2695: Soil

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Soil
You might want to bring your frost-sensitive plants in from the patio. The high-level aerosols may result in short-term cooling across the entire backyard.
Title text: You might want to bring your frost-sensitive plants in from the patio. The high-level aerosols may result in short-term cooling across the entire backyard.

Explanation[edit]

Beret Guy seems to be using volcano seeds to grow a tiny volcano to fertilize Cueball's garden. In reality, volcanoes are caused by the pressure of magma (underground lava) from below the Earth's crust pushing up through it, not seeds.[citation needed]

In the first panel, Beret Guy states that he made these seeds himself, presumably using his proven skill at exotic bioengineering. It is unclear whether his volcano is capable of self-propagating but, until his 'help' with maintaining the garden, there would probably be no particular risk of volcanic activity.

Volcanic soil is generally fertile and replenishes depleted elements in the soil, just like commercial fertilizers. However, the process of eruption is destructive to whatever plants are presently in the garden, as Cueball points out. Beret Guy's announcement in the final panel resembles the voice-over from a nature documentary.

The title text alludes to the fact that sulfate aerosols from volcanic eruptions may cause a short-term cooling effect because the aerosols in the atmosphere block out energy from the sun. This expands on the comedy from a small scale volcano by adding small scale volcano effects. Realistically a small supply of aerosols would be blown away and dispersed by wind. Not to mention the fact that, of course, the currently flowing lava is potentially harmful to all plants near the garden anyway.

Transcript[edit]

[Cueball is standing, holding a trowel, in a vague outdoor area. Beret Guy is kneeling, one hand on the ground, as he carefully pours the contents of a small bag into a hole in the ground with the other.]
Cueball: Thanks for the gardening help!
Beret Guy: I made these seeds myself!
[Beret Guy is now standing next to a small eruption coming from the ground.]
[Beret Guy looks down on a knee-high volcano in full eruption. It produces a large plume above and smaller clouds above that, which are mainly drifting away from Beret Guy. Lava flows down from the top of the volcano.]
Beret Guy: The infusion of nutrient-rich volcanic soil will revitalize your garden.
[Beret Guy spread his arms out to the sides as he looks at the now waist-high volcano. The plume is much bigger, more lava is flowing from the top and there are flames on its sides. Cueball speaks from off-panel.]
Cueball (off-panel): All my plants are on fire.
Beret Guy: But soon, life will return to these slopes!


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Discussion

Published unusually early? —While False (museum | talk | contributions | logs | rights) 11:05, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

Lately yes, I usually didn't see the monday comics on monday European time. (Maybe if I would have checked during evenings) - But in the past publishings were often during European daytime. --Lupo (talk) 13:00, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
And an AM (central Europe; or UK, give or take that hour diffence) is far more rare. Slightly pre/post end-of-day midnight is when I tend to expect anything, early evening being a pleasant surprise. 172.70.91.58 13:19, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
This is the first time I have seen the Monday comic on Monday in Aus. TomW1605 (talk) 13:22, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
(¡ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ ollǝH ...I know, I probably talk to Australians all the time, without knowing it, and have done for years, but it's nice to be told about these things occasionally. ;) ) 172.70.85.24 13:29, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
We tend to pop up suprisingly often, i am often suprised to find how many Australians there are in a given small online comunity (happens a lot on discord). TomW1605 (talk) 13:43, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
another Australian here. Just missed seeing his on Monday where I am. When it came up early i thought it might be election related but i guess its only Tuesday for me so not special where Randall is Boatster (talk) 14:05, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
Yep im in WA so a bit more time to get it on Monday TomW1605 (talk) 00:21, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
Tuesday (the 8th) is election day in the US [citation needed] (where Randall is, also [citation needed]) --Darth Kilroy 14:05, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

This is totally a Little Prince reference. Randall has referenced him multiple times before! 172.70.175.115 15:43, 7 November 2022 (UTC)Bumpf

I do not see that. Just because the volcano is small. I am aware of Randall being fan of the prince, but no relation seen here. --Kynde (talk) 12:02, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

Hmmm... volcano seeds, earthquake pills, tornado seeds, machines to create instant icicles or seed snow clouds... It's official. Beret Guy is actually the mastermind behind the Acme Corporation!! RAGBRAIvet (talk) 16:40, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

If these are things Beret guy did, might be worth linking to example or two. 172.71.146.20 19:17, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

A volcano suddenly appeared in a farmer's corn field in Mexico in 1943, although it did not stay that small. Look up Volcán de Parícutin, it's fascinating. --172.70.206.82 08:22, 11 November 2022 (UTC)