1190: "Time"

[Kazza3]

NING NANG NONG!

Oh my, so many nostalgias. Thankyou.


EDIT:

What did I just watch?

Australia's childhood.

[tinosoph]

Hello,

I consider myself a lukewarm believer who has only read a few of the pages herein since the beginning of Time. As I still hope The Great Lord Randall will not spit me out of his mouth for being so tepid I want to give all of you my sincerest greetings and blessings. You are doing a great work with THIS and I am sure your work will continue until the ends of the internets.

And last but not least BlitzGirl... You are an inspiration to all mankind! May your journey someday come to a glorious end!

[silent_death]

Latent - with all your post analysing I can´t believe you have not shown us Blitzgirl´s Graph yet!

Also, is it possible with your data to get a Graph which shows the overall Post/NP density over time ?

[Flotter]

RONG:

Latent - with all your post analysing I can´t believe you have not shown us Blitzgirl´s Graph yet!

Also, is it possible with your data to get a Graph which shows the overall Post/NP density over time ?

patzer did that here.

[XonqNopp]

Spoiler:

spoilers

Oh... My... God Randall!!! (Should never have been sleeping! Or maybe chem1190c did not get enough sleep...)

[RobIrr]

Strewth ... I would normally be able to catch up with this thread post-coma within a single TimeFrame ... took me three today. You trying to make it harder for BlitzGirl ?

As for this...

NING NANG NONG!

Added to favourites! I loved the cow backing into the cactus...

[mojacardave]

It seems I have a very low attention span. I was quite high on the 'highest poster' lists, but my posts all came in very short bursts, and I've barely posted since week 1!

[mojacardave]

...is it possible with your data to get a Graph which shows the overall Post/NP density over time ?

Here you go:

[silent_death]

...is it possible with your data to get a Graph which shows the overall Post/NP density over time ?

Here you go:

Thank you! Very nice.

[Latent22]

Latent - with all your post analysing I can´t believe you have not shown us Blitzgirl´s Graph yet!

Also, is it possible with your data to get a Graph which shows the overall Post/NP density over time ?

This has been done many times before but here is the current posts over Time. Note that the first 240 TimeFrames the post count here is just for 30 outside minutes and then it changes to 60 outside minutes after that. So you could double the first part in your head when you look at it.

Edit: Ninja'd

[Flotter]

Megan keeps building:


This'll be my last Newpic for a while, I'm off to Britain for the weekend

[Magdiragdag]

Megan keeps building:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/time/6a127efb6a324edcfc3bb9459be8ceba3e1a15fe053c3235f5c4dfe05628b05b.png

This'll be my last Newpic for a while, I'm off to Britain for the weekend

I'm sure you can find Internet there, too.

[Sheldon]

This'll be my last Newpic for a while, I'm off to Britain for the weekend

I'm sure you can find Internet there, too.

Yeah, we've even got hot and cold running water - sadly it's because it's warm & sunny one moment and pouring cold rain the next!
Still at least the snow has gone (...although there's a frost predicted tonight).

*sigh* I wanna be on a beach building a massive sandcastle citadel

[SPACKlick]

Probably too late to vote for an iconic pic but I'd go for frame 32. It's CB and Megan building and things are still simple. It's full of promise and the castle is unfinished and being worked on which symbolizes the piece far more than a finished castle.

[manvandmaan]

Probably too late to vote for an iconic pic but I'd go for frame 32. It's CB and Megan building and things are still simple. It's full of promise and the castle is unfinished and being worked on which symbolizes the piece far more than a finished castle.

Right, I forgot to enter my favourite! It's Frame #2! It has that same kind of mystery that surrounds Frame #1, but with the addition that there is more to come.

EDIT: Also, after careful comparison I concluded that Megan looks prettier in Frame #2 then in Frame #1.

[Flado]

Well, you can have an antecedent (which comes before something else, I know...) so why not a transcedent? But yeah, never noticed my own sig had a spelling error. I mean, no it didn't, it was spelled right the whole time...

It turns out, you cannot argue with the Latin Police. Or at least I can't. So here is my solemn declaration of guilt which I have signed on my own free will entirely without any coercion of any kind by any police, and especially not by the Latin Police:

It's not you, my most devout follower. It's me. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

[mojacardave]

Modified the post density graph a bit. It had too much data and not enough resolution. I've applied a 12-timeframe rolling average, to smooth the curve a little (and thinned the line).

This essentially shows the same data as before, but the line technically represents the average number of posts over the previous 12 TimeFrames, for any given point. Gets rid of some of the sharp spikes, and is a very good indication of coma-cycles. Clearly the American crowd outweighs the rest of us!

[higgs-boson]

I go coma for a while and you start analysing forum posts instead of the One True Comic?!?

Graphs are funny. The right graphs are funny and interesting.
What about a graph showing the number of different posters per newpix / per newpage (larger buckets may apply if numbers are to low)?

[Latent22]

[mojacardave]

I go coma for a while and you start analysing forum posts instead of the One True Comic?!?

Graphs are funny. The right graphs are funny and interesting.
What about a graph showing the number of different posters per newpix / per newpage (larger buckets may apply if numbers are to low)?

It's very doable, but I'm at work, and probably shouldn't be devoting that much brain power to Time!

[SBN]

Clearly the American crowd outweighs the rest of us!

It's not our fault, it's because of the giant sodas. (Or cokes, or pops, depending on where in America you are.)

[higgs-boson]

I go coma for a while and you start analysing forum posts instead of the One True Comic?!?

Graphs are funny. The right graphs are funny and interesting.
What about a graph showing the number of different posters per newpix / per newpage (larger buckets may apply if numbers are to low)?

It's very doable,but I'm at work, and probably shouldn't be devoting and since I am at work I will of course devote that much brain power to Time!

FTFY.

[mojacardave]

I go coma for a while and you start analysing forum posts instead of the One True Comic?!?

Graphs are funny. The right graphs are funny and interesting.
What about a graph showing the number of different posters per newpix / per newpage (larger buckets may apply if numbers are to low)?

It's very doable,but I'm at work, and probably shouldn't be devoting and since I am at work I will of course devote that much brain power to Time!

FTFY.

To be honest, your version is more accurate...

[cellocgw]

Onward I go! And as I do, I cry out to the future:

The river is small!

The sea is big!

Come on and take a free ride!

[cellocgw]

Clearly the American crowd outweighs the rest of us!

It's not our fault, it's because of the giant sodas. (Or cokes, or pops, depending on where in America you are.)

New Hampshire: tonic. (I don't live there any more, but still remember my shock when I first heard that term)

[mojacardave]

I go coma for a while and you start analysing forum posts instead of the One True Comic?!?

Graphs are funny. The right graphs are funny and interesting.
What about a graph showing the number of different posters per newpix / per newpage (larger buckets may apply if numbers are to low)?

It's very doable,but I'm at work, and probably shouldn't be devoting and since I am at work I will of course devote that much brain power to Time!

FTFY.

It turned out to be very minimal brain power. This is the TimeFrame version, I'll sort a forum page version momentarily.

[Jafloi]

Probably too late to vote for an iconic pic but I'd go for frame 32. It's CB and Megan building and things are still simple. It's full of promise and the castle is unfinished and being worked on which symbolizes the piece far more than a finished castle.

Right, I forgot to enter my favourite! It's Frame #2! It has that same kind of mystery that surrounds Frame #1, but with the addition that there is more to come.

Not to late, updated below, but will not update more during the weekend, outside-duties...

Spoiler:

Thanks for the vote(s)
The NP 124-limit is not relevant anymore, se note ^B.

For new readers:

If you had to pick just one timeframe to symbolise the whole of the One True Comic, witch would it be? I need just that for a outside-originated project, but can not decide witch to use... preferably one before NP 124, for the simplicity.^B Can you help?

Votes so far:*****
(please feel free to vote on any timeframe, before or after NP 124)^B

First frame:* 7 ^A
Second frame: 2
Fifth: 1
21st: 0.5
25th: 1
32nd: 1
35th: 1
36th: 2
52th: 2^D
61st: 1
78th: 2
107th: 1
167th: 1
175th: 0.5
385th: 2
403rd: 3
404th: 3
675th: 1
Last**: 2

*Because I am not Lord Randall the Almighty, the "first" frame referred to is the first at http://xkcd.aubronwood.com/time
**Can someone provide me a link?***
***...And not to http://xkcd.com/time****
****Yes, I mean the absolute last one, the newpix without subsequent newpix(es).
*****Should be remembered: Comic #915
^AShould be mentioned that many of these votes comes with the exception that no sole newframe can compare with the Time as an unity.
^BNot relevant anymore, I have started the project, and chosen no. 1*
^CThat means that I count double votes as two individual votes, if you think you should second your own vote, then I'll count it as two (or more, if I am in the mood for it).

Guess you all have to...
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ysekp77tyn67mu/_DSC6129.png

[silent_death]

I go coma for a while and you start analysing forum posts instead of the One True Comic?!?

Graphs are funny. The right graphs are funny and interesting.
What about a graph showing the number of different posters per newpix / per newpage (larger buckets may apply if numbers are to low)?

It's very doable,but I'm at work, and probably shouldn't be devoting and since I am at work I will of course devote that much brain power to Time!

FTFY.

It turned out to be very minimal brain power. This is the TimeFrame version, I'll sort a forum page version momentarily.

Uh, all the Fun ways the data can be represented!

I am thinking of something where you can somehow see the people as they traverse through the thread, not sure yet how it could be visualized the best...maybe on every page every post thats in there is a point in a unique color for every user (how many individuals have posted in here?) Or the points are bigger the more posts one person did on a particular page.
Could be very nice.

[higgs-boson]

[...]It's very doable,but I'm at work, and probably shouldn't be devoting and since I am at work I will of course devote that much brain power to Time!

FTFY.

To be honest, your version is more accurate...

I know. Applies to many of us.

Do you know how to repel the Chinese economic power?
Make Randall xkcd in Mandarin.


xkcd
Pronounciation: /exkayseedee/
verb (xkcds, xkcding, past xkcded, past participle xkcded)
[no object]
> (1) to publish a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.
> (2) to state something incredible witty and clever.
> (3) to create a time sink intelligent people dump their working hours in, and therefore ruining the economic power of companies and countries.
Meanings are not mutually exclusive.

[StratPlayer]

I did the graph! Horribly inefficiently, and I couldn't get both lines on one graph, but I did it
Here's Helper's graph

Nice work! And thank you for putting the independent variable along the x-axis as it should be...

[mojacardave]

The forum version of the graphs. Before anybody asks, I didn't do any data analysis to work out the total number of posts per forum page. Nearly did, but I caught myself!

[BlitzGirl]

Quest progress: 314 out of 364 pages.
The Observation/Observed Platform. NP 576.

Alas, the signposts I cross are now too large to even spoiler-quote, so here is a link to the most recent I passed:
Quest progress: 243 out of 312 pages.

As Time drags on, with little to no progress made on the Platform, the newpages I traverse turn to other entertaiment. The past-posters are currently discussing whether they need to discuss whether it is a worthwhile use of Time to discuss whether the thread of Time is discussing the meaning of Time. Time is supposedly going to end on tax day, and the thread just officially jumped the shark. An epic ballad was penned by jjjdavidson, cmyk is complaining about not having his whistle, and Pope Helper was apparently taken by the Temporal Illuminati. In other words, just another span of newpix on the thread of Time.

Some specific posts:

Spoiler:

Looking for BlitzGirl in this list but I can't find her anywhere.

Of course I'm not there, I'm stuck here in the past of this thread!

When Blitzgirl arrives in the present which will be the future, there will be much rejoicing.

i think, in years to come, new true believers will be required, as part of their training, to read this entire thread.
This will probably take some time, and give some time back.
This ceremonial phase will be called Blitzgirling, and every time they reach a blitzgirl reference they will drink.
And drink they shall.

Blitzgirl's signposts, when read all in one, actually give a relatively accurate summary of the thread.

I noticed this a few signposts back, but as I was about 8 NewPages behind at the time I decided not to comment.

It will certainly be an exciting time when she becomes a part of the Present, she seems like she might have a lot to add to the current state of affairs.

I'm honored to have my own verb, but I'm afraid that will result in a LOT of drinking. I'm also honored that you think I would add to the current state of affairs, even though by this Time the current state of your post happened in the past.

Angelastic: Re. Your sig:

Message for BlitzGirl, I think if you add a note from yourself in your signature knighting yourself as a Knight Temporal, and then you read it back there in the past, you will officially become a Knight Temporal (knighted by your beknighted future self, for only a knight can knight a knight.)

Would that mean Blitzgirl would be the first ever Knight Temporal? At least it would create some kind of bizarre paradox where a Knight existed before the Knights existed. Or something. If so, I approve of it.

I believe so, since I became knighted when I read my signature on newpage 259, and the Knights Temporal didn't exist for a good 30 newpages or so after that.

Blitzgirl, you ROCK!

Woo! Thanks!

[...]
Color! A happy change from the dozens of black-and-white newpix. And I am overjoyed to be mentioned in the same platitude as It.

I would race down and high-five all of your hands, were I not in a different Time! Perhaps some TimeFrame I shall!

*gasp* Reference to Newpix AND Timeframes in the same quote. Might the First Of The True Followers Of Time’s time have just proven that she is, indeed, the Most True Followerer of all, by following ALL the religions? *explode*

You might say I follow all religions, since they are all established before I come to them on the thread. You might say I follow none, being perpetually lost in the past of Time and thus unable to believe in the Now. Either way, on my Questing I have learned this: there are many ways to observe Time, but all of us, Outsiders and thread-dwellers alike, must Wait for it.

And I have added to my collection of honorary titles:

Spoiler:

I therefore propose nominating blitzgirl, for her out-of-scale efforts on watching Time and Thread, as Supreme Observer of Time, position right below our beloved Lord Randall and above any member of any sect, religion or cult here present.

Lord Cardinals,

I hereby beseech you to formally appreciate BlitzGirl, yet no fully initiated member of our society, but in following her Quest in holy solitude giving an example to all of us in both dedication and humbleness.

I ask you to grant BlitzGirl First Of The True Followers Of Time's time*.
The appointment may take place in absentia and not to be refused by the recipient, which then shall be adressed as "Anointed One"**. There shall be no neither authority nor obligation tied to title and office; but word coming from the Anointed One shall always considered being of wisdom.

udscbt, as prefect of the Congregatio pro Doctrina Temporis I humbly ask you to review this request and ensure it being of pure intentions.

<higgs!>


*This shall be abbreviated as FOTTFOTT, however never used to address the dignitary in question.
**Degenderation applied properly.

I, BuffyGirl, have seen many proposals for the Upcoming Title due to BlitzGirl … and I like this one, so I hereby nominate BlitzGirl as First Of The True Followers Of Time’s time. I thereby mote it be.

By the powers not vested in me, I the Revered Apostate of the EasternWestern Paradox Church, trebuchet BlitzGirl sole cardinal of the EasternWestern Paradox faith, until such time that she reads this post. The EasternWestern Paradox Cardinals must at such time choose from amongst these cardinals, a new Patriarch by unanimous vote¹.

¹ The cardinals may vote for any cardinal of the EasternWestern Paradox faith except those other than themself

A Paradox resolved! It is through Her that it is done!

Blitzgirl is hereby proclaimed , by the pope of the Eastern Unorthodox Timewaiters, to be anointed with the title Great Pilgrim Of the One True Comic, searcher and quester of the true history, keeper of the sacred traditions, and defender of the sigs.

Hmm, quite a mouthful, how about Beautified Oracular Blitzgirl. Or just B.O.B.

Blitzgirl.
B.O.B.
First of the True Followers of Time's time
Most True Followerer
Sister in Waiting
First (and only) Knight of the Knights Temporal
Ghost of PresentPix
Time Architect of Signposts

As a ranking member, which I am not, of The Temporal Illuminati, which doesn't exist, I proclaim Blitzgirl, which I can't, the rank of Red Spiders Eyes, which I will deny, forever and in perpetuity.

Well, at least the B.O.B. thing makes sense now.

Another installment of Ancient Text on page 141:

Spoiler:

whoa ho here she comes¹

Ancient Text ה:NUMBERS
And the Creator doth give us the Gift of visions, and these visions
Let those who have understanding reckon the number of the pixels, for it is a human number, and it's number is two hundred eighteen thousand four hunded thirty-five. And these pixels be grouped into pixcolumns, each hath been made up of 395 pixels.
and the name bestowed upon each vision by the Creator hath 256 hex digits and it is the most holy name. Newpix be the first name given by the followers for the Gift bestowed upon us by the Creator, and as such, is inferior. TimeFrames be the second name, and it being a better play on words, it is also inferior.
¹Doth the post above foretell the One Who is to Come?

Holy name, perhaps, but it would be incredibly difficult to use in a poem and/or ballad, so I'm sticking with the inferior ones.

And some sig messages:

Spoiler:

<Richard Marx lyrics>
We're all waiting for you, BlitzGirl. Whatever it takes.

Gimme a B! Gimme a Litz! Gimme a Girl! Goooooooo Blitzgirl!

How exciting! Thanks, you two.

WWBD

Wait for it.

BlitzGirl-skip cryptic (rot13) posts!!

Noooo, who did that? You do realize that I am reading it ALL, right? *grumbles about future rot13 encounters*

My Quest continues, just as soon as I work out how to sig all these titles.

[higgs-boson]

Quest progress: 314 out of 364 pages.
...

BlitzGirl-skip cryptic (rot13) posts!!

Noooo, who did that? You do realize that I am reading it ALL, right? *grumbles about future rot13 encounters*
My Quest continues, just as soon as I work out how to sig all these titles.

As Apostolic Visitator, Holiest of Holy Fun-Havers, I ask you, BuffyGirl, Arch-Cardinal of Hat Stacking:

Hey, are you trying to cheat Time?

[SBN]

[StratPlayer]

Onward I go! And as I do, I cry out to the future:

The river is small!

The sea is big!

Come on and take a free ride!

And I believe we have our first Edgar Winter Group reference... Geez, we all must be olde pharts!



ETA: Crap, I'm Pope again. But I was just Pope back on NewPage 357 -- the Magnum page. So I don't think I'm eligible for another rePopeination so soon. So I'll just requote my one significant papal act (my Magnum Opus!) from NewPage 357 and then defer my Popeship to the next eligible poster.

As Pope of NewPage 357 (the MAGNUM page), I hereby issue my Magnus Opus!!

Spoiler:

[StratPlayer]

Quest progress: 310 out of 363 pages.
The Observation/Observed Platform. NP 568.

<snip>

Pray that Time will Fly
(to the tune of Rocky Mountain High)

Spoiler:

Long ago Time began on on the 25th of March
With two people sitting on a shore
Motionless to all but quickly they began to move
And we all Waited eagerly for more

When first we started posting, our minds seemed very dark,
In the Time before the newpix became long
But then they began building and the blackness went away
As we turned to the True Comic every dong

For the Castle keeps on growing ever high
I've seen it rising far into the sky
And legions of us Wait for it although we know not why
Pray that Time will fly
(in The Comic)
Pray that Time will fly
(fly in The Comic)

They kept to their construction: slowly, yes, but sure
A camera pan thrilled every devotee
And then they both went swimming, and Megan spat out drops
Of the semencoffeecancerbabies sea

Religion sprang anew with the trebuchet attack
Megan falling off her mound by mistake
We made Churches and titles as the castellation grew
Up by the sea (or river? Not a lake)

Oh, the Castle keeps on growing ever high
I've seen it rising far into the sky
And legions of us Wait for it though we get no reply
Pray that Time will fly
(fly in The Comic)
Pray that Time will fly
(fly in The Comic)

We spoke of the Recursion, we Knighted ourselves too,
Observed them and their Observation Stand
And though our creeds may differ, some Timewaiters, some not
We still agree the Sandcastle is grand

May the Castle keep on growing ever high
I've seen it rising far into the sky
Time keeps a-drifting onward; I'll see it by-and-by
Pray that Time will fly

The Castle keeps on growing ever high
I've seen it rising far into the sky
Far off in the future someone hears this lullaby...
I Pray that Time will fly
(fly in The Comic)
Pray that Time will fly
(fly in The Comic)

The river is small!

The sea is big!!! (as big as "Col-oh-rah-do...")

Wonderful work once again, oh minstrel of Time!


ETA: Yes, sorry -- It's a double-post, but you people just aren't posting fast enough... Besides, it's a reply to BlitzGirl AND I'm still the Pope 'o' da Page until someone else posts, so I hereby absolve my own fora sins...

[Valarya]

Blitzgirl, I don't know how anyone just passed over your brilliant song lyrics. I sang, I read, I laughed. Especially at this part:

They kept to their construction: slowly, yes, but sure
A camera pan thrilled every devotee
And then they both went swimming, and Megan spat out drops
Of the semencoffeecancerbabies sea.

Onwards!

[mscha]

[Magdiragdag]

Is she building a mosque?

[StratPlayer]

And catching up on missed posts, I see this:

Yes it is very interesting how Time caused so many xkcd fans to delurk and take part in this thread. I wonder if some of the old-timer xkcd forumites look in this needle-pulled-thingy and feel like this has moved in next door to them:

Spoiler:

YES. VERY MUCH SO.

Get off my lawn ya hooligans!

Don't worry -- I think the mods have us on double-secret probation, so it's only a matter of Time before our charter is revoked...