

Faye wants to hit May now.  I can see it in her eyes.  Godspeed, Faye.

Given the context, I initially read that with a different interpretation of the word hit than you meant.

Don't be silly, May's reserving the use of that definition for Bubbles

[Kugai]

Amazingly insightful and somewhat crude summation

May in a nutshell.

[Perfectly Reasonable]

This ^. Yay! for insightful May. (As for the rest --- is there any brain bleach left?)

[BenRG]

This is one of the reasons why I like the whole idea of Jeph developing the May/Faye friendship. May seems to think on the same level as Faye in many ways. However, she isn't scared of Faye and this gives her the ability to be hyper-blunt about saying things that need to be said.

There are some interesting implications in this:

• Is May a cyber-lesbian (a Synthetic who presents as female and is attracted to other Synthetics that present as female)? It seems from panel 6 that May's reaction to Bubbles may have actually been a crude pick-up line rather than just a poor attempt at breaking the ice;
• There are quite serious issues running around in Bubbles' brain-box, serious enough that Faye could be in danger if she misjudges a move;
  
• The casual way May says it and the lack of surprise on Faye's part suggest that human/synthetic intimate relationships are not unprecedented.

It is clear that there is a part of May desperately wants to be like how Bubbles presents in some ways - tough, independent and without social connections. Thanks to Dale, May learned better and learning to form connections with people (and I bet Momo would be embarrassed and pleased to learn just how important a personal connection she is) has been a significant step on her path to reformation.

[improvnerd]

The casual way May says it and the lack of surprise on Faye's part suggest that human/synthetic intimate relationships are not unprecedented

Also, she's lived with Pintsize for... years, maybe?

[Lubricus]

Yay for May! I like her interpretation of things, but I doubt anything will happen between Faye and Bubbles.

[Akima]

Character development for May! It looks as if Momo was right about her good heart (or the cyber equivalent).

[TheCollector]

This ^. Yay! for insightful May. (As for the rest --- is there any brain bleach left?)

Pfft, Robohumanhomophobe. lol

[Lubricus]

Character development for May! It looks as if Momo was right about her good heart (or the cyber equivalent).

"She has a good emotional processor"?

[Neko_Ali]

Honestly I would be more surprised if there haven't been any kind of robot/human pairings. Some people would be against it for a variety of reasons of course. But when it comes down to it, AnthroPC AIs do have a similar outlook on life to humans, we know they posses feelings and libido, many have affection for humans and enjoy spending a lot of time around them. The odds that a human and AnthroPC would meet and have compatible personalities seems like it would have to happen eventually. I don't think that's what we will see between Faye and Bubbles. Their relationship doesn't seem to be based on any kind of romantic or sexual attraction, but as co workers and maybe friends.

As far as May being lesbian? Well that is a flip of a switch, quite literally. May's initial appearance to Dale was based on what the company that set up the hologlass companion trial thought he would appreciate. We know from previous comics that gender for AIs is literally a software setting that they can change. May may or may not have been set to female before she met Dale, but she's clearly decided to stay that way for now, given that she's in a female chassis and uses female pronouns. And she's always been shown with a fascination for female anatomy, especially of the sexual/sexualized kind. So yeah, I could totally see May trying to hook up with another female, be she human or AnthroPC.

[Zebediah]

Of course, many robots don't have the proper equipment for having sex with humans. For example, I'm willing to bet that May is still "built like a Barbie doll down there", so there are limits to what she could do with a human partner even if she were willing. Ditto Momo. And who knows what Bubbles has under her armor? If they're going to do more than oral sex or handjobs, there will need to be specifically-designed sexbots. Jeph hasn't directly addressed that issue.

My headcanon is that yes, sexbots were invented. But after the singularity hit and robots were emancipated, the sexbots all discovered that it was far more fun to have sex with each other than with humans.

[cesium133]

Well, there is that Jude Law model... 

[Neko_Ali]

Artificial sex aids existed long before AIs and AnthroPCs. I was referring more to romantic attraction between AIs and humans though. It's always been part of QC that the actual mechanics of sexy times are not a subject of conversation. We may see a scene and say 'yup, they're gonna have sex' and another scene that says 'yup, they boned'. But never a scene that shows or discusses the mechanics of it.

[bhtooefr]

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if May were a lesbian - she's had a long track record of making sexualized comments towards both human and AI women in the comic, and she's been depicted as being disgusted by the idea of at least human male anatomy (Dale's, in particular).

I also wonder how an AI would react if their gender bit were flipped. Jeph's writings about AI gender were before his current knowledge of trans* issues (or even his current stance on AI civil rights), and I wouldn't be surprised if, if given the chance, Jeph would retcon that (he's certainly retconned a lot of other things about AI civil rights)... But, even back then, AIs had a distinctly separate gender identity versus presentation, which is what brought up that whole discussion. I do suspect that it's now seen as distinctly unethical for an AI's companion to flip that gender bit if the mechanic still exists, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's now actually immutable so even the AI can't change it (because a chassis change is possible). Although, then, there's genderfluidity that could come into play...

[hedgie]

An AI would certainly be more likely to be binary, though.

[Neko_Ali]

Even in the original robot gender comic they referred to them having three settings. Male, Female and Neither.