Editing 2766: Helium Reserve
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | The {{w|National Helium Reserve|Strategic National Helium Reserve}} is a reserve of helium in the United States, which holds more than 1 billion cubic meters of helium. | + | The {{w|National Helium Reserve|Strategic National Helium Reserve}} is a reserve of helium in the United States, which holds more than 1 billion cubic meters of helium. Apparently, in this comic, [[Cueball]] was hired to manage the Reserve, and due to the fact that the caption says that he can not explain anything out loud, it can be inferred that he used all of it by repeatedly inhaling the helium supply, so speaking would instantly give away where the helium has gone since the helium would make his voice squeaky. |
− | + | Another much more realistic but admittedly less funny explanation is that Cueball didn't use up all the helium frivolously: helium is lighter than air, and once released into the atmosphere, it escapes into space and can never be recovered. A major leak in the Reserve would simply mean that all the helium is lost, and if it happened under Cueball's watch, he'd have to be held responsible -and it is hard to find materials Helium doesn't leak through at an astonishing rate. Firms that try to earn money by transporting heavy cargo using dirigibiles (the successful transportion of an aeroplane wing, a wind turbine or any other large item where the roads are too narrow might be worth considerable amounts of money to those with the means to do so) often fail due to the costs associated with of helium leakage. | |
− | + | The title text addresses the real-world privatization of the Reserve, first selling off the helium itself and then the sale of the storage facility. This has been a drawn out process because of political disagreements, however the title text implies the simpler explanation that the government has also been inhaling the helium. | |
− | + | ==Transcript== | |
+ | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
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:[An officer wearing a peaked cap is talking to Cueball. There is a "National Strategic Helium Reserve" building in the background.] | :[An officer wearing a peaked cap is talking to Cueball. There is a "National Strategic Helium Reserve" building in the background.] | ||
:Officer: You were in charge of guarding the national helium reserve. So where did it go?! | :Officer: You were in charge of guarding the national helium reserve. So where did it go?! |