explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

604: Qwertial Aphasia

2013-06-13T11:01:22Z

145.253.244.103: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 604
| date = July 1, 2009
| title = Qwertial Aphasia
| image = qwertial_aphasia.png
| titletext = If this were SMBC, the alt-text drawing thingy would be a giraffe hooker fluttering her eyelashes.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Randall]] has invented the name "Qwertial Aphasia", to describe the common experience of having a word, from a spoken conversation, accidentally spill over into something one is typing, often with humorous results.

{{w|Aphasia}} is a class of medical conditions which affect the production and understanding of language. The description "Qwertial" probably refers to the position of the top row of letters in the most common keyboard arrangement, the {{w|QWERTY}} keyboard layout.

The joke set up in the comic comes from the substitution of the word 'giraffe' for the word 'frequently', which changes the whole meaning of the sentence. The original sentence would have been 'I can't afford to keep eating out this frequently.' The unintentional replacement makes 'giraffe' the object of the sentence, and implies that Cueball is 'eating out' (slang for {{w|cunnilingus}}) a giraffe. He tries to correct himself but the damage is done.

Another possible reading is that Cueball is correcting his first statement, explaining that this happens more often than just "sometimes".

The title text continues the image of a giraffe as a sexual object - in particular, one which costs money. SMBC refers to the comic [http://www.smbc-comics.com/ Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal], a whimsical joke-a-day comic which comes with a second illustration, which can be seen by mousing over a button known as the "votey". This additional panel often serves as a second punchline in the same way as the title text does in xkcd.

==Transcript==
:I hate how when I'm talking while I type, sometimes I accidentally type a word I'm saying.
:[Cueball is sitting at a computer.]
:Computer: Wanna go get food later?
:[Megan runs over, holding a giraffe.]
:Megan: Check out what I found in the closet!
:''Type type''
:Cueball [Typing]: Sorry, I really shouldn't.
:Cueball [talking]: Aww, what an adorable stuffed giraffe!
:''Type type''
:Cueball [typing]: I can't afford to keep eating out this giraffe.
:''Frequently!'' I meant ''"frequently"''!

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

Talk:1221: Nomenclature

2013-06-13T10:55:03Z

145.253.244.103:

I honestly thought this was a reference to The Batter from the game Off. He often looks like an XKCD character.

When I saw the obvious Doctor Who reference, I jumped on the Wiki hoping to be the first to post the Who's On First reference. I drastically underestimate xkcd fans. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 04:44, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

I thought that the middle guy was Short Round from Temple of Doom, since he shouts "Doctor Jones, Doctor Jones!" but I suppose that doesn't really make sense.--[[Special:Contributions/74.125.18.32|74.125.18.32]] 10:05, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

I came here for an explanation of the ''comic'' and found none. So far there are only explanations of the ''references.'' Who are the three characters in the comic, and what is the situation they’re in? Which kind of confusion arised between them? (Though I got ''all'' the pop-cultural references mentioned I cannot make any sense of the comic so far.) --[[Special:Contributions/77.185.42.247|77.185.42.247]] 10:45, 5 June 2013 (UTC) Who is not in the comic. Who is on first. What is not in the situation of the characters of the comic; What is on second.
:Hypothetical answer: The tall and short baseball players are Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, respectively. Abbott is talking about the baseball team with the oddly-named players from the "Who's on First" routine, except that the Doctor from "Doctor Who" is playing first base. Abbott is attempting to tell Costello about his lineup in the usual "Who's on First" style, and Costello is completely confused by it as usual. However, Megan (someone more familiar with the Doctor Who franchise) interrupts to explain that the first baseman, who Abbott thinks is named "Dr. Who", is actually just "The Doctor" and does not have "Who" as part of his name. --[[Special:Contributions/99.140.166.189|99.140.166.189]] 13:42, 5 June 2013 (UTC) The Doctor is not on first. Who is on First. The Doctor is in right field.

I see it as an homage to Abbot & Costello's "Who's on first" routine, but with actual characters from literature and the media. The joke is that when the "Who's on first" routine first came out everyone thought the names were just implausible, made-up characters. We were wrong, but I don't know (Third Base). [[User:Galois|Galois]] ([[User talk:Galois|talk]]) 11:05, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

I went a bit verbose on expanding the exposition, only to get edit-sniped right as I was posting. I think the other version is better, but FYI here is what I'd ended up with, in case any of it is still useful...
:{{w|Doctor (Doctor Who)|The Doctor}} from the long-running British television series ''{{w|Doctor Who}}'' has been incorrectly referred to as "Who", "Doctor Who" or "Dr. Who" by fans and commentators (not helped by the series name, itself, and how the character was credited in various earlier episodes' and some spin-off works). When not using a pseudonym or playing along with some form of mistaken identity, however, he overwhelmingly tends to introduce himself as "The Doctor". If not unquestionably accepted (perhaps due to natural {{w|Time Lord}} 'glamour'/confidence or some {{w|TARDIS}} effect) this tends to elicit the response "Doctor who?". His response to this question is often "Just 'The Doctor'."
(...which, I originally pointed out but edited away, often tends to settle things. Really, between the TARDIS translation field/etc, his recent use of psychic paper and of course his own long-practiced assertive air of self-confidence, he has avoided a ''lot'' of 'First Contact'-type problems. Not infallably so, of course, but that's Plot for you.) [[Special:Contributions/178.98.154.137|178.98.154.137]] 13:05, 5 June 2013 (UTC) Similarly, some people may think that Mrs. Whatsit's name is Whatsit, but her name is What. Whatsit is actually the name of her husband. [Not the Doctor's husband, the husband of the second baseman.]

Interestingly, it appears that his name is both "Doctor Who" and "The Doctor". All living pre-2005 actors who played the role, as well as Doctor Who Magazine itself, refer to him as Doctor Who. It's only since the reboot of the series in 2005 that people, mostly those referred to as "NuWhos", insist his one and only name is "The Doctor".

How is it that no one has mentioned the Robot Chicken take on this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNIdqvMUhrE

What does "Aunt Beast" in the title text refer to? [[Special:Contributions/72.92.72.222|72.92.72.222]] 16:13, 5 June 2013 (UTC) "Aunt Beast" is another example of an honorific, and refers to a player on the batting team.

:On the issue of "NuWhos" being the pedantic ones, I'm an avowed traditionalist Whovian from way back when (4th Doctor era, technically, although I actually relate more to Five's era), and we were ''always'' being joyfully sniffy about those (including 'official media', and episode credits themselves) that used to name any given incarnation as "Doctor Who". (''Apart'' from Peter Cushing, who ''is'' a doctor named Who... and is also entirely human.)
:We noticed with disgust when new-era Who ''perpetuated'' the error. The end-credits for Nine/Eccleston said "Doctor Who" for his entire season. It became only became "The Doctor" for The Christmas Invasion, the inter-season special that was Ten's first full episode. Probably due to a load of us fans berating TPTB about the error. (My recordings of the '96 TV movie and what I have of the older seasons aren't at hand, though, to double check their credits, and I know it varied. The IMDB listing for McGann's production suggests "The Doctor" ''was'' correct for him, though.)
:And I can't subscribe to the authority of 'mere' actors or even official spin-off literature if the producers ''themselves'' can be shown to be utterly '''wrong'''... ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.107.63.150|178.107.63.150]] 19:21, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

I slightly disagree with the current state of the explanation. First, I think the Doctor is the first baseman, not Mrs. Who (why else is the Doctor even being mentioned by the duo in the comic?). Second, the "on first" or "on second" is little bit ambiguous. If you say "X is on first" that could mean that X is a member of the batting team and has made it to first base, or it could mean that X is a member of the fielding team and is the first baseman. Now, the Abbot and Costello routine removes the ambiguity because it is said at the start of the skit that the team's lineup is being given, which means any references to "on first", "on second", etc. have to be to the defensive positions. But in this explanation I think it would be better to say that the Doctor is the first baseman (or is playing first) and Mrs. Whatsit is the second baseman. 16:54 5 June 2013 (UTC)
:That's actually what's funny about this comic. Costello is confused about the name of the player playing first base. Megan is adding to the confusion because she misinterprets the "Who" in a new, different way than either Abbott or Costello. --[[User:DanB|DanB]] ([[User talk:DanB|talk]]) 17:42, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

I think we do need more explain on the title text. While we still have this confusion about names there is someone (the captain?) shouting to the field. So this must be a real baseball game. Aunt Beast is the batter and hitting the ball for Mrs Whatsit to reach the second base. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:02, 5 June 2013 (UTC)

The title text refers to "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle. {{unsigned ip|71.199.241.5}}

"Nomenclature" could use a definition, since it ties the joke together. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 03:41, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
:So write one. --[[User:DanB|DanB]] ([[User talk:DanB|talk]]) 14:17, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
::The explanation looks like it needs to be rewritten since it looks so patchy from pieces of explanations just getting added on a whim. I don't want to add to that problem since I'm not a writer. But I appreciate your faith in me. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 16:55, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
:::Tell us more, there are writers here who will adopt.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:49, 6 June 2013 (UTC)
::::I planned to go into more detail when I got off of work, but the IP that cleaned it up already did an amazing job. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 21:39, 7 June 2013 (UTC)
:::::Mrs Whatsit is not running for the second base but catching the ball against the runner (who? - not the Doctor) ??? I'm still sure she is running to that base. Help me to understand if I am wrong.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:08, 7 June 2013 (UTC)

In this comic, Randall demonstrates two sources of ambiguous nomenclature based on honorifics: What, playing second base, is married to Mister Whatsit. What is Mrs. Whatsit. The players in the comic are confused by the name of one of the players from the fielding team, the Doctor. Doctor Who? No. Who is on first. The Doctor is in right field. One justification for bringing the Doctor into the Abbot and Costello's team of players is that cast of characters in one of their video performances shows the right field position is held by "?". This symbol has been associated with the Doctor and has been seen embroidered on his clothing. [Perhaps the appearance of a question mark is a coincidence of the type that causes people to think that Superman's "S" is the initial letter of the word "Superman".] Note: In the Abbot and Costello routine, honorifics were not used, as the players were named familiarly, as one would use nicknames, and no honorifics, such as "Mr. Who" were used. Only in this comic are honorifics "Mrs." and "Dr." and "Aunt" used, which is a main reason for the title being called "nomenclature." (But it may be that "Aunt" may be Ms. Beast's first name...){{unsigned|Comet}}

462: Freemanic Paracusia

2013-06-13T10:46:20Z

145.253.244.103:

{{comic
| number = 462
| date = August 13, 2008
| title = Freemanic Paracusia
| image = freemanic_paracusia.png
| titletext = It's amazing what it does for YouTube comments.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
{{w|Paracusia}} is a form of hallucination that involves perceiving sounds without auditory stimulus.

{{w|Morgan Freeman}} is an American actor, film director, and narrator. He is known for his soothing and mellow voice, which helps amplify his performances, such as God in {{w|Bruce Almighty}} and its sequel {{w|Evan Almighty}}, as well as narrator in {{w|War of the Worlds (2005 film)|War of the Worlds}} by {{w|Steven Spielberg}}.

The comic is a play on the combination of the two. The idea is that while reading a text, instead of hearing you own voice in your mind's ear, you substitute it for Freeman's voice, giving a new perspective on the contents of the text.

The title text suggests to apply this specifically on the mostly stupid comments on YouTube.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting behind a desk with a Computer]
:Narrator: Freemanic Paracusia, A disorder wherein you hear everything you read in the comforting voice of Morgan Freeman.
:[There is a thought bubble of Cueball's thoughts, within it is Morgan Freeman reading text]
:Morgan Freeman: Why, you could enlarge your penis for cheap. My, my. Isn't that something?

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

Freemanic Paracusia

2013-06-13T10:27:25Z

145.253.244.103: Redirected page to 462: Freemanic Paracusia

#REDIRECT [[462: Freemanic Paracusia]]

462

2013-06-13T10:25:35Z

145.253.244.103: Redirected page to 462: Freemanic Paracusia

#REDIRECT [[462: Freemanic Paracusia]]

Talk:462: Freemanic Paracusia

2013-06-13T10:11:04Z

145.253.244.103:

Hi there! This is my first xkcd explanation attempt. Hope it's good enough.

- TED N E

PS

One other thing - I can't seem to be able to redirect right from the list of all comics. {{unsigned|TED N E}}
: Go here [[Help:How to add a new comic explanation]] and read the instructions.--[[Special:Contributions/145.253.244.103|145.253.244.103]] 10:11, 13 June 2013 (UTC)

Council of 300

2013-06-12T10:07:25Z

145.253.244.103: Redirected page to 1224: Council of 300

#REDIRECT [[1224: Council of 300]]

521: 2008 Christmas Special

2013-05-28T13:11:42Z

145.253.244.103: linkfix

{{comic
| number = 521
| date = December 24, 2008
| title = 2008 Christmas Special
| image = 2008_christmas_special.png
| titletext = 'How could you possibly think typing 'import skynet' was a good idea?'
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is the xkcd Christmas Special from the year 2008. The prologue states that due to the {{w|2008 financial crisis}}, only very few images of the strip could be produced. It is therefore left to the reader to reconstruct the whole story based on the given images. While it is claimed that the reconstruction should be rather easy, the complicated and abstruse plot-line makes it nearly impossible to fill the gaps. Any attempt at inferring the missing images would therefore be largely guesswork. The comic features the well-known xkcd characters getting involved in a strange fight with cyborgs and raptors on Christmas eve.

The line "We apologise for the inconvenience." is possibly a reference to the famous book series {{w|The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy}} by {{w|Douglas Adams}}. It appears there as God's Final Message to His Creation, written in letters of fire on the side of the Quentulus Quazgar Mountains.

'''Panel 2:''' [[Megan]] strives to outdo some christmas lights she has seen on YouTube.

'''Panel 3:''' Dissatisfied with her work, Megan is thinking about alternative ways improve her light arrangement. The idea of firing {{w|Sodium}} pellets into snow is probably a bad one, as Sodium reacts exothermically with water and may, in large amounts, induce explosions.

'''Panel 5:''' Probably still obsessed with the idea of creating a large and impressive light display, Megan has constructed an electronic device with an {{w|Arduino}} processor, perhaps to make the light chain show patterns. However, the amount of energy she used was apparently too high, causing one of the control boards to vaporise.

'''Panel 7:''' Megan's device has developed {{w|artificial intelligence}}, allowing it to feel. This common trope in science-fiction works usually leads to the system's attempting to eradicate its creator. [[Cueball]] attributes the emergence of a personality to flaws in the programming language {{w|Python (programming language|Python}}.

'''Panel 11:''' Out of context, this panel introduces the idea of {{w|Santa Claus}} being a {{w|muslim}}. This is a reference to the persistent Internet rumors that Barrack Obama is a Muslim, though he declares himself to be a Christian. However, the theory probably relates to the fact the Santa Claus is usually displayed with a large beard, which is sometimes also sported by conservative Muslims.

'''Panel 13:''' At this point the self-conscious Christmas light control systems has apparently released {{w|cyborgs}} that tried to kill Megan and Cueball. In order to repel the cyborgs, they have cloned {{w|Velociraptors}}. Cueball expresses doubt whether that was really a good idea. Velociraptors appear frequently in xkcd, cf. comics [[87]], [[135]] and [[292]].

'''Panel 17:''' As predicted, the raptors have gone wild, but Megan, Cueball and the two smaller characters (perhaps their children) managed to cage the dinosaurs. They believe themselves safe unless the raptors learn how to build {{w|lightsabers}}.

'''Panel 19:''' The raptors have indeed succeeded with constructing lightsabers and must now be fought. The "Clever girl" is a reference to a line from Jurassic Park where the raptors outflank (and kill) one of the human characters.

'''Panel 23:''' IT billionaire {{w|Bill Gates}} has mistakenly killed Santa Claus, possibly in a sword fight. He claims to have taken him for {{w|Richard Stallman}}, a prominent {{w|free software}} activist. (Gates strongly opposes the idea of free software and is therefore considered a antagonist by many of its supporters.) The most striking resemblance between Stallman and Santa Claus is probably the long and untamed beard. Comic [[225]] is one of the most famous xkcd comics and features Stallman involved in a sword fight.

'''Panel 29:''' Megan asks [[Black Hat]] where he obtained the enormously large {{w|christmas tree}} that can be seen on the right side of the picture. It is implied that he logged {{w|Yggdrasil}}, a giant ash tree in Norse mythology. According to tradition, Yggdrasil is the world tree representing the whole creation and holding together the cosmological structure.

'''Panel 31:''' [[Randall]] wishes Merry Christmas to all xkcd readers.

The title text refers to panel 7. In Python, modules are imported using the "import ''module''" syntax. {{w|Skynet (Terminator)|Skynet}} is a self-conscious artificial intelligence system featured in the {{w|Terminator}} film series as the main antagonist. Importing the skynet module might therefore account for Megan's system's developing an evil personality.

Note that this comic was first published in another version that had panel 29 as panel 27 and the "Merry Christmas from xkcd" message at the bottom. As 27 is not a {{w|prime number}}, the current version was published in lieu of the erroneous one. The original version can be found [[:File:2008_christmas_special_original.png|here]] for the sake of completeness.

It has been observed that the top left nine panels form a {{w|Glider (Conway's Life)|Glider}} in {{w|Conway's Game of Life}}. The glider is sometimes used as an emblem representing {{w|hacker subculture}}, although rotated by 90 degrees. It remains however unclear wether the occurrence in the comic is intentional or owed to the prime number pattern.

==Transcript==
:The 2008 XKCD Christmas Special
:Due to the slowing economy, we could only afford to produce the prime-numbered panels.
:You should be able to infer the missing parts of the story easily enough.
:We apologize for the inconvenience.
:[The first panel is blank.]
:[Megan carrying Christmas lights and Cueball watching.]
:Megan: I'm going to one-up those Christmas light displays on YouTube.
:[Megan thinking]
:Megan: Hmm. Needs more flair. Do you know what happens when you fire sodium pellets into a snowbank?
:Cueball: No.
:Megan: Me neither.
:[The next panel is blank.]
:[Megan sitting in front of a console.]
:Megan: Whoops, one of the Arduino control boards sublimated.
:Megan: If only I could make it self-repairing...
:[The next panel is blank.]
:Megan: Shit. The system has become sentient.
:Cueball: Friggin' Python.
:System: GRAAARR!
:[The next three panels are blank.]
:[Megan showing laptop to Cueball.]
:Megan: But according to this email forward, Santa is secretly a Muslim!
:Cueball: It explains everything!
:[The next panel is blank.]
:Megan: Okay, the cloned raptors are hunting the last of the cyborgs. We're safe.
:Cueball: Are you sure you thought this through?
:[The next three panels are blank.]
:[Two couples appear in this next panel.]
:Cueball: Are the raptors contained?
:Girl: Sure. Unless they figure out how to build lightsabers.
:[The next panel is blank.]
:[Guy with hat fighting with a raptor using lightsabers.]
:Cueball: It's all right. I've got her.
:[Lightsaber appears from behind.]
:Snap-hiss!
:Cueball: ...Clever girl.
:[The next three panels are blank.]
:[Bill Gates is holding a weapon over Santa's body. The two girls are watching.]
:Megan: Great. Bill Gates kills Santa.
:Bill Gates: I thought it was Stallman with a dyed beard.
:[The next five panels are blank.]
:[Megan and Black Hat are looking at a tree.]
:Megan: Where did you get this Christmas tree?
:Black Hat: Nowhere.
:Megan: Did you cut down the Yggdrasil?
:Black Hat: ...Maybe.
:[The next panel is blank.]
:[Megan and Cueball holding hands and looking at reader.]
:Merry Christmas from XKCD <3
:[The last panel is blank.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Christmas]]
[[Category:Programming]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]
[[Category:Velociraptors]]

516: Wood Chips

2013-05-28T07:33:11Z

145.253.244.103: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 516
| date = December 12, 2008
| title = Wood Chips
| image = wood_chips.png
| titletext = You didn't run a chemical analysis against the Shroud of Turin? Man, all that work for NOTHING.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
[[Cueball]] has tried to play an elaborate hoax on a woman involving wood chips that match the composition of the wood used to build a 19th-century ghost ship called the {{w|Mary Celeste}}. Unfortunately, the woman has thrown them out instead. This causes Cueball to realize that he needs to rethink the complicated way in which he creates hoaxes, because the people he is trying to trick do not follow through with his elaborate plans.

The title text suggests that he also set up some kind of chemical match with the {{w|Shroud of Turin}}. The Shroud of Turin is a famous artifact containing the ghostly image of a face said by some to have been used as Jesus's burial cloth.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball leans on desk; Woman sits behind desk.]

:Cueball: Did you ever figure out those mysterious woodchips?
:Woman: The ones in the hallway? No.
:Cueball: You didn't suspect that they matched the timber used in 1861 to build the "ghost ship" Mary Celeste, prompting you to send them to a lab for analysis, the results of which raised new and stranger questions?
:Woman: No, I threw them out. Why?

:My hoaxes need to get a lot less subtle.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

516: Wood Chips

2013-05-28T07:30:57Z

145.253.244.103:

{{comic
| number = 516
| date = December 12, 2008
| title = Wood Chips
| image = wood_chips.png
| titletext = You didn't run a chemical analysis against the Shroud of Turin? Man, all that work for NOTHING.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete}}
[[Cueball]] has tried to play an elaborate hoax on a woman involving wood chips that match the composition of the wood used to build a 19th-century ghost ship called the {{w|Mary Celeste}}. Unfortunately, the woman has thrown them out instead. This causes Cueball to realize that he needs to rethink the complicated way in which he creates hoaxes, because the people he is trying to trick do not follow through with his elaborate plans.

The title text suggests that he also set up some kind of chemical match with the Shroud of Turin. The Shroud of Turin is a famous artifact containing the ghostly image of a face said by some to have been used as Jesus's burial cloth.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball leans on desk; Woman sits behind desk.]

:Cueball: Did you ever figure out those mysterious woodchips?
:Woman: The ones in the hallway? No.
:Cueball: You didn't suspect that they matched the timber used in 1861 to build the "ghost ship" Mary Celeste, prompting you to send them to a lab for analysis, the results of which raised new and stranger questions?
:Woman: No, I threw them out. Why?

:My hoaxes need to get a lot less subtle.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

Talk:1214: Geoguessr

2013-05-23T06:49:36Z

145.253.244.103:

Not only have Statue of liberty lots of replicas, also the original is in Paris. On the other hand, I don't suppose you can mistake the original with New York replica give the size difference. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:17, 20 May 2013 (UTC)
:I'm not sure where you're getting that from, but the original Statue of Liberty is the one in New York. It was assembled in paris, but not as a copy of any prior existing sculpture. {{unsigned|Zuffelnok}}
::Here is a list of replicas: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicas_of_the_Statue_of_Liberty Replicas of the Statue of Liberty]. So it seems the original is that one in New York.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:33, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
:::In the {{w|Replicas of the Statue of Liberty#Jardin du Luxembourg|Jardin du Luxembourg}} section of that page it states that it is the 'first' that the artist used as a model for the full size version in New York, this is probably what Hkmaly is referring to. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]_a ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 20:20, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
::::There were models before that statue was build. But no one was big as the present to the United States. Nevertheless it's correct, the first one is not standing at NYC. And without that statue at NYC we all would not know it.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:44, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

So by being in the same country you get a few thousand points. But, then I got an easy one because the street view showed a restaurant called Vila Cha, and sure enough TripAdvisor took me to Vila Cha in Campos Do Jordao in Sao Paolo, Brazil. I double checked in a separate tab the street view of the area, and I hit the point 0.023km off, and got "only" 6477 points. For the difficulty of the game, I'd think you'd get 5 digit scores for that at least. [[User:Uctriton00|Uctriton00]] ([[User talk:Uctriton00|talk]]) 15:59, 20 May 2013 (UTC) uctriton00
:I got the point 4 meters off, and only got about 6.5k points. --[[User:DiEvAl|DiEvAl]] ([[User talk:DiEvAl|talk]]) 20:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

"if you recognize Japanese characters on a sign, the nation of Japan actually encompasses an enormous area, so unless you can recognize a specific region, there's no obvious place to guess where you can hope to get high points. (Unlike somewhere like England, where guessing London is guaranteed to put you within reasonable distance from a global perspective.)" -- Japan is about three times as big as England, so I wouldn't say that Japan is "enormous" in comparison. Furthermore, since the part about Japan refers to recognition of Japanese characters, this would be equivalent to connecting signs in English to England, which apparently is not the most obvious conclusion. [[User:Jolindbe|Jolindbe]] ([[User talk:Jolindbe|talk]]) 19:26, 20 May 2013 (UTC)

:Nation != Country. I once had an island somewhere in the Indian Ocean where everything was in Japanese. I don't remember what it was called though. --[[User:DiEvAl|DiEvAl]] ([[User talk:DiEvAl|talk]]) 20:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

"For every famous object, there are countless replicas, and the vast majority of famous objects (...) exist in only one place in the world". ??? Someone might need to clarify the meaning here, as this reads as self-contradictory to me. Also, can I guess Legoland Windsor as being (very inaccurately) half way between Billund and wherever the California one is? ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.99.247.73|178.99.247.73]] 20:41, 20 May 2013 (UTC)

Actually, if people ''quit'' building replicas, Cueball's score would stay the same. To actually make his score higher, people would have to go and actually '''destroy''' some replicas, or wait for them to fall into ruin. All of this assumes that Cueball isn't getting any better with practice, and isn't playing often enough to where he's actually seen the replicas enough to recognize them... [[Special:Contributions/76.26.147.222|76.26.147.222]] 04:35, 22 May 2013 (UTC)

Am I the only person here who had no idea what Epcot was? [[Special:Contributions/203.206.118.14|203.206.118.14]] 02:21, 23 May 2013 (UTC)
:Go here [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epcot EPCOT]--[[Special:Contributions/145.253.244.103|145.253.244.103]] 06:49, 23 May 2013 (UTC)

Talk:1212: Interstellar Memes

2013-05-15T16:09:50Z

145.253.244.103:

I'm surprised ponies didn't make the list given how massively and completely they took over the Internet in recent years. Then again, xkcd hasn't made any mention of the phenomenon, which is pretty nice, I guess. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 04:35, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:Given that the closest one, "I'm on a boat," predates the first episode of MLP:FiM by more than a year (the brony phenomenon by even more), it's safe to say that ponies have not reached the nearest star yet. --[[Special:Contributions/24.145.230.202|24.145.230.202]] 04:42, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

It would be great to have the distances (in light years) of the stars as a fourth column. This would also provide a chronological order. --[[Special:Contributions/84.75.61.103|84.75.61.103]] 08:06, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

If I look at the page source, there is no transcript this time... [[User:Kaa-ching|Kaa-ching]] ([[User talk:Kaa-ching|talk]]) 08:41, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

anyone else notice Sirius is getting the Bellatrix one? [[User:Xseo|Xseo]] ([[User talk:Xseo|talk]]) 08:49, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:Yeah, it was funny :D [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 10:55, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
::Should this reference be mentioned? On the one hand, it is a spoiler, but on the other hand, a) we *are* here to explain the jokes, and b) the book is almost a decade old, so I'm pretty sure there's a statute of limitations involved here. [[User:Curtmack|Curtmack]] ([[User talk:Curtmack|talk]]) 14:56, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:::It's also funny that Sirius ''is'' a character in Harry Potter books/films. Double joke? --[[User:Dangerkeith3000|Dangerkeith3000]] ([[User talk:Dangerkeith3000|talk]]) 15:21, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

If any civilization have nothing better to do that repeating our memes, there is no need to apologize to them: they will obviously be glad they have at least something. How many people on our planet are repeating memes from other civilizations? None. (The circles in crop doesn't count, they are not send by radio.) -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:51, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

Given that the Rick Astley one is on the same star as Portal, which came out in 2007, it's probably meant to refer to rickrolling (and thus the date should also be 2007 for that one). [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 10:55, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

All your base are belong to us didn't start as a meme in the 1970. I don't have precise data right now but I'm pretty sure it was 1997-99 when it first appeared on the internet. Also, what is the Sun doing? [[Special:Contributions/195.32.50.126|195.32.50.126]] 11:14, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:1998 according to knowyourmeme. And I think the Sun is probably sending out all those radio waves for the aliens to listen to, or something? But I couldn't find an accurate way to portray it, so I just left it at that. [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 11:18, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:: The map only shows stars, or rather star systems. We live in the sol system, where all these memes originate from, hence the sun is shown as the origin of the "radio waves". In the same fashion, these supposed aliens don't actually live on the stars themselves, but rather on planets (or maybe moons?) around the stars. --[[User:Buggz|Buggz]] ([[User talk:Buggz|talk]]) 11:49, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

In "Take me to your leader! - No, Steve", what is the "No, Steve" part referencing? The link currently is just for the "take me to your leader" part. [[Special:Contributions/72.92.72.222|72.92.72.222]] 15:14, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:I thought that the "No, Steve" made it into an explicit reference to Newsboys album/song (Steve Taylor wrote the lyrics for it). But then, that's a song fron 1996, and it would not be consistent with distance, while 1953 makes more sense... [[Special:Contributions/195.32.50.126|195.32.50.126]] 15:49, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

If you order the list by distance, further stars should get memes from earlier times, but this is not always the case. I think that some of the memes deserve more investigation, namely: "Internets!", "You're the man now, dog" and "All your base are belong to us!". Sort the list by distance and it becomes immediately apparent what I mean. [[Special:Contributions/195.32.50.126|195.32.50.126]] 15:54, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:"Internets" was from George W Bush but in 2004. [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets internets meme]--[[Special:Contributions/145.253.244.103|145.253.244.103]] 16:08, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

Talk:1212: Interstellar Memes

2013-05-15T16:08:26Z

145.253.244.103:

I'm surprised ponies didn't make the list given how massively and completely they took over the Internet in recent years. Then again, xkcd hasn't made any mention of the phenomenon, which is pretty nice, I guess. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 04:35, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:Given that the closest one, "I'm on a boat," predates the first episode of MLP:FiM by more than a year (the brony phenomenon by even more), it's safe to say that ponies have not reached the nearest star yet. --[[Special:Contributions/24.145.230.202|24.145.230.202]] 04:42, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

It would be great to have the distances (in light years) of the stars as a fourth column. This would also provide a chronological order. --[[Special:Contributions/84.75.61.103|84.75.61.103]] 08:06, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

If I look at the page source, there is no transcript this time... [[User:Kaa-ching|Kaa-ching]] ([[User talk:Kaa-ching|talk]]) 08:41, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

anyone else notice Sirius is getting the Bellatrix one? [[User:Xseo|Xseo]] ([[User talk:Xseo|talk]]) 08:49, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:Yeah, it was funny :D [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 10:55, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
::Should this reference be mentioned? On the one hand, it is a spoiler, but on the other hand, a) we *are* here to explain the jokes, and b) the book is almost a decade old, so I'm pretty sure there's a statute of limitations involved here. [[User:Curtmack|Curtmack]] ([[User talk:Curtmack|talk]]) 14:56, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:::It's also funny that Sirius ''is'' a character in Harry Potter books/films. Double joke? --[[User:Dangerkeith3000|Dangerkeith3000]] ([[User talk:Dangerkeith3000|talk]]) 15:21, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

If any civilization have nothing better to do that repeating our memes, there is no need to apologize to them: they will obviously be glad they have at least something. How many people on our planet are repeating memes from other civilizations? None. (The circles in crop doesn't count, they are not send by radio.) -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:51, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

Given that the Rick Astley one is on the same star as Portal, which came out in 2007, it's probably meant to refer to rickrolling (and thus the date should also be 2007 for that one). [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 10:55, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

All your base are belong to us didn't start as a meme in the 1970. I don't have precise data right now but I'm pretty sure it was 1997-99 when it first appeared on the internet. Also, what is the Sun doing? [[Special:Contributions/195.32.50.126|195.32.50.126]] 11:14, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:1998 according to knowyourmeme. And I think the Sun is probably sending out all those radio waves for the aliens to listen to, or something? But I couldn't find an accurate way to portray it, so I just left it at that. [[User:Zakator|Zakator]] ([[User talk:Zakator|talk]]) 11:18, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:: The map only shows stars, or rather star systems. We live in the sol system, where all these memes originate from, hence the sun is shown as the origin of the "radio waves". In the same fashion, these supposed aliens don't actually live on the stars themselves, but rather on planets (or maybe moons?) around the stars. --[[User:Buggz|Buggz]] ([[User talk:Buggz|talk]]) 11:49, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

In "Take me to your leader! - No, Steve", what is the "No, Steve" part referencing? The link currently is just for the "take me to your leader" part. [[Special:Contributions/72.92.72.222|72.92.72.222]] 15:14, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
:I thought that the "No, Steve" made it into an explicit reference to Newsboys album/song (Steve Taylor wrote the lyrics for it). But then, that's a song fron 1996, and it would not be consistent with distance, while 1953 makes more sense... [[Special:Contributions/195.32.50.126|195.32.50.126]] 15:49, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

If you order the list by distance, further stars should get memes from earlier times, but this is not always the case. I think that some of the memes deserve more investigation, namely: "Internets!", "You're the man now, dog" and "All your base are belong to us!". Sort the list by distance and it becomes immediately apparent what I mean. [[Special:Contributions/195.32.50.126|195.32.50.126]] 15:54, 15 May 2013 (UTC)
"Internets" was from George W Bush but in 2004. [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets internets meme]--[[Special:Contributions/145.253.244.103|145.253.244.103]] 16:08, 15 May 2013 (UTC)

1212: Interstellar Memes

2013-05-15T16:05:29Z

145.253.244.103: /* Explanation */ http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets

{{comic
| number = 1212
| date = May 15, 2013
| title = Interstellar Memes
| image = interstellar memes.png
| titletext = The strongest incentive we have to develop faster-than-light travel is that it would let us apologize in advance.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Some talk about the speed of light, time delays and the title text would be good too.}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Meme !! Star !! Origin !! Year !! Distance to star
|-
| Yabba dabba doo! || {{w|Castor (star)|Castor}} || {{w|The Flintstones}} || 1960 || 51 ± 3 ly
|-
| You've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" || {{w|Lambda Aurigae}} || {{w|Dirty Harry}} || 1971 || 41.2 ± 0.1 ly
|-
| Where's the beef? || {{w|HR 1614}} || Slogan for {{w|Wendy’s}} || 1984 || 28 ly
|-
| And now for something completely different. || {{w|Capella (star)|Capella}}|| {{w|Monty Python’s Flying Circus}} || 1969 || 42 ly
|-
| Here's lookin' at you, kid. || {{w|Kappa Reticuli}} || {{w|Casablanca (film)|Casablanca}} || 1942 || 70 ly
|-
| My spoon is too big! || {{w|Kapteyn's Star}} || {{w|Rejected}} || 2000 || 12 ly
|-
| May the force be with you. || {{w|Delta Trianguli}} || {{w|Star Wars}} || 1977 || 35 ly
|-
| Peanut butter jelly time! || {{w|Luyten's Star}} || [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/peanut-butter-jelly-time an Internet meme] || 2002 || 12 ly
|-
| Rosebud. || {{w|Alpha Hydri}} || {{w|Citizen Kane}} || 1941 || 71 ly
|-
| Oh my god, {{w|They killed Kenny|they killed Kenny!}} - You bastards! || {{w|AD Leonis}} || {{w|South Park}} || 1997 || 15.9 ± 0.2 ly
|-
| ...God kills a kitten! - A what? || {{w|Procyon}} || {{w|Every time you masturbate... God kills a kitten|an Internet meme}} || 2002 || 11.5 ly
|-
| I ''still'' can't believe Bellatrix- - Dude, get over it. || {{w|Sirius}} || {{w|Harry Potter}} || 2003 || 08.6 ly
|-
| Ninjas fight ''all the time!'' || {{w|Epsilon Eridani}} || {{w|The Official Ninja Webpage}} || 2002 || 10 ly
|-
| {{w|D'oh!}} || {{w|HR 753}} || {{w|The Simpsons}} || 1989 || 23 ly
|-
| {{w|The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|''Nobody'' expects the Spanish Inquisition!}} || {{w|Beta Virginis}} || {{w|Monty Python’s Flying Circus}} || 1970 || 35 ly
|-
| {{w|All your base are belong to us}}. || {{w|Tau Ceti}} || {{w|Zero Wing}} || 1998 || 11.9 ly
|-
| Take me to your leader! - No, Steve. || {{w|Beta Cassiopeiae|Caph}} || {{w|Take me to your leader (phrase)}} || 1953 || 54 ly
|-
| Chuck Norris doesn't sleep. He ''waits.'' || {{w|Wolf 359}} || {{w|Chuck Norris facts}} || 2005 || 07.8 ly
|-
| Numa numa || {{w|Lalande 21185}} || {{w|Numa Numa song}} || 2004 || 08.3 ly
|-
| I can haz? || {{w|WISE 1049-5319|Luhman 16}} || {{w|Lolcats}} || 2006 || 06.6 ± 0.5 ly
|-
| Internets! || {{w|Luyten 726-8|Gliese 65}} || {{w|George W. Bush}} || 2004 || 08.7
|-
| Look at the tiny dancing Earth mammals! || {{w|Gliese 1}} || {{w|Hampsterdance}}? || 1998 || 14 ly
|-
| Wasssuup!?! || {{w|Van Maanen's star}} || {{w|Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser Beer}} advertising campaign || 1999 || 14 ly
|-
| Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker. || {{w|Beta Hydri}} || {{w|Die Hard}} || 1988 || 24 ly
|-
| I pity the fool! || {{w|Groombridge 1830}} || {{w|Rocky III}} ({{w|Mr. T}}) || 1982 || 30 ly
|-
| The cake is a lie! || {{w|Alpha Centauri|Alpha Centauri A/B}} || {{w|Portal (video game)|Portal}} || 2007 || 04.3 ly
|-
| Never gonna give you up || {{w|Alpha Centauri|Alpha Centauri A/B}} || {{w|Rickrolling}} || 2007 || 04.3 ly
|-
| I'm on a boat! || {{w|Proxima Centauri}} || {{w|The Lonely Island}} || 2009 || 04.243 ± 0.002 ly
|-
| Chocolate Raaaiiin || {{w|Barnard's Star}} || {{w|Tay Zonday}}: {{w|Chocolate Rain}} video || 2007 || 06 ly
|-
| Leave Britney alone! || {{w|Barnard's Star}} || {{w|Chris Crocker}}: [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leave-britney-alone LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!] || 2007 || 06 ly
|-
| You're the man now, dog! || {{w|Epsilon Indi}} || {{w|Finding Forrester}} || 2000 || 11.8
|-
| More cowbell! || {{w|Kruger 60}} || {{w|Saturday Night Live}} || 2000 || 13 ly
|-
| Hasta la vista, baby. || {{w|Gliese 892}} || {{w|Terminator 2}} || 1991 || 21 ly
|-
| Let's get ready to ruuumble! || {{w|Zeta Tucanae}} || {{w|Michael Buffer}} || 1984 || 28 ly
|-
| You talkin' to ''me?'' || {{w|Arcturus}} || {{w|Taxi Driver}} || 1976 || 36.7 ± 0.3 ly
|-
| Welcome to Good Burger, home of the good burger. - What's a burger? - I don't know. || {{w|70 Ophiuchi}} || {{w|Good Burger}} slogan || 1997 || 16.58 ± 0.07 ly
|-
| Badger badger badger badger || {{w|Ross 154}} || {{w|Badger Badger Badger}} || 2003 || 09.7 ly
|-
| {{w|Vulcan salute|Live long and prosper.}} || {{w|HD 211415}} || {{w|Star Trek}} || 1967 || 44 ly
|-
| Name's Bond. James Bond. || {{w|51 Pegasi}} || {{w|Dr. No (film)|Dr. No}} ({{w|James Bond}}) || 1962 || 50.9 ± 0.3 ly
|-
| Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. || {{w|Alpha Serpentis}} || {{w|Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind}} || 1939 || 74.0 ± 0.3 ly
|-
| Mr. T ate my balls! || {{w|Altair}} || [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ate-my-balls an Internet meme] || 1996 || 16.7 ly
|-
| I want the truth. - You can't handle the truth! || {{w|Delta Pavonis}} || {{w|A Few Good Men}} || 1992 || 20 ly
|-
| I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse. || {{w|Beta Trianguli Australis}} || {{w|The Godfather}} || 1972 || 40 ly
|-
| {{w|Resistance is futile|Resistance is futile.}} || {{w|Vega}} || {{w|Star Trek}} ({{w|Borg (Star Trek)|Borg}}) || 1988 || 25 ly
|-
| Oh... My... Gaawd || {{w|Sigma Draconis}} || {{w|Friends}} ({{w|Janice Goralnik}}) || 1994 || 18.8 ly
|-
| Ehh, what's up, Doc? || {{w|Epsilon Cygni|Gienah}} || {{w|Bugs Bunny}} || 1940 || 73 ly
|-
| ''EXTERMINATE!'' || {{w|Alpha Cephei|Alderamin}} || {{w|Doctor Who}} ({{w|Dalek|The Daleks}}) || 1963 || 49 ly
|}

==Transcript==
:If other star systems are listening in on our pop culture, these are the jokes and catchphrases they just learned about and are currently repeating way too much:

*List of stars and catchphrases, see above*

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

687: Dimensional Analysis

2013-05-14T10:12:57Z

145.253.244.103: typo

{{comic
| number = 687
| date = January 11, 2010
| title = Dimensional Analysis
| image = dimensional_analysis.png
| titletext = Or the pressure at the Earth's core will rise slightly.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic makes fun of how scientists (often physicists) use dimensional analysis to quickly check if a given formular can possibly relate to a physical system or if there were some (obvious) mathematical errors in its derivation. Dimensional analysis here refers to the check if both sides of the equation arrive at the same physical unit if the units of all variables get plugged into the equation. This usually requires knowledge of the system of units and the relation between different physical units.

The comic uses the following equation to make fun of it:

(Planck energy) / (Pressure at the core of the earth) * (Prius combined EPA gas mileage) / (minimum width of the English Channel) = pi

The right hand side is dimensionless (The constant pi = 3.14... by definition is the relation of two lengths, the circumference and the diameter of a circle). The left hand side requires to plug in the dimensions of the named physical quantities:

*Plank energy: given in Joules [J]
*Pressure at the core of the earth: Given in Pascals [Pa]
*Prius combined EPA gas milage: miles/gallon, SI units: meters/litres [m/l]
*minimum width of the English channel: meters [m]

When plugged into the left hand side this amounts to:

[J / Pa * (m/l) / m] = [Nm / (N/m²) * (m/m³) / m] = 1

Using the following unit relations (this does not reduce units to the seven SI units, but does use some derived units):

*1 Joule = 1 Newton-meter [J] = [Nm]
*1 Pascal = 1 Newton per square-meter [Pa] = [N/m²]
*1 cubic-metre = 1000 litres [m³] = 1000 [l]

Note that for dimensional analysis constant factors are not taken into account. Here square brackets are used to denote dimensional analysis. Here square brackets are used to denote dimensional analysis. In the above equation the unit of force (newton) as well as all the units of length (meter) cancel out each other.

Another aspect of the comic is, that sometimes dimension analysis of equations that were not derived but rather "made up" can provide insight. However, in reality such an equations would have to be somehow "motivated", which is more of an art than science and requires great experience in the field the equation should relate to. The presented equation combines values that have no immediate causal relation with each other, so it does not make sense.

For such relations it is also true that many of them can be made up by searching for matching values for variables to derive at the wanted number finally. E.g. if it is desired to arrive at e instead of pi on the comic-equation, this could be done by using a different car model and/or a different length measurement and/or a different pressure (e.g. by choosing a different planet) and/or some other arbitrary energy.

This is another comic in the infrequent [[My Hobby]] series.

==Transcript==
:[On a blackboard.]
:(Plank energy/Pressure at the Earth's core) x (Prius combined EPA gas mileage/Minimum width of the English Channel) = pi

:[A teacher indicates this equation with a pointer in front of a class.]
:Teacher: It's correct to within experimental error, and the units check out. It must be a fundamental law.
:Student: But what if they build a better Prius?
:Teacher: ''Then England will drift out to sea.''

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]