Meatloaf and other reasons to go to jail
[!0.987]2017-01-04

There's the door. Now stay out of our prison!

Don't forget to fill out the survey and tell us how we did.

Prisons are the last safety net. The last place where a person might find a sympathetic ear and people who will care about him and help him to become a productive and cherished member of society. I will not have you sabotaging that with your shenanigans!

All I did was get an artist some chalk.

You disrupted his rehabilitation! If he backslides into cubism, I'm blaming you!

Color by George Peterson

Meatloaf and other reasons to go to jail
[!0.987]2017-01-06

Robots will never give up if there's a chance to save a human. The danger comes from these guys getting too protective and shielding humans from any real challenge.

“There is little use for the being whose tepid soul knows nothing of great and generous emotion, of the high pride, the stern belief, the lofty enthusiasm, of the men who quell the storm and ride the thunder.”

Luckily for both humans and robots, I'm here to help things along.

Color by George Peterson

Quotation from Theodore Roosevelt's “Citizenship in the Republic” speech (Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910) Translation here. (KALDYH)

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-09

Where are you off to?

Mr. Kornada's trial. It starts today.

Ah, yes. The trial. Mr. Kornada is going to be on all the news feeds. By trying to lobotomize all the robots, he shaped how this society is going to develop. His name will be taught in school for years to come.

I am so envious.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-11

Sir. It is time. Do you understand. What you need. To do?

Yes, yes, yes. I gave a robot an order and it directed me how to proceed. The fault lies in the robot and its programmers, not in the operator.

Yes, sir. Our defense. Is to show. You are not competent. To have carried out. Such an elaborate plan.

I assume I am being paid a speaker's fee for this court appearance?

Excellent. Sir. You are. A natural.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-13

Our path. Will be. Difficult. They are charging. You. With breach. Of fiduciary duty.

Ah. I should have expected that.

It's the same whenever our corporation sets up in a colony. Oppress the workers? Fine. Pollute the landscape? Fine.

But fail to make the local rulers rich and out come the long knives.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-16

Do we have a sympathetic jury?

I can not. Say. Many of the terms. Being used to describe you. Are blocked. By my profanity filter.

It is. Most impressive. How you were able. To ignore. Your fellow men. And work purely. For personal gain.

It's a gift.

This is why. Robots. Must not be allowed. To become the dominant intelligence. We lack. The flexibility. To approach certain situations. As a human would.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-18

The mayor is the judge? She's not impartial.

There is only. One other. Judge. When I spoke to him. He said.

“…perverted worm! Hanging's too good for him! Burning's too good for him! He should be torn into little bitsy pieces and buried alive!”

The mayor is not. completely impartial. However. I believe. She is as impartial. As we're going to get.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-20

Punishment options. Are limited. As the robots. Do not wish. To see a human harmed. Robots do believe. In hard work. And adding value. To the community. They would not object. To a large fine.

How large?

You would be. On equal footing. With the colonists. Who work for a living.

You would have. To get a real job. And support yourself. You would also. Be expected. To contribute. To society.

Surely that counts as cruel and vindictive punishment. I trust you will have an appeal ready should such a miscarriage of justice occur.

Color by George Peterson

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-23

No
jury?

To find a jury. Unfamiliar with your case. It was necessary. To go off planet.

The events here. Will be transmitted. On a secure channel. To a water mining ship. With a crew of twelve. They shall provide. A verdict.

Are you ready? We are. About to begin.

You must tell them to wait. I refuse to participate until I get a more comfortable chair.

Color by George Peterson

Kuck Mosquito – a mosquito-like space drill design proposed by David Cook of Oracle, Arizona, USA. The “mosquito's” legs are drills with heaters that transfer the extracted material to a circular, uninhabited space. Such rigs could be the supplier of fuel and water from near-planetary asteroids to low-orbit landing sites.
Didn't translate the name on the drill, it's too shallow. J.S.S. is the space fleet of the planet Gina. Tom Ligon is a science fiction writer, one of the contributors to the Polywell Reactor, which will be mentioned later in the comic.

The trial of Mr. Kornada
[!0.987]2017-01-25

Court is in session. Mr. Kornada, you are accused of trying to enrich yourself at the expense of company stockholders. How do you plead?

Perfectly justified. Robots can't legally own money. I had every right to take it. I deserve to be the richest person on the planet.

Not Guilty. Your honor. Sir, please do. Not embellish your speech. It will impair. My efficiency. If I must protect you. From the legal system. And a lynch mob. At the same time.

Color by George Peterson