tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post8986579012517082405..comments2024-03-17T05:03:46.056-07:00Comments on xkcd sucks: Comics 802 and 803: We've Been Here BeforeCarlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01074589998141327538noreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-52676253983352698662010-10-27T00:27:39.559-07:002010-10-27T00:27:39.559-07:00Yes, derail the curriculum. Fuck the curriculum.Yes, derail the curriculum. Fuck the curriculum.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-78519010449458762010-10-18T16:14:28.020-07:002010-10-18T16:14:28.020-07:00except the air on top of the airfoil does travel f...except the air on top of the airfoil does travel faster, the shape of the airfoil is responsible for this, and it's this partially this speed disparity (and the resulting pressure differential) that generates lift. so "dead wrong" is entirely misleading--the only part where it's wrong is the /cause/ for the speed disparity, which is a bit tricky to explain.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-21513247620561269002010-10-18T15:05:06.410-07:002010-10-18T15:05:06.410-07:00I rarely bother to read this blog and even more ra...I rarely bother to read this blog and even more rarely post, but you clearly didn't get the point. While I don't find the comic funny, it is accurate. A full explanation will take lots of calculus, true, but a good, simplified explanation (many of which can be found on the internet) is far better than the one often provided (the one in the comic). That one is dead wrong; there is no reason whatsoever for the streamlines to match up, and they don't. There are many much better explanations which are just as simple as this one, and those explanations are more-or-less partially accurate. Its also not that hard to add that the model is a simplification and not the absolute truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-84169861966406610222010-10-18T13:49:16.470-07:002010-10-18T13:49:16.470-07:00then you're wrong about that, also. I am not s...then you're wrong about that, also. I am not sure why you people have such a hard time understanding that literally everyone is literally always wrong about literally everything. it is an incredibly simple concept.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-11920806937757188802010-10-18T13:47:55.964-07:002010-10-18T13:47:55.964-07:00What if I'm of the opinion that everything I t...What if I'm of the opinion that everything I think is wrong?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-75318560312639723962010-10-18T12:21:56.059-07:002010-10-18T12:21:56.059-07:00the problem with logical fallacies is people assum...the problem with logical fallacies is people assume that if something vaguely resembles a logical fallacy it automatically invalidates something. it's like they think that I'm trying to be logical when I write something, and am building up a proof or some shit. this is incredibly stupid.<br /><br />the way you read it, 7:14, is wrong. 12:03 is much closer to the mark. here's what I was going for:<br /><br />-The tactic of teaching your children "clever" one-liners in attempt to be a dick to your teacher is used both by Randall Munroe and YECs.<br />-YECs are morally and intellectually bankrupt individuals who are utterly deluded and live in a bubble world where they genuinely believe their shit.<br />-Randy should spend some serious time reconsidering his tactics.<br /><br />much like how Hitler's management tactics should probably be seriously questioned before being put into use. indeed, calling it "Hitler Used Sugar" or whatever is fallacious in itself--nobody is suggesting that everything associated with Young Earth Creationists is terrible. merely that, if the thing associated with them relies on moral or intellectual integrity or an accurate understanding of the world around them, it should give you pause before rushing headlong into things.<br /><br />the problem with using your intro to logic class as a tool in "debate" online is it assumes binary truths. it's assuming that someone is arguing that something is right or wrong, or that when someone draws a comparison they are doing more than pointing out an irony.<br /><br />the clever one-liner isn't just a thing YECs use, it's symbolic of their entire intellectual strategy. it relies on the delusion that the Evil Evolutionists are so patently wrong that their entire worldview can be destroyed by the judicious application of these witty one-liners. rather than imparting knowledge and understanding on students, it teaches them, in effect, how to tilt at windmills and battle strawmen. in so doing they perpetuate a deep, systemic misunderstanding and mistrust of every science we could possibly study.<br /><br />and much like the YECs, Randy is teaching kids to ask questions that don't really get to the heart of the matter. he is challenging the wrong assumptions--in this case, that the shape of the airfoil is responsible for lift. he is encouraging them, rather than researching and gaining an understanding, to attempt to dismantle things they don't agree with or understand with allegedly witty one-liners, which, as far as their education has told them, will instantly bring their teacher's house of cards tumbling to the ground.<br /><br />the tactic is defined by intellectual laziness and dishonesty, a fact which is best illustrated by the YEC propagantists' heavy reliance on said tactics.<br /><br />the YECs don't make it a bad tactic, they just provide a really enormous warning sign. <br /><br />on a related note, I'm sorry your intro to logic class didn't teach you to deal with actual human language. I know it's hard, but you should probably avoid the knee-jerk reaction to start shouting "OMG LOGICAL FALLACY" every time someone draws a comparison that doesn't indicate a direct causal relationship, or whatever other "fallacious" things you think they're doing. the odds are very good that, rather than being a fallacy by any stretch of the imagination, you simply did not understand their intention, or do not agree with it. you should learn the difference between people being wrong (much as you were wrong in your interpretation of my post), and you not understanding what someone else is saying (much as you did not understand what I wrote). it's a vital distinction to make!<br /><br />even better, I have a shortcut for you. any time you find yourself having an opinion, just remember that you are wrong. you aren't just wrong about this, you are always wrong about everything. this is the one assumption it's always safe to make. you'll avoid looking like a dumbass in the future if you just keep that in mind.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-37601795038229653272010-10-18T07:14:36.692-07:002010-10-18T07:14:36.692-07:00"Just throwing that out there--Randall is sug..."Just throwing that out there--Randall is suggesting the same tactics used by young-earth creationists who write propaganda textbooks."<br /><br />I suppose YMMV, but to me this sounds pretty much like Rob was implying that because Randall is using the same tactics as young-earth creationists who write propaganda textbooks, those tactics are wrong. Which would count as a logical error. The proper term is an association fallacy, although Hitler Ate Sugar is so much more entertaining to say. An association fallacy takes this form:<br /><br />A is a B.<br />A is also a C.<br />Therefore, all B's are C's.<br /><br />In this case, the way I read it was that:<br /><br />The tactic (teaching your children clever things to say to teachers) is used by Randall Munroe.<br />The tactic is also used by foolish people like young Earth Creationists.<br />Therefore, Randall Munroe is a foolish person/the tactic is a foolish tactic.<br /><br />The tactic is still stupid, but not because it's used by YECs. It's stupid on its own terms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-43458080739463880452010-10-17T12:03:47.347-07:002010-10-17T12:03:47.347-07:00Rob's not saying "this tactic is used by ...Rob's not saying "this tactic is used by Young Earth Creationists, therefore it is wrong". He's saying something more like "Young Earth Creationists can use this tactic just as effectively as Randall, so using it doesn't necessarily mean you're smart".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-68000880426585352512010-10-17T01:36:16.707-07:002010-10-17T01:36:16.707-07:00I think that the best way to address this is the w...I think that the best way to address this is the way my old science teacher did - when a student recognized an error (often found in an outdated textbook diagram) she would not talk about it in class, but would offer extra credit to students who looked up the topic that night to show her in the next class. I agree that stopping the class for one question is usually pointless, but she provided a good alternative :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03167808799957097259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-92108016119566693442010-10-15T18:30:04.443-07:002010-10-15T18:30:04.443-07:00that isn't a "logical error" that...that isn't a "logical error" that's a "point you disagree with." perhaps if I had drawn conclusions instead of merely making comparisons.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-76413017452511708752010-10-15T16:23:22.658-07:002010-10-15T16:23:22.658-07:00Excuse me, sorry, that should have read "a Hi...Excuse me, sorry, that should have read "a Hitler Ate Sugar argument". Whoops!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-55021301577202180412010-10-15T16:22:14.150-07:002010-10-15T16:22:14.150-07:00OK, just had to point out a logical error in this ...OK, just had to point out a logical error in this post. I love this site, and I have to agree with pretty much all you say, but saying that the "equip your children with clever zingers" bit is invalid because creationists do the same thing is a Hitler Was A Vegetarian argument, and it's logically false. Just because a particular group does a particular thing does not identify that thing with that group alone. So equipping your children with clever zingers is not stupid because creationists do it, it's stupid because a smart aleck little kid is the most obnoxious being in the universe.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-5234394753711796792010-10-13T14:20:02.254-07:002010-10-13T14:20:02.254-07:00no it doesn'tno it doesn'trshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-22017298049869782022010-10-13T07:40:30.943-07:002010-10-13T07:40:30.943-07:00"it started on the IRC channel, I think, wher..."it started on the IRC channel, I think, where I call everyone (esp amanda) fat because it amuses me. someone decided to start saying "no, you are the fat one," and it managed to catch on and then I guess it stuck. I don't fully understand it myself, to be honest."<br /><br />no, you being fat predates the irc channel<br />i think a cuddlefish started it<br />bless himR.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-36819107748580932342010-10-13T03:49:08.244-07:002010-10-13T03:49:08.244-07:00Nice post. But I gotta ask, are you really saying ...Nice post. But I gotta ask, are you really saying that kids shouldn't ask in science classes if they have a question? BS!<br /><br />Btw, thanks Anonymous for that quote, I actually had no idea what "Santa Claus is your parents" meant. Maybe I'm just slow. :P<br /><br />I'm starting to think xkcd really isn't that good. o.OGone Fishinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00512512356648772706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-80600283302273792622010-10-12T19:06:03.937-07:002010-10-12T19:06:03.937-07:00I should point out that the explanation IS totally...I should point out that the explanation IS totally wrong. Randall didn't exactly do a good job of pointing out WHY, but then again, it isn't like he's an engineer or anything. The wrong explanation is that two air particles that are just above and below the wing in front of it are BEST FRIENDS and want to stick together as the wing passes between them. They love each other SO MUCH that the top particle travels faster over the curved surface to keep up with the bottom particle. Because it has to travel faster, it gets farther away from it's neighbors, so there is less pressure above the wing than below. This is bullshit; there is no reason for the particles which start out with identical x coordinates, to maintain identical x coordinates.<br /><br />The correct explanation is: `Same reason that your arm goes the way your hand is tilted when you stick it outside a car window going 70mph.'.KieferOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-40625368413257683222010-10-12T15:14:06.335-07:002010-10-12T15:14:06.335-07:00Okay, thanks, Rob!Okay, thanks, Rob!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-16217354446949799052010-10-12T15:02:09.068-07:002010-10-12T15:02:09.068-07:00"What is with the "Rob is fat" joke..."What is with the "Rob is fat" jokes? Is he actually fat? His profile pic makes him look fairly skinny, so is this just sarcasm? Or is the profile pic out-of-date? This is a genuine question, which is why I am posting this as anonymous."<br /><br />I'm still thin. I ride my bike for a living.<br /><br />it started on the IRC channel, I think, where I call everyone (esp amanda) fat because it amuses me. someone decided to start saying "no, you are the fat one," and it managed to catch on and then I guess it stuck. I don't fully understand it myself, to be honest.rshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15828938843801425383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-60855199108258715472010-10-12T14:45:16.158-07:002010-10-12T14:45:16.158-07:00Truth is, I remember seeing that check then and n...Truth is, I remember seeing that check then and not even remembering or looking at the name on it, so I didn't even look at the name on it when I first posted my response here. So it really was a wtf moment when someone posted it. <br /><br />"Why hate on something 4 years old and completely out of context right now? It was amusing at the time."<br /><br />"Oh, it was Randy, well it was 2006, he was trollin' Verizon like everyone else at the time, bfd."<br /><br />Thing is, I could see a number of people's name on that check (Scott Ramsoomair, Jerry Holkins, Mike Krahulik, Brian Clevinger, or even Scott Adams but with a different memo) and it would still be in character for that person, but because it's Randy, it's not just dismissed as old hat from times gone by here, it's wrong to have ever found it amusing.<br /><br />Hating on Dane Cook is more of an American Comedy thing, and I am an arrogant and xenophobic American so I automatically assume we share the same cultural cues. <br /><br />Hating on Dane Cook is so popular, that it's probably now hip and cool to like him:<br /><br />http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/15643423Capnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-91700514159077306572010-10-12T14:31:59.784-07:002010-10-12T14:31:59.784-07:00I don't know who Dane Cook is, so I *really* d...I don't know who Dane Cook is, so I *really* don't know what you are on about. I thought the check thing was mildly amusing when I first came across it a few months ago in the context of also hearing about the Verizon $0.002 thing for the first time.<br /><br />On another topic, I actually have a question about Rob. Yes, it is probably an incredibly stupid question, and I promise I don't have Asperger's and can usually recognize sarcasm in real life, but I have been wondering about it for a while. <br /><br />What is with the "Rob is fat" jokes? Is he actually fat? His profile pic makes him look fairly skinny, so is this just sarcasm? Or is the profile pic out-of-date? This is a genuine question, which is why I am posting this as anonymous.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-45607257394428436492010-10-12T13:10:51.138-07:002010-10-12T13:10:51.138-07:00i can agree with your point but in this case the t...i can agree with your point but in this case the timing is the <em>only</em> source of humor since writing verizon a check for any amount (absurd or not) would not be remotely amusing without the proper context i promise i was using the internet when this was a thing that was still relevant and new and it was not funny then either<br /><br />back then i laughed at the occasional xkcd comic but now i find myself laughing at randy all the time it is just unfortunate that i have not laughed <em>with</em> him in ages<br /><br />i enjoy some dane cook bits so i do not really know what you are on aboutUndercoverCuddlefishnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-7598327276810682852010-10-12T12:49:58.463-07:002010-10-12T12:49:58.463-07:00*I*-_never_-laughed-at-Dane-Cook
because he's...*I*-_never_-laughed-at-Dane-Cook<br /><br />because he's not funny<br /><br />YOUR MOVE, CAPNAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-40966753421713813502010-10-12T12:13:38.199-07:002010-10-12T12:13:38.199-07:00You're right that it doesn't stand on its ...You're right that it doesn't stand on its own, it's not timeless, it's a throw away joke, it's not a paragon of hilarity, it's typical Randall, but ...<br /><br />At. The. Time. <br /><br />I remember being amused by it, and I stand by that, because the timing had more to do with the humor, then 'the joke'. Ever hear of 'you had to be there?', it's like that.<br /><br />Hating on it is akin to hating on the middle joke of a Joey Buttafuoco routine by Denis Leary from '93, because you think he phones it in on Rescue Me. It's really inane.<br /><br />Don't give me that *I*-_never_-laughed-at-Dane-Cook hipster smug shit.Capnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-2993688724749831052010-10-12T12:08:22.113-07:002010-10-12T12:08:22.113-07:00being a dick's a-ok if you use mathbeing a dick's a-ok if you use <i>math</i>R.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714810984552499396.post-83189270619976104482010-10-12T10:01:30.831-07:002010-10-12T10:01:30.831-07:00i am going to go ahead and join sepias newly forme...i am going to go ahead and join sepias newly formed "pile on" and agree that the check thing was not funny<br /><br /><em>warranted</em> maybe but definitely not funny beyond the basic joke of "here is a check for an amount that you have demonstrated you do not understand" (he should have followed this one up with two more irredeemable checks to various news stations for a million dollars and a billion dollars respectively)<br /><br />the "advanced math" (simple tips that randy picked up from high school or wikipedia) does not make the check any more entertaining it just smacks heavily of randy being randyUndercoverCuddlefishnoreply@blogger.com