Girl Genius XXXIII: Plotting, ranting, and menacing the countryside

[Rockphed]

Not only can Bang not use explosives, but the only thing that gets burned is her.

I think it was more of a slow roasting than a burn, but your mileage may vary. Either way, I like the implication that Bang should stop trying to convince Gil to just destroy the robot because all her reasons also apply to herself.

[Traab]

WOW that was a good burn on bang. I swear those two have such serious sibling energy and I love it.

[Shining Wrath]

I think it was more of a slow roasting than a burn, but your mileage may vary. Either way, I like the implication that Bang should stop trying to convince Gil to just destroy the robot because all her reasons also apply to herself.

Not only that, Bohrlaika is almost certainly rational, which doesn't necessarily apply to Bang. Now, she's rational based upon the information supplied to her by Klaus, and that's what needs to be corrected. If you asked me which of the two is redeemable, I'm going with the Clank.

[Anonymouswizard]

Not only that, Bohrlaika is almost certainly rational, which doesn't necessarily apply to Bang. Now, she's rational based upon the information supplied to her by Klaus, and that's what needs to be corrected. If you asked me which of the two is redeemable, I'm going with the Clank.

On the other hand Bang's the one I'd trust to make paperclips

[Manga Shoggoth]

I know we're only on page 1 of the new thread set, but title suggestion already: It would be a lot simpler if I could fight her with explosives

Noted. I'm pretty sure we've had much earlier suggestions.

[Radar]

On the other hand Bang's the one I'd trust to make paperclips

You would? I'd be rather weary of getting some deadly weapons instead of office supplies as regular paperclips would bore her to death. Pastry production on the other hand? Any time - Bang understands and appreciates cake. Also, she has a personal aversion to poisoning it.

[halfeye]

You would? I'd be rather weary of getting some deadly weapons instead of office supplies as regular paperclips would bore her to death. Pastry production on the other hand? Any time - Bang understands and appreciates cake. Also, she has a personal aversion to poisoning it.

Why pastry production then? most cakes aren't pastry.

[Radar]

Why pastry production then? most cakes aren't pastry.

That's my English comprehension lacking then. Sometimes I miss small nuances of word definitions.

[halfeye]

That's my English comprehension lacking then. Sometimes I miss small nuances of word definitions.

I was going to put up some wikipedia page links, but Duckduckgo is having a problem today.

Cakes are confections and almost always sweet, pastries are made of pastry and include most pies, which may be savory, and tarts and other things like eclaires which may be counted as cakes. Basically, it's complicated.

[DavidSh]

Terminology varies around the world, even within what is called the English language. In the US, I'd never think of Kendal Mint Cake as being cake.

[halfeye]

Terminology varies around the world, even within what is called the English language. In the US, I'd never think of Kendal Mint Cake as being cake.

Sure, there are some big anomalies, for instance:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowcake

The links I would have wanted to find include:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pastry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cake

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pie

[Shining Wrath]

And the famous Marie Antoinette "Let them eat cake" referred to the substance found on the interior of baker's ovens - it was "caked" onto the side, therefore, cake. One of those cases where an English word has two different meanings as a noun and a verb; a cake you eat, but something can cake onto the side of something else. You can have a ship caked in barnacles.

[halfeye]

And the famous Marie Antoinette "Let them eat cake" referred to the substance found on the interior of baker's ovens - it was "caked" onto the side, therefore, cake.

Not sccording to Wikipedia, and I've not heard that version anywhere else either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_them_eat_cake

One of those cases where an English word has two different meanings as a noun and a verb; a cake you eat, but something can cake onto the side of something else. You can have a ship caked in barnacles.

Or boots caked in mud, but that may well come from a different root, though I am guessing about that.

[Grim Portent]

Or boots caked in mud, but that may well come from a different root, though I am guessing about that.

If I were to hazard a guess the modern usage of cake to refer to sweet, often fluffy, baked desserts is probably derived from using it to refer to denser hard baked cakes of some kind.

[Manga Shoggoth]

You can also have cakes of something (like soap, for example) - I thought that's were the cake in Mint Cake came from, but apparantly it isn't.

The "let them eat cake" is a bit of a mistranslation - the actual work is brioche, which is essentially a luxuary form of bread.

[Rockphed]

Not sccording to Wikipedia, and I've not heard that version anywhere else either.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Let_them_eat_cake

I have heard a similar version only with cake being the crust left in bread pans (which may not have even been a thing in the 1780s). I don't have any source for that though.

It is interesting that in Mr Peabody and Sherman they rip apart the Washington and the cherry tree myth, but promulgate the cake fallacy.

[Anonymouswizard]

The "let them eat cake" is a bit of a mistranslation - the actual work is brioche, which is essentially a luxuary form of bread.

This is basically what I heard, and that it mostly illustrates how out of touch the French nobility was at that point.

[Rockphed]

This is basically what I heard, and that it mostly illustrates how out of touch the French nobility was at that point.

Reading the linked wiki article, it seems to have been created by a french writer when Marie Antoinette was 8 and applied to her a half-century after her death. Basically, any time someone tries to tell you how things went with a historical figure, it is best to actually check the history books before repeating it.

[Anonymouswizard]

Reading the linked wiki article, it seems to have been created by a french writer when Marie Antoinette was 8 and applied to her a half-century after her death. Basically, any time someone tries to tell you how things went with a historical figure, it is best to actually check the history books before repeating it.

Guess why it's my first time repeating that in like six years.

My friends who learnt history are doomed to watch me repeat it. it.

[Rodin]

I just want it to be true so all the jokes work.

Marie Antoinette: Let them eat cake!

French person #1: Cake, like pastry?

French person #2: No, she clearly means brioche!

French person #3: No, she means the stuff in ovens!

*Civil War ensues*

[Kardwill]

I just want it to be true so all the jokes work.

Marie Antoinette: Let them eat cake!

French person #1: Cake, like pastry?

French person #2: No, she clearly means brioche!

French person #3: No, she means the stuff in ovens!

*Civil War ensues*

That wordplay doesn't work in french, though. The french word for cake does not refer to cooking/baking at all. ^^

[Thales]

I quite like the composition on this page. But perhaps this is an indication that this was a bad plan?

[tyckspoon]

I quite like the composition on this page. But perhaps this is an indication that this was a bad plan?

All hats are firmly in place in known locations. Seems fine to me.

[Radar]

All hats are firmly in place in known locations. Seems fine to me.

Well... the plan is just beginning and as usual is the first casualty of a battle.

[Grim Portent]

I quite like the composition on this page. But perhaps this is an indication that this was a bad plan?

In fairness, this is probably better than letting her wake up in an unfrozen Mechanicsburg, because at least this way she only has one direction to come from.

Might have been a good idea to try and disguise Agatha and Tarvek though, so Gil can get the drop on her.

[HeeJay]

Borlaika's rampage has spread beyond the confines of Mechanicsburg - the webcomic server is down. Damn her!

[Gez]

And the famous Marie Antoinette "Let them eat cake" referred to the substance found on the interior of baker's ovens - it was "caked" onto the side, therefore, cake. One of those cases where an English word has two different meanings as a noun and a verb; a cake you eat, but something can cake onto the side of something else. You can have a ship caked in barnacles.

This would certainly make sense if Marie Antoinette and the French people circa 1789 were speaking English in their day to day lives; but as surprising as it might seem, they weren't.

[Kantaki]

Oops.
Let's hope that thingy that just got aged to dust wasn't zoo important.

Also, what kinda trouble did they run into this time?
The giant time-monster? Something the Castle caused?

[Hyoi]

So did mini-Kestle just get trapped in the time field?

[Laurentio III]

Also, what kinda trouble did they run into this time?
The giant time-monster? Something the Castle caused?

The lady clank that is obsessed with preserving Gilgamesh Wulfenbach safe, at any cost.