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Crossants or some other pastry (Good enough for Brun...)

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[Is it cold in here?]

It's worth noting that my prior headcanon was mainly based on her objectifying exclusively women (including herself), for what it's worth.

Which is certainly fair enough, I had similar thoughts as well. I also played with the idea that she wasn't necesserily in a body she personally identified with. I wouldn't put it past the US justice system to just put recent parolees in whatever body was currently available regardless of thier identity. After all, the chassis she originally wanted was that of a military drone.

If memory serves, I read about one woman who got released with donated clothes, because the institution couldn't be bothered supplying any, and that the clothes were men's sizes. Might even have been Piper Kerman, but I've read a lot of other prison memoirs.

[Is it cold in here?]

And today, Jeph posted a comic in which an AI talks about giving a guy a handjob.

(IIRC, there's a few other things he's said he'd never do that he's since done.)

A lot of good story possibilities open up if he changes his mind.

[Tova]

It helps when you have a character whose main purpose in the strip is to say things that squick all the other characters out.

[pwhodges]

Something I'm curious about. Bubbles, as a word, is plural. But Bubbles is her name which makes it, in this case, a singular noun. So it might sound strange, but shouldn't it be Bubbles's, not Bubbles'? Yeah, I know some people do the s' when a singular name ends in s, and Jeph might be one of them...but I hope not.

I have this issue, and have always used a distinct " 's " after my name and others like it, both in writing and in speech.  Fowler in his Modern English Usage supported it too.

[BenRG]

We've seen May tease Momo before about her attraction to Sven but her own sexual... interest for the lack of a better word for it... towards humans seems to be more based on voyeurism and a slightly-teenage giggling curiosity (which would fit in with other aspects of her basically-teenage personality). So, I don't think that she's particularly interested in a sexual encounter with a human, May's just saying that Momo has that option and she feels that she doesn't and it annoys her somewhat. It's also possible that she's implying strongly that Momo has, possibly just to tweak her.

On a more practical level, Momo's chassis is several orders of magnitude more advanced than May's. Understandably, she probably feels something analogous to a woman who drives a Fiat and whose best friend has a Lamborghini.

[Mr. Skawronska]

Thick latex or rubber glove with some lube would serve in a pinch.

I saw what you did there.   

[hakko504]

For some reason, I had the impression that May was a lesbian.

Guess not.

She sure seemed interested in what was going on between Faye and Bubbles back in 3075 & 3076.

We've seen May tease Momo before about her attraction to Sven but her own sexual... interest for the lack of a better word for it... towards humans seems to be more based on voyeurism and a slightly-teenage giggling curiosity (which would fit in with other aspects of her basically-teenage personality). So, I don't think that she's particularly interested in a sexual encounter with a human, May's just saying that Momo has that option and she feels that she doesn't and it annoys her somewhat. It's also possible that she's implying strongly that Momo has, possibly just to tweak her.

On a more practical level, Momo's chassis is several orders of magnitude more advanced than May's. Understandably, she probably feels something analogous to a woman who drives a Fiat and whose best friend has a Lamborghini.

We never did get an answer to May's question back in 3098  about what options Momo had installed.

Anyway, I think May's interest here is not so much on the traditional human scale (hetro/homo/whatever-sexual) but rather sexual relations between humans and AI in any configuration. She both seems open enough to not discount any form of interaction as well as realising that her current body does tend to move human minds in a certain direction - she presents as female, she's in a mostly female body, thus humans will react to her as they mostly would with a human female. But as a robot, she have the option of either move into a new body or install options in this one that could change both how she interacts with the world, and how the world interacts with her. Pintsize mentioned early that gender for robots are basically a single byte that could be switched at will, but for him I'd say that it was quite a lot easier because his chassis is presented as neutral. There is nothing inherently male or female about it.

[BenRG]

Just a reminder: May's chassis appears to belong to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. It's quite possible that 'moving out' without the permission of her ParoleBot, at least for a while, would be a violation of her release terms

[Thrillho]

I'm not quite getting Brun's situation. Is she supposed to be a high functioning autistic or what? Her flat emotional affect and literal nature would not seem to be (usually) what makes for an effective bartender where empathy and communication skills are paramount.

I'm fine with a flat emotionless bartender. If I want conversation and shit from service staff I'll engage them first.

So it might sound strange, but shouldn't it be Bubbles's, not Bubbles'? Yeah, I know some people do the s' when a singular name ends in s, and Jeph might be one of them...but I hope not.

Kinda answered your own question there. It 'shouldn't' be what you said, you would just prefer for it to be even though it's equally valid.

[Method of Madness]

I never said it was equally valid, just that some people do it.

[oddtail]

I never said it was equally valid, just that some people do it.

It is valid, though, in at least some conventions: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/words/apostrophe

(I'm assuming Bubbles' is not pronounced with two "s")

[Method of Madness]

Interesting. I was never sure how to pronounce the apostrophe, I always assumed there was another s when said out loud even if it wasn't written.

[Akima]

I'm not sure why May would be thinking along these lines, but judging by her vigorous illustrative hand gesture, I think pinching would be the least of her partner's concerns...

I have this issue, and have always used a distinct " 's " after my name and others like it, both in writing and in speech.  Fowler in his Modern English Usage supported it too.

Ah... It seems I've been doing it wrongly for years. I was taught a "punctuate it the way it sounds when spoken" rule. So I would probably write "Paul Hodges' recordings", but "Tom Jones's records", which is not at all consistent. According to that rule, I would write "Bubbles's coat". I shall in future follow Fowler's

[Method of Madness]

You wouldn't say Bubbles's or Hodges's out loud?

[sitnspin]

It's like Davey Jones' Locker. You don't pronounce it Joneses. Or at least I've never heard it said that way.

[Method of Madness]

So many things I've never heard out loud. I absolutely would say "Joneses," because how else would I indicate possession?

[Zebediah]

I know the reference, but the color's all wrong; it is clearly an amputee Geodude from above.

As for what Elliott is carrying? That's literally a gigantic meat-and-veg pasty; it's a notion that Jim had a way back and it turns out it's the sort of eating students like. Elliott is acting as the deliveryman.

It looks like Elliot is carrying a punching bag.

If you're wondering what Elliot is carrying, it's a Jigglypuff seen from above.

This comic has turned into a Rorschach test.

Hm. Wonder what it says about me, then, that I see him carrying a big bag of flour - something perfectly logical for a guy who works at a bakery to be carrying.

[jwhouk]

English makes less sense pronounced than it does in writing.

Trust me, I'm an American...

[Neko_Ali]

I know the reference, but the color's all wrong; it is clearly an amputee Geodude from above.

As for what Elliott is carrying? That's literally a gigantic meat-and-veg pasty; it's a notion that Jim had a way back and it turns out it's the sort of eating students like. Elliott is acting as the deliveryman.

It looks like Elliot is carrying a punching bag.

If you're wondering what Elliot is carrying, it's a Jigglypuff seen from above.

This comic has turned into a Rorschach test.

Hm. Wonder what it says about me, then, that I see him carrying a big bag of flour - something perfectly logical for a guy who works at a bakery to be carrying.

I'm sorry, you and your logic are just going to have to leave now.

[pwhodges]

I shall in future follow Fowler's

The Oxford Guide to Style (formerly Hart's Rules for Compositors) has more detailed rules, of which this is but an extract:

Use 's after non-classical or non-classicizing personal names ending in an s or z sound: Charles's, Marx's, Dickens's, Leibnitz's, Onassis's, Zacharias's, Collins's, Tobias's.

An apostrophe alone is also permissible after longer non-classical or non-classicizing names that are not accented on the last or penultimate syllable: Nicholas'(s), Barnabas'(s), Augustus'(s). 

Jesus' is an accepted liturgical archaism; use Jesus's elsewhere (Jesu's is also possible in older contexts).

Use an apostrophe alone after classical or classicizing names ending in s or es: Arseces', Ceres', Demosthenes', Euripides', Herodotus', Mars', Venus', Xerses', Philip Augustus'.  This traditional practice in classical works is still followed by many scholars.  Certainly follow it for longer names (though Zeus's, for instance, is possible).

Use 's after French names ending in silent s or x, when used possessively in English: Dumas's, Descartes's, Lorilleux's. 

Note that I use Nicolas's when speaking of my son's possessions.

[Akima]

You wouldn't say Bubbles's or Hodges's out loud?

I would say the former but not the latter, but that is probably just sloppy pronunciation on my part. I certainly would say "Davey Jones's locker".

What is a "classicizing personal name"? One like Copernicus? For the record, I would say "Copernicus's heliocentric theory", and "Confucius's ethical teachings".

[sitnspin]

English is an odd language, both written and spoken. The vast array of regionalisms only further complicate the issue.

[JimC]

The vast array of regionalisms only further complicate the issue.

Difficult to work out exactly what you do actually say sometimes, but I think I mostly use a slightly lengthened (but not sibilant) final s for xxxes's.

[pwhodges]

What is a "classicizing personal name"?

One that "affects or imitates classical style".  It seemed unnecessary to include, but I copy-typed it anyway.

In the case of my name, I suspect that the fact that the "es" is pronounced essentially the same as the " 's" (/-iz/) is what makes the repetition feel a little more uncomfortable (indeed, Burchfield in his version of Modern English Usage - now in turn superceded! - notes this single exception as commonplace).

[brew]

It was years ago, but Jeph said in effect that robot sex squicked him and he wouldn't be covering it.

Was this before or after the strips where he went deep into the background of AIs? A lot of sexual activities have unfair stigmas because it squicks people out (homophobia, etc). I can see Jeph revisiting this.

[jheartney]

Just a reminder: May's chassis appears to belong to the Massachusetts Department of Corrections. It's quite possible that 'moving out' without the permission of her ParoleBot, at least for a while, would be a violation of her release terms

One of many aspects of "Robot Jail" that I'd love to ask May about. It could be that MDC would retain ownership of May's chassis, though it seems to me that if they did they'd have some provision for fixing wear and tear, or of providing a loaner in the event of damage. My guess would be that May took ownership of the chassis at release (rather like the way convicts used to be given a cheap suit at release). The chassis should be usable but utilitarian, and probably not an its first owner. I should think one of May's tasks would be to save for a new, nicer chassis.

In a post-singularity economy, items like AI chassis ought to be plentiful. Of course, it's not clear why you'd still need human baristas in a post-singularity economy either. We already saw an anthro-pc bar proprietor; robot baristas and bartenders ought to be cheap and plentiful.

[Gyrre]

I'm not quite getting Brun's situation. Is she supposed to be a high functioning autistic or what? Her flat emotional affect and literal nature would not seem to be (usually) what makes for an effective bartender where empathy and communication skills are paramount.

On a good day; I can read body language, and facial expressions in an instant and usually better than most neurotypicals.

Maybe Brun has learned to read such tells, as they are much more honest than what someone says.

[Thrillho]

I'm not quite getting Brun's situation. Is she supposed to be a high functioning autistic or what? Her flat emotional affect and literal nature would not seem to be (usually) what makes for an effective bartender where empathy and communication skills are paramount.

On a good day; I can read body language, and facial expressions in an instant and usually better than most neurotypicals.

Maybe Brun has learned to read such tells, as they are much more honest than what someone says.

I would agree with that. I think one of my best qualities is being able to read people's emotions really well, because it's taken a shitload of effort to be able to do it.

[elfly]

It's worth noting that my prior headcanon was mainly based on her objectifying exclusively women (including herself), for what it's worth.

Which is certainly fair enough, I had similar thoughts as well. I also played with the idea that she wasn't necesserily in a body she personally identified with. I wouldn't put it past the US justice system to just put recent parolees in whatever body was currently available regardless of thier identity. After all, the chassis she originally wanted was that of a military drone.

seeing the variety of chasis(es?) available, I have to assume they honor the preference of the ex-inmate as far as they can afford

there's no doubt they could have put her on an ipod, or a pintsize-like body for a lot less money

I really doubt she lucked out and got a humanoid body

[hedgie]

Sadly not enough for "fighter jet".

[elfly]

the best part of today's comic is that in the first panel, May is looking at Momo and thinking

daaang this girl would really be able to jack a dude off without killing him

[Kugai]

Momos sarcasm is strong in this comic


Half the time I'm not sure whether May does this just to shock people for her jollies or she just doesn't care what comes out of her mouth.

[TheEvilDog]

It's worth noting that my prior headcanon was mainly based on her objectifying exclusively women (including herself), for what it's worth.

Which is certainly fair enough, I had similar thoughts as well. I also played with the idea that she wasn't necesserily in a body she personally identified with. I wouldn't put it past the US justice system to just put recent parolees in whatever body was currently available regardless of thier identity. After all, the chassis she originally wanted was that of a military drone.

seeing the variety of chasis(es?) available, I have to assume they honor the preference of the ex-inmate as far as they can afford

there's no doubt they could have put her on an ipod, or a pintsize-like body for a lot less money

I really doubt she lucked out and got a humanoid body

That's just it though. Even a working Pintsize style body would be preferable to her current body if it didn't mean she didn't have to worry it falling apart. May was given a junker and basically shafted in every way by the Justice Department. The chassis (which I have found out is one of those words where the plural is the same as the singular) was literally falling apart and May reported that fact to her parole officer, hoping to get some help, only to be told "Nope. No money." I wouldn't be surprised if there was actually a pile of empty AI chassis somewhere and they just grab the nearest one when a prisoner is set to be released. The Justice Department probably doesn't even maintain those chassis, meaning that the problem parts have not been repaired and have probably been exacerbated by poor storage conditions.

There's a reason why second hand is cheap, but junk yard is even cheaper. 

[Perfectly Reasonable]

For today's show, we've had May and Pintsize switch chassis! Let's see if anyone notices!

[Penquin47]

That's just it though. Even a working Pintsize style body would be preferable to her current body if it didn't mean she didn't have to worry it falling apart. May was given a junker and basically shafted in every way by the Justice Department. The chassis (which I have found out is one of those words where the plural is the same as the singular) was literally falling apart and May reported that fact to her parole officer, hoping to get some help, only to be told "Nope. No money." I wouldn't be surprised if there was actually a pile of empty AI chassis somewhere and they just grab the nearest one when a prisoner is set to be released. The Justice Department probably doesn't even maintain those chassis, meaning that the problem parts have not been repaired and have probably been exacerbated by poor storage conditions.

There's a reason why second hand is cheap, but junk yard is even cheaper.

Downside to a Pintsize-style body is that it's even harder to find work if you don't look mostly human.  It's hard enough to find work as a convicted criminal, and it's part of her release conditions that she has to find work.

[TheEvilDog]

That's just it though. Even a working Pintsize style body would be preferable to her current body if it didn't mean she didn't have to worry it falling apart. May was given a junker and basically shafted in every way by the Justice Department. The chassis (which I have found out is one of those words where the plural is the same as the singular) was literally falling apart and May reported that fact to her parole officer, hoping to get some help, only to be told "Nope. No money." I wouldn't be surprised if there was actually a pile of empty AI chassis somewhere and they just grab the nearest one when a prisoner is set to be released. The Justice Department probably doesn't even maintain those chassis, meaning that the problem parts have not been repaired and have probably been exacerbated by poor storage conditions.

There's a reason why second hand is cheap, but junk yard is even cheaper.

Downside to a Pintsize-style body is that it's even harder to find work if you don't look mostly human.  It's hard enough to find work as a convicted criminal, and it's part of her release conditions that she has to find work.

True, but I imagine that trying to find work in a Pintsize-style chassis would probably still be preferable to trying to find a job while half your face is sloughing off during your interview, or your arm falling out of the socket as you assist a customer. I mean, the Pintsize style chassis is probably for Companion AI only, while the more humanised chassis are for those AI who are more likely to deal with strangers on a regular basis. My point was that May's body is a sack of crap, its barely functioning and the fact that she had to go to an illegal bodyshop to get it fixed, is messed up and literally any other chassis would be better than the one she has right now.

[Tova]

Momos sarcasm is strong in this comic


Half the time I'm not sure whether May does this just to shock people for her jollies or she just doesn't care what comes out of her mouth.

I think she just doesn't care about fussy social norms like taboo.

[Pogopotamus]

If May got a more advanced chassis and human like dermal covering (and was not on probation) I'd bet it would not be the blink of an eye before she started sex work. Not sure if that's illegal in QC reality though.

[Clubman8]

We already know underground things go on, what with that totally-a-skate-park AI fighting ring.

[SubaruStephen]

If May got a more advanced chassis and human like dermal covering (and was not on probation) I'd bet it would not be the blink of an eye before she started sex work. Not sure if that's illegal in QC reality though.

We already know underground things go on, what with that totally-a-skate-park AI fighting ring.

We have a tournament for that, as well.

[Mr. Skawronska]

Trust me, I'm an American...

No good; I've known too many Americans.
*rimshot*

[Neko_Ali]

I swear by the soul of our first president George Washington, you will reach the top.

[QuestionableIntentions]

I think this cavalier explanation of robot sexuality is way to simple. Afawk, humans are born with their sexual orientation. Culture certainly has a huge influence but the very basis of attraction comes from somewhere else.

[Tova]

I don't think can simply assume that robot sexuality is the same as, and arises/develops in the same way as human sexuality.

[bhtooefr]

And, human sexuality being nature could be argued to be as a result of sexual reproduction being how the species perpetuates itself. And, there's hormonal systems that affect the brain in that regard, too.

Unless AIs were somehow programmed to have sexual reproduction amongst themselves, evolved it themselves, or were programmed to have a sex drive to fit in with humanity, there'd be no use for them to have a sex drive as part of their nature. Of course, asexual humans exist despite the hormonal and societal pressures to be sexual, and I'm wondering how an AI would even have a sex drive without somehow being programmed to be sexual.

[BenRG]

Well, Momo, very few things are recorded in the history books if the preface phrase is: "After partying wildly for more than 24 hours, the scientists and engineers then..."

Seriously, May has noticed that Momo is attracted to Sven. This may be her attempt (as good natured as she knows how) to talk her into overcoming her feeling that it is improper and approach him rather than spend the rest of her runtime with a subroutine called "What_If" running the back of her processes.

I also don't think it is strictly cultural. There is also an aspect of 'function follows form'. The more human the chassis and the more there are subconscious-level processes dedicated to simulating human behaviour and unconscious responses, the more likely that emotional attachments will form and, yes, attraction will blossom. Whilst it is true that the mating imperative is the foundation of the sex drive, there is also a significant emotional and social bonding content to it.

[oddtail]

I'm not quite getting Brun's situation. Is she supposed to be a high functioning autistic or what? Her flat emotional affect and literal nature would not seem to be (usually) what makes for an effective bartender where empathy and communication skills are paramount.

On a good day; I can read body language, and facial expressions in an instant and usually better than most neurotypicals.

With no hint of sarcasm - how can you tell? I mean, how do you measure "usually better than most neurotypicals"? I am not sure I'd be able to say to myself "yeah, I handled that social interaction better/worse than that person typically does", especially when comparing myself to the average/norm/default.

[Zog]

I'm not quite getting Brun's situation. Is she supposed to be a high functioning autistic or what? Her flat emotional affect and literal nature would not seem to be (usually) what makes for an effective bartender where empathy and communication skills are paramount.

On a good day; I can read body language, and facial expressions in an instant and usually better than most neurotypicals.

For me the hard part is figuring out what to do once I have the information.

[katsmeat]

In a post-singularity economy, items like AI chassis ought to be plentiful. Of course, it's not clear why you'd still need human baristas in a post-singularity economy either. We already saw an anthro-pc bar proprietor; robot baristas and bartenders ought to be cheap and plentiful.

Presumably an AI would need to be paid the same as anybody else, so there's no economic difference.

What isn't addressed is the sub-AI systems that don't need to be paid, like the real-world self-driving cars about to make every taxi, bus and truck driver unemployed. They would affect human and AI workers equally.

[brasca]

Well, Momo, very few things are recorded in the history books if the preface phrase is: "After partying wildly for more than 24 hours, the scientists and engineers then..."

Seriously, May has noticed that Momo is attracted to Sven. This may be her attempt (as good natured as she knows how) to talk her into overcoming her feeling that it is improper and approach him rather than spend the rest of her runtime with a subroutine called "What_If" running the back of her processes.

Perhaps, but how much does Momo know about Sven?  And Sven may be reluctant to act on any feelings he has given the reaction Dora among others would have given his past relationships.

May noticed Momo's attraction, but just like humans AIs can have different attitudes regarding sex.  May might be interested in engaging in wild human sexual activity, but Momo may prefer to keep things romantic.