Difference between revisions of "1910: Sky Spotters"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
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==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
 
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
 
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[White Hat and Hairy are standing in a field.]
+
:[White Hat and Hairy are standing in a field and holding their phones.]
 
:White Hat: That's odd—another PA-24 Comanche with red trim. Registered to a holding company, no recent flight plans.
 
:White Hat: That's odd—another PA-24 Comanche with red trim. Registered to a holding company, no recent flight plans.
 
:Hairy: I'll ask the forums if anyone knows who operates those.
 
:Hairy: I'll ask the forums if anyone knows who operates those.
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:Hairbun: I'll email the list.
 
:Hairbun: I'll email the list.
  
:[Many characters sit around a table in a boardroom, which presumably belongs to the government.]
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:[Many characters sit around a table in a boardroom, which presumably belongs to the government as the table has a circular insignia.]
 
:Person on the left: Dammit, why are there so many different subcultures obsessed with staring at the sky?
 
:Person on the left: Dammit, why are there so many different subcultures obsessed with staring at the sky?
 
:Ponytail: What else could we disguise our surveillance drones as?
 
:Ponytail: What else could we disguise our surveillance drones as?

Revision as of 17:37, 1 November 2017

Sky Spotters
Where I live, one of the most common categories of sky object without a weird obsessive spotting community is "lost birthday party balloons," so that might be a good choice—although you risk angering the marine wildlife people, and they have sharks.
Title text: Where I live, one of the most common categories of sky object without a weird obsessive spotting community is "lost birthday party balloons," so that might be a good choice—although you risk angering the marine wildlife people, and they have sharks.

Explanation

Ambox notice.png This explanation may be incomplete or incorrect: Created by a few people, and it certainly needs much more. - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.
If you can address this issue, please edit the page! Thanks.

In this comic it is explored how people with various hobbies notice strange things in the sky. In first panel plane enthusiasts notice that there Piper PA-24 Comanche in the sky belonging to company that has no flight plans, and wonder why is that, so decide to post about it on forums. In second panel a few bird enthusiasts are wondering why there is a Broad-winged hawk in the area out of season, and decide to send message to e-mail list. In last panel what looks like National Security Agency wonders how to disguise their drones so that people will not pay attention to it, and, as in the first two panels, discover that it does not appear to be legitimate no matter what it appears to be. This is the joke. Another suggestion to use a Weather balloon as a disguise is struck out, because it would attract UFO enthusiasts and "weather people".

In title text it is suggested that "lost birthday party balloons" should not attract too much attention. But then noted that it might make marine wildlife people angry. The concern of those probably being that balloons ultimately end up in some water body which threatens marine wildlife that gets trapped in plastic and other synthetic material that were dumped in the water. (see Marine debris)

The reference to red trim on the Piper PA-24 Comanche could be a reference to the livery of Janet_(airline) which operates flights between Las Vegas, Area 51, and other desert military bases. Although, these planes are in fact registered to the Department of the Air Force rather than a holding company.

Transcript

Ambox notice.png This transcript is incomplete. Please help editing it! Thanks.
[White Hat and Hairy are standing in a field and holding their phones.]
White Hat: That's odd—another PA-24 Comanche with red trim. Registered to a holding company, no recent flight plans.
Hairy: I'll ask the forums if anyone knows who operates those.
[Hairbun and another character, looking like an older Cueball, are standing in a field, using binoculars.]
Hairbun: Goodness, I think that's a broad winged hawk!
Other character: In November?! They should be long gone by now!
Hairbun: I'll email the list.
[Many characters sit around a table in a boardroom, which presumably belongs to the government as the table has a circular insignia.]
Person on the left: Dammit, why are there so many different subcultures obsessed with staring at the sky?
Ponytail: What else could we disguise our surveillance drones as?
Cueball: Weather balloons?
Ponytail: No, that gets the UFO people and the weather people.
Ponytail: Don't know who's worse.


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Discussion

Stargazers are not dangerous - they ignore anything closer than moon. -- Hkmaly (talk) 00:54, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

To many current administrations, pointing out provable facts can be *very* dangerous.
162.158.75.190 04:16, 2 November 2017 (UTC)
I just read the same sentence about Centaurs in the first Harry Potter book (reading for my daughter). But they would spot moving objects at night, and notice it were not stars, mentioning on their forums how annoying those light sources are ;-) --Kynde (talk) 19:30, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

The solution for the committee in the third panel might be to disguise their drones as birds which are very common for the time and place in which the drones are operating. --162.158.75.112 15:14, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

The real solution is to attach surveillance cameras to birds. --108.162.216.40 15:29, 2 November 2017 (UTC)
The real solution is cyborg birds with embedded surveillance cameras.162.158.155.32 09:57, 3 November 2017 (UTC)
The real solution is Google Balloon Internet, Google Glass, Google Home, Google Phone, Google Watch, Google TV, Google Mail, Google Calendar, Google Keep, Google Search, Google Photos, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Street View, Google YouTube, Google Car, Google Window, Google Door, Google Bed, Google Bike, Google Shoes, Google Arm, Google Pet, Google Lifemate, Google Mind, Google Overlord.--162.158.111.103 14:28, 3 November 2017 (UTC)
Relevant xkcd --DanielLC (talk) 22:29, 9 April 2019 (UTC)

Just paint it the color of the sk-oh wait. 172.68.47.114 18:15, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

Like this color: 1556: The Sky, and also check this 1145: Sky Color ;-) --Kynde (talk) 19:30, 2 November 2017 (UTC)

I see the military-industrial complex has been on and redacted the truth about UFOs.162.158.155.32 09:59, 3 November 2017 (UTC)


Might the title text also refer to the video game Homefront balloon release incident? The Marine Mammal Center responded directly to that incident. 162.158.69.196 18:43, 3 November 2017 (UTC)

when looking into sky, i'm not interested by anything closer than iss lol An user who has no account yet (talk) 21:59, 13 October 2023 (UTC)