# ­xkcd thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** comic-strips\ **Created:** [May 28, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574 "2020-05-28T00:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 126
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2503 "2023-10-23T17:54:48Z")
> **[Extinction Mechanisms](https://xkcd.com/2845/)** > > The Late Heavy Bombardment was followed a few billion years later by the Comparatively Light but Oddly Specific Bombardment. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2504 "2023-10-23T19:55:33Z")
And the early mammals escaped extinction by hiding under unconscious dinosaurs. Q, E, D, kids. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2505 "2023-10-25T20:40:27Z")
> **[Daylight Saving Choice](https://xkcd.com/2846/)** > > I average out the spring and fall changes and just set my clocks 39 minutes ahead year-round. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2506 "2023-10-28T05:05:53Z")
> **[Dendrochronology](https://xkcd.com/2847/)** > > These anomalies are known as Miyake events, named for the pioneering scientist who discovered them and was tragically devoured by a carnivorous tree. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2507 "2023-10-28T07:10:34Z")
Just for the non-dendrochronologicoliterate - [Miyake events](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyake_event) are real things, but as far as I’m aware, Miyake Fusa hasn’t been devoured by a tree. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2508 "2023-10-28T07:17:55Z")
“Carnivorous tree” didn’t strike me as all that implausible, given the numerous carnivorous plants out there. I did find this paper: [https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(01)02140-9](https://www.cell.com/trends/plant-science/fulltext/S1360-1385(01)02140-9) > John Klironomos and Miranda Hart of the University of Guelph (Canada) show that a fungus, _Laccaria bicolor_ , which is ectomycorrhizal on pine (_Pinus strobus_ ) can predate on soil-living invertebrates and transfer some of their nitrogen to its host tree. Astonishingly, in some cases, up to 25% of tree nitrogen was derived from the arthropods. Neat. ---
**Author:** ![Digger11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2509 "2023-10-28T15:32:05Z")
> [@Teuton](#): > > Any ideas on what a ‘Hermeneutic oath’ could be? Something to do with theology. Hermeneutics is the study of Biblical interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2510 "2023-10-28T16:00:57Z")
Hippocampus Oath: By Mnemosyne, I swear to look up Wikipedia or Google Maps only as a last resort San Simeon Nature Preserve Oath: Hearst, do no farm. Hyper-sexual Oath: Fist, do no arm. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2511 "2023-10-29T17:55:48Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > And here we see that America’s entire reputation abroad is due to duplicitous Canadians. True. When I’m in Europe, and someone says “Gosh, you are so nice!” I reply “Thanks, I’m Canadian.” When someone says “Feck off ya fecking idjit!” I say “I can do what I want, I’m American!” ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2512 "2023-10-31T05:03:59Z")
> **[Breaker Box](https://xkcd.com/2848/)** > > Any electrician will warn you to first locate and flip the house's CAUSALITY circuit breaker before touching the CIRCUIT BREAKERS one. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2513 "2023-10-31T14:29:00Z")
Me: Opens breaker box; 2 dozen neatly typed labels; promptly fall on the floor as adhesives have dried out. Also: A breaker labeled, “RANDOM”. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2514 "2023-10-31T15:16:19Z")
The Second Law of Thermo is the one about entropy and the ‘arrow of time’, isn’t it? So if you switch that one off first, there’s no longer any need to worry about ‘first’ and ‘before’ - right? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2515 "2023-10-31T19:10:51Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > 2 dozen neatly typed labels; promptly fall on the floor as adhesives have dried out. That’s why somebody invented the Sharpie. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2516 "2023-10-31T19:20:05Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > True. When I’m in Europe, and someone says “Gosh, you are so nice!” I reply “Thanks, I’m Canadian.” And when in France, speak French as much as possible. The Canadian French accent puzzles them, but gets good service. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2517 "2023-10-31T19:47:57Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > And when in France, speak French as much as possible. The Canadian French accent puzzles them, but gets good service. As a bonus, if you swear at them, they’ll smile and give you directions to a church! ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2518 "2023-10-31T19:59:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Are we sure? He never specified how they eat their porridge. Angry Scottish accents supercede the porridge test. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2519 "2023-10-31T20:32:57Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > The Canadian French accent puzzles them, but gets good service. I was just wondering the other day if people in France hear the Quebec French accent in a similar way to how Americans hear a Southern accent. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2520 "2023-10-31T20:55:42Z")
I don’t know that you can analogise. There are definitely differences in vocabulary and idiom, but I’m not in a position to comment. Maybe some of our European posters would be able to. I can tell this anecdote, however. Clan Piper was on holiday in Paris a few years ago, and there was a little hole in the wall pizzeria place that we patronised near our apartment. After I’d been buying pizzas there for a while, one of the staff asked me in English: “Where are you from? I’ve heard you speaking to your family in English, and it sounds American, but it isn’t. And you speak French with an accent, but it’s not an English accent; it’s different.” I said that I was Canadian and had learnt my French entirely in Canada; she thought that would account for my French accent, and also that my English accent must have been a Canadian one. (She was British, working in Paris, but must have had a good ear for accents to pick up the differences.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2521 "2023-10-31T21:07:35Z")
I think that, in general, when you travel abroad, people appreciate you at least making an attempt to speak to them in their own language. They’re going to be able to tell that you’re a foreigner, so they’ll make allowances for your use of the language being flawed, but they’ll know you’re at least trying. And I don’t think that I could distinguish between a midwestern American accent and a (non-Quebecois) Canadian accent, and that’s my own native language. That staff member must have had quite the ear for accents, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2522 "2023-10-31T21:21:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And I don’t think that I could distinguish between a midwestern American accent and a (non-Quebecois) Canadian accent, I don’t know, there’s just something aboot the Canadian accent where I feel like I’d be able to tell the difference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=125) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=127)