Talk:2840: Earth Layers

2023-10-14T16:41:55Z

172.70.42.59:

Why are the seeds outside of the pith? Is there a fruit that is organized this way? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 18:01, 11 October 2023 (UTC)
:If there's one that's this way that contains pith, i can't find it, but raspberries, cashew apples, and blackberries all have their seeds on the outside [[User:SomeoneIGuess|SomeoneIGuess]] ([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk]]) 20:09, 11 October 2023 (UTC)
:The pith is the innermost part of a tree trunk. The part of a fruit is the ''pit'', which is basically the same thing as a seed.--[[Special:Contributions/172.64.236.13|172.64.236.13]] 20:19, 11 October 2023 (UTC)
::Ummm...the white, fibrous stuff within fruits that wraps around the seeds (like in oranges, for example) is called "pith", whether trees contain something by that name or not.[[User:Yorkshire Pudding|Yorkshire Pudding]] ([[User talk:Yorkshire Pudding|talk]]) 21:43, 11 October 2023 (UTC)
:Strawberries are an (albeit rare) example of a fruit with the seeds on the outside of the pith (and skin, for that matter) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.116|162.158.159.116]] 15:52, 12 October 2023 (UTC)
::Actually, the white specks on strawberries that we commonly call seeds are achenes, which are actually individual, smaller fruits. It's the seeds within these achenes that are the actual strawberry seeds. [[User:SomeoneIGuess|SomeoneIGuess]] ([[User talk:SomeoneIGuess|talk]]) 20:43, 12 October 2023 (UTC)
:Clear tootsie roll tootsie pop joke miss (awwaiid) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.39.49|172.70.39.49]] 01:40, 12 October 2023 (UTC)

Something that seemed to be excessive to edit into the Explanation, but noting here in passing, the additional issue of magnets (in a Kinder context) is the problems of ingesting them. In addition to other issues, they can attract each other/separate bits of metal across folds of the digestive system and cause problems beyond merely their passage through the system (which they might not now be able to do). I don't even know if Kinder has ever included magnets, but I think they'd be extremely limited even outwith the US. (Though, as counter-example, there are {{w|Hardware disease#Prevention|Cow Magnets}}, designed for ingestion but not further digestion. And not for humans, nor the size of either a standard Kinder-yoke or a planetary one.) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.69|172.71.242.69]] 08:50, 12 October 2023 (UTC)

When I saw guacamole in the comic, I assumed it was a reference to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_Guacamole Apache Guacamole], as might be seen in a diagram of the different layers involved accessing some complicated computer system. [[User:Sandor|Sandor]] ([[User talk:Sandor|talk]]) 17:49, 12 October 2023 (UTC)

Some parts of the explanation, particularly the last paragraph, seem to assume that the diagram is supposed to be to scale. I don't think it is, since all the layers except the kinder toy capsule at the center are about the same size. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:32, 13 October 2023 (UTC)
:I've gone in and altered the last paragraph (it looks like the author of that wasn't too concerned about the near-similar thicknesses of the sliced-through strata, but I presume that it was a basic measurement and calculation of the relative radii of innermost and outermost spheres that came to the 900km conclusion). A very quick glance didn't suggest anything about the similar thicknesses in the list (may have missed it, it was a ''very very'' quick read-through!), but note that there ''is'' obvious variation, belying it being a "just line 'em up regularly" diagram but maybe just happens to be semi-accurately representing a semi-similar set of thicknesses. Because sometimes the things just turn out to be semi-regular like that, maybe? (Ok, so it's in a fiction/imagination, already, but if we're not allowed to be meta in xkcd then where else can one?) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.164|141.101.99.164]] 20:36, 13 October 2023 (UTC)

> In the context of "inner core, outer core, secret core" may also be a riff on Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, a la 2583: Chorded Keyboard. < ...How does this relate to the inner and outer core? Surely this should just say '"Secret core" may also be a riff on Leonard Cohen's hallelujah.'?[[Special:Contributions/172.70.42.59|172.70.42.59]] 16:41, 14 October 2023 (UTC)

992: Mnemonics

2023-03-31T04:38:38Z

172.70.42.59:

{{comic
| number = 992
| date = December 19, 2011
| title = Mnemonics
| image = mnemonics.png
| titletext = 'Sailor Moon's head exploded once' and 'Some men have explosive orgasms' both work for the Great Lakes from west to east (Paddle-to-the-Sea order).
}}

==Explanation==
A {{w|mnemonic}} is a trick that makes {{w|memory|memorization}} easier. To memorize a sequence of names, a common type of mnemonic uses the beginning letters of the names in the sequence and invents another phrase using different words that start with the same letters. For example, the order of operations goes '''P'''arentheses, '''E'''xponentiation, '''M'''ultiplication and '''D'''ivision, '''A'''ddition and '''S'''ubtraction, and the traditional mnemonic goes '''P'''lease '''E'''xcuse '''M'''y '''D'''ear '''A'''unt '''S'''ally, or in Britain: '''B'''rackets, '''I'''ndices, '''M'''ultiplication, '''D'''ivision, '''A'''ddition and '''S'''ubtraction: there is no mnemonic, just the word "BIMDAS" to remember. To make them more memorable, mnemonics are usually quite silly and often vulgar. In this comic, Randall invents various scientific mnemonics, some of them as suggested replacements for traditional ones.

The category is listed at the top of the box, the members are listed below that. Then there is the traditional mnemonic that children are usually taught in school to help them remember. Below the comic is one or two options for new mnemonics suggested by Randall. The top one is illustrated in the frame.

*{{w|SI}} Prefixes are the prefixes for the systems of units from large to small and since there are so many, the mnemonic needs two lines.
**{{w|Karl Marx}}, as visible in the comic, was a German philosopher and economist who, among other things, popularized the ideas of socialism and communism. Central to his ideas was the {{w|dictatorship of the proletariat}}, or the working class achieved by an uprising of the lower class, which taken literally could be done using zeppelins.
**{{w|Microsoft}}'s {{w|Zune}} was a failed mp3 player that Microsoft brought to market. It never caught on.

*{{w|Taxonomy}} is the science of identifying and naming species. {{w|Katy Perry}}, portrayed in the panel, is an {{w|United States|American}} {{w|pop music}} singer, whose popular songs are ones like "Firework" or "I Kissed A Girl".

*In the geologic periods frame, the illustration is of a month's worth of "the pill", a common contraceptive. The affliction Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, causes women to have an irregular menstrual period. This can be treated with a low powered version of the contraceptive pill.

*{{w|Electronic_color_code#Resistors|Resistor Color Codes}} represent the values 0 through 9 and are used to indicate the resistance value of discrete cylindrical resistors, with 2 or 3 color bands around the resistor body for the significant digits of the value and another color band for a power of ten multiplier. A resistor with Yellow-Violet-Red bands would be 47 x 10^2 or 4700 ohms. {{w|Glenn Beck}} is shown in this panel, a far-right conservative commentator in the US who used to have a show on the {{w|Fox News}} Network.
**The prevailing mnemonic for resistor color codes is rather vulgar (and memorable), hence Randall's comment "none I care for". It involved Bad Boys and Young Girls, as well as a specific girl named Violet. However, there are many other mnemonics, to the point that Wikipedia has a {{w|List of electronic color code mnemonics|whole page dedicated to them}}.
**{{w|WP:BOLD|Be Bold}} is a {{w|Wikipedia}} credo. Respect Others may be a reference to {{w|WP:AGF|Assume Good Faith}}, another Wikipedia philosophy.

*In the Planets frame, the illustration is of Mary and Joseph, who in the story of the Birth of Jesus in the Bible, were mother and father to Jesus. However, Mary's conception of Jesus was from God and Mary was still considered a virgin. This mnemonic shows Joseph not really believing that story. Ironically the upstairs neighbour could have multiple meanings as you can't get more upstairs than heaven and thus God. Given the snarky tone of most xkcd comics take, it is likely a corporeal neighbor that is being suspected, but it is curious that a neighbor of the upstairs variety is specifically referenced especially given the lack of urban density in the time of Christ.
**Earlier traditional Planets mnemonics included Pluto, which was "officially" considered a planet before 2006. The traditional mnemonic at that time was '''M'''y '''V'''ery '''E'''xcellent '''M'''other '''J'''ust '''S'''erved '''U'''s '''N'''ine '''P'''izzas, instead of just nachos.

*The {{w|Great Lakes}} mentioned by the title text are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario
**''{{w|Sailor Moon}}'' is an anime and manga series. The eponymous {{w|Sailor Moon (character)|Sailor Moon}} (Usagi Tsukino), has never had her head exploded, however.
**''{{w|Paddle-to-the-Sea}}'' is an illustrated children's book by {{w|Holling C. Holling}} about a toy boat's journey through the Great Lakes.

==Transcript==
:XKCD Presents:
:'''Some New Science Mnemonics'''

:''(Pattern goes:''
:''Subject''
:''Elements''
:''Traditional mnemonic''
:''Contents of frame''
:''New mnemonics)''

:'''Order of Operations'''
:Parentheses, Exponents, Division & Multiplication, Addition & Subtraction
:Traditional: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
:[Person having a shark delivered to his laptop.]
:Please Email My Dad A Shark
:or
:People Expect More Drugs And Sex

:'''SI Prefixes'''
:Big: Kilo, Mega, Giga, Tera, Peta, Exa, Zetta, (Yotta)
:Milli, Micro, Nano, Pico, Femto, Atto, Zepto, (Yocto)
:Traditional: [I never learned one.]
:[Graph of the declining profits of the Zune.]
:[Karl Marx delivering a number of zeppelins to a bunch of confused proletarians.]
:Proletarians (off-screen): Er. What do we do with them?
:Karl Marx: Rise!
:Big: Karl Marx Gave The Proletariat Eleven Zeppelins(, Yo)
:Small: Microsoft Made No Profit From Anyone's Zunes(, Yo)

:'''Taxonomy'''
:Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species
:Traditional: King Philip Came Over For Good Sex
:Katy Perry: I'm not sure who doubts this, really.
:Katy Perry Claims Orgasms Feel Good Sometimes
:or
:Kernel Panics Crash Our Family Game System.

:'''Geologic Periods'''
:(Precambrian), Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleogene, Neogene
:Traditional: [I never learned one.]
:[A month's set of birth control pills.]
:PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome Does Cause Problems That Judicious Contraceptves [sic] Partially Negate

:'''Resistor Color Codes'''
:Black Brown, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Gray, White
:Traditional: [none I care for]
:[Glenn Beck holding the traditional "Nanobot Vaccine Chemtrail 9/11" sign.]
:"Big Brother Reptilian Overlords", yelled Glenn, "Brainwashing Via Ground water!!";
:or
:Be Bold, Respect Others; You'll Gradually Become Versatile, Great Wikipedians!

:'''Planets'''
:Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune
:Traditional: My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos
:[A pregnant Mary attempting to explain things to an incredulous Joseph with black hair and full beard]
:Mary's "Virgin" Explanation Made Joseph Suspect Upstairs Neighbor.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
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[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
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[[Category:Airships]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Sex]]

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Talk:2840: Earth Layers

992: Mnemonics