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3070: Orogeny
| Orogeny |
 Title text: Most properties can only boast INDOOR heated floors. |
Explanation
|
This explanation is incomplete: Created by a OUTDOOR HEATED WALL+CEILING - Needs someone who knows geology to add stuff. Do NOT delete this tag too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page! |
This comic is about an orogeny, the creation of mountain ranges at convergent plate boundaries.
The mountain range that Cueball and Ponytail are looking at was formed a billion years ago, but the mountains themselves have been eroded away and replaced. This could reference the Ship of Theseus thought experiment. Cueball analogizes this to a fully-renovated home, and Ponytail continues the analogy by jokingly pretending to use this as a business opportunity, offering it for sale to Cueball. She makes the sales pitch that this is good solid plutonic bedrock, freshly uplifted (from below the surface from the collision of the tectonic plates). Cueball plays along by saying he'd prefer 'new construction', and suggests a volcanic seamount, which Ponytail rejects on the basis of it being quite literally 'too hot' - covered in lava or soon to be so. This is a pun, as a 'hot' real estate market normally means that properties are selling quickly, usually leading to high prices that may be over-inflated.
The title text points out that most houses with heated floors have them only inside, with the implication that a volcano's magma (underground) or lava (on the surface) can make a heated floor outside.
Orogeny was also mentioned in 1082: Geology.
This comic is reminiscent of the Home Inspections series, but given that there is not yet a home to assess, it is not strictly part of that category. There was also the recent 3051: Hardwood, about defining underlying geology as part of a house, which might hint at Randall working all around a wider theme.
Despite being released on April 1st (in some timezones of the world), it is not an April Fools comic. It was still March 31st for Randall, and is consistent with a normal Monday comic. This may or may not imply that an April Fools comic will be released later (or as soon as it practical, as in 2916: Machine which was only ready for release on the Friday of the week in which Monday was April 1st), or there may not be an April Fools comic at all this year.
Transcript
- [Cueball and Ponytail are seen from afar standing together on hill and looking out at a mountain range with mountains going all the way to the horizon, with more than 20 peaks. The hills they are standing on is grassy and strewn with rocks.]
- Cueball: I hear these mountains are a billion years old.
- Ponytail: Well, sort of.
- [Close up of Cueball and Ponytail on a white background. Ponytail holds her hand palm up out towards Cueball.]
- Ponytail: An ancient collision created the mountain belt, but the actual rock layers have been continually uplifted and eroded away.
- [In a frame-less panel Cueball takes his hand to his chin looking down, while Ponytail now gestures away from Cueball with her palm held out.]
- Cueball: So it's an old mountain range, but it's been fully renovated?
- Ponytail: Yessir, torn down to the roots. This is good solid plutonic bedrock, freshly uplifted. Great value.
- Ponytail: You in the market?
- [They are now just standing normally talking to each other.]
- Cueball: I dunno, I was looking for new construction. You got any emerging volcanic seamounts?
- Ponytail: Nah, that market is a little too hot right now.
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- But what does this mean in this context here? --Kynde (talk) 11:10, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- In geology, "plutonic" means rock that solidified from magma that cooled beneath the Earth's surface, as opposed to "volcanic" which means rock that solidified from lava on the Earth's surface. In this case, Ponytail is indicating that the rocks that they are standing on were formed when magma solidified deep underground a billion years ago, but were uplifted and exposed by erosion much more recently (geologically speaking). 162.158.137.59 18:28, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
xkcd. When technical issues interfer with reality correct the technical issues. That's usually easier than changing reality. Sure, the techs will say it's impossible and may even think they are correct but ... 172.71.194.216 02:55, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
Hey this isn't an interactive april fools comic 162.158.174.225 04:06, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- No because this comic came out on March 31st. But it has been a while since Randall managed to let his April 1st comic come out on April 1st ;-) But this comic was the regular scheduled Monday March 31st release. We may still se an April Fools' comic come out later today or some time during April... However I have heard that due to the recent events in the world that all would have been funny if April Fool's then April Fool's Day has been canceled this year! --Kynde (talk) 11:10, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- I have (lengthily) justified, as inline commentary, why I think it's nonense to consider this a "no April Fools' year" just yet. The comic is normal Monday March 31st fare (insofar as any comic is 'normal') and can only be considered valid for a "March Impetuousness's day" comic, should that be a thing. As pointed out by a prior editor, Machine was late (had the opportunity to be released on Monday 1st April, but seemingly needed a bit more time; and probably could have done with longer, given it had minor post-release tweaks) and is considered a 1/Apr 'special'. Longer waits for season-/occasion-specific comics have heen had.
- For people to assume this pre-April comic (by the usual measures) is sign that there's no such special release is... premature in at least three different ways. And there's no reason for anybody outside Randall and (as with the trend over recent years) any hypothetical collaborators involved to know if this year is going to be bountiful or barren at this early stage. There's almost ⅓ of a day before my April 1st is over (ignoring the "all japes need to be made/concluded before noon" stipulation, which remains difficult to enforce on a worldwide basis) longer still for Randall's, and that's if he's sticking to the usual "release day" schedule and not having to worry about more than just a single static comic that (give or take particular topicality) could be substituted for a backup 'casual' joke even if he's not entirely happy with its finished status yet.
- Maybe it'll be (very early, Randall-time) on Wednesday, as compromise with the rest of the logistics. Maybe not. Give it a week before making too many assumptions. And, even then, if it's a good one that just needs more fiddling with, don't be surprised to find a 'special' release later on. (Whilst accepting that there may still not be one, of course.) To paraphrase Frank N. Furter, in the Rocky Horror (Picture) Show, perhaps you all should try to "shiver with Antici-
- -pation".... 172.69.194.93 15:54, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
Gonna need a new category tag for Geology + Real Estate/Home Ownership comics at this point - this is the 4th I believe. 172.71.255.133 04:29, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- I think that's Category:Home Inspections -- Ken g6 (talk) 05:47, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- We might want to rebrand that category then: something more general for a combination of real estate and geology --Mushrooms (talk) 11:21, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- Maybe yes, but I think the two home inspection comics are so clearly a stand alone series! And have thus removed the category from this comic. And made a note of this comic on the home inspection category and made a link to it from this comic. If Randall continues there could be a new series where the inspection series would then become a sub category. But for that we need to have more comics like this one. Also in this comic it seems like they joke, where in the other it seems to be taken serious by the characters. At least at the moments the explanation also says that they are running along with the joke. Especially the punch line. Also it is only the third comic not the fourth as far as I can tell? Ah sorry there is also 3051: Hardwood. Yes maybe we should make some other category. But still think the two home inspection would still need to be seen as a special sereis where the home and the inspector needs to be part of any further comics to be added --Kynde (talk) 11:25, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- I'm minded to think that it's just dubious to attempt to classify a set of two as a 'theme'. Given a set of random points (say, stars in the sky), it would be pre-emptive to suggest that any two seemingly close together are "a group", in anticipation that as yet unseen/uncatalogued stars will trivially fit into any such pair-group when you get round to them. Three is better (such that any of them have more in common with the other two than they have with any neighbour), but even that's potentially a problem (loads of "triangles" up in, or even betwixt, the constellations!) and subject to reinterpretation.
- I'm thinking that "home inspection" is just a fleeting subset within a more "geological home" (plucking that from mid-air, probably just as wrong) wider theme. Though whether even Randall has consciously grouped any/all of those as we have (and will continue to, as further comics further establish or redefine the extent of his imagination in these matters) is a question we probably couldn't get a good answer to. 141.101.99.104 12:15, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- Well, yes - it is wrong - you should have plucked it from the earth.172.70.160.218 08:20, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
- Either have a category for all four or none at all, but with only the two home inspection comics I don't think there should be a category just for them - Cueball's checkup in 1839 and 1840 is connected through the general Category:Doctor Ponytail with the explanations referencing each other. 162.158.146.19 11:41, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
- I think that somewhere in the admin request boards, it suggested waiting until at least 4-5 comics fit the trend before creating the category, but I don't think we have an official policy on when to create a category. guess who (if you desire conversing | what i have done) 21:11, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
- Maybe yes, but I think the two home inspection comics are so clearly a stand alone series! And have thus removed the category from this comic. And made a note of this comic on the home inspection category and made a link to it from this comic. If Randall continues there could be a new series where the inspection series would then become a sub category. But for that we need to have more comics like this one. Also in this comic it seems like they joke, where in the other it seems to be taken serious by the characters. At least at the moments the explanation also says that they are running along with the joke. Especially the punch line. Also it is only the third comic not the fourth as far as I can tell? Ah sorry there is also 3051: Hardwood. Yes maybe we should make some other category. But still think the two home inspection would still need to be seen as a special sereis where the home and the inspector needs to be part of any further comics to be added --Kynde (talk) 11:25, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- We might want to rebrand that category then: something more general for a combination of real estate and geology --Mushrooms (talk) 11:21, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
Is it possible the next comic will be an April Fools'? Ozymandias (talk)
I don't understand the part about ancient collision ... what is meant here? Did tectonic plates come from interstellar events? 172.68.54.68 09:34, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- Ancient collision refers to tectonic plates colliding millions of years ago.Ozymandias (talk)
Heated driveways and sidewalks aren't unheard of in areas that get snow/ice. I feel like Randall isn't using "Most" in quite as absurd a way as is typical. 172.70.38.199 18:03, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- Separately from that, but sort of related, I find that bit of the Explanation a bit too focused on only the outside being heated, when it's probably going to affect indoor floors just as much, give or taken the point at which 'indoors' (if not the entire structure of any house) becomes moot against the general and widespread environmental effects involved. 172.69.194.205 21:59, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
From the timing, Randall could only have used prescience in gaining inspiration from this particular occurance... but, within hours of the comic being published, there was an outbreak of "hot property" issues. Probably just coincidence, so not threading this into the Explanation narrative... 172.71.241.19 22:24, 1 April 2025 (UTC)
- Probably just ponytail looking for more business. DollarStoreBa'al (talk) 15:44, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
Anyone know how to comment? I’m new Aprilfoolsupdate! (talk) 09:49, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
Whens april fools coming? Thehydraclone (talk) 20:24, 2 April 2025 (UTC)
- who knows? It’s up to Randall,right? Aprilfoolsupdate! (talk) 05:14, 3 April 2025 (UTC)
- 1st April. 172.70.91.11 08:56, 3 April 2025 (UTC)
Is there a typo in the title text ? Should'nt it be boost insteadt of boast ? Kbenoit (talk) 16:14, 4 April 2025 (UTC)
- No, that's probably the meaning intended. To be able to boast something is to brag about it (not necessariy in a self-centred way), or just make a point of information about something. "The car boasts a sun-roof", "I used to boast a pretty neat beard, before I stopped shaving altogether", "Buy that new TV, and you can boast a full Ultra-HD experience and direct connection with all the major streaming services over wifi"... 162.158.74.15 19:41, 4 April 2025 (UTC)
Given that the only other year Randall didn't do an April fools was 2017, and it's clear from his comics how much he hates seeing Trump elected, I'm betting 2025 will also get skipped. 172.68.245.81 01:28, 7 April 2025 (UTC)
- That seems to me like a trivial (and counter-productive) response. If he feels strongly about it, as I'm sure he does, doing nothing is a strange response. There are so many reasons for not (yet) being able to commemorate the day. If it's that, ok. But being solely (or even majorly) that doesn't sound right.
- Are we even sure about 2017's causation, rather than its correlation? Even if we were, I could easily imagine this time round having the opposite effect.
- Not that I want to play therapist/psychiatrist on someone who isn't (knowingly) here, in front of everyone else in the entire world. Only wanting to counteract those who are already doing that, who may not be helping things whether they're right or wrong. 172.70.58.49 10:21, 7 April 2025 (UTC)
Eh, I doubt Randall is going to bothered by our speculation. The fact that today's comic is intensely about Trump lends support to my theory that this is causal -- that he is boycotting or depressed or something. Of course I hope Randall is in a good place and my theory is wrong! 172.68.12.57 00:39, 8 April 2025 (UTC)
- I agree. Today(/yesterday) is causal... to the current topical news blip. Yet that he likely disagrees with half a dozen or more 'policy decisions', that the new administration has made, hasn't resulted in the near constant tirade of political satire that it could have done. Comics with other ('more comic') themes have kept on flowing since November/January. It means nothing about longer term aspirations or intentions. Of course Randall is human[citation needed] and may be compartmentalising, somehow. But as likely a technical/project hitch as an emotional one. 172.69.34.146 11:38, 8 April 2025 (UTC)
Hooray! My theory was very wrong!! 172.71.22.192 03:13, 10 April 2025 (UTC)
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