# Xkcd 4-09-12 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312 "2012-04-09T22:32:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/1 "2012-04-09T22:32:19Z")
I’m falling ever further behind on keeping up with cultural references. What’s the door in the bottom of the ocean and the mouseover supposed to mean? > **[Lakes and Oceans](https://xkcd.com/1040/)** > > James Cameron has said that he didn't know its song would be so beautiful. He didn't close the door in time. He's sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/2 "2012-04-09T22:47:55Z")
[James Cameron dives into the Marianas Trench](http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/mar/26/mariana-trench-james-cameron-mission). The hatch is just a silly fictional reason for him to do so other than publicity. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/3 "2012-04-09T22:59:19Z")
The forum threat at XKCD has a post suggesting it is something related to Cthulhu but I don’t know if that’s true. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/4 "2012-04-09T23:02:12Z")
Big error: Lake Michigan is actually deeper than Lake Huron by about 200 feet. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/5 "2012-04-09T23:03:56Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I’m falling ever further behind on keeping up with cultural references. What’s the door in the bottom of the ocean and the mouseover supposed to mean? > [xkcd: Lakes and Oceans](http://xkcd.com/1040/) Very obscure. Had to go to the forums for an answer. [You Are a Genius (Choose Your Own Adventure, No 95) [Paperback] by Edward Packard](http://www.amazon.com/You-Genius-Choose-Your-Adventure/dp/0553281550) In one of the options, you make a submarine that can travel into challenger’s deep. There, you find a mysterious door, which you enter and the book ends. ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/6 "2012-04-09T23:05:26Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Very obscure. Had to go to the forums for an answer. > > [You Are a Genius (Choose Your Own Adventure, No 95) [Paperback] by Edward Packard](http://www.amazon.com/You-Genius-Choose-Your-Adventure/dp/0553281550) > In one of the options, you make a submarine that can travel into challenger’s deep. There, you find a mysterious door, which you enter and the book ends. Wow… I grew out of Choose Your Own Adventure before they got up to 95. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/7 "2012-04-09T23:11:32Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Big error: Lake Michigan is actually deeper than Lake Huron by about 200 feet. Of course, technically they are the same lake. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/8 "2012-04-09T23:13:29Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Very obscure. Had to go to the forums for an answer. > > [You Are a Genius (Choose Your Own Adventure, No 95) [Paperback] by Edward Packard](http://www.amazon.com/You-Genius-Choose-Your-Adventure/dp/0553281550) > In one of the options, you make a submarine that can travel into challenger’s deep. There, you find a mysterious door, which you enter and the book ends. Wow, that’s _really_ obscure. Anyone know about the hover-text? I thought it was a reference to Lovecraft’s “The Temple”, but looking at the actual story online it didn’t end the way I remembered it, so apparently that’s not it. ---
**Author:** ![pesch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pesch/32/4925_2.png) [@pesch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pesch)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/9 "2012-04-09T23:33:49Z")
All right, so long as we’re on the subject (genius cartoon, BTW), can anyone explain the David Bowie/Freddie Mercury reference? ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/10 "2012-04-09T23:37:02Z")
> [@pesch](#): > > All right, so long as we’re on the subject (genius cartoon, BTW), can anyone explain the David Bowie/Freddie Mercury reference? They’re [Under Pressure](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I&ob=av3n) ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/11 "2012-04-10T00:46:58Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > They’re [Under Pressure](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a01QQZyl-_I&ob=av3n) :smack::smack::smack: Ah, now I get it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/12 "2012-04-10T00:52:39Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Of course, technically they are the same lake. > > Brian Hydrologically, they are indeed. However, biologically and culturally it can be argued they’re quite different. And it looks like XKCD took that approach. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/13 "2012-04-10T00:55:17Z")
What’s the random white dash sitting under the Titanic? ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/14 "2012-04-10T01:18:35Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > What’s the random white dash sitting under the Titanic? Another obscure in-joke. [http://xkcd.com/323/](http://xkcd.com/323/). Again, from the forums: _This line segment is approximately 1400m below sea level, and is apparently the “Balmer Peak” Easter egg that he mentions in his earlier post._ ---
**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:** [April 10, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/15 "2012-04-10T02:18:07Z")
> [@standingwave](#): > > Another obscure in-joke. [http://xkcd.com/323/](http://xkcd.com/323/). Again, from the forums: > > _This line segment is approximately 1400m below sea level, and is apparently the “Balmer Peak” Easter egg that he mentions in his earlier post._ I’m not seeing the connection there. What has that white dash to do with the earlier strip? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/16 "2012-04-10T02:42:25Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I’m not seeing the connection there. What has that white dash to do with the earlier strip? I think alcohol may be involved. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/17 "2012-04-10T02:46:11Z")
The Balmer Peak in that cartoon is a blood alcohol level of 0.1337. 1337 is leetspeak (or one version of it) for “elite”. That line is at a depth of 1337 meters. So I don’t know if it is a reference to the previous cartoon as simply again making reference to 1337. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-4-09-12/618312/18 "2012-04-10T02:54:49Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I think alcohol may be involved. Most likely. 1300, .129. All the same, right? Alcohol may be the least of it.