# ­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:** 127
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2523 "2023-10-31T21:35:41Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > 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. Not just vocabulary and idiom, but also the (potentially) thick accent which one woman once described as “morbide”. I do not recall exactly which places she visited on her trip; Québec City but also some rural areas. Incidentally, I have met Québécois who could not speak any English, so pretty easy to distinguish from American-speaking Americans in that case… They used bizarre words like “tabarnac” a lot… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2524 "2023-10-31T21:55:54Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > Also: A breaker labeled, “RANDOM”. Never push the wed one! Don’t _ever_ push the wed one! ---
**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, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2525 "2023-10-31T22:08:52Z")
When I was in Quebec City, man, do they have nasal accents! I went into a post office and asked for “des timbres”. “Quoi?” “Des timbres, s’il vous plait.” “Quoi?” Finally I clued in: “Des taaambres, s’il vous plaît.” “Ah, vous voulez des taaaaaambres. Les voici.” In a post office, they didn’t get it? ---
**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, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2526 "2023-10-31T22:09:53Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > They used bizarre words like “tabarnac” a lot Calice et hostie, bien sûr! ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2527 "2023-10-31T22:56:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > 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. This is what I found when I traveled to France. My French is atrocious, but just trying to start the conversation in French seemed to lower people’s defenses, as well as make them more willing to speak English to me. I was in a bar in Paris and asked the waitress, “Où sont les toilettes, s’il vous plaît?” She smiled and replied, in perfect English, “In the back and turn left.” ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2528 "2023-11-01T00:30:46Z")
Conversely, my brother - who speaks excellent if not perfect French - was refused a train ticket because the vendor was offended as his attempts! I however could ask in English and have no problem. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2529 "2023-11-01T19:11:03Z")
> **[Under the Stars](https://xkcd.com/2849/)** > > If you live in Los Angeles (around 33°52'N, roughly the latitude of Hermosa Beach) the black hole in V404 Cygni passes over you each day. On Christmas Day it will be directly overhead around 2pm. ---
**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:** [November 1, 2023, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2530 "2023-11-01T23:01:48Z")
So that isn’t just a ‘moon shadow’, it’s a freaking black hole! Explains a lot, it does. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2531 "2023-11-04T01:56:15Z")
> **[Doctor's Office](https://xkcd.com/2850/)** > > "The police told me I can't be a doctor, but whenever they show up I just go into the Google Maps settings page I found and change the house to 'Police Headquarters' and then they have to do what I say." ---
**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:** [November 4, 2023, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2532 "2023-11-04T03:08:03Z")
Of course, inside is also just pretending infinity goes away. We’re always under the stars. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2533 "2023-11-04T04:55:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > We’re always under the stars. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pWxJEIz7sSA/maxresdefault.jpg "The Church - Under The Milky Way") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWxJEIz7sSA) ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2534 "2023-11-06T18:22:42Z")
> **[Messier Objects](https://xkcd.com/2851/)** > > The debate over the correct Messier number for the Ship of Theseus is ongoing. It just gets messier and messier. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2535 "2023-11-08T20:34:24Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Conversely, my brother - who speaks excellent if not perfect French - was refused a train ticket because the vendor was offended as his attempts! I however could ask in English and have no problem FWIW, my wife, who is functional, if not fluent, in Parisian French, was completely baffled by Quebècios French, the two times we’ve traveled to Montreal. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2023, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2536 "2023-11-08T23:56:32Z")
> **[Parameterball](https://xkcd.com/2852/)** > > The ball's density also varies, but players don't learn the value until after choosing their raquets. The infamous 'bowling ball table tennis' region of the parameter space often leads to equipment damage. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2537 "2023-11-10T23:16:47Z")
> **[Redshift](https://xkcd.com/2853/)** > > So do you have any plans for z=-0.000000000000045? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2538 "2023-11-12T23:04:26Z")
Slightly late to the party, but I really liked Parameterball. It’d be interesting to work out what are plausible outer limits for playable games and then see where in that parameter space the actual racquet games, plus maybe volleyball and the like, fit in that space. Is there a sweet spot, or at least sweet region, within parameter space that all real games inhabit? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2539 "2023-11-14T07:02:31Z")
> **[Date Line](https://xkcd.com/2854/)** > > They estimate the rocket should be free by approximately ... uh ... well, in about two hours. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2540 "2023-11-14T13:27:02Z")
And we thought DST changeovers screwed people up. Just wait until this news really gets around! ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2023, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2541 "2023-11-14T23:08:54Z")
I think you mean ‘gets across’. Please stop using globe-specific language - that’s how the NASA-led Illuminati brainwash you. The news will travel across the world via horseback as it always does. If the world was round, the newspapers would fall out of the mail bag. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2023, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/2542 "2023-11-15T02:02:12Z")
> If the world was round, the newspapers would fall out of the mail bag. But if the world was flat, cats would have pushed everything off it by now. What does that leave? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=126) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=128)