# ­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:** 174
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3463 "2024-10-07T15:14:19Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#): > > (Do elves eat meat?) [Yep.](https://www.silmarillionwritersguild.org/reference/linguistic_foolery/elven_food.php#:~:text=Deer%2C%20boar%2C%20rabbit%2C%20goose,fish%2C%20and%20more%20all%20appear.) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3464 "2024-10-07T16:53:16Z")
“A Hobbit Looks at 111” “Why Don’t We Get Drunk (and Eat Some More)” “He Went to Mordor” “Trying to Reason with Nazgul Season” “Rivendell Saturday Night” ---
**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:** [October 7, 2024, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3465 "2024-10-07T17:09:54Z")
“A White Mailcoat and a Pink Crustacean” ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3466 "2024-10-07T23:27:57Z")
> **[University Commas](https://xkcd.com/2995/)** > > The distinctive 'UCLA comma' and 'Michigan comma' are a long string of commas at the start and end of the sentence respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2024, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3467 "2024-10-07T23:56:06Z")
Now we just need four Oxford students to record a song called “Columbia Comma” under the name Reverse Vampire Weekday. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2024, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3468 "2024-10-08T03:45:47Z")
I got that reference! ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2024, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3469 "2024-10-09T23:38:40Z")
> **[CIDABM](https://xkcd.com/2996/)** > > There's a heated debate over whether the big island of Tierra del Fuego should qualify for membership. ---
**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 9, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3470 "2024-10-09T23:50:07Z")
There must be zillions more of these. Kyūshū, 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:** [October 9, 2024, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3471 "2024-10-09T23:50:34Z")
Manhattan? ---
**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 9, 2024, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3472 "2024-10-09T23:53:02Z")
Key West et al. ---
**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 9, 2024, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3473 "2024-10-09T23:59:23Z")
Not clear what the rules are. I’d suggest that it has to be close to the southernmost latitude of the mainland, that the connection point has to be small compared to the area of the region, the connection should be in the upper half of the region (and ideally close to the northernmost point), and that should the connection “fail”, it would “fall” to the south cleanly. Manhattan would get stuck in the Upper Bay, plus the Harlem River is too long. Key West isn’t too bad, though being on the end of the long chain, maybe it shouldn’t count either. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3474 "2024-10-10T00:03:50Z")
Kodiak? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3475 "2024-10-10T00:08:21Z")
Bioko? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3476 "2024-10-10T09:04:21Z")
Cuba (AKA Florida’s Sicily)? ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3477 "2024-10-10T11:36:41Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Presumably there are other coal plants still running. Very few. One problem that is occuring in the UK is that heritage steam railways can’t find enough coal to burn in their locomotives; they are looking around for alternatives, such as wood pellets. ---
**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 10, 2024, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3478 "2024-10-10T14:52:27Z")
They should try Newcastle. I hear some people carry coal there. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2024, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3479 "2024-10-10T15:55:34Z")
> [@eburacum45](#): > > One problem that is occuring in the UK is that heritage steam railways can’t find enough coal to burn in their locomotives; they are looking around for alternatives, such as wood pellets. Although it might be pricey, one alternative would be burning lumps of pure graphite. Available on an industrial scale and cleaner even than anthracite or coke. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3480 "2024-10-10T17:30:41Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Although it might be pricey, one alternative would be burning lumps of pure graphite. Available on an industrial scale and cleaner even than anthracite or coke. That is a possibility, but technically speaking, the mineral graphite counts as a fossil fuel if you burn it. Wood can be relatively green if produced and sourced correctly. ---
**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 10, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3481 "2024-10-10T17:37:54Z")
I used to drive an old steam locomotive that had been converted to natural gas. It was narrow gauge; I don’t know for sure if NG could get you a hot enough flame to run a full-sized engine. But I’d guess there are alternatives along those lines. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/3482 "2024-10-10T17:38:16Z")
> [@eburacum45](#): > > Wood can be relatively green if produced and sourced correctly. And can be converted to charcoal if needed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=173) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=175)