Topic: WCDT Strips 3176 to 3180 (14 - 18 March 2016) (Read 51843 times)

~~mustang6172~~ · « **Reply #50 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 18:52 »

Quote from: DSL on 14 Mar 2016, 14:44

Chaospersonified's last sentence is key: Many folks would welcome a "patch" that would relieve them of a mental condition and it's be great if that was available. But some folks would not want that, for reasons that are varied and understandable. Forcing it as an across-the-board remedy, ESPECIALLY in cases where there is no harm done and maybe even some.benefit (exceptional artistic ability or other savantry, for just a couple of examples) is the unacceptable part. (Plrase note I will refuse to take seriously any responses along the lines of "so what you're really saying is ...")

As long as the patch is reversible, it seems perfectly acceptable to me.

cesium133 · « **Reply #51 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 19:59 »

dreed · « **Reply #52 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:04 »

hmm indeed.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #53 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:05 »

Damn it, Corpse Witch.

SomeCanadianWeirdo · « **Reply #54 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:10 »

She really doesn't understand the forces she's playing with.

Perfectly Reasonable · « **Reply #55 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:29 »

Corpse Witch runs a tight ship. She gives out bonuses and demerits.

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #56 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:35 »

Corpse Witch awakening the sleeping giant in 3, 2, 1....

chaospersonified · « **Reply #57 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:38 »

Quote from: Morituri on 14 Mar 2016, 10:56

I was thinking that narratively it could easily be a part of the "Bubbles is increasingly disenchanted with Corpse Witch and the Fight Club" arc instead.

I think you were thinking correctly, and in regards to earlier, dammit people, I specifically said in my original post that it would be fucked if the government was forcing it. I stand by that. It is not in any way a part of my argument.

Regarding Neko-Ali's question, it would also be fucked if someone spliced my sleeping pills with cocaine/there was a history of that happening in certain manufacturing plants. Last time I was prescribed something new, the first thing I did was google the prescription name. I looked at the side effects, and reactions that can occur. Now, I don't eat grapefruit. I do research on the pills I take, why wouldn't an AI do research on a patch they might consider?

jheartney · « **Reply #58 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:45 »

This is Bubbles' second "hmmm." By her next one, she may be ready to do more than grunt.

It sounds like there's a real need for AI charity of some sort; many are stuck with beating on each other at a glorified cockfight, and the AI authorities can't be bothered to provide facilities for repair and maintenance. While we can certainly look down on Corpse Witch for her callous attitude, she probably has her own problems to deal with trying to keep the fight club in the black and not shut down by police.

Bubbles and Faye have the skill set to start an AI repair/maintenance clinic. For startup funding they might try Station, who seems to have an abundance of cash, and would probably listen to a request, especially if it was channeled through Hanners. After that, they could solicit grants, look for sponsorships, and do regular charity fundraising. It would probably be a better fit for Bubbles than the fight club.

MrNumbers · « **Reply #59 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:46 »

Bubbles should suplex her.

... what? You don't want to see that?

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #60 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:48 »

Bubbles had made a pretty good case that it was a training opportunity for Faye.

Bubbles did not make that point to Corpse Witch.

Intimidated somehow?

Morituri · « **Reply #61 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 20:51 »

Quote from: Morituri on 14 Mar 2016, 10:56

I was expecting (and still haven't ruled out) friction between Corpse Witch and Bubbles/Faye over May's repair. People were talking about the police raiding the place and May getting in parole trouble, but I was thinking that narratively it could easily be a part of the "Bubbles is increasingly disenchanted with Corpse Witch and the Fight Club" arc instead.

Yep. Yep yep yep.... Anybody else notice her eyes switching from brown to red between the last two panels? This is not something that presages continued peace.

Let's hope that whatever happens doesn't involve Bubbles going up on AI-Murder charges. Emotionally pent-up vets suffering from PTSD have some unfortunate tendencies.

hedgie · « **Reply #62 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 21:03 »

Have you not heard of the "(S)he needed killin'" defense?

TheEvilDog · « **Reply #63 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 21:11 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 14 Mar 2016, 20:48

Bubbles had made a pretty good case that it was a training opportunity for Faye.

Bubbles did not make that point to Corpse Witch.

Intimidated somehow?

If Bubbles really was intimidated, would she go "mmmm"?

That's more of a contemplative noise than a scared one.

No, I think Bubbles is beginning to see how things really are in the grim dark underground of illegal AI fighting. And its grim. Also dark. And illegal.

Seriously though, I think Bubbles is beginning to think about what is actually there for her at the Fight Club and realising she doesn't like it.

neurocase · « **Reply #64 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 21:12 »

The board's -mostly- collective feelings and suspicions about Corpse Witch certainly seem to be coming to fruit as expected. Bubbles' eye color changing in the last panel is certainly telling.

Carl-E · « **Reply #65 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 21:28 »

I'm ready for a Corpse switch.

What?

Omega Entity · « **Reply #66 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 21:43 »

Quote from: Morituri on 14 Mar 2016, 20:51

Quote from: Morituri on 14 Mar 2016, 10:56
I was expecting (and still haven't ruled out) friction between Corpse Witch and Bubbles/Faye over May's repair. People were talking about the police raiding the place and May getting in parole trouble, but I was thinking that narratively it could easily be a part of the "Bubbles is increasingly disenchanted with Corpse Witch and the Fight Club" arc instead.
Anybody else notice her eyes switching from brown to red between the last two panels? This is not something that presages continued peace.

Quote from: neurocase on 14 Mar 2016, 21:12

Bubbles' eye color changing in the last panel is certainly telling.

Looking at previous strips, that's her regular eye color. The effect of them seeming darker in panel 5 versus panel 6 is a matter of Bubbles's face being smaller, and the respective line weight of the black giving the illusion that her eyes are darker than they are.

Morituri · « **Reply #67 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 22:12 »

Looking at previous strips, I don't think that it is.

Compare http://questionablecontent.net/view.php?comic=3175.

I believe that this is significant. I've seen Jeph use that particular bit of graphic vocabulary before and I don't think this is accidental.

Mr. Doctor · « **Reply #68 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 22:40 »

I gave her the benefit of the doubt last time. But now I officially hate that Corpse Bitch.

Is it cold in here? · « **Reply #69 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 22:57 »

(mod)Just a reminder that women here whose judgement we trust have said that gender-based insults make them feel less welcome(/)

explicit · « **Reply #70 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 23:04 »

It's strange how those eyes become even creepier as the comic goes on despite the fact that they never change.

Akima · « **Reply #71 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 23:28 »

Quote from: Morituri on 14 Mar 2016, 10:56

I was expecting (and still haven't ruled out) friction between Corpse Witch and Bubbles/Faye over May's repair.

Well, you definitely called it. Kudos.

I suppose it's not entirely surprising that the person (yes, AIs are people), who runs an illegal operation turns out to be not very nice.

Quote from: explicit on 14 Mar 2016, 23:04

It's strange how those eyes become even creepier as the comic goes on despite the fact that they never change.

Jeph taking advantage of the uncanny valley?

Detachable Felix · « **Reply #72 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 23:30 »

It's uncanny valley alright. CW's eyes look downright menacing in a way Pintsize's or Winslow's would never be able to.

Storel · « **Reply #73 on:** 14 Mar 2016, 23:58 »

Yeah, those blank white eyes look almost as menacing as Little Orphan Annie's.

What?

theMarc · « **Reply #74 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 00:26 »

*Bubbles will remember that.*

0kamisama · « **Reply #75 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 00:33 »

Methinks this illegal underground fighting ring may be getting an anonymous tip to bring a few other "little blue friends of friends" around sometime soon...

BenRG · « **Reply #76 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 00:38 »

I do wonder if Bubbles is really seeing who Corpse Witch is for the first time.

Previously, it's likely that her perception of the other AI was wrapped up in her own self-loathing issues. She was grateful for someone to give her a job, room and board when she was so self-evidently an unlikable and dangerous person. However, now she's met people who are treating her well. How does Corpse Witch respond? By trying to reinforce her neuroses! She also punishes good acts. It is possible that Bubbles may soon decide that maybe CW isn't quite the 'angel with a dirty face' that she previously assumed that she was.

Meanwhile... I wonder if this deduction may leave Faye with problems making the rent this month? More importantly, if so, will she tell anyone? There are two potential outcomes here:

Faye gets a low-paying second job and works herself into a collapse;
She and Marten look for a new income source that leads to Claire moving in with them.

As for Bubbles? Well, I foresee an unpleasant and eye-opening interaction with CW in the near future.

Timemaster · « **Reply #77 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 00:48 »

CW is a jerk, Jeph ist making his intentions very clear today.

But my first thought today was "she´s a jerk, but she´s not wrong here."

The Fight Club is an enterprise. Money is made, CW has made that totally clear in her introduction. And she´s resposible for it. Maybe it´s her own enterprise or she has to answer to someone who owns it. Either way, she´s resposible to make sure it runs smoothly, profitable and without fuzz. And that her employees work profitable too.

Enter Bubbles, Faye and May.
They´ve repaired May during work times and used company recources and tools to do so. All these things cost money. Money CW is responsible for. So Bubbles and Faye should have asked CW first, if they are allowed to repair May.
They didn´t.
So CW is seriously pissed off. And she´s not wrong in beeing so.

In Germany this case would have been easily enough to get Faye and Bubbles fired, if this were a legal enterprise and CW intended so. She doesn´t, but she gave Faye a warning and makes sure she doesn´t loose any money here. She should have done so less threatening and sarcastic. This is not a good way to lead empoyees (even illegal ones) and to keep them motivated. She could have handled this situation a lot better and still be getting her money back.
But generally she´s not wrong here.

CW is a jerk not because she bills time and recources to Faye. She´s a jerk because of the the way she does it.
And Bubbbles is chicken, because she doesn´t take the responsibility for this action. It was her idea and decision after all. The way I see it, Bubbles is Faye´s superior here, so she´s responsible for her actions. She should have a talk to CW about this case. Maybe we´ll see such a talk soon, perhaps tomorrow already.

Stay tuned.

TM

pwhodges · « **Reply #78 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 01:48 »

Faye's practice and training is also a benefit to CW. They were, of course, wrong to do it behind her back, but maybe they knew that she'd say no, and felt that the benefit to all the AIs of extending Faye's experience justified breaking the rules; I've certainly done that at work myself when I've had blinkered management to contend with!

QuestionableIntentions · « **Reply #79 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 02:38 »

Corpswitch is really starting to piss me off.

QuestionableIntentions · « **Reply #80 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 02:43 »

Quote from: Is it cold in here? on 14 Mar 2016, 22:57

(mod)Just a reminder that women here whose judgement we trust have said that gender-based insults make them feel less welcome(/)

Seriously? It's a dog based insult and Jeff makes corpse jokes and stuff all the time in the strip but an obvious nameplay is forbidden?

KOK · « **Reply #81 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 03:48 »

Seriously. You may not find it reasonable, but this is about emotions, not reason. If said women feel that way, no amount of rational argument will make them feel different.

explicit · « **Reply #82 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 04:21 »

I wouldn't put it like that. Obviously not all women would have an issue. But, this forum is meant to be inclusive of everyone in it, if some people don't like certain words then who are we to say they should suck it up?

oeoek · « **Reply #83 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 04:21 »

Corps Witch is not handling this too clever. When running an illegal business, you have little to gain from making unnecessary enemies. The only enemies you want to make are those who directly threaten your business. You have a lot to gain from making friends otherwise. 'Think nothing of it, I am glad we could do your friend a favour today. Perhaps, some day, we might need a favour too...'
Like a pirate captain of old; running a ship while drunk on power can have her replaced by any more insightful hand on board. And Bubbles seems to be quite clever. At least she's thinking a lot before acting. Hmmm...

I must admit, I would love to see Bubbles and Faye leave the fighting ring and set up a more legal business of their own. And I can imagine custom body & repair shops for AI's might be a huge success. Right next to the tattoo-parlour. Chrome hands for Clinton...

osaka · « **Reply #84 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 04:37 »

Quote from: oeoek on 15 Mar 2016, 04:21

When running an illegal business, you have little to gain from making unnecessary enemies.

That's pretty logical, even more so when your illegal business is a fighting ring and you're physically the weakest link. Creating enemies in your ranks leads to treason in most situations after all.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #85 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 04:45 »

Appearances can be deceiving and Corpse Witch may not be as frail as she appears.

Zebediah · « **Reply #86 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 04:53 »

Yeah. Those are laser eyes. Anyone in her field of vision is toast.

BenRG · « **Reply #87 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 04:57 »

Momo's taser could probably kill someone if she wasn't careful about the amperage. That's a good example of how these chassis can have hidden surprises.

Stryc9Fuego · « **Reply #88 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 05:17 »

Maybe Bubbles just doesn't like the dismissive backhand wave?

Really, though... I can kinda see Corpse Witch's problem. She has a business to run, "for profit" and illegal. I'd imagine that it's a slippery slope between letting one face slide and it turning into a free robot health care clinic.

Of course, I'm the type of guy who could play Devil's Advocate for the actual Devil, if the circumstances were right.

Quote from: Method of Madness on 15 Mar 2016, 04:45

Appearances can be deceiving and Corpse Witch may not be as frail as she appears.

Corpse Witch is Hank the Dismemberer. His core is in a frail looking chassis.

Arancaytar · « **Reply #89 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 05:26 »

Quote from: BenRG on 15 Mar 2016, 00:38

Meanwhile... I wonder if this deduction may leave Faye with problems making the rent this month?

It's not explicit, but I'm going to guess that the money itself is a pittance. At no point is Faye looking worried (as when losing a lot of money); the moment CW starts criticizing her she looks annoyed (as she would when a penny-pinching manager goes after her over something inconsequential). It sounds as if the main issue here is the principle.

Method of Madness · « **Reply #90 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 05:33 »

Also, I'm pretty sure she makes significantly more here than she did as a barista.

Lubricus · « **Reply #91 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 05:35 »

Quote from: Arancaytar on 15 Mar 2016, 05:26

Quote from: BenRG on 15 Mar 2016, 00:38
Meanwhile... I wonder if this deduction may leave Faye with problems making the rent this month?

It's not explicit, but I'm going to guess that the money itself is a pittance. At no point is Faye looking worried (as when losing a lot of money); the moment CW starts criticizing her she looks annoyed (as she would when a penny-pinching manager goes after her over something inconsequential). It sounds as if the main issue here is the principle.

If that's correct, I'm even more inclined to agree with Timemaster's assesment of the situation. CW is within her rights to reprimand Faye, and if the punishment is negligible, there's no good reason to hate her for it.

Wildroses · « **Reply #92 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 05:44 »

I did wonder if Corpse Witch dealt with this situation so nastily out of petty revenge, because she dislikes the influence Faye is gaining over Bubbles. She seems to want Bubbles to spend all her time in the base of operations. I too gave Corpse Witch the benefit of the doubt after the first comic in which she was a jerk and provoked Bubbles into going hmmmm. I thought maybe she was just misguided and was genuinely intending to protect Bubbles's mental health. But Jeph is obviously building up to a major confrontation between the two. My prediction for the next couple of strips will be Bubbles going after Corpse Witch to try and defuse the situation, possibly by explaining it was her idea. I wonder if she was keeping silent as she wanted to see how this whole scene was going to play out first. I do fear this slow build up is going to end in Faye losing another job, which would be a shame. She seems to really like welding.

Neko_Ali · « **Reply #93 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 06:28 »

hmmm indeed. I'm wondering how CW presented herself to the other bots before Faye arrived. It's pretty clear Bubbles is having doubts about CW handles herself and her business now. Corpse Witch is not in the wrong here. And she might well have cause to be starting to regret bringing Faye on board. It depends on just how secretive the fighting ring is. If it has to fly under the radar, then random strange robots she doesn't know showing up whenever they feel like it could well be cause for alarm, if they aren't there looking for work or watching the fights.

In either case, she's not wrong. The fight club is not a charity, it's a business. Providing parts and labor to May on company time is quite literally stealing from that business. CW is fully within her rights to dock Faye's pay for the cost. And to make sure her employees don't feel they can just steal from her any time one of their friends needs some repairs. It is a cold-hearted thing to do, but nobody said you had to be nice to run a business. In fact, you generally have to have a heart at least partially of flint to run one successfully. The main question is, are Faye and Bubbles willing to work in such an environment.

As far as an AI/Robot repair shop... Faye has a lot of connections with people who have a large bank roll. The question is, who among them would be willing to fund such an enterprise? Station seems the best bet. He has a significant amount tied up in the stock of EC, and probably has little to do with the money. The question is, would he be willing or interested in helping out Earth-bound AI in need of repairs they can't afford. Hanners might be a good choice to go to, probably the best option. She is personally friends with Faye, has a kind heart and is pretty much a trust fund baby. She also has a strong connection to Station and could probably get contributions from him. Perhaps most importantly though, she has a knack for numbers and a tendency to obsessively focus on things. I could easily feel her being moved by the plight of disadvantaged AIs and setting up a non-profit organization to fund the Fubbles repair charity. Probably it would be harder to get her to stop when she gets on a roll...

Stoutfellow · « **Reply #94 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 07:10 »

Quote from: Neko_Ali on 15 Mar 2016, 06:28

the Fubbles repair charity.

I think I'd prefer "Fayebles"....

osaka · « **Reply #95 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 07:14 »

Quote from: Stoutfellow on 15 Mar 2016, 07:10

Quote from: Neko_Ali on 15 Mar 2016, 06:28
the Fubbles repair charity.

I think I'd prefer "Fayebles"....

But that's liable to get cancelled not long before opening.

Mr. Doctor · « **Reply #96 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 07:57 »

Quote from: Akima on 14 Mar 2016, 23:28

I suppose it's not entirely surprising that the person (yes, AIs are people), who runs an illegal operation turns out to be not very nice.

I was really rooting for her to be a cool boss who understood the tight spots others with lesser opportunities are in. But nope.

Random832 · « **Reply #97 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 08:57 »

If I were Faye (or Bubbles), I would wait to see exactly how much she takes off Faye's pay, and then turn around and file an expense report for exactly that amount in "training materials", since Bubbles' stated purpose for allowing the favor was that Faye needs training in facial myomer repair.

Morituri · « **Reply #98 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 09:02 »

I think I agree that CW is not actually wrong in terms of what she's doing. Her resources were used without her consent, and she's entitled to recoup the cost. She's also entitled, if she decides to, to dock Faye (& Bubbles) a half-day's wages for work time spent on personal agendas. "Uncharitable" may be unkind, but it's not wrong for a business owner to be looking out for the bottom line.

That said? Intimidation and threats as an opener, as opposed to "you didn't ask permission here and I have an issue with that..." is disrespectful, aside from being uncharitable, and an employer who is disrespectful of her workforce will experience high employee turnover, as employees get fed up with her behavior and leave. It happens a lot in minimum-wage type jobs where the employees are readily replaceable with walk-ins off the street who are just a little more desperate for a paycheck. But when you treat skilled labor like that, it's an even bigger insult.

On American Law, like German, had this been a legal enterprise CW would be within her legal rights firing Faye (and Bubbles). But you'll notice she's canny enough to NOT pick on both of them at the same time, because losing both of them would jeopardize her business. It was purely her bad luck that Bubbles overheard that exchange, and now she's at risk for having *both* of them quit.

St.Clair · « **Reply #99 on:** 15 Mar 2016, 09:07 »

Quote from: chaospersonified on 14 Mar 2016, 15:23

The argument I made about this being a matter of programs, not biological brain systems is that it would be a matter of allowing certain aspects of the system to still function as they did before while changing the malfunctioning bits. There could be as many exceptions applied to the patch as the AI wishes there to be, and the patch would only be applied to specific areas of the AI's personality. A common complaint with people who start taking psych medication is that it changes larger parts of the personality, but a world that has created artificial intelligence could likely find ways to stop that from happening INSIDE the artificial intelligence.

I understand your desire, even your wish that such a thing were possible, but I strongly suspect that any consciousness - even an inorganic one - is going to be sufficiently complex that you can't simply go in and switch particular traits off and on without affecting the whole. It's a nice thought, particularly if one has experience with real medication and its raft of side effects, but I just don't think there's a completely clean and precise solution.

People are complicated. This can be a bother at times, even (especially?) when the person is us... but attempts to change that essential truth have given us some of the great horrors of society and/or the medical and psychiatric profession, and will probably continue to do so.

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Author Topic: WCDT Strips 3176 to 3180 (14 - 18 March 2016) (Read 51843 times)

TheEvilDog

TheEvilDog