# XKCD 1190: "Time"---Randall's setting something up... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2013, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901 "2013-03-25T10:31:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/341 "2013-06-21T01:59:12Z")
hmm, so waiting for all of this to be over before checking out the full comic, is going to take some time. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/342 "2013-06-21T03:01:49Z")
Hence the title “time” and the mouseover text “Wait for it” ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/343 "2013-06-21T11:09:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Whoa. Things just got dangerous. > > What is that, a mountain lion? Why are we spoilering this? Or more likely some kind of house cat looking for people since the house is abandoned. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/344 "2013-06-21T11:12:42Z")
T’hell with the spoilers. That’d be one big kitty cat; it’s nearly as big as they are and can knock them over. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/345 "2013-06-22T19:11:27Z")
Well… things just got a lot darker… ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/346 "2013-06-25T21:09:31Z")
3 months as of today ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/347 "2013-06-25T22:53:37Z")
I’m still waiting for it… ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/348 "2013-06-26T02:16:34Z")
I hope there’s more walking. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/349 "2013-06-26T13:23:03Z")
Looks like it’s starting to fade out. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/350 "2013-06-26T14:19:06Z")
Not fade out, it’s a sunset. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/351 "2013-06-26T17:35:22Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Well… things just got a lot darker… You ain’t seen _nothin’_ yet. Check out the sequence of pics ensuing from frame 2357 on… Seriously, that is some beautiful artistry there. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/352 "2013-06-27T01:20:10Z")
From the angle of the sun’s descent, and assuming they’re on Earth, derive what possible latitudinal range they are in. Go. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/353 "2013-06-27T04:11:45Z")
Why assume? We can clearly calculate the gravitational pull based upon the rate of descent from the trebuchet firing. And by “we” I meant “you.” ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/354 "2013-06-27T05:14:50Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > Why assume? We can clearly calculate the gravitational pull based upon the rate of descent from the trebuchet firing. > > And by “we” I meant “you.” The time between frames seems to vary a lot, so I don’t think you could figure it out. There’s no way to figure out the “real time”. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/355 "2013-06-27T15:20:23Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > The time between frames seems to vary a lot, so I don’t think you could figure it out. There’s no way to figure out the “real time”. People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but _actually_ from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it’s more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly… time-y wimey… stuff. Or maybe they’re in an alternate universe where time flows just like it’s shown on screen. That every creature has evolved with limited transporter technology and each frame occurs with no break between them. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/356 "2013-06-27T15:37:00Z")
A moving (and growing) light in the sky. Firefly, normal movement of the stars over time, or METEOR COMING RIGHT FOR US?!? Guess we’ll have to wait for it… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/357 "2013-06-27T15:49:35Z")
Great bit of dialog here: [xkcd Time - at your own pace](http://geekwagon.net/projects/xkcd1190/?frame=1359) Cueball: I’ll wake you if I get tired. Megan: Or if something is trying to eat you, and you need me to hit it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/358 "2013-06-27T23:01:02Z")
Anybody recognize the constellations? ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/359 "2013-06-27T23:01:16Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > A moving (and growing) light in the sky. Firefly, normal movement of the stars over time, or METEOR COMING RIGHT FOR US?!? Just stars, it turns out. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/360 "2013-06-28T00:09:19Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > Anybody recognize the constellations? There’s a big W that might perhaps be Cassiopeia. Not quite the same shape, but close. > **[File:CassiopeiaCC.jpg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CassiopeiaCC.jpg)** > > Original file (427 × 640 pixels, file size: 50 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) > Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. > You cannot overwrite this file. The following page uses this file: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901.md?page=19)