Difference between revisions of "3258: Plate Flip"

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She asks [[Cueball]] when the last time he flipped the {{w|tectonic plates}}, because they look heavily eroded. This may be an allusion to the practice of turning mattresses over every few months. This was common until the 20th century, to even out the wear and tear, and prevent permanent body impressions. When modern box springs became common, the practice became unnecessary.
 
She asks [[Cueball]] when the last time he flipped the {{w|tectonic plates}}, because they look heavily eroded. This may be an allusion to the practice of turning mattresses over every few months. This was common until the 20th century, to even out the wear and tear, and prevent permanent body impressions. When modern box springs became common, the practice became unnecessary.
  
Flipping mattresses only made sense because both sides are similar. But the underside of a plate is nothing like the surface, it's essentially floating on a sea of {{w|magma}}. As Cueball points out, if you could flip a continent over, the new surface would be molten rock, not a surface amenable to life. Ponytail thinks the warmth would be soothing, and walking on it would {{w|exfoliate}} your feet.
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Flipping mattresses only made sense because both sides are similar. But the underside of a plate is nothing like the surface, it's essentially floating on a sea of {{w|magma}}. As Cueball points out, if you could flip a continent over, the new surface would be molten rock, not a surface amenable to life. Ponytail thinks the warmth would be soothing, and walking on it would {{w|exfoliation (cospmetology)|exfoliate}} your feet. But at hundreds of degrees, it would do far more damage than just removing dead skin.{{cn}}
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==

Revision as of 16:54, 13 June 2026

Plate Flip
It's great for exfoliating your skin, bones, houses, cities, landscape, etc.
Title text: It's great for exfoliating your skin, bones, houses, cities, landscape, etc.

Explanation

Ambox warning blue construction.png This is one of 46 incomplete explanations:
This page was FOUND ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CONTINENT. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

Ponytail resumes her role as a cosmic home inspector.

She asks Cueball when the last time he flipped the tectonic plates, because they look heavily eroded. This may be an allusion to the practice of turning mattresses over every few months. This was common until the 20th century, to even out the wear and tear, and prevent permanent body impressions. When modern box springs became common, the practice became unnecessary.

Flipping mattresses only made sense because both sides are similar. But the underside of a plate is nothing like the surface, it's essentially floating on a sea of magma. As Cueball points out, if you could flip a continent over, the new surface would be molten rock, not a surface amenable to life. Ponytail thinks the warmth would be soothing, and walking on it would exfoliate your feet. But at hundreds of degrees, it would do far more damage than just removing dead skin.[citation needed]

Transcript

Ambox warning green construction.png This is one of 28 incomplete transcripts:
Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!
Ponytail: These tectonic plates look pretty eroded. When did you last flip them?
Cueball: Flip them?
Ponytail: Yeah, to use the underside of the continent.
Cueball: ...Never?
Ponytail: Wow. Explains the eons of weathering, debris basins, and ... is this isostatic depression?
Cueball: It's rebounding!
Ponytail: You should really flip it. You'll get a whole new landscape!
Cueball: But I like this landscape!
Ponytail: Just think how warm and fresh the other side will feel.
Cueball: A sea of molten rock?
Ponytail: Good for the feet. Helps exfoliate.

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Discussion

Writing this to keep people from saying "First!" on this comic. AmethystSky14 (talk) 16:17, 13 June 2026 (UTC)

Second! Logalex8369 (talk) 16:32, 13 June 2026 (UTC)

Now you know how come comment boxes disappeared from blogs. I'm the shortstop. 2605:59C8:160:DB08:39D0:2269:6983:E38 16:52, 13 June 2026 (UTC)

Fourth! (But third base I guess?) 47.151.65.120 04:03, 14 June 2026 (UTC)

I don't know, Abbott. 2605:59C8:160:DB08:39D0:2269:6983:E38 04:29, 14 June 2026 (UTC)

Should we add a category for the "Ponytail the planetary housing inspector" saga? Previously in the series: 3192, 3037, probably others that I forgot as well. Also of note, when the comics contain a geologist it is almost exclusively Ponytail, perhaps that deserves a category like Category:Doctor Ponytail? 185.36.194.22 04:28, 14 June 2026 (UTC)

There already is one. There's the Home Inspection saga. GSLikesCats307 (talk) 09:53, 14 June 2026 (UTC)

Okay the current explanation says the underside of the plate would melt just about anything currently on the surface. What wouldn’t it melt? Or is this just hedging?

Salsmachev (talk) 13:22, 14 June 2026 (UTC)
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