Either way, you’re still actually communicating with someone in your modern day example so I don’t see how that applies.

Talking to the wall vs a picture? I doubt it would make a difference to me personally, but I know I can be very matter-of-fact in how I look at things so my perspective might be different than most. Still seems like the improvement would be extremely minimal.

Thanks for the explanations nonetheless.

I know it’s a product of its time, but I fail to see how that would make anybody in her position any happier.

What blockade? Didn’t I just see news a couple days ago that Cuba received a huge shipment of rice that was donated by China?

EDIT: Yep.

Still can’t beat Bender’s stretchy arms.

There’s that meth turning on a brain’s overdrive.

I’m aware of the “canary in a coal mine” reference & meaning.

Whether it’s "funny’ would strongly depend upon the perspectives of the individual reading it. I enjoy a fair amount of Larson’s work, but this one ain’t doing it for me, I’m afraid.

Which are no longer for sale.

Ain’t it too late by then?

Where did the money for all that come from? Where will it come from in the future as the wealth transfer to the few continues apace?

Yeah, no - I’m not inclined to rest easy. Just because more complex methods are available for use doesn’t mean the old standbys are forgotten.

More or less what I thought it might mean, but it’s good to have confirmation. Thank you for the reply. Full agreement on Watterson’s mastery!

It’s far too easy to change the software that drives that. For example, in order to minimize blatant power drain the trigger mic could easily become a switch that activates the main mic only when human voices are detected (or even specific voices). With authoritarian governments on the rise — along with the more than willing corporations backing them — I don’t think a bit of paranoia regarding the possibility is unwarranted.

ETA: Also there’s nothing saying the hardware can’t be updated for newer capabilities without anyone on the outside knowing. It’d be pretty easy to get away with once everyone gets lulled into a false sense of security regarding how they work.

I was thinking they meant as in the phrase “skip a beat” - like a dramatic pause that allows for something to happen, or suspense to build.

Paris police are examining more than 100 allegations of mistreatment, physical violence and rape of children as young as three by school monitors during lunch breaks, nap times and after-school activities, prosecutors have confirmed.

“We have investigations under way in 84 preschools, about 20 primary schools and about 10 daycare centres,” said Paris’s top prosecutor, Laure Beccuau. Lawyers said the investigations included the alleged rape of children as young as three and four years old.

Parents’ groups said they had fought for years for allegations to be taken seriously. They said failures in the recruitment process and checking of school monitors had allowed abuse to continue.

HOLY SHEET!!! How TF is something that serious allowed to grow into that large of a problem?!? Seems like a LOT more people than just the currently accused need to be investigated - likely including the investigators themselves.

For those of us not up on the comic strip creator vernacular, which one is that? I’m assuming it’s one of the middle two.

While a response of “yes” means you need to find more entertaining friends.

Only marginally, IMHO - software is vulnerable to remote hacks, but physically breaking the electrical connection is pretty effing hard to overcome remotely.

That’s good to know - thank you.

My comment was specifically referring to the quote from the comment above mine, however.

So Susan Storm-Richards moved to Tennessee? I mean why even redact her name? Doesn’t everybody know who The Invisible Woman is?

The funny farm.