https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=173.245.50.74explain xkcd - User contributions [en]2026-06-27T00:59:41ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1520:_Degree-Off&diff=92223Talk:1520: Degree-Off2015-05-04T06:00:38Z<p>173.245.50.74: Created page with "I assume "''Your'' field gathered in the desert to create a new one." refers to the Manhattan Project?"</p>
<hr />
<div>I assume "''Your'' field gathered in the desert to create a new one." refers to the Manhattan Project?</div>173.245.50.74https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1472:_Geography&diff=825751472: Geography2015-01-13T04:22:12Z<p>173.245.50.74: /* Explanation */ Small clarification about Tornado Alley</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1472<br />
| date = January 12, 2015<br />
| title = Geography<br />
| image = geography.png<br />
| titletext = The place I'd least like to live is the farm in the background of those diagrams showing how tornadoes form.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The comic is a map showing examples of {{w|geographical feature}}s as they would be presented in a {{w|geography}} textbook.<br />
<br />
[[Randall]] notes that he would like to live in the middle of this region. These maps include an unusual density of different land forms, leading to an interesting environment in which to live. In the real world, these geographical features might take up far more space, and the geologic forces that shape them might create far different patterns than those shown. This kind of {{w|Neverland}} of geographical feature would offer a range of outdoor activities and landscapes that would make it a very nice place to live (as long as the volcano does not erupt <strike>too violently</strike> at all).<br />
<br />
Some of the geographic features do have a (very) loose similarity to the area around {{w|Boston}}, where Randall lives. Also near Boston is one geographical feature that Randall has included in this map but has refrained from labeling, the {{w|isthmus}} between the peninsula and the forest.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the map actually looks quite a bit like the area around southwestern {{w|Washington (State)|Washington}} and northwestern {{w|Oregon}}, with the reader facing south so the {{w|High Desert (Oregon)|high desert}} is on the upper left. The volcano could be {{w|Mount Rainier|Rainier}} or {{w|Mount St. Helens|St. Helens}}. Real-world outdoor enthusiasts do indeed appreciate the Neverlandish landscape. (Having little Spanish influence, locals would refer to a "mesa" as a {{w|butte}}.)<br />
<br />
The title text discusses a different type of diagram usually found in geography textbooks, the one [http://scied.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/images/large_image_for_image_content/tornado_fmn_lg_0.gif showing the mechanism of tornado formation]. Randall notes that he would least like to live in the farm typically depicted in the background of such diagrams. This is likely because the farm is depicted as being on a vast, featureless stretch of flat prairie, the opposite of the rich landscape in the comic. The monotonous landscape would reflect that of {{w|Tornado Alley}}, an area of the central United States where a large number of tornadoes form, and which makes up a large portion of the {{w|Great Plains}}. His dislike for this area may also simply be due to the damage created when a tornado hits. (That said, chances of a ''direct'' tornado hit on any given house are slim compared to simply the risk of property damage. Living near an active volcano may be much more dangerous than living in Tornado Alley.)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A map shows the various land forms listed, from top and clockwise:]<br />
:{{w|Mountains}}<br />
:{{w|Sea}}<br />
:{{w|Plain}}<br />
:{{w|Island}}<br />
:{{w|River delta|Delta}}<br />
:{{w|Strait}}<br />
:{{w|River}}<br />
:{{w|Bay}}<br />
:{{w|Lagoon}}<br />
:{{w|Penninsula}}<br />
:{{w|Forest}}<br />
:{{w|Mesa}}<br />
:{{w|Hills}}<br />
:{{w|Volcano}}<br />
:{{w|Lake}}<br />
:{{w|Glacier}}<br />
:{{w|Desert}}<br />
<br />
:[In the middle of these, between the lake and the lagoon there is a dot with an arrow pointing it out. The arrow is labeled:]<br />
:My house<br />
<br />
:[Caption below:]<br />
:If I could live anywhere, I would choose<br />
:the example map from geography books <br />
:that explains what everything is called.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Randall has misspelled ''peninsula'' with an extra "n" as pe'''nn'''insula.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Geography]]<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>173.245.50.74https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1472:_Geography&diff=825741472: Geography2015-01-13T04:11:47Z<p>173.245.50.74: /* Explanation */ added link to Great Plains</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1472<br />
| date = January 12, 2015<br />
| title = Geography<br />
| image = geography.png<br />
| titletext = The place I'd least like to live is the farm in the background of those diagrams showing how tornadoes form.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The comic is a map showing examples of {{w|geographical feature}}s as they would be presented in a {{w|geography}} textbook.<br />
<br />
[[Randall]] notes that he would like to live in the middle of this region. These maps include an unusual density of different land forms, leading to an interesting environment in which to live. In the real world, these geographical features might take up far more space, and the geologic forces that shape them might create far different patterns than those shown. This kind of {{w|Neverland}} of geographical feature would offer a range of outdoor activities and landscapes that would make it a very nice place to live (as long as the volcano does not erupt <strike>too violently</strike> at all).<br />
<br />
Some of the geographic features do have a (very) loose similarity to the area around {{w|Boston}}, where Randall lives. Also near Boston is one geographical feature that Randall has included in this map but has refrained from labeling, the {{w|isthmus}} between the peninsula and the forest.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the map actually looks quite a bit like the area around southwestern {{w|Washington (State)|Washington}} and northwestern {{w|Oregon}}, with the reader facing south so the {{w|High Desert (Oregon)|high desert}} is on the upper left. The volcano could be {{w|Mount Rainier|Rainier}} or {{w|Mount St. Helens|St. Helens}}. Real-world outdoor enthusiasts do indeed appreciate the Neverlandish landscape. (Having little Spanish influence, locals would refer to a "mesa" as a {{w|butte}}.)<br />
<br />
The title text discusses a different type of diagram usually found in geography textbooks, the one [http://scied.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/images/large_image_for_image_content/tornado_fmn_lg_0.gif showing the mechanism of tornado formation]. Randall notes that he would least like to live in the farm typically depicted in the background of such diagrams. This is likely because the farm is depicted as being on a vast, featureless stretch of flat prairie, the opposite of the rich landscape in the comic. The monotonous landscape would reflect that of {{w|Tornado Alley}}, an area of the central United States (primarily Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas) where the majority of tornadoes form, and which makes up a large portion of the {{w|Great Plains}}. His dislike for this area may also simply be due to the damage created when a tornado hits. (That said, chances of a ''direct'' tornado hit on any given house are slim compared to simply the risk of property damage. Living near an active volcano may be much more dangerous than living in Tornado Alley.)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A map shows the various land forms listed, from top and clockwise:]<br />
:{{w|Mountains}}<br />
:{{w|Sea}}<br />
:{{w|Plain}}<br />
:{{w|Island}}<br />
:{{w|River delta|Delta}}<br />
:{{w|Strait}}<br />
:{{w|River}}<br />
:{{w|Bay}}<br />
:{{w|Lagoon}}<br />
:{{w|Penninsula}}<br />
:{{w|Forest}}<br />
:{{w|Mesa}}<br />
:{{w|Hills}}<br />
:{{w|Volcano}}<br />
:{{w|Lake}}<br />
:{{w|Glacier}}<br />
:{{w|Desert}}<br />
<br />
:[In the middle of these, between the lake and the lagoon there is a dot with an arrow pointing it out. The arrow is labeled:]<br />
:My house<br />
<br />
:[Caption below:]<br />
:If I could live anywhere, I would choose<br />
:the example map from geography books <br />
:that explains what everything is called.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Randall has misspelled ''peninsula'' with an extra "n" as pe'''nn'''insula.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Geography]]<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>173.245.50.74https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1472:_Geography&diff=825731472: Geography2015-01-13T04:07:54Z<p>173.245.50.74: /* Explanation */ Added explanation of why the farm isn't a nice place to live (it's in Kansas)</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1472<br />
| date = January 12, 2015<br />
| title = Geography<br />
| image = geography.png<br />
| titletext = The place I'd least like to live is the farm in the background of those diagrams showing how tornadoes form.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The comic is a map showing examples of {{w|geographical feature}}s as they would be presented in a {{w|geography}} textbook.<br />
<br />
[[Randall]] notes that he would like to live in the middle of this region. These maps include an unusual density of different land forms, leading to an interesting environment in which to live. In the real world, these geographical features might take up far more space, and the geologic forces that shape them might create far different patterns than those shown. This kind of {{w|Neverland}} of geographical feature would offer a range of outdoor activities and landscapes that would make it a very nice place to live (as long as the volcano does not erupt <strike>too violently</strike> at all).<br />
<br />
Some of the geographic features do have a (very) loose similarity to the area around {{w|Boston}}, where Randall lives. Also near Boston is one geographical feature that Randall has included in this map but has refrained from labeling, the {{w|isthmus}} between the peninsula and the forest.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, the map actually looks quite a bit like the area around southwestern {{w|Washington (State)|Washington}} and northwestern {{w|Oregon}}, with the reader facing south so the {{w|High Desert (Oregon)|high desert}} is on the upper left. The volcano could be {{w|Mount Rainier|Rainier}} or {{w|Mount St. Helens|St. Helens}}. Real-world outdoor enthusiasts do indeed appreciate the Neverlandish landscape. (Having little Spanish influence, locals would refer to a "mesa" as a {{w|butte}}.)<br />
<br />
The title text discusses a different type of diagram usually found in geography textbooks, the one [http://scied.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/images/large_image_for_image_content/tornado_fmn_lg_0.gif showing the mechanism of tornado formation]. Randall notes that he would least like to live in the farm typically depicted in the background of such diagrams. This is likely because the farm is depicted as being on a vast, featureless stretch of flat prairie, the opposite of the rich landscape in the comic. The monotonous landscape would reflect {{w|Tornado Alley}}, an area of the central United States where the majority of tornadoes form. His dislike for this area may also simply be due to the damage created when a tornado hits. (That said, chances of a ''direct'' tornado hit on any given house are slim compared to simply the risk of property damage. Living near an active volcano may be much more dangerous than living in Tornado Alley.)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A map shows the various land forms listed, from top and clockwise:]<br />
:{{w|Mountains}}<br />
:{{w|Sea}}<br />
:{{w|Plain}}<br />
:{{w|Island}}<br />
:{{w|River delta|Delta}}<br />
:{{w|Strait}}<br />
:{{w|River}}<br />
:{{w|Bay}}<br />
:{{w|Lagoon}}<br />
:{{w|Penninsula}}<br />
:{{w|Forest}}<br />
:{{w|Mesa}}<br />
:{{w|Hills}}<br />
:{{w|Volcano}}<br />
:{{w|Lake}}<br />
:{{w|Glacier}}<br />
:{{w|Desert}}<br />
<br />
:[In the middle of these, between the lake and the lagoon there is a dot with an arrow pointing it out. The arrow is labeled:]<br />
:My house<br />
<br />
:[Caption below:]<br />
:If I could live anywhere, I would choose<br />
:the example map from geography books <br />
:that explains what everything is called.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Randall has misspelled ''peninsula'' with an extra "n" as pe'''nn'''insula.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Geography]]<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>173.245.50.74