https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=141.101.99.11&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T04:40:27ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2699:_Feature_Comparison&diff=298982Talk:2699: Feature Comparison2022-11-18T10:37:16Z<p>141.101.99.11: </p>
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The image has changed. Now Mastodon includes USER-RUN INSTANCES (though I believe it should also have a check next to DOESN'T REQUIRE CENTRAL SERVER).<br />
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I tried googling "wikipedia feature comparison chart". Instead of finding a page explaining how these charts work, I got a chart comparing different wiki softwares. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 23:22, 16 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Of course, it wouldn't be hard to make apps on smartphones support mesh networks ... however, the manufacturers and app developers prefer to work hard to make sure they don't work without being connected to internet and serving advertisement. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wi-Fi_Direct Although ...] -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 00:25, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
:Actually, nearly all smartphones use radio chipsets running proprietary firmware with little to no mesh support; WiFi Direct depends upon protocol support from these chipsets, & specifically precludes relaying from device-to-device-to-device in a "decentralized mesh" fashion. DD-WRT & OpenWRT protocols support this kind of wireless decentralized mesh, but are not supported by the radio firmware present on consumer smartphones. Devices supporting these wireless mesh protocols do exist, but a lack of other nearby devices supporting those protocols, precludes relayed communication over multiple until such devices are deployed throughout the distance between a sender & recipient. In the US, there's only a couple bands allocated by the FCC which permit ciphered digital transmissions without a broadcast license, & the lineup of cellular handsets featuring radios for these bands can be counted on a few fingers. <br />
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 19:55, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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There seems to be a lot of wrongness about this matrix. Besides that mastodon instances can be run by user (which is fixed):<br />
* Mastodon does not support file transfer. You can only upload images, and ''not'' even all image formats—webp is not supported. Some other ActivityPub servers support file upload, but then it's not Mastodon.<br />
* IRC also doesn't support file transfer afaik.<br />
* Mastodon and SMS don't require a central server<br />
* Discord, Reddit, and Slack doesn't have user-run instances<br />
* Discord doesn't have builtin games last time I checked. The games are by the bots,<br />
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I don't know about Slack, but pretty much all of Discord and Reddit is user-run/moderated instances.<br />
:That slash is doing a lot of work there. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.31|172.69.34.31]] 06:57, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
:Your definition for "instance" must be very different from mine then. For me, "instance" refer to the server software's instance; that is, the user must be able to run the server software on their own to qualify this. If you consider subreddits and discord chat rooms (I refuse to call them "servers", because that's not what they are) as "user-run instances", then so are Facebook groups, right? Those are not instances; they're just communities or groups moderated by some selected people. --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.215.3|172.71.215.3]] 12:55, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
:webp support was added in Mastodon 4.0. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.222.124|162.158.222.124]] 08:38, 18 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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"IRC itself is a teleconferencing system, which (through the use of the client-server model) is well-suited to running on many machines in a distributed fashion. A typical setup involves a single process '''(the server) forming a central point''' for clients (or other servers) to connect to, performing the required message delivery/multiplexing and other functions." – J. Oikarinen, D. Reed; Internet Relay Chat Protocol; RFC 1459; May 1993. Emphasis added. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.158|172.71.154.158]] 01:45, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Notably, Mastodon ''eschews'' file transfer - audio specifically - for fear of enabling piracy (issue #7495). Tumblr would have a more comprehensive version of file transfer.<br />
[[Special:Contributions/172.71.146.136|172.71.146.136]] 03:17, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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IRC has (X)DCC for File Transfers and for it's centralisation it depends on the deployment, the original network that became EFNet (Eris-Free Network) doesn't have a central server, but things like Libera and OFTC have centralised services for authentication and servers maintained by only one organisation. Btw for games on the fediverse (which Mastodon is part of) Misskey includes some, sadly they're centralised. [[User:Lanodan|Lanodan]] ([[User talk:Lanodan|talk]]) 03:40, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Tumblr does have group chats. They're publicly viewable by anyone, but only people in the group can send messages, so I think they still count as group chats.<br />
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It appears we are all having a [[386]] moment watching Randall finally be wrong about something. How dare he?! [[Special:Contributions/172.70.111.30|172.70.111.30]] 05:37, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
: Nobody wants to put this train wreck into the explanation, but someone has to. I'm guessing we're waiting for further corrections just in case.<br />
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.31|ki172.69.34.31]] 06:57, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Discord did add games recently: https://discord.com/blog/server-activities-games-voice-watch-together<br />
[[User:Spenc|Spenc]] ([[User talk:Spenc|talk]]) 07:28, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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He also just left out Matrix entirely, y'know I'm starting to think this isn't a serious comparison. --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.250.193|172.70.250.193]] 07:42, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
: He forgot to include humans, too, which support all of the features listed. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.12|141.101.99.12]] 10:23, 18 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Not sure what built-in would mean, but Slack has plenty of games you can install on it as an admin (Similar to Discord) [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.223|172.70.162.223]] 09:52, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Also on April fool's days Tumblr occasionally have some sort of built-in game [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.46|172.70.162.46]] 09:54, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
:xkcd has those too :p --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.215.3|172.71.215.3]] 12:55, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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I'm wondering if we shouldn't include in the explanation, besides (on instead of) the link to {{Wikipedia|Mesh networking}}, also a link to {{Wikipedia|Comparison of software and protocols for distributed social networking}}. --[[User:Waldir|Waldir]] ([[User talk:Waldir|talk]]) 10:34, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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I can't help to notice phpBB is so dead it's not even on this chart. -- Shirluban [[Special:Contributions/172.71.122.79|172.71.122.79]] 10:37, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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I agree that the table is riddled with a surprising number of errors, but if the conspiracy theory that Randall has been replaced by another, evil cartoonist (as I write, the head of this explanation) is meant to be funny ... it didn't seem amusing to this particular explainer. [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 12:55, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
: It wasn't meant to be funny, it was meant to explain the comic. How much fake news about fake news about fake news do we need before we talk about it? It's clear to anybody who can tell how severe the mistakes are, that this is what the comic is about. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.111.29|172.70.111.29]] 15:10, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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While I'm sure this could start a holy war in its own right, if you include MMS under the umbrella of SMS, you get sort-of file transfers and also group chats. [[User:Jpatterson|Jpatterson]] ([[User talk:Jpatterson|talk]]) 14:12, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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If you think about the difference between user *run* instances vs user *hosted* instances, that might explain why Discord, Reddit, and Slack all have that check. However, I can't think of a possible reason why Mastodon is missing "Doesn't require central server" when that is its main selling point. :shrug: [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.67|108.162.246.67]] 14:59, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Somebody reverted my change that IRC does not require a central server, but it doesn't. The protocol has clients connecting to _one_ server among a _network_ of interconnected servers, where anybody can run such a network. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.111.29|172.70.111.29]] 15:10, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
: There's still going to be centralization of administration even among federated nets of IRC servers, unlike USENET for example. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.168|172.69.33.168]] 15:31, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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Are we encountering a new kind of vandalism where plausible edits are made introducing terrible prose, typos, and falsehoods? I noticed something similar happened with the recent Y2K comic. I really don't like to log in because we usually show we can do good work with most people logged out and IP's CDN-obfusticated for actual mass anonymity, but I will absolutely log in and push for page protection if vandals start trying to get insidious with subterfuge. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.168|172.69.33.168]] 15:31, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
:I don't know what vandalisms you're referring to. I've been adding the "Intermediate Edits", mostly behind HTML comments while fine-tuning so as not to make it look awful during the time I know it'll be half-completed (or less!).<br />
:As to terrible prose, I cannot refute the possibility that I'm guilty of that. I do my best, but genuine typos or personal proclivities for purple prose may indeed creep in.<br />
:With falsehoods, nothing I have added (or changed) is deliberately wrong, but may be not the same interpretation as someone else. I'm somewhat handicapped by not being a (regular/registered) user of most of the services (and may understand, e.g., Mesh Networking only in a form that a modern re-envisaging of it has moved drastically away from), but I've been taking my cues from only the very best external references (or Wikipedia!) and trying to boil down the supernumary technicalities to a more Explainxkcd-friendly format.<br />
:As always, another editor with a genuinely better idea (in all those aspects) can refine things. As, I notice, has already been started. Didn't get an Edit Conflict, which I put down to being short and sharp in my insertions, and hope I caused not too many for others. - Taking a break from imposing my own edits, now. I shall deal with any further changes (or reversions) in good heart when I get the time again, later. Good luck and good editing to those who wish to pick up any of the work (or rework it) in the meantime. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.53|172.70.91.53]] 15:58, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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I think some of you missed the forest for the trees. The point of the comic is to illustrate how feature comparison charts, which are very common sales tools, might be abused to show that the seller's product looks better than it really is. That should be in the explanation of the comic. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.210.243|172.70.210.243]] 17:27, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
: Agreed, there are a lot of the points that could be debated. Is "central server" meant a server not controlled by you? What is a user-run instance? As twitter has several clients available but is listed without "User-run instances". I bet cybiko is trending on google search right now. [[User:Harald|Harald]] ([[User talk:Harald|talk]]) 17:33, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
::Sort of https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=now%207-d&q=cybiko [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.38|172.71.154.38]] 19:13, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
: Even though a line about this has now been added, it still seems like it's slightly missing the point, in that it doesn't mention that while the Cybiko may support all those features, that doesn't mean (as the chart implies) that it supports them in a way that is comparatively useful to most users as the other options listed. I feel like the explanation should focus on how the Cybiko supports each of the features in turn, and why that's not a sensible comparison to make to the other options. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.12|141.101.99.12]] 10:35, 18 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
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===Proposal===<br />
Instead of trying to describe all the common platforms and features, as the HTML comments editor plans, why not just link to their Wikipedia articles and discuss the edge cases, like what counts as group chat or file transfer? Most people will understand the general terms. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.214.252|172.70.214.252]] 19:41, 17 November 2022 (UTC)<br />
:I see it as a handy summary that the respective Wikilink (which could still be followed) discusses at length, with history, CEOs, controversies, etc that we don't (normally, except maybe Twitter – for obvious current reasons/inspiration). Enough to brief the slightly adrift user (I have no idea how Discord works, I thought it was like Zoom!) or to clarify the tech used (the Mesh concept was backboneless self-organising swarm-communication, in my day, but is it possibly like Torrenting, according to one version of explanation?) without copypastaing absolutely everything.<br />
:Plus the extensive "this is wrong, that is wrong..." can be quickly folded into a caveat (as one comment says) rather than the current clump edited in at the end, where it's a pain to read and I'm not sure I even read it thoroughly anyway. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.2|172.70.90.2]] 21:19, 17 November 2022 (UTC)</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2699:_Feature_Comparison&diff=2989792699: Feature Comparison2022-11-18T10:18:39Z<p>141.101.99.11: /* Explanation */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2699<br />
| date = November 16, 2022<br />
| title = Feature Comparison<br />
| image = feature_comparison_v2.png<br />
| imagesize = <br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Below the Web, and the Dark Web, a shadowy parallel world of Cybiko users trade messages on the Translucent Neon Plastic Web.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a MULTIHOMED MESH NODE. Read HTML comments to expand. This page is the subject of vandalism, and the comic itself contains severe errors. Assume everything is wrong. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic compares different remote communication services, including the relatively well-known {{w|Twitter}}, {{w|Discord}}, {{w|Mastodon (software)|Mastodon}}, {{w|Facebook}} (FB), {{w|Slack (software)|Slack}}, {{w|Signal (software)|Signal}}, {{w|Internet Relay Chat}} (IRC), {{w|Tumblr}}, {{w|Reddit}}, and {{w|SMS}} mobile telephone text messages. It also includes the less well-known {{w|Cybiko}}® wireless handheld computer for teens. For each of these, it purports to indicate which of various features they support. The comic illustrates how feature comparison charts/infographics can be abused by sellers who are trying to make their products look better than they really are, compared to their main competitors.<br />
<br />
===Services===<br />
<!-- to be populated<br />
;Twitter<br />
:A short-form 'microblogging' platform, originally based upon the use of SMS model (see below) for publishing a limited amount of text, with the option to directed towards named recipients and/or to highlight a topical subject by means of the much publicised 'hashtag'. It allows account-holders to read and respond to most of the global messages posted by other users, with some restrictions and only limited read access by those not subscribed.<br />
:Twitter has recently been in the news due to its long-winded purchase by {{w|Elon Musk}} and the subsequent mass-firings/reorganisation of its staff, causing much turmoil within its userbase and others with an interest in its use.<br />
:As such, Twitter is capable of Direct Messaging (DMs) and a Group Chat that defaults to being one universal talking-shop limited only by the reader's ability to discover and follow any particular person or subject of interest.<br />
;Discord<br />
:Built as a platform for those involved in social gaming, it combines audio ({{w|VOIP}}) and text-messaging access through thematic chat rooms with a primarily invite-led mechanism to participate in those relevent to a given interest or activity.<br />
:The capabilities of DMs, Group Chats, File Transfers, Built-in Games and User-Run Instances are noted.<br />
:* Although Discord apparently does not provide for user-run instances itself. There are two third-party Discord server implementations, but it is unclear whether those could be counted as user-run instances of Discord.<br />
;Mastodon<br />
<br />
;Facebook (FB)<br />
<br />
;Slack<br />
<br />
;Signal<br />
<br />
;Internet Relay Chat (IRC)<br />
<br />
;Tumblr<br />
<br />
;Reddit<br />
<br />
;Short Messaging Service (SMS)<br />
-- yet to be populated --><br />
<br />
;Cybiko® wireless handheld computer for teens<br />
:This was a handheld computer designed for teens and released in 2000, which featured its own two-way radio text messaging capabilities along with built-in games and a music player. Additional information about it is available at [http://cultureandcommunication.org/deadmedia/index.php/Cybiko the Dead Media Archive], as the device has not been manufactured since 2003.<br />
:The chart suggests that the Cybiko has an advantage over all of the other listed communication services, as it is capable of all eight of the table's listed features listed, with none of the others being close.<br />
:Purchasing a Cybiko or finding friends who own one can be its own challenge, as device was discontinued nearly 20 years ago. Additionally, the Cybiko is a ''device'' rather than a ''service''; a more fair comparison would be to a modern {{w|smartphone}}, which can provide most of these features via multiple apps, including those apps written especially for such rival services.<br />
<br />
===Features===<br />
;Direct Messaging<br />
:Known by {{w|Private message|various names}}, across different platforms, but commonly abbreviated to "DM" or similar. DMs are person-to-person (or possibly person-to-group) communications that do not rely upon the privacy, membership or persistence settings of a given Group Chat 'room'<!-- (see below) *WHEN WRITTEN* -->.<br />
:All the services being compared possess the ability to make such direct messages, with sometimes subtle differences in implementation that dictate whether asynchronous or even 'live' two-way conversations are dominant, and the given list is far from exhaustive with email, '{{w|talk (software)|talk}}'-type programs and others having already established the principles used in any particular service's implementation.<br />
<!-- Also need to explain features: *DONE*Direct messages*DONE*, Group chats, File transfer, Built-in games, User-run instances, Doesn't require central server, *DONE*Mesh networking*DONE*, Wireless message delivery (without internet) --><br />
;{{w|Mesh networking}}<br />
:A form of connectivity that reduces or removes the need for a centralized server or predefined gateways to a communications 'backbone'. Nodes communicate directly with any nodes that happen to be contactable, and from there may connect through to whatever nodes are in mutual contact, or to be found further afield, either in real-time or asynchronously.<br />
:The Cybiko has this ability, as well as wireless message delivery because it communicates directly to other devices via radio, hence the ability to operate without any internet connectivity at all. There are several {{w|Comparison of software and protocols for distributed social networking|ongoing projects for distributed social networking}}, but all of these additionally require a hardware layer to provide signalling via their respective protocols; which the Cybiko purportedly provides via its decentralized radio capabilities. <br />
<br />
<!-- The following can be shuffled into :*bulletpoints against the Services header, once populated, I hope... --><br />
This comic contains several errors. Mastodon doesn't require a central server, or support file transfer. Discord does not provide for user-run instances itself. (There are two third party Discord server implementations, but it is unclear whether those could be counted as run by users.) Slack does not provide for user-run instances itself. Reddit does not provide for user-run instances at all, only user moderation and administration. IRC does require at least one central server,[https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1459.html] and relegates file transfer support to the domain of client extensions. Signal is heavily used in user-run instances via a diverse ecosystem of code forks; many of these don't require a central server, a couple use mesh networking. Reddit occasionally does have built-in games. Finally, Tumblr does have a form of group chats.<br />
<br />
An earlier version of the comic suggesting that Mastodon has no user-run instances was corrected by [[Randall]] shortly after publication of the original.<br />
<br />
<!-- Probably two individual tables, or ;headered itemised lists, but not a single table as per comic (and as per Transcript) as fitting description text in place of ticks (or lack of them?) would look *awful*... --><br />
<!-- ...these comments as placeholder, or checklist for each item needing commenting, depending on how the next active editor directs things... --><br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:[A table with checkmarks to indicate which features various messaging services have. Each column is labeled with a service name and its logo beneath, except that for the last column, the device's longer name is written higher than all the other services' names, with an arrow pointing to a drawing of the device below it.] <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!<br />
! Twitter<br />
! Discord<br />
! Mastodon<br />
! FB<br />
! Slack <br />
! Signal <br />
! IRC <br />
! Tumblr<br />
! Reddit <br />
! SMS <br />
! Cybiko® wireless<br>handheld computer<br>for teens (2000)<br />
|-<br />
! Direct messages<br />
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! Group chats<br />
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || || ✓ || || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! File transfer<br />
| || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || || ✓ || || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! Built-in games<br />
| || ✓ || || ✓ || || || || || || || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! User-run instances<br />
| || ✓ || ✓ || || ✓ || || ✓ || || ✓ || || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! Doesn't require central server<br />
| || || || || || || ✓ || || || || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! Mesh networking<br />
| || || || || || || || || || || ✓<br />
|-<br />
! Wireless message delivery works without internet<br />
| || || || || || || || || || ✓ || ✓<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Charts]]<br />
[[Category:Social networking]]</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2498:_Forest_Walk&diff=2161122498: Forest Walk2021-08-05T12:48:07Z<p>141.101.99.11: /* Explanation */ Form from.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2498<br />
| date = August 4, 2021<br />
| title = Forest Walk<br />
| image = forest_walk.png<br />
| titletext = The only other person to walk by was a linguist back in the 80s, but she just spent a while dissecting the phrase 'help me down' before getting distracted by a squirrel and wandering off.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by D. B. COOPER. The explanation doesn't exist. We need to add the explanation for the main comic and the title text. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
Megan is walking in a forest with Beret Guy who owns a big part of it. Megan is surprised that he owns such a big property, however, Beret Guy is known for his inexplicable businesses such as in [[1493: Meeting]] and from [[1032: Networking]]; we know he probably has enough resources to be able to buy it. Alternatively, he might have simply inherited it from his mom [[502: Dark Flow]].<br />
<br />
They meet a rather disheveled-looking bearded man hanging from a parachute caught in a tree. The man shakes a stick at them and demands to be helped down to the ground. Beret Guy simply addresses him as "Mister Cooper" and asks if he promises to return the money he took. The man angrily refuses, and Beret Guy casually says he'll see him again tomorrow, suggesting that this conversation has become a daily routine.<br />
<br />
Megan asks if the man was D. B. Cooper. Beret Guy confirms that he is. He then comments on an owl nest as another bit of "neat stuff" found on his land, suggesting that he finds Cooper's presence to be moderately interesting but not really remarkable.<br />
<br />
{{w|D. B. Cooper}} is the identity given to a man who hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft in 1971. He collected a $200,000 ransom (equivalent to $1,250,000 in 2020) and famously donned a parachute and jumped from the plane over the state of Washington. Even after lengthy FBI investigations, it is still unknown who he was, or what ever became of him. The only things known about him are a police composite drawing and the name "Dan Cooper", under which he had purchased his airline ticket. The name D. B. Cooper came about as a result of a miscommunication with the media. The comic is insinuating that, after leaping from the plane, he got entangled in a tree and has somehow been there ever since.<br />
<br />
D. B. Cooper was already referenced by Randall in [[1400: D.B. Cooper]], [[1501: Mysteries]] and [[2452: Aviation Firsts]].<br />
<br />
Uncanny situations are nothing new to Beret Guy as he himself possesses many [[Category:Strange_powers_of_Beret_Guy|strange powers]]. Because of this he seems to be unable to differentiate between something normal but interesting, such as an owl nest in a forest, and something as outright impossible{{Citation needed}} as a famous criminal hanging from a tree, otherwise unnoticed for decades and somehow still thriving - though clearly aged.<br />
<br />
The issues of food, water and other necessities are unaddressed, but this individual has at least obtained what seemingly could be a walking-stick, to accompany his age-acquired frailty. In some ways this is unexceptional, as the one resource (other than rain, possibly) that he has easiest access to are tree branches, but then the question is whether it can be considered a walking stick if he has not actually walked (or stood, or anything but dangled) for however long he has possessed it.<br />
<br />
The title text may reference to the linguist from [[2390: Linguists]] who is more interested in the linguistic nuances that people use than in actually responding to their call for assistance. It is not known how many others have walked through Beret Guy's land, in the interim, or whether it is their own nature or the general auea from Beret Guy, but the linguist clearly did not much more than ponder the phrase "help me down". Megan also seems in no particular hurry to intervene.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan and Beret Guy are walking through a landscape with spread out trees and grass and puddles on the ground.]<br />
:Megan: Wow, this is all yours?<br />
:Beret Guy: Yeah! All the way back to the river!<br />
:Beret Guy: I walk here every day.<br />
<br />
:[Megan still walks towards Beret Guy who has now stopped and is looking up while speaking to a man hanging in a tree in front of them. The man has long wild hair and a large beard. He hangs from his parachute which has been folded around a large branch sticking out from beneath the top of the tree. He is holding a long stick of some sort, seemingly attempting to threaten Beret Guy, as the stick and his legs are vibrating as indicated with small lines.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Morning, mister Cooper!<br />
:Cooper: You help me down '''''this instant!'''''<br />
<br />
:[Pan down to show only Beret Buy and nothing else. Cooper replies from off-panel from the top corner.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Do you promise to give back all the money you took?<br />
:Cooper [off-panel]: '''''Never!'''''<br />
:Beret Guy: Okay! See you tomorrow!<br />
<br />
:[Megan and Beret Guy continue walking through the landscape with three small trees behind them, as well as grass, rocks and a small puddle. Megan looks back over her shoulder towards where Cooper is hanging.]<br />
:Megan: Was that D.B. Cooper?<br />
:Beret Guy: Yeah, and up ahead there's an owl nest!<br />
:Beret Guy: There's so much neat stuff here.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring D. B. Cooper]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]] <!-- Owls nest --><br />
[[Category:Squirrels]] <!-- Title text --><br />
[[Category:Language]] <!-- Title text --></div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2140:_Reinvent_the_Wheel&diff=172985Talk:2140: Reinvent the Wheel2019-04-22T22:41:27Z<p>141.101.99.11: </p>
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I took a screenshot of google image search at 2:24 PM ET on 4/22/2019, and a bicycle wheel is indeed the first result. I'm trying to figure out how to get my image into the wiki ;p [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.82|162.158.78.82]] 18:25, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
: (same user) Man! I found an old account I made and logged in with it to upload a file, but it says I need special permission to do so! [[User:Baffo32|Baffo32]] ([[User talk:Baffo32|talk]]) 18:33, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
: If somebody with permission could upload this, it would be great: https://ipfs.io/ipfs/Qmf1a9NFFAcgWRUe45Ueg4FggXTUAd9BHMgEqWp23izchU [[User:Baffo32|Baffo32]] ([[User talk:Baffo32|talk]]) 18:43, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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: I get this (in the UK, using Google UK, and same result in a fresh Incognito session): https://www.makerlab-electronics.com/product/65mm-rubber-wheel-blue/ It looks like a decent wheel, albeit probably a bit small for most uses [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.11|141.101.99.11]] 22:41, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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I looked for a cheese wheel by searching wheel but couldn't find any. there was, however, a roulette wheel [[Special:Contributions/172.68.47.72|172.68.47.72]] 20:41, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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Looks like beret guy is working for an automotive startup, possibly one of the many software companies that are developing AI for self-driving cars? It is true that tires are made by outside suppliers (not by the auto companies) so in terms of software development tires could be called "external dependencies". However, tires are far from a semi-random selection as intimated here. A large amount of time and effort is spent developing special tires for each vehicle model to give the best possible compromise between many conflicting requirements such as: dry/wet/snow traction, noise, ride, wear, high speed durability (for high performance cars) and so on, the complete list has many more items. <br />
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If Randall is looking for new tires for his vehicle, I offer my standard recommendation: If you were fairly happy with the tires that came with the car, try and replace them with the closest possible equivalent to take advantage of the original development effort. This is not always possible, and of course if you are using the vehicle for a special purpose (mostly drive on dirt roads, use your car in weekend autocross competition, etc.), you may do better with something different.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.58|162.158.75.58]] 18:36, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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This comic could also be talking about coding, where reinventing the wheel is writing your own code from scratch, as there is other code which works perfectly well. This makes particular sense as the "external dependencies" could be in terms of code as well<br />
[[User:Gollum|Gollum]] ([[User talk:Gollum|talk]]) 18:45, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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I think the point is that their company is having to reinvent their cars to fit each dependency wheel, rather than develop a wheel that will fit their preexisting car. For cars, wheels are for the most part interchangeable, but external dependencies in software are very much not so. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.100|108.162.229.100]]<br />
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I suspect this is a comment on JavaScript (JS) coding for the web, specifically the NPM node.js package manager. I'm not a front-end Web developer, but apparently lots of web pages use NPM to pull down dependencies, bits of code to accomplish some task, rather than write it new (thus, avoid 'reinventing the wheel'). The problem is there's poor control over what those dependencies do and how they might get modified on you unexpectedly. See the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Npm_(software)#Notable_breakages Wikipedia article] on NPM for some history of bad breakages that have occurred.<br />
: I second this comment as being the key to the explanation. Especially when your external dependencies are also hosted on sites that you don't control; any functionality that you depend on can be replaced at any time, analogous to swapping out a sedan's tire for a bicycle tire. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.202|108.162.215.202]] 20:03, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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The point of the comic is likely that the term "Reinvent the Wheel" is not typically used in a literal sense to refer to actual wheels, as it is in this comic. Instead, it usually refers to exerting effort on something that adds no value over re-using something that already exists, whether it's a product's design or something intangible like an idea or study. We could probably provide a link to the Wikipedia article on the topic to help readers who are unfamiliar with the phrase. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 19:38, 22 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
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I don't have a problem with the explanation mentioning that the comic might be making some statement about software developers carelessly using code off the Internet, but I'm not sure we can say with such certainty that this IS the point of the comic, as it currently states. I certainly don't get any indication that it's specifically about JavaScript. I think Randall just thought the phrase "Reinvent the Wheel" would be funny if he had a character using it literally, and anything deeper than that might just be our own personal issues. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 22:32, 22 April 2019 (UTC)</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1876:_Eclipse_Searches&diff=144118Talk:1876: Eclipse Searches2017-08-16T13:16:22Z<p>141.101.99.11: </p>
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I don't get it. - BK {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.16}}<br />
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Because people are apparently (according to the Google-search data, anyways) more excited about the upcoming eclipse than they were about the election, Cueball is predicting that society is going to go a little crazy when the eclipse actually happens. Megan adds that the traffic jams will likely be insurmountable and "if you're planning to be on the road, bring water"--i.e., don't expect to go anywhere fast. In the title text Mr. Munroe further explains this statement, noting that past eclipses have generated bad traffic jams and those were before the days of widespread social media networking, which will certainly make matters much worse. [[User:Berets|Berets]] ([[User talk:Berets|talk]]) 17:21, 14 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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::To be fair, not that many of us were excited for election day. The Trumpists were excited. The #imwithheriguess weren't. We wanted Clinton because she wasn't Trump. Nervous about the insanity that would occur if Trump won, but not excited about the mediocrity that would happen if Clinton won. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.88|108.162.245.88]] 21:43, 14 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
:::Don't forget the sizeable number of people who had the same opinions, but with the roles reversed (wanting Trump because he wasn't Hillary). Most of the people I know who wanted Trump were in that group. [[User:Mulan15262|Mulan15262]] ([[User talk:Mulan15262|talk]]) 04:02, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
:I guess the association with traffic jams is that in the USofA, people are used to stand for hours in line to vote. --[[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.29|198.41.242.29]] 17:47, 14 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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I remember the 1970 eclipse! Here in Northern Virginia, it was nearly total. I was nine and my dad made us a pinhole camera. Now I'm gonna have to make one for my kids, since it looks like the goggles are pretty much sold out. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.118|162.158.255.118]] 19:08, 14 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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I understand this XKCD differently. The fact that no one looks up "eclipse" is that something bad will happen during it, that's why Cueball is urged to bring water, as in essential survival gear. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.106|108.162.216.106]] 20:12, 14 August 2017 (UTC) AM<br />
:Yeah, and the Moon will fall into the Sun like the ISS did before: [[1830: ISS Solar Transit 2]] --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:26, 14 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
: Sounds more like 1868 (shouldn't that be linked in the explanation?) :) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:29, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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: Not sure what you mean by “The fact that no one looks up "eclipse"” … the graph in the comic shows that ''loads'' of people are looking up "eclipse". [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.11|141.101.99.11]] 13:16, 16 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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What's funny to me is that this growing interest is completely fictitious within the context of my experience, LOL! I have LITERALLY only heard about this eclipse on XKCD, if it were any other comic I would never even have the thought that an eclipse might really be coming. :) I've really seen and heard no mention anywhere else (all I can think right now is that this explanation talks about it crossing the States, maybe it'll be too south to see here in Canada, therefore nobody around here is interested?). It also mystifies me how this and 1868 (again, shouldn't it be linked here?) seem to be making a mountain out of a molehill. An eclipse isn't this weird, uncommon, unheard-of phenomenon, why the big deal???!?! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 05:29, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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: Because Eclipses are awesome. Its like a good song on the radio it passes quickly but sticks with you for days (or weeks) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.250|141.101.98.250]] 07:29, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
:: Good songs on radio? I heard about these, but I doubt such mystical thing exists. As for the eclipse: I guess I'll watch the live stream. Or sleep. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 07:45, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
: Yes, eclipses are not too uncommon, but you still have to be lucky to experience one first hand. "Watching a live stream" of an eclipse is like watching porn: Both can be entertaining, but it's nothing like the real thing. [[User:LordHorst|LordHorst]] ([[User talk:LordHorst|talk]]) 08:52, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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:I've heard talk about it outside of XKCD, but I live and work in the 90% band so I think that you are correct about the local variation in how much people care.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.232|108.162.237.232]] 14:04, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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:This eclipse will have a nearly 70 mile wide path of totality cross the entire continental US. The next major eclipse in the US will be in 2024, but it will cross from Mexico through the Great Lakes and New England. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.36|172.68.65.36]] 17:44, 15 August 2017 (UTC)<br />
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:I have seen two total eclipses and I am really sad I could not fit it into my plans to be in the totality band in the US this Monday. There is no reason to watch it live streamed, you could see one of the old any time you like. It has nothing on a real Eclipse. There is no doubt in my mind that experiencing those two total eclipses are the most crazy and beautiful nature experiences I have ever had. The one you are going to see this Monday is part of a long series. Each series of eclipses reappear every 18 years 1/3 around the globe to the west. So this eclipse is the next in the series of the first I saw in Europe (I was in Hungary) in August 1999. And the one mentioned in 2024 was the one I say in 2006 in Turkey. I live in Denmark so I had to travel further for those two than most of the people in the US has to, and they even can travel domestic. Go there and have an experience of a life time. And hope that Trump do not cancel the Eclipse... See title text of both [[1302: Year in Review]] and [[1779: 2017]]... Enjoy it you lucky people living right next to the totality! ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:25, 16 August 2017 (UTC)</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1827:_Survivorship_Bias&diff=139140Talk:1827: Survivorship Bias2017-04-22T17:46:08Z<p>141.101.99.11: Most people fail. Also, who said anything about students?</p>
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Is "defeatest" a typo or a joke? I've never seen Randall make a typo before, but I also don't get the joke if there is one. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.2.184|162.158.2.184]] 04:28, 21 April 2017 (UTC) <br />
:Definitely a typo. [[User:Cardboardmech|Cardboardmech]] ([[User talk:Cardboardmech|talk]]) 04:59, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
::At first I thought this was an unfamiliarity with the word, and was about to talk about how it's a real word and what it means, then I noticed the spelling, LOL! I KNOW I've seen such spelling errors several times before - often getting fixed in the next day or two - but I couldn't provide examples even if my life depended on it. And yeah, I'd say this is more "spelling error" than "typo", the I is nowhere near the E on any keyboard. :) - NiceGuy1 [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.88|108.162.219.88]] 05:58, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
:::If itdoesn't get fixed, it might be some weird pun on "[survival of] the fittest". Wouldn't make a lot of sense in the context of the sentence though [[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.233|162.158.91.233]] 09:12, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
::::sometimes Randall do not fix errors, so nothing can be concluded on that (would it be survivorship bias to do so? ;-) How should the word be spelled (I'm not native English speaking), and does the word even exist? The spelling should be mentioned when someone explains the title text. I'm not up for it. And then if it is corrected later, it should go into the trivia section as a corrected error. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:29, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
It has been corrected to defeatist [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:28, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Transcript's kind of done. [[User:Cardboardmech|Cardboardmech]] ([[User talk:Cardboardmech|talk]]) 05:17, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
:I have changed the format to the usual style and added a bit more detail. But else nicely done. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:29, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Other than the title text, does any more work need to be done on the explanation? The Template:Incomplete param is pretty vague right now. <span style="background:#0064de;font-size:12px;padding:4px 12px;border-radius:8px;">[[User talk:AgentMuffin|<span style="color:#f0faff;">~AgentMuffin</span>]]</span><br />
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No doubt a lottery isn't a wise investment. However, I have not heard about accepting 25% of the prize or in annual instalments for over a decade before. Is that an american habbit? Vince [[Special:Contributions/141.101.105.174|141.101.105.174]] 06:17, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
: Never heard of such things, either... [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:27, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
:This is a thing that some American lotteries do. It reduces the amount that you have to pay in taxes. [[User:Mulan15262|Mulan15262]] ([[User talk:Mulan15262|talk]]) 12:49, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
: I don't play the lottery but I have heard of this practice and I think its typical here in the states. As I remember, you have the option of accepting 50% of the prize as an immediate payment or of accepting the full amount in installments over 20 years. With a progressive tax schedule this of course will affect the actual amount received and available for use. The use of payments helps the lottery itself as well and the choices of 50% and 20 years is no accident. The lottery can take the 50% it would have paid directly and invest it. A doubling period of 20 years needs an annual return on investment of only 3.6% (approx) so it works out to be a good deal for both parties. Unless of course your life expectancy is less than 20 years! [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 00:31, 22 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
The title text is written in the style of an inspirational/motivational speech. Do not be deterred, you can do ANYTHING. Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.110.58|172.68.110.58]] 07:05, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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I took the liberty of editing the very emotional text and replace it with something a bit more "professional", as I think fits this site better. I am still not quite happy about it, as advertising jackpots without taxes and not advertising the payout time are local phenomena only applicable to some jurisdictions, and make no difference to the overall survivor bias that is the theme of the comic [[Special:Contributions/172.68.182.202|172.68.182.202]] 08:16, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
: I think the whole tax stuff can be deleted. Playing lottery is always stupid - even if there were no taxes on the prize. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:25, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
::I agree with Elektrizikekswerk on both issues. Lottery is just tax on low IQ we call it in my family ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:25, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
::: I've heard it called "gambling for the math-impaired." [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 17:30, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Third paragraph is taken word-by-word from Wikipedia article on Survivorship Bias. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.88|162.158.92.88]] 12:54, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Here's another example of survivorship bias, "We grew up without bicycle helmets and 'nonsense' like that when kids and dogs ran free and '''we came out fine'''" but of course I also remember there were a lot of kids with concussions and there were a lot of three-legged dogs running around. Both cases have greatly decreased because of bicycle helmets and leash laws. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 13:39, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
:And don't forget all the dog bites that came out "just fine"! [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 00:58, 22 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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If I may suggest, survivor bias is a special example of Bastiat's "That Which Is Seen, and That Which Is Unseen", aka, the Broken Window Fallacy. The logic failure lies in paying attention to only part of the results, not all of them. I'd extend this to argue for acceptance of "The Ends Justify The Means... Buy You Gotta Consider ALL The Ends, Not Just Some Of Them". Saving 100 people is one great end. But if you also kill 10,000 of them, but in the background, where they don't stand out, the ends aren't justified.<br />
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.227|108.162.212.227]] 19:54, 21 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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There actually was a case of a man who won the lottery after buying the same set of numbers every time. Naturally, his advice to everyone was "Keep buying the same numbers every time and you'll win eventually." Of course, there's no way he could be persuaded this was nonsense. [[User:Mark314159|Mark314159]] ([[User talk:Mark314159|talk]]) 01:43, 22 April 2017 (UTC)<br />
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This is an awfully long explanation, considering that it barely mentions Randall's assertion that *all* motivational speakers should include disclaimers (IE: "Results are not typical."). If compared by net-income versus cost-of-living, the vast majority of people end their lives with less wealth than their parents, in spite of any efforts to better their situation through education, savings, investment, et cetera. In other words, no matter how hard they try, most people lose. That's just a hard economic truth, & many people espousing hard work, dedication & especially sticking to your goals, tend to overlook the fact that financial success is actually quite rare, regardless of the lifelong effort put into it. As stated, nobody hires the failures to give talks; Maybe we should!<br />
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Also, speaking to graduating students is far from the most common activity of such professional speakers. The use of motivational speakers at conventions, paid seminars, & sales pitches is much more common & frequent than talks given to students. Since Randall doesn't mention students in any way, I think that specific phrase about students should be removed from the explanation. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.11|141.101.99.11]] 17:46, 22 April 2017 (UTC)</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1256:_Questions&diff=934751256: Questions2015-05-16T22:46:47Z<p>141.101.99.11: /* Illustrated Panels */ Added a bit about asexuality to the "why is sex so important" question. To some, it isn't, and so that is a valid possible answer to the question. I felt that it should be included. There is also a link to AVEN included.</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1256<br />
| date = August 26, 2013<br />
| title = Questions<br />
| image = questions.png<br />
| titletext = To whoever typed 'why is arwen dying': GOOD. FUCKING. QUESTION.<br />
}}<br />
A larger version of the picture can be found in http://xkcd.com/1256/large/.<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Google}}, a rather popular internet search engine, has a feature known as [https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/106230?hl=en autocomplete] that guesses at search queries before they are fully typed out. These guesses are generally made based on popular searches by other people. From time to time, a particularly strange or hilarious one may be found, as is evidenced in this comic.<br />
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The largest pictured questions are: "Why are there slaves in the bible" and "Why are there ants in my laptop".<br />
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All of the questions in the comic are "why" questions, so many of them are predicated on false assumptions, such as "Why are there pyramids on the moon". All these questions and many more (33,171 in total) can be found in http://xkcd.com/why.txt.<br />
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Regarding the title text: in the Peter Jackson films of {{w|The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy}}, Arwen becomes sickly for unspecified reasons as the plot advances, apparently giving Aragorn a more personal reason to fight. The only explanation given is by Elrond, who says "As Sauron's power grows, her [Arwen's] strength wanes." This subplot is entirely absent from the {{w|The Lord of the Rings|original novels}}.<br />
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From [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/faq#.2.1.21 IMDB]: <br /><blockquote><br />
Arwen, like her father (and brothers) is considered to be a Half-Elf, the result of a union between an Elf and a mortal human. The Half-Elven of Middle-earth get a choice, to remain immortal and return to the West (Valinor) or to become mortal and to die as humans do. Elrond chose to remain an Elf. Arwen (like her uncle Elros) chooses to become mortal in order to wed and remain with Aragorn. Elrond senses this; this is what he means when he says that Arwen is dying. It is the same as in The Last Unicorn, when the unicorn is given the form of a human woman and can feel that she is no longer immortal ("I can feel this body dying all around me"). According to Tolkien, though, after Aragorn dies in the year 120 (Fourth Age), Arwen returns to Lórien, where she dies by choice the following winter. </blockquote><br />
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==Selected answers==<br />
The tables below have been created so as to split the comic into almost entirely arbitrary blocks, which have then been identified with similarly arbitrary numbers. As a general rule, section numbers work top to bottom, then right to left.<br />
===Illustrated Panels===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
|Why aren't my arms growing?||Arms stop growing because longer arms would not be a very useful way to spend resources. Human DNA has programmed the body to gradually ossify the growing arms and legs, closing the epiphyseal plate, at which point these extremities stop growing.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there ghosts?||There is no hard evidence of ghosts.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there squirrels?||Squirrels exist because they fit their biological niche better than any other species.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is sex so important?||Sex is important because it is the primary method of reproduction in many different species. However, it can be of varying importance to different people (see [http://www.asexuality.org/home/?q=overview.html asexuality]).<br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't there guns in Harry Potter? || In the {{w|Harry Potter}} universe, Muggle technology (human inventions) are often looked down on by wizards - the majority of half-blooded wizards like Harry won't touch one, let alone a wizard extremist like {{w|Voldemort}}. Not only does any Muggle device more complex than a wristwatch interfere with magical artifacts, but wands are usually more versatile than most guns; a revolver can't shoot lightning or summon items or teleport its user. Finally, while Harry himself may or may not consider using firearms due to his Muggle upbringing, ''Harry Potter'' is a series of children's books (which usually don't include guns) set in the United Kingdom (which has stricter gun laws than, say, the United States).<br />
|-<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
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===Section One===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why do whales jump? || To the whale, it's like going into outer space!<br />
|-<br />
|Why are witches green? || See {{w|Wizard of Oz}}.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there mirrors above beds?|| Often, these are used by couples to view themselves during coitus.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do I say Uh?||See ''[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/05/06/the_odd_body_language_fillers/ Why do we say 'um', 'er', or 'ah' when we hesitate in speaking?]''.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is sea salt better? || The question likely refers to the difference between common {{w|Fortified table salt}} and usually more expensive sea salt. While the major part of both of these is sodium chloride (NaCl) the idea behind the claim is the different composition mostly in regards to trace elements of sea salt compared to "normal" salt. Table salt's composition is often influenced by a country's health department and thus addition of trace elements is regulated. While these regulations are based on scientific studies there remain to be debates concerning the additions, such as iodine.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there trees in the middle of fields? || Many images of fields contain singular trees in the middle of them. While there exist such trees it is likely an artistic choice to give a more pleasing or aesthetically satisfying image compared to just a field. In modern agriculture those would in fact be quite troublesome since they are a hindrance to large machines used and a new tree would be unlikely to grow in a constantly worked field.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there not a Pokémon MMO? || {{w|Pokémon}} is a popular franchise, spanning game consoles, anime series, a trading card game, and many other things. Among fans, it is a frequent topic of discussion why a Pokémon {{w|massively multiplayer online game}} has not been officially announced by the series' developers {{w|Game Freak}}, as they often [http://www.dorkly.com/comic/52546/be-careful-what-you-wish-for predict] that such a game would be extremely popular, and bring in massive revenue for the company. However, if Game Freak were to develop a Pokémon MMO the MMOs would be strong competition against the console games and therefore reducing the Pokémon demographic significantly.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is there laughing in TV shows? || Sitcoms were once filmed with an audience, so the actors could respond to their reactions. That's the historical reason why there were laughs in TV shows. The tradition continues, with the difference that now the laughter mostly comes from recorded tapes. See {{w|Laugh track}}.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there doors on the freeway?|| Highway/freeway {{w|noise barrier|noise barriers}} sometimes have doors in them to allow workers access to both sides of the barrier.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there so many svchost.exe running?||See {{w|svchost.exe}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't there any countries in Antarctica? || {{w|Antarctica}} is the southern most continent and is by large covered in ice and in general pretty cold. While it is a regular target of tourists and researchers it also lacks native human inhabitants. At the moment, the territorial claims concerning Antarctica are mostly handled via the {{w|Antarctic Treaty System}}. In short there are a few countries who claim certain parts of the continent as their own in theory but so far it is considered neutral territory and most maps don't concern themselves with displaying the (in some regards disputed) territorial claims because they do not matter at this point in time. If there are ever any worthwhile resources discovered, this might change.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there scary sounds in Minecraft?|| To add atmosphere and to give players hints when there is a dark cave nearby. See [http://minecraft.gamepedia.com/Ambience Minecraft Wiki].<br />
|-<br />
|Why is there kicking in my stomach?||See ''[http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal-movement-feeling-baby-kick Feeling Your Baby Kick]''. Here, ''stomach'' means ''abdomen''.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there two slashes after http?||See ''[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1220286/Sir-Tim-Berners-Lee-admits-forward-slashes-web-address-mistake.html Sir Tim Berners-Lee admits the forward slashes in every web address 'were a mistake']''.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there celebrities?||There are certain people who are more respected and well-known than other people, whether it be because of their acting career, major advancements to science, or a sex tape.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do snakes exist?|| The question is rather general and likely based on a widespread dislike for the reptilians. Be it due to their appearance, their spread, or the danger a few snakes pose to humans (often due to being venomous) many people have a dislike for snakes and would prefer them to not exist (similar to spiders).<br />
In regards to "why do snakes exist on earth?": Because evolution. Snakes fill a gap in the ecosystem as predators and hunt different species, including vermin. Snakes are in that regard similar to many other predatory animals. The question on why snakes developed with their distinct streamlined shape is still debated but {{w|snakes|likely it either provided an advantage when burrowing or swimming}}.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do oysters have pearls?||{{w|Creation of a pearl|From Wikipedia}}: <blockquote>Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside the shell, or an attack from outside, injuring the mantle tissue. The mollusk creates a pearl sac to seal off the irritation. Pearls are commonly viewed by scientists as a by-product of an adaptive immune system-like function.</blockquote><br />
|-<br />
|Why are ducks called ducks?||See {{w|Duck#Etymology}}. {{W|wikt:duck|According to Wiktionary}}, the noun ''duck'' can be traced back to the {{w|Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic}} word {{w|wikt:Appendix:Proto-Germanic/dūkaną|''dūkaną''}} ("to dive, bend down"), and, in turn, the {{w|Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European}} {{w|wikt:Appendix:Proto-Indo-European/dʰewb-|''dʰewb-''}} ("deep, hollow"), which is the origin of the verb ''to duck''. The link between the noun and the verb comes from ducks' tendency to dive under water for short periods of time.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do they call it the clap?||An old folk remedy for {{w|gonorrhea}} was to clap on the sides of the penis.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are Kyle and Cartman friends?|| The question relates to the TV show {{w|South Park}}. Both are children living in the small titular town in Colorado. Cartman is widely accepted to a be very bad person, one of his many character flaws being his antisemitism. Kyle on the other hand is a Jew. However, both, along with two other kids, Stan and Kenny, are the core focus of the show (or used to be) and to some extent are considered to be friends. While there are episodes which show Cartman being not entirely a horrible person and him holding Kyle in a position of at least a worthy adversary, most of the time the question should be "Why is anyone friends with Cartman?" However, they most likely remain "friends" because they are in the same class at school and are therefore "forced" to be around one another.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is there an arrow on Aang's head?||{{w|Avatar: The Last Airbender#Characters|Aang}} is the main character of the TV series {{w|Avatar the last Airbender|Avatar - The last Airbender}} and features as part of a large body spanning tattoo an arrow on his head. These tattoos are made to replicate the markings of one of the shows fictional animals, the air bison which are regarded as the original air benders. They are given to human air benders once they attain the status of masters. Because Aang acquired this status very early in life he was already tattooed accordingly.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are text messages blue?||This likely refers to imessage chat being blue. These messages are blue when sending a message to another apple device.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there mustaches on clothes?||Because some people buy them. Mustaches, especially handlebar-style mustaches, were a popular fad at the time of this comic.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there mustaches on cars?||Fuzzy pink mustaches are used to designate cars in the {{w|Lyft}} service.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there mustaches everywhere?||See {{w|Movember}}<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there so many birds in Ohio?||There are an estimated [http://oh.audubon.org/bsc/SOTB.html 400 bird species] in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_birds_of_Ohio Ohio], but there are [http://www.jstor.org/discover/2419997sid=21104910103541&uid=4&uid=3739776&uid=2&uid=3739256 2.74 nesting pairs per acre].<br />
|-<br />
|Why is there so much rain in Ohio?|| {{w|lake_effect|Lake-effect}} rain develops in the same manner as lake-effect snow.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is Ohio weather so weird?||See {{w|Lake-effect snow}}.<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Two===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there male and female bikes? || {{w|bicycle|From Wikipedia}}: <blockquote>Historically, women's bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of the seat tube instead of the top, resulting in a lower {{w|Frame geometry|standover height}} at the expense of compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending load in the seat tube, and bicycle frame members are typically weak in bending. This design, referred to as a '''''{{w|step-through frame}}''''' or as an ''open frame'', allows the rider to mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress.</blockquote><br />
|-<br />
|Why are there bridesmaids?||See {{w|Bridesmaid#Origin and history}}.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do dying people reach up?|| In many works of fiction dying people are regarded with an outstretched arm, grasping for unseen objects towards the sky. In all likelihood this originates in the idea of heaven as the place where (good) people go after death. People "reach for the light" which is seen when dying according to similar beliefs or possibly for already dead relatives or other associated people waiting for them. An alternative hypothesis is that they want to hug/touch their loved ones one last time.<br />
|-<br />
|Why aren't there varicose arteries?||Blood moves through veins due to irregular pressure from skeletal muscles combined with valves to control direction. In varicose veins these valves malfunction affecting blood flow. In arteries blood flow is produced directly from pressure caused by the heart.<br />
|-<br />
|Why are old Klingons different?|| {{w|Klingon Redesign|From Wikipedia}}: <blockquote>For {{w|Star Trek: The Motion Picture}} (1979), the Klingons were retconned and their appearance and behavior radically changed. To give the aliens a more sophisticated and threatening demeanor, the Klingons were depicted with ridged foreheads, snaggled and prominent teeth, and a defined language and alphabet. Lee Cole, a production designer, used red gels and primitive shapes in the design of Klingon consoles and ship interiors, which took on a dark and moody atmosphere. The alphabet was designed as angular, with sharp edges harkening to the Klingon's militaristic focus.[5] Costume designer Robert Fletcher created new uniforms for the Klingons, reminiscent of feudal Japanese armor.</blockquote><br />
|-<br />
|Why is programming so hard?||Programming is the art of writing instructions for a computer to do. Since the computer has a limited set of instructions for you to use it involves a new way of thinking for many. It is also hard because the computer itself is not smart or adaptable to unexpected problems. For instance when a human is told to sort books in a shelf, he or she can do that despite there might be things in the way (he or she will just move it to the side). A computer will generally just crash if it doesn't have instructions on how to deal with the unexcepted problem.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is there a 0 Ohm resistor?|| A resistor is usually designed to create a certain resistance, measured in {{w|Ohm}} in an electronic device. A 0 Ohm resistor seems pointless as it would only provide the same resistance as a normal cable. However, Wikipedia's {{w|Zero-ohm link}} article gives sufficient explanation.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do Americans hate soccer? || Soccer, or football in British English, is rather unpopular in the USA compared to most other regions of the world. Finding a particular reason behind the (dis)like for certain sports, apart from cultural spread, is difficult. One possible explanation is soccer's tendency to have far fewer points scored in an average game and a higher likelihood of draws compared to such things as American Football, basketball or baseball, which are far more popular. In how far this is a legitimate argument for regarding soccer as "less interesting" is up to debate.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do rhymes sound good?||The brain enjoys repetition especially in music.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do trees die?||Some common reasons include lack of water, lack of nitrogen in the soil and being chopped down.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is there no sound on CNN?||Some stations broadcast a {{w|second audio program}}, an alternative sound track that your TV can be configured to use instead of the primary program. This is intended to be used for broadcasting in an alternate language, or for {{w|Descriptive Video Service}} to make a program accessible to the visually impaired. Many programs that don't actually use SAP will still broadcast an SAP that is identical to the primary program; however, this is not required. If your TV is configured to use SAP and a particular channel isn't broadcasting SAP at that time, there won't be any sound.<br />
|-<br />
|Why aren't Pokémon real?||Pokémon are fantasised creatures that were designed to produce an interesting battle mechanic in a game. Some of the pokémons abilities would be impossible on earth as we know it. For instance, Magcargo is hotter than the surface of the sun<ref name="Bulbapedia Magcargo">http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Magcargo#Trivia</ref>.<br />
|-<br />
|Why aren't bullets sharp?||See {{w|Terminal ballistics}}.<br />
|-<br />
|Why do dreams seem so real?|| Most dreams occur during a stage known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement). During REM, your brain is highly active and its wave pattern is the same as the wave patterns in a person who is awake. It should be noted that dreams can occur during other stages of sleep but most dreams that are vivid occur during the REM stage.<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Three===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why do testicles move?|| The scrotum shrinks and expands to account for temperature changes. <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there psychics?|| Psychics are humans who supposedly have supernatural abilities to know things. A better question would be to ask why do people suppose there are psychics.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are hats so expensive?|| Hats can be expensive depending on the quality of material, size, location, and demand. A probable answer is that hats are simply difficult to make, causing high prices. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is there caffeine in my shampoo?|| Because the producers want you to believe that caffeine penetrates the hair roots and thereby somehow protects it from negative testosterone impacts and from premature hair loss. <br />
|-<br />
| Why do your boobs hurt?|| The most probable reason is that your bra doesn't fit correctly. It could also be a hormone imbalance or awkwardly shaped breasts.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Four===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't economists rich? || Economists study how laws of self-interest bring about an efficient allocation of resources. In order to become rich, one has to enter a market seeking profit by trading or producing goods or services.<br />
|-<br />
| Why do Americans call it soccer? || {{w|Association Football}} is called Soccer in the USA because {{w|American Football}} is the more popular version there.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are my ears ringing? || {{w|Tinnitus}}, or ringing of the ears, can result from stress, foreign objects in the ear, hearing damage, wax build up, or any other number of causes.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there so many Avengers? ||The number of Avengers has [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Avengers_members varied greatly] over the years and decades, each time with it's own justification for why they need to work together, but the simplest answer is money. Cross-branding and cross-merchandising is successful to the brand and brings in new readers, plus creates a new franchise to profit from. <br />
|-<br />
|Why are the Avengers fighting the X Men || {{w|Avengers vs. X-Men}} was a 2012 Marvel crossover event that, like many other recent comic book events, had heroes fight other heroes. In this case, the {{w|Avengers (comics)|Avengers}} and the {{w|X-Men}} fought over the {{w|Phoenix Force (comics)|Phoenix Force}}, a godlike power that often possesses {{w|Jean Grey}} or her descendants (in this case, her alternate universe daughter Hope Summers). The Avengers believed the Phoenix Force is too powerful for humanity to control and wanted to contain it, while the X-Men believed the Phoenix was the messiah for mutants and could fix all of the Earth's problems.<br />
|-<br />
|Why is Wolverine not in the Avengers || Wolverine ''has'' been an Avenger, in some circumstances. e.g. in the {{w|The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes}} cartoon series, the episode ''New Avengers'' had Wolverine (along with Spiderman, War Machine, The Thing and Luke Cage and Iron Fist) substitute while the 'original' Avengers were unavailable to deal with the current crisis (which of course included the fate of the 'proper' Avengers). However, in general his anti-authority personality makes him a difficult team-member to field, and he has frequently disassociated himself even from the X-Men. But, in Avengers vs. X-Men (see above) Wolverine ''sided'' with The Avengers, and more modern treatments have even included the character in about as much a permanent a membership of the group as Logan is ever likely to have.<br />
<br />
But if the question is about why Wolverine didn't appear in {{w|The Avengers (2012 film)|''The Avengers''}}, the answer is that ''The Avengers'' is being produced by Marvel/Disney, while Fox still has the rights to the X-Men and all Marvel mutants in general. Unless there is studio agreement, the two properties cannot cross, except through complicated machinations. For example, there are plans to bring Avengers mainstays Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch to both the ''Avengers'' and ''X-Men'' franchises, but only the Fox films have the right to call them the children of Magneto, and Marvel/Disney cannot even identify them on-screen as "mutants".<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Five===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there ants in my laptop? || Ants usually come in your laptop when there are little crumbs of food. It is advised to get screen protectors.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is Earth tilted? || The Earth is not tilted. Axial tilt is just a result of conservation of momentum when the Earth was formed, because not everything orbits in the same way. It is pure happenstance that Earth's axis is not normal to its plane of orbit.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is space black? || What we call black is the absence of light. Space is mostly empty. Whe we look at a part of space where there is nothing that can reflect the stars' light, it consequently appears black to us.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is outer space so cold? || Space is not cold. There is no matter in space. However, most of space has very little radiation hitting it, so a person won't recieve any energy, but will still radiate some away, resulting in a net loss of energy, colloquially "heat."<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there pyramids on the moon? || There are no pyramids on the moon.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is NASA shutting down? ||NASA isn't shutting down. This question might have something to do with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_shutdown_of_2013 Government Shutdown of 2013] or perhaps due to the then-current shuttle program ending, but that is not the entirety of NASA.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section <strike>Spider</strike> Six===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there tiny spiders in my house?<br />
|rowspan="6"|During autumn in particular male spiders reaching maturing will set off to find a mate. By chance they may end up in your house. When encountering spiders in large numbers, it is more likely that they are young from the same female spider. Females lay {{w|Spider#Reproduction_and_life_cycle|up to 3,000}} eggs at a time. These questions also plays off of Munroe's longstanding fear of spiders, especialy the [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/8:_Red_spiders red spiders] mentioned in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Red_Spiders several early comics].<br />
|-<br />
| Why do spiders come inside? <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there huge spiders in my house? <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there lots of spiders in my house? <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there spiders in my room? <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there so many spiders in my room? <br />
|-<br />
| Why do spider bites itch? ||This mostly happens as a immune response to [http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/why-do-mosquito-bites-itch histamines] under the skin which are injected through saliva.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is dying so scary? ||Part of human nature is the fear of the unknown, and death is the ultimate unknown because it is not knowable until it's experienced, and there is nobody to report what the result was. This leaves it open to speculation, and many major religions are based on preparing ones soul for death. Also, dying would leave loved ones families with the responsibility of taking care of their remains and finances. And finally, most people don't want to die, living for as long as possible, possibly because the unknown is too unbearable to cope with. Still though several people are not afraid of death and dying, and recognize life is short and to cherish each moment while we can. Death is inevitable, so we should not fear it. In addition, it would be evolutionarily advantageous for our ancestors to have feared and avoided death. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is there no GPS in laptops? ||It is not impossible for laptops to have a GPS, and some do. But there are [http://security.stackexchange.com/questions/50907/are-there-gps-tracker-for-laptops design difficulties] that have to be overcome including battery draining, room within the crowded device to place a receiver, WiFi can give a location just as well, and the product casing could interfere with its ability to functional normally and receive the signals necessary to operate as intended. Some Dell computers have these, but the privacy one needs to give up to accept the terms and conditions makes it unfavorable. <br />
|-<br />
| Why do knees click? || Typical of other clicking and cracking of joints, this may be the sound of [http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/knee-pain/features/knee-cracks-pops ligaments tightening]. However do not rely on a wiki to diagnose a medical conditions. Consult a licensed physician. <br />
|-<br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't there E grades? ||E grades [http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/02/e-f-grading-scale/ actually exist] in some districts, but they are rare. In their long and bizarre history, E was originally used where F is today (E was the lowest grade), but in those systems, students often received E's for an "Excellent" grade, creating much confusion. F was used in place instead and E was eliminated from a standard grading scale. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is isolation bad? ||Isolation is when a person deliberately secludes themselves away from others, often far-removed from society. This can happen in locations as small as a city apartment and as large as the open woods. People evolved as social animals and it is generally held that those who isolate themselves suffer from depression or other forms of psychological imbalance. Of course society can trigger many of these imbalances causing an individual to isolate themselves. Isolation is often seen as therapeutic so people can spend time with themselves constructively, often finding peace within themselves and through mediation. Monks and hermits generally live in solitude as well. Many people view a decision to be isolated as noble, and others as healthy. While general interaction is largely healthy, in the crowded modern world, isolation is neither good or bad; it depends on the person and what that isolation does to them. <br />
|-<br />
| Why do boys like me? ||Attraction comes in many forms: physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, among others. Many people will lie about what they like about you to get something else (money, sex, etc), but most are genuine. It is not possible to assert definitively why one person may like another person, and that is something that needs to be discussed openly and honestly with them and nobody else. <br />
|-<br />
| Why don't boys like me? ||Similar to the answer above about what makes one desirable to another, there are an equal number of factors that make one unappealing. This can include everything from physical appearance to how one treats others. If a person is rude and unfriendly, most people find that not-conducive to healthy relationship and avoid the person who is asking. Not being liked by someone you like however does not mean you're wrong or are a bad person and in most cases has to do with the person you are asking about. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is there always a Java update? ||[https://www.java.com/en/download/faq/whatis_java.xml Java] is a software that runs on most computers and mobile devices that is crucial to its security and stability. The reason why it always updates is because it needs to stay current with the ever-upgrading fleet of browsers, operating systems and software that supports Java. Additionally Java updates itself so each version can run optimally. Software coding and debugging is a never-ending process towards perfectly stable releases. <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there red dots on my thighs? || This might be [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petechia Petechia], which are broken blood vessels, however do not rely on a wiki to diagnose medical conditions. Consult a licensed physician. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is lying good? ||Lying and other forms of dishonesty is typically seen as bad because it lowers one's credibility and makes them less likely to be trusted in the future. It is almost always advantageous to tell the truth, as lies have a way of escalating as you need to keep expanding on the lie to cover your tracks. There are instances however where lying may be used in more noble circumstances. For example, if a friend asks your opinion on something they have made (such as a poem or painting) that you do not like, it is okay to tell them you like it because protecting their feelings and your relationship is more important than how you feel. Often military personnel are trained to keep national security secrets at all costs and will lie about what they know to save themselves and the country.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Seven===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there slaves in the bible? ||Slavery was viewed differently in the early years of human civilization before the contemporary moral and ethical conversations began centuries later. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bible_and_slavery bible justified slavery] for a number of reasons, notably to pay off some sort of debt. Slaves were seen as property and their work provided value to the slave owner. Similarly slave owners rationalized their ownership through scripture, pointing out that it was in the Bible and therefore okay with God.<br />
|-<br />
| Why do twins have different fingerprints? || Fingerprints are not only from the DNA, but from the conditions in the womb which differ from child to child.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are Americans afraid of dragons? ||This question was the title of a [http://blogs.sfu.ca/courses/spring2012/engl387/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Why-are-Americans-Afraid-of-Dragons.docx 1974 essay] by Ursula K. LeGeuin in which she makes a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semiotics semiotic] analysis of dragon mythology. She argues that our belief in dragons (and those outside of America as well) stems from childhood, much like other ferocious fictional creatures such as goblins and hobbits, but many hold onto these fears as a way of avoiding reality. In her closing argument, she writes, "They know that its truth challenges, even threatens, all that is false, all that is phony, unnecessary, and trivial in the life they have let themselves be forced into living. They are afraid of dragons, because they are afraid of freedom."<br />
|-<br />
| Why is HTTPS crossed out in red? || The site accessed has an invalid SSL certificate.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there a line through HTTPS? || The site accessed has an invalid SSL certificate.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there a red line through HTTPS on Facebook? || Facebook has an invalid SSL certificate.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is HTTPS important? || For security reasons, as a site with HTTPS has encrypted traffic.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Eight===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there swarms of gnats? || The reason gnats (and other creatures) tend to swarm together is likely a safety-in-numbers protection, and as a big gathering to find a mate.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there phlegm? ||{{w|Phlegm#Phlegm|Phlegm}} is a thick, viscous fluid produced by the mucus membranes as a way to clear the airway and aids in the release of bacteria, disease and debris in those passages. <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there so many crows in Rochester, MN || From a Minnesota Paper, [http://www.startribune.com/local/138902104.html the Star Tribune], "Laws prevent the city from poisoning the crows". "Duffy [Steve Duffy, a co-owner of U.S. Bird Abatement Services, which has contracted with Rochester to get rid of the crows] isn't sure why Rochester has such a bad crow problem; probably a confluence of many bird-friendly conditions that has also made it a magnet for geese. He's seen worse cases, but called Rochester's situation 'hideous.'" And best of all, "The city has twice this winter hired experts to chase them off. They tried lasers and bullhorns — hey, get out of here, you crows — and even employed raptors to pick them off, one by one. That worked, for awhile." Unfortunately, they mean a {{w|bird of prey}}, not a {{w|velociraptor}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is Psychic weak to Bug || In Pokémon, Pokémon of the psychic type like Mr. Mime are weak to three types of attacks: Ghost, Dark, and Bug. The general theory is that Psychic Pokémon, relying heavily on their thoughts for attacks, are weak to fears, which ghosts, darkness, and bugs can be classified as.<br />
|- <br />
| Why do children get cancer? ||{{w|Cancer}} is an aggressive and often fatal disease that has the potential to affect all humans as well as other organisms. There are multiple types of cancer, each with their own epidemiology, but children are not immune to succumbing to the horrific effects of the disease. Children are human beings and are subject to the same illnesses adults have, regardless of age, or their innocence. There is no divine or supernatural explanation for this. Simply put, life is a battle for all humans regardless of how small they are. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus? || {{w|Poseidon}} was the patron deity of the city of {{w|Troy}}, which after a 10 years siege by the Greeks fell due to {{w|Odysseus}}' list of the {{w|Trojan_Horse|Trojan horse}}. As the Greeks were returning home after the Trojan War, Oddyseus' ship accidentally landed on the island home of the cyclops Polyphemus, who imprisoned the crew and ate many of them. In order to escape, Odysseus blinded the cyclops. Poseidon, Polyphemus' father, was extremely angered by his son being blinded, so he cursed Odysseus' ship to prevent him from reaching his home in {{W|Ithaca}}. The adventures which Odysseus encountered during his quest for reaching Ithaca are the main theme of {{w|Homer|Homer's}} {{w|Odyssey}} The Odyssey also says that before sailing, the crew forgot to offer a sacrifice as was ordained.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there ice in space? || Space is {{w|Outer_space#Environment|Cold}}. The background radiation, which is used to measure the temperature of space's vacuum, is estimated at about 3K (−270 °C; −454 °F). Water freezes at 273.15 K (0ºC; 32ºF). Because the temperature in space is less than the freezing point of water, liquids freeze in space, turning into ice.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section <strike>Owl</strike> Nine===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there an owl in my back yard? || Owls can be seen all over the world, and live in a wide variety of habitats. They are mainly noctural, and spend a large portion of the night hunting. The owl in your back yard is likely looking for food.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there an owl outside my window? || As with the question above, the owl is likely to be hunting for food. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is there an owl on the dollar bill? || On the front of a dollar bill, near the upper right '1' is a tiny section of the design which can be seen to represent an owl. Conspiracy theorists will note that owls were symbolically linked to the Masons, while others will instead see a spider.<br />
|-<br />
| Why do owls attack people? || While owls and human often live in close proximity without problems, as with other species, owls may attack if they feel threatened. When people irritate or otherwise make owls feel unsafe, they retaliate with violence to protect themselves.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are AK47s so expensive? || The market value of an AK47 varies depending on where in the world you live. With strict gun control laws, obtaining an AK47 in the UK is likely to be more expensive due to the risks involved for those supplying the weapon. In ex-soviet countries and the middle east, AK47s are more plentiful, and hence the price is likely to be lower.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there helicopters circling my house? ||This question is likely a joke because it is so incongruous to the others in this section. The joke is that people would be Googling about owls attacking people and assault rifle prices, which could, ostensibly alert authorities to come to your house to arrest you. If this is not the case, then the helicopter could be there for myriad reasons. <br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Ten===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there gods? ||All gods and goddesses man made and are part of ancient and fictional mythology and folklore that are used to give spiritual guidance and explanations for phenomenons that were yet unexplained by natural processes. Lightning for example was thought to be produced by Zeus, King of all Greek Gods. <br />
|-<br />
|Why are there two Spocks? || This is probably a reference to the {{w|Star_Trek_(film)|2009 Star Trek movie}} in which the franchise was given a {{w|Reboot_(fiction)|continuity reboot}}. The modified setting is explained in-universe by time travel, with both the villain Nero and the original-timeline Spock being brought back from the 24th century to the 23rd, creating a timeline in which both older Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) and the younger Spock (played by Zachary Quinto) coexist.<br />
<br />
Another possibility is that the question refers to the episode {{w|Mirror,_Mirror_(Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series)|"Mirror, Mirror"}}, which mostly takes place in an alternate universe populated by ruthless versions of most of the characters (including Spock). <br />
|-<br />
| Why is Mt Vesuvius there? ||The simple answer is that volcanoes are created by interactions where the Earth's tectonic plates meet. These conditions only exist in a few places on Earth. <p>The question could also be asking, "why is Mt Vesuvius near such a heavily populated area?" Humans have lived near Vesuvius throughout history, due to its pleasant climate, rich soil, and proximity to other major cities. The Italian government [http://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/jun/05/italy.sophiearie offers generous cash incentives] to move people away from the danger zone, but finds few takers.</p><p>This question could also be a reference to mountaineer {{w|George Mallory}}'s famous answer as to why he wanted to climb Mount Everest: "Because it's there."</p><br />
|-<br />
| Why do they say T minus? || Time before the launch of a spacecraft is denoted as T minus because the launch has not happened yet. Any time after the launched is stated without the minus, for example T 3 seconds, so time before the launch can be seen as "minus" time. The T stands for "Test" or "Time".<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there obelisks? || {{w|Obelisk}} article has more<br />
|-<br />
| Why are wrestlers always wet? || Professional wrestling is strenuous activity, whether its fake or not. Strenuous activity results in sweat, giving the bodyan appearance of being wet. Greco-roman wrestling and Turkish Oil Wrestling both involve oiling the body, giving a similar appearance.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are oceans becoming more acidic? || Due to the higher amount of carbon dioxide on the atmosphere, which dissolves in the oceans turning into carbonic acid - CO2+H2O=H2CO3 (see {{w|Ocean acidification}})<br />
|-<br />
| Why is Arwen dying? || Because Peter Jackson wanted to give Aragorn manpain<br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't my quail laying eggs? || Have you tried turning them off and on again?<br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't my quail eggs hatching? || Problems in incubation, probably.<br />
|-<br />
|Why aren't there any foreign military bases in America? || ''Further information: {{w|United States military deployments}}''<p>This is a very interesting question, albeit one likely based on a regional misunderstanding. Presumably, this question is asked by Americans who assume that the existence of {{w|Category:Military facilities of the United States by country|U.S. military bases abroad}} is a general trend among countries, as opposed to being the rarity that it is. In fact, {{w|List of countries with overseas military bases|only a handful of other countries}} have military bases outside of their borders, and the three—{{w|France}}, the {{w|United Kingdom}}, and {{w|Russia}}—that have more than one or two are all countries that, like the United States, {{w|Allies of World War II|were on the winning side of World War II}}, have {{w|List of countries by military expenditures|massive military expenditures}}, and have {{w|United Nations Security Council veto power|UN Security Council vetoes}}. In other words, only the most militarily elite countries have bases overseas. The U.S. is unique, however, in that it has far more overseas bases than any other country (and, pretty much, far more of anything else than any other country, when it comes to the military), and in that {{w|List of United States military bases|it has bases in several other highly-industrialized nations}}, including {{w|List of United States Army installations in South Korea|South Korea}} and the United Kingdom, and, most notably, the World War II {{w|Axis powers}}: {{w|List of United States Army installations in Germany|Germany}}, {{w|United States Forces Japan|Japan}}, and {{w|List of United States Army installations in Italy|Italy}}. France, Russia, and the U.K.'s bases, on the other hand, are almost all within areas that they previously controlled.</p><p>These bases can be controversial in some countries, while in others they are a major source of economic and political stability. The U.S. traditionally justifies their presence as a necessary and crucial element in its efforts to promote peace domestically and worldwide. Despite their major role in {{w|U.S. foreign policy}}, and in the general political structure of the globe, the American public often largely ignores them, and they rarely become a major political issue (apart from an occasional mention by {{w|Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian presidential candidates}}).</p><p>So, essentially, the absence of foreign military bases within the U.S. is primarily because there aren't really any other countries in a position to place bases there. Ironically, although no battles in the traditional sense have been fought within the U.S. since the {{w|U.S. Civil War}} and the U.S. mainland has seen {{w|Mainland invasion of the United States|almost no military action}}, foreign air force bases might have been useful on September 11, 2001. (The {{w|attack on Pearl Harbor}} in 1941 was 18 years before Hawaii became a U.S. state, but Hawaii was still a fundamental part of the United States as it was an incorporated territory.)</p><p>There are, however, foreign troops stationed at some continental US military bases. For example RAF (British Royal Air Force) 39 Sqn and 361 Sqn at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada flying Reaper and Predator drones. But this are not foreign military bases, they are just guests.</p><br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Section Eleven===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why are my boobs itchy? ||It could be anything from dry skin to a rare life-threatening disease. Could also be related to pregnancy, PMS, or puberty. [http://www.just-health.net/Itchy-Breast.html Here's a thorough list] of possible causes and remedies.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are cigarettes legal? ||Despite the obvious detrimental affects nicotine has on health, like caffeine and alcohol, it is easy to regulate. Substances like marijuana and other drugs are mainly illegal because the government and regulatory agencies have no control over their production and distribution and therefore cannot profit from it. Nicotine however, which is the key ingredient in tobacco can be regulated and taxed and is. <br />
|-<br />
| Why are there ducks in my pool? ||Most likely, they're looking for a place to mate. Which means you'll soon have baby ducks in your pool. Most migratory birds are protected by wildlife laws, so you want to prevent them from moving into your pool in the first place. The [http://www.dfwwildlife.org/duck.html DFW Wildlife Coalition] has some tips.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is Jesus white? ||This is an ethnocentric viewpoint that varies throughout cultures. In African cultures he is portrayed as black. In short, whatever culture he is introduced to, those inhabitants will have him fit their own image. <br />
|-<br />
| Why is there liquid in my ear? ||[http://www.healthline.com/symptom/discharge-from-ear It's called otorrhea], and can be caused by infection, trauma, or changes in pressure. A common cause is [http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/swimmers-ear/basics/definition/con-20014723 Swimmer's ear], an infection of the outer ear canal.<br />
|-<br />
| Why do Q tips feel good? ||The inner ear contains [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erectile_tissue erectile tissue] (as does your inner nose which is why sneezing feels good) so you are massing tissue which gets aroused upon stimulation. <br />
|-<br />
| Why do good people die? ||Everybody dies, but loved ones and ones who were known to make memorable or valuable contributions are mourned and revered more than a person who has left much pain to others as their legacy; we remember the good ones and that's why it hurts more. <br />
|-<br />
| Why are ultrasounds important? ||Ultrasound scans provide a great deal of information about a fetus, thus increasing the chances of a healthy birth. They have many other medical uses.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are ultrasound machines expensive? ||As hospital equipment goes, ultrasound machines are actually a bargain. [http://www.costowl.com/healthcare/healthcare-ultrasound-machine-costs.html A new ultrasound machine] costs about $20,000-$75,000, depending on features. Comparable devices are much more expensive: The [http://info.blockimaging.com/bid/84432/CT-Scanner-Price-Guide CT scanner] runs $90,000-$250,000, while the [http://www.ehow.com/about_4731161_much-do-mri-machines-cost.html MRI machine] easily goes over a million.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is stealing wrong? ||Stealing is theft and it is illegal. Taking something that is not yours without permission or payment hurts the livelihood of other individuals as well as damages their trust in others. <br />
|}<br />
<br />
===Vertical Questions===<br />
{| class ="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there hell if god forgives? ||There is not a single answer to this question. The answer varies based on the religion and that religion's sect mixed with personal interpretations of that religions scripture and how a person decides to follow it. However the idea of what Hell will be like also varies. There is no one answer to this question, but the easiest explanation is that the individual did not pray hard enough, correctly, was not part of the right religion, and their forgiveness was contingent on something that the person either did not do or know to do (or say or think) <br />
|-<br />
| Why do iguanas die? ||All living things die, but iguanas may suffer from [http://www.anapsid.org/iguana/kidneyfailure.html kidney failure].<br />
|-<br />
| Why is GPS free? || GPS was originally developed by the U.S. military for its own use, not for commercial purposes. Once the satellites were launched and service began, anyone could receive the signals. Because it is a one-way transmission, there is no incremental cost to provide service to more users, and no practical way to prevent use without payment.<br />
|-<br />
| Why are trees tall? ||Tall is a relative term, and Redwoods are famous for their height - among the tallest in the world. The reason for this is, in part [http://www.nps.gov/redw/faqs.htm climate, fog, rain, good soil, few predators, among others].<br />
|-<br />
|Why are there female Mr. Mimes? || {{w|Mr. Mime}} is a Pokémon introduced in the first generation of the games, and despite its name, it can be either of a male or female gender. As the Pokémon was introduced before the concept of [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gender gender in Pokémon games], it is likely that the people in charge of translating its Japanese name (Barrierd) did not take this into account during the process.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is there lava? ||Lava is simply magma (molten rock) which has been ejected from volcanoes. Once it is flowing on land, it is called lava. Magma is heated by the earth's core to create a liquid surface under earth's crust that the land floats on. Sometimes it has to come out through faults and fissures (and volcanoes).<br />
|-<br />
| Why is YKK on a zippers? || YKK Group is the name of a large group of Japanese manufacturing companies, which among other things manufacture a lot of zippers.<br />
|-<br />
| Why is life so boring? ||It is up to an individual to find meaning and interest in life. Monotony, predictability and lack of physical and intellectual stimulation would lead to a feeling of boredom. <br />
|-<br />
| Why aren't there dinosaur ghosts? ||Ghosts are a supernatural phenomenon that have not been empirically proven to exist. Those who believe in ghosts implicitly believe in a soul (of which a ghost is a materialization of), and it is a commonly held belief by religious institutions and ghost-hunters that animals do not have souls and thus dinosaurs would not have any either. <br />
|-<br />
|Why is there no king in England? || ''Note: For simplicity's sake, "England" here is being read as "United Kingdom." The various name changes, mergers, and splits of kingdoms are complicated.''<p>The basis for this question is that for the past several hundred years, there has almost always been a queen in England, the sole exceptions being when the king has not had a wife. However, there is a distinction between being the queen of England (that is to say, {{w|List of British monarchs|a monarch}}) and being the {{w|queen consort|queen ''consort''}} of England: The former refers to a woman who {{w|Succession to the British throne|succeeded to the throne}} in her own right, becoming sovereign, while the latter refers to the wife of the king. Both roles, though, are commonly referred to as "Queen of England," creating the impression that there is always such a person. The logical question, therefore, is why {{w|Elizabeth II}}'s husband, {{w|Prince Philip|Philip}}, is not considered the king of England. The answer lies in Britain's system of {{w|male-preference cognatic primogeniture}}, which causes the monarch of England to usually be a man, not a woman. As a result of this, British laws were generally built around the presumption that the monarch would be a man, and that said man would be married to a woman, [[223: Valentine's Day|comic 223]] be damned. Since the creation of the modern British throne in 1707, only two women have reigned as queen in their own right; it just so happens that these two women have been two of the most famous and longest-reigning monarchs in world history, {{w|Queen Victoria}} and Queen Elizabeth II. This fact may add to people's enhanced perception of the lack of a British king. Victoria and Elizabeth's respective consorts, {{w|Albert, Prince Consort|Albert}} and Philip, have been styled as princes&mdash;Albert as {{w|Prince Consort}} and Philip as "{{w|British prince|Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland}}." Both were explicitly granted their titles by their wives, though Albert was already a prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Philip had previously been a prince of Denmark and Greece, but had renounced both titles before marrying Elizabeth.</p><p>The title {{w|king consort}} also exists, but has never been used in the United Kingdom.</p><p>Notably, should {{w|Prince Charles}} succeed to his mother's throne, it has been announced that his wife, {{w|Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla}}, will be styled as {{w|princess consort}}, ''not'' as queen consort, just as she has declined the title {{w|Princess of Wales}}, which is strongly associated with Charles's first wife, {{w|Princess Diana|Diana}}. Assuming that Charles succeeds, this means that Britain will not have anyone referred to as "queen," after decades of not having anyone referred to as "king."</p><br />
|-<br />
| Why do I feel dizzy? ||Balance is achieved from fluids in the inner-ear, but [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizziness#Epidemiology dizziness] can have nearly a dozen causes.]<br />
|-<br />
| Why are dogs afraid of fireworks? ||Loud noises can trigger their flight or fight responses when they are [http://www.cesarsway.com/dogbehavior/hyperdog/How-to-Keep-Your-Dog-Safe-and-Calm-During-Fireworks nervous].<br />
|-<br />
| Why are there weeks? || Weeks were originally important for religious reasons, primarily the requirement to observe a sabbath (day of rest) every seventh day. Today it is used to evenly divide months into equal pieces, much like the months divide a year. Similarly, hours and minutes divide a day.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==See also==<br />
http://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/1l3na7/questions/cbvigrd, answers to all the questions.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<references/><br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[This strip is a rectangular word cloud, titled 'Questions found in Google autocomplete'. Embedded in the cloud are 5 single panels, with illustrated questions. These are described at the end. Questions are given in roughly columnar order. None of the questions have question marks.]<br />
<br />
:Questions found in Google Autocomplete<br />
<br />
:Why do whales jump<br />
:Why are witches green<br />
:Why are there mirrors above beds<br />
:Why do I say uh<br />
:Why is sea salt better<br />
:Why are there trees in the middle of fields<br />
:Why is there not a Pokemon MMO<br />
:Why is there laughing in TV shows<br />
:Why are there doors on the freeway<br />
:Why are there so many svchost.exe running<br />
:Why aren't there any countries in antarctica<br />
:Why are there scary sounds in Minecraft<br />
:Why is there kicking in my stomach<br />
:Why are there two slashes after HTTP<br />
:Why are there celebrities<br />
:Why do snakes exist<br />
:Why do oysters have pearls<br />
:Why are ducks called ducks<br />
:Why do they call it the clap<br />
:Why are Kyle and Cartman friends<br />
:Why is there an arraow on Aang's head<br />
:Why are text messages blue<br />
:Why are there mustaches on clothes<br />
:Why are there mustaches on cars<br />
:Why are there mustaches everywhere<br />
:Why are there so many birds in Ohio<br />
:Why is there so much rain in Ohio<br />
:Why is Ohio weather so weird<br />
:Why are there male and female bikes<br />
:Why are there bridesmaids<br />
:Why do dying people reach up<br />
:Why aren't there varicose arteries<br />
:Why are old Klingons different<br />
:Why is programming so hard<br />
:Why is there a 0 ohm resistor<br />
:Why do Americans hate soccer<br />
:Why do rhymes sound good<br />
:Why do trees die<br />
:Why is there no sound on CNN<br />
:Why aren't Pokemon real<br />
:Why aren't bullets sharp<br />
:Why do dreams seem so real<br />
:Why aren't there dinosaur ghosts<br />
:Why do iguanas die<br />
:Why do testicles move<br />
:Why are there psychics<br />
:Why are hats so expensive<br />
:Why is there caffeine in my shampoo<br />
:Why do your boobs hurt<br />
:Why aren't economists rich<br />
:Why do Americans call it soccer<br />
:Why are my ears ringing<br />
:Why are there so many Avengers<br />
:Why are the Avengers fighting the X men<br />
:Why is Wolverine not in the Avengers<br />
:Why are there ants in my laptop<br />
:Why is Earth tilted<br />
:Why is space black<br />
:Why is outer space so cold<br />
:Why are there pyramids on the moon<br />
:Why is NASA shutting down<br />
:Why is there Hell if God forgives<br />
:Why are there tiny spiders in my house<br />
:Why do spiders come inside<br />
:Why are there huge spiders in my house<br />
:Why are there lots of spiders in my house<br />
:Why are there spiders in my room<br />
:Why are there so many spiders in my room<br />
:Why do spider bites itch<br />
:Why is dying so scary<br />
:Why is there no GPS in laptops<br />
:Why do knees click<br />
:Why aren't there E grades<br />
:Why is isolation bad<br />
:Why do boys like me<br />
:Why don't boys like me<br />
:Why is there always a Java update<br />
:Why are there red dots on my thighs<br />
:Why is lying good<br />
:Why is GPS free<br />
:Why are trees tall<br />
:Why are there slaves in the Bible<br />
:Why do twins have different fingerprints<br />
:Why are Americans afraid of dragons<br />
:Why is there lava<br />
:Why are there swarms of gnats<br />
:Why is there phlegm<br />
:Why are there so many crows in Rochester, MN<br />
:Why is psychic weak to bug<br />
:Why do children get cancer<br />
:Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus<br />
:Why is there ice in space<br />
:Why are there female Mr Mimes<br />
:Why is there an owl in my backyard<br />
:Why is there an owl outside my window<br />
:Why is there an owl on the dollar bill<br />
:Why do owls attack people<br />
:Why are AK47s so expensive<br />
:Why are there helicopters circling my house<br />
:Why are there gods<br />
:Why are there two Spocks<br />
:Why is Mt Vesuvius there<br />
:Why do they say T minus<br />
:Why are there obelisks<br />
:Why are wrestlers always wet<br />
:Why are oceans becoming more acidic<br />
:Why is Arwen dying<br />
:Why aren't my quail laying eggs<br />
:Why aren't my quail eggs hatching<br />
:Why aren't there any foreign military bases in America<br />
:Why is life so boring<br />
:Why are my boobs itchy<br />
:Why are cigarettes legal<br />
:Why are there ducks in my pool<br />
:Why is Jesus white<br />
:Why is there liquid in my ear<br />
:Why do Q tips feel good<br />
:Why do good people die<br />
:Why are ultrasounds important<br />
:Why are ultrasound machines expensive<br />
:Why is stealing wrong<br />
:Why is YKK on all zippers<br />
:Why is HTTPS crossed out in red<br />
:Why is there a line through HTTPS<br />
:Why is there a red line through HTTPS on Facebook<br />
:Why is HTTPS important<br />
:Why are there weeks<br />
:Why do I feel dizzy<br />
:Why are dogs afraid of fireworks<br />
:Why is there no king in England<br />
<br />
:[We see Cueball from the torso up, with arms outstretched.]<br />
:Cueball: Why aren't my arms growing<br />
<br />
:[Megan stands with a grey ghost on either side of her.]<br />
:Megan: Why are there ghosts<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy stands, looking at a squirrel.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Why are there squirrels<br />
<br />
:[Cueball stands.]<br />
:Cueball: Why is sex so important.<br />
<br />
:[We see Ponytail from the torso up.]<br />
:Ponytail: Why aren't there guns in Harry Potter<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Large drawings]]<br />
[[Category:LOTR]]<br />
[[Category:Pokémon]]<br />
[[Category:Google Search]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1245:_10-Day_Forecast&diff=934731245: 10-Day Forecast2015-05-16T22:25:04Z<p>141.101.99.11: Changed "he/she" to "they."</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1245<br />
| date = July 31, 2013<br />
| title = 10-Day Forecast<br />
| image = 10 day forecast.png<br />
| titletext = Oh, definitely not; they don't have Amazon Prime.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The 10-day forecast is a prediction of the weather extending 10 days into the future (with varying degrees of accuracy). However, when [[Cueball]] checks the forecast for his local area, it apparently predicts progressively extreme lightning storms, a plague of insects, what appears to be {{w|Rapture|The Rapture}}, and the appearance of the anti-Christ. Upon the anti-Christ (or perhaps Woden or Mothra) appearing, the forecast breaks up into static and nothingness with the day stuck on Tuesday, meaning that the world has ended.<br />
<br />
When asked about this, [[Megan]] casually explains that Cueball put a minus (-) sign in front of his ZIP code. A {{w|Zone Improvement Plan|ZIP code}} is a numeric postal code used in the United States, but many more countries use similar systems. As ZIP codes are tied to a geographic location, it is also often used to specify a local region for the purposes of weather reports.<br />
<br />
Many computer systems that let the user write in a number many only work with certain numbers (such as positive numbers). Numbers the system is not designed to work with (such as negative numbers) may lead to errors or unpredictable behavior. When this happens with the number of a video game level, it can result in data of another type being loaded, creating a level with a corrupted or physically-impossible landscape; this is sometimes known as a "[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MinusWorld Minus World]".<br />
<br />
Megan assumes that the negative zip code represents an actual geographical location, or a real-life Minus World, and that the weather forecaster is indeed showing an accurate forecast for the (corrupted) area. She also implies that several such Minus World locations exist.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Megan agrees with Cueball's desire not to move to that ZIP code area, the punchline being that her reason is not to avoid the apocalypse, but to retain access to Amazon Prime, which shows that her priorities are amusingly warped. The service Amazon Prime is provided by {{w|Amazon.com|Amazon}}, where the user pays a flat annual fee and in exchange they get access a number of "enhanced" Amazon services, including free two-day shipping, free access to a library of streaming videos, and the ability to borrow books.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Megan: Is it going to rain this weekend? I have a thing.<br />
:[Cueball sits behind a computer desk.]<br />
:Cueball: Lemme check.<br />
:<small>*type type*</small><br />
:Cueball: ...uhh. What?<br />
<br />
:'''Your 10-day forecast:'''<br />
:Today [Sunny] Today<br />
:Tomorrow [Cloudy] Tomorrow<br />
:Friday [Thunderstorms]<br />
:Saturday [Extreme thunderstorms]<br />
:Sunday [Swarm of insects]<br />
:Monday [Images of distorted, floating people]<br />
:Tuesday [A human with two horns silhouetted against a bleak red background]<br />
:Tuesday [Grey static]<br />
:Tuesday [Black screen]<br />
:Tuesday [Black screen]<br />
<br />
:Megan: ...Oh! You typed a minus sign in the ZIP code. The negative ZIP codes are all like that.<br />
:Cueball: Let's ''never'' move there.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1219:_Reports&diff=93467Talk:1219: Reports2015-05-16T21:38:30Z<p>141.101.99.11: </p>
<hr />
<div>Shouldn't it be 2000th St? --[[Special:Contributions/81.23.24.56|81.23.24.56]] 06:41, 31 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
:nah, clearly the original was just 0.002th St. [[User:SuperSupermario24|<span style="color: #c21aff;">Just some random derp</span>]] 23:03, 3 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Shouldn't it be a 25,000 mi/h speed limit if multiplied by 1000? Afterall, I have never heard of a 2.5 mi/h speed limit... Think I could get a speeding ticket whilst walking with that limit. Definitely while jogging. [[Special:Contributions/99.195.243.220|99.195.243.220]] 07:04, 31 May 2013 (UTC) Aaron<br />
<br />
:I've seen 5 kph (around 3 mph) speed limit. It was in parks and we were supposed to run timed laps. Interestingly, in order to get through the minimum, you had to break the speed limit.--[[User:Charlesisbozo|Charlesisbozo]] ([[User talk:Charlesisbozo|talk]]) 12:45, 2 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Lol exactly the first two comments I had in mind were made here. [[Special:Contributions/80.101.91.220|80.101.91.220]] 07:07, 31 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Also beaten to the 25,000 comment. The lowest I've think I've ever seen indicated is 5mph (mostly in car parks) and except in one locale(1) that's wishful thinking at best, given that at this point you find that on an analogue standard speedo that potentially sweeps far further(2), it's definitely a crap-shoot as to whether you're able to hover the needle barely off of the zero-stop with any accuracy... Even assuming reasonable calibration at the higher speeds. I suspect that 5km/h (3.1-ish mph(3)) might be the minimum I've seen in metric-tied countries, making that just an arbitrary low figure.<br />
:(1) A local bus station that has "Your speed is..." matrices to show a presumably calibrated digital measurement to the drivers of any said bus entering/exiting the site, and flashes in red if they exceed this. Not sure if there's a penalty accumulation, but I suspect there'd be the capability to link to the CCTV systems that also cover the site so that post-incident enquiries would record any driver errors should the worst come to the (painfully slow) worst.<br />
:(2) 120mph on smaller cars, 240mph or more on anything that promises way-over-the-top performance for a country with a top-end national speed limit of 70mph in force. Not that anyone believes that, but even the unofficial publicly-used "I'll get away with it..." 80mph line is 1/3rd of 240. Of course they could go over to Germany to try out on the unlimited Autobahns, or burn rubber at a 'track day' somewhere, but still it irks me that people think like that...<br />
:(3) I can never remember the 'standard' conversion factor. I just remember that it's 93 million miles to the Sun or 150 million kilometres and work it out from that. ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.98.255.57|178.98.255.57]] 08:14, 31 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: national speed limit? The limit is 80 on I-10 in west Texas (posted), and 75 on many other state highways... [[User:MR|MR]] ([[User talk:MR|talk]]) 03:22, 30 June 2013 (UTC)MR<br />
<br />
So, anyway, I put my hand to writing an explanation, making it impressively brief compared with what I usually write (see above). I've put some <nowiki><!-- Comments --></nowiki> in, especially next to the potentially disputed numbers, so that future editors can zero in on things that I think might need to be changed, or could be expanded upon. Or redo it all from scratch, as I probably won't notice anyway. ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.98.255.57|178.98.255.57]] 09:20, 31 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Looks like Randall corrected his title-text. So I completed the necessary edit (half done already, with the edit comment "(2500 / 100 = 25, not 2.5)", which I won't argue with...) and removed the related comments. Tempted to add an "in the original version..." addendum, but then anyone who's bothered with that sort of detail has read up to here in the Talk bit, right? ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.98.255.57|178.98.255.57]] 17:25, 31 May 2013 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The multiplication of all numbers was also featured in a Monty Python sketch. It might be the sketch about buying an ant, as I vaguely remember. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.5|108.162.246.5]] 19:16, 27 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is it supposed to be a nagging voice? I don't know, the word "unsolicited" seems to suggest to me that the comic is suggesting to read the reports as one would read a love letter sent by someone who is already spoken for. Scandalous. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.11|141.101.99.11]] 21:38, 16 May 2015 (UTC)</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1523:_Microdrones&diff=93157Talk:1523: Microdrones2015-05-13T06:20:30Z<p>141.101.99.11: </p>
<hr />
<div>Did someone tried? I mean, can you really catch drone with butterfly net without damaging the drone or the net? -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 12:32, 11 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
:I know people shoot them out of the air with guns and considering the height at which they're flying, it's possible. [[User:Nk22|The Twenty-second. The Not So Only. The Nathan/Nk22]] ([[User talk:Nk22|talk]]) 12:47, 11 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
::I think the Amazon bit is implying that Amazon is artificially making drone nets unavailable because of its own drone based delivery service. Feel free to rephrase it. {{unsigned ip|108.162.219.193}}<br />
<br />
does this reference P.K,Dick's "Vulcan's Hammer"? {{unsigned|Docski}}<br />
:Hmm... I don't think hammers are equal to drones, but interesting. [[User:Nk22|The Twenty-second. The Not So Only. The Nathan/Nk22]] ([[User talk:Nk22|talk]]) 16:56, 11 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
:I think there are far too many sci-fi dystopias that this could be referencing to list them all. The Matrix immediately comes to mind, but a simple google search suggests more. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.162|108.162.249.162]] 05:08, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If you removed all regulations, drone theft would be legal. If it's on your property, it belongs to you. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.214.227|108.162.214.227]] 18:42, 11 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
:But if there's no regulations, who cares about what's on your property and what isn't? I'd be sending out my drones to catch more drones rather than try running around waving a net. Not to mention that while drones might be unregulated, drone nets might still be. [[User:Pixali|<font color="008000">Pixali</font>]] ([[User talk:Pixali|<font color="004b00">talk</font>]]|[[Special:Contributions/Pixali|<font color="004b00">contribs</font>]]) 23:25, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
You mean we AREN'T living in a sci-fi dystopia right now? There are skies that are patrolled by robots with missiles. {{unsigned ip|173.245.56.210}}<br />
<br />
:Unless they're your skies, you don't live in a sci-fi dystopia. You just share a planet with one. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.214.227|108.162.214.227]] 23:19, 11 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm attaching a butterfly net to my drone right now. Catching high flying drones is so easy, I will attach nets to my 20 drones tomorrow. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.158|173.245.48.158]] 22:02, 11 May 2015 (UTC)BLuDgeons<br />
: How easy is it to take over the remote controller once you have the drone in your net? Is there a fairly generic way to pair a drone to another controller? (In current designs) [[User:Taibhse|Taibhse]] ([[User talk:Taibhse|talk]]) 22:20, 11 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
:: Shouldn't be too hard, so far all technology is hackable, only thing that stops us from hacking most hardware (drm) are the laws blocking the technology required to do so. As long as no only drone theft, but also drone hacking is legal, this might actually be more effective than expected at keeping drones out of our every-day life. Then again, a wild west for drones might make most practical uses for drones impossible, but hugely favour for example spy-drones, that cant be stolen because they aren't found. [[User:Dorus|Dorus]] ([[User talk:Dorus|talk]]) 11:28, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
;1243<br />
<br />
Does this have anything to do with 1243 ? I mean it suggest largely the same thing just on a different scale<br />
<br />
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.89|141.101.104.89]] 09:23, 12 May 2015 (UTC)Thijser<br />
:That might be it. Especially that title text: 'It's going in A collection of satellites skewered with pins and mounted in display boxes.' [[User:Nk22|The Twenty-second. The Not So Only. The Nathan/Nk22]] ([[User talk:Nk22|talk]]) 16:59, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I deleted this explanation. <br />
:Alternatively, the title text could be interpreted to mean that the drones have already become self aware, and are incorrectly listing the nets as out of stock to prevent their capture.<br />
Maybe we should create [[1523: Microdrones/Funny explanations for 12 year olds]]. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.144|108.162.238.144]] 14:43, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:It is also my interpretation that the Amazon drones have altered the Amazon database to list the nets as out of stock. Your comments regarding "12 year olds" are... needless. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 15:06, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::Moreover, this is, if not a humor site per se, at least a site with a habit of deadpan humor building upon the essential humor of the comics. Furthermore, the anonymous use of unfounded ad hominem attacks to subtract such humor makes one sound like a meanyhead spoilsport. [[User:Despairbear|Despairbear]] ([[User talk:Despairbear|talk]])<br />
<br />
France has started trying to catch drones with a drone dragging a net recently. I thought this might be a reference to the [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2948062/The-drone-catcher-France-reveals-flying-net-stop-terrorists-flying-bomb-laden-gadgets-nuclear-power-stations-following-spate-sightings.html Malou Tech drone Interceptor] [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.184|108.162.215.184]] 16:27, 12 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The problem: Unidentified drones. The solution: No regulations, legal to steal. The outcome: Drone manufactures will incorporate DRM inside each drone making it their interest to be identified. Problem solved. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.11|141.101.99.11]] 06:20, 13 May 2015 (UTC)</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1411:_Loop&diff=741281411: Loop2014-08-22T08:45:22Z<p>141.101.99.11: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1411<br />
| date = August 22, 2014<br />
| title = Loop<br />
| image = loop.png<br />
| titletext = Ugh, today's kids are forgetting the old-fashioned art of absentmindedly reading the same half-page of a book over and over and then letting your attention wander and picking up another book.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Early-Bird Draft. Temporary synopsis. Reorganization and details reccommended.}}<br />
<br />
[[Cueball]] is seen at his desk in front of four devices. He has clearly run out of things to do, or is looking for an excuse to procrastinate. A flowchart describes the process by which he scans the whole environment for something to do, which everyone can relate to. <br />
<br />
The comic uses electronics likely because they are the common timekiller these days, and are most likely to contain fresh, tantalizing entertainment. <br />
News sites can be viewed as a good source of yet-to-be-seen content. Yet the search yields no interesting content, or the results don't garner enough attention, thus the blank stares and moving on to next device in line. <br />
<br />
The title text notes that this probably still happened before there were electronics and the internet, when most entertainment came from books. The point made is that, while Internet and modern electronic devices are often blamed for jeopardizing the minds of adolescents, the attention span of “the kids” is no worse than it ever was, either in the context of low-tech or high-tech media.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball sits at a desk, accompanied by numerous electronics - a desktop computer, a laptop, a tablet, and a smartphone.]<br />
:Stare blankly at screen -> open news site -> start reading -> get bored -> absentmindedly check smaller device<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Smartphones]]<br />
[[Category:Computers]]</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1410:_California&diff=740021410: California2014-08-20T09:28:43Z<p>141.101.99.11: /* Explanation */ ludicrous, as reference to spaceballs.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1410<br />
| date = August 20, 2014<br />
| title = California<br />
| image = california.png<br />
| titletext = 58% of the state has gone into plaid.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|partial explanation}}<br />
This graph shows the levels of drought over time in the state of California using years on the horizontal axis and latitude on the vertical axis. The graph accentuates the use of the latitude on the vertical axis by visually rotating and stacking multiple maps of California on top of each other.<br />
<br />
The geography of California lends itself well to this kind of graphical interpretation because (on a map where north is up) the state is much narrower than it is tall, large-scale phenomena like weather patterns are likely to cover much of the "width" of the state but only part of the "height". Because the variation in the west-east direction will be small, a side-on view of the state can be used as the vertical axis in a graph, so that the indicated values are either the average or extreme value across the width of California.<br />
<br />
[[Randall]] compiled the data in this graph from data from the [http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ US Drought Monitor], which is authored by Richard Tinker from {{w|National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration|NOAA}}. The colors Randall uses correspond to [http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/AboutUs/ClassificationScheme.aspx drought intensity levels D0-D4] defined on the Drought Monitor site. <br />
<br />
The graph shows that in 2000, 2005, and 2010, there were very little or no drought conditions in California, but that the intervening periods have seen increasingly severe droughts. According to the most recent data, the state is entirely in a condition of "severe" or worse drought, with "ludicrous" conditions across approximately half its area. The graph also reveals that 2014 is the first year (since 2000) where the "ludicrous" level has been seen.<br />
<br />
The darkest, most severe level of drought is labelled "ludicrous," but a parenthetical remark indicates that the official term is "exceptional.". The title text is a reference from the movie {{w|Spaceballs}} where the spaceship Spaceball One accelerates past {{w|Speed of light|light speed}} to "Ludicrous speed". As Lone Starr and Barf in their Winnebago space ship traveling at warp speed are passed by Spaceball One, the path of Spaceball One is shown as a plaid pattern and Barf remarks "They've gone to plaid!".<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1396:_Actors&diff=719341396: Actors2014-07-18T17:28:50Z<p>141.101.99.11: since the comic states *Actors*: -Bieber</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1396<br />
| date = July 18, 2014<br />
| title = Actors<br />
| image = actors.png<br />
| titletext = Once again topping the list of tonight's hottest rising stars in Hollywood is ξ Persei!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The comic uses two different meanings of the word ''hottest''. In the opening question, "Who are today's 10 hottest actors?" the word ''hottest'' could refer to an actor's popularity, success, demand or attractiveness. Cueball and Megan think the word ''hottest'' is asking them to the list the 10 actors who have the highest surface temperature, and we see them measuring "Justin's" (possibly referring to, {{w|Justin Long|Long}}, {{w|Justin Theroux|Theroux}}, or {{w|Justin Timberlake|Timberlake}} or any of the several other ''Justin''s in show business[http://www.imdb.com/search/name?count=100&gender=male&name=justin&sort=starmeter,asc]) surface temperature using an {{w|infrared thermometer}} (the beam is typically a laser pointer to know the location where the radiometric temperature comes from). The measured temperature of 81.5 is given (this being the USA) in degrees {{w|Fahrenheit}} and corresponds to 27.5&nbsp;{{w|°C}}, this temperature is below the average human temperature of 36&nbsp;{{w|°C}} probably due to some colder object (the shirt in this case) within the infrared thermometer field of view. Besides, deriving surface temperature from bright (radiance) temperature requires knowing the emissivity of the object. Since not all objects radiate with the same efficiency, two objects with the same surface temperature will emit different thermal radiance, but if emissivity is not taken into account they will report different surface temperatures. <br />
<br />
With such a measurement of ''hotness'', the hottest actor on any given day would probably be whoever is having a fever. Or, an animal actor, of a species with a higher body temperature than humans. ({{w|Category:Films about birds}})<br />
<br />
The title-text references the temperatures of Hollywood's rising stars, this time misunderstanding ''stars'' as actual stars, not famous people. In this case, the star {{w|Xi Persei|ξ Persei}} in the Perseus constellation (which is located in, and responsible for the fluorescence of, an object called the {{w|California Nebula}}, a possible joke on the location of Hollywood), one of the hottest stars (35,000 {{w|kelvin}}s, {{w|Sun}}: 5,800&nbsp;K) visible to the naked eye. The star also has similar declination (+35° 47′) as the latitude of Hollywood (34° N) so it is literally rising there every night.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
Opening Question: Who are today's 10 hottest actors?<br />
<br />
[Cueball is holding a clipboard, taking notes, while Megan aims an infrared thermometer off screen.]<br />
<br />
Megan: 81.5, but I think it got part of his shirt. [Megan yells] Hey Justin &mdash; Hold still!<br />
<br />
Closing: We grab an infrared thermometer and find out!<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1392:_Dominant_Players&diff=712821392: Dominant Players2014-07-09T21:10:16Z<p>141.101.99.11: former....?</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1392<br />
| date = July 9, 2014<br />
| title = Dominant Players<br />
| image = dominant_players.png<br />
| titletext = When Vera Menchik entered a 1929 tournament, a male competitor mocked her by suggesting that a special 'Vera Menchik Club' would be created for any player who lost to her. When the tournament began, he promptly became the first member of said club, and over the years it accumulated a large and illustrious roster.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
A large version of this comic is available [http://xkcd.com/1392/large here].<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Probably needs more detail.}}<br />
The comic shows the rise and fall of players' strengths in two games, {{w|basketball}} and {{w|chess}}. For chess, there is an overall chart, and a women's chart.<br />
<br />
For basketball, it uses a player efficiency rating.<br />
<br />
For chess, it uses the {{w|Elo rating}}. It explains that since Elo is relatively new (it was adopted by the World Chess Federation, FIDE, in 1970), the rating is extrapolated backwards in time.<br />
<br />
There are several references. Some are intended to provide context (such as "Loses to Deep Blue"), while others are tangents or jokes, including:<br />
<br />
* Jerry West - The Guy in The NBA logo<br />
* Kareem Abdul Jabbar - {{w|Airplane (film)|Airplane}} (a comedy film he had a role in)<br />
* Michael Jordan - {{w|Space Jam}} (a comedy starring Jordan)<br />
* Lebron James - The Decision (a reference to a heavily hyped decision as to which team he would play for)<br />
* Kira Zvorykina - It originally said "Continued playing in tournaments into the 20th century". The 20th century is the 1900's in which Zvorkina was born (on September 29, 1919 according to Wikipedia). However, Zvorykina continued playing into the 21st century; [http://ratings.fide.com/individual_calculations.phtml?idnumber=13500392&rating_period=2008-01-01&t=0 her last games rated by the World Chess Federation] date from October 2007. Randall has corrected the notation to say "into the 21st century." <br />
<br />
The starbursts are references to a player appearing or disappearing in unusual circumstances:<br />
<br />
* Alexander Alekhine- Died under disputed circumstances in Portugal<br />
* Bobby Fischer - Text says "Vanished...". He did not actually vanish, but he did stop playing competitively for about 20 years starting in 1972. This is also probably a reference to the film {{w|Searching for Bobby Fischer}}, which is not actually about Fischer, but about a player who partly models his career on Fischer's. The name "Searching for Bobby Fischer" may lead people to believe Fischer literally vanished, but that is not the case.<br />
* Bobby Fischer "Reappeared then vanished again" is another reference to Fischer, who resumed playing competitively in 1992 for a brief time. "He had problems" is a simplistic description of issues and controversies in Fischer's later life, including an arrest warrant (because he violated a U.S. embargo against Yugoslavia), unpaid taxes, controversy about his statements (including anti-semitism). The U.S. eventually revoked his passport, and he was jailed for eight months in Japan. He then received Icelandic citizenship, and lived out the rest of his life there.<br />
* Vera Menchik - She died in an attack by an early guided missile (a {{w|V-1 flying bomb}}) launched by the Germans in World War II.<br />
<br />
Judit Polgar, the strongest woman chess player ever, is shown rising from the gender-defined ranks of women's chess and breaking into the top 10 in the world FIDA ratings. She ranked eighth in the world in 2005.<br />
<br />
Chess players Vladimir Kramnik and Levon Aronian, who have faced each other on multiple occasions in the 2010s, are shown as having their career paths entwined.<br />
<br />
It is unknown why some NBA players were excluded from the NBA chart in favor of players with lower career and yearly efficiency ratings. Example: Tim Duncan, Charles Barkley, Oscar Robinson, Kobe Bryant, and Chris Paul should all arguably be included.<br />
<br />
It is also unknown why former World Champion Chess Grandmaster [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viswanathan_Anand Viswanathan Anand] has not been included in the Chess Chart. Anand is one of six players in history to break the 2800 mark on the FIDE rating list. He occupied the number one position in several rating lists between 2007 and 2011. It is possible that Randall is a huge fan of Carlsen and biased against Anand as evinced by the comic [[1287:_Puzzle]] (Chess in a 'Go' board - there are no alternate coloured squares as required by chess), though the interpretation of the comic and its comment appear to be a double-edged matter of debate.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
[[Category:Large drawings]]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>141.101.99.11https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=213:_Ghostbusters_Marathon&diff=62990213: Ghostbusters Marathon2014-03-19T13:39:02Z<p>141.101.99.11: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 213<br />
| date = January 22, 2007<br />
| title = Ghostbusters Marathon<br />
| image = ghostbusters marathon.png<br />
| titletext = If you walk out that door you'll be crossing the Rubicon with me, and that's one stream I'm not ready to cross.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
''{{w|Ghostbusters}}'' is a 1984 supernatural comedy film that spawned a sequel and two {{w|The Real Ghostbusters|animated television series}} (the {{w|Extreme Ghostbusters|latter}} of which lasted less than a season, didn't feature the same cast of titular Ghostbusters, and therefore is probably being pointedly ignored). The box, a "Muon Containment Trap," is a device used in the film to capture ghosts. It is connected to a footswitch by a cable. The man trying to leave is about to be pulled into the box and held there indefinitely (against his will, of course).<br />
<br />
The title text refers to Julius Caesar's crossing of the {{w|Rubicon#History|Rubicon}}, a river (or very large stream) that marked a border Caesar was ordered not to cross. He did so anyway, and the phrase "crossing the Rubicon" now means making a move with gigantic consequences that cannot be undone. In the film ''Ghostbusters'', the protagonists use "proton packs" that fire "streams" of energy. The inventor of the device warns that these streams should not be crossed against each other, as doing so could destroy the world.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Two people are in a room. One is standing up. There is litter around them.]<br />
:Cueball: Okay, that's all the Ghostbusters marathon I can handle. Later!<br />
:Friend: You can't leave! We just started the animated series!<br />
<br />
:Cueball: I've had my fill. I'm going home.<br />
:Friend: I can't let you do that.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball walks along a cord, and past a box. The friend clicks a switch.]<br />
:''Click''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is bathed in some kind of aura emitted by the box.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>141.101.99.11