explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1315: Questions for God

2014-01-10T12:29:02Z

108.162.249.8: "titular" -> "eponymous"

{{comic
| number = 1315
| date = January 10, 2014
| title = Questions for God
| image = questions_for_god.png
| titletext = What sins could possibly darken the heart of a STEAMBOAT? I asked The Shadow, but he says he only covers men.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|More detail needed.}}
Megan is paraphrasing a famous quote from the British applied mathematician, and fellow of the Royal Society, {{w|Horace Lamb}}, who famously stated in 1932:

:"I am an old man now, and when I die and go to heaven there are two matters on which I hope for enlightenment. One is {{w|quantum electrodynamics}}, and the other is the {{w|Turbulence|turbulent motion of fluids}}. And about the former I am rather optimistic."

This was referring to two phenomena in physics that at the time were poorly understood and difficult to explain. Lamb's prediction that quantum electrodynamics was easier to explain proved right; nowadays we have a much clearer understanding of QED, however our understanding of turbulence has improved little ({{w|Richard Feynman}} famously described it as "the most important unsolved problem of classical physics").

Cueball, in response, indicates that if he were to gain divine elucidation his question would relate to the widespread schoolyard rhyme "{{w|Miss Susie}}", which typically begins with the stanza:

:"Miss Susie had a steamboat
:The steamboat had a bell
:Miss Susie went to heaven
:The steamboat went to...

:Hello operator
:Please give me number nine
:..."

The rhyming scheme between the second and fourth lines, and implied contrast with "heaven," causes the listener to fill in the word "Hell" instead of the innocuous "Hello".

Therefore, Cueball is wondering what a steamboat, an object lacking will, could have done to deserve divine punishment.

The Title Text is a reference to the 1930's pulp series "{{w|The Shadow}}" whose eponymous character is a psychic vigilante. The 1937 radio play's introduction began with the line ''"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"'' Unfortunately, as the subject is a Steamboat and lacks a mind, heart, or Y chromosome, The Shadow would be unable to determine what heinous crimes it had committed to deserve damnation.

==Transcript==
:Megan: Horace Lamb said he would have two questions for God: why quantum mechanics, and why turbulence?
:Cueball: I'd have just one: ''What did Miss Susie's steamboat '''do?!'''''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Religion]]

1315: Questions for God

2014-01-10T07:52:10Z

108.162.249.8: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1315
| date = January 10, 2014
| title = Questions for God
| image = questions_for_god.png
| titletext = What sins could possibly darken the heart of a STEAMBOAT? I asked The Shadow, but he says he only covers men.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|More detail needed.}}
Megan is paraphrasing a famous quote from the British applied mathematician, and fellow of the Royal Society, {{w|Horace_Lamb|Horace Lamb}}, who famously stated in 1932:

:"I am an old man now, and when I die and go to heaven there are two matters on which I hope for enlightenment. One is quantum electrodynamics, and the other is the turbulent motion of fluids. And about the former I am rather optimistic."

Cueball, in response, indicates that if he were to gain divine elucidation his question would relate to the widespread schoolyard rhyme {{w|Miss_Susie|"Miss Susie"}}, which typically begins with the stanza:

:"Miss Susie had a steamboat

:The steamboat had a bell

:Miss Susie went to heaven

:The steamboat went to...

:Hello operator

:Please give me number nine

:..."

The rhyming scheme between the second and fourth lines, and implied contrast, causing the listener to fill in the word "Hell" instead of the innocuous "Hello".

Therefore Cueball is indeed wondering what a Steamboat, an object lacking will, could have done to deserve divine punishment.

The Title Text is a reference to the 1930's pulp series {{w|The_Shadow|"The Shadow"}} whose titular character is a psychic vigilante. The 1937 radio play's introduction began with the line ''"Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!"'' Unfortunately as the subject is a Steamboat, and lacking a mind (or heart) to read, The Shadow would be unable to determine what heinous crimes it had committed to deserve damnation.

==Transcript==
Megan: Horace Lamb said he would
have two questions for God:
why quantum mechanics,
and why turbulence?

Cueball: I'd have just one:
''what did Miss Susie's steamboat '''do?!'''

Title text: What sins could possibly darken the heart of a STEAMBOAT?
I asked The Shadow, but he says he only covers men.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Religion]]

Talk:225: Open Source

2013-12-29T02:06:06Z

108.162.249.8:

"Richard Stallman is famous for beginning the GNU Project and is outspoken on the topic of Open Source software and Free software." Specifically, he is an outspoken critic of Open Source, and an outspoken proponent of Free Software. [[User:Blaisepascal|Blaisepascal]] ([[User talk:Blaisepascal|talk]]) 02:09, 29 August 2012 (UTC)

:Ah, thank you. That's good to note. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 05:25, 29 August 2012 (UTC)

GPL isn't a recursive abbreviation for ‘GNU Public License’, then it would have to be called ‘GPL Public License’. GNU in itself, on the other hand, ''is'' a recursive abbreviation for 'GNU's Not Unix'. --[[Special:Contributions/188.113.76.15|188.113.76.15]] 15:38, 9 March 2013 (UTC)
:{{done}} (Though I actually noted this myself and fixed it; then noticed your comment :-) ) [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 10:45, 18 April 2013 (UTC)

The pronunciation of GNU is actually "g'new" not "new". [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.8|108.162.249.8]] 02:06, 29 December 2013 (UTC)