Provisional Title: Sqid in the maintenance shop
2022-05-20

It's only a postulate.
The technology to puppet someone else's body
doesn't exist yet.

The technology does exist. For robots. What you are describing is already possible.

She's right, Al.

Well, nuts. Finding out my idea can actually
be done is going to cost me geek cred as a visionary thinker.

2022-05-23

We should think of the robots. Transhumanism from a robot's point of view. It opens up all kinds of possibilities.

Instead of looking at organic with mechanical augmentation, they might see machines with biological augmentation.

We should bring a fully mechanical A.I. into our discussion group.

If we do, we'll have to find a new meeting spot. Power supplies and hot tubs do not mix.

2022-05-25

Would robots be interested in trans­humanism?

I don't see why not. They like humans. I don't think they'd be happy if they advance so far there's no common ground between us.

We've started the Red Queen's race. Robots can be citizens now. If robots continue to improve every generation and we do nothing, humans will be left in the dust.

Perhaps we can make robots immortal, ship of theseus style. That would slow down the rate of generational turnover.

Yeah, but the great thing about mortality is it gets rid of the jerks.

Red Queen hypothesis
Ship of Theseus

2022-05-27

I don't think we need to worry. As long as robots like humans, we're good. If they get too far ahead, they'd uplift us much in the same way as Florence was uplifted.

What do
you think
of that?

I would be careful.

Humans did uplift wolves.
But you also turned us into dachshunds and chihuahuas.

Here Florence speaks for all wolves, since the red wolves (dhole) themselves were not domesticated, they too fierce for that (recall Kipling's “Mowgli,” where even the tiger Sherhan avoided meeting with a pack of dholes). By the way, tomorrow, May 28, is an international holiday in their honor, as they have been long and firmly red-listed.

Provisional Title: Sqid in the maintenance shop
2022-05-30

I'm set. I've got my shower skeleton, my breathing mask, and my towel in case we run into a ravenous bugblatter beast.

Bugblatter beasts are mythical.

That's what we thought about value added tax.

Which is especially pernicious since my very presence adds value to anyplace I'm at.

Insurance rates do go up when you're around. I hadn't noticed the link before.

A reference to “The Towel Day” in honor of Douglas_Adams, the author of “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy” series

2022-06-01

Want to come into the spa
with me?

No. Too much water.

Surely it's worth
a short circuit or two to see me in all my glory.

I've seen you out of your suit. You look like a bowl of spaghetti.

After all our
time in microgravity, you'll look like an out of shape bowl of spaghetti.

These people haven't seen me before. They won't notice I've put on a couple of kilos.

2022-06-03

Where are you going while I'm
in the spa?

I'm going exploring!

The convenient censer

This place is really big! Some places aren't documented. Maybe I'll find a machine shop that's been sealed off and forgotten.

If you do find something like that, what are you supposed to do?

Inform you. Help with
the looting. Inform the authorities. In that order.

Good lad.

2022-06-06

You can't go in.
You have to have a membership card or be the guest of a member.

Got it. Say, what's that?

Here's my card.

It was faster
than filling out the forms.

Do you WANT me as a member?

That's MY card.

You have to fill
out the forms if
you want to be
a member.

I'll give you a one day trial membership if you promise not to come back.

Deal.

2022-06-08

Thumbprint scanner.
Sqids don't have thumbprints.
Or thumbs, for that matter.

Fortunately, I carry several
battery warmed prosthetics
for just such an occasion.

2022-06-10

Rude. She walked in on
me changing. I'm the one
who should be screaming.