explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2486: Board Game Party Schedule

2021-07-07T23:45:35Z

172.68.142.189: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2486
| date = July 8, 2021
| title = Board Game Party Schedule
| image = board_game_party_schedule.png
| titletext = Several of the guests are secretly playing Meta Board Game Party. Every minute of parallel debate in the breakaway faction earns double victory points!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic shows a timeline of a gathering to play some sort of fairly complex tabletop or roleplaying game, such as Dungeons and Dragons, Star Fleet Battles, or Squad Leader (please edit with more recent popular games). These games often have many pages of rules, forms to fill out, and in the case of many battle simulation games can have dozens or even hundreds of counters to position. Often the very complex rules must be explained in detail, which can be extremely dull in a group environment.

Conversely, just beginning like at the time entry point "it will make sense once you play" without explanation often leads to new player frustration that, had they had a complete understanding, they would have made different choices and had a more reasonable chance at victory, or even worse, avoided constantly being informed of "illegal moves".

The title text refers to certain games that actively mimic or satirize real life, such as the fictional game referred to in Dungeons and Dragons literature called "Paper and Paychecks", presumably a roleplaying game about office work. In this particular case, the game they're playing satirizes the gamer gathering itself.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2406: Viral Vector Immunity

2021-01-14T06:26:13Z

172.68.142.189: Fix link

Mentioning explainxkcd on Randall's tweet https://twitter.com/xkcd/status/1345061851424501761 started off some explanations [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.150|162.158.155.150]] 18:09, 1 January 2021 (UTC)

Is anyone else reminded of the "Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew" rhythm? "Burn it, smash it, push it into the gorge". ''Into'' breaks the rhythm a bit, but perhaps it could be a The Two Towers (Lord of the Rings) movie reference? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.69.107|141.101.69.107]] 19:59, 1 January 2021 (UTC)

Couldn't a similar comic be used to explain how immunity works in general? Instead of the horse being a vaccine vector, it would be a pathogen, and the immune cells recognize it from a previous encounter and attack it. Vaccine vector failure occurs when the vector resembles something you've developed immunity to. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 20:33, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
:Yes, I agree with this — the current explanation for the comic (Trojan horse = immunity vector, Steve-trampling horse = common pathogen) doesn't explain how viral vector immunity works, it explains how it ''fails'' to work. I think a more appropriate explanation for the comic would have the Trojan horse be the pathogen against which immunity was desired, and the Steve-trampling horse be the DNA carried by the immunity vector. This would also be consistent with the traditional use of the Trojan horse to signify an unexpected threat (as opposed to the current interpretation's, whcih has the Trojan horse be beneficial). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.129.64|162.158.129.64]] 08:05, 2 January 2021 (UTC)
:: I think you're absolutely right that the current explanation is interpreting the comic as an explanation of how viral vector immunity ''fails'' to work, while your suggested explanation interprets the comic as an explanation of how viral vector immunity works. The caption of the cartoon, "how vaccine ''failure'' due to viral vector immunity works" shows that the existing interpretation is the intended one.[[User:Yp17|Yp17]] ([[User talk:Yp17|talk]]) 14:24, 3 January 2021 (UTC)
:: I think you are misunderstood about the workings of a viral vector vaccine. The whole premise of this approach to vaccination is to use the ability of a virus to sneak into a human body undetected, later releasing its payload into the cells, but for a beneficial gain, rather than harm. The vector virus is perfectly represented by a trojan horse - it is supposed to enter the gates unrestricted. In the case of a real infection, the virus RNA injects itself into the cell and takes over its live processes, much like the soldiers took over the city after coming out of the Trojan horse. In the case of a vector vaccine, the trojan horse bears a beneficial payload inside. The trampling-horse is an incidental "immunity" to everything that looks like horses, i.e. immunity to the vector virus, not the payload virus (which they never get to experience since the horse never makes it in). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.215|162.158.158.215]] 02:21, 3 January 2021 (UTC)
::: I think the issue is that it's an imperfect, flawed analogy to begin with where the details and their relationships don't quite match those of the subject it is being compared to, so any attempt to accurately explain the analogy can't be perfect either.--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.152|162.158.75.152]] 05:28, 4 January 2021 (UTC)

I would disagree with the title text explanation, at least to a degree. The narrator is the person being recognised and threatened with the sword, but the narrator is not the vehicle of delivery of the modified payload (the coffee), that would still be the cup. I think either the metaphor or the explanation breaks at this point, which is not uncharacteristic of the title text often deviating from the stricter rules of the comic. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.130|141.101.98.130]] 21:30, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
:Right. The common theme is that the victim of a trick has seen through the ruse. In the title text, the narrator is the perpetrator of the coffee replacement trick, and the victim has detected the difference (or already knows about it by hearing from someone else -- similar to the way the immune system is forewarned by vaccines) and is now coming after the narrator with a sword. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 06:12, 2 January 2021 (UTC)
::I don't think it's so much the victim seeing through the ruse, it's that the victim has other reasons for attacking the narrator, before even getting to the point where she would drink the coffee and possibly notice any difference, removing the whole point of the ruse without the victim realising that there was a ruse. In the case of the Trojan Horse, this ''other reason'' is Steve's previous encounter with a horse, leading them to destroy the horse statue without the Greeks inside it ever coming into play. In the case of the viral vector, the ''other reason'' is the previous immunity to the carrier virus, destroying it before the payload can be delivered into the cells. In both these cases, the "ruses" fail because of unconnected reasons the "perpetrators" didn't know about. In the case of the title text, even the reader doesn't know this unconnected reason.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.240|141.101.76.240]] 11:31, 3 January 2021 (UTC)

The narrator in the alt text/title text is the scientist/researcher performing the experiment. Except that the researcher doesn't usually get threatened with attack from the research subject. In some cases perhaps they should though, such as the Tuskegee experiments.

In the other comics mentioning Steve no-one liked him too much...--[[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 06:06, 4 January 2021 (UTC)

There is a huge gorge several kilometers southeast of Troy at [https://maps.app.goo.gl/mURJKVoSnkTjRJcY8 Kemer Creek]. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.142.189|172.68.142.189]] 22:46, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

2410: Apple Growers

2021-01-13T20:06:55Z

172.68.142.189: Removed political bias.

{{comic
| number = 2410
| date = January 11, 2021
| title = Apple Growers
| image = apple_growers.png
| titletext = Hopefully in a couple of weeks we'll be able to resume our apple-focused updates, because we have SO MUCH to say about Cosmic Crisp.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a DISTRACTED APPLE GROWER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

On January 6, 2021, a small percentage of supporters of President {{w|Donald Trump}} in what was otherwise a mostly peaceful protest {{w|2021 storming of the United States Capitol|stormed the United States Capitol}} while Congress was in session to certify the results of the {{w|2020 United_States_presidential_election|2020 election}}. The attack resulted in an evacuation of Congress from the building, a disruption of the operations of the legislature, and the deaths of several people. Politicians from both the Republican Party (of which Trump is a part) and the Democratic Party (the largest of the many opposition parties) have called on Trump to resign, or are attempting to formally remove Trump from office via other means.

Normal American life, already strained under the [[:Category:COVID-19|coronavirus pandemic]], was dealt another blow by the conflict. Normally planned events continue to be held, but the shadow of current events impacts everything. This comic depicts one such event, a news conference hosted by the State Apple Growers (of an unspecified state). This group apparently had a scheduled meeting to discuss apple variety standards, but their meeting was instead dominated by discussions of events in government, resulting in them issuing a formal statement calling upon President Trump to resign. This statement obviously has nothing to do with apples, and when pressed, the spokesperson makes generic statements in favor of apples, but points out that they're too distracted by more urgent matters to focus on their normal jobs.

The State Apple Growers' statement may be a reference to similar calls by the {{w|National Association of Manufacturers}} for Trump to resign in the aftermath of the storming. The Association, while certainly very influential, would not seem to need to make such a call, as it is not a governmental or dedicated political organisation, but rather a mere advocacy group for America's manufacturing industry. It could also refer to Apple, Inc., or groups affiliated with the color red such as Trump's own Republican Party.

{{w|Cosmic Crisp}}, mentioned in title text, is a variety of apples developed in the Washington State University that has been on sale since 2019, amid a large marketing campaign. The implication of the title text is that the people involved ''are'' in fact, very interested in and concerned with details of apple cultivation and marketing, and hope to return to a state in which they they can focus on those. But the more immediate draw of events makes it difficult to focus on what they usually like to talk about.

[[Beret Guy]] is shown to be a member of the State Apple Growers' Association; in [[2209: Fresh Pears]], he sells "fresh pears" (so fresh, he doesn't even plant seeds until a customer pays for one) and expresses an interest in growing apples, and evidently has either figured out robotic grafting or chosen another approach (or maybe, given his usual eccentricity, he is only a member of the Association as an ''aspiring'' apple grower). This is one of very few comics with [[Beret Guy]] where he is not really doing anything, although this is also a weird turn of events that the Apple Growers discuss Trump. However, usually Beret Guy is not interested in real-life problems.

==Transcript==
:[Beret Guy and Cueball stand on either side of Megan with her hair unkempt. They stand behind a lectern with an image of an apple on the front of it. Unreadable text is written on both side of the apple in two rows.]
:Megan: *Ahem*
:Megan: The state apple-growers' association has decided to formally call on President Donald Trump to resign.

:[A wider shot shows Beret Guy, Megan, and Cueball on a podium behind the lectern. The visible audience consist of a Cueball-like guy, Hairy, and Ponytail, who is holding a microphone to her mouth as she addresses those on the podium.]
:Ponytail: Weren't you meeting to update the standards for new apple varieties?
:Megan: Yes, but we talked it over and this is what we decided.
:Megan: We feel strongly that this is important.

:[There is a narrow shot with a zoom in on Megan.]
:Ponytail (off-panel): Did you discuss anything on your actual agenda?
:Megan: Thanks for the question!
:Megan: We did not.

:[Beret Guy, Cueball and Megan is again seen from the front behind the lectern, Megan's hair even more unkempt.]
:Ponytail (off-panel): Do you have any apple-related announcements at all?
:Megan: Uh, apples are great. Best fruit. Everyone should buy 1,000 of them.
:Megan: '''''We're a little distracted right now, okay??'''''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Donald Trump]]
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Politics]]

[[Category:Public speaking]]

Talk:2406: Viral Vector Immunity

2021-01-10T22:46:22Z

172.68.142.189: gorge

Mentioning explainxkcd on Randall's tweet https://twitter.com/xkcd/status/1345061851424501761 started off some explanations [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.150|162.158.155.150]] 18:09, 1 January 2021 (UTC)

Is anyone else reminded of the "Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew" rhythm? "Burn it, smash it, push it into the gorge". ''Into'' breaks the rhythm a bit, but perhaps it could be a The Two Towers (Lord of the Rings) movie reference? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.69.107|141.101.69.107]] 19:59, 1 January 2021 (UTC)

Couldn't a similar comic be used to explain how immunity works in general? Instead of the horse being a vaccine vector, it would be a pathogen, and the immune cells recognize it from a previous encounter and attack it. Vaccine vector failure occurs when the vector resembles something you've developed immunity to. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 20:33, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
:Yes, I agree with this — the current explanation for the comic (Trojan horse = immunity vector, Steve-trampling horse = common pathogen) doesn't explain how viral vector immunity works, it explains how it ''fails'' to work. I think a more appropriate explanation for the comic would have the Trojan horse be the pathogen against which immunity was desired, and the Steve-trampling horse be the DNA carried by the immunity vector. This would also be consistent with the traditional use of the Trojan horse to signify an unexpected threat (as opposed to the current interpretation's, whcih has the Trojan horse be beneficial). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.129.64|162.158.129.64]] 08:05, 2 January 2021 (UTC)
:: I think you're absolutely right that the current explanation is interpreting the comic as an explanation of how viral vector immunity ''fails'' to work, while your suggested explanation interprets the comic as an explanation of how viral vector immunity works. The caption of the cartoon, "how vaccine ''failure'' due to viral vector immunity works" shows that the existing interpretation is the intended one.[[User:Yp17|Yp17]] ([[User talk:Yp17|talk]]) 14:24, 3 January 2021 (UTC)
:: I think you are misunderstood about the workings of a viral vector vaccine. The whole premise of this approach to vaccination is to use the ability of a virus to sneak into a human body undetected, later releasing its payload into the cells, but for a beneficial gain, rather than harm. The vector virus is perfectly represented by a trojan horse - it is supposed to enter the gates unrestricted. In the case of a real infection, the virus RNA injects itself into the cell and takes over its live processes, much like the soldiers took over the city after coming out of the Trojan horse. In the case of a vector vaccine, the trojan horse bears a beneficial payload inside. The trampling-horse is an incidental "immunity" to everything that looks like horses, i.e. immunity to the vector virus, not the payload virus (which they never get to experience since the horse never makes it in). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.215|162.158.158.215]] 02:21, 3 January 2021 (UTC)
::: I think the issue is that it's an imperfect, flawed analogy to begin with where the details and their relationships don't quite match those of the subject it is being compared to, so any attempt to accurately explain the analogy can't be perfect either.--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.152|162.158.75.152]] 05:28, 4 January 2021 (UTC)

I would disagree with the title text explanation, at least to a degree. The narrator is the person being recognised and threatened with the sword, but the narrator is not the vehicle of delivery of the modified payload (the coffee), that would still be the cup. I think either the metaphor or the explanation breaks at this point, which is not uncharacteristic of the title text often deviating from the stricter rules of the comic. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.130|141.101.98.130]] 21:30, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
:Right. The common theme is that the victim of a trick has seen through the ruse. In the title text, the narrator is the perpetrator of the coffee replacement trick, and the victim has detected the difference (or already knows about it by hearing from someone else -- similar to the way the immune system is forewarned by vaccines) and is now coming after the narrator with a sword. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 06:12, 2 January 2021 (UTC)
::I don't think it's so much the victim seeing through the ruse, it's that the victim has other reasons for attacking the narrator, before even getting to the point where she would drink the coffee and possibly notice any difference, removing the whole point of the ruse without the victim realising that there was a ruse. In the case of the Trojan Horse, this ''other reason'' is Steve's previous encounter with a horse, leading them to destroy the horse statue without the Greeks inside it ever coming into play. In the case of the viral vector, the ''other reason'' is the previous immunity to the carrier virus, destroying it before the payload can be delivered into the cells. In both these cases, the "ruses" fail because of unconnected reasons the "perpetrators" didn't know about. In the case of the title text, even the reader doesn't know this unconnected reason.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.240|141.101.76.240]] 11:31, 3 January 2021 (UTC)

The narrator in the alt text/title text is the scientist/researcher performing the experiment. Except that the researcher doesn't usually get threatened with attack from the research subject. In some cases perhaps they should though, such as the Tuskegee experiments.

In the other comics mentioning Steve no-one liked him too much...--[[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 06:06, 4 January 2021 (UTC)

There is a huge gorge several kilometers southeast of Troy at [Kemer Creek
https://maps.app.goo.gl/mURJKVoSnkTjRJcY8 Kemer Creek]. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.142.189|172.68.142.189]] 22:46, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

Talk:637: Scribblenauts

2021-01-08T19:57:50Z

172.68.142.189: ghost

I thought that she was looking up and seeing Cueball in the room, rather than on the screen? [[Special:Contributions/192.17.144.235|192.17.144.235]] 22:35, 27 May 2013 (UTC)

I thought that there were two copies of her in the third panel because she succeeded in summoning herself in reality with the phrase 'pretentious asshole', much like a Calvin and Hobbes comic where he duplicates himself and then when Hobbes says the duplicate is really good, Calvin says "What do you mean? This guy is a total jerk!" {{unsigned|Gman314}}

Yes, and no. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.223|108.162.219.223]] 01:57, 24 December 2013 (UTC)

A bit of clarification would be nice – can the LHC really be summoned in the real Scribblenauts game? --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.114.40|162.158.114.40]] 22:48, 6 November 2017 (UTC)

Uh...yeah? Why wouldn’t it be? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.24|172.69.34.24]] 19:14, 30 December 2020 (UTC)

The joke in the third panel is that when summoning "pretentious asshole", that she summoned a clone of her self (the pretentious asshole), but the clone is unaware that the original is behind her and thinks Cueball was summoned. Explanation should be updated.