explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Category:Mars rovers

2020-05-11T18:18:48Z

172.68.90.112: :(

*A {{w|Mars rover}} is an automated motor vehicle that propels itself across the surface of the planet {{w|Mars}} upon arrival.
*They are featured prominently in several {{xkcd}} comics, and are often mention/referenced in other comics as well.
**'''Click''' to expand for a more detailed explanation:
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed leftAlign" style="width:100%">
<br>

==Explanation==
*Most prominently are the three comics directly named after three rovers:
**{{w|Spirit (rover)|Spirit}} (active from 2004-2010) in [[695: Spirit]],
**{{w|Opportunity (rover)|Opportunity}} (active from 2004-2018) in [[1504: Opportunity]] and
**{{w|Curiosity (rover)|Curiosity}} (active from 2012 to present) in [[1091: Curiosity]]
*Also the fourth American rover {{w|Sojourner (rover)|Sojourner}} (only active less than 3 months in 1997) has been mentioned albeit only in the title text of [[1585: Similarities]].
*In [[665: Prudence]] has a Narnia probe which is a rower looking just like the Mars rovers Spirit/Opportunity (as he drew them in later comic) is shown.
*In [[681: Gravity Wells]] (released in 2009) one of the twin rowers Spirit/Opportunity is shown on the zoom in on Mars.
*In [[1428: Move Fast and Break Things]] driving a Mars rover is one of the jobs [[Cueball]] has lost.
*In [[1461: Payloads]] both Opportunity and Curiosity are mentioned in the chart.
*In [[1436: Orb Hammer]] this part of the title text ''...watch hammers hold themselves and hit rocks for us'' is a direct reference to the Mars Rovers, but they cannot be mentioned by name, as this is a comic with [[:Category: Simplified language|Simplified language]].
*In [[1613: The Three Laws of Robotics]] a Mars rover, looking like Curiosity, declines when [[Megan]] orders it to go explore Mars.
* In [[1663: Garden]] a [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/3f/1663_garden_One_color_Between_orange_red_and_red_First_thing_Mars_rover.png mars rover can be grown] under the right orange (Mars colored) light.
*In [[1757: November 2016]] Opportunity is mentioned.
*Mars rovers also feature prominently in the book ''[[Thing Explainer]]'':
**Most prominently the Curiosity rover is explained in the ''Red world space car'' section (the fourth explanation).
***It is also shown inside the very last explanation of Sky Scrapers: ''Sky Toucher'', where it finds that there once was running water in a bathroom sink.
***And in the ''The pieces everything is made of'' about the {{w|Periodic table}} the entry for {{w|Plutonium}} shows the rower once more as one of the less dangerous isotopes of plutonium is used as en energy source in the rower. This was for instance mentioned/used in [[1536: The Martian|The Martian]].
**Finally all rovers (and all other Mars space probes and landers) are displayed on/around Mars in the description of the Solar system in ''Worlds around the Sun''.
***Spirit is called ''Good Feelings car''.
***Opportunity is called ''Good Chances car''.
***Curiosity is called ''The Feeling of Wanting to Know Things car'' with the following written below the name: (the red world space car).
***Sojourner, which means "traveler", is called ''Road Taker''. It was part of the Mars Pathfinder expedition, {{w|Mars Pathfinder}} being the stationary part which is thus called ''Road Finder'' in the book.
</div>
<br>

[[Category:Robots]]
[[Category:Space probes]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Comics by topic]]

Talk:2220: Imagine Going Back in Time

2019-10-25T20:52:48Z

172.68.90.112:

I wonder if Randall had a particular "frog pokemon" in mind? Croagunk, Toxicroak, Froakie, Frogadier, Greninja...? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.44.150|172.69.44.150]] 19:58, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

"... and I suppose Marla Maples is the first lady!" [[Special:Contributions/172.68.38.88|172.68.38.88]] 20:04, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

I know that Randall, and by extension Cueball, are not enthusiastic about the idea of dealing with a player who goes by "Reelect Trump 2020", but what does it mean that there is a frog Pokemon in the gym alongside? In other words, is Cueball's annoyance just that there is a Trump-promoting player in the game or is there more to it than that? --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.90.46|172.69.90.46]] 20:16, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

The frog Pokemon is likely a reference to Pepe the Frog, which is a meme popular with Trump supporters--[[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.112|172.68.90.112]] 20:52, 25 October 2019 (UTC)

Talk:2148: Cubesat Launch

2019-05-10T16:28:04Z

172.68.90.112: Megan isn't going to board the rocket

Ahh, yes kites! Or actually, that is a '''very''' strong kite with very strong thread. Must be nice to knock-off a spacecraft! - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.231.24|162.158.231.24]] 15:29, 10 May 2019 (UTC)
(P. S. Please don't interrupt ANY space launch, kids!)

To whomever edited the explanation to say the Megan is planning to board the Cubesat rocket: Cubesat rockets launch cubesats only. There is no place for astronauts. If Megan boarded the rocket, she would die from lack of air (among other things). [[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.112|172.68.90.112]] 16:28, 10 May 2019 (UTC)SiliconWolf

2146: Waiting for the But

2019-05-06T17:40:24Z

172.68.90.112: Changed He to gender-neutral They.

{{comic
| number = 2146
| date = May 6, 2019
| title = Waiting for the But
| image = waiting_for_the_but.png
| titletext = Listen, I'm not a fan of the Spanish Inquisition OR predatory multi-level marketing schemes...
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BUT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
Often arguments are made in the form of "I think X, but also Y", where Y is almost but not quite contradictory to X. More specifically, the argument would go "I am not [something generally considered despicable], but [a statement just a tiny bit less disgusting]". The first part of such a statement can sometimes be viewed as an apology or an excuse because the person talking knows that the second part might upset people. A common example would be "I'm not a racist, but I don't think we should let refugees from Africa into Europe." The idea of denying help to people from Africa will be seen as racist by many people, so the speaker tries to preempt that opinion of themself.
In this comic, [[Randall]] suggests that the longer the first part is, the worse the second part (after the but) will be. Since [[Ponytail]] lists several seemingly unrelated opinions held by many people it seems likely that her statement following the "but" will be outrageous and upsetting to many people, possibly for reasons related to arson, car accidents, and injuring animals.

In the title text, Randall gives another example of a sentence that will probably be followed by a but. It would appear that the person speaking in the title text is about to say that there is something involving predatory multi-level marketing schemes and the Spanish Inquisition BUT, unlike a but, noone expects either.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail is talking to Cueball, while holding her hands up with both palms up. Cueball is thinking as shown with a thought bubble.]

:Ponytail: Listen, I'm all in favor of reducing car accidents, I think arson is a serious crime, and I'm a big fan of those "No Animals Were Harmed" disclaimers at the end of movies...

:Cueball (thinking): Uh-oh.

:[Caption below comic:]
:The longer you have to wait for the "but",the worse whatever comes after it is going to be.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

2130: Industry Nicknames

2019-03-29T17:09:23Z

172.68.90.112: /* Explanation */ The Big Egg in "in the pocket of big egg" refers to the ovoid-shaped Chansey herself, not her nutritious cargo.

{{comic
| number = 2130
| date = March 29, 2019
| title = Industry Nicknames
| image = industry_nicknames.png
| titletext = As far as "being in the pocket of Big Egg" goes, I think the real threat is Chansey.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a Big Bird. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
"Big industry" is a common nickname used to describe monopolistic or near-monopolistic practices in the United States. To be "in someone's pocket" means to be taking bribes.

[https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Chansey_(Pok%C3%A9mon) Chansey], mentioned in the title text, is a big, egg-shaped {{w|pokemon}} and carries around an egg in her pouch-like front pocket. Randall realized that "in the pocket of Big Egg" would sound rather literal if Chansey, supposedly "the real threat", was somehow involved.

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

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:2114: Launch Conditions

2019-02-21T20:34:44Z

172.68.90.112: /* Which kind of rocket? */

Queue a boost in hits for "rocket shaped humidifier" pages. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.59.108|172.68.59.108]] 19:26, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

I've already done a search to see if this exists. Shouldn't take long for the internet to come through. [[User:Andyd273|Andyd273]] ([[User talk:Andyd273|talk]]) 19:34, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

I've checked but all i can find is the steam coming out of the top, not the bottom [[Special:Contributions/162.158.142.34|162.158.142.34]] 19:39, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
: I'm thinking this would be a little challenging to create, because liquid water falls out of openings that under it. Humidifiers also usually have a larger reservoir of water than that rocket. I'm thinking the simplest approach would be to place a model rocket on top of a normal humidifier. Maybe you could also make a rocket with a mini-humidifier and a tube that goes from the top to the bottom, or that plugs into a faucet rather than having a reservoir. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]]
:: I looked closer at the comic, and you can see the body of the humidifier under the rocket. It may actually be a model rocket on top of a normal humidifer. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 21:40, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

How disappointing. All of the examples a quick search brought up emit mist from the tip, instead of the exhaust. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.10|172.69.62.10]] 19:38, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Yes! I want one! (A PROPER one, with exhaust.) {{unsigned ip|162.158.89.55}}
: But then the water reservoir might be limited to what fits into the rocket (see the comments above). [[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 06:36, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

What does it mean if a rocket is venting steam from its nose, anyway? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.83|172.68.58.83]] 19:59, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
: You are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.226|162.158.75.226]] 20:18, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Nothing Good [[Special:Contributions/162.158.142.82|162.158.142.82]] 20:02, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

What people need is a "pea soup - micro rocket " fog machine and a model rocket. However that would set you back over 400 GBP or USD and do nothing much to humidify the room, being a type of vape machine. I suppose you could take a vape machine and add a fan to mimic a user inhaling, and exhaust into the model for less. Still not humidifying, but the voice off days "still dry in here" [[User:RIIW - Ponder it|RIIW - Ponder it]] ([[User talk:RIIW - Ponder it|talk]]) 20:45, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Whoops! I updated the Feynman story at the same time as somebody else removed it. It's currently back with changes. Maybe I'd better find a better citation to see how accurate it is. It's notable that it was Feynman who found the o-ring issue mentioned in the comic. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.220|172.69.62.220]] 20:46, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
:The Feynman story is from part II of "What do YOU care what other people think?: Further adventures of a curious character". [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.6|162.158.106.6]] 21:24, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
::Thanks. I found it on library genesis ( http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=EA0CB0CF9A75A62E9F407CF1EE915F23 ) and my thirdhand telling was indeed rather inaccurate. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 21:38, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
: Removed the story and referenced wikipedia. But Feynman was a badass to stand up to the NASA administration and his silent peers so expressively. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.220|172.69.62.220]] 20:59, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Anyone else notice someone wrote (after the bit explaining how rockets take off) "This is, of course, preposterous, as rockets are a fake child's fantasy created by Jewish NASA employees"?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.76|172.68.34.76]] 21:25, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
:Trolls, they’re gone now. [[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:44, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

O-Ring seemingly is potentially offensive in another way, too: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=o%20ring [[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 06:36, 21 February 2019 (UTC)
:Oh wow. I'd never think of this one. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.160|162.158.92.160]] 13:22, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

Hmmm, I have always assumed that the water pumped to the base of the launch pad was intended to cool the exhaust so it won't destroy the concrete of the exhaust trench. But it's there to suppress sound? Well, one learns new things all the time... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.34|162.158.92.34]] 09:01, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

Doesn't anybody think it looks like the rocket in 2107: Launch Risk? Should this be part of a series with that or what? --

Is the bit about rockets not being real supposed to be some kind of joke? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.106|162.158.78.106]] 17:32, 21 February 2019 (UTC)
:It’s been removed, and probably not. It’s weird sometimes.[[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:34, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

== Which kind of rocket? ==

A small rocket, with two or four boosters (so probably not a Proton) which are tapered at a 45 degree angle (which rules out the Angara series) towards the body, but away from the top (which means it's probably not American) and payload (which rules out the Ariane series), and a demarcated section for the payload faring (which seems to point to the Long March 5). Coupled with the fact that nearly everything is made in China, this makes me think this is a sly "everything is made in China" joke.

Talk:2114: Launch Conditions

2019-02-21T20:34:23Z

172.68.90.112: /* Which kind of rocket? */ new section

Queue a boost in hits for "rocket shaped humidifier" pages. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.59.108|172.68.59.108]] 19:26, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

I've already done a search to see if this exists. Shouldn't take long for the internet to come through. [[User:Andyd273|Andyd273]] ([[User talk:Andyd273|talk]]) 19:34, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

I've checked but all i can find is the steam coming out of the top, not the bottom [[Special:Contributions/162.158.142.34|162.158.142.34]] 19:39, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
: I'm thinking this would be a little challenging to create, because liquid water falls out of openings that under it. Humidifiers also usually have a larger reservoir of water than that rocket. I'm thinking the simplest approach would be to place a model rocket on top of a normal humidifier. Maybe you could also make a rocket with a mini-humidifier and a tube that goes from the top to the bottom, or that plugs into a faucet rather than having a reservoir. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.220|162.158.78.220]]
:: I looked closer at the comic, and you can see the body of the humidifier under the rocket. It may actually be a model rocket on top of a normal humidifer. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 21:40, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

How disappointing. All of the examples a quick search brought up emit mist from the tip, instead of the exhaust. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.10|172.69.62.10]] 19:38, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Yes! I want one! (A PROPER one, with exhaust.) {{unsigned ip|162.158.89.55}}
: But then the water reservoir might be limited to what fits into the rocket (see the comments above). [[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 06:36, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

What does it mean if a rocket is venting steam from its nose, anyway? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.83|172.68.58.83]] 19:59, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
: You are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.226|162.158.75.226]] 20:18, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Nothing Good [[Special:Contributions/162.158.142.82|162.158.142.82]] 20:02, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

What people need is a "pea soup - micro rocket " fog machine and a model rocket. However that would set you back over 400 GBP or USD and do nothing much to humidify the room, being a type of vape machine. I suppose you could take a vape machine and add a fan to mimic a user inhaling, and exhaust into the model for less. Still not humidifying, but the voice off days "still dry in here" [[User:RIIW - Ponder it|RIIW - Ponder it]] ([[User talk:RIIW - Ponder it|talk]]) 20:45, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Whoops! I updated the Feynman story at the same time as somebody else removed it. It's currently back with changes. Maybe I'd better find a better citation to see how accurate it is. It's notable that it was Feynman who found the o-ring issue mentioned in the comic. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.220|172.69.62.220]] 20:46, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
:The Feynman story is from part II of "What do YOU care what other people think?: Further adventures of a curious character". [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.6|162.158.106.6]] 21:24, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
::Thanks. I found it on library genesis ( http://gen.lib.rus.ec/book/index.php?md5=EA0CB0CF9A75A62E9F407CF1EE915F23 ) and my thirdhand telling was indeed rather inaccurate. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 21:38, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
: Removed the story and referenced wikipedia. But Feynman was a badass to stand up to the NASA administration and his silent peers so expressively. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.62.220|172.69.62.220]] 20:59, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

Anyone else notice someone wrote (after the bit explaining how rockets take off) "This is, of course, preposterous, as rockets are a fake child's fantasy created by Jewish NASA employees"?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.76|172.68.34.76]] 21:25, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
:Trolls, they’re gone now. [[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:44, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

O-Ring seemingly is potentially offensive in another way, too: https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=o%20ring [[User:Gunterkoenigsmann|Gunterkoenigsmann]] ([[User talk:Gunterkoenigsmann|talk]]) 06:36, 21 February 2019 (UTC)
:Oh wow. I'd never think of this one. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.160|162.158.92.160]] 13:22, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

Hmmm, I have always assumed that the water pumped to the base of the launch pad was intended to cool the exhaust so it won't destroy the concrete of the exhaust trench. But it's there to suppress sound? Well, one learns new things all the time... -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.92.34|162.158.92.34]] 09:01, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

Doesn't anybody think it looks like the rocket in 2107: Launch Risk? Should this be part of a series with that or what? --

Is the bit about rockets not being real supposed to be some kind of joke? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.106|162.158.78.106]] 17:32, 21 February 2019 (UTC)
:It’s been removed, and probably not. It’s weird sometimes.[[User:Netherin5|Netherin5]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 17:34, 21 February 2019 (UTC)

== Which kind of rocket? ==

A small rocket, with two or four boosters (so not a Proton) which are tapered at a 45 degree angle (which rules out the Angara series) towards the body, but away from the top (which means it's probably not American) and payload (which rules out the Ariane series), and a demarcated section for the payload faring (which seems to point to the Long March 5). Coupled with the fact that nearly everything is made in China, this makes me think this is a sly "everything is made in China" joke.

2114: Launch Conditions

2019-02-21T20:33:30Z

172.68.90.112: See discussion

{{comic
| number = 2114
| date = February 20, 2019
| title = Launch Conditions
| image = launch_conditions.png
| titletext = Though I do think the tiny vent on one of the boosters labeled "O-RING" is in poor taste.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an O-RING FAILURE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

An image of a rocket (presumably a Long March 5) with a progressively larger white cloud around it is shown, but no external object for scale is visible until the third panel.
It is then revealed to be a model or miniature when Ponytail walks into the shot.

The dialog reveals the miniature rocket is a domestic {{w|humidifier}} appliance, using its plumes of water mist to mimic the appearance of the exhaust plume of a full-size rocket.

Modern rocket launches are backed by a ''Sound Suppression System'' avoiding damages to the rocket itself, the payload, or humans inside. This system drops vast amounts of water into the exhaust of the rocket engines and the water vaporizes immediately. This vapor mainly interrupts the sound reflections from the ground. This reduces the sound to a level the rocket can withstand but also produces a big cloud of water mist. The cloud at the ground consists mostly of water and not the exhaust of the rocket engines. This article shows how the system works: [https://interestingengineering.com/nasa-sound-suppression-system-prevents-rocket-from-exploding NASA's Incredible Sound Suppression System Prevents Rockets from Exploding (interestingengineering.com)].

This comic appeared the day after the death of Peter Cosgrove, who was known for photographing many Space Shuttle launches, was reported.

The title text references the failed o-ring that led to the {{Wikipedia|Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|disintegration of the ''Challenger'' Space Shuttle}}.
This disaster was a focal point of controversy, which Richard Feynman played a key {{w|Rogers_Commission_Report#Role_of_Richard_Feynman|role in piercing}}. The o-ring in question failed to expand at freezing temperatures, resulting in a leak of gas around the edges that was visible as a small vapor plume on the recording. The launch was pushed to a day with lower temperatures than the engineers had planned for. For the humidifier to vent the water mist from this opening is indeed in poor taste, even though the model does not resemble a shuttle.
Another possible, yet unlikely, explanation might be that the ring is actually a reference to the {{w|Ring_of_O|Ring of O}} a distinctive mark of BDSM practitioners.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[A rocket sits on a launch pad and the tower to the left has retracted its access arms. The engines seem to have just started firing and a small cloud at the bottom is visible.]

:[The rocket still sits on the pad but the cloud is growing and extending to both sides on the ground.]

:[Ponytail's head, much larger than the rocket, appears above the rocket on the right. The cloud covers the full ground and hides a bigger part of the rocket.]

:[Zoom out. Ponytail stands behind a pedestal with a rocket model on top and the cloud is all around the bottom of the rocket and below.]
:Off screen: It's still pretty dry in here.
:Ponytail: I love the new humidifier, though.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Space]]

Talk:2106: Sharing Options

2019-02-04T23:08:23Z

172.68.90.112:

Certainly true for Twitter where it's either public or private. (Nothing about 300, but the amount of requests one can accept over a lifetime is finite.) As for the "friends-of-friends" option, it's possible that Randall only has ~300 within that wider circle.
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.113|162.158.79.113]] 17:17, 1 February 2019 (UTC)

:The 300 may be in reference to a widely reported average number of Facebook friends of 338 (although not sure where this number comes from). For Twitter it looks like the average number of followers is slightly lower [https://what-if.xkcd.com/65]. Both Twitter and Facebook have well over a billion users. 300 friends is also around the maximum number of close acquaintances that the human brain is thought to be able to cope with. [[User:A(l)Chemist|AlChemist]] ([[User talk:A(l)Chemist|talk]]) 20:27, 1 February 2019 (UTC)
::Dunbar's Number is closer to about 150. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.210.46|172.69.210.46]] 11:46, 3 February 2019 (UTC)

Pretty sure the title text is meant to have been spoken by "the screen" vs. Randall/Cueball. The screen is attempting to appease Cueball's privacy concerns by proposing that if a company such as Google, Amazon, eBay, etc. mines a large number of Cueball's social posts for their own agenda, instead of notification of that event, Cueball will instead receive a single "like" to one of his posts at random from the company's CEO. This practice would be deceptive and of little value. Cueball might easily miss the like, not know who the CEO of various companies are, may forget the significance of receiving such a like, etc. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.46.16|172.69.46.16]] 19:42, 1 February 2019 (UTC)Pat
: For me, I found the idea enticing because targeted advertising is so creepy, and it would show where it comes from. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.6|172.68.65.6]] 21:54, 1 February 2019 (UTC)

Shouldn't this be categorised under "Comics featuring Megan," "Ponytail," "Hairy," and "White Hat" as well, even if they're just in the background? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.22|162.158.255.22]] 00:46, 2 February 2019 (UTC)

Sorry, I'm confused. Why is the explanation "Da da dur dur ma ma hur hur"?
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.158.46|172.69.158.46]] 02:23, 2 February 2019 (UTC)
: No one bothered to explain it yet.
:: A lot of vandalism to the article has been reverted, apparently. That was one of the strings of text that the/a vandal had left.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.251|172.68.58.251]] 17:46, 2 February 2019 (UTC)

New xkcd up!
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.46.46|172.69.46.46]] 23:57, 2 February 2019 (UTC)
NEVER MIND; I WAS WRONG
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.46.46|172.69.46.46]] 23:59, 2 February 2019 (UTC)

Actually other than in the cartoon (cartoons always show simplified versions of reality) Facebook offers a 3rd and a 4th option: Set your post to be kind of "private" by default and wait until the default changes afterwards. And share your post with your friends, their friends and I think also the friends of everyone else who pressed the "share" button on it. Yuck!
: Facebook has several sharing options, but they take a bit of time to set up. You can collect your friends into groups and (on a per-post basis) specify that your posts are only to be visible to people in certain groups. Much like the (soon-to-be-gone) Google+'s concept of circles. I used that for years (before I shut down my FB account altogether) to categorize my posts and only show them to friends I think care about the subject (e.g. only show politics and religion posts to those not likely to respond with flames, keep movie and TV reviews from those who hate spoilers, etc.) [[User:Shamino|Shamino]] ([[User talk:Shamino|talk]]) 15:59, 4 February 2019 (UTC)

Why do the clouds have to represent cloud servers? Why can't they just be clouds, because, ummm, I don't know - they're flying?

What the hell is all this business about VR? I just saw the sky and stuff as an abstract representation of social media. What are you guys smoking? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.131|108.162.212.131]] 16:03, 4 February 2019 (UTC)

Why change my "I have cancer" to "I'm in the hospital"? I thought it especially relevant, as Randall's is a cancer survivor. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.94|172.68.90.94]] 22:10, 4 February 2019 (UTC)SiliconWolf
Grr. I thought I typed that in correct, but I guess not. 'as Randall's WIFE is a cancer survivor.' [[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.112|172.68.90.112]] 23:08, 4 February 2019 (UTC)SiliconWolf

Talk:2078: Popper

2018-11-28T18:10:44Z

172.68.90.112:

I think this might have to do with the President's claims regarding climate change, there's no evidence that I'm not wrong [[User:Zachweix|Zachweix]] ([[User talk:Zachweix|talk]]) 18:08, 28 November 2018 (UTC)

I have no evidence to prove that the comic's explanation is incorrect. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.112|172.68.90.112]] 18:10, 28 November 2018 (UTC)SiliconWolf

Talk:2077: Heist

2018-11-26T19:28:57Z

172.68.90.112:

You know, this isn't just a movie trope, this is an actual technique that is used ALL the time: https://youtu.be/rnmcRTnTNC8?t=2000 Is this worth mentioning in the explanation? [[User:Cgrimes85|Cgrimes85]] ([[User talk:Cgrimes85|talk]]) 16:42, 26 November 2018 (UTC)

The movie Dope does a reverse cryptocurrency heist. That counts, right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dope_%282015_film%29

There are no movies about cryptocurrency heists yet (to the best of my knowledge), but this is probably how one would look like.

Tweaked the grammar in the early, short explanation. Didn't fundamentally change the text, but I'm not sure that worrying about being "a minor character" is quite correct as the text of the comic quantifies that as being _in a heist_. Cueball's worries may not just be about his life being nothing more than a minor character in a movie, but possibly also of potential legal / professional liability as an accessory or accomplice. By knowing or supposing that the one asking for access is a criminal and/or should not have access -- and granting it anyway -- that may be enough to charge him with facilitation of the crime [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessory_(legal_term)#Criminal_facilitation as it is (in some jurisdictions) a crime to "provide" a person with "means or opportunity" to commit a crime, "believing it probable that he is rendering aid to a person who intends to commit a crime."]

But he has a white hat! We don't have to worry if they wear a white hat, right? On the other hand, he's "from the building"? What the heck does that mean? Cueball best knock the white hat off to eliminate any cognitive dissonance and then call his supervisor. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.90.112|172.68.90.112]] 19:28, 26 November 2018 (UTC) SiliconWolf