Editing 2874: Iceland

{{comic
| number    = 2874
| date      = December 29, 2023
| title     = Iceland
| image     = iceland_2x.png
| imagesize = 325x454px
| noexpand  = true
| titletext = The HVAC bill for installing the Gulf Stream was enormous.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by THE ONE PERSON WHOSE IDEA DIDN'T GET ADDED TO ICELAND - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is a reference to the strange geography of Iceland, owing to the sheer number of notable geographical features in such a small area, leading to the conclusion by Randall that Iceland had to have been created by a committee of various planetary scientists all vying to have their ideas implemented into their 'project', that being Iceland.

The comic depicts a scene of a Cueball giving a presentation to a bunch of members sitting around a table, that being White Hat, Blondie, another Cueball, Megan and Hairbun, in the order left to right. It may have been inspired by Iceland being recently in the news for its {{w|2023 Sundhnúkur eruption|notable volcanic activity}},  although at least this one isn't one of the ones {{w|Eyjafjallajökull|under a glacier}}, so only (currently) causing fairly localised inconvenience.

Noting that being nearer the magnetic pole might more frequently provide you with an aurora, but for the more severe (on the {{w|K-index#The Kp-index and estimated Kp-index|Kp index}}) geomagnetic storms invoke their auroral displays at lower latitudes. Once you get a Kp of 5 (out of a theoretical 9), Iceland may be far ''too'' close to the pole to fully appreciate the sight.

{{w|HVAC}} in the title text is jargon for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The {{w|Gulf Stream}} is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36 degrees latitude and moves toward Northwest Europe as the North Atlantic Current, providing Iceland with a milder and more liveable climate than would be otherwise expected for its latitude. The electrical costs associated with providing airflow at a certain temperature, over such a vast area would prove incredibly expensive, not to mention the fact that the Gulf Stream is not in fact an artificial phenomenon powered by electricity, but rather a natural one.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball is standing in front of a board and pointing to it with a stick. In front of him is a table with White Hat, Blondie, another Cueball, Megan, and Hairbun sitting.]
:First Cueball (standing): Okay, we'll make it an island on a mid-ocean ridge to satisfy the mantle people and the oceanographers.
:Second Cueball (sitting): But what about my glaciers?
:First Cueball (standing): We can just pile them on the volcanoes.
:Hairbun: Don't forget that it has to be near a pole - I was promised aurora!

:[Caption below the comic:]
:Iceland was designed by a committee of planetary scientists that was trying to satisfy everyone.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Geology]]
[[Category:Engineering]]