Category:Sharks

2025-05-17T09:39:10Z

162.158.217.45:

Although frequently mentioned, sharks are not frequently seen in the comics. In 2014, the decline in shark population has been mentioned more than once.Learn more at https://shark-lovers.com/

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[[Category:Animals|Sharks]]
[[Category:Animals]]

Talk:3090: Sail Physics

2025-05-16T21:21:13Z

162.158.217.45:

After the last step, the sailors would then need to ground the boat to avoid being pushed in a circle, wouldn't they? [[User:Sophon|Sophon]] ([[User talk:Sophon|talk]]) 20:47, 16 May 2025 (UTC)

Note that for eastward wind, the boat will be propelled upwards, while the opposite is true for westward winds. This provides a basis for the functioning of airships and planes (Helicopters are more complicated, and additionally rely on their own magnetic fields) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.217.45|162.158.217.45]] 21:21, 16 May 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3090: Sail Physics

2025-05-16T21:20:36Z

162.158.217.45:

After the last step, the sailors would then need to ground the boat to avoid being pushed in a circle, wouldn't they? [[User:Sophon|Sophon]] ([[User talk:Sophon|talk]]) 20:47, 16 May 2025 (UTC)
Not that for eastward wind, the boat will be propelled upwards, while the opposite is true for westward winds. This provides a basis for the functioning of airships and planes (Helicopters are more complicated, and additionally rely on their own magnetic fields) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.217.45|162.158.217.45]] 21:20, 16 May 2025 (UTC)

3089: Modern

2025-05-16T06:23:46Z

162.158.217.45: /* Explanation */ typo

{{comic
| number = 3089
| date = May 14, 2025
| title = Modern
| image = modern_2x.png
| imagesize = 547x209px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Scholars are still debating whether the current period is post-postmodern or neo-contemporary.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created in the pre-post-postmodern section of the post-postmodern era by a {{w|Internet_forum#Moderators|Mod}} over a {{w|Modem}}. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

This strip references a perennial naming problem where academic {{w|jargon}} and everyday language meet. Shortly after the industrial revolution (or perhaps the Renaissance) contemporaneous things were significantly different and labeled "modern" (whether it's labor relations, art, economic organization, literature, architecture, etc) by historians. The "modern" political movements emphasize optimizing society in different ways and evolved into Communism, and its counter Fascism. The further development of culture to reject the idea you can optimize society, or that trying to do so is a bad idea, became known as post-modernism.

However, in standard English, modern retains its meaning of "contemporaneous" or "current era," so one can end up discussing a 'modern' era of stuff that comes after the rise of a Post-Modern (from an academic context) era of stuff, which doesn't really sound sensical. Thus one can have a movie called "{{w|Modern Times (film)|''Modern Times''}}", from 90 years ago, which describes a world which is very different from today's modern times

The problem has arisen because once an era is named it is difficult or impractical to rename it later. The term "Modern" first began being used to describe an era in the early 20th century, especially to refer to art, and then in relation to that "Early Modern" was retrospectively applied to the period before it that were related to it. Once things had moved beyond that then "post-modernity" was a natural way of modifying the name. "Mid-century Modern", was again, a retrospective modification not used at the time. However, things have now moved so far beyond even post modernity, that further words are needed. This is itself a relatively 'modern' problem that possibly arose from the Victorian scholarly desire to allocate names to periods (Classical, Romantic, Renaissance etc.) based upon the perceived societal trends of the individuals, and often across greater periods of time, rather than any single monarch or period of succession. Prior to that historians would have discussed a time period based on the ruler at the time, and for a given region of influence, as those in charge were believed to be the most important factor, not the masses. Hence 'Ming dynasty' (China, 1368-1644), 'Tudor period' (England and Wales, 1485 and 1603), 'The Commonwealth' (Republican British Isles, 1649-1660), 'Napoleonic' (France and beyond, ~1804-1815), 'Victorian' (British Empire and related lands, 1837-1901) and 'Soviet Era' (USSR, 1922-1991). Though, depending upon the context/comparison being made, all these potentially overlapping terms and more ('19th Century', 'The Interbellum', 'The Depression', 'The Swinging Sixties') may still be considered apt.

==Transcript==

:[A timeline is shown with ticks every five years between 1850 and 2020]
:[Before 1850 until 1880]
:Early Modern
:[1880 until 1945]
:Modernist
:[1945 until 1965]
:Mid-century modern
:[1965 until 2000]
:Postmodern
:[2000 until past 2020]
:Modern

:[Caption below the panel]
:The use of the word "modern" to refer to a bunch of specific historical periods is a fun prank by historians.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Category:Sharks

Talk:3090: Sail Physics

Talk:3090: Sail Physics

3089: Modern