The red balls are intended to be a depiction of the lattice structure of a silicon crystal, but they are not all that convincing. The formula on the yellow sign is worse. It was supposed to be the configuration of silicon’s electrons, based on the central structure of neon (“[Ne] 3s2 3p2”). Unfortunately, Deering goofed and rendered the lowercase “s” as a “5”.
Pure silicon is not a good semiconductor. It must be “doped” with a small amount of some other substance, such as arsenic or phosphorus. Maybe Silicon Valley, where semiconductors are (or used to be) manufactured has impure silicon, as opposed to Pure Silicon Valley, which has pure but useless silicon.
Yeah, I know, that doesn’t make it funny, but it could be what Deering was going for.
Comics I Don't Understand 
Yes, that’s the kind of “velley” he’s in. One made of pure Si.
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I think so, but it’s not velley funny.
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Ah crap, James beat me by seconds, while I was posting mine!
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The red balls are intended to be a depiction of the lattice structure of a silicon crystal, but they are not all that convincing. The formula on the yellow sign is worse. It was supposed to be the configuration of silicon’s electrons, based on the central structure of neon (“[Ne] 3s2 3p2”). Unfortunately, Deering goofed and rendered the lowercase “s” as a “5”.
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Pure silicon is not a good semiconductor. It must be “doped” with a small amount of some other substance, such as arsenic or phosphorus. Maybe Silicon Valley, where semiconductors are (or used to be) manufactured has impure silicon, as opposed to Pure Silicon Valley, which has pure but useless silicon.
Yeah, I know, that doesn’t make it funny, but it could be what Deering was going for.
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“Because… he’s in a velley made of silicon as opposed to Silicon Valley??” Yes.
Maybe we need a “Yes, that is it” tag.
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Kind of an odd joke for a strip like this. It’s more the thing you would expect of XKCD or SMBC. Of course, they would have done it better.
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swazoo: I think you’re giving Deering way too much credit.
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I think the cartoonist has been watching a lot of Star Trek episodes.
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Silicon….silicone….breast implants
“Silicone valley” would have been much funnier.
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“‘Silicone valley’ would have been much funnier.”
That’s like 350 more miles past silicon valley.
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“‘Silicone valley’ would have been much funnier.”
You’ll never get it past the censors, though.
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Could someone explain the “velley” joke(s), ’cause IDU?
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“Could someone explain the “velley” joke(s), ’cause IDU?”
It was an honest to gosh typo Bill made that has since been corrected.
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I don’t know what Woozy’s talking about: it always said “Valley.”
(And in case anybody asks, we’ve always been at war with Eurasia)
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