xkcd

[halfeye]

https://xkcd.com/2764/

What?

I don't parse the first at all.

The second is just bogus (unless there's proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial bacteria), the universe has existed over twice as long as the Earth, and bacteria are Earthlife.

[Ionathus]

https://xkcd.com/2764/

What?

I don't parse the first at all.

The second is just bogus (unless there's proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial bacteria), the universe has existed over twice as long as the Earth, and bacteria are Earthlife.

The universe is older yes, but the "dark-energy-dominated era" didn't start until about 5 bya and bacteria emerged around 3 bya, so those two are indeed closer than bacteria to modern day.

Caveat: I did not know that until I researched it in response to your comment. I didn't even know the universe had these three "eras" at all!

[halfeye]

Well, he's worng if he thinks this one is meaningful:

https://xkcd.com/2769/

[Gnoman]

It is an eclipse reference. There was a pretty major eclipse event in the Southern Hemisphere.

[halfeye]

It is an eclipse reference. There was a pretty major eclipse event in the Southern Hemisphere.

Yeah, but that's the Venn diagram for AND, it's not the case that set theorists also have to be astronomers to be interested in that shape.

[Maat Mons]

The moderators wouldn’t make an exception to the thread necromancy policy for the old thread?

I like to see new versions of threads link to the old ones. Here are the ones I can find:

• XKCD - it's awesome!
• XKCD II - (May be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors.)
• xkcd 1 (As Far As I Can Tell): Wow, That's a Really Cool Baby!
• xkcd

[halfeye]

The moderators wouldn’t make an exception to the thread necromancy policy for the old thread?

I didn't ask, couldn't be bothered. This one will die on it's arse too, probably, there just isn't that much interest.

I like to see new versions of threads link to the old ones. Here are the ones I can find:

• XKCD - it's awesome!
• XKCD II - (May be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors.)
• xkcd 1 (As Far As I Can Tell): Wow, That's a Really Cool Baby!
• xkcd

You do you ,

[WanderingMist]

Yeah, but that's the Venn diagram for AND, it's not the case that set theorists also have to be astronomers to be interested in that shape.

I don't think you understand how Venn diagrams work. Set theorists are one group, astronomers are the other, and both groups get excited by overlapping circles.

[Maat Mons]

Has anyone else put much time into https://xkcd.com/2765/? Personally, I got off the Origin planet with sideways thrust and bouncing, and only after coming back later with a more upgraded ship did I find the way I was supposed to get off. Also, while I've found the crack in the Firmament, so far I've only managed to get outside it by accidentally glitching through a completely solid part after hitting it at high velocity. Also, after a while of bouncing around on the outer surface of the Firmament, I glitched back into it, got stuck in the wall for a while, then some of the solid objects stopped rendering. I warped to the home base, but found that Origin was no longer there. I just went inside where it should have been. When I reloaded the page, the planet was back, but I was inside of it. Or at least I was briefly, before I got shunted out. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, what's a good way of reliably finding the Subway Planet? I've only managed to get there once, and I had to warp back home without collecting most of the items after I got stuck in the gravitational well of the black hole.

[halfeye]

I don't think you understand how Venn diagrams work. Set theorists are one group, astronomers are the other, and both groups get excited by overlapping circles.

I think I do understand how Venn diagrams work. The middle area in this one is the overlap, only members of both sets appear in that overlap. Which is perhaps why the writing is only in the middle bit, though I still think it's odd.

[Lo'Tek]

I think I do understand how Venn diagrams work. The middle area in this one is the overlap, only members of both sets appear in that overlap. Which is perhaps why the writing is only in the middle bit, though I still think it's odd.

That is a purely set-theorist approach (where the circles [normally] represent sets and the overlap represents their intersection of elements in both sets), try looking at it like an astronomer, where the shapes can both be mutually exclusive (astronomical objects that do [probably] not share matter and space time coordinates) and overlapping (due to planar projection) Once you understand both perspectives, you will be more excited about it ;-)

(edit: added text in (brackets) for clarification)
[edit: added text in [brackets] to increase truthiness]

[Lord Torath]

Airlines hate this one simple trick...

[Lord Torath]

Rube-Goldberg Machines for Life!

[gomipile]

Geohydrotypography

I wonder what line spacing Randall is assuming here. Probably 100% single-spaced. Though, most typefaces look "single-spaced" in an un-cramped way at something like 130% spacing, plus or minus a bit.

[halfeye]

Geohydrotypography

I wonder what line spacing Randall is assuming here. Probably 100% single-spaced. Though, most typefaces look "single-spaced" in an un-cramped way at something like 130% spacing, plus or minus a bit.

It's a good question, some fonts are wider than others at the same point size, then there are monospace fonts which are different again, I'm not at all sure that even they are always the same width at the same point size.

[gomipile]

https://xkcd.com/2816/

Some of these eclipse types might make good "high concepts" for parody disaster films. I wonder if there'd be a profitable market for a parody of a Roland Emmerich style worldwide disaster film?

[Lord Torath]

xkcd 2819: Pronunciation: It's a windy, windy canyon!

Also, Drow rhymes with bow and sow, obviously!

[Radar]

xkcd 2819: Pronunciation: It's a windy, windy canyon!

Also, Drow rhymes with bow and sow, obviously!

English is a kitchen sink of a language that was never properly organized. As far as international languages go, we really could have landed better. We could have also landed worse as at the very least it is relatively easy to speak, so I just live with it.

[Malfarian]

Z = 10 is a reference to redshift, that is how far away and thus back in time an object is located in space.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...omical_objects

[DavidSh]

Z = 10 is a reference to redshift, that is how far away and thus back in time an object is located in space.

This is in response to which xkcd strip or which message here?

[gomipile]

English is a kitchen sink of a language that was never properly organized. As far as international languages go, we really could have landed better. We could have also landed worse as at the very least it is relatively easy to speak, so I just live with it.

I've started to see this as a positive feature of English. It's great for poetry and puns. Just lots of linguistic tricks and fun, generally.

Double entendre and allusion are part of how we think in some languages. Like English and Japanese, for example. I and many others enjoy the artistic benefits of this.

I'm not saying there are no downsides. But when we need precise language, we do have the technical language of various professional and academic fields where definitions of important nouns and verbs are locked down.

[Manga Shoggoth]

xkcd 2819: Pronunciation: It's a windy, windy canyon!

Also, Drow rhymes with bow and sow, obviously!

As Gomipile notes, English is great for wordplay of all kinds. At least two of the examples have context-dependent pronunciation: If you use "use" it has some use in wordplay, and "bass" could make some very deep fish puns that would be music to my ears.

[WanderingMist]

This is in response to which xkcd strip or which message here?

To the very first post of the thread.

[Lord Torath]

Sign Combo
The only winning move is to run over the sign post.

[Radar]

Sign Combo
The only winning move is to run over the sign post.

No, the only way to win is not to play.

[Ionathus]

This sign combo is, in fact, one of my deepest driving fears.

There's a very specific, visceral reaction to turning the wrong way down a one-way street, even an empty one. This comic tapped that fear so acutely for me.

[Rodin]

This sign combo is, in fact, one of my deepest driving fears.

There's a very specific, visceral reaction to turning the wrong way down a one-way street, even an empty one. This comic tapped that fear so acutely for me.

I've done it after forgetting my glasses while driving late at night in a small town that nonetheless had a one way system. Because I couldn't read the street signs my friends in the back were on sign duty, and they missed the one-way sign.

Ah, to be young and stupid again...


The inspiraling roundabout is basically the one around the Arc de Triomphe. If you're ever in Paris I recommend climbing the Arc over the Eiffel Tower - less crowded and there is much amusement to be had watching the chaos from above. Remarkably, that roundabout is significantly more safe than the next busiest junction in Paris which is traffic-light controlled.

[Laurentio III]

Sign Combo
The only winning move is to run over the sign post.

Technically speaking, there are a few "winning" possibilities.
1 - To stop before the sign. (Build a small hut. Live there. Breed goats)
2 - Going offroad, traveling perpendicularly until you meet a new road. (In case of a new continent, you are advised to christen it before Vespucci)
3 - Hastly disassebling your car, so you are now a pedestian. (You still have to dispose of the car pieces, else it's littering)
4 - Up. (Hard, requires preparation)
5 - Down. (Harder, requires even more preparation. Change of meeting a Balrog)

[John Campbell]

Technically speaking, there are a few "winning" possibilities.
1 - To stop before the sign. (Build a small hut. Live there. Breed goats)
2 - Going offroad, traveling perpendicularly until you meet a new road. (In case of a new continent, you are advised to christen it before Vespucci)
3 - Hastly disassebling your car, so you are now a pedestian. (You still have to dispose of the car pieces, else it's littering)
4 - Up. (Hard, requires preparation)
5 - Down. (Harder, requires even more preparation. Change of meeting a Balrog)

Throw it in reverse and back out. Not a U-turn!

[DavidSh]

Throw it in reverse and back out. Not a U-turn!

And a K-turn is distinct from a U-turn, isn't it?

I'm not sure I get this afternoon's comic. Does flipping the "circuit breakers" breaker disable all of the breakers, including itself?