https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Hsyrexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2026-04-18T20:32:31ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1986:_River_Border&diff=1563831986: River Border2018-04-27T19:29:15Z<p>Hsyr: fixing link</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1986<br />
| date = April 27, 2018<br />
| title = River Border<br />
| image = river_border.png<br />
| titletext = I'm not a lawyer, but I believe zones like this are technically considered the high seas, so if you cut a pizza into a spiral there you could be charged with pieracy under marinaritime law.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a PIERACY [sic] EXPERT - TOO much descriptive. - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[Ponytail]] explains to [[Megan]] that the Missouri-Nebraska state line is based off the river. She then explains that the river once changed course abruptly, and that the state line didn't move with it. That meant that they were on the Missouri side of the river, but in Nebraska. It then occurred to Megan that she could break Nebraska state laws and the police couldn't catch her because the river was in the way (It could also be because Megan is under the mistaken impression that it's neither Nebraskan nor Missourian territory, so neither set of cops actually have jurisdiction). The final panel shows Megan going to cut a pizza into a spiral. The joke is that Megan thinks it's illegal because nobody does it.<br />
<br />
The title text claims the region Ponytail and Megan are in is considered the high seas. It sets up a pizza pun about piracy under maritime law: "Pieracy" combines ''pie'' another name for a pizza and "piracy". Marinara sauce is frequently served with pizza, so "Maritime" law is rendered "Marinaritime"<br />
<br />
The region mentioned in the comic can be seen here at [https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5270132,-95.6954944,10627m/ Google maps] and is known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKissick_Island McKissick's Island]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Ponytail and Megan are standing next to a river.]<br />
:Ponytail: This is a cool spot.<br />
:Ponytail: The Missouri-Nebraska state line follows this river. If the river's path changes gradually, the border moves with it.<br />
<br />
:[A map is shown with a river from the left to the bottom. A dotted arc is connected on both ends to the river, extending to north-east. An arrow with the text "Old riverbed" points to the arc and it's labeled Nebraska on south-west and Missouri on the other side. The text above the map reads:]<br />
:Ponytail: But when it '''''abruptly''''' changes course, the border stays behind.<br />
:Ponytail: This is a spot where that happened. We're on the Missouri side, but we're in Nebraska.<br />
<br />
:[Frameless panel back to Ponytail and Megan.]<br />
:Megan: Wow.<br />
:Megan: So...<br />
:Megan: We can commit all the crimes we want here and the cops can't do a thing!<br />
<br />
:[Megan points up her finger.]<br />
:Ponytail: What? No. Why would you even think that?<br />
:Megan: I'm going to cut a pizza into a '''''spiral!'''''<br />
:Ponytail: That's not even illegal!<br />
:Megan: '''''Crimes!'''''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>Hsyrhttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1986:_River_Border&diff=1563821986: River Border2018-04-27T19:24:28Z<p>Hsyr: the region has a name and legal history</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1986<br />
| date = April 27, 2018<br />
| title = River Border<br />
| image = river_border.png<br />
| titletext = I'm not a lawyer, but I believe zones like this are technically considered the high seas, so if you cut a pizza into a spiral there you could be charged with pieracy under marinaritime law.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a PIERACY [sic] EXPERT - TOO much descriptive. - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[Ponytail]] explains to [[Megan]] that the Missouri-Nebraska state line is based off the river. She then explains that the river once changed course abruptly, and that the state line didn't move with it. That meant that they were on the Missouri side of the river, but in Nebraska. It then occurred to Megan that she could break Nebraska state laws and the police couldn't catch her because the river was in the way (It could also be because Megan is under the mistaken impression that it's neither Nebraskan nor Missourian territory, so neither set of cops actually have jurisdiction). The final panel shows Megan going to cut a pizza into a spiral. The joke is that Megan thinks it's illegal because nobody does it.<br />
<br />
The title text claims the region Ponytail and Megan are in is considered the high seas. It sets up a pizza pun about piracy under maritime law: "Pieracy" combines ''pie'' another name for a pizza and "piracy". Marinara sauce is frequently served with pizza, so "Maritime" law is rendered "Marinaritime"<br />
<br />
The region mentioned in the comic can be seen here at [https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5270132,-95.6954944,10627m/ Google maps] and is known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKissick_Island/, McKissick's Island]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Ponytail and Megan are standing next to a river.]<br />
:Ponytail: This is a cool spot.<br />
:Ponytail: The Missouri-Nebraska state line follows this river. If the river's path changes gradually, the border moves with it.<br />
<br />
:[A map is shown with a river from the left to the bottom. A dotted arc is connected on both ends to the river, extending to north-east. An arrow with the text "Old riverbed" points to the arc and it's labeled Nebraska on south-west and Missouri on the other side. The text above the map reads:]<br />
:Ponytail: But when it '''''abruptly''''' changes course, the border stays behind.<br />
:Ponytail: This is a spot where that happened. We're on the Missouri side, but we're in Nebraska.<br />
<br />
:[Frameless panel back to Ponytail and Megan.]<br />
:Megan: Wow.<br />
:Megan: So...<br />
:Megan: We can commit all the crimes we want here and the cops can't do a thing!<br />
<br />
:[Megan points up her finger.]<br />
:Ponytail: What? No. Why would you even think that?<br />
:Megan: I'm going to cut a pizza into a '''''spiral!'''''<br />
:Ponytail: That's not even illegal!<br />
:Megan: '''''Crimes!'''''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>Hsyr