Anonymous1: In panel 1, Calvin here has obviously noticed the sign next to the bridge, which states the bridge can handle 10 tons of weight on it (the load bearing capacity.) Unsure of how the builders arrived at this number, he asks the most qualified expert on the subject he knows: his dad.
In panel 2, his father replies that they, meaning the builders, drive larger and large trucks over the bridge until it breaks. That is, the bridge suffers a catastrophic failure due to weight, and becomes a pile of rubble at the bottom of the gap it was attempting to cross.
In panel 3, he finalizes his explanation by telling his son that they, the builders again, weigh the last truck, rebuild the bridge, and post the sign stating the load bearing capacity of the bridge.
In panel 4, Calvin accepts this explanation at face value, and surrenders to his father's perfect reasoning by admitting his own inability to guess (or rather, deduct,) the method by which the load bearing capacity of the bridge is determined.
Also in panel 4, his mother yells at his father for not simply admitting that he doesn't know how they determine the load bearing capacity of bridges, since the provided explanation is obviously pure bullshit.
In a wider view, this is only one of several comics from this strip where Calvin asks his father about the truths of the world, subjects including, but not limited to, the size of the sun and where it goes at night, photographs and why all of the ones from before 1950 were black and white, general relativity, and how electric lamps work.
Anonymous2: Actually, color photography PRECEDED B & W photography. It was only in the early 20th cent., that it became economically feasible to produce, sell & develop color photographs.
Now, I appear to be mostly alone in this alternate world and I will TRY to get back to the right Paheal ...
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In panel 2, his father replies that they, meaning the builders, drive larger and large trucks over the bridge until it breaks. That is, the bridge suffers a catastrophic failure due to weight, and becomes a pile of rubble at the bottom of the gap it was attempting to cross.
In panel 3, he finalizes his explanation by telling his son that they, the builders again, weigh the last truck, rebuild the bridge, and post the sign stating the load bearing capacity of the bridge.
In panel 4, Calvin accepts this explanation at face value, and surrenders to his father's perfect reasoning by admitting his own inability to guess (or rather, deduct,) the method by which the load bearing capacity of the bridge is determined.
Also in panel 4, his mother yells at his father for not simply admitting that he doesn't know how they determine the load bearing capacity of bridges, since the provided explanation is obviously pure bullshit.
In a wider view, this is only one of several comics from this strip where Calvin asks his father about the truths of the world, subjects including, but not limited to, the size of the sun and where it goes at night, photographs and why all of the ones from before 1950 were black and white, general relativity, and how electric lamps work.
--Summer Glau
Now, I appear to be mostly alone in this alternate world and I will TRY to get back to the right Paheal ...
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