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More hijinks from Sam and inadvertently gets in the way.

Punchbot falls to pieces over the repairs.

Pintsize arrives for his weekly defrosting.

Jeph moves onto a different storyline.

Steve and Cosette eat a new type of cereal.

Something something humorous and witty comment.

[TheEvilDog]

So folks, what do we think is going to happen?

Will Sam continue her trip to the repair shop?

Will Faye and Bubbles be able to repair the accident prone Punchbot?

Lets find out, same QC time, same QC website!

[BLT with rings]

I don't know what is going to happen next, but I think it is high time someone taught this prepubescent girl that it is not cute and adorable to go through life behaving like a brat.   

Humans do not break into other humans homes and then into their bedrooms while shrieking at them.  Even among dumb animals, if the pet did not already live in the house that behavior would be over the line.  Humans do not literally insert themselves into the health records, and bodies, of other sapient creatures while suffering no consequences.  Doing so will likely get you slapped silly if not arrested.

Sam needs to get wised up, and fast, or we'll soon be hearing about how banging another 8th grader was "the best day of her life!" and then a while later about how terrible it is that this little infant thing is sucking all the happiness out of her life; or God forbid, how her abortion was "the best day of her life!"   

[TheEvilDog]

Wow, the ending of that got a little dark...

But consider this... Sam has no one in her life to direct her to becoming a responsible person. She's 12. Her parents are divorced; she lives with her father who has one of the most god awful jobs for spending time with kids, to the point where he really doesn't react to her shenanigans anymore. His current girlfriend is a world famous dominatrix whose own parenting skills have resulted in, well, Marten...

Sam is...exhuberant... enough to know that she's never going to have many friends, especially ones her own age. Just look at how she latched onto Faye. In Faye she has an older sister figure, one who gets her and understands where she is coming from. If Sam acts like a hyperactive child, it's because she is, she still needs to learn the boundaries that come with friends and being around other people. Whether or not Faye or Bubbles can provide that remains to be seen. This might be the first step towards Sam becoming that little bit more mature.

[A Duck]

Comic!

Also, a robot using a fax machine!

A sentient robot using a fax machine

...

Who am I kidding, I'm sure the same will eventually happen in our world, if we do get sentient AI

[BLT with rings]

I've no problem with Sam per se. 

I just think that it's time that Sam got some guidance in growing up.  I don't find it adorable that Sam gets to act like an obnoxious Pekinese while everyone else chuckles indulgently.

Maybe it's time that some of the other characters in the strip start acting like coaches for her and imparting life lessons. 

That to me would be a far more interesting story line than a week's worth of panels of Sam rummaging around inside of Punch Bot trying to find his keys while the rest of the cast makes snide remarks.

 

[OldGoat]

This might be the first step towards Sam becoming that little bit more mature.

I think that's where Jeph is heading.  Messing any other character's maturity level will break the character, but at 12 Sam is supposed to be changing.  Dynamic characters are always more interesting if also more difficult to write.

And Uncle Punchbot seems to like her.  The stuffy professional with the quintessential boring day job who engages in illegal fighting exhibitions at night would make a great mentor for her!

[Tova]

I'm getting the impression that Sam's behaviour really bothers you.

[BLT with rings]

Actually, I'm bugged by Jeph's caricaturing what should be a normal twelve year old girl as a three year old idiot. 

Besides, I think the characters joining together to help enlighten Sam is a story line that would be well worth exploring!

Edit:

No! No! Wait! Wait!  I've got it!

Sam had a tragic accident as a little child and had to have a robotic hysterectomy!  All her girlie parts have been replaced by robotic parts!  She can't get pregnant or have children, but her robotic girlie parts give her preternatural powers to be disclosed at a later date!  Of course abilities greater  than usual must be offset by other abilities less than usual, which explains why Sam is such a doofus. 

I'm sure Jeph can go to town on a premise like this!

[shanejayell]

I'm OK with Sam. She's no more exaggerated than several other characters in the series...

Liked the new comic. You would think they could at least attach a 'loaner' arm to replace the wrecked one. 

[hedgie]

I also suspect that this poster shan't last very long here.

[BLT with rings]

Please tell me what I am doing wrong? 

Thanks in advance!

[Penquin47]

Sam's fourteen, not twelve.

[Tova]

Actually, I'm bugged by Jeph's caricaturing what should be a normal twelve year old girl as a three year old idiot. 

Three year old idiot? Hyperbole, wouldn't you say?

[BLT with rings]

Whoa! 

I'd forgotten about that strip!

While I remember reading it now, I have to admit that I'm not a scholar of the series, even though I've been reading it since Marten's job description was "office bitch." 

So what you are saying is that Sam is not simply a farcically over exuberant 12 year old but rather an obviously mentally deficient 14 year old child?

Dayum! 

PS: With all the news these days about women being sexually exploited, I find it ironic that anyone would be hostile to someone pointing out how in a comic they mutually follow that one of the characters in that comic could also be a woman at risk. 

[brasca]

Well what Sam drew is certainly an improvement over what Faye would've drawn. 

[shanejayell]

"Eh. He probably misses my drawing penises on him..."

[BenRG]

Everyone is unique and brings their own unique perspective and ideas to any endeavour. That's what I think is going to happen this week - Sam making Faye and Bubbles look at some things differently.

I really, really don't think that Sam could have done anything nicer for Punchbot than her little bit of art there. It's... well, it's him, down to the deepest level. Punchbot has a child-like simplicity and good cheer that never ceases to amaze me and, as I said last week, he and Sam are on the same level in so many ways.

One thing: "Fax me the invoice"? Does anyone still do that?

PS: With all the news these days about women being sexually exploited, I find it ironic that anyone would be hostile to someone pointing out how in a comic they mutually follow that one of the characters in that comic could also be a woman at risk. 

But that's not what you're doing, is it? Instead, your switching between condemning the character of Sam and then practically dancing in the street at the prospect of her inevitable upcoming rape. The way you choose to express yourself is... somewhat disturbing.

[BLT with rings]

"But that's not what you're doing, is it? Instead, your switching between condemning the character of Sam and then practically dancing in the street at the prospect of her inevitable upcoming rape. The way you choose to express yourself is... somewhat disturbing."

With all respect, I think you've missed my point entirely. 

In no way do I see myself as dancing in the street, except out of concern for what next is going to happen to Sam if she keeps going on this trajectory.  I'm hoping to save her from her inevitable (most likely statutory) rape by teaching her values and limitations. 

No one should be permitted to be a brat into their teens. 

Yeah, haw haw, it's funny; but the potential consequences are far from being funny.   

I do not limit my argument to double XXs either.  I think XYs also need to be given discipline by the time they become sexually active.

Frankly, neither whether the immature brat is an XX or an XY is the issue. 

The issue is (no pun intended) what will become of the children, who have no say in the matter. 

[Tova]

Well, I don't think that Sam's behaviour is as terrible as you seem to believe, personally.

[foolsguinea]

BLT with rings, are you new? Have you met Pintsize?

I can't say how ridiculous it is for a twelve-year-old girl to behave this way. I was a pretty odd kid myself.

[Cornelius]

One thing: "Fax me the invoice"? Does anyone still do that?

Do not underestimate the accountants' ways; I've personally seen someone print an invoice, copy it, then fax it to their boss, who returns it, after signing it, by mail, only to scan it into the system again. While the system provides a neat little button 'send for approval'.

[Sullivan]

Will Faye and Bubbles be able to repair the accident prone Punchbot?

"Yes, but how would you fix it?" - CorpseWitch

[Sullivan]

Comic!

Also, a robot using a fax machine!

A sentient robot using a fax machine

...

Who am I kidding, I'm sure the same will eventually happen in our world, if we do get sentient AI

Somewhat related: It always bothered me to see Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor - who was (for those who don't know) a holographic projection created by AI software running in the ship's computer - sitting at his desk in Sickbay, using one of the computer consoles.

I mean, he is the computer! Or at least a part of it. Isn't that a horribly inefficient way for him to enter, say, notes on patient visits?

[Case]

"But that's not what you're doing, is it? Instead, your switching between condemning the character of Sam and then practically dancing in the street at the prospect of her inevitable upcoming rape. The way you choose to express yourself is... somewhat disturbing."

With all respect, I think you've missed my point entirely. 

Oh, I don't think so. Methinks Ben knows the difference between "concern" and "concern trolling" and is enquiring about the sincerity of your concerns. No offence, but this is, after all, widely known to be a liberal forum. We do get the occasional 'conservative' anti-liberal 4chan-er.

Fun fact: We also have (a substantial minority of) actually conservative people. And the funny thing about them is that 'rape' ain't the second word out of their mouths, either. Surprising, but true ...

She'll be lucky if her first rapist is an 8th grader.  Unless someone teaches Sam some values, she'll likely have a succession of them.

Incidentally, what would those 'values' be that you'd want to teach to Sam?

Sam has clearly been taught to value self-reliance and a healthy amount of respect for authority (and a good dose of curiosity). With 'healthy' meaning: Not so much she'd let it over-ride her own (admittedly still puerile) judgement.

Incidentally, those are the very 'values' taught in self-defence courses, especially courses that focus on sexual harassment of women. Wonder why that is ... (maybe because traditionally education of female children teaches values like 'not talking back' and 'not putting themselves first'?)

I think XYs also need to be given discipline by the time they become sexually active.  Frankly, neither whether the immature brat is an XX or an XY is the issue. 

I'm wondering about what you mean by 'discipline'. I seriously hope you don't mean the type that is legally considered child abuse in my country.

So what you are saying is that Sam is not simply a farcically over exuberant 12 year old but rather an obviously mentally deficient 14 year old child?

I'd ask you to be careful how you use the words 'mentally' and 'deficient'. We have a fair share of folk here whose headmeats are rated non-standard according to various versions of the DSM, and 'mentally deficient' is one of standard labels applied to many of us by less-than-well-meaning folk with little grocking and even less fucks to give, ever since we were children.

P.S.: As someone who still lives with ADHD in their 40s (about a third of those who were diagnosed as children continue to have symptoms in adulthood), I especially don't appreciate the implicit association of 'hyperactivity' with 'mental deficiency'. Something to do with my having to wave my goddamn' doctorate around to prove that people like me are not 'mentally deficient', I guess.

[TheEvilDog]

Sam's fourteen, not twelve.

Does it really matter? Sam's character is wrapped around the concept of hyperactive kid who doesn't know what boundaries are. Its the same at 12 or 14.

[BenRG]

Comic!

Also, a robot using a fax machine!

A sentient robot using a fax machine

...

Who am I kidding, I'm sure the same will eventually happen in our world, if we do get sentient AI

In some ways, it is interesting how the AIs and their human friends don't always view them as internet-connected devices but people who need appliances to communicate. I remember that Pintsize had to remind Marten that he is a sentient computer with an internet connection and, thus, Marten didn't need a laptop to prepare his music blog, He could plug Pintsize into a monitor and input devices and they could work on it together.

I think XYs also need to be given discipline by the time they become sexually active.  Frankly, neither whether the immature brat is an XX or an XY is the issue. 

I'm wondering about what you mean by 'discipline'. I seriously hope you don't mean the type that is legally considered child abuse in my country.

I have to say that it is the use of 'XX' and 'XY' that interests me; ZoeB has had a lot to say on the inadequacy of those (likely shortly to become obsolete) bioscience terms.

[Zebediah]

When Punchbot said "Fax me the invoice", I half expected Bubbles to go "Screeeeeeeeech Done."

But yeah, there are people who still insist on fax machines. Lawyers, for one. Don't know any accountants except ones who work for the government, and government (at all levels) also still relies heavily on fax machines. Some professions don't like cutting-edge technology. They like the edges on their tech to be as dull as possible.

[JoeCovenant]

Over the last few strips we've seen that Sam has the maturity of a three year old. 
She breaks into homes, enters bedrooms, puts on masks and wakes people by screaming in their faces.

I'm gonna take a guess here that you don't have kids.
A Twelve year old putting on a mask and trying to scare an authority figure is something one should EXPECT.
Going into a marital bedroom unannounced?... maybe not quite so much - but going into (what she classes as ) a FRIEND'S bedroom?
Absolutely.

She is invited to a place of business and immediately tries to break business equipment and drive off potential customers.

Hmmm...
She "*tries* to break equipment"...? Could you point me to the part where she actively TRIES to break equipment?
Or even where she "(tries...) to [drive] off potential customers?"

However, eventually that twelve year old is going to get a bit older and start being ...

Ahhh...
So you're trolling!?

(Unless, of course, you can give three good reasons why musing on the potential (apparently multiple) rape of a young girl is suddenly the place you naturally go to when faced with cartoon strips?)

Ookay then.

[Marco]

When Punchbot said "Fax me the invoice", I half expected Bubbles to go "Screeeeeeeeech Done."

But yeah, there are people who still insist on fax machines. Lawyers, for one. Don't know any accountants except ones who work for the government, and government (at all levels) also still relies heavily on fax machines. Some professions don't like cutting-edge technology. They like the edges on their tech to be as dull as possible.

Not sure if all accountants use fax machines nowadays, but I´m sure they keep them on a drawer, just in case...

About the current trend topic: looks like there is a need to discuss seeerious things in the forum. When the strips become plain silly for a while (let's remember QC started quite silly), some people tend to overthink. C'mon, folks, it's just comics! Let's not start a fight over it!

[hedgie]

But that's not what you're doing, is it? Instead, your switching between condemning the character of Sam and then practically dancing in the street at the prospect of her inevitable upcoming rape. The way you choose to express yourself is... somewhat disturbing.

That it is.  I made a report to the mods right before my previous post in this thread, and still contemplating emailing Jeph on the matter.  To say that such a line of thinking is squick territory is an understatement at a level beyond even  the British capacity for understatement.

[Case]

About the current trend topic: looks like there is a need to discuss seeerious things in the forum. When the strips become plain silly for a while (let's remember QC started quite silly), some people tend to overthink. C'mon, folks, it's just comics! Let's not start a fight over it!

Your post seems to imply that you do not take comic discussions seriously ... ?




P.S.: Polo ...

[Neko_Ali]

Moderator Comment

As much as we shouldn't have to point this out, jokes about rape are not acceptable here. Nor is talking about the sexual activity of a teenager. Do not do this, at all.

[TheEvilDog]

[Marco]

Thank you very much, Moderator. This was reaching Youtube-comment level of agressivity. Now we can move on to more interesting topics, like how Sam got her haircut (yes, I take hairdos very seriously!)

[hedgie]

She stuck a bowl on her head and used clippers?

[Mr_Rose]

Comic!

Also, a robot using a fax machine!

A sentient robot using a fax machine

...

Who am I kidding, I'm sure the same will eventually happen in our world, if we do get sentient AI

Somewhat related: It always bothered me to see Star Trek: Voyager's Doctor - who was (for those who don't know) a holographic projection created by AI software running in the ship's computer - sitting at his desk in Sickbay, using one of the computer consoles.

I mean, he is the computer! Or at least a part of it. Isn't that a horribly inefficient way for him to enter, say, notes on patient visits?

Two things:
1. What kind of sapient being would want an unsecured remote connection that is designed to accept and store arbitrary data from any third party without comment or prior authorisation? Facsimile traffic is a security nightmare.

2. Good point about Voyager's EMH. Similarly, why does he have to walk over to the replicator to collect a hypospray or whatever? I get having real tools that other people can use and I get having an avatar to appear to manipulate them for the benefit of the patient's psyche, but there’s no reason he needs to reach over and grab stuff (much less have a nurse) in a room full of force field emitters and tractor beams under his direct control.
Now, it would make sense if he lost the ability to directly manipulate things when using his remote projector or when in the holodeck but at the beginning, when he’s “fully integrated into the sickbay systems”, he should be the technological equivalent of a telekinetic.

[BenRG]

Now we can move on to more interesting topics, like how Sam got her haircut (yes, I take hairdos very seriously!)

She went into the nearest barber and said: "Give me the Brienne Of Tarth look!" The Barber doesn't watch GoT and Sam is lucky she didn't end up with a pink mohawk!

[Case]

Now we can move on to more interesting topics, like how Sam got her haircut?

[sitnspin]

[jeph]

However, eventually that twelve year old is going to get a bit older and start being sexually aware.  Having the emotional development and values of a three year old is not going to do her any favors once that happens.  She'll be lucky if her first rapist is an 8th grader.  Unless someone teaches Sam some values, she'll likely have a succession of them.

what the fuck is wrong with you

[TheEvilDog]

I was going to say "A lot" but I've just noticed that they've been banned.

[tustin2121]

Oh, crap. Jeph himself is here! O_o

...I'm glad that got resolved quickly. I was about to ask how a username with formatting in it is a legal username, but now I can guess what that means...

On a comic related note: "SKULL MASTER DEMANDS MORE TATTOOS BE MADE OF SKULL MASTER!"

[jwhouk]

Uh oh, Boss came down here. Kinda like Klaus von Wolfenbach.

As to fax machines: they do have that added feature of the time-date stamp to verify when the fax was sent. That's important in the medical/legal professions.

[Cornelius]

When Punchbot said "Fax me the invoice", I half expected Bubbles to go "Screeeeeeeeech Done."

But yeah, there are people who still insist on fax machines. Lawyers, for one. Don't know any accountants except ones who work for the government, and government (at all levels) also still relies heavily on fax machines. Some professions don't like cutting-edge technology. They like the edges on their tech to be as dull as possible.

That's my line of work, and seriously, some of the procedures actually do date back to 1830...

[Shjade]

I was going to say "A lot" but I've just noticed that they've been banned.

Literally my forum visit today:
*sees thread about unfamiliar name being banned* "Huh, wonder what that was about. Oh well, probably nothing I'd know about."
*checks this thread* "Oh hey it's that name...oh. Ooooh. Wow. WOW. Okay then. Jesus."

On a lighter note: Sam really brightened Punchbot's day! I wonder if she'll become something of a shop mascot for morale support. Goodness knows with Faye and Bubbles as the proprietors they could use a little more, um...optimistic energy? around the place.

...

Eh, maybe not. She brings a little too much energy for a recovery/repair atmosphere.

[traroth]

I'm happy to see the strange person has been dealed with.

[OldGoat]

I'm happy to see the strange person has been dealed with.

I think he was on here twice - the first several weeks ago and then this last round.  Both times he de-lurked to rant about how a character needs to learn some discipline.  My inner armchair psychologist is having a field day with words like "projection" and "transference" dancing like sugarplums in my head.

[Thrudd]

Those aren't sugar plums - more like past their ripeness date prune plums. The mildew could be mistaken for sugar at a distance.

(click to show/hide)

[Tova]

I'm happy to see the strange person has been dealed with.

I think he was on here twice - the first several weeks ago and then this last round.  Both times he de-lurked to rant about how a character needs to learn some discipline.  My inner armchair psychologist is having a field day with words like "projection" and "transference" dancing like sugarplums in my head.

I had precisely the same reaction. I'm glad others dealt with him (I particularly appreciated Case's considered response) before I lost the ability to remain polite. MON DIEU!

[blt]

I feel ashamed that I shared a screen name with that weirdo...

On the topic of fax machines, I heard a piece on the radio recently that their continued use by doctors is becoming an issue.  But change is hard because they offer some level of security, and all the equivalents aren't as universally accepted.