# ­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:** 321
**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:** [September 23, 2026, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6403 "2026-09-23T22:18:37Z")
And it’s a shame that the sky is round, so you can’t just move your mouse to the corner to trigger the screensaver. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6404 "2026-09-24T00:40:53Z")
> **[Voyager Instruments](https://xkcd.com/3302/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/voyager_instruments.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/voyager_instruments.png) “Convincing him to turn off the stupid laser show and useless sound system was such a huge ordeal that no one has wanted to do it again.” ---
**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:** [September 24, 2026, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6405 "2026-09-24T08:41:33Z")
Greg is also the guy responsible for putting lights inside people’s helmets in science fiction shows. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2026, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6406 "2026-09-24T16:59:47Z")
He also invented The Most Important Device in the Universe. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/phPp5oYnps0/hqdefault.jpg "The Most Important Device in the Universe - Blinking Tubes Without Function New Compilation (Part 1)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phPp5oYnps0) ---
**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:** [September 25, 2026, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6407 "2026-09-25T01:30:33Z")
What is that from? ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6408 "2026-09-25T02:26:47Z")
I’m pretty sure the first clip, with Shatner, is from Airplane II. Of course the video contains clips from many other movies and TV shows as well, and somehow the Device appears in all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6409 "2026-09-25T05:05:33Z")
The Wilhelm Scream of sci-fi ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6410 "2026-09-25T17:37:26Z")
> **[Slab Graveyard](https://xkcd.com/3303/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/slab_graveyard.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/slab_graveyard.png) “It’s ok if you want to close close your eyes for the slab graveyard, so you can still have fun riding the mantle plume back up afterward!” ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2026, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6411 "2026-09-29T09:34:23Z")
> **[Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer](https://xkcd.com/3304/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/jupiter_icy_moons_explorer.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/jupiter_icy_moons_explorer.png) “I did briefly visit Venus in August 2025, but I figured out the mistake on my own because it didn’t have any moons.” ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6412 "2026-10-01T17:55:37Z")
> **[Ground Effect](https://xkcd.com/3305/)** [![](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ground_effect.png) ](https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/ground_effect.png) “Runners looking for aerodynamic advantage typically wear sneakers because some fancy dress shoes can create wingtip vortices.” ---
**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 1, 2026, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6413 "2026-10-01T18:34:17Z")
That last was a terrible pun. ---
**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 1, 2026, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6414 "2026-10-01T19:46:42Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > The Wilhelm Scream of sci-fi It would be nice if we could track down who made it. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2026, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6415 "2026-10-01T20:02:07Z")
> It’s the Modern Props #195-290-1, a movie prop originally built in the 1970’s. It’s a product of the creative mind of [John Zabrucky] who founded Modern Props in 1977 to serve Sci-Fi television and movie productions that wanted to invent the future with their props. > **[The Most Important Device In The Universe Is Powered By A 555 Timer](https://hackaday.com/2021/09/23/the-most-important-device-in-the-universe-is-powered-by-a-555-timer/)** > > The Hackaday comments section has become infamous for a recurring theme that goes something like “I don’t know why they used an Arduino, they could have done it with a 555 timer!”… ---
**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 1, 2026, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6416 "2026-10-01T20:33:24Z")
Shades of Bob and Ray’s “World Champion Low Jumper” sketch: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9ONGFefbgdw/maxresdefault.jpg "Bob & Ray - World Champion Low Jumper") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ONGFefbgdw) ---
**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 1, 2026, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6417 "2026-10-01T20:55:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > And the usual -inger sound in English rhymes with either singer or finger. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > May i counter with ginger Also whinger, infringer, derringer, hinger, [wharfinger](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/wharfinger), [ossbringer](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/Osspringer) (British pronunciation), minger, Kissinger, Bollinger, Grainger. ---
**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 1, 2026, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6418 "2026-10-01T21:01:18Z")
I postulate that in every language there is at least one rule that has more exceptions than cases validating it. Let me call it, in all modesty and hoping it has not been stated before, the Pardel Hypothesis. ---
**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 2, 2026, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6419 "2026-10-02T00:45:39Z")
Thanks. Apt post/member combo. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6420 "2026-10-02T00:50:31Z")
Very early in my career, before I learned better, I earned the eternal hatred of the manager of the software division by remarking in a meeting, “You could all be replaced by a quad op-amp.” ---
**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 2, 2026, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6421 "2026-10-02T01:10:34Z")
Every electronic device is powered by a 555 timer. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2026, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574/6422 "2026-10-02T02:31:37Z")
Another apt post/member combo… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=320) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/xkcd-thread/854574.md?page=322)