Difference between revisions of "260: The Glass Necklace"

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m (Lcarsos moved page 260 to 260: The Glass Necklace: Wow, you must be sooooooo good at this.)
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{{comic
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| number    = 260
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| date      = May 11, 2007
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| title    = The Glass Necklace
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| image    = the_glass_necklace.png
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| titletext = Well, for some value of 'actually work'.
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}}
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==Explanation==
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The heat from a lightning strike can fuse {{w|sand}} into {{w|glass}}. When this occurs in nature hollow tubes called {{w|fulgurite}}s are formed. [[Cueball]] uses this knowledge and a spark of handiness and ingenuity to create an entirely home made glass necklace for [[Megan]]. Here is [http://chemistry.about.com/od/advancedscienceprojects/a/How-To-Make-A-Fulgurite.htm some inspiration] to do it yourself.
  
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== Explanation ==
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The title text represents an answer to the logical question prompted by this comic, which is "Would this actually work?".  The implied answer is "Yes", but only "for some value of 'actually work'".
  
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Here, Cueball, instead of just buying a necklace, makes the actual necklace. Sometimes glass necklaces are considered cheap, but here (as the title-text says) he actually worked hard for it.
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This is a play on the phrase "for some value of x", used frequently in physics or mathematics when it's not necessary (nor easy, maybe not even possible) to calculate a suitable value of x.  For example, if you supply energy to a {{w|DeLorean time machine|Flux Capacitor}}, could it turn a DeLorean into a time machine?  The answer is yes, if you have sufficient energy (the 'x', in this case).
  
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In the first drawing, Cueball is making a blueprint. In the third, he is colecting sand, which glass is made from.After pouring it inside his "canister," he ties it to a hot air balloon and flies it during a thunder storm ( similar to when Benjamin Franklin made his experiment with his kite) hoping lightning will strike it and provide the extreme heat needed to fuse sand into glass.  
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Any sensible person would take Randall's response to mean it most likely "doesn't actually work".
  
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Later, after the storm has cleared, he finds the canister, removes the glass, admires its natural beauty, and takes it to a jeweler. ([[White Hat]]) He sets it and turns it into a proper necklace, for Cueball to give to Megan. This shows how hard he worked, and, in the title-text, to give some actual meaning for it.
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==Transcript==
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:[Cueball draws a diagram of a cylinder with electrical terminals on either end.]
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:[Cueball is shown at a workbench making the device in a workshop.]
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:[Cueball kneels down on a beach and scoops up sand.]
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:[Cueball pours the sand into the cylinder.]
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:[Cueball ties a spool of string to one end of the cylinder, and ties a deflated weather balloon to the other end.]
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:[The weather balloon is inflated, and raised up into the clouds as thunder rumbles.]
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:[The end of the string is tied to a stake in the ground, and lightning is flashing in the background.]
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:[Lightning hits the balloon, travels through the cylinder, and fuses it's contents.]
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:Later
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:[Cueball follows the string to find the cylinder.]
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:[Cueball detaches it, opens it, removes a solidified piece, and admires the piece.]
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:[Cueball takes the stone to a jeweller.]
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:[White Hat examines, grinds, and sets the now-shining stone in a necklace.]
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:[Cueball approves of the final result.]
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:[Cueball gives it to Megan.]
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{{comic discussion}}
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
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[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
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[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
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[[Category:Romance]]
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[[Category:Physics]]

Revision as of 20:09, 17 January 2014

The Glass Necklace
Well, for some value of 'actually work'.
Title text: Well, for some value of 'actually work'.

Explanation

The heat from a lightning strike can fuse sand into glass. When this occurs in nature hollow tubes called fulgurites are formed. Cueball uses this knowledge and a spark of handiness and ingenuity to create an entirely home made glass necklace for Megan. Here is some inspiration to do it yourself.

The title text represents an answer to the logical question prompted by this comic, which is "Would this actually work?". The implied answer is "Yes", but only "for some value of 'actually work'".

This is a play on the phrase "for some value of x", used frequently in physics or mathematics when it's not necessary (nor easy, maybe not even possible) to calculate a suitable value of x. For example, if you supply energy to a Flux Capacitor, could it turn a DeLorean into a time machine? The answer is yes, if you have sufficient energy (the 'x', in this case).

Any sensible person would take Randall's response to mean it most likely "doesn't actually work".

Transcript

[Cueball draws a diagram of a cylinder with electrical terminals on either end.]
[Cueball is shown at a workbench making the device in a workshop.]
[Cueball kneels down on a beach and scoops up sand.]
[Cueball pours the sand into the cylinder.]
[Cueball ties a spool of string to one end of the cylinder, and ties a deflated weather balloon to the other end.]
[The weather balloon is inflated, and raised up into the clouds as thunder rumbles.]
[The end of the string is tied to a stake in the ground, and lightning is flashing in the background.]
[Lightning hits the balloon, travels through the cylinder, and fuses it's contents.]
Later
[Cueball follows the string to find the cylinder.]
[Cueball detaches it, opens it, removes a solidified piece, and admires the piece.]
[Cueball takes the stone to a jeweller.]
[White Hat examines, grinds, and sets the now-shining stone in a necklace.]
[Cueball approves of the final result.]
[Cueball gives it to Megan.]


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Discussion

All I gave my girl was a pearl necklace... 184.66.160.91 04:37, 27 August 2013 (UTC)

I believe the supposed "number 7565" may actually be a sound effect with poor kerning: "TSSS", the crackling of the electricity traveling down the line. Worth considering, I think. --108.162.237.100 04:12, 8 January 2018 (UTC)

It is "TSSS". Why a bolt of lightning would make the sound ”7565" is beyond me. But I've added a trivia section. Herobrine (talk) 12:26, 5 March 2018 (UTC)

I think that fuses rated to break a high voltage are actually full of sand. When the wire in the fuse heats up in a fault it melts the sand and makes a bead of glass around the wire. This insulates the wire and stops the electricity from just arcing through the gap in the wire. If you cut one of these fuses open after they blow, you will see a bunch of sand pour out with a bead of glass in the center. This may be what the text in the comic that says “fuse” is about.--A person with a computer of some kind (talk) 07:22, 13 July 2018 (UTC)

I'm sorry but on what possible grounds did someone add and lock down that this was a "chakra" necklace? There is no mention of or reference to spirituality or belief systems in the comic -- and Randall is pretty much grounded in an American science worldview so this seems way off base.

Why is this comic in Animals category? I can see only humans and glass here and the animal category here is only meant for non-human animals. I'm removing the Animals category, fell free to undo my edit if I'm mistaken. Now I see those birds Birds in Scene 10 (just under LATER text box). However, I doubt if this is enough to classify it in Animals category. Those birds are just a really easy to miss part of the scenery. If they were removed from this comic nothing would change. CryptoNut1269 (talk) 08:46, 5 August 2022 (UTC)

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