Remorse code
Whether it is a zombie plague, alien invasion or the dawn of our robotic masters, it’s probably best that you learn at least one Morse code signal – SOS.
It doesn’t mean ’save our souls’…. nor does it mean ’survivors on shore’ or ’save our ship’.
For a start, the international distress signal, SOS, was first used by the Germans in 1905, and I doubt they had the foresight to create a distress call as an English acronym. There are no spaces between the ‘letters’ either… dot-dot-dot-dash-dash-dash-dot-dot-dot.
It doesn’t really stand for anything other than what it is – a distress call (or Notzeichen in German).
But that’s not to belittle it. It is the best distress call.
The greatness of SOS is partly due to the what it inherits from mose code. An almost binary method of communication that can, with a little effort, be easily read and created by humans in a number of ways – electrically, sonically and via sound and light… or eyelids.
It is the best distress call. Sort of…
I’m assuming that when it all kicks off (and science fiction doesn’t lie… it will kick off) everyone will use SOS, leading to a virtual static of distress. So how will I know when you, my international Internet friends, are in trouble? I propose an extra distress call, to be used in conjunction with SOS, so that we can identify each other.
Any ideas what it should be?
.-.. — .-..
(http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html to translate the above)
golfwidow´s last blog ..the universe does not want me
Haha. Not entirely usueful, but a way to mock certain doom.
I tried to translate this. First effort got LL, but had the middle dash removed because it was an offending character (fascist internet translator!!). I replaced the dash with a minus symbol and got “”.
I only assume that you either meant LoL or *blank*?
Fun morse code fact: the default Nokia text message sound, the one that goes beep-beep-beep, beeep beeep, beep-beep-beep is morse code for “SMS” (dot dot dot, dash dash, dot dot dot), standing for Shirt Message System, the more ‘proper’ term for text messages.
/b
Surely ‘Short Message System’?
‘Shirt Message System’ is also known as the Ben Sherman code.
But I didn’t know that. Cool fact.
Adam, I need to commend you on your increasingly excellent comics. Your drawings are always so spare and minimalist, but I frequently download them and put them in my little folders for inspiration because of their depth. Each one is like a sad little poem.
Thank you – well done, again.
On topic: how about we draw inciteful single panel webcomics which hint at a most-than-passing familiarity with psychology, philosophy and prescription medication?
franzy´s last blog ..I should have broken a cup
Aww, thanks. It’s always nice to hear that.
Psychology, philosophy and prescription meds… sounds like an average Friday night on the town.
I actually have a day job, in a psychiatric hospital. I have noticed that the lign between philosophers and the mentally disturbed is less than wafer thin. Similarly with artists – indeed, some of the clients here are very artistic… and then you have to wonder what influence the drugs have on that…
Good call.
You think you have a day job there, but really, you are a resident there.
hehe
I often like to think that really, I am insane and my boring life is just a hallucination.
My first thought was … …. .. -
And indeed when the … …. .. – hits the fan that will be the most prominent and persistent thought. And I don’t see why I shouldn’t signal that to anyone who knows morse code.
The Great Joe Bivins´s last blog ..COMIC: BAADD: Blobs All About Drunk Driving
It will probably be the last signal of humanity, broadcast in to space as an epitaph.
Alien civilisations will endevour to decode the meaning of this cryptic message, but eventually they too will reach their end and send out a last gasp signal… at which point they will realise exactly what you had said.
Beethoven’s fifth symphony starts with a form similar to morse code. Can’t remember what for, but presumably someone’s found a meaning for “Dun dun dun DUNNNNN….Dun dun dun DUNNNN” in the dot dot dash world.
I had a dream the other night that aliens had invaded the planet, and were killing us by using the contaminated water on their ships, which could be stopped by “regular antibiotics”. A resonating moral meaning, about the state of the world? Or just me going crazy in my sleep again….Nobody knows.
And I think the clear message that it has all “kicked off” via the internet would just be the death of the internet itself, surely?
I guess that would be dot-dot-dot-dash, which is the letter ‘V’… so VV
There’s also evidence that if the internet was to die, civilisation would end as a response.
It is V, it was on QI as being associated with a post-WWII Winston Churchill.
Also, V is 5 in roman numerals, which is quite appropriate.
/b
Ah, that was it. I knew it was something clever like that.
Dum dum dum dummmm…..
I reckon .–. .- -. .. -.-.
or .. / .-.. . ..-. – / – …. . / … – — …- . / — -. / .- –. .- .. -.
http://www2b.abc.net.au/science/k2/stn/newposts/4231/post4231116.shtm <this is what I did this week, thought some of you might enjoy the humour.
…. ..!
I had a code book as a kid and memorized Morse code so well I used to be able to send fake messages using my mum’s stapler (…it’s a toggle-like stapler. I was very young.) but as with all the languages I knew, being around people who only wanted to converse in English dulled those brain cells.
Now I fear the day will come I’ll send an S.O.S., someone will respond, and I’ll have no idea WTH they’re saying to me.
Lynda´s last blog ..Danger is afoot!
I hope this isn’t a double comment….comme j’ai dit avant….
Stapler-coding…how neat! I dig it a hole lot. ^U^
sitting pugs´s last blog ..Rotating The Hurt Locker
oh shit. i have to know morse code too?
if i have to blink my eyes to let you know
i’m in trouble, kill me. please. kill me.
Seraphine´s last blog ..I Want Romance
I often feel the same way.
Ben´s last blog ..Greatest Fridge in the World
I was obsessed with morse code when i was younger, i had a walkie talkie with the morse code printed onto the top, i sat for hours with my neighbourhood friend talking in morse code!
My phone (which is quite basic) has a really cool feature which is that it emits an SOS signal using the light for the flash on the camera, thankfully i’ve never had to use it but it could come in handy some day xD