# ­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:** 255
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5083 "2025-10-09T18:30:37Z")
I have a friend who is a computer scientist who has something similar for his home password. It’s the name of a movie, all in lowercase, interspersed with capital letters spelling the name of a main character. Like SfirstwordAsecondwordM. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2025, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5084 "2025-10-09T18:49:58Z")
> **[Skateboard](https://xkcd.com/3152/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/skateboard.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/skateboard.png) “I understand it’s hard to do more than 300 feet on these 90-second rush jobs, but with a smaller ramp I’m worried the gee forces will be too high for me to do any tricks.” ---
**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 9, 2025, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5085 "2025-10-09T18:57:14Z")
Either that or ride the skateboard and cue “Benson Arizona”. ---
**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:** [October 9, 2025, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5086 "2025-10-09T19:09:09Z")
Does the size of a halfpipe denote its radius or diameter? I’m thinking about trying to calculate the G forces involved in meeting the pipe at the vertical lip at terminal velocity then completing the 180 pullup to the other side. I suspect the necessary math exceeds my very rusty calculus, but it’s fun to think about. I also bet the skater will come shooting up out the other side to a pretty impressive height. I wonder how quickly the wheel bearings will overheat with the action starting at ~150mph then declining with each half-arc. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5087 "2025-10-10T21:12:31Z")
> **[Hot Water Balloon](https://xkcd.com/3153/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hot_water_balloon.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hot_water_balloon.png) “Despite a reputation for safety, the temperatures and surprisingly high pressures make them even more dangerous than the air kind, but the NTSB refuses to investigate accidents because they insist there is no ‘transportation’ involved.” ---
**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 11, 2025, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5088 "2025-10-11T02:27:48Z")
If all those BLOOP sounds give you a headache, try a hot air bottle. ---
**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:** [October 11, 2025, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5089 "2025-10-11T02:47:33Z")
Maybe it’s this: **[Bloop - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloop)** ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2025, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5090 "2025-10-13T20:54:37Z")
> **[Physics Insight](https://xkcd.com/3154/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/physics_insight.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/physics_insight.png) “When Galileo dropped two weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa, they put him in the history books. But when I do it, I get ‘detained by security’ for ‘injuring several tourists.’” ---
**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:** [October 13, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5091 "2025-10-13T21:34:45Z")
Reminds me a bunch of this > **[Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - How Math Works](https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/how-math-works)** > > Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal - How Math Works ---
**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 14, 2025, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5092 "2025-10-14T00:34:49Z")
As Planck (sort of) said, science advances one funeral at a time. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5093 "2025-10-16T02:29:58Z")
> **[Physics Paths](https://xkcd.com/3155/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/physics_paths.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/physics_paths.png) “If nothing else, that reasoning definitely overturns syllogisms.” ---
**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:** [October 16, 2025, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5094 "2025-10-16T14:18:52Z")
Somehow this is also a parable about both politics and conspiracy theories carefully cloaked in the bland language of physics. ---
**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 16, 2025, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5095 "2025-10-16T14:46:35Z")
It also works as a very rough summary of _To the Lighthouse_. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5096 "2025-10-17T21:07:33Z")
> **[Planetary Rings](https://xkcd.com/3156/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/planetary_rings.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/planetary_rings.png) “If you don’t know where you are on Earth, the angle of satellite dishes can help constrain your latitude. If some of them are pointing straight up, you’re probably near the Equator, right under the ring.” We’re well on the way to getting another, lower level ring. When all those megaconstellations like StarLink start colliding with each other, it’ll be the best planetary ring ever. I think they’ll call it the Kissler Ring. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2025, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5097 "2025-10-17T22:43:47Z")
Externalities, Techbro, externalities. Pity I couldn’t find an emoji for a lot of $ ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2025, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5098 "2025-10-18T01:27:03Z")
On average, one StarLink satellite reenters the atmosphere every day. When they get all of them up, it’ll be about 5 per day. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2025, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5099 "2025-10-21T00:41:12Z")
> **[Emperor Palpatine](https://xkcd.com/3157/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/emperor_palpatine.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/emperor_palpatine.png) “Many things about Star Wars were not well planned out, but having a 37-year-old in old-age makeup play the Emperor in Return of the Jedi was such an incredible call.” ---
**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:** [October 21, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5100 "2025-10-21T19:43:22Z")
What If? About extending sunset: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/U8F7UNK9jco/maxresdefault.jpg "Can you drive west to lengthen the sunset?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8F7UNK9jco) Brian ---
**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:** [October 22, 2025, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5101 "2025-10-22T11:59:09Z")
How long does sunset take at the Poles? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2025, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/5102 "2025-10-22T12:34:18Z")
Are there paved roads at the poles? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=254) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=256)