Although, this morning I’m having a cup of coffee.
Coffee. It keeps PZ awake.
Jake Harbansays
Well, if you’re not oppressing and killing millions of people in the process of “colonizing” Africa, India, or Steampunk Europe then you already are civilized so you don’t need to take active measures to “keep” civilized.
Anisopteransays
Only if you make it properly. Boiling water, guys, and let it brew for more than 30 seconds. And milk in the cup first, alright?
Wait, but if you must have milk, you add it last. Steep first in boiling water, then add cold milk.
Uh-oh, we’re going to have a religious argument in this thread now, aren’t we?
cartomancersays
The milk only goes in first if you’re using fine bone china. That has a tendency to crack if exposed directly to the boiling water. Otherwise it’s water first, milk afterwards. And proper skimmed milk too, otherwise you get fatty floating bits on top. Sugar is optional to taste, but if you don’t add at least five then there are building sites in England where you will be shot on sight.
cartomancersays
And the picture above is an entirely accurate representation of British military protocol. Our tanks have all been fitted with integral tea kettles since the first world war, and if an RAF mission forgets to bring the teapot, they have been known to fly right back to base and get it. There’s even a Mitch Benn song about that last one.
Mind you, since a fair number of our past wars have been about securing the national tea supply it’s not all that surprising.
themadtappersays
It’s funny, I was actually disappointed when I saw this image when Foglio updated his site last night, not because it’s bad (I actually like the picture, despite being a coffee person myself) but because it was filler and meant I won’t get the next story update until Monday. And of all things I find it reposted here. No point to make really, just struck me as amusing. Also, anyone who doesn’t already read Girl Genius should. It’s quite entertaining.
Holmssays
“It’s a Farmers Union Iced Coffee, or it’s nuthin’!”
bargearsesays
PZ @5
Uh-oh, we’re going to have a religious argument in this thread now, aren’t we?
Sigh, if we must. You get the wood for the bonfire, someone else round up the milk first heretics. I’ll put the kettle on so we can all have a cuppa after we’re done.
And of course you can’t have a proper disaster in the UK without tea urns provided by the WI.
chigau (違う)says
honey
Menyambalsays
I can’t remember the situation, but somewhere an army medic complained about the British first aid. They’d give the wounded a few grains of morphia and a cup of tea. The problem was the morphia masked any shock symptoms, and the tea leaked out through stomach wounds.
bargearsesays
Menyambal @ 13
I don’t know if it ever happened for real but that exact situation happened in an episode of MASH.
Matthew Trevorsays
I’m not sure if I’d call addicting a nation to opium in order to stop paying silver for tea is exactly “civilised” but the British Empire would probably disagree.
Dr Marcus Hill Ph.D. (arguing from his own authority)says
Milk last. If you add it first, the tea won’t infuse properly. I also note the correct spelling of “civilised”.
slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem))says
I once heard that the proper temperature for the hot water for tea was 30 seconds before boiling (no temperature, just time). This was always followed with the trick to achieve that to perfection: two pots of water, equal amounts of water in each. Put one on stove at max, wait 30 seconds, put on second. When first boils, use 2nd for tea.
Any one who would stick to such a rigorous technique would be a very fastidious person.
—
aside from that bit of trivia:
Tea time has always been highlighted as a civilizing influence. No matter how rude/violent an argument, at precisely 4 o clock, everyone stops for tea and politely discusses the issues. Even war pauses at 4 for tea. (or so I’ve been told).
And that was the importance of the Boston “~1775 Event” of throwing all the tea off the Imperial Ships into the Harbor, and the advocacy of drinking coffee instead of tea. Because coffee was more local, being from South America, while tea required the “overlords” to import the tea leaves from China.
The calming effect of the time while steeping the leaves to flavor the water could be quite beneficial as well.
[*whispering*] tea leaves behind those interesting leafy residues in the cup. Ripe for soothsayers to exploit.
cartomancersays
Of course it’s civilized! It’s the very definition of civilized! Do people in small agrarian communities launch imperialistic wars to line their own pockets? Do nomadic peoples go around setting up elaborate international trading concerns to exploit the resources of other nations?
For proper large-scale military exploitation you need cities and the life they allow!
anatsays
Ripe for soothsayers to exploit.
The middle east has a tradition of reading coffee grounds.
bryanfeirsays
Of course, the fact that it’s obviously supposed to be War of the Worlds going on out there with the tripods just caps it off.
Menyambalsays
Bargearse, thank you. I thought it was from the book M*A*S*H, but I couldn’t find the asterisk on my phone.
Artorsays
Bryanfeir, no, not War of the Worlds. That’s not a Martian tripod. It’s probably a Wulfenbach battle clank.
Anisopteransays
Marcus @ 16: You put milk in your teapot? Or worse still, you brew it in the mug? Now, that is heresy! (Fetch the kindling someone)…
@Artor (22)
Unlikely, given that England is closed to Klaus.
themadtappersays
@24
Well, at this point it would be Gilgamesh, not Klaus (the former Baron is currently taking a “nap”), and Gil’s made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t give two shits about Her Undying Majesty. That being said, it doesn’t particularly look like a Wulfenbach clank, and tea is hardly exclusive to England, so it could pretty much be anyone’s clank anywhere in Europa.
fakeusernamesays
#25:
The union jack belt buckle suggests that the soldier is form the UK. The St. George stained glass window (not to mention the obvious War of the Worlds parody) suggests that the setting is in England. Whose tripod-clanks those are is another matter, though Mars isn’t out of the question.
themadtappersays
@26
You know, I completely missed the belt buckle. Good eye. Probably indeed England. And yeah, with this mythos you never know where things are from. It could be sent by mole people for all we know. :)
slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem))says
re 26:
no mention of Aladdin’s teapot? I’m sure a djinn would help the Brits battle the Tripods, eh? snark snark, chuckle
unclefrogysays
what a disappointing way to start friday
what is down in those catacombs?!?
great drawings and always maintaining the suspense great What will happen next?
would make a much more interesting tv serial then game of thrown’s
given the right writers and other caveats
uncle frogy
themadtappersays
would make a much more interesting tv serial then game of thrown’s
given the right writers and other caveats
I’d love to see an animated Girl Genius series. Or a Buck Godot series. I’d love to see him bring that comic back, but Girl Genius probably eats a lot of his time.
praesays
OMFG Girl Genius!
I totally forgot about that… I should really catch up with my webcomics. Also, yes, an animated GG series would be f*cking awesome
Mobiussays
I’ve already downloaded the image to make into wallpaper.
Re: coffee, here is an earlier GG that I sometimes use as wallpaper.
heck it would make a very enjoyable live action / CGI serial given good casting & acting and production values and managed to keep the superb balance of drama and humor and references going.
Just use the cartoons as the story board and you have plenty for a few seasons worth of FUN!
uncle frogy
microraptorsays
prae @31:
Don’t worry, there haven’t been any significant plot advancements since whenever the last time you tuned in was.
DonDueedsays
Oh man, Girl Genius!
I discovered it a few months ago and blitzed through the whole archive. I can’t figure out why I didn’t know about it sooner. I knew Foglio’s work from his (very NSFW) Xxenophile comics.
Now I have a GG T-shirt and everything. “It is a glorious day… FOR SCIENCE!”
John Phillips, FCDsays
Seeing St George in the image reminds me that it’s also St George’s day today as its already the 23rd on this side of the pond.
Kimpatsusays
OF COURSE we Brits are civilised. Now, time to retake the Colonies and civilise them as well…
rqsays
Of course, it is important to note that some tea cannot be drunk with milk, but with a slice of lemon. Here’s a set of tea instructions, and please note the column on the right side, explaining the part about how milk goes in last.
Now that that’s out of the way: you can never brew tea for too long, as long as you add enough milk to compensate. Yes, your spoon should be standing by the end of the ordeal. And honey. Definitely honey.
And my favourite way to make tea is by making a tea-milk infusion (no water at all), by heating milk with tea leaves in it. Other spices and honey may be added at leisure.
Rob Grigjanissays
rq @38:
And my favourite way to make tea is by making a tea-milk infusion (no water at all), by heating milk with tea leaves in it. Other spices and honey may be added at leisure.
Urgh. To complete the horror, you could add a splash of melnais balzams. ;-)
chigau (違う)says
Since I saw the OP, I have been reading Girl Genius.
I am at April 23, 2010.
Ariaflame, BSc, BF, PhDsays
When Phil and Kaja are at a convention a radio serial version is often performed with con members playing a lot of the parts, and the audience as the chorus for such things as “Othar Trygvasson GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER”
Lots of fun.
And the only tea I drink is the green type you get at chinese restaurants when at yum chat/dim sum, or some herbal.
blfsays
And my favourite way to make tea is by making a tea-milk infusion (no water at all), by heating milk with tea leaves in it. Other spices and honey may be added at leisure.
Similar to Masala chai.
chigau (違う)says
April 22, 2015
I need a break.
Owlmirrorsays
(checks 20150422)
Do have some cake, chigau!
DLCsays
I gave up on web comics a few years back. But still remember Girl Genius.
As for the tea, try a teapot. I suggest warming the pot with some hot water first, if you have a china one. Next, add in the tea, avoiding the kind in paper bags. Let steep for half a minute at least, then pour into your cup and add milk and/or sugar to taste. some even add lemon, but… curdle your own milk, not mine.
Proper English tea, I’m told, is served with food, or at least biscuits. (that would be cookies to most Americans.)
In some places
Although, this morning I’m having a cup of coffee.
Coffee. It keeps PZ awake.
Well, if you’re not oppressing and killing millions of people in the process of “colonizing” Africa, India, or Steampunk Europe then you already are civilized so you don’t need to take active measures to “keep” civilized.
Only if you make it properly. Boiling water, guys, and let it brew for more than 30 seconds. And milk in the cup first, alright?
No milk at all!
Wait, but if you must have milk, you add it last. Steep first in boiling water, then add cold milk.
Uh-oh, we’re going to have a religious argument in this thread now, aren’t we?
The milk only goes in first if you’re using fine bone china. That has a tendency to crack if exposed directly to the boiling water. Otherwise it’s water first, milk afterwards. And proper skimmed milk too, otherwise you get fatty floating bits on top. Sugar is optional to taste, but if you don’t add at least five then there are building sites in England where you will be shot on sight.
And the picture above is an entirely accurate representation of British military protocol. Our tanks have all been fitted with integral tea kettles since the first world war, and if an RAF mission forgets to bring the teapot, they have been known to fly right back to base and get it. There’s even a Mitch Benn song about that last one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkN3vPhA5M0
Mind you, since a fair number of our past wars have been about securing the national tea supply it’s not all that surprising.
It’s funny, I was actually disappointed when I saw this image when Foglio updated his site last night, not because it’s bad (I actually like the picture, despite being a coffee person myself) but because it was filler and meant I won’t get the next story update until Monday. And of all things I find it reposted here. No point to make really, just struck me as amusing. Also, anyone who doesn’t already read Girl Genius should. It’s quite entertaining.
“It’s a Farmers Union Iced Coffee, or it’s nuthin’!”
PZ @5
Sigh, if we must. You get the wood for the bonfire, someone else round up the milk first heretics. I’ll put the kettle on so we can all have a cuppa after we’re done.
And of course you can’t have a proper disaster in the UK without tea urns provided by the WI.
honey
I can’t remember the situation, but somewhere an army medic complained about the British first aid. They’d give the wounded a few grains of morphia and a cup of tea. The problem was the morphia masked any shock symptoms, and the tea leaked out through stomach wounds.
Menyambal @ 13
I don’t know if it ever happened for real but that exact situation happened in an episode of MASH.
I’m not sure if I’d call addicting a nation to opium in order to stop paying silver for tea is exactly “civilised” but the British Empire would probably disagree.
Milk last. If you add it first, the tea won’t infuse properly. I also note the correct spelling of “civilised”.
I once heard that the proper temperature for the hot water for tea was 30 seconds before boiling (no temperature, just time). This was always followed with the trick to achieve that to perfection: two pots of water, equal amounts of water in each. Put one on stove at max, wait 30 seconds, put on second. When first boils, use 2nd for tea.
Any one who would stick to such a rigorous technique would be a very fastidious person.
—
aside from that bit of trivia:
Tea time has always been highlighted as a civilizing influence. No matter how rude/violent an argument, at precisely 4 o clock, everyone stops for tea and politely discusses the issues. Even war pauses at 4 for tea. (or so I’ve been told).
And that was the importance of the Boston “~1775 Event” of throwing all the tea off the Imperial Ships into the Harbor, and the advocacy of drinking coffee instead of tea. Because coffee was more local, being from South America, while tea required the “overlords” to import the tea leaves from China.
The calming effect of the time while steeping the leaves to flavor the water could be quite beneficial as well.
[*whispering*] tea leaves behind those interesting leafy residues in the cup. Ripe for soothsayers to exploit.
Of course it’s civilized! It’s the very definition of civilized! Do people in small agrarian communities launch imperialistic wars to line their own pockets? Do nomadic peoples go around setting up elaborate international trading concerns to exploit the resources of other nations?
For proper large-scale military exploitation you need cities and the life they allow!
The middle east has a tradition of reading coffee grounds.
Of course, the fact that it’s obviously supposed to be War of the Worlds going on out there with the tripods just caps it off.
Bargearse, thank you. I thought it was from the book M*A*S*H, but I couldn’t find the asterisk on my phone.
Bryanfeir, no, not War of the Worlds. That’s not a Martian tripod. It’s probably a Wulfenbach battle clank.
Marcus @ 16: You put milk in your teapot? Or worse still, you brew it in the mug? Now, that is heresy! (Fetch the kindling someone)…
@Artor (22)
Unlikely, given that England is closed to Klaus.
@24
Well, at this point it would be Gilgamesh, not Klaus (the former Baron is currently taking a “nap”), and Gil’s made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t give two shits about Her Undying Majesty. That being said, it doesn’t particularly look like a Wulfenbach clank, and tea is hardly exclusive to England, so it could pretty much be anyone’s clank anywhere in Europa.
#25:
The union jack belt buckle suggests that the soldier is form the UK. The St. George stained glass window (not to mention the obvious War of the Worlds parody) suggests that the setting is in England. Whose tripod-clanks those are is another matter, though Mars isn’t out of the question.
@26
You know, I completely missed the belt buckle. Good eye. Probably indeed England. And yeah, with this mythos you never know where things are from. It could be sent by mole people for all we know. :)
re 26:
no mention of Aladdin’s teapot? I’m sure a djinn would help the Brits battle the Tripods, eh? snark snark, chuckle
what a disappointing way to start friday
what is down in those catacombs?!?
great drawings and always maintaining the suspense great What will happen next?
would make a much more interesting tv serial then game of thrown’s
given the right writers and other caveats
uncle frogy
I’d love to see an animated Girl Genius series. Or a Buck Godot series. I’d love to see him bring that comic back, but Girl Genius probably eats a lot of his time.
OMFG Girl Genius!
I totally forgot about that… I should really catch up with my webcomics. Also, yes, an animated GG series would be f*cking awesome
I’ve already downloaded the image to make into wallpaper.
Re: coffee, here is an earlier GG that I sometimes use as wallpaper.
http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20071015
heck it would make a very enjoyable live action / CGI serial given good casting & acting and production values and managed to keep the superb balance of drama and humor and references going.
Just use the cartoons as the story board and you have plenty for a few seasons worth of FUN!
uncle frogy
prae @31:
Don’t worry, there haven’t been any significant plot advancements since whenever the last time you tuned in was.
Oh man, Girl Genius!
I discovered it a few months ago and blitzed through the whole archive. I can’t figure out why I didn’t know about it sooner. I knew Foglio’s work from his (very NSFW) Xxenophile comics.
Now I have a GG T-shirt and everything. “It is a glorious day… FOR SCIENCE!”
Seeing St George in the image reminds me that it’s also St George’s day today as its already the 23rd on this side of the pond.
OF COURSE we Brits are civilised. Now, time to retake the Colonies and civilise them as well…
Of course, it is important to note that some tea cannot be drunk with milk, but with a slice of lemon. Here’s a set of tea instructions, and please note the column on the right side, explaining the part about how milk goes in last.
Now that that’s out of the way: you can never brew tea for too long, as long as you add enough milk to compensate. Yes, your spoon should be standing by the end of the ordeal. And honey. Definitely honey.
And my favourite way to make tea is by making a tea-milk infusion (no water at all), by heating milk with tea leaves in it. Other spices and honey may be added at leisure.
rq @38:
Urgh. To complete the horror, you could add a splash of melnais balzams. ;-)
Since I saw the OP, I have been reading Girl Genius.
I am at April 23, 2010.
When Phil and Kaja are at a convention a radio serial version is often performed with con members playing a lot of the parts, and the audience as the chorus for such things as “Othar Trygvasson GENTLEMAN ADVENTURER”
Lots of fun.
And the only tea I drink is the green type you get at chinese restaurants when at yum chat/dim sum, or some herbal.
Similar to Masala chai.
April 22, 2015
I need a break.
(checks 20150422)
Do have some cake, chigau!
I gave up on web comics a few years back. But still remember Girl Genius.
As for the tea, try a teapot. I suggest warming the pot with some hot water first, if you have a china one. Next, add in the tea, avoiding the kind in paper bags. Let steep for half a minute at least, then pour into your cup and add milk and/or sugar to taste. some even add lemon, but… curdle your own milk, not mine.
Proper English tea, I’m told, is served with food, or at least biscuits. (that would be cookies to most Americans.)
In some places
April 25, 2016
@chigau (46)
?
I am in the present in Girl Genius.