1190: "Time"
Moderators: Moderators General, Prelates, Magistrates
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Drama!
This could so go either sad/angry or go funny right now.
Whatever happens, this isn't going to end anytime soon.
This could so go either sad/angry or go funny right now.
Whatever happens, this isn't going to end anytime soon.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Helper wrote:Listen to me, my bretheren and sistheren!
The religous wars must stop! War be no longer an option! We must put an end to it!
...I recommend nukes.
nukes fired from a trebuchet?
-That's Cardinal bigcrag92 to you, the holy alium, secretary of the CDT. Got a hat and everything
peewee_RotA wrote:Welcome aboard. May the Timeframes ahead be filled with trebuchets.
Lord Cathbad wrote:Kieryn wrote: Self-realisation: What if we are all Randall?!!
What if Randall is us... From the future?
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
appleGirl wrote:I be sorry, I didn't mean to (re)start a war
It's alright, I just wanted an excuse to use the nukes

NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
bigcrag92 wrote:nukes fired from a trebuchet?
................still more accurate than North Korea.............

NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
- Rosewinsall
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 9:39 pm UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
okay I am part of the Timewaiters
awesome

-
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:36 pm UTC
- Location: Cedar Falls, IA
- Contact:
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Lord Cathbad wrote:Maybe he be gonna pull out a black hat. It'd be revealed that that be his origin, as this comic occurs way in the past.
That'd be great. But at the same time, I think that explaining black hat guy's origin would sort of ruin his character.
- jimbobmacdoodle
- Posts: 149
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 12:40 pm UTC
- Location: NP 811/The Present
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Lord Cathbad wrote:Maybe he be gonna pull out a black hat. It'd be revealed that that be his origin, as this comic occurs way in the past.
Au contraire - BHG has been shown to have hair (see for example #377). This is clearly set some time in the future, some time after he has gone bald and had decided to retire from being the BHG. However, as the magnificent creation that is the Sandcastle is destroyed he realises that he gets less joy in creating and that he needs to revert to his former ways and dons the hat once more.
BlitzGirl the Primordial

matthewglen wrote:Cueball looks concerned.
- peewee_RotA
- Posts: 504
- Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:19 pm UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Rosewinsall wrote:okay I be part of the Timewaitersawesome
Welcome aboard. May the Timeframes ahead be filled with trebuchets.
"Vowels have trouble getting married in Canada. They can’t pronounce their O’s."
http://timelesstherpg.wordpress.com/about/
http://timelesstherpg.wordpress.com/about/
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Dec 17, 2007 11:59 am UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
Someone needs to reenact this whole comic for realz in real-time!
I'd do it but it's cold outside ...
I'd do it but it's cold outside ...
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
peewee_RotA wrote:Rosewinsall wrote:okay I be part of the Timewaitersawesome
Welcome aboard. May the Timeframes ahead be filled with trebuchets.
Nice benediction!
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
bigcrag92 wrote:Helper wrote:Listen to me, my bretheren and sistheren!
The religous wars must stop! War be no longer an option! We must put an end to it!
...I recommend nukes.
nukes fired from a trebuchet?
Plausible, but not recommended, as the fallout may drift back over the trebuchet crew.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
peewee_RotA wrote:Rosewinsall wrote:okay I be part of the Timewaitersawesome
Welcome aboard. May the Timeframes ahead be filled with trebuchets.
sigged

Last edited by bigcrag92 on Fri Mar 29, 2013 6:50 pm UTC, edited 2 times in total.
-That's Cardinal bigcrag92 to you, the holy alium, secretary of the CDT. Got a hat and everything
peewee_RotA wrote:Welcome aboard. May the Timeframes ahead be filled with trebuchets.
Lord Cathbad wrote:Kieryn wrote: Self-realisation: What if we are all Randall?!!
What if Randall is us... From the future?
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
I am now nearly certain that this strip is NOT a metaphor for their relationship, at least not in the ways many people seem to want to make it. They are having fun, the kind of fun they always have together in xkcd, and this next phase of sandcancerbabysemencoffee (I can't remember the exact term) war is totally consistent with everything I've ever observed about their personalities and their interactions.
So lighten up, doomsayers! It's just a com...... /feels a grip tighten around her throat as if by an invisible hand and nearly loses consciousness before continuing .... Long *gasp* live Time! /shudders
So lighten up, doomsayers! It's just a com...... /feels a grip tighten around her throat as if by an invisible hand and nearly loses consciousness before continuing .... Long *gasp* live Time! /shudders
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
I've just seen the organization of the Timewaiters. Since I only posted in this thread (for now), how do I become a Cardinal?
Oh, I also propose myself as the Pope, just because.
Oh, I also propose myself as the Pope, just because.
udscbt (a.k.a アダスチボト), Cardinal of the Timewaiters, Prefect of the Congregatio pro Doctrina Temporis, peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Burn y'all heretics!
buffygirl wrote:I, Timewaiter Buffygirl, Cardinal of The One True Comic, do hereby nominate you, udscbt, for the position of Cardinal. -poof!- You're a peanut butter and jelly sandwich! Wait, that's not right - - -
bigcrag92 wrote:I Bigcrag92 being of soundish mind yada yada yada do ratify the cardinalship of udscbt nominated by buffygirl. may I and buffygirl be stuck down if we have erred in this decision.
bigcrag92 (continued...) wrote:by the power vested in me I now name you Cardinal peanut butter and jelly sandwich udscbt. arise my brethren
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
buffygirl wrote:I be now nearly certain that this strip be NOT a metaphor for their relationship, at least not in the ways many folk seem to want to make it. They be having fun, the kind of fun they always have together in xkcd, and this next phase of sandcancerbabysemencoffee (I tin't remember the exact term) war be totally consistent with everything I've ever observed about their personalities and their interactions.
So lighten up, doomsayers! it be just a com...... /feels a grip tighten around her throat as if by an invisible hand and nearly loses consciousness before continuing .... Long *gasp* live Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!! /shudders
You sound almost surprised by this revelation of the meaning of
- k.bookbinder
- Posts: 975
- Joined: Wed Mar 27, 2013 6:17 pm UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
buffygirl wrote:I be now nearly certain that this strip be NOT a metaphor for their relationship, at least not in the ways many folk seem to want to make it. They be having fun, the kind of fun they always have together in xkcd, and this next phase of sandcancerbabysemencoffee (I tin't remember the exact term) war be totally consistent with everything I've ever observed about their personalities and their interactions.
So lighten up, doomsayers! it be just a com...... /feels a grip tighten around her throat as if by an invisible hand and nearly loses consciousness before continuing .... Long *gasp* live Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!! /shudders
Just because they are having fun now (maybe) doesn't mean it isn't a metaphor for their relationship in regards to how it happened in past T-i-m-e. I still think everything that has happened, and what it may represent still holds true. We shall see. All we can do is "wait for it."
"HAL9000" This thread is a goldmine for signatures.
"StratPlayer" All in all, that sand paper rubbed me the wrong way.
"charlie_grumbles" The secret of the geeks. "Copy, Borrow, Steal, Succeed"
"ucim" There's a forestful of treeish people here.
Welcome! Confused? See here.
"StratPlayer" All in all, that sand paper rubbed me the wrong way.
"charlie_grumbles" The secret of the geeks. "Copy, Borrow, Steal, Succeed"
"ucim" There's a forestful of treeish people here.
-
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:31 pm UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
Android app is live! Since I can't post links yet, you can find it by searching Google Play for "xkcd time". Let me know if there's any other features you want for this ridiculously unnecessary app. 

Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
drewhannay wrote:Android app be live! Since I tin't stake links yet, you tin find it by searching Google Play for "xkcd Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!". Let me ken if there be any other features you want for this ridiculously unnecessary app.
Blasphemy! No worship of the One True Comic, whatever form, has ever been wasted!
- Opiboble
- It's Machine Code.
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:50 pm UTC
- Location: Alaska, were the outside is always calling...
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
bigcrag92 wrote:Helper wrote:Listen to me, my bretheren and sistheren!
The religous wars must stop! War be no longer an option! We must put an end to it!
...I recommend nukes.
nukes fired from a trebuchet?
Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the world burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet would you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
Sea1(Big) River2(Small) Tree3(Neat) Camp4(Old) River5(Pretty Neat) Place6(beautiful & empty) Found7(Ribbit) Bigtree8(It knows)
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
Oh this is bad
Spoiler:
Co-proprietor of a Mome and Pope Shope
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Opiboble wrote:Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the angry dome burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
I'm sure it's a matter of size, per se, so much as the stretchiness of the rubber band...
NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
edo wrote:Oh this be badSpoiler:
I think randall miscarried ;_;

NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
- Opiboble
- It's Machine Code.
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:50 pm UTC
- Location: Alaska, were the outside is always calling...
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the angry dome burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
I be sure it be a matter of size, per se, so much as the stretchiness of the rubber band...
Well, either way I think this would be a good question to submit to "What if?"
Sea1(Big) River2(Small) Tree3(Neat) Camp4(Old) River5(Pretty Neat) Place6(beautiful & empty) Found7(Ribbit) Bigtree8(It knows)
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
-
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:13 am UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
drewhannay wrote:Android app be live! Since I tin't stake links yet, you tin find it by searching Google Play for "xkcd Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!". Let me ken if there be any other features you want for this ridiculously unnecessary app.
Oh this is completely over the top and unnecessary and... wait, did my hands just reach to my phone and download it all by themselves?
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
Uh-oh! Cueball looks pissed!
- Opiboble
- It's Machine Code.
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:50 pm UTC
- Location: Alaska, were the outside is always calling...
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Lord Cathbad wrote:drewhannay wrote:Android app be live! Since I tin't stake links yet, you tin find it by searching Google Play for "xkcd Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!". Let me ken if there be any other features you want for this ridiculously unnecessary app.
Oh this be completely over the top and unnecessary and... wait, did my hands just reach to my phone and download it all by themselves?
I agree, why not just refreash the webpa... crap my hands did it too!
Sea1(Big) River2(Small) Tree3(Neat) Camp4(Old) River5(Pretty Neat) Place6(beautiful & empty) Found7(Ribbit) Bigtree8(It knows)
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
drewhannay wrote:Android app be live! Since I tin't stake links yet, you tin find it by searching Google Play for "xkcd Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!". Let me ken if there be any other features you want for this ridiculously unnecessary app.
Yoink!
-
- Posts: 87
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:13 am UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Opiboble wrote:Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the angry dome burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
I be sure it be a matter of size, per se, so much as the stretchiness of the rubber band...
Well, either way I reckon this woll-did be a good question to submit to "hwæt if?"
Yes! And then we shall watch North Korea hilariously attempt it.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Opiboble wrote:Well, either way I reckon this woll-did be a good question to submit to "hwæt if?"
Sent

NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
- VioletSkies
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2012 1:15 pm UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
I think it's only good to choose a religion name once there's a clear majority. You'll just have to drop the bottom options and do a run-off between the top 3 (okay, maybe 2).
-
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:47 pm UTC
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Opiboble wrote:Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the angry dome burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
I be sure it be a matter of size, per se, so much as the stretchiness of the rubber band...
Well, either way I reckon this woll-did be a good question to submit to "hwæt if?"
I think we have generated several good "what if" questions in the last 5000+ posts...
-how large of a trebuchet would you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn't kill yourself in the blast?
-how many man-hours/how much money was wasted as a result of this one comic?
-etc, etc (feel free to add to the list)
Since Mr Munroe apparently doesn't read these threads, someone must make sure they all get submitted!
EDIT: look's like Helper's on it already (with a name like that, why am I not surprised?

Re: 1190: "Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!"
The last few newpix have been real cliff-hangers, served out in 1NP episodes. Who threw that?! Where will it hit?! WTF Megan!? Oh noes it's going to hit the bridge! Now what?
Like watching Friday SOAPnet*, but with considerably better acting.
(* my wife likes soaps. I'm more of a shower gel person, myself.)
Like watching Friday SOAPnet*, but with considerably better acting.
(* my wife likes soaps. I'm more of a shower gel person, myself.)
Last edited by pdg on Fri Mar 29, 2013 7:10 pm UTC, edited 1 time in total.
We can't go back.
We don't understand everything yet.
We don't understand everything yet.
- Envelope Generator
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 8:07 am UTC
- Location: pareidolia
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
littlebutterfly wrote:Opiboble wrote:Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the angry dome burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
I be sure it be a matter of size, per se, so much as the stretchiness of the rubber band...
Well, either way I reckon this woll-did be a good question to submit to "hwæt if?"
I reckon we have generated several good "hwæt if" questions in the last 5000+ posts...
-how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you woll-did not kill yourself in the blast?
-how many man-hours/how much money and aeroplanes be-did wasted as a result of this one comic?
-etc, etc (feel sky to add to the list)
Since Mr Munroe apparently doesn't read these threads, someone must make sure they all get submitted!
EDIT: look's like Helper's on it already (with a name like that, why be I not surprised?)
I thought about a trebuchet what-if as well from a slightly different angle. What sort of a table would you need to bring along with the trebuchet to the beach so that ducking under it to shield yourself from radiation actually works?
I'm going to step off the LEM now... here we are, Pismo Beach and all the clams we can eat
eSOANEM wrote:If Fonzie's on the order of 100 zeptokelvin, I think he has bigger problems than difracting through doors.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
littlebutterfly wrote:EDIT: look's like Helper's on it already (with a name like that, why be I not surprised?)
And now the 2nd one is done. Yay, after decades of using this handle, it's proving true!

NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
- Opiboble
- It's Machine Code.
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:50 pm UTC
- Location: Alaska, were the outside is always calling...
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Well, either way I reckon this woll-did be a good question to submit to "hwæt if?"
Sent
Double win! My question gets submitted, and I got someone else to do it so I could continue to be lazy!
Sea1(Big) River2(Small) Tree3(Neat) Camp4(Old) River5(Pretty Neat) Place6(beautiful & empty) Found7(Ribbit) Bigtree8(It knows)
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Opiboble wrote:Double win! My question gets submitted, and I got someone else to do it so I could continue to be lazy!
Although, I did say in the e-mail "Opiboble is a poop and you shouldn't invite him to your party."

NoEdge wrote:Outside? Is that like Mesopotamia? Isn't Mesopotamia gone? Has Outside been destroyed without our noticing?!
Oh well. At least we still have our sandcastle.
NoEdge wrote:Maybe it's fire. The world is burning. It's dark behind me. Maybe the fires have been put out. Maybe it's all gone.
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
drewhannay wrote:Android app be live! Since I tin't stake links yet, you tin find it by searching Google Play for "xkcd Things that are on my side for 600, Alex!". Let me ken if there be any other features you want for this ridiculously unnecessary app.
You, sir, are awesome.
paulmiranda wrote:When stick figures swim, they always go skinny dipping.
Helper wrote:Tophe wrote:semencancercaffeinebabies
What have we done.
- Opiboble
- It's Machine Code.
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:50 pm UTC
- Location: Alaska, were the outside is always calling...
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Double win! My question gets submitted, and I got someone else to do it so I could continue to be lazy!
Although, I did say in the e-mail "Opiboble be a poop and you shouldn't invite him to your party."
Meh, still got to be lazy!
Sea1(Big) River2(Small) Tree3(Neat) Camp4(Old) River5(Pretty Neat) Place6(beautiful & empty) Found7(Ribbit) Bigtree8(It knows)
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Tools of the OTT and OTC:
Map-Newpix Viewer-OTT Stats-Vytron Comic Sciscitor graphs
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
jimbobmacdoodle wrote:overlord Cathbad wrote:Maybe he be gonna pull out a black hat. It'd be revealed that that be his origin, as this comic occurs way in the past.
Au contraire - BHG has be-done shown to have hair (see for example #377). This be clearly set some Things that are on my side for 600, Alex! in the future, some Things that are on my side for 600, Alex! after he has go-done bald and have-did decided to Old Folks Vacation from being the BHG. However, as the magnificent creation that be the Magic Kingdom be destroyed he realises that he gets less joy in creating and that he needs to revert to his former ways and dons the hat once more.
Ah, but couldn't it come from a time in the past when BHG had a shaved head?
Bumbling charlatan
Re: 1190: "Things that be on my side for 600, Alex!"
littlebutterfly wrote:Opiboble wrote:Helper wrote:Opiboble wrote:Yes, yes... do it, I want to watch the angry dome burn in the coolest way possible!
This however bring up a good question, how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you wouldn’t kill yourself in the blast…
I be sure it be a matter of size, per se, so much as the stretchiness of the rubber band...
Well, either way I reckon this woll-did be a good question to submit to "hwæt if?"
I reckon we have generated several good "hwæt if" questions in the last 5000+ posts...
-how large of a trebuchet woll-did you need to launch a nuke far enough that you woll-did not kill yourself in the blast?
-how many man-hours/how much money and aeroplanes be-did wasted as a result of this one comic?
-etc, etc (feel sky to add to the list)
Since Mr Munroe apparently doesn't read these threads, someone must make sure they all get submitted!
EDIT: look's like Helper's on it already (with a name like that, why be I not surprised?)
Personally, I love the what-if about the trebuchet, because it is right up his ally. Strictly numbers, calculation, and a small amount of speculation. Although the latest questions seem to have gone more speculation and over the top than the originals.
There is nothing, absolutely nothing, half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats - Ken Grahame (Wind in the Willows)