1190: "Time"

[Eternal Density]

Nope, not enough panache, literally.

What's the difference between not having enough panache in a literal sense, and not having it in an nonliteral sense?

[KarMann]

Nope, not enough panache, literally.

What's the difference between not having enough panache in a literal sense, and not having it in an nonliteral sense?

Literally, panache is a plume. See avatar.
(Much like the 404 thing, not quite sure if you're deliberately misinterpreting, or genuinely curious.)

[poxic]

Nope, not enough panache, literally.

What's the difference between not having enough panache in a literal sense, and not having it in an nonliteral sense?

This, I think.

panache.jpg (34.2 KiB) Viewed 21668 times

[boozledorf]

[buffygirl]

Some thoughts:

-In 667 & 669 I think maybe the bucket is wiggling because M&C are hurrying -- the went and looked at the erosion (slide 664) and became concerned (slide 666 -- ooooooh!), and then got in a big hurry.

-Can we all just pause and consider the following: Randall has created almost 700 images for The One True Comic. That is OVER HALF the number of comics he has ever posted. This is a Big Deal!

-Just to say something I don't recall anyone saying before ... I do sometimes feel uncomfortable with the cancer references... I worry it might hit Randall a little close to home (i.e. not funny), even tho he doesn't read the fora. Just ... in principle.

-----------------
Lastly: Ok, ok, I'm behind on the hats! I don't even remember who needs hats anymore.

now it's coma for me

[boozledorf]

I'll take a hat, I guess?

[tman2nd]

I have all the hats

Tarnish notte the majesty of my¹ towering pillar of hats...

_{[1]I claim ownership since I'm posting the image.}

So, you're Pope this page.

Upper scaffold, bottom of right leg, strange little loop thing at the railing. Is that rope?

Why rot13?

I once thought it was homage to the original 13 American colonies--which used to be a lucky number. I was sad to learn the Alphabet had 26 letters and rot13 moved them exactly halfway round--or as far from the original letter as is possible, making it just as easy to crack. And was sadder to notice I was studying cryptography before making any serious recognition that the alphabet had 26 letters.* Side-note: I've always been a little school-boy partial to the Vigenere Square. That grid is just beautiful!

*I am not exaggerating.

I believe you're mistaken. If we are to take the 2003 Battlestar Galactica reboot as a literal analogy for US history, then there were actually only 12 original American colonies... and the 13th colony was a post-apocylptic wasteland populated by humanoid Cylons with a Bob Dylan fetish.

You're talking about Georgia, right?

Also, I just Pope'd myself.

FTFY

Ol qrpbqvat guvf zrffntr, lbh ner abj n fjbea zrzore bs gur Grzcbeny Vyyhzvangv naq zhfg fjrne gb hcubyq gur olynjf.

Arire!

Pretty? It looks rather plain to me. Still, nothing much is happening.

Right? These characters totally need to get a life!

...How long til the next NewPic?!

This is nothing compared to when Megan was building the mound. That took forever.

[htom]

Coma calling.

[KarMann]

THONG!*


Added:
* No, I don't think we should be limited to initial voiceless plosives.

[Eternal Density]

Nope, not enough panache, literally.

What's the difference between not having enough panache in a literal sense, and not having it in an nonliteral sense?

Literally, panache is a plume. See avatar.
(Much like the 404 thing, not quite sure if you're deliberately misinterpreting, or genuinely curious.)

I was genuinely curious. Thank you for explaining.

Unlike others, I would never not get a 404 joke. When ever I notice it is 4:04 I am likely to say "Time not found!"

Oooh, the bucketing continues!

[edit] Wait why did tman2nd say "So, you're Pope this page"? Did the rules change and I missed it or did I just misunderstand something again?

[KarMann]

[edit] Wait why did tman2nd say "So, you're Pope this page"? Did the rules change and I missed it or did I just misunderstand something again?

I think that was just based on the tower of hats. Anyone with that much headgear must be at least a Pope!

Added: Is that more crenellation to the left of Cueball, or is the rope wound around several times? What purpose could that serve? Braking in case they lose their grip on the rope?

[Eternal Density]

[edit] Wait why did tman2nd say "So, you're Pope this page"? Did the rules change and I missed it or did I just misunderstand something again?

I think that was just based on the tower of hats. Anyone with that much headgear must be at least a Pope!

Ah, fair enough.
Though I must admit that only 3 of those hats are actually within my reach at the moment.

[Exodies]

Spoiler:

Has anyone made a study of the correlation between the time delay between cmyk's posts and the complexity of his Images?

[tman2nd]

[edit] Wait why did tman2nd say "So, you're Pope this page"? Did the rules change and I missed it or did I just misunderstand something again?

I think that was just based on the tower of hats. Anyone with that much headgear must be at least a Pope!

Ah, fair enough.
Though I must admit that only 3 of those hats are actually within my reach at the moment.

Actually, It's because the two above posters had been Pope already in the last 24 hours newpix.

[Actaeus]

What happened to the trebucheton?

(I've been researching French diminutives. Naming cute things is hard!)

[cmyk]

Spoiler:

Has anyone made a study of the correlation between the time delay between cmyk's posts and the complexity of his Images?

I have. Well, not necessarily study, per se. But actual data because I am the data.

Though, not Data.

[KarMann]

What happened to the trebucheton?

(I've been researching French diminutives. Naming cute things is hard!)

We could mix French & German, and call it a "Trebüchen".

[cmyk]

What happened to the trebucheton?

(I've been researching French diminutives. Naming cute things is hard!)

We could mix French & German, and call it a "Trebüchen".

What new horror is this?!

Although, it does kinda sound like a model of Volkswagen.

[Eternal Density]

Can someone remind me of the duties and responsibilities of a pope? Other than having a towering pillar of hats?

[fatness]

What happened to the trebucheton?

(I've been researching French diminutives. Naming cute things is hard!)

We could mix French & German, and call it a "Trebüchen".

What new horror is this?!

Although, it does kinda sound like a model of Volkswagen.

Hmmm...I wonder how much of a Trebüchen would be required to launch, say, a Golf...

[KarMann]

What happened to the trebucheton?

(I've been researching French diminutives. Naming cute things is hard!)

We could mix French & German, and call it a "Trebüchen".

What new horror is this?!

Although, it does kinda sound like a model of Volkswagen.

Hmmm...I wonder how much of a Trebüchen would be required to launch, say, a Golf...

I think you'd need fore* of them.

* Yeah, it's one of those puns that would work much better spoken than in bytes.

[Exodies]

I did a quick look back through the last few NePages and I didn't see where anyone's mentioned this, but is the tower on the right of the top platform that Cueball made supposed to be a silhouette of this???

I don't personally get that. But, I see the similarity. And, I like the idea.

You're right, and the Iron Lady is lying in a crystal coffin somewhere in that building. Do you think Randall planned Thatcher's death to coincide with this frame of The Comic?

[Latent22]

Just updated the Book of Time Forum indexes for recent posts and as a bonus here is some Thread posting stats
Top 50 thread posters:

Spoiler:

Total Posts: 14135
KarMann 597
Helper 377
HAL9000 309
buffygirl 288
AionArap 285
bigcrag92 246
StratPlayer 241
cmyk 211
SBN 191
peewee_RotA 186
udscbt 173
ChronosDragon 166
tman2nd 166
kryton 162
mojacardave 157
Exodies 156
swey 150
Smithers 148
Mr Moriaty 147
histrion 142
bouer 136
Dracomax 133
htom 133
SWuh 129
azule 127
patzer 121
mscha 120
Opiboble 119
AluisioASG 108
TheMulattoMaker 103
Kieryn 100
Latent22 100
boozledorf 96
higgs-boson 95
Wraithlord 95
chem1190c 93
KroniK907 86
Shepherdess 86
edo 84
Lord Cathbad 82
PinkShinyRose 82
digimuzik 77
Valarya 72
Caswallon 69
Grepus 69
spamjam 69
Eternal Density 68
riverssong 68
Whizbang 67
jjjdavidson 65

[cmyk]

Some thoughts:

-In 667 & 669 I think maybe the bucket is wiggling because M&C are hurrying -- the went and looked at the erosion (slide 664) and became concerned (slide 666 -- ooooooh!), and then got in a big hurry.

-Can we all just pause and consider the following: Randall has created almost 700 images for The One True Comic. That is OVER HALF the number of comics he has ever posted. This is a Big Deal!

A huge deal! However, since he only has to update minimal parts of each frame, it's not comparable to creating an individual comic in its own right; which besides drawing requires usually requires a bit of research and a pithy, clever idea/joke. The latter is usually the most time consuming!

-Just to say something I don't recall anyone saying before ... I do sometimes feel uncomfortable with the cancer references... I worry it might hit Randall a little close to home (i.e. not funny), even tho he doesn't read the fora. Just ... in principle..

I hear ya. I try not to be too insensitive, especially considering the character and the actual person share the same name. However, I, and I'm sure many here, have had loved ones succumb to cancer as well (among other horrible diseases), and making jokes about it isn't unnatural at all — perhaps therapeutic, even, for those coping with such things — long as it's not mean-spirited or inappropriate due to a fine/particular set of circumstances.

I'm certain we're all here to laugh in good fun. Cancer can go fuck itself!

[cmyk]

Just updated the Book of Time Forum indexes for recent posts and as a bonus here is some Thread posting stats
Top 50 thread posters:

Spoiler:

Total Posts: 14135
KarMann 597
Helper 377
HAL9000 309
buffygirl 288
AionArap 285
bigcrag92 246
StratPlayer 241
cmyk 211
SBN 191
peewee_RotA 186
udscbt 173
ChronosDragon 166
tman2nd 166
kryton 162
mojacardave 157
Exodies 156
swey 150
Smithers 148
Mr Moriaty 147
histrion 142
bouer 136
Dracomax 133
htom 133
SWuh 129
azule 127
patzer 121
mscha 120
Opiboble 119
AluisioASG 108
TheMulattoMaker 103
Kieryn 100
Latent22 100
boozledorf 96
higgs-boson 95
Wraithlord 95
chem1190c 93
KroniK907 86
Shepherdess 86
edo 84
Lord Cathbad 82
PinkShinyRose 82
digimuzik 77
Valarya 72
Caswallon 69
Grepus 69
spamjam 69
Eternal Density 68
riverssong 68
Whizbang 67
jjjdavidson 65

Too cool! Thanks.

Sweet, I'm number 8. Infinity on its side.

[Eternal Density]

Woo, I somehow scraped into the list! I'm not sure when I first started posting in the thread but it wasn't anywhere near the beginning and I didn't post much for a week or so. But you've all dragged me in

[Latent22]

Woo, I somehow scraped into the list! I'm not sure when I first started posting in the thread but it wasn't anywhere near the beginning and I didn't post much for a week or so. But you've all dragged me in

http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=101043&p=3315620#p3315620 <-- 03/04/2013 12:02 am UTC Page 214. Newpix 333

Edit: on another topic. from the data I did an hour ago there had been 14134 posts on this thread and in that same time a total of 29228 posts were possibly made on the forum. This makes it 48.36% of all forum posts in here since the time thread started. Note that some of the other non Time posts may be invalid or deleted now though.

[tman2nd]

Woo, I somehow scraped into the list! I'm not sure when I first started posting in the thread but it wasn't anywhere near the beginning and I didn't post much for a week or so. But you've all dragged me in

http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=101043&p=3315620#p3315620 <-- 03/04/2013 12:02 am UTC Page 214. Newpix 333

Only 5 posts before Blitzgirl's first!

[patzer]

I made it in at number 26

Surprising really as I haven't been active for quite a long time

[BlitzGirl]

Quest progress: 295 out of 354 pages.
The Scaffolding Continued. NP 539.

The tenacity of the thread of Time continues to defy me. With each step I take into the future, I look up only to see the newpage count has leapt higher still. Doubt once more plagues me. As Cueball and Megan perch atop their scaffolding and ponder the rising of the sea, I look to the Now and watch the rising of the newpage total. Here in newpages long past, I have witnessed such events as the creation of the Knights Temporal and The Book of Time. One day I wish I too shall be involved in such labors-of-the-present, instead of a lone voice crying out from long-forgotten passages of Time's history.

I have reached another signpost, in which I spotted my first signature-encouragement:

Spoiler:

Quest progress: 219 out of 295 pages.
The Architect Age. NP 331.

Another missive from the future! Embedded in a signature this time:

Blitzgirl -- Your communication received with great joy and rejoicing.

As was yours! I look forward to one day meeting those of you fortunate enough to tread this thread in the present Time.

I speak to you now from another dark era, pre-Recursion, where Cueball labors alone on the Sandcastle. The posts chatter endlessly of strange bestiality, involving an uncle named Jack beating off a horse (or somesuch). The Madness has ended, but the madness that pervades this thread persists, as it has for all Time. It is a constant in my travels, and I have come to find it comforting.

The thread-dwellers of the past noted it, and responded:

Spoiler:

God luck with your reading, not much 'till you are there!
[unless the forum speeds up a lot]

I laugh at this because otherwise I would weep.

Hello Blitzgirl!

By the time you read this, you've caught up to page 295! Gratz!

These are exciting times!
Our two heroes seem to be stuck on their scaffolding, while the sea has almost reached the base of their glorious Castle of Sand!
For now we are unsure how they will handle this situation, but it looks like they are taking the advice of our Great Lord Randall and are waiting for it.

Keep going, you brave girl! you're almost there!

Kindest of regards,
man van de maan, not a Sandmason.

Thank you, man van de maan!

I must admit I tried to go on a similar quest as yours but I was weak and gave in to temptation and made Time jumps on several ocasions. Fortunately the Holy Wiki helped me in those dark Times to keep my (in)sanity, and follow what I could not witness by myself.

Perhaps we need something like what they have in Second Life - a virtual Haaj to help the devout prepare for the real thing.

No, only the most powerful among us should be asked to do such a thing. I beleive Blitzgirl to be the last of her kind.

I've heard she is known among some people as the "Incoming Hurricane" and among the elves, she is called "Blitzrandir."

It is said she once wrestled a grue to submission.

Truly, noone should be held to the standard she set. we should try to emulate it, as we should any saint, but I doubt anyone could live up to her feat.

*dutifully adds more titles to her list*

Hmmm...
I did a quick read up of BlitzGirl's posts and the ones in which she is mentioned. She has quite some messages from the past to read.
If she keeps the same average pace of ~15 newpages a day, she'll be here in 5 days (16 april).

@BlitzGirl: Good luck with continuing your pilgrimage!

A very close estimate! But alas, I am a day behind!

I wonder if anyone has trolled BlitzGirl by editing a post AFTER she has already read it.

I think, for the sake of science, that she needs to do a covert re-read sometime in the future.

I know for a fact this has happened. However, the only edits I have seen in the past of the past have been Ancient Text, which I have been helpfully directed to so as not to miss them.

Further communication-by-sig:

Spoiler:

Go BlitzGirl!!

Woo!

Hail BlitzGirl! Troubadour of Time; Bard of The-Before, Poetess of The-Present, and Versifier of Voyages-Yet-To-Be!

Well, BlitzGirl is experiencing a bit of a title wave.

You can say that again! *dutifully adds more titles*

Nearly there BlitzGirl! Keep it up! I'll go bake those Croissants I promised! Godspeed!
(in case you have not reachted that part: I'm going to bake you Croissants when you arrive in the present as a present!

Ooh, I have not heard of this Croissant-gifting, but it sounds delicious.

And now...more Waiting! And Questing!

[cmyk]

Buh-DONG!



She's thinking about trying that bucket stunt again, isn't she?

[KarMann]

I made it in at number 26

Surprising really as I haven't been active for quite a long time

Well, heck, Pope Helper himself is #2, and what've we heard from His Holiness lately?

As for me, well, umm, what I lack in quantity, I'm making up for in quality . . . wait, that's not how it works.

[StormAngel]

Woo, I somehow scraped into the list! I'm not sure when I first started posting in the thread but it wasn't anywhere near the beginning and I didn't post much for a week or so. But you've all dragged me in

http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=101043&p=3315620#p3315620 <-- 03/04/2013 12:02 am UTC Page 214. Newpix 333

Only 5 posts before Blitzgirl's first!

I think that's close to the first page I read

Can someone remind me of the duties and responsibilities of a pope? Other than having a towering pillar of hats?

Who says that isn't enough?
Congrats for being Pope'd - or should I say, Pope ED

I'm currently wearing 10 of my hats

[azule]

I must depart, but I'll distract you with this gem lost to Time (I was instructed to bring some of these along, but my pocket is now occupied, so I'll just shove it through the Time vortex), circa newpage 290:

Spoiler:

It seems we may be nearing the end of the One True Comic.

Congratulations! You are the one millionth person to make that call!

Onward!

Yay, gems! I love it when things get shoved into holes (of Time).

Maybe we should call it a damn! I mean dam! Damn.

How about seawall?

Nub is fine. Megan's nub. See? That is how it is meant to be.


HolyEdit: I Ninja-Poped myself.*
*Ninja-Poping is where you blind-post** and end up receiving the title of Pope.
**Blind-posting is where you post from somewhere in the past, before catching up to the present.

[Eternal Density]

Hi BlitzGirl! I just discovered that my first post in the thead only barely preceded yours, and your latest progress update followed very soon after this news. I find it amusing that your posts are recursing as you catch up to your own posts, like unto the manner of the <material>castles. So I figured I should say 'hi' and 'hang in there!'
I hope you found my Towering Pillar of Hats amusing (and the fact that I was appointed temporary Pope because of it - a station which may or may not be over by the time I finish writing this post).
If I remember correctly, the hats involved are: blue wool knitted beanie (grandma-knitted), headcrab hat from the valve store, leather hat from Byron Bay Tasmania (BC brand), Stark Industries beanie from Iron Man 2, black FAIL cap from failblog, tour company cap from Israel (I can't actually see that one, the brim must be on the other side), 2015 lenticular rainbow cap from BTTF online store, and graduation cap.

[KarMann]

I must depart, but I'll distract you with this gem lost to Time (I was instructed to bring some of these along, but my pocket is now occupied, so I'll just shove it through the Time vortex), circa newpage 290:

Spoiler:

It seems we may be nearing the end of the One True Comic.

Congratulations! You are the one millionth person to make that call!

Onward!

Yay, gems! I love it when things get shoved into holes (of Time).

Maybe we should call it a damn! I mean dam! Damn.

How about seawall?

Nub is fine. Megan's nub. See? That is how it is meant to be.

All hail Pope Azule!
Dammit, HAIL, I said!

Added:

Well, BlitzGirl is experiencing a bit of a title wave.

You can say that again! *dutifully adds more titles*

Well, BlitzGirl is experiencing a bit of a title wave.

Don't forget to tip the veal and try your server!

[Flotter]

I caught up with the current NewPage again after having coma'd. Time to start doing some actual work

[XonqNopp]

I caught up with the current NewPage again after having coma'd. Time to start doing some actual work

Yeah, so do I... G'd morning y'all, Europa is waking up...

[KarMann]

KONG!


P.S. Nice new avatar, XonqNopp!

[XonqNopp]

P.S. Nice new avatar, XonqNopp!

Thanks, I just took the normal sand hourglass avatar from... Err... Cannot remember who, and he seems to have changed... And I reverseed it...