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[Solifuge]

Don't take the XKCD bit too seriously; the first paragraph in the penultimate panel describes the process most people go through as they grow and learn. The later paragraphs were the part where a knife was stuck in and twisted around, not in an effort to factually represent the person in question, but just to hurt them. It's that whole thing about an ounce of truth making a lie seem realistic.

Also, Sky... I can't speak on the rest of your rant, but if it was about brains not feeling pain because they have no nerves, it's sorta true. They have neurons which are basically modified nerve cells, but they don't have nerves-as-pain-receptors.

[Nadaka]

I have not had a real day off in over a month.

[Scelly9]

Okay, I officially hate xkcd.

It describes my life in this comic.

I don't do what that guy was doing, but in my current mood, reading through her retort gave me a shrinking feeling. I mean, it's funny, but she didn't have to describe my life while she's giving some guy his come-uppans.

Goes back to reading xkcd.

Hey, you. Quit reading webcomics and go read hetalia!

[Pnx]

Spoiler: spoilerific rant (click to show/hide)

Failing in science ("the brain has no nerves." Seems legit.)

Believe it or not the brain actually sort of doesn't have nerves. Anything above the brain stem is incapable of "feeling" anything, ask a brain surgeon if they ever need to anaesthetise the brain itself. Although this still sounds like it was part of some sketchy science.

[MaximumZero]

Okay, I officially hate xkcd.

It describes my life in this comic.

I don't do what that guy was doing, but in my current mood, reading through her retort gave me a shrinking feeling. I mean, it's funny, but she didn't have to describe my life while she's giving some guy his come-uppans.

Goes back to reading xkcd.

come-uppans.

Comeuppance. You're welcome.

[Knight of Fools]

Thank you. I was wondering about that.

Doesn't help that Chrome has one of the worst spell-checkers I've ever used.

[TheBronzePickle]

Believe it or not the brain actually sort of doesn't have nerves. Anything above the brain stem is incapable of "feeling" anything, ask a brain surgeon if they ever need to anaesthetise the brain itself. Although this still sounds like it was part of some sketchy science.

That's a fundamental misunderstanding of how nerves work. The brain has nerves. It's made of nerves. Along with a shitload of protective fat. What it doesn't have are sensory neurons, the ones that would tell your body that your brain is getting cut open. That would be a waste of space anyway, since by the time your brain was being damaged, you'd probably already be dead or fatally wounded. There's also the fact that the brain is surrounded by the meninges which is rediculously packed with pain receptors to tell you 'hey, something got through the skull and it's getting way too close to the brain for comfort.'

[Pnx]

Believe it or not the brain actually sort of doesn't have nerves. Anything above the brain stem is incapable of "feeling" anything, ask a brain surgeon if they ever need to anaesthetise the brain itself. Although this still sounds like it was part of some sketchy science.

That's a fundamental misunderstanding of how nerves work. The brain has nerves. It's made of nerves. Along with a shitload of protective fat. What it doesn't have are sensory neurons, the ones that would tell your body that your brain is getting cut open. That would be a waste of space anyway, since by the time your brain was being damaged, you'd probably already be dead or fatally wounded. There's also the fact that the brain is surrounded by the meninges which is rediculously packed with pain receptors to tell you 'hey, something got through the skull and it's getting way too close to the brain for comfort.'

You're right, and you're wrong. The term "nerve" refers to the "cables" of neurons that transmit sensory information. So it's technically inaccurate to say the brain is made of nerves.

[GlyphGryph]

But it does contain plenty of them. Even just considering "real" nerves.

Optic Nerve, Oculomotor Nerve, Trigeminal Nerve, Olfactory Nerve, just to name the more well known ones.

The brain contains... 12 nerves? I'm not sure... somewhere around there. If we're talking nerves that are just hanging around wrapped in brain stuff.

[Criptfeind]

Pharaoh and Cleopatra is such a terrible game next to Zeus & Poseidon but the aesthetic is so much better. Why could they have not made a game with the mechanics of Zeus and the feel/look of Pharaoh. Damn you world.

This is what made me sad today and what has made me sad for the past 10 years.

[Pnx]

But it does contain plenty of them. Even just considering "real" nerves.

Optic Nerve, Oculomotor Nerve, Trigeminal Nerve, Olfactory Nerve, just to name the more well known ones.

The brain contains... 12 nerves? I'm not sure... somewhere around there. If we're talking nerves that are just hanging around wrapped in brain stuff.

I was going to say something like "Yes, but that's the brain stem I was talking about." But after pulling semantics on the nerve thing, I'm not sure the semantics of "brain stem" covers me here.

So I guess I'm just going to say that the statement "the brain contains no nerves", is a stretch to the point of breaking.

[Bauglir]

So, for future reference, 50% rum may be too much for grog, and drinking half a bottle of rum in a single sitting as a consequence of this miscalculation is a poor plan if you're not planning to become shitfaced.

[MaximumZero]

I'm right there with ya, buddy. Mine was black rum, though. ^_^

[Heliman]

Kicked the whole penguin thing, found out I don't have nearly as many avvies of doc scratch in my picture files as I thought I did. Must be on my older computer...

Ah well.

[Trapezohedron]

Entrance exams. I know, they're not the real deal, but darn, they make me nervous.