Blunder Lab - latest additions

Blunder Lab - latest additions http://blunderlab.com The latest transcribed Blunder Lab comics, powered by OhNoRobot.com en-us Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:42:01 -0000 60 81: Apology http://blunderlab.com/?p=444 http://blunderlab.com/?p=444 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:33:53 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=444">81: Apology</a> Randall: OK, you're going to call her and apologize. Wedge: For what? Not being briefed on your crazy Earth customs? Randall: Earth customs? You were going to make out with her! Wedge: Well, she is the first female I've met here who wasn't totally freaking out upon seeing me! Randall: Um, she just did that a few hours ago, remember? Wedge: No, that was a rat. Rats are creepy. Randall: The rat was you, idiot! Wedge: Oh, I'm a rat now?! You want to see how a rat fights, tough guy? We hit below the belt! [[Dramatic pose...]] Wedge: ...and we bite! {{Rule #1 from the Wedge Code of Conduct: Unsolicited flirtation warrants no apology.}} 81: Apology

Randall: OK, you're going to call her and apologize.

Wedge: For what? Not being briefed on your crazy Earth customs?
Randall: Earth customs? You were going to make out with her!

Wedge: Well, she is the first female I've met here who wasn't totally freaking out upon seeing me!
Randall: Um, she just did that a few hours ago, remember?

Wedge: No, that was a rat. Rats are creepy.
Randall: The rat was you, idiot!
Wedge: Oh, I'm a rat now?! You want to see how a rat fights, tough guy? We hit below the belt!

[[Dramatic pose...]]
Wedge: ...and we bite!

{{Rule #1 from the Wedge Code of Conduct: Unsolicited flirtation warrants no apology.}}]]> 80: Proper Introduction http://blunderlab.com/?p=441 http://blunderlab.com/?p=441 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:33:52 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=441">80: Proper Introduction</a> [[Randall is sitting at his desk writing, as Shanti enters through the door.]] Shanti: Hi Randall. I was on my way home, and I decided I should give things another chance. Randall: Welcome back. Randall: Shanti, let me introduce you to Wedge. Shanti: Nice to meet you, um... Wedge. Wedge: So this is where we make out, or what? Shanti: That's it, I'm out of here. {{I?m back from Texas, and let me say you guys have a very awesome state down there! Here?s a bit of footage from our exciting ride through the Natural Bridge Safari. (That?s me shying away from a zebra?s advances.)}} 80: Proper Introduction

[[Randall is sitting at his desk writing, as Shanti enters through the door.]]

Shanti: Hi Randall. I was on my way home, and I decided I should give things another chance.
Randall: Welcome back.

Randall: Shanti, let me introduce you to Wedge.
Shanti: Nice to meet you, um... Wedge.

Wedge: So this is where we make out, or what?
Shanti: That's it, I'm out of here.

{{I?m back from Texas, and let me say you guys have a very awesome state down there! Here?s a bit of footage from our exciting ride through the Natural Bridge Safari. (That?s me shying away from a zebra?s advances.)}}]]> 79: Buoyancy http://blunderlab.com/?p=439 http://blunderlab.com/?p=439 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:33:52 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=439">79: Buoyancy</a> [[Dear Randall, How can you tell if something can float or not? - The Rock Randall gestures toward an aquarium tank full of water, with a rock labeled "Mr. Rock" at the bottom. The tank has the equation "density = mass / volume" written on the side.]] Randall: Good question, Mr. Rock! The density of an object determines its buoyancy. [[Another tank of water is shown with a plank of wood and an ice cube floating on top, and a hunk of granite and a steel I-beam sitting at the bottom. A list of densities of the materials is also given: maple wood: 43 lb/ft3; ice: 57.2 lb/ft3; water: 62.4 lb/ft3; granite: 172 lb/ft3; steel: 484 lb/ft3]] Randall: Liquid water has a density of 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. An object will float in water if its density is less than water's. Likewise, it will sink if its density is more. [[A balance, a box with measurements, and two graduated cylinders are shown.]] Randall: To measure an object's density, you can measure its mass and its volume, then divide the two. Mass is usually easy to measure using a scale or balance. For volume, you can either calculate it using the object's dimensions or measure it using gas or fluid displacement. Of course, fluid displacement gives away the answer to the float/sink question because you're putting the object into water! [[Randall and Wedge are standing on a bridge, and Randall is about to push Wedge off.]] Randall: While you could do all these calculations, it's easier just to employ the obvious test... Wedge: I don't get it. What am I supposed to do? {{Today?s question comes from a good friend of mine, who for some reason wanted to call himself ?The Rock?. While I wish Dwayne Johnson read my comic, I can?t claim this question was from him. If you?re out there, Dwayne?.. here?s a shout out! So I should be enjoying the Texas sun today, which I hear is very much different than the Vermont sun. I?ll let you know when I get back.}} 79: Buoyancy

[[Dear Randall,
How can you tell if something can float or not?
- The Rock
Randall gestures toward an aquarium tank full of water, with a rock labeled "Mr. Rock" at the bottom. The tank has the equation "density = mass / volume" written on the side.]]
Randall: Good question, Mr. Rock! The density of an object determines its buoyancy.

[[Another tank of water is shown with a plank of wood and an ice cube floating on top, and a hunk of granite and a steel I-beam sitting at the bottom. A list of densities of the materials is also given: maple wood: 43 lb/ft3; ice: 57.2 lb/ft3; water: 62.4 lb/ft3; granite: 172 lb/ft3; steel: 484 lb/ft3]]
Randall: Liquid water has a density of 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. An object will float in water if its density is less than water's. Likewise, it will sink if its density is more.

[[A balance, a box with measurements, and two graduated cylinders are shown.]]
Randall: To measure an object's density, you can measure its mass and its volume, then divide the two. Mass is usually easy to measure using a scale or balance. For volume, you can either calculate it using the object's dimensions or measure it using gas or fluid displacement.
Of course, fluid displacement gives away the answer to the float/sink question because you're putting the object into water!

[[Randall and Wedge are standing on a bridge, and Randall is about to push Wedge off.]]
Randall: While you could do all these calculations, it's easier just to employ the obvious test...
Wedge: I don't get it. What am I supposed to do?

{{Today?s question comes from a good friend of mine, who for some reason wanted to call himself ?The Rock?. While I wish Dwayne Johnson read my comic, I can?t claim this question was from him. If you?re out there, Dwayne?.. here?s a shout out!
So I should be enjoying the Texas sun today, which I hear is very much different than the Vermont sun. I?ll let you know when I get back.}}]]> 78: Reassurance http://blunderlab.com/?p=437 http://blunderlab.com/?p=437 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:33:51 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=437">78: Reassurance</a> [[Louie and Randall are in the garage, and Louie is working under the hood of an SUV.]] Randall: Louie! I totally blew it! Louie: She found out about Wedge, huh? Randall: She said she'll never trust me again! How can I ever fix things with her? Louie: You could start by giving them a proper introduction. Stand back... [[The SUV starts making noises.]] <<WHIRR WHIRR CLUNK!>> Randall: How is an introduction supposed to help? Louie: Sometimes these kinds of things... [[The front of the SUV starts to extend.]] <<PSSSHHH>> [[The SUV starts to transform...]] <<VREE CHRRR WHOOSH>> [[The SUV has changed into a large robot.]] Louie:...just work themselves out. {{I like these little pep talks Louie has with Randall, especially when they involve giant transforming robots! Hey, I?ll be in Texas for the rest of the week visiting my super awesome doctor brother, but I still expect to keep my update schedule intact. That is, so long as nothing goes wrong with the auto-post. I?ll keep my fingers crossed...}} 78: Reassurance

[[Louie and Randall are in the garage, and Louie is working under the hood of an SUV.]]
Randall: Louie! I totally blew it!
Louie: She found out about Wedge, huh?

Randall: She said she'll never trust me again! How can I ever fix things with her?
Louie: You could start by giving them a proper introduction. Stand back...
[[The SUV starts making noises.]]
<>

Randall: How is an introduction supposed to help?
Louie: Sometimes these kinds of things...
[[The front of the SUV starts to extend.]]
<>

[[The SUV starts to transform...]]
<>

[[The SUV has changed into a large robot.]]
Louie:...just work themselves out.

{{I like these little pep talks Louie has with Randall, especially when they involve giant transforming robots!
Hey, I?ll be in Texas for the rest of the week visiting my super awesome doctor brother, but I still expect to keep my update schedule intact. That is, so long as nothing goes wrong with the auto-post. I?ll keep my fingers crossed...}}]]> 77: Truth http://blunderlab.com/?p=435 http://blunderlab.com/?p=435 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 19:33:49 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=435">77: Truth</a> [[Shanti is sitting in a chair, and Randall is handing her a glass of water.]] Shanti: So he's some sort of alien squirrel? Randall: Yes, he crash landed in our parking lot. Shanti: And you're keeping him here in the lab? Randall: Yes, he's living here until we figure out how to send him home. Shanti: And you've been hiding him from me since I got here? Randall: Well... you said you hated rodents... Shanti (bolts up from her chair, arms raised): I can't believe you lied to me! I'll never trust you again! On my first day of work... A friggin alien squirrel? How was I not supposed to notice?? Wedge (entering from right, with mind eraser in hand): Mind eraser time? Randall: Put it down... {{Is it odd that Randall never ?mind erased? Shanti like he did several other interviewees?}} 77: Truth

[[Shanti is sitting in a chair, and Randall is handing her a glass of water.]]
Shanti: So he's some sort of alien squirrel?
Randall: Yes, he crash landed in our parking lot.

Shanti: And you're keeping him here in the lab?
Randall: Yes, he's living here until we figure out how to send him home.

Shanti: And you've been hiding him from me since I got here?
Randall: Well... you said you hated rodents...

Shanti (bolts up from her chair, arms raised): I can't believe you lied to me! I'll never trust you again! On my first day of work... A friggin alien squirrel? How was I not supposed to notice??
Wedge (entering from right, with mind eraser in hand): Mind eraser time?
Randall: Put it down...

{{Is it odd that Randall never ?mind erased? Shanti like he did several other interviewees?}}]]> 76: Lift http://blunderlab.com/?p=433 http://blunderlab.com/?p=433 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:33:40 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=433">76: Lift</a> [[Dear Randall, How do megaweight airplanes stay in the air and not fall down out of the sky? - Kathy]] Randall: You know, with all the totally mind-blowing stuff I see on a daily basis, flight is still a concept that is truly fascinating to me! Airplanes use the concept of lift to take off and remain airborne. The combination of the airfoil shape of the wings and their upward-facing angle is the secret. [[A diagram of a wing is shown, with the airflow pattern and areas of high and low pressure shown around the wing.]] Randall: When air passes the wing, it is redirected in such a way that creates an area of low pressure on top of the wing and an area of high pressure underneath. This literally sucks the wing (and whatever's attached to it) upwards. The faster the air passes, the more upward force there is. This is why planes have to travel so fast to get off the ground! [[Randall is now standing in a wind tunnel.]] Randall: Before the advent of computer simulations, airfoil designs were tested in wind tunnels like this. Rather than move the wing rapidly through the air, the air is blown past the wing, creating the same lift effect! [[Wedge is now in the wind tunnel, wearing a Mary Poppins costume, being blown sideways through the air with his umbrella.]] Randall: Nowadays, we just use ours to film fake weather reports and Mary Poppins impressions. Wedge: Supercalifragi- holy crap! Turn it off! {{If you want to play around with some different airfoil designs, check out NASA?s FoilSim II program. It shows how different design factors affect the amount of lift you get from a wing. Pretty slick! So yeah, yesterday was my birthday. I considered taking the day off, but I got this excellent ?Ask Randall? question from my dear mother, and I thought it would be appropriate to answer her question since she?s the reason I have a birthday at all? Thanks, Mom! }} 76: Lift

[[Dear Randall,
How do megaweight airplanes stay in the air and not fall down out of the sky?
- Kathy]]
Randall: You know, with all the totally mind-blowing stuff I see on a daily basis, flight is still a concept that is truly fascinating to me!
Airplanes use the concept of lift to take off and remain airborne. The combination of the airfoil shape of the wings and their upward-facing angle is the secret.

[[A diagram of a wing is shown, with the airflow pattern and areas of high and low pressure shown around the wing.]]
Randall: When air passes the wing, it is redirected in such a way that creates an area of low pressure on top of the wing and an area of high pressure underneath. This literally sucks the wing (and whatever's attached to it) upwards.
The faster the air passes, the more upward force there is. This is why planes have to travel so fast to get off the ground!

[[Randall is now standing in a wind tunnel.]]
Randall: Before the advent of computer simulations, airfoil designs were tested in wind tunnels like this. Rather than move the wing rapidly through the air, the air is blown past the wing, creating the same lift effect!

[[Wedge is now in the wind tunnel, wearing a Mary Poppins costume, being blown sideways through the air with his umbrella.]]
Randall: Nowadays, we just use ours to film fake weather reports and Mary Poppins impressions.
Wedge: Supercalifragi- holy crap! Turn it off!

{{If you want to play around with some different airfoil designs, check out NASA?s FoilSim II program. It shows how different design factors affect the amount of lift you get from a wing. Pretty slick!
So yeah, yesterday was my birthday. I considered taking the day off, but I got this excellent ?Ask Randall? question from my dear mother, and I thought it would be appropriate to answer her question since she?s the reason I have a birthday at all? Thanks, Mom! }}]]> 75: Rat http://blunderlab.com/?p=431 http://blunderlab.com/?p=431 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:33:39 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=431">75: Rat</a> [[Randall enters the office wearing a shirt and tie under his lab coat.]] Randall: How does this look? Shanti: Oh, very professional! I think we should make this the new dress code! Randall: All right. Starting tomorrow, shirts and ties with the lab coats. Shanti: So then I should probably go with a smart business casual. [[Wedge enters wearing a huge tie and carrying a second one. Shanti leaps onto a desk chair in horror.]] Wedge: What do you think, spots or stripes? Shanti: EEEK! A RAT!! <<SHRIEK!!>> [[Cut to Louie, who is working under an SUV in the garage.]] Louie: Either they're touring the tarantula nursery, or it's time to start interviewing again... {{This is history in the making, folks. I?m turning in the old lab coats, and switching to new ones that don?t look as much like straight-jackets! And we finally get Shanti to meet Wedge! Where will this go? (I have no idea yet) Hey, I just realized today is April Fool?s Day, so? um? I got nothing. }} 75: Rat

[[Randall enters the office wearing a shirt and tie under his lab coat.]]
Randall: How does this look?
Shanti: Oh, very professional! I think we should make this the new dress code!

Randall: All right. Starting tomorrow, shirts and ties with the lab coats.
Shanti: So then I should probably go with a smart business casual.

[[Wedge enters wearing a huge tie and carrying a second one. Shanti leaps onto a desk chair in horror.]]
Wedge: What do you think, spots or stripes?
Shanti: EEEK! A RAT!!

<>
[[Cut to Louie, who is working under an SUV in the garage.]]
Louie: Either they're touring the tarantula nursery, or it's time to start interviewing again...

{{This is history in the making, folks. I?m turning in the old lab coats, and switching to new ones that don?t look as much like straight-jackets! And we finally get Shanti to meet Wedge! Where will this go? (I have no idea yet)
Hey, I just realized today is April Fool?s Day, so? um?
I got nothing. }}]]> 74: Dress code http://blunderlab.com/?p=429 http://blunderlab.com/?p=429 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:33:37 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=429">74: Dress code</a> Randall: So that's the end of our tour, and of your first day! Do you have any questions? Shanti: Actually, yes. Shanti: Is there any kind of dress code that I should follow here? Randall: Um, Louie and I always wear lab coats. Do you want a lab coat? Shanti: Oh, I don't need a lab coat. I'll just be working in the office, not in the lab... Not that there's anything wrong with the lab coats! Shanti: Except, don't people usually wear a shirt and tie underneath them? Randall: They do? I guess that means I'm going "commando" right now. {{At my real workplace the dress code is pretty lax, so we end up with people on both sides of the spectrum. Sometimes I?ll be sitting in a meeting next to one guy wearing a tie and slacks, and another guy wearing a T-shirt and torn jeans. Often times, it?s the guy in jeans who is more valuable in the meeting. Look, I remembered to post the image this time! }} 74: Dress code

Randall: So that's the end of our tour, and of your first day! Do you have any questions?
Shanti: Actually, yes.

Shanti: Is there any kind of dress code that I should follow here?
Randall: Um, Louie and I always wear lab coats. Do you want a lab coat?

Shanti: Oh, I don't need a lab coat. I'll just be working in the office, not in the lab... Not that there's anything wrong with the lab coats!

Shanti: Except, don't people usually wear a shirt and tie underneath them?
Randall: They do? I guess that means I'm going "commando" right now.

{{At my real workplace the dress code is pretty lax, so we end up with people on both sides of the spectrum. Sometimes I?ll be sitting in a meeting next to one guy wearing a tie and slacks, and another guy wearing a T-shirt and torn jeans. Often times, it?s the guy in jeans who is more valuable in the meeting.
Look, I remembered to post the image this time! }}]]> 73: Water http://blunderlab.com/?p=423 http://blunderlab.com/?p=423 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:33:36 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=423">73: Water</a> [[Dear Randall, Why does water put out fire? Why don't the Hydrogen and Oxygen just fuel it? - Dave]] Randall: Ah, a followup to the question on fire. Way to keep things interactive! Randall: Recall that fire requires fuel, oxygen, and heat to keep burning. When I say oxygen here, I mean "free oxygen" that is available for the chemical reaction. Water is a very stable molecule -- it's actually a product of the burning process. Fire needs oxygen in a less stable state, like in the O2 molecules in the air. [[Randall lights a small pile of paper on fire. To his right appears a chemical equation for propane oxidation, with the O2 and H2O parts circled.]] Randall: Water extinguishes fire by creating steam, which uses up much of the fire's heat and then sits between the fuel and the air. The burning reaction stops because it doesn't have enough heat or free oxygen to keep going. [[To the right, we see a diagram of steam sitting between a fire and the air. To the left, we see the fire Randall started, which is starting to get out of control.]] [[The sprinklers have now come on, soaking Randall and the chemistry lab.]] Randall: There are more effective means of extinguishing fires, but water has several benefits over them: it's abundant, cheap, clean, and accessible. Louie (yelling from off screen): NOT AGAIN! You can explain fire without starting one, you know! {{Water is not always the right tool though! For electrical (class C) fires, remember that water conducts electricity, and so do you. Turn off the power first! Also beware of gas or grease (class B) fires, because water and liquid fuel do not mix ? water just spreads the fuel! Use a CO2 or dry chemical fire extinguisher. This question was (probably) inspired by the Fire question from a few weeks ago. Have a look if you want to know more! Thank you Dave for the excellent follow-up! Update: Sorry to anybody who loaded the page this morning when the image file was absent! Somebody (me) was asleep at the wheel last night? Thanks to the lovely Sarah for fixing my boo-boo. }} 73: Water

[[Dear Randall,
Why does water put out fire? Why don't the Hydrogen and Oxygen just fuel it?
- Dave]]
Randall: Ah, a followup to the question on fire. Way to keep things interactive!

Randall: Recall that fire requires fuel, oxygen, and heat to keep burning. When I say oxygen here, I mean "free oxygen" that is available for the chemical reaction. Water is a very stable molecule -- it's actually a product of the burning process. Fire needs oxygen in a less stable state, like in the O2 molecules in the air.
[[Randall lights a small pile of paper on fire. To his right appears a chemical equation for propane oxidation, with the O2 and H2O parts circled.]]

Randall: Water extinguishes fire by creating steam, which uses up much of the fire's heat and then sits between the fuel and the air. The burning reaction stops because it doesn't have enough heat or free oxygen to keep going.
[[To the right, we see a diagram of steam sitting between a fire and the air. To the left, we see the fire Randall started, which is starting to get out of control.]]

[[The sprinklers have now come on, soaking Randall and the chemistry lab.]]
Randall: There are more effective means of extinguishing fires, but water has several benefits over them: it's abundant, cheap, clean, and accessible.
Louie (yelling from off screen): NOT AGAIN! You can explain fire without starting one, you know!

{{Water is not always the right tool though! For electrical (class C) fires, remember that water conducts electricity, and so do you. Turn off the power first! Also beware of gas or grease (class B) fires, because water and liquid fuel do not mix ? water just spreads the fuel! Use a CO2 or dry chemical fire extinguisher.
This question was (probably) inspired by the Fire question from a few weeks ago. Have a look if you want to know more! Thank you Dave for the excellent follow-up!
Update: Sorry to anybody who loaded the page this morning when the image file was absent! Somebody (me) was asleep at the wheel last night? Thanks to the lovely Sarah for fixing my boo-boo. }}]]> 72: Children http://blunderlab.com/?p=421 http://blunderlab.com/?p=421 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 22:33:02 -0000 <a href="http://blunderlab.com/?p=421">72: Children</a> [[Randall pokes his head into the office.]] Randall: Louie? (quieter) Wedge? [[Randall and Shanti enter the office.]] Randall: OK, come on in! This is the office, where we do all our business and administrative work. That's my desk! Randall: There's Louie's desk, and this will be yours. Shanti: Whose is that little one? Randall: Oh, the little desk? That's for... "Bring Your Child to Work" day. [[Shanti picks up a name tag that says "Wedge"]] Shanti: Aww, how cute! Which one of you has children? Randall: Umm, neither. That's for some day when we do... ...and we name them Wedge. Never can be too prepared, right? {{How much longer can he hide Wedge from her? We?ll see! In case you were wondering who writes (and illustrates) this stuff, I thought I?d tell you a bit about me. My name (in real life) is Louie, and I?m an engineer at IBM microelectronics in Burlington, VT. I?ve lived and worked here for about 9 years, and currently I help in the development of computer processors. I have a lovely wife and three cats. I?ve been drawing comic strips since the 3rd grade. They were mostly about me and my friend Randall getting into silly antics. After high school my cartooning aspirations got pushed aside for a busy school/work schedule but every so often they?d make an appearance in a notepad or textbook. Nowadays, I try really hard to balance my (usually more than) full-time job with keeping Blunder Lab?s schedule. I?m proud to say that in the 9 months this site has been alive, I?ve not missed a single post! Anyways, I hope you?re enjoying the site! I have plenty more in store for you, so please keep coming if you like what you see!}} 72: Children

[[Randall pokes his head into the office.]]
Randall: Louie? (quieter) Wedge?

[[Randall and Shanti enter the office.]]
Randall: OK, come on in! This is the office, where we do all our business and administrative work. That's my desk!

Randall: There's Louie's desk, and this will be yours.
Shanti: Whose is that little one?
Randall: Oh, the little desk? That's for... "Bring Your Child to Work" day.

[[Shanti picks up a name tag that says "Wedge"]]
Shanti: Aww, how cute! Which one of you has children?
Randall: Umm, neither. That's for some day when we do... ...and we name them Wedge. Never can be too prepared, right?

{{How much longer can he hide Wedge from her? We?ll see!
In case you were wondering who writes (and illustrates) this stuff, I thought I?d tell you a bit about me. My name (in real life) is Louie, and I?m an engineer at IBM microelectronics in Burlington, VT. I?ve lived and worked here for about 9 years, and currently I help in the development of computer processors. I have a lovely wife and three cats.
I?ve been drawing comic strips since the 3rd grade. They were mostly about me and my friend Randall getting into silly antics. After high school my cartooning aspirations got pushed aside for a busy school/work schedule but every so often they?d make an appearance in a notepad or textbook. Nowadays, I try really hard to balance my (usually more than) full-time job with keeping Blunder Lab?s schedule. I?m proud to say that in the 9 months this site has been alive, I?ve not missed a single post!
Anyways, I hope you?re enjoying the site! I have plenty more in store for you, so please keep coming if you like what you see!}}]]>