explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:812: Glass

2018-12-27T04:53:02Z

141.101.98.28:

Hi, everyone!

I just added a link to a youtube-video and wanted to give a little disclaimer:

I'm in no way affiliated with that person, this is not intended to be advertisement or anything, just a random video I found that illustrates the effect that water in a glass changes it's resonance frequency.
If that's not allowed, please remove the link.

[[User:Laden|Laden]] ([[User talk:Laden|talk]]) 18:30, 18 January 2013 (UTC)

See below the comments section for what that's about. Always did like how if it's literal then Catholics are canibals...
Anonymous 0733, 19 January 2013 (UTC)

:We catholics believe we are literally eating the body of Jesus. If that makes us cannibals, then we are cannibals! [[Special:Contributions/24.199.215.245|24.199.215.245]] 02:41, 20 January 2013 (UTC)

It's only cannibalsim if we're right, and if we're right, then God told us so! Either way, we can't be doing anything wrong, because it's either bread or we must due to a divine imperative. Obviously, as a Catholic, I believe I am acting in accordance with truth in recieving the Eucharist, but sometimes it helps those who don't fully understand to have a two-sided hypothetical.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.152|108.162.210.152]] 03:35, 5 June 2015 (UTC)

What about the electroweak symmetry=souls thing? Can someone explain that please? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.64|108.162.216.64]] 01:49, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

So at the point of the creation of matter there's supposed to be this balance between matter (oversimplified: positively charged protons, negative electrons, the stuff we're made of and used to) and antimatter (The opposing charge stuff). That balance is great, but it pretty much implies that the process of matter formation and matter reexplosion (what hapens when antimatter and matter meet) would be this continuous loop. Fact is, we're here, looking at these reactions (or trying to). Therefore, we are the result of an assymetry, perhaps one in every billion particles created is without a partner (visible to us anyway, perhaps it escaped to some negative matter space that's a safe distance away). What caused this apparent imbalance is presently unknown. (Don't, whatever you do, call it a mystery. Not because it's not, but because of the reaction you'll get from all the wrong folks.)[[User:Bralbovsky|Bralbovsky]] ([[User talk:Bralbovsky|talk]]) 00:14, 15 May 2015 (UTC)

Er ... surely the last panel with the voice from above isn't 'Physics', but God. (ie) GOD: "You stop looking for the (God particle), and we'll talk". Which also explains why the water turned to wine then blood. 'Physics' isn't fucking with them ... God is.

Talk:2083: Laptop Issues

2018-12-14T09:43:54Z

141.101.98.28:

Please provide links to https://xkcd.com/1084/ and https://xkcd.com/1586/ (unsigned by IP 172.68.65.150
:Perhaps also [[1760: TV Problems]] and [[1739: Fixing Problems]] and [[806: Tech Support]]? [[User:Quiddity|Quiddity]] ([[User talk:Quiddity|talk]]) 05:17, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

I would recommend an exorcism for the laptop. 19:28, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

Has Randall been reading Charles Stross's "The Laundry Files"? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.223|162.158.89.223]] 19:57, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

We had a few people like this at my last job. In addition to all their problems they refused to let us give them a new laptop and insisted we keep trying to fix the ghosts in their current laptop [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.83|172.68.58.83]] 21:18, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

Might this be inspired by the recent revelation that Apple Store employees are not allowed to to use the word "problem": https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/dec/03/claps-and-cheers-apple-stores-carefully-managed-drama [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.96|162.158.106.96]] 22:05, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

Closer reference to https://xkcd.com/349/ than 1912 was to 349 --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.59.84|172.68.59.84]] 22:53, 10 December 2018 (UTC)

It is possible (if rather rare) that there's an error on a computers logic board, that causes it to fry batteries extremely fast

"(...) and safely dispose of it." - '''Is there''' a truly safe way to dispose of '''this''' laptop? I can't think of one.--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.90.90|162.158.90.90]] 09:41, 11 December 2018 (UTC)

This laptop can only be destroyed by throwing it into the fires of Mount Doom
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.45|162.158.158.45]] 10:39, 11 December 2018 (UTC)

--Shouldn't that be "...the fires of Mount Dell, from which it was forged?" [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.83|172.68.58.83]] 16:52, 11 December 2018 (UTC)

:Andromeda Galaxy is on collision course with ours. It has black hole in it's center. I think that throwing the laptop there should be safe enough. I mean, maybe it will solve the problem with collision ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 00:42, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

::No, we need to put it in quarantine WITH a black hole and mount Doom/Dell. [[User:Nyx goddess|Nyx goddess]] ([[User talk:Nyx goddess|talk]]) 01:54, 12 December 2018 (UTC)

Could the glasses be a refence to the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy? [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_in_The_Hitchhiker%27s_Guide_to_the_Galaxy#Joo_Janta_200_Super-Chromatic_Peril_Sensitive_Sunglasses] [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.28|141.101.98.28]] 09:43, 14 December 2018 (UTC)

Talk:2038: Hazard Symbol

2018-08-27T13:04:55Z

141.101.98.28: Add comment

When on xkcd, the emoji only shows up as an empty square. On this site, it shows up as a sigma, caputal Y with umlauts, tilde, and decree symbol. What is it actually supposed to be? [[User:Smperron|Kestrel]] ([[User talk:Smperron|talk]]) 12:46, 27 August 2018 (UTC)
It's https://emojipedia.org/face-with-open-mouth-and-cold-sweat/ this emoji. Shows up correctly for me on the actual site on android but not on the wiki [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.28|141.101.98.28]] 13:04, 27 August 2018 (UTC)

2034: Equations

2018-08-17T10:48:47Z

141.101.98.28: Finished the transcript using unicode... do we then also need to describe them? (since I doubt TTS software will recognise them)

{{comic
| number = 2034
| date = August 17, 2018
| title = Equations
| image = equations.png
| titletext = All electromagnetic equations: The same as all fluid dynamics equations, but with the 8 and 23 replaced with the permittivity and permeability of free space, respectively.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EQUATION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic gives a set of equations supposedly from different areas of mathematics and physics. To anyone not familiar with the field in question they look pretty similar to what you might find in research papers or on the relevent Wikipedia pages. To someone who knows even a little about the topic, they are clearly very wrong and only seem even worse the more you look at them.
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Equation
!style="width:20%"|Field
!style="width:60%"|Explanation
|-
|<math>E = K_0t + \frac{1}{2}\rho vt^2</math>
|All kinematics equations
|This equation literally states: "Energy equals a constant <math>K_0</math> multiplied by time plus half of density multiplied by speed multiplied by time squared". The first term here is hard to interpret - it could be correct if <math>K_0</math> is a constant power applied to the system, this symbol would more normally be used to denote an initial energy and so multiplying by <math>t</math> would be wrong. The second term looks similar to the traditional kinetic energy formula <math>\frac{1}{2}mv^2</math> but with a density instead of the mass. This is then wrong without some accompanying volume term (on either side of the equation).
|-
|<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math>
|All number theory equations
|Taken literally the equation says: "The nth K-number is equal to for all i in 0 to infinity, for all pi in 0 to infinity; subtract pi from n and multiply it with i minus e (to the power of pi minus infinity)". A twofold misconception can be seen here. The first is the reassignment of pi as a variable instead of the constant (3.14). This might be a jab at how in number theory letters and numbers are used interchangeably, but where some letters are all of a sudden fixed constants. The second misconception is the use of infinity in the latter part of the formula. Naively this would signify that (with the reassigned pi values) the part in the power would range from minus infinity to zero. However infinity is not a number and cannot be used as one without using a limit construct.
|-
|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot \rho = \frac{8}{23}

\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All fluid dynamic equations
|This equation has superficial resemblance to portions of [//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations Maxwell's Equations], but just miscellaneous bits, some from the integral forms and some from the differential forms.

|-
|<math>|\psi_{x,y}\rangle = A(\psi) A(|x\rangle \otimes |y\rangle)</math>
|All quantum mechanic equations
|
|-
|<math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + \mathrm{OH} + \mathrm{HEAT} \rightarrow \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CH}_2 + \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{EAT}</math>
|All chemistry equations
| A modification of the combustion of methane. The correct form is often taught and a good example problem but obviously there are more chemistry problems.<math>\mathrm{HEAT}</math> is normally shorthand for {{w|activation energy}}, but in Randall's version it's jokingly used as a chemical ingredient and becomes <math>\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{EAT}</math>, taking the hydrogen atom freed by the combustion equation shown. To deliver the punchline while maintaining proper stoichiometry, <math>\mathrm{OH}</math> (which should be <math>\mathrm{OH}^-</math>, since the oxygen keeps a free electron when it combines with a single hydrogen) is shown instead of <math>\mathrm{O}_2</math>. The proper methane combustion equation would be: <math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + 2 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CO}_2</math>
|-
|<math>\mathrm{SU}(2)\mathrm{U}(1) \times \mathrm{SU}(\mathrm{U}(2))</math>
|All quantum gravity equations
|This is more similar to experessions which appear in {{w|Grand_Unified_Theory|Grand Unified Theory}} (GUT) than general quantum gravity. Unlike some of the other equations, this one has no interpretation which could make it mathematically correct. This is similar to the notations used to describe the symmetry group of a particular phenomena in terms of mathematical {{w|Lie_Group|Lie Groups}}. A real example would be the Standard Model of particle physics which has symmetry according to <math>\rm{SU(3)\times SU(2) \times U(1)}</math>. Here, <math>\rm{SU}</math> and <math>\rm{U}</math> denote the special unitary and unitary groups respectively with the numbers indicating the dimension of the group. Loosely, the three terms correspond to the symmetries of the strong force, weak force and electromagnetism although the exact correspondence is muddied by symmetry breaking and the Higgs mechanism.

Of course, an expression missing an "=" sign, is difficult to interpret as an "equation", because equations normally express an "equality" of some kind. Nobody knows whether Randal refers to a horse here (equidae)

Randall's version clearly involves some similar groups although without the <math>\times</math> symbol it is hard to work out what might be happening. A term like <math>\rm{SU(U(2))}</math> has no current interpretation in mathematics, if anyone thinks otherwise and possibly has a solution to the quantum gravity problem they should probably get in touch with someone about that.
|-
|[[File:All gauge theory equations.png]]
|All gauge theory equations
||This equation looks broadly similar to the sorts of things which appear in gauge theory such as the equations which define {{w|Yang–Mills_theory#Quantization|Yang-Mills Theory}}. By the time physics has got this far in, people have normally run out of regular symbols making a lot of the equations look very daunting. The actual equations in this field rarely go far beyond the greek alphabet though and no-one has yet to try putting hats on brackets. The appearence of many sub- and superscripts is normal (this links to the group theory origins of these equations) and for the layperson it can be impossible to determine which additions are labels on the symbols and which are indices for an {{w|Einstein_notation|Einstein Sum}}.

The left-hand side <math>S_g</math> is the symbol for some {{w|Action_(physics)|action}}, in Yang-Mills theory this is actually used for a so-called "ghost action". On the right-hand side we have a large number of terms, most of which are hard to interpret without knowing Randall's thought processes (this is why real research papers should all label their equations thoroughly). The <math>\frac{1}{2\bar{\varepsilon}}</math> looks like a constant of proportionality which often appears in gauge theories. The factor of <math>i = \sqrt{-1}</math> is not unusual as many of these equations use complex numbers. The <math>\eth</math> symbol looks similar to a <math>\partial</math> partial derivative symbol especially as the {{w|Dirac_equation#Covariant_form_and_relativistic_invariance|Dirac Equation}} uses a slashed version as a convenient shorthand.

The rest of the equation cannot be mathematically correct as the choice of indices used does not match that on the left-hand side (which has none). In particle physics subscripts (or superscripts) of greek letters (usually <math>\mu</math> or <math>\nu</math>) indicate terms which transform nicely under Lorentz transformations (special relativity). Roman indices from the beginning of the alphabet relate to various gauge transformation propetries, the triple index seen on <math>p^{abc}_v</math> would likely come from some <math>\rm{SU(3)}</math> transformation (related to the strong nuclear force). Since <math>S_g</math> has none of these (and is thus a scalar which remains constant under these operations), we would need the right-hand side to behave in the same way. Most of the indices which appear are unpaired and so will not result in a scalar making the equation very wrong. For those not familiar with this type of equation, it is a similar mistake messing up units and setting a distance equal to a mass.
|-
|<math>H(t) + \Omega + G \cdot \Lambda \, \dots \begin{cases} \dots > 0 & \text{(HUBBLE MODEL)} \\ \dots = 0 & \text{(FLAT SPHERE MODEL)} \\ \dots < 0 & \text{(BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL)} \end{cases}
</math>
|All cosmology equations
|This is a parody of equations defining the {{w|Hubble's_law#Derivation_of_the_Hubble_parameter|Hubble Parameter}} <math>H(t)</math> although it looks like Randall has become bored and not bothered to finish his equation. Such equations usually have several <math>\Omega</math> terms representing the contributions of different substances to the energy-density of the Universe (matter, radiation, dark energy etc.). In this context <math>G</math> could be Newton's constant and <math>\Lambda</math> is something dark energy related although seeing them appear multiplied and on the same footing as <math>H</math> is unusual (the dot is entirely unnecessary). Choosing to make <math>H</math> a function of time <math>t</math> and not of redshit <math>z</math> is also unusual.

The second section looks like the inequalities used to show how what shape the Universe, based on the value of the curvature parameter <math>\Omega_k</math>. A value of 0 indicates a flat Universe (this more or less what we observe) whilst a positive /negative value indicate a open /closed curved Universe. Randall's choice of labels further makes fun of the field as both a flat sphere and bright dark matter are oxymoronic terms which would involve some rather strange model universes.
|-
|[[File:All truly deep physics equations.png]]
|All truly deep physics equations
|<math>\hat H</math> is the hamiltonian operator, which when applied to a system returns the total energy. In this context U would usually be the potential energy. However there is also a subscript 0 and a diacritic making indicating some other variable. Much of physics is based on Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The Lagrangian is defined as <math>\hat L = \hat K - \hat U </math> with K being the kinetic energy and U the potential. Hamiltonian mechanics uses the equation <math>\hat H = \hat K + \hat U </math>. The Hamiltonian must be conserved so taking the time derivative and setting it equal to zero is a powerful tool. The principle of least action says allows most modern physics to be derived by setting the time derivative of the Lagrangian to zero.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon. And a reminder: Do NOT use math markup in a transcript!}}
[Nine equations are listed and labeled as followed:]
 
E = K0t + 1/2 pvt2 
ALL KINEMATICS EQUATIONS 
 
Kn = ∑i=0∞∑π=0∞(n-π)(i-eπ-∞) 
ALL NUMBER THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
∂/∂t ∇ ⋅ p = 8/23 (∯ ρ ds dt ⋅ ρ ∂/∂∇) 
ALL FLUID DYNAMIC EQUATIONS 
 
|ψx,y〉 = A(ψ) A(|x〉⊗ |y〉) 
ALL QUANTUM MECHANIC EQUATIONS 
 
CH4 + OH + HEAT → H2O + CH2 + H2EAT 
ALL CHEMISTRY EQUATIONS 
 
SU(2)U(1) × SU(U(2)) 
ALL QUANTUM GRAVITY EQUATIONS 
 
Sg = (-1)/(2ε̄) i ð (̂ ξ0 +̊ pε ρvabc η0 )̂ faa λ(3̆) ψ(0a) 
ALL GAUGE THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
H(t) + Ω + G⋅λ ... > 0 (HUBBLE MODEL) ... = 0 (FLAT SPHERE MODEL) ... < 0 (BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL) 
ALL COSMOLOGY EQUATIONS 
 
Ĥ - u̧0 = 0 
ALL TRULY DEEP PHYSICS EQUATIONS
 

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Math]]

2034: Equations

2018-08-17T09:53:18Z

141.101.98.28:

{{comic
| number = 2034
| date = August 17, 2018
| title = Equations
| image = equations.png
| titletext = All electromagnetic equations: The same as all fluid dynamics equations, but with the 8 and 23 replaced with the permittivity and permeability of free , respectively.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EQUATION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic gives a set of equations supposedly from different areas of mathematics and physics. To anyone not familiar with the field in question they look pretty similar to what you might find in research papers or on the relevent Wikipedia pages. To someone who knows even a little about the topic, they are clearly very wrong and only seem even worse the more you look at them.
{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Equation
!style="width:20%"|Field
!style="width:60%"|Explanation
|-
|<math>E = K_0t + \frac{1}{2}\rho vt^2</math>
|All kinematics equations
|This equation literally states: "Energy equals a constant <math>K_0</math> multiplied by time plus half of density multiplied by speed multiplied by time squared". The first term here is hard to interpret - it could be correct if <math>K_0</math> is a constant power applied to the system, this symbol would more normally be used to denote an initial energy and so multiplying by <math>t</math> would be wrong. The second term looks similar to the traditional kinetic energy formula <math>\frac{1}{2}mv^2</math> but with a density instead of the mass. This is then wrong without some accompanying volume term (on either side of the equation).
|-
|<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math>
|All number theory equations
|Taken literally the equation says: "The nth K-number is equal to for all i in 0 to infinity, for all pi in 0 to infinity; subtract pi from n and multiply it with i minus e (to the power of pi minus infinity)". A twofold misconception can be seen here. The first is the reassignment of pi as a variable instead of the constant (3.14). This might be a jab at how in number theory letters and numbers are used interchangeably, but where some letters are all of a sudden fixed constants. The second misconception is the use of infinity in the latter part of the formula. Naively this would signify that (with the reassigned pi values) the part in the power would range from minus infinity to zero. However infinity is not a number and cannot be used as one without using a limit construct.
|-
|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot p = \frac{8}{23}

\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All fluid dynamic equations
|-
|<math>|\psi_{x,y}\rangle = A(\psi) A(|x\rangle \otimes |y\rangle)</math>
|All quantum mechanic equations
|
|-
|<math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + \mathrm{OH} + \mathrm{HEAT} \rightarrow \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CH}_2 + \mathrm{H}_2 \mathrm{EAT}</math>
|All chemistry equations
| A modification of the combustion of methane. The correct form is often taught and a good example problem but obviously there are more chemistry problems.<math>\mathrm{HEAT}</math> is normally shorthand for {{w|activation energy}}, but in Randall's version it's jokingly used as a chemical ingredient and becomes <math>\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{EAT}</math>, taking the hydrogen atom freed by the combustion equation shown. To deliver the punchline while maintaining proper stoichiometry, <math>\mathrm{OH}</math> (which should be <math>\mathrm{OH}^-</math>, since the oxygen keeps a free electron when it combines with a single hydrogen) is shown instead of <math>\mathrm{O}_2</math>. The proper methane combustion equation would be: <math>\mathrm{CH}_4 + 2 \mathrm{O}_2 \rightarrow 2 \mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} + \mathrm{CO}_2</math>
|-
|<math>\mathrm{SU}(2)\mathrm{U}(1) \times \mathrm{SU}(\mathrm{U}(2))</math>
|All quantum gravity equations
|This is more similar to experessions which appear in {{w|Grand_Unified_Theory|Grand Unified Theory}} (GUT) than general quantum gravity. Unlike some of the other equations, this one has no interpretation which could make it mathematically correct. This is similar to the notations used to describe the symmetry group of a particular phenomena in terms of mathematical {{w|Lie_Group|Lie Groups}}. A real example would be the Standard Model of particle physics which has symmetry according to <math>\rm{SU(3)\times SU(2) \times U(1)}</math>. Here, <math>\rm{SU}</math> and <math>\rm{U}</math> denote the special unitary and unitary groups respectively with the numbers indicating the dimension of the group. Loosely, the three terms correspond to the symmetries of the strong force, weak force and electromagnetism although the exact correspondence is muddied by symmetry breaking and the Higgs mechanism.

Of course, an expression missing an "=" sign, is difficult to interpret as an "equation", because equations normally express an "equality" of some kind. Nobody knows whether Randal refers to a horse here (equidae)

Randall's version clearly involves some similar groups although without the <math>\times</math> symbol it is hard to work out what might be happening. A term like <math>\rm{SU(U(2))}</math> has no current interpretation in mathematics, if anyone thinks otherwise and possibly has a solution to the quantum gravity problem they should probably get in touch with someone about that.
|-
|<math>S_g = \frac{-1}{2\bar{\varepsilon}}i\eth \hat{\big(} \zeta_0 \dotplus p_\epsilon \rho_v^{abc}\cdot \eta_0 \hat{\big)} f_a^0 a\lambda(\xi) \psi(0_a)</math> 
|All gauge theory equations
||This equation looks broadly similar to the sorts of things which appear in gauge theory such as the equations which define {{w|Yang–Mills_theory#Quantization|Yang-Mills Theory}}. By the time physics has got this far in, people have normally run out of regular symbols making a lot of the equations look very daunting. The actual equations in this field rarely go far beyond the greek alphabet though and no-one has yet to try putting hats on brackets. The appearence of many sub- and superscripts is normal (this links to the group theory origins of these equations) and for the layperson it can be impossible to determine which additions are labels on the symbols and which are indices for an {{w|Einstein_notation|Einstein Sum}}.

The left-hand side <math>S_g</math> is the symbol for some {{w|Action_(physics)|action}}, in Yang-Mills theory this is actually used for a so-called "ghost action". On the right-hand side we have a large number of terms, most of which are hard to interpret without knowing Randall's thought processes (this is why real research papers should all label their equations thoroughly). The <math>\frac{1}{2\bar{\varepsilon}}</math> looks like a constant of proportionality which often appears in gauge theories. The factor of <math>i = \sqrt{-1}</math> is not unusual as many of these equations use complex numbers. The <math>\eth</math> symbol looks similar to a <math>\partial</math> partial derivative symbol especially as the {{w|Dirac_equation#Covariant_form_and_relativistic_invariance|Dirac Equation}} uses a slashed version as a convenient shorthand.

The rest of the equation cannot be mathematically correct as the choice of indices used does not match that on the left-hand side (which has none). In particle physics subscripts (or superscripts) of greek letters (usually <math>\mu</math> or <math>\nu</math>) indicate terms which transform nicely under Lorentz transformations (special relativity). Roman indices from the beginning of the alphabet relate to various gauge transformation propetries, the triple index seen on <math>p^{abc}_v</math> would likely come from some <math>\rm{SU(3)}</math> transformation (related to the strong nuclear force). Since <math>S_g</math> has none of these (and is thus a scalar which remains constant under these operations), we would need the right-hand side to behave in the same way. Most of the indices which appear are unpaired and so will not result in a scalar making the equation very wrong. For those not familiar with this type of equation, it is a similar mistake messing up units and setting a distance equal to a mass.
|-
|<math>H(t) + \Omega + G \cdot \Lambda \, \dots \begin{cases} \dots > 0 & \text{(HUBBLE MODEL)} \\ \dots = 0 & \text{(FLAT SPHERE MODEL)} \\ \dots < 0 & \text{(BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL)} \end{cases}
</math>
|All cosmology equations
|
|-
|<math>\hat H - u_{0} = 0</math>
|All truly deep physics equations
|<math>\hat H</math> is the hamiltonian operator, which when applied to a system returns the total energy. In this context U would usually be the potential energy. However there is also a subscript 0 and a diacritic making indicating some other variable. Much of physics is based on Lagrangian and Hamiltonian mechanics. The Lagrangian is defined as <math>\hat L = \hat K - \hat U </math> with K being the kinetic energy and U the potential. Hamiltonian mechanics uses the equation <math>\hat H = \hat K + \hat U </math>. The Hamiltonian must be conserved so taking the time derivative and setting it equal to zero is a powerful tool. The principle of least action says allows most modern physics to be derived by setting the time derivative of the Lagrangian to zero.
|-

|<math>\frac{\partial}{\partial t}\nabla\cdot p = \frac{\epsilon_0}{\mu_0}
\int\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\bigcirc\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\!\;\;\int
\rho\,ds\,dt\cdot \rho\frac{\partial}{\partial\nabla}
</math>
|All electromagnetic equations
|This equation has superficial resemblance to portions of [//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell%27s_equations Maxwell's Equations], but just miscellaneous bits, some from the integral forms and some from the differential forms.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[TODO: Avoid using math markup here because the images of these equations isn't helpful in a transcript. Sigh.]
[Nine equations are listed and labeled as followed:]
 
E = K0t + 1/2 pvt2 
ALL KINEMATICS EQUATIONS 
 
<math>K_n = \sum_{i=0}^{\infty}\sum_{\pi=0}^{\infty}(n-\pi)(i-e^{\pi-\infty})</math> 
ALL NUMBER THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
∂/∂t ∇ ⋅ p = 8/23 (∯ ρ ds dt ⋅ ρ ∂/∂∇) 
ALL FLUID DYNAMIC EQUATIONS 
 
|ψx,y〉 = A(ψ) A(|x〉⊗ |y〉) 
ALL QUANTUM MECHANIC EQUATIONS 
 
CH4 + OH + HEAT → H2O + CH2 + H2EAT 
ALL CHEMISTRY EQUATIONS 
 
SU(2)U(1) × SU(U(2)) 
ALL QUANTUM GRAVITY EQUATIONS 
 
<math>S_g = \frac{-1}{2\bar{\varepsilon}}i\eth \hat{\big(} \zeta_0 \dotplus p_\epsilon \rho_v^{abc}\cdot \eta_0 \hat{\big)} f_a^0 a\lambda(\zeta) \psi(0_a)</math> 
ALL GAUGE THEORY EQUATIONS 
 
H(t) + Ω + G⋅λ ... > 0 (HUBBLE MODEL) ... = 0 (FLAT SPHERE MODEL) ... < 0 (BRIGHT DARK MATTER MODEL) 
ALL COSMOLOGY EQUATIONS 
 
Ĥ - u̧0 = 0 
ALL TRULY DEEP PHYSICS EQUATIONS
 

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Math]]

Talk:2034: Equations

2018-08-17T08:49:26Z

141.101.98.28: /* Deep physics equations */

Is the joke that all of the equations are actually wrong/malformed/meaningless but they sort of look like typical equations for that field?
:Sort of. A bit of dimensional analysis would have helped. ;-) --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.221|162.158.91.221]] 07:28, 17 August 2018 (UTC)

== Deep physics equations ==
The transcript is wrong here, the last letter is not a <math>\mu</math>, but a "u" with a cedilla: u̧. The math parser refuses to render it, though. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.230|162.158.88.230]] 05:54, 17 August 2018 (UTC)
:Looks like it. But I don't think that letter exists even. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.221|162.158.91.221]] 07:28, 17 August 2018 (UTC)
:Is this equation a sort of nod to a Theory Of Everything which unifies quantum mechanics and gravity... H-hat (a Hamiltonian, which in quantum mechanics describes the total energy of a system, and usually runs in to problems describing large systems - such as the entire universe - where gravity or spacetime curvature effects matter) *minus* u0 (the relativistic mass of the whole system at time zero ie. the big bang) gives 0 (no energy everywhere always). Since mass is energy (e=mc^2) and mass is also the sole cause of gravity the two theories cleanly collapse together when mass is zero, and figuring out how to extend the theory to other less clean points on the mass axis is obviously a job for less profound physics? I've no ideas to explain the cedilla. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.28|141.101.98.28]] 08:49, 17 August 2018 (UTC)

2034: Equations

2018-08-17T06:30:57Z

141.101.98.28: /* Explanation */

2030: Voting Software

2018-08-10T11:14:45Z

141.101.98.28: /* Explanation */ Added link to No 463

{{comic
| number = 2030
| date = August 8, 2018
| title = Voting Software
| image = voting_software.png
| titletext = There are lots of very smart people doing fascinating work on cryptographic voting protocols. We should be funding and encouraging them, and doing all our elections with paper ballots until everyone currently working in that field has retired.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BLOCKCHAIN - Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
The first two panels of this comic involve a reporter talking to professionals of a given field regarding the given safety of the products/solutions that each of their fields help to produce, or are at least partially involved in said production (Airplanes from aircraft designers in Panel 1, Elevators from building engineers in Panel 2). While the two inventions selected are relatively new when compared to how long humans have existed, the two fields mentioned have existed for multiple human generations, giving enough time to find flaws in their products/solutions and patch them to the point that they can be considered safe to use for the general public

The comic from Panel 3 contrasts this with [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] both agreeing that their given field (computer science / software development / software engineering) does not have the overall consistent competency that other fields have or, at the very least, appear to have. This is true (at least anecdotally) since there are very few ethical and security restrictions for what developers can/cannot do, and relatively minor consequences when catastrophes arise from poor decisions.

Computer systems, operating primarily in a digital domain, fail differently from most traditional areas of engineering, which operate in analog (or continuous) domains. A small error in an analog part often gives a result which is close to the desired properties (it almost fits, it works most of the time). By contrast, a small error in a digital system (just one bit being changed) can easily make the system function in radically different ways. So not only is software engineering younger than other areas of engineering, but the domain is much less forgiving. Even small errors/variations are likely to produce radically different behavior.

The title text confirms the comic's stance by implicitly saying that any digital voting systems that are produced are to not be used under any circumstances.

The main joke of the comic is that when other engineers say something is safe, people don't believe them: People are scared of flying and elevators even though they are, statistically, very safe. However, the opposite is true for software engineers: When software engineers say something is dangerous, people don't believe them.

This is a result of a fundamental difference between computer security and other types of safety measures -- in cryptography, there is ''always'' somebody trying to undo what you've built. Not only that, but new advances in cryptography tend to point out vulnerabilities with previous versions, making them not only obsolete, but dangerously so.

For these reasons, it is especially important to make sure that whoever is selling you the security method is both competent and non-malicious, but because crypto software is highly technical and often confidential/proprietary, it can be hard to verify this if you're not an expert in the field (which you won't be, if you're buying it).

These issues are especially pertinent to {{w|voting machine}}s, which store incredibly sensitive information but are often catastrophically outdated due to lack of funding. There are also major issues with electronic voting in general; for example, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3_0x6oaDmI this video from Computerphile] raises issues of malware infections, transferring the votes to the election authorities without having them intercepted, and needing to trust both the machine's software and central counting system to present an accurate account of the votes. Furthermore, the people purchasing them, the politicians, are generally not known for their technical understanding.

{{w|Blockchain}} is a relatively new technology that is intended to solve some computer security issues by making it difficult to doctor old data. However, in the process of solving the old computer security issues, it has introduced new computer security issues that have not yet been ironed out. It also doesn't solve input fraud issues, only data-doctoring fraud, so if a program caused the voting machine to record a vote for candidate B whenever a vote for candidate A was cast (such a program could be uploaded to the voting machines through USB, or through the internet which the voting machine must be connected to for blockchain), blockchain would not prevent it.

Most computer security specialists are more worried about programs that randomly deliberately misrecord a vote, than people changing the votes after they're already recorded, so blockchain would solve an issue that most computer security specialists are less worried about, while causing new issues (the perpetual internet connection among them).

Also, the security issues that Blockchain solves could also be solved via write-once memory, which would be more secure and more difficult to doctor.

The topic of voting machines has been covered before in [[463: Voting Machines]], where the use of anti-virus software on the machines has been discussed.

==Transcript==

:Asking aircraft designers about airplane safety:
:Hairbun: Nothing is ever foolproof, but modern airliners are incredibly resilient. Flying is the safest way to travel.

:Asking building engineers about elevator safety:
:Cueball: Elevators are protected by multiple tried-and-tested failsafe mechanisms. They're nearly incapable of falling.

:Asking software engineers about computerized voting:
:Megan: That's ''terrifying''.

:Ponytail: Wait, really?
:Megan: Don't trust voting software and don't listen to anyone who tells you it's safe.
:Ponytail: Why?
:Megan: I don't quite know how to put this, but our entire field is bad at what we do, and if you rely on us, everyone will die.

:Ponytail: They say they've fixed it with something called "blockchain."
:Megan: AAAAA!!!
:Cueball: Whatever they sold you, don't touch it.
:Megan: Bury it in the desert.
:Cueball: Wear gloves.

{{comic discussion}}

2022: Sports Champions

2018-07-26T15:16:19Z

141.101.98.28: doping, clearer

{{comic
| number = 2022
| date = July 20, 2018
| title = Sports Champions
| image = sports_champions.png
| titletext = For a long time, people thought maybe Usain Bolt was the one for running, until the 2090s and the incredible dominance of Derek Legs.
}}

==Explanation==
In an example of {{w|nominative determinism}}, the comic lists people whose surname relates to their participation in various sports. It is presented as though it was created in the far future, reflecting on champions over the decades through to the 2080s. The first three are real sportspeople, the remainder are imaginary players of the future. The names progress from real, to fictional-but-plausible, to rare or highly unusual, to utterly implausible and impractical names.

The caricatures are participating in their sport, except for Jebediah who is standing at a {{w|lectern}}.

{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Name
!style="width:10%"|Years
!style="width:15%"|Sport
!style="width:55%"|Explanation
|-
|Margaret Court
|1960s
|Tennis
|{{w|Margaret Court}} is an Australian tennis player, former world number 1, who won many competitions in the 1960s and 70s. A {{w|tennis court|tennis '''court'''}} is the playing arena used in that sport.
|-
|Gary Player
|1970s
|Golf
|{{w|Gary Player}} is a South African golfer who won nine major championships between 1959 and 1978. Competitors are often known as '''player'''s, such as in {{w|The Players Championship}}.
|-
|Lonzo Ball
|2020s
|Basketball
|{{w|Lonzo Ball}} is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2020s decade predicts future success, as he began playing professionally in 2017. Basketball is, of course, a {{w|ball game|'''ball''' game}}.
|-
|Jake Halfpipe
|2030s
|Skateboarding
|A '''{{w|half-pipe|halfpipe}}''' is a structure used in extreme sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding.
|-
|Sarah Goggles
|2030s
|Swimming
|'''{{w|Goggles}}''' are protective eyewear used in many sports, such as swimming or skiing.
|-
|Kevin Slurve
|2050s
|Baseball
|A '''{{w|slurve}}''' is a baseball throwing technique, a portmanteau of '''sl'''ider and c'''urve'''.
|-
|Julia Chairlift
|2050s
|Skiing
|A '''{{w|chairlift}}''' is an aerial machine often used to transport winter sports participants up mountains.
|-
|Dwight Shuttlecock
|2060s
|Badminton
|A '''{{w|shuttlecock}}''' is a projectile used in the sport of badminton.
|-
|Brandon Sponsorship
|2060s
|Unclear
|Sporting professionals are often {{w|Sponsor (commercial)|sponsored}} by corporations. Brandon is holding a pair of shoes, which are probably a branded '''sponsorship''' item.
|-
|Kate Dopingscandal
|2070s
|Cycling
|There have been many {{w|Doping in sport|'''doping scandal'''}}s in the world of sport, notably cyclist {{w|Lance Armstrong}}, and {{w|Doping in Russia|many Russian competitors}} in the Olympics. Doping is the use of drugs to illegally enhance athletic performance.
|-
|Jebediah Disasterous Postgame-PressConference
|2080s
|Unspecified
|At the end of sporting events - i.e. post-game - there is often a {{w|News conference|press conference}} where the competitors discuss the result. Sometimes, these live interviews are a disaster. Randall has chosen{{Citation needed}} to spell his name as "Disasterous", rather than the more conventional "Disastrous".
|-
|(in title text, not depicted)
Usain Bolt and Derek Legs
|2090s
|Sprinting
|From the title text, {{w|Usain Bolt}} is the retired world record holder for the {{w|100 metres|100 meter sprint}} Randall considers him a solid contender for this list since he can '''bolt''' down the track. However the fictional Derek '''Legs''' ends up replacing Bolt on the list, either as an even faster sprinter, or because “legs” more clearly and unambiguously relates to running than “bolt” does.
|}

==Transcript==
:[Two rows of people wielding sports equipment are shown, six in the upper row, five in the lower, only the last has no equipment but is standing behind a lectern with a microphone attached to it. Below each person, their name is given and the decade in which they were champions of their sport is given below their name, in brackets. Here is a list of the 11 people:]

:[Woman with dark hair holding a tennis racket]
:Margaret Court
:(1960s)

:[Cueball with a golf club]
:Gary Player
:(1970s)

:[Cueball with a basketball]
:Lonzo Ball
:(2020s)

:[Hairy on a skateboard]
:Jake Halfpipe
:(2030s)

:[Woman with dark hair wearing a swim cap and goggles]
:Sarah Goggles
:(2030s)

:[A man with a baseball cap throwing a baseball to the right]
:Kevin Slurve
:(2050s)

:[A woman with long black hair in a knit cap and wearing ski googles is standing on skis holding ski poles]
:Julia Chairlift
:(2050s)

:[Hairy holding a badminton racket bouncing a shuttlecock on it]
:Dwight Shuttlecock
:(2060s)

:[Hairy holding a pair of shoes in his hand]
:Brandon Sponsorship
:(2060s)

:[Hairbun standing next to a bicycle.]
:Kate Dopingscandal
:(2070s)

:[Hairy standing behind a lectern with a microphone on it.]
:Jebediah Disasterous Postgame PressConference
:(2080s)

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Fun fact: Every sport eventually produces a champion competitor named after a common element of the game.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Sport]]
[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Basketball]]

2022: Sports Champions

2018-07-26T15:06:37Z

141.101.98.28: /* Explanation */ fix stray comma

{{comic
| number = 2022
| date = July 20, 2018
| title = Sports Champions
| image = sports_champions.png
| titletext = For a long time, people thought maybe Usain Bolt was the one for running, until the 2090s and the incredible dominance of Derek Legs.
}}

==Explanation==
In an example of {{w|nominative determinism}}, the comic lists people whose surname relates to their participation in various sports. It is presented as though it was created in the far future, reflecting on champions over the decades through to the 2080s. The first three are real sportspeople, the remainder are imaginary players of the future. The names progress from real, to fictional-but-plausible, to rare or highly unusual, to utterly implausible and impractical names.

The caricatures are participating in their sport, except for Jebediah who is standing at a {{w|lectern}}.

{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Name
!style="width:10%"|Years
!style="width:15%"|Sport
!style="width:55%"|Explanation
|-
|Margaret Court
|1960s
|Tennis
|{{w|Margaret Court}} is an Australian tennis player, former world number 1, who won many competitions in the 1960s and 70s. A {{w|tennis court|tennis '''court'''}} is the playing arena used in that sport.
|-
|Gary Player
|1970s
|Golf
|{{w|Gary Player}} is a South African golfer who won nine major championships between 1959 and 1978. Competitors are often known as '''player'''s, such as in {{w|The Players Championship}}.
|-
|Lonzo Ball
|2020s
|Basketball
|{{w|Lonzo Ball}} is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2020s decade predicts future success, as he began playing professionally in 2017. Basketball is, of course, a {{w|ball game|'''ball''' game}}.
|-
|Jake Halfpipe
|2030s
|Skateboarding
|A '''{{w|half-pipe|halfpipe}}''' is a structure used in extreme sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding.
|-
|Sarah Goggles
|2030s
|Swimming
|'''{{w|Goggles}}''' are protective eyewear used in many sports, such as swimming or skiing.
|-
|Kevin Slurve
|2050s
|Baseball
|A '''{{w|slurve}}''' is a baseball throwing technique, a portmanteau of '''sl'''ider and c'''urve'''.
|-
|Julia Chairlift
|2050s
|Skiing
|A '''{{w|chairlift}}''' is an aerial machine often used to transport winter sports participants up mountains.
|-
|Dwight Shuttlecock
|2060s
|Badminton
|A '''{{w|shuttlecock}}''' is a projectile used in the sport of badminton.
|-
|Brandon Sponsorship
|2060s
|Unclear
|Sporting professionals are often {{w|Sponsor (commercial)|sponsored}} by corporations. Brandon is holding a pair of shoes, which are probably a branded '''sponsorship''' item.
|-
|Kate Dopingscandal
|2070s
|Cycling
|There have been many '''{{w|List of doping cases in cycling|doping scandal}}s''' in the world of cycling. Doping refers to the "use of physiological substances or abnormal methods to obtain an artificial increase in performance."
|-
|Jebediah Disasterous Postgame-PressConference
|2080s
|Unspecified
|At the end of sporting events - i.e. post-game - there is often a {{w|News conference|press conference}} where the competitors discuss the result. Sometimes, these live interviews are a disaster. Randall has chosen{{Citation needed}} to spell his name as "Disasterous", rather than the more conventional "Disastrous".
|-
|(in title text, not depicted)
Usain Bolt and Derek Legs
|2090s
|Sprinting
|From the title text, {{w|Usain Bolt}} is the retired world record holder for the {{w|100 metres|100 meter sprint}} Randall considers him a solid contender for this list since he can '''bolt''' down the track. However the fictional Derek '''Legs''' ends up replacing Bolt on the list, either as an even faster sprinter, or because “legs” more clearly and unambiguously relates to running than “bolt” does.
|}

==Transcript==
:[Two rows of people wielding sports equipment are shown, six in the upper row, five in the lower, only the last has no equipment but is standing behind a lectern with a microphone attached to it. Below each person, their name is given and the decade in which they were champions of their sport is given below their name, in brackets. Here is a list of the 11 people:]

:[Woman with dark hair holding a tennis racket]
:Margaret Court
:(1960s)

:[Cueball with a golf club]
:Gary Player
:(1970s)

:[Cueball with a basketball]
:Lonzo Ball
:(2020s)

:[Hairy on a skateboard]
:Jake Halfpipe
:(2030s)

:[Woman with dark hair wearing a swim cap and goggles]
:Sarah Goggles
:(2030s)

:[A man with a baseball cap throwing a baseball to the right]
:Kevin Slurve
:(2050s)

:[A woman with long black hair in a knit cap and wearing ski googles is standing on skis holding ski poles]
:Julia Chairlift
:(2050s)

:[Hairy holding a badminton racket bouncing a shuttlecock on it]
:Dwight Shuttlecock
:(2060s)

:[Hairy holding a pair of shoes in his hand]
:Brandon Sponsorship
:(2060s)

:[Hairbun standing next to a bicycle.]
:Kate Dopingscandal
:(2070s)

:[Hairy standing behind a lectern with a microphone on it.]
:Jebediah Disasterous Postgame PressConference
:(2080s)

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Fun fact: Every sport eventually produces a champion competitor named after a common element of the game.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Sport]]
[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Basketball]]

2022: Sports Champions

2018-07-22T14:21:30Z

141.101.98.28: In response, - re "Disasterous" - Ah, but it's a name, not the word. You can choose to any spelling you like for names. So, changing back

{{comic
| number = 2022
| date = July 20, 2018
| title = Sports Champions
| image = sports_champions.png
| titletext = For a long time, people thought maybe Usain Bolt was the one for running, until the 2090s and the incredible dominance of Derek Legs.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HARRY "INCOMPLETE" EXPLANATION - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

In an example of {{w|nominative determinism}}, the comic lists people whose surname relates to their participation in various sports. It is presented as though it was created in the far future, reflecting on champions over the decades through to the 2080s. The first three are real sportspeople, the remainder are imaginary players of the future.

The caricatures are participating in their sport, except for Jebediah who is standing at a {{w|lectern}}.

{| class="wikitable"
!style="width:20%"|Name
!style="width:10%"|Years
!style="width:15%"|Sport
!style="width:55%"|Explanation
|-
|Margaret Court
|1960s
|Tennis
|{{w|Margaret Court}} is an Australian tennis player, former world number 1, who won many competitions in the 1960s and 70s. A {{w|tennis court|tennis '''court'''}} is the playing arena used in that sport.
|-
|Gary Player
|1970s
|Golf
|{{w|Gary Player}} is a South African golfer who won nine major championships in the 1960s and 70s. Competitors are often known as '''player'''s, such as, in {{w|The Players Championship}}.
|-
|Lonzo Ball
|2020s
|Basketball
|{{w|Lonzo Ball}} is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 2020s decade predicts future success, as he began playing professionally in 2017. Basketball is, of course, a {{w|ball game|'''ball''' game}}.
|-
|Jake Halfpipe
|2030s
|Skateboarding
|A '''{{w|half-pipe|halfpipe}}''' is a structure used in extreme sports such as skateboarding and snowboarding.
|-
|Sarah Goggles
|2030s
|Swimming
|'''{{w|Goggles}}''' are protective eyewear used in many sports, such as swimming or skiing.
|-
|Kevin Slurve
|2050s
|Baseball
|A '''{{w|slurve}}''' is a baseball throwing technique, a portmanteau of '''sl'''ider and c'''urve'''.
|-
|Julia Chairlift
|2050s
|Skiing
|A '''{{w|chairlift}}''' is an aerial machine often used to transport winter sports participants up mountains.
|-
|Dwight Shuttlecock
|2060s
|Badminton
|A '''{{w|shuttlecock}}''' is a projectile used in the sport of badminton.
|-
|Brandon Sponsorship
|2060s
|Unclear
|Sporting professionals are often {{w|Sponsor (commercial)|sponsored}} by corporations. Brandon is holding a pair of shoes, which are probably a branded '''sponsorship''' item.
|-
|Kate Dopingscandal
|2070s
|Cycling
|There have been many '''{{w|Doping in sport|doping scandal}}s''' in the world of sport, notably cyclist {{w|Lance Armstrong}}, and {{w|Doping in Russia|many Russian competitors}} in the Olympics
|-
|Jebediah Disasterous Postgame-PressConference
|2080s
|Unspecified
|At the end of sporting events - i.e. post-game - there is often a {{w|News conference|press conference}} where the competitors discuss the result. Sometimes, these live interviews are a disaster. Randall has chosen to spell his name as "Disasterous", rather than the more conventional "Disastrous".
|-
|(in title text)
Usain Bolt and Derek Legs
|2090s
|Sprinting
|From the title text, {{w|Usain Bolt}} is the (now retired) world record holder for the 100 meter sprint and 4×100 meter relay in {{w|track & field}}. Thus Randall considers him a solid contender for this list since he can '''bolt''' down the track. However the fictional Derek '''Legs''' ends up replacing Bolt on the list, either from being an even faster sprinter, or because “legs” more clearly and unambiguously relates to running than “bolt” does.
|}

==Transcript==
:[Two rows of people wielding sports equipment are shown, six in the upper row, five in the lower, only the last has no equipment but is standing behind a lectern with a microphone attached to it. Below each person, their name is given and the decade in which they were champions of their sport is given below their name, in brackets. Here is a list of the 11 people:]

:[Woman with dark hair holding a tennis racket]
:Margaret Court
:(1960s)

:[Cueball with a golf club]
:Gary Player
:(1970s)

:[Cueball with a basketball]
:Lonzo Ball
:(2020s)

:[Hairy on a skateboard]
:Jake Halfpipe
:(2030s)

:[Woman with dark hair wearing a swim cap and goggles]
:Sarah Goggles
:(2030s)

:[A man with a baseball cap throwing a baseball to the right]
:Kevin Slurve
:(2050s)

:[A woman with long black hair in a knit cap and wearing ski googles is standing on skis holding ski poles]
:Julia Chairlift
:(2050s)

:[Hairy holding a badminton racket bouncing a shuttlecock on it]
:Dwight Shuttlecock
:(2060s)

:[Hairy holding a pair of shoes in his hand]
:Brandon Sponsorship
:(2060s)

:[Hairbun standing next to a bicycle.]
:Kate Dopingscandal
:(2070s)

:[Hairy standing behind a lectern with a microphone on it.]
:Jebediah Disasterous Postgame PressConference
:(2080s)

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Fun fact: Every sport eventually produces a champion competitor named after a common element of the game.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Sport]]
[[Category:Baseball]]
[[Category:Basketball]]

2022: Sports Champions

2018-07-20T06:25:49Z

141.101.98.28: /* Explanation */ ce

90: Jacket

2017-10-04T00:21:02Z

141.101.98.28: /* Trivia */

{{comic
| number = 90
| date = April 17, 2006
| title = Jacket
| image = jacket.jpg
| titletext = We have this conversation at least once a day in my apartment
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] clearly means to use ''[[wiktionary:fucking|fucking]]'' as an intensifier. However, the friend (likely intentionally in response to the unnecessary swearing) takes ''fucking'' to be an identifier of which jacket is being discussed, and gives a smart-aleck response. His counterpart gets confused by the sarcasm, and the topic is dismissed.
Fuck is an obscene term meaning sex and can be used as a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. A "fucking jacket" would be a jacket worn especially while having sex or, less likely, a jacket that has sex.

==Transcript==
:[Two men stand and talk to one another.]
:Cueball: Where's my fucking jacket?
:[Friend indicates something behind him.]
:Friend: Over there, next to your regular one.
:Cueball: My what?
:Friend: Never mind.

==Trivia==
*This comic is the first to use an all-caps lettering, except for [[78: Garfield]].
(So, it's the second, then?)

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Sarcasm]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

Talk:88: Escher Bracelet

2017-10-04T00:16:54Z

141.101.98.28:

Search the Internet for WWFSMD. [[User:Xhfz|Xhfz]] ([[User talk:Xhfz|talk]]) 22:12, 22 October 2013 (UTC)

Something you might like to try with two paper Mobius strips (apologies if you already know these)...take the first one you made and with scissors make a hole in the middle of the strip and cut all the way around making sure to stay along the middle until you get back to the start... see what you ended up with? It gets better... take the second strip you made and repeat the cutting but this time make sure you cut along the strip 1/3rd of the way from the edge (youll need to go around twice before you get back to the starting puncture hole)... how cool is that![[User:Squirreltape|Squirreltape]] ([[User talk:Squirreltape|talk]]) 18:43, 3 March 2014 (UTC)

If the bracelet band is a Möbius strip, shouldn't the words on it have been "What Would Möbius Do?"
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.229|162.158.154.229]] 19:51, 2 October 2017 (UTC)

1879: Eclipse Birds

2017-08-21T17:28:29Z

141.101.98.28: Eclipse has now happened - "will be at time of writing" no longer required

{{comic
| number = 1879
| date = August 21, 2017
| title = Eclipse Birds
| image = eclipse_birds.png
| titletext = 'Hey! Put her down!' 'No, it's ok! The next chance for me to be carried to a blood cauldron isn't until 2024!'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|More on birds/animals behavior during an eclipse. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is the fourth consecutive comic with {{w|solar eclipse}} as the topic. On the day after this comic's release, Monday, {{w|Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017|August 21, 2017}}, a total solar eclipse was visible in totality within a band across the {{w|contiguous United States}} from west to east. The other comics are [[1876: Eclipse Searches]]. [[1877: Eclipse Science]], and [[1878: Earth Orbital Diagram]].

During an eclipse birds and other animals are reported to show atypical behavior. Birds stop singing during totality, then greet the return of the sun with a "dawn chorus". Owls, however, become active as do mosquitos.

In this comic, [[Cueball]] tells [[Megan]] that this will happen. However, instead of just cheeping and screeching in a different pattern than birds actually do during an eclipse, in the comic, the birds begin to prepare to make a sacrifice to appease their gods, similar to how ancient cultures like the {{w|Aztecs}}, [https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/18/16078886/total-solar-eclipse-folklore are said to have acted].

In the title text it turns out that the birds are about to sacrifice Megan, and Cueball tells them to stop. But Megan tells him it is OK as she wants to try experience of being carried to a blood cauldron as she won't get another chance until the next eclipse in the US on {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|8th of April, 2024}}. (A small region around [https://nationaleclipse.wordpress.com/2016/06/28/x-marks-the-spot-two-total-solar-eclipses-in-seven-years/ Carbondale, Illinois] will experience two total eclipses in 7 years).

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan standing together looking to the right.]
:Cueball: I heard that during an eclipse the birds all freak out.
:Megan: I guess we'll see!

:[Beat panel, the white background sky turns at the top slightly darker.]

:[As the sky turns to dusk sounds can be heard. It's written above Cueball and Megan inside squiggly bubbles.]
:Chirp Chirp!
:Chirp!
:Peep peep peep!
:Squawk!

:[The sky is now nearly dark, more at the top of the panel. The sounds continue, written in similar bubbles.]
:Chirp!
:Clank clank clank
:The time is upon us!
:Peep!
:Kachunk
:Prepare the blood cauldron!
:Cueball: Wow.
:Megan: Isn't nature amazing?

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

1862: Particle Properties

2017-07-12T17:53:39Z

141.101.98.28: Correct spelling of maximum

{{comic
| number = 1862
| date = July 12, 2017
| title = Particle Properties
| image = particle_properties.png
| titletext = Each particle also has a password which allows its properties to be changed, but the cosmic censorship hypothesis suggests we can never observe the password itself—only its secure hash.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Table needs to be filled out with remaining explanations}}
A table is presented comparing the range (maximum and minimum value) and scale (how big number increments are) of several measures. The table begins by listing properties pertinent to {{w|particle physics}} as the title sugests, but quickly devolves to other domains such as role playing games (such as D&D) and sports after failing to provide a good definition of {{w|Flavour (particle physics)|flavor}}.

{| class=wikitable
! Property
! Scale
! Explanation
|-
| Electric charge
| [-1,1]
| A particle can either have a negative charge (noted by -1), a positive charge (noted by +1), or no (neutral) charge (noted by 0). Subatomic particles (quarks) have charges of ± ⅓ or ± ⅔, but cannot exist on their own (they must be combined to create a particle with integer charge).
The charge is shown in increments of a third from -1 to +1 which are the only know charges of the fundamental particles; however there are some exotic particles with twice integer charge e.g. the recently discovered double charmed Xi baryon with charge of +2.
|-
| Mass
| [0,∞) in kg
| Mass is the measure of an object or particle's resistance to force, as well as its ability to distort spacetime (its gravitational attraction).
Theoretically, any object's mass could approach infinity, but mass cannot be below 0. Some particles, such as photons, have zero rest mass and are therefore massless.
|-
| Spin number
| (-∞,∞) (Intervals of ½)
| Spin is an intrinsic properties of particles, Spin is a relativistic form of angular momentum. The spin of a particle determines what statistics the particle follows, half odd integer spin particles are classified as fermions and integer spin particles are bosons.
Two fermions cannot have exactly the same state, this is known as the Pauli exclusion principle. Thus for fermions to exist in the same position, they must have opposite spins, of + ½ and - ½. It follows that a maximum of two identical fermions (e.g. two electrons) may exist in the same position.
|-
| Flavor
| Misc. quantum numbers
| Flavor is a series of quantum numbers that do not fit neatly onto a set of dimensional axis
|-
| Color charge
| 3D coordinate system with R, G and B axes
| Color charge can be Red Green or Blue, the color of a particle must sum to white so a particle can be RGB or Red anti-Red or equivalent. The color charge confines the quarks, separating quarks requires so much energy that jets of particles are created, so color is a property inferred as it cannot be observed on its own. This is the last entry currently used to describe particles by particle physicists.
|-
| Mood
| 5 emojis on a number line ranging from angry to joyful
| Mood particles are not considered to have emotion but Randall implies that there is a quantized 5 point scale which would have some effect of the properties of the particle.
|-
| Alignment
| 3x3 grid with varying shades (columns Good-Evil, rows Lawful-Chaotic)
| A reference to the tabletop RPG {{w|Dungeons & Dragons}}, where characters have an {{w|Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignment}} that is either Good, Neutral, or Evil (describing whether they have a propensity to help or harm others) and either Lawful, Neutral, or Chaotic (describing how much they care about organizations, social norms, and the status quo). Common examples of these alignments include Darth Vader (Lawful Evil), Superman (Lawful Good), Robin Hood (Chaotic Good), and the Joker (Chaotic Evil). This may be a reference to the now defunct names of the two heaviest known quarks ("truth" and "beauty").
|-
| Hit points
| [0,∞)
| Games (videogames, board games, CCGs, RPGs, etc.) often have values for players and other entities that represent health (also called hit points or HP). Generally there is not necessarily a limit on this value, but it does not often go below 0 as the zero value is considered "dead" (or some equivalent).
|-
| Rating
| 5-star scale
| The five-star rating system is often used to rate films, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. Randall has previously criticized this system in [[937: TornadoGuard]] and [[1098: Star Ratings]].
|-
| String type
| Bytestring-Charstring
|
|-
| Batting average
| [0,100] in %
| In baseball, a players batting average is calculated by dividing their hits by their at-bats.
|-
| Proof
| [0,200]
| This refers to {{w|alcohol proof}}, which is the measure of the amount of ethanol in a beverage by volume. The proof of a beverage is two times the percentage of ethanol, so the maximum value is 200.
|-
| Heat
| No jalapeños - 3 jalapeños, increasing
| Spicy peppers are measured by the intensity of the spicy flavor, usually ranging from values like "mild" to "hot". The gray jalapeño likely represents negligible or no spicy taste in the food.
|-
| Street value
| [0,∞) in $
| The value of an illegal good or a legal/controlled good when bought or sold by illegal means.
|-
| Entropy
| ''This already has like 20 different confusing meanings, so it probably means something here, too.''
| The term "entropy", which {{w|History of entropy|began}} as a {{w|Entropy (classical thermodynamics)|thermodynamic measure}}, has since been adopted {{w|Entropy in thermodynamics and information theory|by analogy}} into {{w|Entropy (disambiguation)|multiple seemingly unrelated domains}}. The table doesn't seem to know what domain it is in, but (possibly in a desperate attempt to hide this) deems it safe to assume the unknown domain uses the term "entropy" for ''something''!
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:<big>Particle Properties in Physics</big>
{| class=wikitable
! Property
! Type/scale
|-
| Electric charge
| [Scale with -1, 0 and +1 labeled]
|-
| Mass
| [Scale with 0, 1kg and 2kg labeled]
|-
| Spin number
| [Scale with -1, -½ 0, ½ and 1 labeled]
|-
| Flavor
| (Misc. quantum numbers)
|-
| Color charge
| [3D plot with R, G and B axes] (Quarks only)
|-
| Mood
| [Scale labeled with 5 emoticons, from angry to happy]
|-
| Alignment
| [3x3 grid with varying shades] Good-Evil, Lawful-Chaotic
|-
| Hit points
| [Scale starting from 0]
|-
| Rating
| [Star rating of 3.5/5 stars]
|-
| String type
| Bytestring-Charstring
|-
| Batting average
| [Scale from 0% to 100%]
|-
| Proof
| [Scale from 0 to 200]
|-
| Heat
| [Scale labeled with pepper icons, from 0 to 3]
|-
| Street value
| [Scale with $0, $100 and $200 labeled]
|-
| Entropy
| (This already has like 20 different confusing meanings, so it probably means something here, too.)
|}

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Physics]]

1586: Keyboard Problems

2015-10-07T13:55:02Z

141.101.98.28: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1586
| date = October 5, 2015
| title = Keyboard Problems
| image = keyboard_problems.png
| titletext = In the future, a group of resistance fighters send me back in time with instructions to find the Skynet prototype and try to upgrade it.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Needs some rewording and reorganizing}}

This comic parodies how people diagnose and solve computer problems. Cueball and Megan are trying to solve a keyboard issue, but are somewhat incompetent at diagnosing the issue. Cueball in particular blames a broken keyboard on software or a keyboard virus.

In the comic, [[Cueball]] complains that some keys in his keyboard don't work. Generally speaking, this could be due either to a software problem (e.g. the keyboard driver not working properly, or some program ignoring keypresses) or to a hardware problem (the keyboard is physically damaged, e.g. because of dirt under the keys).

If the problem is in software, booting from a different operating system (e.g. an external recovery disk) should solve it, as the computer would not be using the faulty software. Conversely, if the problem is in hardware, changing the keyboard should solve the problem as the new keyboard is not physically damaged (and has no dirt under the keys).

However, the problem stays there after booting from an external recovery disk (so it's not a software problem) and it has "followed Cueball since his last computer" (i.e. persists after changing to a new laptop with a new keyboard, so it's not a hardware problem). Cueball is reasonably puzzled.

[[Megan]] seems to be used to Cueball's computer behaving strangely, and she doesn't even attempt to explain or solve the problem. The only explanation she needs for the problem is that "it's Cueball's computer". The characters in this comic are probably the same as in [[1084: Server Problem]], [[1316: Inexplicable]], and possibly [[349: Success]].

Both Cueball and Megan are entirely clueless to the fact that the issue is likely a hardware issue with the keyboards, rather than a virus that spreads between computers. It's possible Cueball uses the computer in a dirty environment with food or dust clogging up all of his keyboards. Blaming such a broken-key problem on software or a virus is completely absurd.

The last panel is a reference to {{w|The Terminator}}, a 1984 movie often referenced in xkcd. In the movie, the artificial intelligence named Skynet initiates a nuclear war, destroying most of humanity, then it sends killing machines to finish the rest. These include flying drones - Megan suggests that if such robots come to Cueball's vicinity, they will (physically) crash since computers around Cueball can't seem to ever work properly, and so hiding in Cueball's house she should be safe from the robots.

The title text refers to main plot of the movie and its sequel {{w|Terminator 2: Judgment Day}}. As Skynet's army is losing the battle against the human Resistance movement, it finds a way to send a humanoid robot {{w|Terminator_(character)|T-800}} back in time to kill the mother of the Resistance's leader. The Resistance in turn sends a soldier back in time to protect her. In the sequel, the situation repeats with the more advanced {{w|T-1000}} being the killer and a reprogrammed T-800 being the protector of the child (the future leader). Along the way, they manage to destroy the research lab where Skynet hardware is to be born in the future. The title text suggests an alternative mission into the past, sending Cueball back in time and using his power to cause Skynet to malfunction instead of destroying it physically (as Skynet was created later anyway, despite the destruction of the research lab).

==Transcript==
:[Cueball sits between two laptops. Megan stands behind him.]

:Cueball: Keys on my keyboard keep failing, even when I boot from an external recovery disk.
:Megan: Sounds like it's hardware, then.

:[Cueball moves over to the laptop behind him.]

:Cueball: Yeah... except the problem followed me from my ''last'' computer.
:Megan: You have the most ''bizarre'' tech issues.

:[Cueball picks up the keyboard from the rear computer and plugs it into the one in front of him.]

:Cueball: It must be spreading via keyboards. This one won't work with ''any'' computer now.
:Megan: When the robot apocalypse happens, I'm hiding out in your house. Any Skynet drones that come near will develop inexplicable firmware problems and crash.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Terminator]]

1529: Bracket

2015-05-25T17:42:58Z

141.101.98.28: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1529
| date = May 25, 2015
| title = Bracket
| image = bracket.png
| titletext = I'm staring at the "doctor" section, and I can't help but feel like I've forgotten someone.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Explain the specific groupings.}}
A {{w|Bracket (tournament)|tournament bracket}} shows the planned series of matchups in a tournament. In this comic Randall has shown a plan for a tournament between a wide range of cultural icons, both real and fictional, based mostly on similarities in their names. Various internet groups have speculated on who would win in a fight between characters from different films. It may be relevant that the film {{w|Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice}} is soon to be released where the two namesake {{w|superheros}}, {{w|Batman}} and {{w|Superman}}, fight against each other.

The individual starting pairings are generally based on common or similar given or surnames. Some adjacent brackets are "segued" by someone like Jeff Daniels who segues from a bracket of "Jeff"s into a bracket of "Daniels"es. The bracket itself is fairly arbitrary. Most initial matchups are pairs, although several are trios and there's a quadruplet in the Russels group, while a single entry, Beyoncé, is given a first- and second-round {{w|bye (sports)|bye}}. Most of the participants in the tournament are people with a few exceptions: {{w|Shallots}} (small onions), {{w|scallops}} (bivalve mollusks), and {{w|scallions}} (green onions) are similar sounding foods, therefore may be confusing for some individuals (perhaps including [[Randall]]). The final grouping on the lower right of the bracket features a several retail stores and a film.

The [[title text]] may be referring to {{w|Dr. Dre}}, particularly as a reference to his 2001 song "{{w|Forgot About Dre}}". Alternatively, the title text could simply be a reference to the large number of pop culture personas that include the word "Doctor", such as {{w|Doctor Who}}, {{w|Gregory House|Doctor House}}, {{w|Mehmet Oz|Dr. Oz}}, {{w|Phil McGraw|Dr. Phil}}, {{w|Dr. Watson}}, {{w|Emmett Brown|"Doc" Brown}}, {{w|Dr. Seuss}}, {{w|Dr Pepper}}, {{w|Doctor Doom}}, and {{w|List of fictional doctors|many others}} (or, in fact, [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/futurama-zoidberg-why-not-zoidberg why not Dr. Zoidberg]?). Another possibility is that the [[title text]] is supposed to make the readers ask themselves "{{w|Doctor who}}?" Though "The Doctor" is already listed, this could refer to either ''Doctor Who'' or {{w|Doctor (Star Trek: Voyager)|the ''Star Trek: Voyager'' character}}. Notably, while the Doctor in "Doctor Who" is technically one character, the Doctor has currently been played by 13 different actors. The mythos of the Doctor Who even includes individual incarnations of the Doctor interacting with each other; knowing they are the same person, yet often expressing annoyance when grouped together. So perhaps Randall is implying that to just include the Doctor as one individual is not an accurate representation of this character.

The names and other entries in the bracket are:
{| class="wikitable" style="background:transparent;border:none;width:100%;"
| style="background:transparent;border:none;"|
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Armstrong:
:{{w|Louis Armstrong}} (musician)
:{{w|Neil Armstrong}} (first human on the moon)
:{{w|Lance Armstrong}} (bicyclist)
:{{w|Stretch Armstrong}} (action figure)

Jeff *:
:{{w|Jeff Gordan}}
:{{w|Jeff Bridges}} (Actor)

J* Daniels:
:{{w|Jeff Daniels}}
:{{w|Jack Daniels}} (Alcoholic beverage)

Mr. Well*s:
:{{w|Orson Welles}} (Known for "The War of the Worlds")
:{{w|H.G. Wells}} (Known for "The Time Machine")

<nowiki>*</nowiki>well*:
:{{w|George Orwell}} (Author of "1984" and "Animal Farm")
:{{w|Wells Fargo}} (Bank and stage coach company)

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Russell *:
:{{w|Kurt Russell}}
:{{w|Russell Brand}}
:{{w|Russell Crowe}}
:{{w|Russell Simmons}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Simmons:
:{{w|Richard Simmons}}
:{{w|Gene Simmons}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki>ckman:
:{{w|Gene Hackman}}
:{{w|Hugh Jackman}}
:{{w|Alan Rickman}}

Alan Par*:
:{{w|Alan Parsons}}
:{{w|Alan Partridge}}

McCarthy/Eugene:
:{{w|Jenny McCarthy}}
:{{w|Joseph McCarthy}} (Senator known for anti-communist witchhunt)
:{{w|Eugene McCarthy}}
:{{w|Eugene V. Debs}} (labor leader)

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Wilde*
:{{w|Gene Wilder}}
:{{w|Olivia Wilde}}
:{{w|Oscar Wilde}}

Oscar De La *:
:{{w|Oscar De La Renta}}
:{{w|Oscar De La Hoya}}

Jack *:
:{{w|Jack Nicklaus}} (Golf player)
:{{w|Jack Nicholson}} (Actor)

<nowiki>*</nowiki>ickle* / *ickel*:
:{{w|Phil Mickelson}}
:{{w|Nicholas Nickelby}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki>ryan Adams:
:{{w|Ryan Adams}}
:{{w|Bryan Adams}}

Popular Games:
:{{w|Chubby Checker}} (Checkers is a board game)
:{{w|Fats Domino}} (Dominoes [or dominos] is a game. Domino's is a pizza chain.)

Colin *:
:{{w|Colin Firth}}
:{{w|Colin Farrell}}

F*rell:
:{{w|Will Ferrell}}
:{{w|The Farrelly Brothers}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki>itt:
:{{w|Joseph Gordon-Levitt}}
:{{w|Jennifer Love Hewitt}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Glover:
:{{w|Danny Glover}}
:{{w|Donald Glover}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Wahlberg:
:{{w|Donnie Wahlberg}}
:{{w|Mark Wahlberg}}

Mark *:
:{{w|Mark Ruffalo}}
:{{w|Mark Shuttleworth}}

| style="background:transparent;border:none;"|
Bill */* Pullman:
:{{w|Philip Pullman}}
:{{w|Bill Pullman}}
:{{w|Bill Paxton}}

Ghostbusters:
:{{w|Bill Murray}}
:{{w|Dan Aykroyd}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Rogers:
:{{w|Ginger Rogers}} (Woman known for dancing with {{w|Fred Astaire}})
:Mister/Fred Astaire/Rogers (Confusing reference to {{w|Fred Rogers}} (popularly known as "Mister Rogers") and to {{w|Fred Astaire}})

Doctor */* Spock:
:{{w|Mister Spock}} (Character on Star Trek)
:{{w|Doctor Spock}} (Author of book on childcare)
:{{w|Doctor Octopus}}

Doctors:
:{{w|Doctor Manhattan}}
:{{w|Doctor Strangelove}} (Character based on Henry Kissinger in movie about nuclear war)
:{{w|Doctor Strange}}

More doctors:
:{{w|Dr. No}} (Science fiction character)
:{{w|The Doctor}} (Science fiction character)
:{{w|Cory Doctorow}} (Real person)

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Jerry Lewis:
:{{w|Jerry Lee Lewis}}
:{{w|Jerry Lewis}}

Others with initial J:
:{{w|Jenny Lewis}}
:{{w|Xeni Jardin}}

Chris *:
:{{w|Chris Evans}}
:{{w|Chris Hemsworth}}

Chris P*:
:{{w|Chris Pine}}
:{{w|Chris Pratt}}

Homophones of Shallots:
:{{w|Shallots}} (small onions)
:{{w|Scallops}} (bivalve mollusks)
:{{w|Scallions}} (green onions)

S* (Similar phonetics):
:{{w|Siouxie Sioux}}
:{{w|Suzanne Vega}}

Arnold */* Palmer:
:{{w|Tom Arnold}} (ex-husband of Roseanne Barr)
:{{w|Arnold Palmer}}
:{{w|Amanda Palmer}}

Wes *:
:{{w|Wes Craven}}
:{{w|Wes Anderson}}

P* Anderson:
:{{w|Paul Thomas Anderson}}
:{{w|Poul Anderson}}

Sir Walter *:
:{{w|Sir Walter Scott}}
:{{w|Sir Walter Raleigh}}

F* Drake:
:{{w|Sir Francis Drake}}
:{{w|Frank Drake}}

Van *:
:{{w|Van Halen}}
:{{w|Van Morrison}}
:{{w|Van Wilder}}

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Van Winkle:
:{{w|Robert Van Winkle}}
:{{w|Rip Van Winkle}} (fictional character)

Connects the "Rip"s with Natalie Imbruglia - her most famous hit was the song "Torn":
:{{w|Rip Torn}}
:{{w|Natalie Imbruglia}}

Businesses with the word "Body" in their name:
:{{w|The Body Shop}}
:{{w|Bath and Body Works}}

Things with the word "Beyond" in their name:
:{{w|Bed Bath and Beyond}}
:{{w|Beyond Thunderdome}}

Beyoncé
:{{w|Beyoncé}}
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

:[A tournament bracket with the following:]

{| class="wikitable" style="background:transparent;border:none;width:100%;"
| style="background:transparent;border:none;"|
:{{w|Louis Armstrong}}
:{{w|Neil Armstrong}}
:{{w|Lance Armstrong}}
:{{w|Stretch Armstrong}}

:{{w|Jeff Gordan}}
:{{w|Jeff Bridges}}

:{{w|Jeff Daniels}}
:{{w|Jack Daniels}}

:{{w|Orson Welles}}
:{{w|H.G. Wells}}

:{{w|George Orwell}}
:{{w|Wells Fargo}}

:{{w|Kurt Russell}}
:{{w|Russell Brand}}
:{{w|Russell Crowe}}
:{{w|Russell Simmons}}

:{{w|Richard Simmons}}
:{{w|Gene Simmons}}

:{{w|Gene Hackman}}
:{{w|Hugh Jackman}}
:{{w|Alan Rickman}}

:{{w|Alan Parsons}}
:{{w|Alan Partridge}}

:{{w|Jenny McCarthy}}
:{{w|Joseph McCarthy}}
:{{w|Eugene McCarthy}}
:{{w|Eugene V. Debs}}

:{{w|Gene Wilder}}
:{{w|Olivia Wilde}}
:{{w|Oscar Wilde}}

:{{w|Oscar De La Renta}}
:{{w|Oscar De La Hoya}}

:{{w|Jack Nicklaus}}
:{{w|Jack Nicholson}}

:{{w|Phil Mickelson}}
:{{w|Nicholas Nickelby}}

:{{w|Ryan Adams}}
:{{w|Bryan Adams}}

:{{w|Chubby Checker}}
:{{w|Fats Domino}}

:{{w|Colin Firth}}
:{{w|Colin Farrell}}

:{{w|Will Ferrell}}
:{{w|The Farrelly Brothers}}

:{{w|Joseph Gordon-Levitt}}
:{{w|Jennifer Love Hewitt}}

:{{w|Danny Glover}}
:{{w|Donald Glover}}

:{{w|Donnie Wahlberg}}
:{{w|Mark Wahlberg}}

:{{w|Mark Ruffalo}}
:{{w|Mark Shuttleworth}}

| style="background:transparent;border:none;"|
:{{w|Philip Pullman}}
:{{w|Bill Pullman}}
:{{w|Bill Paxton}}

:{{w|Bill Murray}}
:{{w|Dan Aykroyd}}

:{{w|Ginger Rogers}}
:{{w|Fred Rogers|Mister/Fred Astaire/Rogers}}

:{{w|Mister Spock}}
:{{w|Doctor Spock}}
:{{w|Doctor Octopus}}

:{{w|Doctor Manhatten}}
:{{w|Doctor Strangelove}}
:{{w|Doctor Strange}}

:{{w|Dr. No}}
:{{w|The Doctor}}
:{{w|Cory Doctorow}}

:{{w|Jerry Lee Lewis}}
:{{w|Jerry Lewis}}

:{{w|Jenny Lewis}}
:{{w|Xeni Jardin}}

:{{w|Chris Evans}}
:{{w|Chris Hemsworth}}

:{{w|Chris Pine}}
:{{w|Chris Pratt}}

:{{w|Shallots}}
:{{w|Scallops}}
:{{w|Scallions}}

:{{w|Siouxie Sioux}}
:{{w|Suzanne Vega}}

:{{w|Tom Arnold}}
:{{w|Arnold Palmer}}
:{{w|Amanda Palmer}}

:{{w|Wes Craven}}
:{{w|Wes Anderson}}

:{{w|Paul Thomas Anderson}}
:{{w|Poul Anderson}}

:{{w|Sir Walter Scott}}
:{{w|Sir Walter Raleigh}}

:{{w|Sir Francis Drake}}
:{{w|Frank Drake}}

:{{w|Van Halen}}
:{{w|Van Morrison}}
:{{w|Van Wilder}}

:{{w|Robert Van Winkle}}
:{{w|Rip Van Winkle}}

:{{w|Rip Torn}}
:{{w|Natalie Imbruglia}}

:{{w|The Body Shop}}
:{{w|Bath and Body Works}}

:{{w|Bed Bath and Beyond}}
:{{w|Beyond Thunderdome}}

:{{w|Beyoncé}}
|}

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

Talk:1510: Napoleon

2015-04-11T12:27:04Z

141.101.98.28:

Well, this explains a lot. Why Obama refuses to return to the Moon and wants to go for an asteroid...[[User:Jkotek|Jkotek]] ([[User talk:Jkotek|talk]]) 07:33, 10 April 2015 (UTC)
:That would make an awesome addition to the story line. I wish Randall included that extra panel. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.89|173.245.50.89]] 08:21, 10 April 2015 (UTC)BK201
:So... the reason he wants to go for an asteroid is that we need the capability to send the Moon-escaped Napoleon there! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.192|141.101.98.192]] 09:42, 10 April 2015 (UTC)

Haha this is now one of my favorite xkcd comics [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.33|141.101.98.33]] 08:16, 10 April 2015 (UTC)

IMHO the explanation somewhat misses the crucial point: A parody of the villain type
who always comes back in comic books. (Don't force me to add a TVTropes link :-) [[Special:Contributions/198.41.243.240|198.41.243.240]] 09:22, 10 April 2015 (UTC)

Another question - Why the Antarctic? Something evil resting under deep ice is concept used for example in movie(s) The Thing ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_from_Another_World]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(1982_film)]], [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(2011_film)]] - chose your favorite ;-) or game Prisoner of Ice [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prisoner_of_Ice]].[[User:Jkotek|Jkotek]] ([[User talk:Jkotek|talk]]) 13:59, 10 April 2015 (UTC)
: Don't forget Alien vs. Predator! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.33|141.101.98.33]] 09:21, 11 April 2015 (UTC)

In 2115, Napoleon escapes from the moon and almost conquers the United Nations of Earth before being defeated. He is then sent into the Sun, where he stays for the next thousand years.... But in the 32nd century, humanity begins extracting material from the Sun to build a Dyson Sphere, and this allows Napoleon to escape and wreak havoc once more. At this point, the Star People just give up and go "WTF?!". [[User:Jake|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake|talk]]) 16:37, 10 April 2015 (UTC)

http://what-if.xkcd.com/imgs/a/124/kennedy.png [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.177|108.162.210.177]] 18:20, 10 April 2015 (UTC)

I was so sure that "A century later" meant this was a setup for an "Avatar-the last airbnder" joke. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.28|141.101.98.28]] 12:27, 11 April 2015 (UTC)

1493: Meeting

2015-03-16T14:11:40Z

141.101.98.28: apt-get is specific to systems using apt for package management, "a package manager" is more generic and encompasses more possibilities.

{{comic
| number = 1493
| date = March 2, 2015
| title = Meeting
| image = meeting.png
| titletext = Here at CompanyName.website, our three main strengths are our web-facing chairs, our huge collection of white papers, and the fact that we physically cannot die.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Beret Guy]]'s business, as previously seen in [[1032: Networking]] and [[1293: Job Interview]], is going well, although it is unclear why. The common theme in these three comics is that Beret Guy misuses common business cliches. The following are examples and phrases that [[Randall]] is likely making a joke about:

*"If you're reading this, the webserver was installed correctly." When a web server is installed automatically (like apache through a package manager), it typically comes with a minimal configuration meant to deliver a single page saying all is working fine. Usually, a company will then configure the web server to provide actual meaningful content. It appears that in this case Beret Guy's company kept the page as is, but also trademarked the sentence as the company's motto, and proudly displays it under the company logo.

*"CompanyName.website": Companies are usually given descriptive or evocative names; Beret Guy's company, meanwhile, has been given a generic placeholder name that explains nothing about the company or website except that it is a company with a website.

*"Welcome to a meeting!" The usual way to start a meeting is to welcome the participants by telling them in which meeting they are (e.g. "Welcome to the meeting on ..."). Here, the complete lack of specifics in this sentence is an indication that the meeting has, in fact, no purpose at all, except to be just "A meeting". It could also mean that Beret Guy does not know the proper way to welcome people to a meeting.

*"I'm almost out of words so I'll keep this short." A common theme in the busy world of business is lack of time, so "I'm almost out of time" would be a valid reason for keeping a meeting short, rather than a finite quantity of words. Aside from the fictional movie {{w|A Thousand Words (film)|A Thousand Words}} or people taking a {{w|Vow of Silence}}, people usually don't have a particular quota on the number of words they have or can use.

*"Just wanna touch bases." Often business professions will contact a customer to "touch base," meaning to check in for a status update. The use of the plural "bases" suggests Beret Guy does not know what this means. This could also be a word play on the expression "Cover some bases".

*"Self-driving car project" Google has been working on self-driving cars, which usually shouldn't be lost track of and found by the police. The fact that it was launched "by accident" is concerning. It could mean the car was turned on by mistake and then left unattended, or perhaps that a driver of one of their cars fell asleep or otherwise stopped controlling the vehicle, but it is not clear because the accidental launch may refer to the project itself rather than the car. The involvement of the police implies that the car crashed or otherwise obstructed traffic. What's especially ironic is the implication that the employees were carpooling (sharing a single vehicle for their commute, for reasons of efficiency/economy) in the self-driving car, and yet this carpool activity ended with the car setting off with nobody in it at all. This is considered to be a good result because the whole project is an accident, and 90 miles before crash is a good result for a self-driving car when you didn't even know you built a self-driving car.

*"Sales, any luck figuring out who our customers are?" In the real world, when companies want to find out "who [their] customers are", they are talking about learning more about their existing customers in order to more closely match these customers' needs, and to discover ways to attract more of them. Here, Beret Guy and [[Ponytail]] apparently use the phrase literally - they have no records of making any sales. In a normal enterprise money doesn't usually appear from nowhere, and most businesses would be very unsettled if their cash flow was from an unknown source. Additionally, the company would not be able to comply with government regulations that require it to report information regarding its income for tax purposes. In addition to being fined for failure to properly report its income, the company would be investigated as a suspected money laundering enterprise.

*"Cool red beetle in the hallway" Beret Guy might be referring to seeing an insect. But given his continually surreal world, he might have instead seen a red Volkswagen Beetle, meaning there is an actual car in the hallway. This also matches with the "self-driving car project", potentially explaining why the car is inside the building. Randall's all-caps lettering hides the "beetle" versus "Beetle" distinction.

*"Bug tracker" usually refers to systems for tracking discovery, analysis, and fixing of software bugs (errors and problems), not the location of physical objects (be they insects or Volkswagen Beetles which are nicknamed "bugs").

*"Web-facing" (title text) usually refers to software or a server that is connected to the internet using a web interface. However, in this case the term is applied to chairs placed in front of a computer with internet browsing capability.

*"White papers" (title text) are usually policy recommendations, but here Beret Guy is likely talking about actual (near-worthless) blank white pieces of paper.

*"Main strengths" (title text) typically refer to one's skills, but "we physically cannot die" refers to the fact that incorporated companies are in a sense anthropomorphised—they're legally treated as "persons", with the ability to sue and be sued in civil courts. Or that Beret Guy is literally immortal, in which case that would indeed be a great asset which could be used in a variety of ways, from things like making a one man army (though he could still be captured or incapacitated) to investing for a long long time. On that note, if Beret Guy IS immortal, perhaps many (many) years ago (before his mind got wonky?) he might have invested a lot of money and is finally noticing the large amount of interest that has accrued. This would partly explain why there is lots of money coming in without any customers.

There is an alternative explanation for the company portrayed: it is run by computers. This explains the misinterpretations of language, the empty chair, the non-traceable money (perhaps from other computers) and the self-driving car project.

==Transcript==
:[Beret Guy is shown in silhouette. Above Beret Guy there is a black sign with white (and grey) text. Above this is his address to those in the meeting:]
:Beret Guy: Welcome to a meeting! I'm almost out of words, so I'll keep this short. Just wanna touch bases.
:[White text in the black sign (''.website'' in grey):]
:CompanyName.website
:''If you're reading this, the web''
:''server was installed correctly.™''

:[Beret Guy stands in front of an office chair and a table talking.]
:Beret Guy: First, a few updates. We've learned from the state police that the self-driving car project we launched by accident during this morning's carpool has come to an end about 90 miles outside of town. Very exciting!

:[Pony tail sits at the table.]
:Beret Guy [off-panel]: Profits are up. Sales, any luck figuring out who our customers are?
:Ponytail: Nope. Money keeps appearing, but we have no idea how or why.
:Beret Guy [off-panel]: Great!

:[Back to the situation from frame two.]
:Beret Guy: Oh, and one last thing— I saw a cool red beetle in the hall. Can someone add it to the bug tracker?
:[person off-panel]: Just did!
:Beret Guy: Thanks!

==Trivia==
"CompanyName.website" is actually a domain name that was registered on 2014-11-20 and [http://companyname.website which redirects to xkcd.com]. Presumably, it is owned by Randall, for the same reason as in [[305]].

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Beret Guy's Business]]

1491: Stories of the Past and Future

2015-02-26T09:11:23Z

141.101.98.28: /* Works listed */

{{comic
| number = 1491
| date = February 25, 2015
| title = Stories of the Past and Future
| image = stories_of_the_past_and_future.png
| titletext = Little-known fact: The 'Dawn of Man' opening sequence in 2001 cuts away seconds before the Flinstones theme becomes recognizable.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page.}}
''A larger version of the image is available [http://xkcd.com/1491/large/ here].''

How to read the graph:
* X-axis: Date of publication.
* Y-axis, "Years in the future": Number of years the story's events take place, after the story's publication.
* Y-axis, "Years in the past": Number of years the story's events take place, before the story's publication.
: For example, "Water Margin" was published in the 14th century (x ~= 1300) and relates events from the 12th century, about 200 years before its publication (y ~= 200 in the past).
: Another example: The film ''{{w|The Bridge on the River Kwai}}'' was released in 1957 and it was set around 14 years before (~1942-43).
* Grey area in the "Years in the future" part: Stories set in the future (relative to their publication date), for which the date of the events in the story is already in the past (relative to now). The white and gray areas in this part of the graph are defined as "still possible" and "obsolete", respectively. The gray area (obsolete) will expand over time, assuming more works aren't added in the future: predictions from science fiction or futuristic work that are not confirmed by reality are doomed to be obsolete.
* Grey area in the "Years in the past" part: Stories set in the past (relative to their publication date) but published closer to their setting than to today. The warning "Modern audiences may not recognize which part were supposed to sound old" is a recurrent theme in the author's work, being already formulated in [[771: Period Speech|Period Speech]] comic. The white area seems to be the region where modern readers will be able to distinguish the past setting of a work from the age of the work itself. This gray area will grow over time (again assuming new works set in the past are not added) with more and more works being indistinguishable as works set in the past.
Randall's intent with this comic might be to point out that modern readers' universe is collapsing, with non-obsolete future predictions and recognizable depictions of the past both shrinking.

Taking the "years in the past" on the y-axis to be read as negatives like in most graphs one can write:
* Dates on the lower line satisfy: y = x-2015. Corresponding works were published in the year x = 2015+y and are set in the year x+y = 2015+2y.
* Dates on the upper line satisfy: y = 2015-x. Corresponding works were published in the year x = 2015-y and are set in the year x+y = 2015.
Thus it's clear that the definitions of the lines are consistent with each other as they follow similar but inverted functions.
The graph uses variable {{w|logarithmic scale}}s, adjusting the scale in various regions to the temporal density of works being plotted. If the scale was linear, the graph would in fact represent a (bidimensional) {{w|Minkowski diagram}}, which depicts the moving cones of past and future in spacetime as one's present advances in time.

===Works listed===
:''This section is currently under construction''
{| class="wikitable"
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Publication'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Description'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Year written'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Year difference'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Year set in'''
| align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;"|'''Notes'''
|-
| ''{{w|Epic of Gilgamesh|Epic of Gilgamesh}}''|| anicent Mesopotamian epic poem ||~2100 BCE||~500||~2600 BCE|| {{w|Enmebaragesi}}, a historically attested ''Iliad'' character, is thought to have lived around 2600 BCE
|-
| ''{{w|Iliad|The Iliad}}''||epic written by Greek philosopher Homer || 700s BCE || ~500 || 1260–1240 BCE ||
|-
| ''{{w|Book of Genesis|Book of Genesis}}''||first book of the Bible, describing the creation of the world || 500s-400s BCE || ~4200 || 3761 BCE || The ''{{w|Anno Mundi}}'' epoch, the product of scriptural calculations by {{w|Maimonides}}, places the Genesis date of the creation of the world at October 7, 3761 BCE in the {{w|proleptic Julian calendar}}
|-
| ''{{w|History of the Peloponnesian War|History of the Peloponnesian War}}''||history written by Thucydides||~400 BCE||~10||431-411 BCE||
|-
| ''{{w|Gospels|Gospels}}''|| collection of literary works detailing the life of Jesus of Nazareth || ~65–110 CE || 25–75 || 7–2 BCE – 30–33 CE || Setting dates are those of Jesus' estimated lifetime. Writing dates are as follows: Mark 65–73 CE; Matthew 70–100 CE; Luke 80–100 CE; John 90–110 CE. Randall's difference calculation seems to be based on the date of Jesus' death.
|-
| ''{{w|Ashokavadana|Ashokavadana}}''||narrative of the life of Ashoka the Great||100s CE||~400||304–232 BCE||
|-
| ''{{w|The Pillow Book|The Pillow Book}}''||book written by Sei Shōnagon||1002||6||996||
|-
| ''{{w|Water Margin|Water Margin}}''||novel by Shi Nai'an||late 1300s||~150||early 1100s
|-
| ''{{w|Richard III (play)|Richard III}}''||play by William Shakespeare||1597||112-119||1478-1485||
|-
| ''{{w|Henry IV (play)|Henry IV}}''||plays by William Shakespeare||1598*||185-196||1402-1413||
|-
| ''{{w|King Lear|King Lear}}''||play by William Shakespeare||1608||2400|| 8th century B.C.||
|-
| ''{{w|King John (play)|King John}}''||play by William Shakespeare||1623||~400||~1200-1216||
|-
| ''{{w|Henry VIII (play)|Henry VIII}}''||play by William Shakespeare||1623||90-102||1521-1533||
|-
| ''{{w|Julius Caesar (play)|Julius Caesar}}''||play by William Shakespeare||1623||1667-1670||45-2 B.C.||
|-
| ''{{w|Memoirs of the Twentieth Century|Memoirs of the Twentieth Century}}''|| book written by Samuel Madden||1733||264||1997||
|-
| ''{{w|Moby-Dick|Moby-Dick}}''||novel by Herman Melville||1851||5+||before 1846 || Inspired by events occurring in 1820, the late 1830s, and the early 1840s
|-
| ''{{w|Looking Backward|Looking Backward}}''|| novel written by Edward Bellamy||1888||112||2000||
|-
| ''{{w|A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court|A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court}}''||novel by Mark Twain||1889||1200||6th Century||
|-
| ''{{w|Golf in the Year 2000|Golf in the Year 2000}}''|| novel written by J. McCullough||1892||108||2000||
|-
| ''{{w|The Time Machine|The Time Machine}}''|| novel written by H.G. Wells||1895||800,806||802,701||
|-
| ''{{w|Enoch Soames|Enoch Soames}}''|| short story by Max Beerbohm||1897||100||1997||
|-
| ''{{w|Lest Darkness Fall|Lest Darkness Fall}}''||alternate history SF novel by L. Sprague de Camp||1939||1404||535||
|-
| ''{{w|Casablanca (film)|Casablanca}}''||film directed by Michael Curtiz||1942||<1||1941||
|-
| ''{{w|Nineteen Eighty-Four|1984}}''||novel written by George Orwell||1949||35||1984||
|-
| ''{{w|Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd|A Week in the Wales of the Future}}''||novel written by Islwyn Ffowc Elis||1957||76||2033||
|-
| ''{{w|The Jetsons|The Jetsons}}''||TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera||1962*||100||~2062||
|-
| ''{{w|Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek !TOS!}}''||TV series created by Gene Roddenberry||1966*||298||2264||
|-
| ''{{w|2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey}}''||novel written by Arthur C. Clarke||1968||33||2001||
|-
| ''{{w|Space: 1999|Space: 1999}}''||TV series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson||1975*||24||1999||
|-
| ''{{w|2010: Odyssey Two|2010: Odyssey Two}}''||novel written by Arthur C. Clarke||1982||28||2010||
|-
| ''{{w|The Transformers (TV series)|Transformers (TV Series)}}''||TV series||1984*||~20||~2004||
|-
| ''{{w|Star Trek: The Next Generation|Star Trek: The Next Generation}}''||TV series created by Gene Roddenberry||1987*||377||2364||
|-
| ''{{w|2061: Odyssey Three|2061: Odyssey Three}}''||novel written by Arthur C. Clarke||1987||74||2061||
|-
| ''{{w|Back to the Future Part II|Back to the Future Part II}}''||film directed by Robert Zemeckis||1989||26||2015||
|-
| ''{{w|Zero Wing|Zero Wing}}''||arcade/computer game||1989||112||2101||Previously referenced in [[887: Future Timeline]]
|-
| ''{{w|Terminator 2: Judgment Day|Terminator 2 (1995 Portion)}}''||film directed by James Cameron||1991||4||1995||
|-
| ''{{w|3001: The Final Odyssey|3001: The Final Odyssey}}''||novel written by Arthur C. Clarke||1997||1004||3001||
|-
| ''{{w|Star Trek: Enterprise|Enterprise}}''||TV series||2001*||150||2151||
|-
|''{{w|Asterix|Asterix}}''||French comic by Goscinny and Uderzo||1959*||-2013||50 B.C.||
|-
| ''{{w|The Ten Commandments (1956 film)|The Ten Commandments}}''||film by Cecil B. DeMille||1956||->3000||{{w|The Exodus#Date|1446 BCE}}†||
|-
| ''{{w|The Flintstones|The Flintstones}}''||TV series produced by Hanna-Barbera||1960*||->2,5 million||{{w|Stone Age|Stone Age}}||
|-
| ''{{w|2001: A Space Odyssey|2001: A Space Odyssey (prologue)}}''||novel written by Arthur C. Clarke||1968|||-3 million||3 million years B.C. (4 in the movie)||
|-
| ''{{w|Star Wars#Original trilogy|Star Wars (IV - VI)}}''||original film trilogy ||1977-1983|| ||A long time ago||
|-
| ''{{w|Star Wars#Prequel trilogy|Star Wars (I - III)}}''||prequel film trilogy||1999-2005|| ||A long time ago||
|-
| ''{{w|Raptor Red|Raptor Red}}''||novel by Robert Bakker||1995||->65 million||Cretaceous Period||
|-
| ''{{w|Star Wars sequel trilogy|Star Wars (VII - IX)}}''||sequel film trilogy||2015-2021|| ||A long time ago||
|-
| ''{{w|Ice Age (film series)|Ice Age}}''||animated films by Blue Sky Studios||2002*||->12,000||{{w|Last glacial period| Paleolithic-Mesolithic}}||
|-
|''{{w|10,000 BC (film)|10,000 BC}}''||film by Roland Emmerich||2008||-11,992||10,000 BC||
|-
| ''{{w|300 (film)|300}}''||film by Zack Snyder||2007||-2487||''{{w|Battle of Thermopylae|480 BC}}||
|-
| ''{{w|Year One (film)|Year One}}''||film by Harold Ramis||2009||-2008||1 AD||
|-
| ''{{w|The Prince of Egypt|The Prince of Egypt}}''||animated film by DreamWorks||1998||->3400|{{w|The Exodus#Date|1446 BCE}}†||
|-
| ''{{w|Downton Abbey|Downtown Abbey}}''||TV series||2010*||->90||1912-1923||
|-
| ''{{w|Pearl Harbor (film)|Pearl Harbour}}''||film by Michael Bay||2001||-60||1941||
|-
| ''{{w|Saving Private Ryan|Saving Private Ryan}}''||film by Steven Spielberg||1998||-54||1944||
|-
| ''{{w|Chariots of Fire|Chariots of Fire}}''||film by Hugh Hudson||1981||-57||1924||
|-
| ''{{w|Blazing Saddles|Blazing Saddles}}''||film by Mel Brooks||1974||-100||1874||
|-
| ''{{w|Back to the Future Part III|Back to the Future Part III}}''||film by Robert Zemeckis||1990||-105||1885||
|-
| ''{{w|Roots (miniseries)|Roots}}''||TV series, adapted from eponymous novel||1977||->113||1750-1861||
|-
| ''{{w|Treasure Island|Treasure Island}}''||||||||||
|-
| ''{{w|The Last of the Mohicans|The Last of the Mohicans}}''||novel by James Cooper||1826||-69||1757||
|-
| ''{{w|A Tale of Two Cities|A Tale of Two Cities}}''|| book by Charles Dickens ||1859||84||1775
|-
| ''{{w|Gone With The Wind|Gone With The Wind}}''|| novel by Margaret Mitchel ||1936||75||1861
|-
| ''{{w|Gunsmoke|Gunsmoke}}''||American radio and television series||1952*||~75||1870s||1952 is when the radio series started. The TV series didn't start until 1955.
|-
| ''{{w|Rip Van Winkle|Rip Van Winkel [sic]}}''||short story by Washington Irving||1819||32–52||1767–1787||It's not clear why Randall has picked 1787 as the year that Rip Van Winkle awakes.
|-
| ''{{w|Les Misérables|Les Miserábles [sic]}}''||novel by Victor Hugo||1862||-47||1815-1832||
|-
| ''{{w|Oklahoma!|Oklahoma!}}''||Broadway musical||1943||-37||1906||
|-
| ''{{w|Lawrence of Arabia|Lawrence of Arabia}}''||film by David Lean||1962||->44||1916-8||
|-
| ''{{w|The Music Man|The Music Man}}''||Broadway musical||1957||-45||1912||
|-
| ''{{w|Annie (musical)|Annie (play)}}''||Broadway musical||1977||-44||1933||
|-
| ''{{w|Annie (1982 film)|Annie (movie)}}''||film adaptation of the above by John Huston||1982||-49||1933||
|-
| ''{{w|Schindler's List|Schindler's List}}''||film by Steven Spielberg||1993||->48||1939-1945||
|-
| ''{{w|Mad Men|Mad Men}}''||TV series||2007*||->47||1960-1970||
|-
| ''{{w|Evita (1996 film)|Evita}}''||film by Alan Parker||1996||-44||1952||
|-
| ''{{w|Bonnie and Clyde(film)|Bonnie and Clyde}}''||film by Arthur Penn||1967||->33||1932-4||
|-
| ''{{w|Chinatown (1974 film)|Chinatown}}''||film by Roman Polanski||1974||-37||1937||
|-
| ''{{w|Gandhi (film)|Gandhi}}''||film by Richard Attenborough||1982||->34||1893-1948||
|-
| ''{{w|The Sandlot|The Sandlot}}''||film by David Mickey Evans||1993||-31||1962||
|-
| ''{{w|Back to the Future|Back to the Future}}''||film by Robert Zemeckis||1985||-30||1955||
|-
| ''{{w|Patton (film)|Patton}}''||film by Franklin J. Schaffner||1970||->25||1943-5||
|-
| ''{{w|Catch-22 (film)|Catch-22 (Movie)}}''||film by Mike Nichols||1970||->26||1942-44||
|-
| ''{{w|The Great Escape (film)|The Great Escape}}''||film by John Sturges||1963||-20||1943-4||
|-
| ''{{w|Catch-22|Catch-22 (Book)}}''||novel by Joseph Heller||1961||->17||1942-44||
|-
| ''{{w|MASH (film)|M*A*S*H}}''||film by Robert Altman||1970||-19||1951||
|-
| ''{{w|Grease (film)|Grease}}''||film by Randall Kleiser||1978||-20||1958||
|-
| ''{{w|Happy Days|Happy Days}}''||TV series||1974-84||-19||1955-1965||
|-
| ''{{w|Platoon (film)|Platoon}}''||film by Oliver Stone||1986||-21||1967||
|-
| ''{{w|The Wonder Years|The Wonder Years}}''||TV series||1988-93||-20||1968-73||
|-
| ''{{w|Dirty Dancing|Dirty Dancing}}''||film by Emile Ardolino||1987||-24||1963||
|-
| ''{{w|The Right Stuff (film)|The Right Stuff}}''||film by Philip Kaufman||1983||->20||1947-63||
|-
| ''{{w|JFK (film)|JFK}}''||film by Oliver Stone||1991||->22||1963-9||
|-
| ''{{w|Apollo 13 (film)|Apollo 13}}''||film by Ron Howard||1995||-25||1970||
|-
| ''{{w|That '70s Show|That '70s Show}}''||TV series||1998-2006||->22|||1976-1979||
|-
| ''{{w|The Wolf of Wall Street|The Wolf of Wall Street}}''||film by Martin Scorsese||2013||->18||1987-1995||
|-
| ''{{w|Freaks and Geeks|Freaks and Geeks}}''||TV series||1999-2000||-19||1980-1||
|-
| ''{{w|I Love the '80s (U.S. TV series)|I Love the '80s}}''||TV miniseries by VH1||2002||-22||1980||
|-
| ''{{w|The Bridge on the River Kwai|The Bridge on the River Kwai}}''||film by David Lean||1952||-9\10||1942-3||
|-
| ''{{w|American Graffiti|American Graffiti}}''||film by George Lucas||1973||-11||1962||
|-
| ''{{w|Apocalypse Now|Apocalypse Now}}''||film by Francis Ford Coppola||1979||-10||1969||
|-
| ''{{w|The Big Lebowski|The Big Lebowski}}''||film by the Coen Brothers||1998||-7||1991||
|-
| ''{{w|United 93 (film)|United 93}}''|| film directed by Paul Greengrass||2006||-5||2001||
|-
| ''{{w|I Love the '90s (U.S. TV series)|I Love the '90s}}''|| TV miniseries on VH1||2004||-14||1990||
|-
| ''{{w|Hotel Rwanda|Hotel Rwanda}}''|| film directed by Terry George||2004||-10||1994||
|-
| ''{{w|I Love the 2000s|I Love the 2000s}}''|| TV miniseries on VH1||2014||-14||2000||
|-
|
|}

<nowiki/>* first episode aired 
† conjectured year set in

==Trivia==
There is a hypercorrection in ''{{w|Rip Van Winkle}}'' as ''Rip van Winkel''. Washington Irving may have misspelled ''van {{w|nl:Winkel|Winkel}}''.

It's ''{{w|Les Misérables}}'' not ''Les Miserábles''. Note that French doesn't have "á".

{{w|Lest Darkness Fall}} takes place about 1400 years in the past, but is places around the -500 years line on the graph.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:'''Date of publication'''
:[A logarithmic scale running horizontally, from 3000 BCE to past 2015 CE]
:'''Years in the future'''
:[A logarithmic scale running vertically, from 1 billion down to 0]
:'''Stories set in the future''' (science fiction, prediction)
::Stories set in 2015
::[A line divides this region into two. The upper side is labelled "still possible"; the lower side is labelled "obsolete".]
:[from left to right...]
::Memoirs of the Twentieth Century [1733, 265 years in the future]
::Looking Backward [1888, 112 years in the future]
::Golf in the Year 2000 [1892, 108 years in the future]
::The Time Machine [1895, 800 thousand to 30 million years in the future]
::Enoch Soames [1916, ''circa'' 60 years in the future]
::1984 [1949, 35 years in the future]
::A Week in the Wales of the Future [1957, 76 years in the future]
::The Jetsons [1962-63, 100 years in the future]
::Star Trek [1966-69, 300 years in the future]
::2001: A Space Odyssey [1968, 33 years in the future]
::Space: 1999 [1975-77, 24 years in the future]
::2010: Odyssey Two [1982, 28 years in the future]
::Transformers (TV series) [1984-87, 20 years in the future]
::2061: Odyssey Three [1987, 74 years in the future]
::Star Trek: The Next Generation [1987-94, ''circa'' 500 years in the future]
::Back to the Future Part II [1989, 26 years in the future]
::Zero Wing [1989, 112 years in the future]
::Terminator 2 (1995 portion) [1991, 4 years in the future]
::3001: The Final Odyssey [1997, 1004 years in the future]
::Enterprise [2001-2005, 150 years in the future]
::This chart [2015, 0 years in the future]
:'''Years in the Past'''
:[A logarithmic scale running vertically, from 0 down past 1 billion to "Big Bang"]
:'''Stories Set in the Past''' (History, Period Fiction)
::Stories written X years ago and set 2X years ago
::[A line divides this region into two. The upper side is labelled as follows.]
::'''Former Period Pieces'''
::Stories set in the past, but created long enough ago that they were published closer to their setting than to today.
::Modern audiences may not recognize which parts were ''supposed'' to sound old.
:[from left to right...]
::The Epic of Gilgamesh [''circa'' 2100 BCE, 600 years in the past]
::The Iliad [''circa''' 800 BCE, 450 years in the past]
::History of the Peloponnesian War [''circa'' 390 BCE, 10 years in the past]
::Book of Genesis [''circa'' 500 BCE, 4000 years in the past]
::Ashokavadana [''circa'' 100 BCE, 300 years in the past]
::Gospels (various estimates) [''circa'' 250 CE, 24 to 75 years in the past]
::The Pillow Book [1000 CE, 5 years in the past]
::Water Margin [''circa'' 1300, 195 years in the past]
::Richard III [''circa'' 1590, 115 years in the past]
::Julius Caesar [1599, 1650 years in the past]
::King John [''circa'' 1600, 500 years in the past]
::Henry IV [''circa'' 1600, 190 years in the past]
::King Lear [''circa'' 1606, 3000 years in the past]
::Henry VIII [''circa'' 1612, 105 years in the past]
::The Last of the Mohicans [1826, 69 years in the past]
::Rip Van Winkel [1819, 31-51 years in the past]
::A Tale of Two Cities [1859, 60 years in the past]
::Moby-Dick [1851, around 10 years ago]
:::"Some years ago--never mind how long precisely..."
::Les Miserábles [1862, 30 years in the past]
::A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
::Treasure Island
::Gone With the Wind
::Lest Darkness Fall
::Casablanca
::Oklahoma!
::The Ten Commandments
::The Bridge on the River Kwai
::Gunsmoke
::Catch-22 (book)
::The Flintstones
::The Great Escape
::Asterix
::Lawrence of Arabia
::The Music Man
::Bonnie and Clyde
::2001: A Space Odyssey (prologue)
::American Graffiti
::Patton
::Catch-22 (movie)
::Chinatown
::Blazing Saddles
::Apocalypse Now
::Happy Days
::Grease
::M*A*S*H
::Annie (play)
::Roots
::Chariots of Fire
::Star Wars (IV-VI)
::Annie (movie)
::The Right Stuff
::Back to the Future
::Gandhi
::Platoon
::Dirty Dancing
::Back to the Future Part III
::The Wonder Years
::JFK
::The Sandlot
::Schindler's List
::Raptor Red
::Apollo 13
::Star Wars (I-III)
::The Big Lebowski
::Evita
::Saving Private Ryan
::The Prince of Egypt
::Freaks and Geeks
::Hotel Rwanda
::I Love the '80s
::That '70s Show
::Pearl Harbor
::Ice Age
::I Love the '90s
::United 93
::300
::10,000 BC
::Year One
::The Wolf of Wall Street
::I Love the 2000s
::Mad Men
::Downton Abbey
::Star Wars (VII-IX)

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Large drawings]]