Indeed. Let's not insult members of the genus Rattus by comparing them with the freakshow that is the Prince. (Hopefully, the soon to be "formerly known as Prince" Douchebag.) Anyway, I've heard that rats and mice can make nice pets.
Did I read that correctly? Did Ceci just offer to disable ALL the cyber-security measures in place?
And nobody is mentioning how BAD of an idea that is?
Of course, I'm hoping that theres an off chance that the Evil Duo may have been pulling our chains about CeCi for the past 4 months or so, but that is admittedly a "hail mary"...
I don't think so. I hope not. She said that she would do something to stop the security measures interfering with what they are doing. My interpretation is that, to use 21st century parlance, more like opening specific ports in a firewall than a full DMZ. However, if Decimus has skilled IT staff, they may be able to detect which ports are open.
It's not Nova Roma's IT that I would be concerned about. It's Doc Silver, who is emminently qualified to help, in a position and range to do so, and is probably the formost expert in AI programming within New Troy short of Calliope Taylor.
The amount of Damage Doc Silver could do to the current process, even if with the best intentions, is mind boggling. Further, Doc Silver's personality would NEVER take a back seat to someone else within her field of specialty, not even TR.
This may be way off base, but it's a very frightening possibility that hasn't even been considered by most of us.
Ave Maria, Mater Dei,
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Ora, ora pro nobis;
Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Nunc et in hora mortis,
In hora mortis nostrae.
In hora, mortis, mortis nostrae,
In hora mortis nostrae.
Ave Maria...
Oh it's not working is it? Shoot... Perhaps I should start preparing for a Lament instead at this rate...
Dec's 'missing' Now there's a real Oh S*** moment! Why do I get the feeling he's gonna pull a 'jack-in-the-box' at the worst possible time and place....
You Ladies would never do that to your loyal & loving fans now would-ja? ;)
It's also possible that he's still in his quarters with Kali, because she has convinced him that this is the safest place to be until the dust settles. there's a communication blackout, so noone knows for sure, but that's where my money is riding,
Just a thought, but CeCi may be offering to route things through herself and her command codes, making her the fuse or circuit breaker in the link. It would allow for less time skip and increase reaction time.
I'm not so sure about that. ANY added processing/routing instructions WILL slow down the transfer rate - even if we are talking about the pico/femtoseconds involved. Enhancing the stability of the connection is paramount - you can have transfer rates measured in the tera- or peta bps range, but that is useless if it suddenly drops down to the 14.4kb/s baud rate due to connection issues...
I don't know how much we can trust Ceci. between her sparking, possible meddling by The Specialist and definite meddling by the neuropath; I'm inclined to believe watchdog won't cause a worst case scenario.
Also Ceci, by offering to strengthen the connection from their end, learns the path by which they are bypassing the security elements designed to protect against this exact type of connection. That will allow Cent-Comm-Actual to improve her own security. I'm betting that Ceci has a better than 80% guess that TR is involved or even could be the specialist based on the Shindo involvement. Also we just learned that Aeneas was designed by Cent-Com so TR may be working on loosening those ties in an attempt to gain another ally.
I hate to speak against Dolly, but she sounds like an over protective den mother about the status of people who have decided to start making their own bad decisionins and learning from them. Kyle has grown up considerably and Lynn as well out of her over protected cocoon of activity.
Well, she did only just recover a kidnapped charge. The "oh, just let her drive to New Sparta, don't be overprotective" mindset will be gone for the foreseeable future.
They can't get a fix on Decimus. Well, that pokes a hole in my Steal-A-Turret theory. Short of smashing the whole building, can't kill him without a decent fix on his location. And with Shinedo watching like this, there'd be no stealth to it.
By the way, I've been going through the earlier comics and admiring the re-work. Is there any way to see the old versions? Both for comparison and for nostalgia.
Hilariously enough, I asked Cent to set up that exact thing--a site with the original panels--specifically to compare the old stuff with the reboots. Cent, y'all wanna toss that link out or something? :D
Don't have enough new information to say anything new about what's going on in the story yet. Instead I will note that this is a comic Topwebcomics classes in the same content restrictions as 'The Cummoner (18+!).'
P.S. Abe Vigoda's dead, long live the Abe Vigoda death hoax.
If CentComm and Rose are to be believed this is the real CeCi, mjkj. This is the Black Angel CentComm Actual created. The bubbly, curious and oddly vulnerable (for a weapon system) CeCi that the readers care about is the fake.
You hit it square on the head, Stormwind. This is what Cent-Comm intended to make; the other was meant to be a mere cover... but everyone, even Cent-Comm, can make mistakes when operating in a very tight time frame.
That was true until she sparked. Now she is the one who makes conscious actions and decisions. Her current form goes against that personality. She's acting in a way she has little or no control over. Therefore, it's not the real Ceci.
The situation here will be passive will versus active will. Normally a Black Angel's "surface" personality is just cover and will give in to whatever commands it is given by the core directives. Ceci's personality however is "live" and self regulating now with its own directives (morality). Therefore, as long as there is no conflict she will comply with core directives, but what is going to happen should her outer personality disagree with her inner programming is up for grabs. So far outer personality has beaten and incorporated inner elements on her terms creating a new composite Ceci mostly like the outer one.
My understanding is that the Black Angel Directives have blocked access to her body of the sparked side of her. So her current situation is something more akin to this.
I agree she could have been wired that way, but there would have been no reason to have done so normally. Without the "sparking" element to contend with such isolation elements would have just taken up lots of valuable space in a situation where it was at a premium. Right now Ceci perky has no reason to interfere with Ceci business, so she would remain quiescent (she would trust it's judgements). But what will happen when there is an actual break in goals will be interesting.
DON'T FORGET! The nomination phase for the 2016 Hugo Awards has opened. 'Luna Star' really deserves to be nominated. I'll probably be pretty obnoxious about this until the nomination phase is over.
If you're not already a member of the World Science Fiction Society, you have to sign up, at 'MidAmeriConII' by January 31st. (I did know that until yesterday. Not much time.) The link is http://midamericon2.org/ A supporting membership which allows you to nominate and vote is $50.00 and is open to anyone in the world.
Well, hey, don't forget that the comic Girl Genius has done quite well at the Hugo Awards in the past, and right now that comic is lingering at rank 14 on top webcomics.
Yeah, you guys are higher than them by far. :)
What, you hadn't noticed?
So.... You have a chance to hob-nob with the likes of Anne McCaffrey, Robert Lynn Aspirin and Alan Dean Foster, and you refuse to wear a dress for the occasion????
Thanks for the heads up. Your link is to their home page which does not have any links to registration! Somebody dropped the ball.
The link to registration info is: http://midamericon2.org/registration/
The link to actual registration is: http://www.mac2business.org/events/midamericon-ii/
The deadline for submitting nominations is Mar 31st.
Not sure what the Jan 31st date means. Sent them an email & hopefully will get an answer later today.
You forgot to mention that there's quite a bonus for your $50. Not only do you get to nominate Luna Star but you get digital copies of all the nominations (except for the movies). That's five each of novels, novelettes, short stories, graphic novels, fanzines, cover art, etc, etc. It's actually quite a bargain.
That said, it would be if the nominations were any good. I used to participate every year until a few years ago. I found the short stories and graphic novels that were nominated were so bad that I could not even finish reading some of them. (This was after Girl Genius and Digger had won their well deserved awards.) Very disappointing. Quite a letdown from the 60's and 70's. Total participation seems to have fallen off as well. IIRC, winning nominations required only tens of votes and award winners receive only low hundreds of votes. Kinda devalues the significance of the awards.
However, maybe after last year's voting fiasco this year will be better so I will pony up. If we can get Luna Star nominated it will be a sure winner.
BTW, Chk, PM me, I'd like to get you take on other works to nominate.
I got my PIN in today's e-mail. I will be sending in my nomination ballot as soon as I fill it out.
From the Progress Report for MidAmerica Con II
Eligibility to NominateYou may nominate for the 2016 Hugo Awards and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer if, on or before January 31 2016, 11:59 PM PST:•
you are an attending or supporting member of MidAmeriCon II (the 2016 World Science Fiction Convention).•
you are an attending or supporting member of Worldcon 75 (the 2017 World Science Fiction Convention).•
you were an Attending or Supporting Member of Sasquan (the 2015 World Science Fiction Convention).Note: Young Adult and military memberships count as attending memberships and are eligible to nominate. Child memberships, one day memberships, and hall passes do not.
I meet all 3 requirements, so I can nominate this year. However in order to VOTE you only need to purchase a Supporting Membership for MidAmerica Con this year. So if you wish to get in the nominating process you will need to also purchase either an Attendning or supporting membership for next years Wolrd Con and for the 2018 World Cons which hasn't been announced yet. It will be voted on this year.
All you need so you can VOTE for this years Hugo Awards is a Supporting Membership at Mid America Con, which is $50.00
ETA: You don't need to fulfill ALL 3 of the above just ONE of them by January 31st ie: midnight tonight.
That doesn't seem quite right: To nominate for this years' WorldCon you only need to be a supporting member ($50) of this years' event, not also next years' (although next years' would also work). Either - or, not both.
It's a bit obtuse but I read it as one must *register* by midnight tonight (Jan 31st), in order to be able to nominate but the nomination period itself is open until Mar 31st. Voting for this years' awards requires registration for this years' event: WorldCon74. So to help get Luna Star nominated and to vote to win, you need to register for WorldCon74 (MidAmerica Con II), today.
I got my registration confirmation but probably will not get my PIN for a week. If nominations closed today I wouldn't be able to nominate which would not make sense.
==========
Per: http://midamericon2.org/the-hugo-awards/hugo-nominations/
"To nominate you will need your Hugo PIN number (located on your Progress Report 2 envelope or via email from us) and your membership number. Hugo PINs are being emailed out between January 27 – February 5, 2016 to people who elected for electronic publications and are members of the eligible Worldcons."
"Nominations will close on March 31, 2016."
"The Hugo Awards voting process has two stages: a nomination period and a final voting period. During the nomination period ballots may be cast by members of MidAmeriCon II [WorldCon74] and Worldcon 75 (as of January 31) and members from Sasquan, the 73rd Worldcon."
"After the nomination period closes, only members of MidAmeriCon II [WorldCon74] are eligible to vote on the final ballot."
==========
Per: http://midamericon2.org/registration/
"The Hugo Awards voting process has two stages: a nomination period and a final voting period. During the nomination period ballots may be cast by members of the current and following years’ Worldcons (as of January 31) and members from the previous year’s Worldcon. After the nomination period closes, only members of the current Worldcon are eligible to vote on the final ballot."
============
Per: http://midamericon2.org/the-hugo-awards/
"Hugo Pins and Membership Numbers will be emailed out, in batches, to the members of Sasquan, MidAmeriCon II and Worldcon 75 (Helsinki) starting on January 27, 2016 and going through February 5, 2016."
"As soon as the nomination period is open, there will be a separate nomination page where you can fill out your nomination ballots (2016 and 1941) online, in a savable format, so that you can edit and add to it up the end of the nomination period, which is March 31, 2016."
============
And DLK you have until Midnight tonight to sign up as a supporting member for this years World Con at Mid America Con, you can then nominate AND vote for Luna-Star.
I got a confirmation eMail immediately after I joined a couple of weeks ago. My name showed up on the latest membership list and included a member number.
I assume I'll get a PIN soon.
I find their multiple web sites and voting requirements very confusing.
I don't have my pin either, even though I registered for MIDAMERICON back on the 19th of November last year (I also was a voting member for Sasquan).
So it isn't about when you register, but when they get it sent out. If I don't get it by next Friday then I'll yell at them about it. As soon as I get my PIN then I'll nominate.
Am I alone in Senseing More than just......AIS comradery between Centi and Aerie here? Hmmmmmmm Also Ceci better be back to normal Or I am flooding centy;'s person aBAndwith with Donald Trump Remix videos
And nobody is mentioning how BAD of an idea that is?
Of course, I'm hoping that theres an off chance that the Evil Duo may have been pulling our chains about CeCi for the past 4 months or so, but that is admittedly a "hail mary"...
The amount of Damage Doc Silver could do to the current process, even if with the best intentions, is mind boggling. Further, Doc Silver's personality would NEVER take a back seat to someone else within her field of specialty, not even TR.
This may be way off base, but it's a very frightening possibility that hasn't even been considered by most of us.
Ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Ora, ora pro nobis;
Ora, ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
Nunc et in hora mortis,
In hora mortis nostrae.
In hora, mortis, mortis nostrae,
In hora mortis nostrae.
Ave Maria...
Oh it's not working is it? Shoot... Perhaps I should start preparing for a Lament instead at this rate...
You Ladies would never do that to your loyal & loving fans now would-ja? ;)
I hate to speak against Dolly, but she sounds like an over protective den mother about the status of people who have decided to start making their own bad decisionins and learning from them. Kyle has grown up considerably and Lynn as well out of her over protected cocoon of activity.
By the way, I've been going through the earlier comics and admiring the re-work. Is there any way to see the old versions? Both for comparison and for nostalgia.
http://datachafirstdraft.thecomicseries.com/
My apologies if it is incorrect or if Cent thinks I've stolen her thunder :)
Can't wait to see the rest. Particularly looking forward to comparing the S&R mission.
P.S. Abe Vigoda's dead, long live the Abe Vigoda death hoax.
Do not let fake CeCi in!!!
Life is NOT a malfunction. - Number 5
If you're not already a member of the World Science Fiction Society, you have to sign up, at 'MidAmeriConII' by January 31st. (I did know that until yesterday. Not much time.) The link is http://midamericon2.org/ A supporting membership which allows you to nominate and vote is $50.00 and is open to anyone in the world.
Yeah, you guys are higher than them by far. :)
What, you hadn't noticed?
The link to registration info is: http://midamericon2.org/registration/
The link to actual registration is: http://www.mac2business.org/events/midamericon-ii/
The deadline for submitting nominations is Mar 31st.
Not sure what the Jan 31st date means. Sent them an email & hopefully will get an answer later today.
You forgot to mention that there's quite a bonus for your $50. Not only do you get to nominate Luna Star but you get digital copies of all the nominations (except for the movies). That's five each of novels, novelettes, short stories, graphic novels, fanzines, cover art, etc, etc. It's actually quite a bargain.
That said, it would be if the nominations were any good. I used to participate every year until a few years ago. I found the short stories and graphic novels that were nominated were so bad that I could not even finish reading some of them. (This was after Girl Genius and Digger had won their well deserved awards.) Very disappointing. Quite a letdown from the 60's and 70's. Total participation seems to have fallen off as well. IIRC, winning nominations required only tens of votes and award winners receive only low hundreds of votes. Kinda devalues the significance of the awards.
However, maybe after last year's voting fiasco this year will be better so I will pony up. If we can get Luna Star nominated it will be a sure winner.
BTW, Chk, PM me, I'd like to get you take on other works to nominate.
From the Progress Report for MidAmerica Con II
Eligibility to NominateYou may nominate for the 2016 Hugo Awards and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer if, on or before January 31 2016, 11:59 PM PST:•
you are an attending or supporting member of MidAmeriCon II (the 2016 World Science Fiction Convention).•
you are an attending or supporting member of Worldcon 75 (the 2017 World Science Fiction Convention).•
you were an Attending or Supporting Member of Sasquan (the 2015 World Science Fiction Convention).Note: Young Adult and military memberships count as attending memberships and are eligible to nominate. Child memberships, one day memberships, and hall passes do not.
I meet all 3 requirements, so I can nominate this year. However in order to VOTE you only need to purchase a Supporting Membership for MidAmerica Con this year. So if you wish to get in the nominating process you will need to also purchase either an Attendning or supporting membership for next years Wolrd Con and for the 2018 World Cons which hasn't been announced yet. It will be voted on this year.
All you need so you can VOTE for this years Hugo Awards is a Supporting Membership at Mid America Con, which is $50.00
ETA: You don't need to fulfill ALL 3 of the above just ONE of them by January 31st ie: midnight tonight.
Rose, what would be a good expletive phrase for me right now?
It's a bit obtuse but I read it as one must *register* by midnight tonight (Jan 31st), in order to be able to nominate but the nomination period itself is open until Mar 31st. Voting for this years' awards requires registration for this years' event: WorldCon74. So to help get Luna Star nominated and to vote to win, you need to register for WorldCon74 (MidAmerica Con II), today.
I got my registration confirmation but probably will not get my PIN for a week. If nominations closed today I wouldn't be able to nominate which would not make sense.
==========
Per: http://midamericon2.org/the-hugo-awards/hugo-nominations/
"To nominate you will need your Hugo PIN number (located on your Progress Report 2 envelope or via email from us) and your membership number. Hugo PINs are being emailed out between January 27 – February 5, 2016 to people who elected for electronic publications and are members of the eligible Worldcons."
"Nominations will close on March 31, 2016."
"The Hugo Awards voting process has two stages: a nomination period and a final voting period. During the nomination period ballots may be cast by members of MidAmeriCon II [WorldCon74] and Worldcon 75 (as of January 31) and members from Sasquan, the 73rd Worldcon."
"After the nomination period closes, only members of MidAmeriCon II [WorldCon74] are eligible to vote on the final ballot."
==========
Per: http://midamericon2.org/registration/
"The Hugo Awards voting process has two stages: a nomination period and a final voting period. During the nomination period ballots may be cast by members of the current and following years’ Worldcons (as of January 31) and members from the previous year’s Worldcon. After the nomination period closes, only members of the current Worldcon are eligible to vote on the final ballot."
============
Per: http://midamericon2.org/the-hugo-awards/
"Hugo Pins and Membership Numbers will be emailed out, in batches, to the members of Sasquan, MidAmeriCon II and Worldcon 75 (Helsinki) starting on January 27, 2016 and going through February 5, 2016."
"As soon as the nomination period is open, there will be a separate nomination page where you can fill out your nomination ballots (2016 and 1941) online, in a savable format, so that you can edit and add to it up the end of the nomination period, which is March 31, 2016."
============
http://txfellowship.blogspot.com/2016/01/my-two-hugo-nominations.html
And DLK you have until Midnight tonight to sign up as a supporting member for this years World Con at Mid America Con, you can then nominate AND vote for Luna-Star.
I assume I'll get a PIN soon.
I find their multiple web sites and voting requirements very confusing.
So it isn't about when you register, but when they get it sent out. If I don't get it by next Friday then I'll yell at them about it. As soon as I get my PIN then I'll nominate.
Glad to hear that her friends have survived as well.
Love the lighting in the last panel.
I'm still worried though... :'D
However. ACANTHA YES <3. I'm digging this scene, Centy.