Editing 1321: Cold
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | In this comic, | + | {{incomplete| The title text joke has been in many xkcd comics, need some references}} |
+ | |||
+ | In this comic, White Knit Cap Guy and Black Knit Cap Guy are walking outside in sub 0 °F (-17.8 °C) White Knit Cap Guy complains about the '''brutal''' cold and uses it as evidence that {{w|global warming}} is not real. Black Knit Cap Guy explains that this kind of weather used to happen all the time back before the year 2000. | ||
− | This is illustrated in panel two by a graph showing the number of days with sub 0 °F as a function of year from 1970 to 2013 in the city of {{w|St. Louis}}, (where we learn that | + | This is illustrated in panel two by a graph showing the number of days with sub 0 °F as a function of year from 1970 to 2013 in the city of {{w|St. Louis}}, (where we learn that White Knit Cap Guy is from). It shows that these days used to be rather common between 1970 and 1999, only to be completely absent for the next 14 years until two days in 2014. In the 30 years before 2000 there where 89 days with sub zero ({{w|Fahrenheit}}) temperatures, averaging almost three a year, with a maximum of 13 days in 1984 and only once two years in a row with no sub zero days. (52 of these days happened in the 8 years 1977 to 1984). There is even a link to a Source: rcc-acis.org/climatecentral. But this link is no longer valid as of June 2014. The data can still be found [http://assets.climatecentral.org/pdfs/TVMFrigidNights2014_stlouis_med.jpg here], and the graph is used to illustrate the point of the following article: ''[http://www.climatecentral.org/news/extreme-cold-events-in-a-climate-context-16931 Extreme Cold is Becoming More Rare]''. [http://www.rcc-acis.org/ ACIS] stands for Applied Climate Information System and is still on-line, but it seems like the {{w|Climate Central}} now has it's own [http://www.climatecentral.org/ web page]. |
− | + | Black Knit Cap Guy uses this graph to explain that not a single day like this has happened since 2000, until 2014 where a {{w|polar vortex}} pushed the temperature down below zero again for two days. This caused many people to react as if it had never been this cold before. He goes on to explain that since this weather is now unusual, we perceive it as being more cold, even though this was a common temperature to reach in past decades. But, White Knit Cap Guy continues to insist that it is too cold, demonstrating he learned nothing from their talk. | |
− | In the last panel, in | + | In the last panel, in future St. Louis, a [[Cueball]] discovers a thin sheet of ice. It is very likely that he is representing the White Knit Cap Guy from before, without his Knit Cap as it is now just below 32 °F (0 °C). He uses the sheet of ice to claim that it disproves global warming - since in this future, temperatures below freezing (i.e. 32 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than in the first panel) has now become so uncommon that people are no longer used even to this! Someone off panel, most likely Black Knit Cap Guy, sighs. |
− | The comic reacts to a simplified view of {{w|global warming}} by amateurs, including media, who fail to understand | + | The comic reacts to a simplified view of {{w|global warming}} by amateurs, including media, who fail to understand the difference between {{w|climate}} and {{w|weather}}. Short, random weather fluctuations like the polar vortex are taken as examples or counter-examples of climate change and global warming. If you want real evidence for or against global warming, you need to look at global (not local) and long-term (not short-term) temperature trends. |
− | + | One dispute on global warming is whether humans are the main factor in this change. Alternatively it may be natural change, as has happened in the past. There is an overwhelming consensus in the scientific community that the current global warming is {{w|Human impact on the environment|anthropogenic}} (i.e. man-made), but there is still a large amount of people in the general public that is hesitant to accept this, so the dispute goes on. There is, however, no doubt about where [[Randall]] stands on this debate, as he continues to make pleas for humanity to do something about the man made global warming - never more clear than here: [[1379: 4.5 Degrees]]. | |
− | The title text suggests that gathering data about global warming is time-consuming and is the kind of stuff only a real nerd would do. Most people would rather hang out with friends, or at least spend their time with some more fun nerd activity. | + | The title text suggests that gathering data about global warming is time-consuming and is the kind of stuff only a real nerd would do. Most people would rather hang out with friends, or at least spend their time with some more fun nerd activity. It has happened before that Randalls title text makes a joke about how much time he has used, or how geeky his interest are. |
− | + | More comics referring to global warming: | |
+ | * [[164: Playing Devil's Advocate to Win]] | ||
+ | * [[887: Future Timeline]] (partially) | ||
+ | * [[1225: Ice Sheets]] (title text only) | ||
+ | * [[1379: 4.5 Degrees]] | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[It's cold, two | + | :[It's cold, two guys wearing knit caps (one knit cap is white the other black) are walking outside and the White Knit Cap guy is shivering.] |
− | :White Knit Cap | + | :White Knit Cap guy: It's '''''brutal''''' out. So much for global warming, huh? |
− | :Black Knit Cap | + | :Black Knit Cap guy: ''*sigh*'' This used to happen all the time. |
− | :White Knit Cap | + | :White Knit Cap guy: What? |
− | :[A | + | :[A bar graph relating the number of days with lows below zero fahrenheit by year since 1970.] |
− | :Black Knit Cap | + | :Black Knit Cap guy (off-screen): You're from St. Louis, right? |
− | :Black Knit Cap | + | :Black Knit Cap guy (off-screen): On average, it used to get below 0°F there a handful of days per year. |
− | :Black Knit Cap | + | :Black Knit Cap guy (off-screen): But you haven't had a day like that since the nineties. |
− | :[Above the | + | :[Above the bar graph to the left is a label in a black frame:] |
− | :Days with lows < | + | :Days with lows < 0 °F |
− | :[Below the | + | :[Below the graph are written the years:] |
:1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 | :1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 | ||
− | :[Below again is written in small letters:] | + | :[Below again is written a source in small letters:] |
:Source: rcc-acis.org/climatecentral | :Source: rcc-acis.org/climatecentral | ||
− | :[Black Knit Cap | + | :[Black Knit Cap guy has stopped walking.] |
− | :Black Knit Cap | + | :Black Knit Cap guy: Then, in 2014, when the first polar vortex hit, it dipped below zero for two days. And everyone freaked out. |
− | |||
:[They continue walking.] | :[They continue walking.] | ||
− | :Black Knit Cap | + | :Black Knit Cap guy: Because what used to be normal now feels too cold. |
− | + | :White Knit Cap guy: It ''is'' too cold! | |
− | :White Knit Cap | ||
:[Above the last panel is written in a black frame:] | :[Above the last panel is written in a black frame:] | ||
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:Cueball: Look at this—'''''ice!''''' In '''''St. Louis!''''' So much for global warming. | :Cueball: Look at this—'''''ice!''''' In '''''St. Louis!''''' So much for global warming. | ||
:Person off-screen: ''*sigh*'' | :Person off-screen: ''*sigh*'' | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Charts]] | [[Category:Charts]] | ||
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