1211: Birds and Dinosaurs

2013-05-13T14:20:36Z

199.244.214.110: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1211
| date = May 13, 2013
| title = Birds and Dinosaurs
| image = birds and dinosaurs.png
| titletext = Sure, T. rex is closer in height to Stegosaurus than a sparrow. But that doesn't tell you much; 'Dinosaur Comics' author Ryan North is closer in height to certain dinosaurs than to the average human.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Birds}} are commonly considered to be a separate {{w|class (biology)|class}} of {{w|tetrapods}}. However, this classification is false according to {{w|phylogenetic taxonomy}}. Taking into account that birds developed around {{w|Late Jurassic|150 mio. years ago}} out of small {{w|theropod}} dinosaurs, birds are indeed the last representatives of the {{w|Archosauria|dinosaur clade}}. (This premise appeared also in comic [[867]].)

This relation between birds and dinosaurs is depicted in the comic in a {{w|cladogram}} which shows that {{w|Tyrannosaurus Rex}} is closer related to the common {{w|sparrow}} than to {{w|Stegosaurus}}. Not only do the former share a phylogenetic branch, but T. Rex did also live around 80 mio. years ''after'' stegosaurus. (In popular culture, the concurrence of both species is a widespread error.) T. Rex is also much more alike to modern birds than to other dinosaurs in terms of physiognomy.

The comic draws the conclusion that if birds must in fact be considered modern dinosaurs, the hunting practice of birds of prey is consequently a dinosaur fight. For an inveterate dinosaur aficionado like [[Randall]], this fact must make the modern world much more attractive.

The line "This is a good world." could also possibly refer to a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxFrgql5dc famous scene] from the {{w|Serenity (Firefly episode)|pilot episode}} of the television series {{w|Firefly}} featuring two plastic dinosaurs in a somewhat philosophic dialogue. [[Randall]] is known to be a {{w|Browncoat}}, i.e. a fan of the series.

The title text is a sidesweep to the webcomic [http://www.qwantz.com Dinosaur Comics] drawn by Ryan North, who stands 6" 6' (198cm) tall. The title text of the May 13th Dinosaur Comics also refers to Randall and XKCD.

==Transcript==
:By any reasonable definition, T. Rex is more closely related to sparrows than to Stegosaurus.
:[Diagram showing that Stegosaurus came earlier than T. Rex, along with it showing that T.Rex came closer in time to sparrows. Evaluation criteria "separation by time", "phylogenetic distance" and "physical similarity" are highlighted in red.]
:Birds aren't ''descended'' from dinosaurs, they ''are'' dinosaurs.
:Which means that the fastest animal alive today is a small carnivorous dinosaur, ''Falco Peregrinus''.
:[A picture of two birds is shown.]
:It preys mainly on other dinosaurs, which it strikes and kills in midair with its claws.
:[In red:] This is a good world.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Charts]]

Talk:947: Investing

2013-05-02T20:42:46Z

199.244.214.110:

Accounting for inflation, you'll probably end up losing money if you're just relying on bank interest for income. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] ([[User talk:Davidy22|talk]]) 10:04, 9 October 2012 (UTC)
:Losing money compared to what? Even if inflation is 3%, getting 2% interest in a bank is better than getting 0% interest under your mattress... [[Special:Contributions/72.169.224.98|72.169.224.98]] 14:09, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

::Losing money compared to $1 spending power from the start date to $1 spending power at the end date, regardless of how much interest is earned, you still can't buy the same amount of stuff. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 16:00, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

::An alternative to investing in a bank account is to do with your money what the bank intends to do with your money, which is to loan it to other people at a higher interest rate, higher than the rate of inflation. Of course, some fraction of these loans will never be repaid, and you can't simply withdraw your money whenever you feel like it, so this type of scheme works better if you have tons of money to begin with-- more than just a thousand dollars seed money.[[Special:Contributions/63.155.139.54|63.155.139.54]] 14:39, 26 April 2013 (UTC)

:::I see! So in order to avoid having to use a bank, you should... become a bank! ...oh.--[[Special:Contributions/199.244.214.110|199.244.214.110]] 20:42, 2 May 2013 (UTC)

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1211: Birds and Dinosaurs

Talk:947: Investing