barrycarter,
Why did you choose one of the two "pippy" strips to run your test of the notification process? I was thinking that a strip that had lots of good art work would provide a value to the viewer. Who's to say about the comparative value a strips; one with lots of art work, the "joke" being "on the reader," and the comparison, a strip with a quip from a sketchy character with admittedly more personality than most of the automatons populating the American workplace?
I particularly like the drawings of the old cars.
All the best, Cactus Mitch