# 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:** 22
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/421 "2013-07-19T12:46:00Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And one frame more makes it pretty darned clear what the map is. Yeah, it does, making my previous comment completely off-base. Sigh. ---
**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:** [July 19, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/422 "2013-07-19T13:04:03Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > The map shows the Mediterranean Sea as mostly dry land. The flood is occurring as the Atlantic ocean breaks through the Straights of Gibraltar and floods the Mediterranean. > > This happened 5.33 million years ago. > > It may also happen again in the future. If the sea levels fall from an ice age or something the Mediterranean can go dry again. It just takes the water levels falling enough for the Straights of Gibraltar to become dry land. Once that happens the Mediterranean will gradually evaporate faster than fresh water comes in. (This also explains why the water tasted so bad - the sea that is left in what was the Mediterranean will be hyper-saline.). If the climate changes and sea levels rise again, the sea will eventually breach the straights and spill back in. That’s a really useful summary but…“straits”, please. My inner pedant begs you. ---
**Author:** ![Twoflower](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twoflower/32/22_2.png) [@Twoflower](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twoflower)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/423 "2013-07-19T16:10:39Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Now, is the fact that Megan knows how to build and use a trebuchet going to become important? So, there’s not enough time to send help … Maybe if they build a big trebuchet, and tie a message to a rock … ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/424 "2013-07-19T16:50:01Z")
I thought it was going to be Atlantis. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/425 "2013-07-19T18:01:32Z")
Do **Andy L** ever make **AndrewL** feel bad because he registered first? ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/426 "2013-07-19T18:11:17Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > That map puts it either about [5.33 million years ago](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclean_flood)(were their even humans around then? With language and castles?) or sometime in the future. Well, perusing the many posts at the xkcd forum, the consensus has formed around it being around 10,000 years in the future, based on the positionings of the stars during that nightime segment awhile back. On that forum among other things, they’re also tried to pinpoint the castle (somewhere along the coastline of current South France), one reasonable suggestion was Chateau d’If… ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/427 "2013-07-19T19:14:58Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Do **Andy L** ever make **AndrewL** feel bad because he registered first? I try not to lord it over him… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/428 "2013-07-19T20:12:10Z")
Hey, when did the alt-text change from “Wait for it” to “RUN”? > **[Time](https://xkcd.com/1190/)** > > The end. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/429 "2013-07-19T20:16:55Z")
Good catch! ---
**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:** [July 19, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/430 "2013-07-19T21:19:59Z")
Yeah - that was a great catch. Can’t remember the last time I went to the actual source page ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/431 "2013-07-19T21:43:44Z")
I wonder how many people are actually watching this webcomic in a webcomic. Certainly there are a lot of dedicated viewers, but how many casual XKCD fans are completely oblivious to this whole series even existing? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/432 "2013-07-19T21:49:07Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I wonder how many people are actually watching this webcomic in a webcomic. > Certainly there are a lot of dedicated viewers, but how many casual XKCD fans are completely oblivious to this whole series even existing? I think XKCD fans tend towards the more dedicated, especially when there’s a known “puzzle”. I continue to maintain that this will end in a “Your Mom” joke. Like a flashback to a few months earlier when Your Mom took a swim in the Atlantic ocean starting this whole thing off. ---
**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:** [July 19, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/433 "2013-07-19T22:07:31Z")
Since they are running, hopefully it won’t take them 3 months (our time) to get back. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2013, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/434 "2013-07-19T22:43:14Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > Hey, when did the alt-text change from “Wait for it” to “RUN”? > > [xkcd: Time](http://xkcd.com/1190/) When they were told that there was nothing they could do to save their tribe (of about 40 people still by the growing sea), it switched to “…” for a pause, and then to “RUN” as they fled. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/435 "2013-07-20T00:21:25Z")
[QUOTE=SirRay] On that forum among other things, they’re also tried to pinpoint the castle (somewhere along the coastline of current South France), one reasonable suggestion was Chateau d’If… [/QUOTE] I was just going to suggest the Chateau d’If - this link is a reasonable match [https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WlHUo\_B0vl8/URZiSL3\_DqI/AAAAAAAAAGs/S2CfLTyK8C8/s1600/2013-02-09](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WlHUo_B0vl8/URZiSL3_DqI/AAAAAAAAAGs/S2CfLTyK8C8/s1600/2013-02-09) for the wide view of the castle, if you accept that parts of it have fallen down, and is on an island. It is the model for the prison in “The Count of Monte Christo”. ---
**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:** [July 20, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/436 "2013-07-20T02:17:06Z")
I’m friends with a local businessman on Facebook who has eschewed the traditional “businesses use the businesses’ end of Facebook” model, and has maxed out the “owner friends as many people as possible” end. He’s a former IT guy gone business owner, who just this morning lamented the lack of humor in [xkcd.com](http://xkcd.com). I commented on 1190: “Time”, and that Randall seems to have put his efforts into this lately. No one’s commented on my post - but I’ll push to see what people have actually been paying attention. He has a lot of tech friends, I’m curious to the answer as well. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/437 "2013-07-21T09:16:29Z")
Is there somewhere one can read the blotted pieces of ‘accented’ dialogue in plain? I’m not enjoying trying to decipher it on screen… ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/438 "2013-07-21T10:22:16Z")
[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1190:\_Time#Scene\_3\_-\_Part\_3\_.28Inside\_the\_castle.29](http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1190:_Time#Scene_3_-_Part_3_.28Inside_the_castle.29) although it may update slowly. ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2013, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/439 "2013-07-21T10:43:33Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#): > > [1190: Time - explain xkcd](http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1190:_Time#Scene_3_-_Part_3_.28Inside_the_castle.29) although it may update slowly. Ah, thanks a bunch. So, this whole thing seems to be taking place near Marseilles? I’m planning to go there (well, the not-too-far vicinity) on vacation two weeks from now, perhaps I’ll manage to have a look around… ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901/440 "2013-07-22T13:51:49Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Ah, thanks a bunch. > > So, this whole thing seems to be taking place near Marseilles? Why do you think I have this outrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrageous accent, you silly king? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901.md?page=21) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-1190-time-randalls-setting-something-up/653901.md?page=23)