explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2458: Bubble Wrap

2021-05-04T07:29:52Z

172.69.170.142:

In another 25 years, unpopped bubble wrap will be the only source of pure air left in the world. [[User:RAGBRAIvet|RAGBRAIvet]] ([[User talk:RAGBRAIvet|talk]]) 04:42, 4 May 2021 (UTC)

:In 25 ''thousand'' years, scientists will use bubble wrap to see what the air what like today, in a similar fashion to how we use ice core samples to look at the atmosphere from thousands of years ago. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.74|108.162.249.74]] 04:54, 4 May 2021 (UTC)

WD-40 is not a lubricant. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.244|172.68.65.244]] 05:16, 4 May 2021 (UTC)
: You're right, but in the time it took for you to post the comment, you could have just fixed it. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 07:21, 4 May 2021 (UTC)
::Are you sure? Its not lube despite its penetrating powers, I'll concede to that. But why wouldn't it be a lubricant? Its an oil based product, I need more context. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.170.142|172.69.170.142]] 07:29, 4 May 2021 (UTC)

Talk:2458: Bubble Wrap

2021-05-04T07:28:58Z

172.69.170.142:

In another 25 years, unpopped bubble wrap will be the only source of pure air left in the world. [[User:RAGBRAIvet|RAGBRAIvet]] ([[User talk:RAGBRAIvet|talk]]) 04:42, 4 May 2021 (UTC)

:In 25 ''thousand'' years, scientists will use bubble wrap to see what the air what like today, in a similar fashion to how we use ice core samples to look at the atmosphere from thousands of years ago. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.74|108.162.249.74]] 04:54, 4 May 2021 (UTC)

WD-40 is not a lubricant. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.244|172.68.65.244]] 05:16, 4 May 2021 (UTC)
: You're right, but in the time it took for you to post the comment, you could have just fixed it. [[User:Bischoff|Bischoff]] ([[User talk:Bischoff|talk]]) 07:21, 4 May 2021 (UTC)
::Are you sure? Its not lube despite its penetrating powers. I'll concede to that. But why wouldn't it be a lubricant? Its an oil based product. I need more context

Talk:38: Apple Jacks

2021-04-23T17:49:48Z

172.69.170.142:

First.
: Second
:: Four Hundred Thousand Eight Hundred Twenty Second.
:Please at least say who you are (preferably add '~ ~ ~ ~'). [[User:Beanie|Beanie]] ([[User talk:Beanie|talk]]) 12:35, 11 March 2021 (UTC)
::If it shows my name, sorry. I fixed it for him
::Ok. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.170.142|172.69.170.142]] 17:49, 23 April 2021 (UTC)

Talk:2448: Eradication

2021-04-11T01:29:24Z

172.69.170.142:

Is this a [[2306|slippery slope of morality]] we're heading down? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.6|141.101.98.6]]
:I do not think we will hesitate with eradicating diseases, like we did with smallpox. However, seems unlikely we will manage to eradicate any type of corona virus... sadly. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:40, 10 April 2021 (UTC)
:Do laws and treaties regarding protecting endangered species have exceptions for disease-causing organisms? Maybe viruses don't count because they're not considered to be alive, but what about bacteria?
::They are not endangered. We have viable population {{w|Smallpox virus retention debate|stored safely}} so we can reintroduce it to wild anytime we want. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:33, 10 April 2021 (UTC)

Do we ever attribute the title text to a particular character in the comic? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 13:27, 10 April 2021 (UTC)
:We do, whenever it is obvious that a character said it, and which one said it is equally trivial to ascertain. I would not say either can be done for this comic. The primary argument for Megan saying this is probably that if it were Cueball, he would be speaking out of turn. But a 3rd character or Randal seems much more likely to me here since the speech pattern does not mach the rest of the comic. You could maybe claim that such language is typical of Megan... but honestly its typical of Cueball as well, in his dark fantasy moments.

2447: Hammer Incident

2021-04-08T14:11:49Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Fixed error

{{comic
| number = 2447
| date = April 7, 2021
| title = Hammer Incident
| image = hammer incident normal.png
| titletext = I still think the Cold Stone Creamery partnership was a good idea, but I should have asked before doing the first market trials during the cryogenic mirror tests.
}}

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

The {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (JWST) is a {{w|space telescope}} created to be the successor of the {{w|Hubble Space Telescope}} under construction at time of publishing and expected to launch in October 2021.

It's implied that Cueball dropped a hammer on the mirror of the JWST, and breaking mirrors in superstition causes seven years of bad luck. But since the mirror panel is not made of glass it is likely that a dropped hammer would dent and distort the panel rather than shatter it.

NASA is quite angry as the telescope was very expensive (current estimate US$10 billion). While Cueball appears to only damaged or destroyed one mirror panel (The mirror is made of eighteen separate panels, so if he had destroyed the entire telescope, he would have been facing 7×18=126 years of bad luck.), even breaking a single panel would likely be very expensive because it would have required extremely accurate machinery to make and extensive calibration tests. Another factor making the mirror panels more expensive is the fact that they were coated with gold (While most mirrors are coated with silver or another reflective gray metal in order to reflect all of visible light, the designers of the James Webb Telescope wanted it to be able to view redshifted galaxies, which would have required the mirror to be able to reflect infrared light. While silver is good at reflecting visible light, it is a poor reflector of infrared light, as are most other metals, but relativistic effects shift gold's spectral range of reflectivity to lowers wavelengths so that it reflects near- and mid-infrared light but not the shorter wavelengths of visible light.) While Cueball hasn't destroyed the individual gold atoms, so the gold at lest theoretically can be melted down, salvaged, and reused, expensive measures must be taken in order to ensure that no gold is lost during the process, and it's possible that a little gold will be lost even then, in which case replacing it would be expensive because gold is very valuable. Also, NASA would have to redo a bunch of background checks and other security precautions for the goldsmiths, and those would likely be expensive. However, Cueball is more concerned about the fact that he has 7 years of bad luck. Cueball seems be on trial for breaking a very expensive piece of equipment. The trial seems to be conducted by NASA, given the caption below.

The title text refers to the ice cream chain {{w|Cold Stone Creamery}}. Since the cryocooler of the JWST cools things down to 7.00K (-266.15°C, or -447.07°F), it would be a bit of an overkill. Cold Stone Creamery mixes ice cream with various other ingredients, such as fruit or candy, in front of the customer before serving it to the customer. The usual surface for mixing is a piece of metal or marble which is kept quite cold (about -10 C), but nowhere as cold as components of the JWST. If Cueball had tried mixing his ice cream and flavourings, in the style of Cold Stone Creamery, on the JWST, it would have messed up the surfaces on the telescope, perhaps have gotten into the instrumentation. If it was the finely polished reflective surfaces, he may end up scratching and/or staining them beyond usability. Possibly, due to the localised temperature differential from ice-cream hundreds of degrees ''warmer'' than the material, promoted damaging distortions/fractures. If Cueball was mixing ice cream within a 7K cryo chamber, it also raises the question of how he could have survived. Also, if such an irresponsible person was able to enter the cryo chamber where the expensive telescope was being kept, it raises the question of whether NASA has any sort of security.

The JWST has previously been mentioned in [[2014: JWST Delays]], [[1730: Starshade]], and [[1461: Payloads]]

For some reason, the image for this comic is very large (4332×4838px). This is probably a mistake, as the double-resolution version [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hammer_incident_2x.png] is significantly smaller at 578×645px. This appears to have been fixed.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball stands before a seated panel of four people (Ponytail, Hairy, a second Cueball and Hairbun).]
:Cueball: Yes, I know you're mad that I dropped that hammer.
:Cueball: But think about me—
:Cueball: '''''Seven years of bad luck!'''''
:[Caption below the panel]:
:Man, NASA is really on my case about the James Webb Space Telescope.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Telescopes]]

2447: Hammer Incident

2021-04-08T14:10:44Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Added to explanation

{{comic
| number = 2447
| date = April 7, 2021
| title = Hammer Incident
| image = hammer incident normal.png
| titletext = I still think the Cold Stone Creamery partnership was a good idea, but I should have asked before doing the first market trials during the cryogenic mirror tests.
}}

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

The {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (JWST) is a {{w|space telescope}} created to be the successor of the {{w|Hubble Space Telescope}} under construction at time of publishing and expected to launch in October 2021.

It's implied that Cueball dropped a hammer on the mirror of the JWST, and breaking mirrors in superstition causes seven years of bad luck. But since the mirror panel is not made of glass it is likely that a dropped hammer would dent and distort the panel rather than shatter it.

NASA is quite angry as the telescope was very expensive (current estimate US$10 billion). While Cueball appears to only damaged or destroyed one mirror panel (The mirror is made of eighteen separate panels, so if he had destroyed the entire telescope, he would have been facing 7×18=126 years of bad luck.), even breaking a single panel would likely be very expensive because it would have required extremely accurate machinery to make and extensive calibration tests. Another factor making the mirror panels more expensive is the fact that they were coated with gold (While most mirrors are coated with silver or another reflective gray metal in order to reflect all of visible light, the designers of the James Webb Telescope wanted it to be able to view redshifted galaxies, which would have required the mirror to be able to reflect infrared light. While silver is good at reflecting visible light, it is a poor reflector of infrared light, as are most other metals, but relativistic effects shift gold's spectral range of reflectivity to higher wavelengths so that it reflects near- and mid-infrared light but not the shorter wavelengths of visible light.) While Cueball hasn't destroyed the individual gold atoms, so the gold at lest theoretically can be melted down, salvaged, and reused, expensive measures must be taken in order to ensure that no gold is lost during the process, and it's possible that a little gold will be lost even then, in which case replacing it would be expensive because gold is very valuable. Also, NASA would have to redo a bunch of background checks and other security precautions for the goldsmiths, and those would likely be expensive. However, Cueball is more concerned about the fact that he has 7 years of bad luck. Cueball seems be on trial for breaking a very expensive piece of equipment. The trial seems to be conducted by NASA, given the caption below.

The title text refers to the ice cream chain {{w|Cold Stone Creamery}}. Since the cryocooler of the JWST cools things down to 7.00K (-266.15°C, or -447.07°F), it would be a bit of an overkill. Cold Stone Creamery mixes ice cream with various other ingredients, such as fruit or candy, in front of the customer before serving it to the customer. The usual surface for mixing is a piece of metal or marble which is kept quite cold (about -10 C), but nowhere as cold as components of the JWST. If Cueball had tried mixing his ice cream and flavourings, in the style of Cold Stone Creamery, on the JWST, it would have messed up the surfaces on the telescope, perhaps have gotten into the instrumentation. If it was the finely polished reflective surfaces, he may end up scratching and/or staining them beyond usability. Possibly, due to the localised temperature differential from ice-cream hundreds of degrees ''warmer'' than the material, promoted damaging distortions/fractures. If Cueball was mixing ice cream within a 7K cryo chamber, it also raises the question of how he could have survived. Also, if such an irresponsible person was able to enter the cryo chamber where the expensive telescope was being kept, it raises the question of whether NASA has any sort of security.

The JWST has previously been mentioned in [[2014: JWST Delays]], [[1730: Starshade]], and [[1461: Payloads]]

For some reason, the image for this comic is very large (4332×4838px). This is probably a mistake, as the double-resolution version [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hammer_incident_2x.png] is significantly smaller at 578×645px. This appears to have been fixed.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Cueball stands before a seated panel of four people (Ponytail, Hairy, a second Cueball and Hairbun).]
:Cueball: Yes, I know you're mad that I dropped that hammer.
:Cueball: But think about me—
:Cueball: '''''Seven years of bad luck!'''''
:[Caption below the panel]:
:Man, NASA is really on my case about the James Webb Space Telescope.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Telescopes]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2021-04-05T21:56:09Z

172.69.170.142: /* Indoor fireworks */ Moved the sentence about fireworks being banned in order to reduce stress on hospitals so that it's next to other sentences about fireworks being dangerous

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.

[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. Many of these locations have a small convenience store attached, where customers can purchase snacks or drinks while having their car filled up. It's unknown whether Randall/Ponytail meant "free refill" of gasoline or of drinks from the convenience store, but either way it was not a business practice that was common.{{Citation needed}} Free refills of drinks are more associated with restaurants and diners, who allow free top-ups of relatively cheaper soft drinks, tea, or coffee, in the hopes that it will attract people to come in and buy more expensive meals to cover the cost. COVID has curtailed the hospitality sector to various degrees and it's likely outlets that once offered free top-ups have ceased to do so, whether because of hygiene concerns, lack of staff, customers tending to not buy as expensive meals due to the associated economic recession, or even due to cancelling eat-in service. While gasoline stations (that we know of) don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries, whose shelves full of flammable paper books present both an increased fire hazard (as the fire could spread more quickly with plenty of fuel, and the shelves could potentially hamper efforts to evacuate the library if the fire made that necessary) and a liability (because if the books burned, they would be destroyed/unusable, and it would likely cost a lot of money to replace them). In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this.

In light of this Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling", meaning to hang out, or the other use of the verb grill that means to question intensely. Before the pandemic libraries would frequently host guest speakers, often authors, but sometimes speakers, academics, local community leaders or notable VIPs. This is because libraries serve as public event spaces in small towns across the United States and Megan is the type of person who might enjoy a lively Q&A with said speakers.

Even if grilling (either kind) were allowed in Cueball's and Megan's library beforehand, it would not be allowed during the pandemic, as it would involve eating in an enclosed area, an activity specifically warned to increase the contagiousness of the virus. Backyard (or library) cookouts have been discouraged by the {{w|Center for Disease Control and Prevention}}, or CDC, because of this. Thus, two activities are described here as one, both of which are discouraged during a pandemic, but together discouraged regardless of COVID-19.

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theater as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Due to inherently being explosive, fireworks can be dangerous, i.e. cause injuries or even death. Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks.

This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

Out of frustration, some players attempt to reach through the deposit hole in order to try to take one of the stuffed animals or other prizes without the use of the claw. Since multiple people would presumably have already touched the metal interior, this is an effective way to spread the contagion quickly, which makes it even more imperative to discontinue this practice. There are other dangers to doing this as well; one can [https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3672117 get their arm stuck in the machine], and can even cause themselves serious damage.

Again it is possible that the arcade used a ticket or token system where one could cash out their winnings for self-selected items such as plush toys. As a COVID mitigation, the arcade may have found it necessary to make the plush toys only available via an enclosed claw style "skill" game.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2021-04-05T21:51:31Z

172.69.170.142: /* Grilling in the library */ Elaborated on why people should not cook in libraries

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.

[[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. Many of these locations have a small convenience store attached, where customers can purchase snacks or drinks while having their car filled up. It's unknown whether Randall/Ponytail meant "free refill" of gasoline or of drinks from the convenience store, but either way it was not a business practice that was common.{{Citation needed}} Free refills of drinks are more associated with restaurants and diners, who allow free top-ups of relatively cheaper soft drinks, tea, or coffee, in the hopes that it will attract people to come in and buy more expensive meals to cover the cost. COVID has curtailed the hospitality sector to various degrees and it's likely outlets that once offered free top-ups have ceased to do so, whether because of hygiene concerns, lack of staff, customers tending to not buy as expensive meals due to the associated economic recession, or even due to cancelling eat-in service. While gasoline stations (that we know of) don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries, whose shelves full of flammable paper books present both an increased fire hazard (as the fire could spread more quickly with plenty of fuel, and the shelves could potentially hamper efforts to evacuate the library if the fire made that necessary) and a liability (because if the books burned, they would be destroyed/unusable, and it would likely cost a lot of money to replace them). In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this.

In light of this Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling", meaning to hang out, or the other use of the verb grill that means to question intensely. Before the pandemic libraries would frequently host guest speakers, often authors, but sometimes speakers, academics, local community leaders or notable VIPs. This is because libraries serve as public event spaces in small towns across the United States and Megan is the type of person who might enjoy a lively Q&A with said speakers.

Even if grilling (either kind) were allowed in Cueball's and Megan's library beforehand, it would not be allowed during the pandemic, as it would involve eating in an enclosed area, an activity specifically warned to increase the contagiousness of the virus. Backyard (or library) cookouts have been discouraged by the {{w|Center for Disease Control and Prevention}}, or CDC, because of this. Thus, two activities are described here as one, both of which are discouraged during a pandemic, but together discouraged regardless of COVID-19.

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theater as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks.

This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.
Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

Out of frustration, some players attempt to reach through the deposit hole in order to try to take one of the stuffed animals or other prizes without the use of the claw. Since multiple people would presumably have already touched the metal interior, this is an effective way to spread the contagion quickly, which makes it even more imperative to discontinue this practice. There are other dangers to doing this as well; one can [https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3672117 get their arm stuck in the machine], and can even cause themselves serious damage.

Again it is possible that the arcade used a ticket or token system where one could cash out their winnings for self-selected items such as plush toys. As a COVID mitigation, the arcade may have found it necessary to make the plush toys only available via an enclosed claw style "skill" game.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2445: Checkbox

2021-04-02T12:37:15Z

172.69.170.142: /* Special Responses */

{{comic
| number = 2445
| date = April 1, 2021
| title = Checkbox
| image = checkbox.gif
| titletext = Check check check ... chhecck chhecck chhecck ... check check check
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CHECKBOX. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This is an April Fools comic that looks similar to a loading screen. The actual comic (this “loading screen”) consists of a gif of a checkbox (hence the name).

The frame is replaced with an interactive panel. In the centre is a check box, which clears itself immediately when checked. In the bottom right is a mute button, which begins muted.

Under the checkbox is a scrolling visual representation of the timing and duration of clicks in the check box, which also produce matching beeping sounds when unmuted.

By varying between brief and long presses, and brief and long intervals between presses, it is possible to enter characters in Morse Code.

The title text hints at the use of Morse Code in the comic; interpreting the "check" as a Morse Code dot and the "chhecck" as a Morse Code dash gives ...---..., which is the Morse Code for "SOS", the international distress signal. Incidentally, inputting the SOS signal gives "YOU TOO?".

The check box then begins operating by itself, producing sounds which can be decoded as Morse Code. These responses are also printed in the browser's JavaScript console in both plain text and a textual representation of Morse code.

For the majority of inputs, the check box responds with a random selection from the following list:
* COME AGAIN
* HUH
* NOT FOLLOWING
* SAY AGAIN
* TRY THAT AGAIN
* WHAT

Some keywords, however, have special responses.

Help on the comic is ascribed to Max Goodhart, Patrick, Amber, Benjamin Staffin, Kevin Cotrone, and Michael Leuchtenburg.

===Special Responses===
[.s are short presses, -s are long presses, and /s are spaces (just for readability)]

xkcd -> FILE NOT FOUND

xkcd -> A CROSS THREE LETTERS

[-..- -.- -.-. -..]

HI -> HELLO! ANYBODY OUT THERE?

[.... ..]

HELLO -> HELLO TO YOU TOO!

[.... . .-.. .-.. ---]

HELP -> ENTER IMAGE NUMBER
HELP -> YES PLEASE

[.... . .-.. .--.]

WHAT -> ECHO

[.-- .... .- -]

ECHO -> ECHO

[. -.-. .... ---]

CHECK -> MATE

[-.-. .... . -.-. -.-]

CHECKBOX -> RADIO BUTTON (and vice versa)

[-.-. .... . -.-. -.- -... --- -..-]

ILOVEYOU -> LESSTHANTHREE

[.. .-.. --- ...- . -.-- --- ..-]

E (''repeat n times'') -> E (''repeat n times'') (where n < 7. n=6 returns 'AAAAAA' instead)

[.]

T (''repeat n times'') -> T (''repeat n times'') (where n < 7)

[-]

E-> E ''then'' I -> EIEIO

I (''repeat n times'') -> I (''repeat n times'') (where n < 4. n=4 returns 'IV', which is probably the roman numeral for 4)

FLIPCOIN -> HEADS ''or'' TAILS

[..-. .-.. .. .--. -.-. --- .. -.]

LOOK AROUND -> NOT ENOUGH POWER

[.-.. --- --- -.- / .- .-. --- ..- -. -..]

SEE -> RED SOIL

[... . .]

WHO ARE YOU ''or'' WHAT IS YOUR NAME -> SOJOURNER

[.-- .... --- / .- .-. . / -.-- --- ..-]

SOJOURNER -> CFM (short for Confirm)

[... --- .--- --- ..- .-. -. . .-.]

ET -> PHONE HOME

[. -]

LS -> DID YOU MEAN DIR

DIR -> ENTER IMAGE NUMBER

(any number <=2445) -> (loads xkcd comic in new tab)

MAKE ME A SANDWICH -> NOT A CHANCE

[-- .- -.- . / -- . / .- / ... .- -. -.. .-- .. -.-. ….]

SUDO MAKE ME A SANDWICH -> NOT POSSIBLE HERE

[... ..- -.. --- / -- .- -.- . / -- . / .- / ... .- -. -.. .-- .. -.-. ....]

<nowiki />:) -> :D

[---... -.--.-]

<nowiki />:( -> :C

[---... -.--.]

<nowiki />;) -> :O

[-.-.-. -.--.-]

<nowiki />:O -> :X

[---... ---]

UWU -> OWO

[..- .-- ..-]

OWO -> UWU

[--- .-- ---]

UNIX -> (''Opens [https://uni.xkcd.com uni.xkcd.com]'')

[..- -. .. -..-]

GET YE FLASK -> YE WISH! IF THERE WAS A FLASK IN THIS GAME, WE'D KNOW ABOUT IT.

[--. . - / -.-- . / ..-. .-.. .- ... -.-]

YO -> YO

[-.-- ---]

DROP TABLE -> HAHA NO

[.... .- .... .- / -. ---]

WHY -> TO STUDY THE RED PLANET

[.-- .... -.--]

EAT -> I PHOTOSYNTHESIZE

[.. / .--. .... --- - --- ... -.-- -. - .... . ... .. --.. .]

BATTLE ''or'' FIGHT -> THROW

====Controls====

QUIET -> (turns the volume off)

[--.- ..- .. . -]

MUTE -> (turns the volume off)

[-- ..- - .]

BEEP -> (turns the volume on)

[-... . . .--.]

(see also QRS and QRQ)

====Q codes and radio shorthand====
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_code

CQ -> CQD DE SOJ

[-.-. --.-]

SOS -> YOU TOO?

SOS -> OH NO

[... --- ...]

QRS -> (reduces playback speed)

[--.- .-. ...]

QRQ -> (increases playback speed)

[--.- .-. --.-]

QRA -> QRA SOJOURNER

[--.- .-. .-]

QRB -> QRB 264 MILLION KM

[--.- .-. -…]

QRH -> QRH 0.652 METERS

[--.- .-. ....]

QRG -> QRG PATHFINDER

[--.- .-. --.]

QRZ -> QRZ SOJOURNER

[--.- .-. --..]

QRT -> PLEASE DON'T GO

[--.- .-. -]

QTH -> QTH ARES VALLIS

[--.- - ....]

QSL -> QSL

[--.- ... .-..]

73 -> 73 KN

====FORTUNE====

F -> DID YOU MEAN FORTUNE

[..-.]

FORTUNE -> OPEN ME

[..-. --- .-. - ..- -. .]

OPEN -> ''returns one of the following fortunes''

[--- .--. . -.]

* NEVER FEAR THE END OF SOMETHING MARKS THE START OF SOMETHING NEW
* YOUR DREAMS ARE NEVER SILLY DEPEND ON THEM TO GUIDE YOU
* YOU WILL BE A GREAT SUCCESS BOTH IN THE BUSINESS WORLD AND SOCIETY
* CHANGE IS HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE SO GO WITH THE FLOW
* YOUR MOODS SIGNAL A PERIOD OF CHANGE
* YOUR MENTALITY IS ALERT PRACTICAL AND ANALYTICAL
* YOU SHOULD PAY FOR THIS CHECK BE GENEROUS
* EVERYWHERE YOU CHOOSE TO GO FRIENDLY FACES WILL GREET YOU
* DILIGENCE AND MODESTY CAN RAISE YOUR SOCIAL STATUS
* MANS MIND ONCE STRETCHED BY A NEW IDEA NEVER REGAINS ITS ORIGINAL DIMENSIONS
* YOU ARE GENEROUS TO AN EXTREME AND ALWAYS THINK OF THE OTHER FELLOW

OPEN -> HUH (if after something other than "FORTUNE")

====ENCABULATOR====

STATUS -> RADIO ONLINE, MOTOR ONLINE, UNILATERAL PHASE DETRACTOR UNPOWERED, CARDINAL GRAMMETER UNSYNCHRONIZED

[... - .- - ..- ...]

YOUTUBE -> RXJKDH1KZ0W ''(Note: video ID for [https://youtu.be/RXJKdh1KZ0w Rockwell Retro Encabulator])''

[-.-- --- ..- - ..- -... .]

REPAIR, ENCABULATOR, FIX, ''or'' SYSTEM -> ENTERING ENCABULATOR RECOVERY SYSTEM. OPTIONS 1 INITIATE SIDE FUMBLING 2 ALIGN SPURVING BEARINGS 3 REVERSE TREMIE PIPE

[.-. . .--. .- .. .-.]

* 1 -> SIDE FUMBLING DETECTED. MODIAL INTERACTION UNSTABLE. RECOVERY TERMINATED.
* 2 -> MODIAL INTERACTION INITIATED. OPTIONS 1 UNWIND LOTUS O DELTOID 2 INCREASE DEPLENERATION 3 CONNECT GIRDLESPRING ON DOWN END OF GRAMMETER 4 CONNECT SEVENTH CONDUCTOR TO GIRDLESPRING
** 1 -> SIDE FUMBLING DETECTED. MODIAL INTERACTION UNSTABLE. RECOVERY TERMINATED.
** 2 -> DEPLENERATION PREVENTED BY DINGLE ARM
** 3 -> SIDE FUMBLING DETECTED. MODIAL INTERACTION UNSTABLE. RECOVERY TERMINATED.
** 4 -> PANAMETRIC FAN ACTIVATED. MODIAL INTERACTION STABLE. DEFAULT CONFIGURATION MISSING. MANUALLY ENTER MARZELVANE TYPE TO COMPLETE RECOVERY
*** HYDROCOPTIC -> RECOVERY SUCCESSFUL. REBOOT Y N?
**** Y -> (''Opens [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/sojourner_repaired.png sojourner_repaired.png]'')
* 3 -> ERROR TREMIE PIPE NONREVERSIBLE

====MAZE====
RETURN -> DID YOU MEAN ENTER

ENTER -> DID YOU MEAN ENTERMAZE

ENTER MAZE -> AN EMPTY ROOM

[. -. - . .-. / -- .- --.. .]

* LOOK -> AN EMPTY ROOM
* HELP -> NORTH EAST SOUTH WEST GET
* EXIT -> CFM (''Exits the maze'')

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Maze
|-
|an open flame || a candle on a table || style="background-color: black;" |
|-
| style="background-color: black;" | || an empty room (start) || style="background-color: black;" |
|-
| style="background-color: black;" | || a hanging bell || an open book on a table (locked door)
|-
|}

Steps to complete (directions can be abbreviated as their first letter):
# NORTH
# GET CANDLE -> TAKEN
# WEST
# LIGHT CANDLE
# EAST
# SOUTH
# SOUTH
# RING BELL -> A DOOR OPENS
# EAST
# CLOSE BOOK -> CONGRATULATIONS YOU ESCAPE

====CROSSWORD====
CROSSWORD -> NUMBERANDDIRECTION (starts a crossword, you can ask for hints like "1 down" or "2 across")

Appears to be today's (2021-04-01) New York Times Crossword: https://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/2021/04/libertarian-politico-johnson-thu-4-1-21.html

{| class="wikitable"
|+Solved Crossword
|-
| m || y || g || o || d || style="background-color: black; | || d || e || v || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || e || l || f
|-
| b || u || o || n || o || style="background-color: black; | || e || y || e || s || style="background-color: black; | || s || l || u || r
|-
| a || m || o || c || o || style="background-color: black; | || c || r || a || p || style="background-color: black; | || l || m || a || o
|-
| style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || v || e || r || y || r || e || l || i || g || i || o || u || s
|-
| s || e || e || style="background-color: black; | || m || u || y || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || r || a || m || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; |
|-
| h || a || r || h || a || r || style="background-color: black; | || s || c || a || r || e || d || o || f
|-
| e || s || s || e || n || t || i || a || l || l || y || style="background-color: black; | || a || r || i
|-
| b || t || e || n || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || m || m || i || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || t || v || a || d
|-
| o || l || a || style="background-color: black; | || b || a || d || m || o || u || t || h || i || n || g
|-
| p || a || s || s || e || d || b || y || style="background-color: black; | || n || o || o || d || g || e
|-
| style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || o || a || r || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || s || u || n || style="background-color: black; | || l || e || t
|-
| b || l || e || n || d || e || d || f || a || m || i || l || y || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; |
|-
| b || o || r || g || style="background-color: black; | || p || e || l || t || style="background-color: black; | || g || e || n || r || e
|-
| q || u || i || z || style="background-color: black; | || s || p || a || y || style="background-color: black; | || h || i || c || k || s
|-
| s || t || e || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || style="background-color: black; | || p || b || r || style="background-color: black; | || t || a || h || o || e
|}

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ Words
! index !! down word !! across word
|-
| 1 || MBA || MYGOD
|-
| 2 || YUM ||
|-
| 3 || GOOVERSEAS ||
|-
| 4 || ONCE ||
|-
| 5 || DOORMAN ||
|-
| 6 || DECRY || DEV
|-
| 7 || EYRE ||
|-
| 8 || VEAL ||
|-
| 9 || ELMO || ELF
|-
| 10 || LUAU ||
|-
| 11 || FROS ||
|-
| 12 || || BUONO
|-
| 13 || || EYES
|-
| 14 || SPIRAL ||
|-
| 15 || SLIME || SLUR
|-
| 16 || || AMOCO
|-
| 17 || || CRAP
|-
| 18 || || LMAO
|-
| 19 || || VERYRELIGIOUS
|-
| 20 || YURT ||
|-
| 21 || GARY ||
|-
| 22 || SHEBOP || SEE
|-
| 23 || EASTLA ||
|-
| 24 || || MUY
|-
| 25 || || RAM
|-
| 26 || || HARHAR
|-
| 27 || HEN ||
|-
| 28 || SAMMY || SCAREDOF
|-
| 29 || CLIO ||
|-
| 30 || DAVIDLYNCH ||
|-
| 31 || ORANGE ||
|-
| 32 || FIDGET ||
|-
| 33 || || ESSENTIALLY
|-
| 34 || IMDB ||
|-
| 35 || || ARI
|-
| 36 || || BTEN
|-
| 37 || || MMI
|-
| 38 || THO || TVAD
|-
| 39 || || OLA
|-
| 40 || BEAD || BADMOUTHING
|-
| 41 || ADREPS ||
|-
| 42 || UNUM ||
|-
| 43 || TONIGHT ||
|-
| 44 || || PASSEDBY
|-
| 45 || SONGZ ||
|-
| 46 || || NOODGE
|-
| 47 || || OAR
|-
| 48 || SATYR || SUN
|-
| 49 || || LET
|-
| 50 || BBQS || BLENDEDFAMILY
|-
| 51 || LOUT ||
|-
| 52 || ERIE ||
|-
| 53 || DEPP ||
|-
| 54 || FLAB ||
|-
| 55 || LEIA ||
|-
| 56 || || BORG
|-
| 57 || || PELT
|-
| 58 || || GENRE
|-
| 59 || RKO ||
|-
| 60 || ESE ||
|-
| 61 || || QUIZ
|-
| 62 || || SPAY
|-
| 63 || || HICKS
|-
| 64 || || STE
|-
| 65 || || PBR
|-
| 66 || || TAHOE
|}

===Rover Scene===
After successfully repairing and rebooting Sojourner, a comic is opened which depicts it seeking out and finding its friends, Spirit, Opportunity, Curiosity, Perseverance, and Ingenuity. Curiosity and Perseverance are locked in a swordfight, and either Spirit or Opportunity is carried off by Ingenuity while the other speeds off a small mound of dirt.

===Special Console Commands===
The page's JavaScript creates a global object <code>morse</code> with <code>encode</code> and <code>decode</code> methods. From the developer console, it is possible to write <code>morse.encode("A PHRASE")</code>, which will print the Morse code corresponding to the text provided, or <code>morse.decode("... --- ...")</code> which will translate the Morse code to text.

<code>BeepComic.hurryUp()</code> to get the reply immediately in the console.
<code>BeepComic.send(...)</code> to send directly to SOJOURNER.

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

[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:April fools' comics]]

2445: Checkbox

2021-04-01T23:37:58Z

172.69.170.142: /* Special Responses */

Talk:2441: IMDb Vaccines

2021-03-25T04:21:20Z

172.69.170.142:

So the Force doesn't protect you against COVID-19? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 03:59, 25 March 2021 (UTC)
What I got from this comic, after an initial laugh, was the realization that this has been going on long enough for something like this to develop into a hobby....[[Special:Contributions/172.69.170.142|172.69.170.142]] 04:21, 25 March 2021 (UTC)

2293: RIP John Conway

2021-03-13T00:49:33Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Mentioned signficance of glider's direction

{{comic
| number = 2293
| date = April 13, 2020
| title = RIP John Conway
| image = rip_john_conway.gif
| titletext = 1937-2020
}}

==Explanation==

{{w|John Horton Conway|John Conway}}, an English mathematician, passed away of [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19]] on April 11, 2020. Two days later, [[Randall]] created this [[:Category:Tribute|memorial comic]]. It is the 6th memorial comic, but it is the first released in almost 5 years, since [[1560: Bubblegum]].

One of Conway's most famous creations was the {{w|cellular automaton}} known as {{w|Conway's Game of Life}}. A cellular automaton is a machine composed of cells, each of which can be in a different state. Every generation, each cell in the automaton may transition to a new state depending on a set of rules. (Conway's work in mathematics was vast and various, but he is perhaps best known in the field for discovering the {{w|surreal numbers}}, which inspired Donald Knuth to write a novel which may have been referenced back in [[505: A Bunch of Rocks]].)

Conway's Game of Life was first popularized to the general public in the form of a game, Life Genesis, bundled into some distributions of Windows 3.1, an operating system from the early-90s that Randall most likely used in his preteen years.

Conway's Game of Life is a 2-state automaton (i.e., every cell can be "alive" or "dead") that is implemented on a two-dimensional grid of cells using the {{w|Moore neighborhood}} - this means that each cell can only be influenced by the eight cells directly surrounding it, both orthogonally and diagonally. The transition rules that Conway used are as follows:

* If an "alive" cell has no live neighbors, or only one live neighbor, it becomes "dead". (This simulates death by isolation).
* If an "alive" cell has four or more live neighbors, it becomes "dead". (This simulates death by overcrowding).
* If a "dead" cell has exactly three live neighbors, it becomes "alive". (This simulates birth).

Despite the simplicity of these three rules, Conway showed that patterns of amazing complexity can nonetheless develop out of simple cell arrangements. Some patterns do not evolve at all ("still lifes"), some enter a cyclic, repeating state ("oscillators"), and some reproduce their own pattern displaced by an offset, resulting in patterns that can move across the grid under their own power ("gliders" and "spaceships"). This last category is of particular interest, as it allows the Game of Life to transmit information from one location to another, allowing for rich, dynamic behavior and even for the creation of computational machines within the automaton itself.

This comic begins with the shape of a stick figure as the starting cell configuration of the Game of Life. The black cells are "alive" and the white cells are "dead". This configuration then evolves via Conway's rules, disintegrating into nothingness except for a five-cell pattern known as a "glider", which ascends up, signifying that Conway went to heaven, and to the right. This visually suggests a "soul" breaking away as the corporeal body disintegrates. The glider is perhaps the most iconic pattern of the Game of Life, and is often used symbolically to represent the phenomenon of emergence.

Here the topology of the grid on which the cells evolve is not known, the cellular automaton can be run on many topologies, for example you can choose to make cells reappear from the opposite side once they reach an edge (similarly to the behaviour of the well known Pacman). Here once the glider reaches the top right, we know for sure that the actual grid is bigger (since the glider leaves the frame while continuing its pattern), and we are only seeing part of the full grid.

The initial state presented in the comic does actually evolve in that manner, as can be verified by entering the pattern into a cellular automaton simulator such as [http://golly.sourceforge.net/ Golly] or web services such as [https://bitstorm.org/gameoflife/ this one]. It seems that no one else have created this pattern before. At least, despite discussion in the comments, no one has found anything to show that this is not Randall's own discovery of this pattern.

The title text simply states Conway's birth and death year: 1937-2020.

Conway's Game of Life was previously mentioned in [[696: Strip Games]]. Cellular automata was also referenced in [[505: A Bunch of Rocks]].

This comic is the 18th comic in a row (not counting the [[2288: Collector's Edition|April Fools' comic]]) in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. Although this comic is, of course, mainly a tribute to John Conway, the fact that he died of COVID-19 in the middle of this long series of coronavirus-related comics by Randall is relevant.

==Table of generations==
{| class="wikitable"
!Generation
!Notes
|-
|[[File:Generation 0.jpg|thumb]]||Starting state (or "zeroth generation").
|-
|[[File:Generation 1.jpg|thumb]]||First generation. Note that this image is not aligned with the previous one: the position of all cells has shifted downward by one cell. All further generations are aligned the same as this one.
|-
|[[File:Generation 2.jpg|thumb]]||Second generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 3.jpg|thumb]]||Third generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 4.jpg|thumb]]||Fourth generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 5.jpg|thumb]]||Fifth generation.
|-
|[[File:Generation 6.jpg|thumb]]||Sixth generation. The first appearance of the {{w|Glider (Conway's Life)|glider}}, a well-known formation in Conway's Game of Life.
|-
|[[File:Generation 7.jpg|thumb]]||Seventh generation. The glider takes on its other shape.
|-
|[[File:Generation 8.jpg|thumb]]||Eighth generation. The glider returns to its first shape, pointing right instead of up.
|-
|[[File:Generation 9.jpg|thumb]]||Ninth generation. The glider's second shape again, pointing right instead of up.
|-
|[[File:Generation 10.jpg|thumb]]||Tenth generation. The glider is now in its original form, but one cell higher and one cell to the right. It will continue to progress, cycling through these four states every four generations. The remains of the chaos down below will take two more generations to disappear completely.
|}

==Transcript==
:[A pixelated image of a stick figure using 21 pixels, could be a pixel Cueball, which waves with one hand up while holding the other hand down. The head consist of 7 pixels, the top row of three having two pixels beneath the two outer pixels, thus having two empty pixels beneath the central pixel. The neck and torso is a typical cross made from six pixels. The two legs are two pixels each shifted left and right of the cross. The arm to the left that waves is two pixels one down and the next back up to the level of the cross central beam. The arm to the right has the first pixel similarly but the second pixel continues one further step down. After less than one second it turns out that the image is animated, with the pixels changing according to the rules of Conway's Game of Life. The figure splits into three groups, two of which dissipates in a similar way at the bottom of the panel. The other becomes a 'glider' and moves off to the top-right corner of the image and out of the frame. The animation then repeats.]

==Issues with some clients==

Some clients of the site crashed on this xkcd, most notably the Samsung Smart TV client.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Tribute]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics with animation]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

2429: Exposure Models

2021-03-01T04:25:20Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Elborated

{{comic
| number = 2429
| date = February 24, 2021
| title = Exposure Models
| image = exposure_models.png
| titletext = "Cumulative number of coronavirus spreadsheets created over time" is a spreadsheet I am coming dangerously close to creating.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF COVID SPREADSHEETS CREATED OVER TIME. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.

[[Cueball]] (or [[Randall]]) created another COVID exposure model to help lower his risk of catching COVID-19 in the pandemic. [[Megan]] inquires about the model's result, to which Cueball admits that he's been sitting at his computer continuously debugging models, and draws the conclusion that debugging COVID-19 models lessens close contact with other people. This is similar to the premise of [[1445: Efficiency]] and [[1708: Dehydration]], except with the situation reversed — where before, researching a situation made the situation worse, here Cueball's time "wasted" has actually benefited him.

By "model," Randall likely means a manually crafted model, since he describes debugging it, but he may also mean the form of automatically generated software that is used in modern machine learning.

Cueball is too busy making models to figure out how to actually lower his risk other than sitting around repeating the work of others and improving his model-building skill. He has also created a meta-model, reporting the number of models Cueball has to create to wait the pandemic out. The fact that Megan refers to having to wait for the time that it would take Cueball to create four more models as "so close" implies that Cueball goes through models quickly, which makes sense because he spends all of his time working on new ones. A meta model is a model about models, like most meta things. Software engineers have a practices such as DRY (don't repeat yourself) and reusability, that can result in continued code generalization.

In the title text Randall mentions that he is dangerously close to making a spreadsheet about how many spreadsheets about coronavirus he has made cumulative over time. This would be a recursive graph, a recurring theme on xkcd.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a desk typing on his laptop as Megan walks in.]
:Cueball: I built another COVID exposure model to help me limit my risk.

:[Megan stands behind Cueball, who has turned in his chair to face her. He is leaning his arm on the back of the chair.]
:Megan: Any new insights?
:Cueball: Yeah: "If you spend all day debugging models, you don't have close contact with a lot of people."

:[Cueball turns away from Megan to type on his laptop again. The back of his chair has disappeared.]
:Megan: Well, I guess it worked.
:Cueball: According to my meta-model, the end of the pandemic is only four more models away.
:Megan: '''''So close!'''''

==Trivia==
*Cueball's chair is missing its back in the last panel. [[Randall]] just forgot to draw it.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Recursion]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]

2430: Post-Pandemic Hat

2021-02-26T22:14:47Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Elaborated on getting used to looking at the webcam

{{comic
| number = 2430
| date = February 26, 2021
| title = Post-Pandemic Hat
| image = post_pandemic_hat.png
| titletext = Plus a shirt that says "it feels like you're making eye contact."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a HAT MAKING EYE CONTACT. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a significant shift from in-person to computer-mediated interactions for both recreational and professional activities. For many, the computer setup used for these interactions is a laptop with a webcam above the screen. As people have become accustomed to looking directly into the camera, i.e. above where the other people's faces are, to simulate eye contact for meetings, Randall implies that there will be issues returning to pre-COVID life. In response, he has designed a baseball cap with an image that resembles a laptop webcam that sits above the wearer's eyes and a message that humorously acknowledges that the reader is likely reverting to virtual meeting habits for in-person interactions and that reminds people that for in-person interactions, one must look the other person's face, not above it like there's a webcam there.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[A ballcap with an image of a webcam lens and a message reading "Excuse me, my eyes are actually down here" above a downward-facing arrow]
Label: hat for post-pandemic socializing

{{comic discussion}}

2429: Exposure Models

2021-02-24T23:56:48Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Started explanation

{{comic
| number = 2429
| date = February 25, 2021
| title = Exposure Models
| image = exposure_models.png
| titletext = "Cumulative number of coronavirus spreadsheets created over time" is a spreadsheet I am coming dangerously close to creating.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT AUTOMATING BOTS. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
The idea is that Cueball is too busy making models in order to figure out how to lower his risk to actually go outside. This, this is working—but not in the intended way. [[1708: Dehydration]] also features researching something in order to prevent it affecting it—but in the opposite way, i.e. it has a detrimental effect instead of a beneficial effect.

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

{{comic discussion}}

2428: Mars Landing Video

2021-02-23T00:35:40Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */ Elaborated on the implications of the title text and future videos of Martian landings

{{comic
| number = 2428
| date = February 22, 2021
| title = Mars Landing Video
| image = mars_landing_video.png
| titletext = The best part of crashing a Mars briefing is you can get in a full 11 minutes of questions before they can start to respond.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by THE WORST SKYCRANE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic plays on the fact that if there is only one of something in a set, that one thing is the most/least in that set by lack of comparison. As there is only one full speed video of a Mars landing, that makes the video the worst one. [[Randall]], who has been [[:Category:Banned from conferences|banned from NASA's conferences]], has decided to crash the conference (literally, see below) solely to ask this question, flouting his ban and embarrassing NASA. He follows up with the question if NASA is planning to make a worse Mars landing video, which is silly because people generally don't intend to make something worse. However, because this video is the worst full-speed video of a Martian landing by virtue of being the only full-speed video of a Martian landing, it is likely that if enough full-speed videos of Martian landings are made in the future, this video will not be the worst forever.

Judging by the sound effects, Randall has chosen to literally crash his way through the conference room roof, using a "skycrane" — a general term for aerial vehicles, similar to standard cranes, that can lower or raise objects.

This comic was published shortly before a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYQwuYZbA6o NASA press conference] that showed, as mentioned in the comic, the first ever full-speed video of a Mars landing. On Earth one would likely use the {{w|Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane}} helicopter, while NASA used a custom-built skycrane delivery system for the ''Perseverance'' rover. Randall deems using a skycrane to crash a conference about a skycrane very ironic.

The title text refers to the 11-minute communications delay between Mars and Earth, due to the speed of light and the distance between the planets at the time of the rover's landing. Perseverance mission control must wait this long before they can respond to anything that happens to the rover, which Randall here twists into an 11-minute delay before they can begin to answer his questions. This could imply that Randall is actually on Mars and is using Perseverance's microphones (which would mean that there would be another eleven minutes before Randall received NASA's reply). This would explain why he used a skycrane but would raise a whole host of other questions, such as how he got to Mars (e.g. how he was able to board a rocket), how he survived the six-month journey, whether or not he used the same rocket as Perseverance, why he's only landing now if he used the same rocket as Perseverance, how the rocket's path to Mars weren't noticed if he used a different rocket from Perseverance, how he can be heard through and survive in the thin Martian atmosphere, how he knew exactly when to ask those questions in order for NASA to receive them at the beginning of its press conference, whether he plans to do anything to the Perseverance rover, and how no one noticed that he was missing from Earth for six months. Randall used to work at NASA as a roboticist, so perhaps that can help answer some of those questions.

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

:[Hairbun is standing on a circular stage in front of a lectern. There is a "Crash" on the top right of the panel, with a voice coming from there.]
:Hairbun: We're excited to share the first ever full-speed video of a Mars landing.

:Off-screen character: ''Crash''
:Off-screen character: Doesn't that mean it's also the ''worst'' ever full-speed video of a mars landing?
:Off-screen character: Do you expect that record to stand forever, or is NASA working on a worse one?

:[Caption below the comic]:
:NASA tried to ban me from their press briefings, but ironically their security was totally unprepared to deal with a skycrane.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Banned from conferences]]
[[Category:Mars rovers]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]

2410: Apple Growers

2021-01-19T01:06:23Z

172.69.170.142:

{{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==

On January 6, 2021, a group of supporters of President {{w|Donald Trump}} {{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}}, in which President Trump lost a bid for re-election. The attack resulted in an evacuation of Congress, a disruption of the operations of the legislature, and the deaths of several people. While Trump was not directly involved with the riot, he has been accused of contributing to it by consistently refusing to accept the election results, claiming that his opponent's victory was fraudulent, and using inflammatory rhetoric when speaking to his supporters. As a result, officials from both major political parties have called upon Trump to resign, and other avenues to remove him from office have been proposed. At the time of publication, Trump's second impeachment had been mooted but it, and all other events that followed, had not yet happened.

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,{{Citation needed}} 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.

This strip appears to be based on a number of private companies and other organizations without specific political missions, which nonetheless felt the need to respond to the event. Famously, both {{w|Twitter}} and {{w|Facebook}} banned the president from their platforms in the aftermath. The events of the strip are reminiscent of {{w|Signature Bank}} and the {{w|National Association of Manufacturers}} calling on Trump to resign. [https://www.axios.com/business-donations-capitol-riot-0b4e26df-ee16-4d5c-9604-e9a3c1e3f284.html Many national brands] released statements of condemnation and announced plans to cut political contributions for legislators who voted against certification of the election results. The joke appears to be that even small and local organizations feel compelled to weigh in on an issue of this significance, even though their influence in the matter is likely minimal.

{{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:2409: Steepen the Curve

2021-01-11T19:57:44Z

172.69.170.142: MeZimm

My first transcript. Please improve on it so I can see how dumb I am at it. — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 03:29, 9 January 2021 (UTC)
:Nice first try. I only added a bit more detail to the explanation of the drawing. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:42, 9 January 2021 (UTC)

Was the curve to be flattened always deaths? I thought it was covid cases in general, but I never really thought about it in depth. [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 04:10, 9 January 2021 (UTC)
:Well, given the tight ratio (in the early days, anything done at the treatment end that further decreased the deaths per cases was a ''bonus'' to all other efforts concentrating on keeping treatable cases down in the first place, but conversely added to any overloading of the respective healthcare system with a degree of extended aftercare, etc) I think it was effectively equivalent. But I never really considered it in so much depth (or width, or deadth) at the time either. It's clear this is an (unspecific) snapshot of the initial surge. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.49|141.101.99.49]] 05:01, 9 January 2021 (UTC)

:Death count is just convenient to measure (as opposed to case count or recovery without relapse count). [[User:Bubblegum|bubblegum]]-[[User_talk:Bubblegum|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Bubblegum|contribs]] 05:05, 9 January 2021 (UTC)

:I remember the discussion in March and April 2020 to "flatten the curve" was primarily to flatten the rate of contagion (and by extension the rate illness) in order to preserve medical resources. There was never any notion that we could '''stop''' people from dying, only that by flattening the curve we could postpone the consequences of the disease, including postponing the deaths. We also have gained knowledge about what treatments are most effective, and that helps a lot. Because of Operation Warpspeed and scientific advances we now have vaccines in an unprecedented short period of time, so that if we can continue to keep the contagion rate low enough we will eventually have enough people vaccinated that the number of disease cases (and deaths) will drop off dramatically. Hang in there a little longer and we will make it. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 15:56, 9 January 2021 (UTC)

::I always heard about flattening the curve in context of number of cases requiring hospitalization. And the idea was specifically to keep the curve UNDER the line which represented capacity of hospitals to handle those cases. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 06:43, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

::: That sounds most correct to me: the effort was to flatten the curve of ''infections'' to prevent hospital (specifically) and other medical (generally) capacity from being overwhelmed. We'd do this by reducing the rate of infections through sanitary and safety measures. There was a lot of talk of trying to get the basic reproduction number R0 as close to 1 as possible to limit that exponential growth curve we're all so familiar with now. Transmissibility of the disease is not the same as mortality, though of course they are correlated. Preventing deaths was intended as a happy bonus effect of preventing the medical system from collapsing. I think it's worth rewording the explanation, even though the comic does use a chart of deaths rather than infections - they look very similar under a functioning medical system. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.42.92|172.69.42.92]] 07:11, 10 January 2021 (UTC)
::::Note that R''0'', the "Basic Reproduction Number is, at its strictest, ''not'' alterable in any way at all (although it may be reassessed). It is the measure of effectiveness (but not speed, as it isn't defined in terms of time) of viral transfer in a parricular population, given that they are all unpreinfected (save for the seeds it spreads from), unvaccinated and otherwise precautionless/naïve about the 'threat'. You can lower the instantaneous/effective R (mostly called "the R-value", probably to appease those similarly pedantic, but also R''t'' or R''e''), as a measure of how you are suppressing it, but R''0'' is (per situation or grouping concerned) not changeable after the fact. Except by recalculating with new historical insights that don't change the current reality, just perhaps help explain how we got here. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.208|141.101.98.208]] 01:46, 11 January 2021 (UTC)

: Explainxkcd is one of my favorite things in the world.. this is my first comment. I'm hesitant to make a major edit without discussion, but I think the statement about 2nd and 3rd waves could be much, much stronger to the point of this being a dangerous message to be sending right now. About three days ago Science published a piece [https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/01/viral-mutations-may-cause-another-very-very-bad-covid-19-wave-scientists-warn "Viral mutations may cause another ‘very, very bad’ COVID-19 wave, scientists warn] , read the link but contains take your pick of alarming quotes, with a conclusion of "It’s dispiriting to feel like the world is back where it was in early 2020, says epidemiologist William Hanage of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “But we have to stop this virus. … Fatalism is not a nonpharmaceutical intervention.” I think this comic works against the conclusions of what seems to be a consensus of experts and that that is worth saying.. many people read xkcd, and the curve omits a reasonably likely scenario.. that we begin to see what the death rate looks like when a fresh shock to transmission dynamics rate hits multiple maxed out regions that are already beyond their maximum hospital capacity. But I'm a bit unsure of the etiquette, if one exists, for saying that a comic works against the public interest. Seems like a pretty strong stance, right? The analysis of this strain is moving very quickly.. that Science paper is from three days ago, likely before the comic was published. Request help in non jerky way to express this (if at all) in the explanation. [[User:Poisedleft|Poisedleft]] ([[User talk:Poisedleft|talk]]) 08:42, 10 January 2021 (UTC)

"The graphic drawn in black depicts exponential growth in number of deaths — though it is not clear (without proper units or values on either axis) if this is a cumulative count of deaths or the rate of deaths per day." For exponential growth both cumulative counts and deaths per day grow exponentially (d/dx {exp(x)} = exp(x)) The explanation does not quite reflect this, it reads as "either/or" rather than "both".[[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.175|162.158.79.175]] 19:49, 11 January 2021 (UTC)

Is the 3-step Alt Text a reference to something? I can understand that the "Hang out" at the end refers to being able to socialize in the same way that we did in the Pre-Pandemic Times, but the punchy formatting suggests to me that it's a spoof of something else, in the vein of "Step One, [random thing]; Step Two, ?????; Step Three, Profit!" [[Special:Contributions/172.69.170.142|172.69.170.142]] 19:57, 11 January 2021 (UTC)MeZimm

Talk:2383: Electoral Precedent 2020

2020-11-10T03:45:33Z

172.69.170.142:

Can anyone identify the faded background text in the 2016 panel?

Is there some shadow text behind the main text in the 2016 square? I can barely make it out.
It looks like "No nominee whose first name contains a "k" has lost", which would be the same from the 1122 comic.
[[User:ChunyangD|ChunyangD]] ([[User talk:ChunyangD|talk]]) 00:54, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

It's the alternative text from the 2016 one: "No nominee whose first name contains a "K" has lost." [[Special:Contributions/172.69.235.143|172.69.235.143]] 00:58, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

I'm quite sure that Obama did in fact have a campaign website in 2008 when he was a challenger. See http://www.4president.us/websites/2008/barackobama2008website.htm [[User:Bobjr|Bobjr]] ([[User talk:Bobjr|talk]]) 01:15, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:I think "challenger" means that they're going against the incumbent. Obama was up against McCain, who wasn't an incumbent. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 01:31, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

How much do we want the explanation for this one to repeat what is in that of 1122?--[[User:Troy0|Troy0]] ([[User talk:Troy0|talk]]) 01:19, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Didn't Clinton win after being impeached? [[User:Alcatraz ii|Alcatraz ii]] ([[User talk:Alcatraz ii|talk]]) 01:21, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:Yes, he was impeached during his first term. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 01:31, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:: No, this is not true, Clinton was impeached during his 2nd term, in 1998, and he was not eligible for a 3rd term. George W. Bush won the following presidential election in 2000. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.42|172.69.34.42]] 01:35, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

You could also say Joe was the first President with a rescue dog [[User:Squire80513|Squire80513]] ([[User talk:Squire80513|talk]]) 01:57, 10 November 2020 (UTC)Squire80513
:Does not Lyndon B Johnson's dog, Yuki, count? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.128|162.158.159.128]] 02:30, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
::LBJ's Yuki was a "rescue" (found wandering aimlessly around a gas station) but not a "shelter" dog. Joe's dog is the first first canine from a shelter. It's subtle distinction that many repeating the statistic miss [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 03:08, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Point of order, why is Biden being referred to as president elect? I was under the impression that the term shouldn't be used until the dispute is resolved. With several pending legal cases and the votes uncertified by the states.

Talk:2367: Masks

2020-10-05T14:24:15Z

172.69.170.142:

What is the mysterio reference? [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]] ([[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]])
: Mysterio is one of Spiderman's recurrent villains. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 18:57, 2 October 2020 (UTC)
::Thank you [[User:Donthaveusername|Donthaveusername]] ([[User talk:Donthaveusername|talk]])
: Mysterio could reference this: [https://goosebumps.fandom.com/wiki/Hocus-Pocus_Horror] Sebastian--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.94.200|162.158.94.200]] 12:43, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
:: That globe is clearly a reference to the Spiderman villian. The Goosebumps character did not wear a mask as far as I can tell. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 14:42, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

How could Randall forget {{w|The Mask}}? Although I'm not sure where it fits on the scale. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 20:32, 2 October 2020 (UTC)
:I was desperately missing an Opera Phantom reference. (Apparently made as a 'skewed partial' mask because the original concept was impossible to ''opera''te in.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.216|162.158.154.216]] 22:45, 2 October 2020 (UTC)
:I would assume {{w|The Mask}} protects against infection quite well, considering it protects even against bullets and explosives. It may not prevent spreading the virus to others, though. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 01:18, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

With Batman/Spiderman/Mysterio on the list, wouldn't the Scarecrow mask be that of the Batman Villain? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.56|162.158.255.56]]
: The appearance of the scarecrow mask in the comic is similar to some incarnations of the Scarecrow in the various Batman comics. In that case, it would be very effective as Dr. Crane (the man behind the mask) uses psychoactive air-borne chemicals and the mask actually hides very effective filters. That mask sure does not look like Ray Bolger's makeup from the Wizard of Oz. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 14:42, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

It's considered ''possible'' that the virus could be transmitted through the eyes, e.g. by touching a contaminated surface and then rubbing one's eyes. This hasn't been confirmed; it is at most a minor route. Should we mention this when noting the lack of protection offered by e.g. the Lone Ranger / Zorro mask? [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 03:47, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

What about iron man? — [[User:Sqrt-1|The 𝗦𝗾𝗿𝘁-𝟭]] [[User talk:Sqrt-1|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Sqrt-1|stalk]] 04:06, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
: All the incarnations of the various Iron Man armours, except perhaps for the first one, contain independent air supplies, which allows the operator to survive underwater and at very high altitude, where people usually can not breathe. Therefore, the Iron Man mask should appear as even more effective than Mysterio's one. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 14:47, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

Spiderman's mask is extremely porous, how would it be that effective? [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 04:58, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

Spiderman's mask would act as a nebulizer, making virus transmission far worse.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.146.202|162.158.146.202]] 13:09, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
: I would expect that Spiderman's mask would be about as effective as a regular cloth mask. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 14:42, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

Various iterations of Zorro have different masks. Sometimes they are as shown in this comic, a fabric strip with eye holes tied around the head, but arguably more common is a scarf with eye holes that covers the entire upper head and is tied in the back. --[[User:John from Arlington|John from Arlington]] ([[User talk:John from Arlington|talk]]) 13:32, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
: Covering the top of the head still would not reduce the transmission of an airborne virus. [[User:Nutster|Nutster]] ([[User talk:Nutster|talk]]) 14:42, 3 October 2020 (UTC)
:: Which is why I was always skeptical of [https://metro.co.uk/2020/06/17/behold-tube-tube-ppe-headshield-designed-getting-public-transport-12862906/ this thing]. And also with so many people wearing visors (e.g. shop-assistants) where they're worn pretty much just as a (far out) eye-shield but plenty of air both towards and away from their mouth and nose.
:: (And far too many people, if they aren't wearing masks as chin-straps in a 'mask-required' context, think they're mouth-masks and hang them beneath their noses as if nostrils don't matter.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.167|162.158.154.167]] 23:01, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

''Star Wars'' should be italicized. [[User:PvOberstein|PvOberstein]] ([[User talk:PvOberstein|talk]]) 18:40, 3 October 2020 (UTC)

;What are HEPA filters made of
I've been told that HEPA filters are very similar to the filters in consumer vacuum cleaner bag accessory assemblies, and also similar to the N95 filters sold for masks. What are those filters made of? How are they made? Can I make them at home? Can I make something similar at home? Thanks in advance. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.201|172.68.132.201]] 03:17, 5 October 2020 (UTC)
: This isn't really relevant to the discussion.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.29|162.158.107.29]] 04:40, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

Has [[Batman]] been mentioned so many times that he needs his own category? See [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?search=batman&title=Special%3ASearch&profile=default&fulltext=1 this search]. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:30, 5 October 2020 (UTC)

Why is Spider-Man listed as SpiderMan in the explanation? There is nothing to suggest that the M should be capitalized. Shouldn't we be using Spiderman or SPIDERMAN?

2366: Amelia's Farm Fresh Cookies

2020-10-01T01:26:40Z

172.69.170.142: /* Transcript */ this is more illegible than it's being given credit for

{{comic
| number = 2366
| date = October 1, 2020
| title = Amelia's Farm Fresh Cookies
| image = amelias_farm_fresh_cookies.png
| titletext = I told her I'd take her address off the packaging if she'd stop submitting anonymous food safety complaints about my bakery to the health department, but she sent me a note that said NO DEAL along with an extra large batch of cookies.
}}

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

The comic portrays the back side of a box of cookies (evidenced by the {{w|nutrition facts}}-style table on the left side). Many brands have a romanticized origin story on their packaging explaining the name or how they have a secret ingredient. Instead, this brand's origin story is a deliberate revenge on Amelia's part towards her grandmother, because Amelia never liked her grandmother's cookies for the reasons explained.

To complete her revenge, the "story" contains the grandmother's address. Creating false addresses for their mascots is often used as a publicity stunt for children to write testimonies to the brand's PR or marketing department. However, here it appears to be Amelia's actual Grandma's actual address, the goal being for her to receive thousands of letters on a regular basis about how her granddaughter's cookies are so great, while jabbing "unlike yours!"

In retaliation, Amelia's grandmother has started submitting (presumably bogus) food safety complaints about Amelia's bakery to the health department in a ploy to overburden the bakery with unnecessarily frequent inspections. At one point Amelia eventually decided to offer a truce, which her grandmother emphatically rejected, underscoring it by sending Amelia an extra-large batch of the cookies she knows Amelia hates.

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

:[What looks like the back of a package of cookies is shown.]

:[Top left: Product logo.]
:'''Amelia's''' Farm-Fresh ''Cookies''
:[Parts of an oval surround the logo]

:[Bottom left: Illegible squiggles representing a standard Nutrition Facts panel and Ingredients list.]

:[Right side:]
:''Our Story''
:Growing up on my grandma's farm, I spent so many cozy mornings in the kitchen, watching her take trays of fresh-baked cookies from the oven.
:Her cookies were just '''''awful'''''.
:She used the finest ingredients. Eggs straight from the coop, stone-ground flour, hand-churned butter. But she squandered them. It's so sad. She told me I was too picky, but I know what cookies are supposed to taste like.
:When I started a bakery, I vowed not to repeat her mistakes. These cookies won't fall apart in your hands. They have gooey centers, and slightly crisp exteriors, not the other way around, '''''Grandma'''''. There's no mysterious gritty texture. Why would there be?
:If you enjoy these cookies, please write to my grandma to let her know.
:Thanks!
:''Amelia''

:[A partially legible squiggled out address appears at the bottom left of the Our Story part of the box.]
:Ms W[illegible] M[illegible]
:1[illegible] A[illegible] Ln
:O[illegible], FL [illegible]

{{comic discussion}}

2366: Amelia's Farm Fresh Cookies

2020-10-01T01:22:37Z

172.69.170.142: the title-text doesn't imply that order of events at all; also there's nothing stopping Amelia from throwing the cookies right into the trash

{{comic
| number = 2366
| date = October 1, 2020
| title = Amelia's Farm Fresh Cookies
| image = amelias_farm_fresh_cookies.png
| titletext = I told her I'd take her address off the packaging if she'd stop submitting anonymous food safety complaints about my bakery to the health department, but she sent me a note that said NO DEAL along with an extra large batch of cookies.
}}

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

The comic portrays the back side of a box of cookies (evidenced by the {{w|nutrition facts}}-style table on the left side). Many brands have a romanticized origin story on their packaging explaining the name or how they have a secret ingredient. Instead, this brand's origin story is a deliberate revenge on Amelia's part towards her grandmother, because Amelia never liked her grandmother's cookies for the reasons explained.

To complete her revenge, the "story" contains the grandmother's address. Creating false addresses for their mascots is often used as a publicity stunt for children to write testimonies to the brand's PR or marketing department. However, here it appears to be Amelia's actual Grandma's actual address, the goal being for her to receive thousands of letters on a regular basis about how her granddaughter's cookies are so great, while jabbing "unlike yours!"

In retaliation, Amelia's grandmother has started submitting (presumably bogus) food safety complaints about Amelia's bakery to the health department in a ploy to overburden the bakery with unnecessarily frequent inspections. At one point Amelia eventually decided to offer a truce, which her grandmother emphatically rejected, underscoring it by sending Amelia an extra-large batch of the cookies she knows Amelia hates.

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

:[What looks like the back of a package of cookies is shown.]

:[Top left: Product logo.]
:'''Amelia's''' Farm-Fresh ''Cookies''
:[Parts of an oval surround the logo]

:[Bottom left: Illegible squiggles representing a standard Nutrition Facts panel and Ingredients list.]

:[Right side:]
:''Our Story''
:Growing up on my grandma's farm, I spent so many cozy mornings in the kitchen, watching her take trays of fresh-baked cookies from the oven.
:Her cookies were just '''''awful'''''.
:She used the finest ingredients. Eggs straight from the coop, stone-ground flour, hand-churned butter. But she squandered them. It's so sad. She told me I was too picky, but I know what cookies are supposed to taste like.
:When I started a bakery, I vowed not to repeat her mistakes. These cookies won't fall apart in your hands. They have gooey centers, and slightly crisp exteriors, not the other way around, '''''Grandma'''''. There's no mysterious gritty texture. Why would there be?
:If you enjoy these cookies, please write to my grandma to let her know.
:Thanks!
:''Amelia''

:[A partially legible squiggled out address appears at the bottom left of the Our Story part of the box.]
:Ms W[illegible] M[illegible]
:1[illegible]6 A[illegible] Ln
:Orlando, FL 32891

{{comic discussion}}

2363: Message Boards

2020-09-29T14:02:20Z

172.69.170.142:

{{comic
| number = 2363
| date = September 23, 2020
| title = Message Boards
| image = message_boards.png
| titletext = (c) You can have a scooter when you pay for it yourself, and (d) if you can't learn to start a new thread rather than responding to an old one, you'll be banned. [thread locked by moderator]
}}

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

The joke of this comic lies in the dates of the forum posts and the (presumed) relation between the posters.

The initial post was made in 2000 by NIN85 who was, at the time, a teenaged girl (likely 14-15 years old given that her username ends in 85, implying she was born in 1985), complaining that her mother did not allow her to get a {{w|Vespa}}. Vespa is a brand of scooters and mopeds produced by the Italian manufacturer Piaggio. Most U.S. states require motorcycle licenses for any vehicle with an engine size over 50 cubic centimeters. Most Vespas are larger than this, although 49 CC models (classified as mopeds) do exist. Depending on the state, the [https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/mopeds-other/ minimum age to get a moped in the United States] is 14, 15, or 16.

The reply was written in 2020 (twenty years later) by JULZ (or Julian), the presumed son of the now-adult NIN85, likely in his teenage years. The "Z" may refer to "Generation Z", paralleling the 85. "Julz" complains about his mother refusing to allow him to get an electric scooter, which doesn't require a license. He is implicitly pointing out the hypocrisy of his mother, as a 15-year-old, thinking that teenagers with scooters are perfectly reasonable, while as a 35-year-old, being against the idea.

The primary source of humor in this strip (made explicit in the title text) derives from the fact that the internet has been in common use for so long that teenagers can now look up old posts that their parents made when they, themselves, were teenagers. The late 1990's to early 2000's was right around the time the average person would be expected to have access to the internet and use it regularly, which means that, as of 2020, that's been the case for around one human generation. This can be jarring for people who are still used to thinking of the internet as a new technology. Noting how much time has passed since events that feel recent is [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Comics_to_make_one_feel_old a recurring theme in XKCD.]

Of course, the basic premise of this exchange is nothing new. Teenagers have encountered (and been surprised by) the notion that their parents were once young for as long as there have been people. In the past, it's happened through finding old photographs, old videos, old diaries, or simply by hearing stories from their family and old friends. Young people are often shocked by what they learn, and accuse their parents of hypocrisy when they punish behavior that they once engaged in. Of course, this isn't true hypocrisy: we expect teenagers to grow and evolve, and develop mature, adult viewpoints. Parents naturally have both more understanding of dangers and lower tolerance for risk when dealing with their children. This strip points out that the internet has now existed for long enough (and preserves archives for long enough) that it's now become a potential medium for this whole dynamic. Part of the humor results from the unexpected situation that the child went to the trouble of tracking down his mother's old forum post, and that his mother is still active in the same niche forum 20 years later (as evidenced by her rapid response).

In the title text, the parent is apparently a {{w|Internet_forum#Moderators|moderator}} on that board now, or at least can quickly twist the ear of an actual mod. She has the thread locked (preventing further replies) and threatens banning the kid if he does not learn to post new threads, instead of dredging up dead threads from two decades ago. The act of reviving long-dead threads is often called "necroposting" or "necroing", and many forums (and users) frown upon this. It is seen as similar to bringing up a conversation from ages ago in real life. It often adds nothing new, and the original participants in the discussion may no longer be active, or no longer interested in the topic. Some forums may actually encourage tagging onto existing but idle discussions (to add new/updated information) rather than repeatedly creating new threads, but that does not seem to be the case here.

Invoking the power of moderation could suggest that, in typical parental fashion, she's using her greater influence and social position to end the discussion, making clear that she's the one in charge. "You'll be banned from this forum thread" could be seen as the internet version of "as long as you live under my roof, you'll live by my rules".

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Single panel showing a view of the "MopedPro" forum on a message board, with a caption below the panel.]
::Forum Tab: '''''MopedPro Forum''''' (Top Left) | (4 tabs with illegible writing on them. None of them appear to be selected) (Top Right)

:NIN85 (posted December 5, 2000 - 13:01):
:So mad that my mom won't let me get a Vespa. I'm old enough for a moped license and they're really not that dangerous.

:JULZ [new user] (posted September 23, 2020 - 17:05):
:At least she's not stopping you from getting an electric scooter you don't even need a license for

:NIN85 (posted September 23, 2020 - 18:36):
:Okay, Julian, (a) you know we talked about this, and (b) how the heck did you find this thread

:[Caption below the comic]:
:I love that message boards are now old enough for this to happen.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Social networking]]

2363: Message Boards

2020-09-29T13:47:13Z

172.69.170.142:

{{comic
| number = 2363
| date = September 23, 2020
| title = Message Boards
| image = message_boards.png
| titletext = (c) You can have a scooter when you pay for it yourself, and (d) if you can't learn to start a new thread rather than responding to an old one, you'll be banned. [thread locked by moderator]
}}

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

The joke of this comic lies in the dates of the forum posts and the (presumed) relation between the posters.

The initial post was made in 2000 by NIN85 who was, at the time, a teenaged girl (likely 14-15 years old given her username ends in 85, implying she was born in 1985), complaining that her mother did not allow her to get a {{w|Vespa}}. Vespa is a brand of scooters and mopeds produced by the Italian manufacturer Piaggio. Most U.S. states require motorcycle licenses for any vehicle with an engine size over 50 cubic centimeters. Most Vespas are larger than this, although 49 CC models (classified as mopeds) do exist. Depending on the state, the [https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/mopeds-other/ minimum age to get a moped in the United States] is 14, 15, or 16.

The reply was written in 2020 (twenty years later) by JULZ (or Julian), the presumed son of the now-adult NIN85, likely in his teenage years. The Z perhaps indicates Generation Z, paralleling the 85. "Julz" complains about his mother refusing to allow him to get an electric scooter, which doesn't require a license. He is implicitly pointing out the hypocrisy of his mother, as a 15-year-old, thinking that teenagers with scooters are perfectly reasonable, while as a 35-year-old, being against the idea.

The primary source of humor in this strip (made explicit in the title text) derives from the fact that the internet has been in common use for so long that teenagers can now look up old posts that their parents made when they, themselves, were teenagers. The late 1990's to early 2000's was right around the time the average person would be expected to have access to the internet and use it regularly, which means that, as of 2020, that's been the case for around one human generation. This can be jarring for people who are still used to thinking of the internet as a new technology. {{Category:Comics_to_make_one_feel_old}}

Of course, the basic premise of this exchange is nothing new. Teenagers have encountered (and been surprised by) the notion that their parents were once young for as long as there have been people. In the past, it's happened through finding old photographs, old videos, old diaries, or simply by hearing stories from their family and old friends. Young people are often shocked by what they learn, and accuse their parents of hypocrisy when they punish behavior they once engaged it. Of course, this isn't true hypocrisy: we expect teenagers to grow and evolve, and develop mature adult viewpoints. Parents naturally have both more understanding of dangers and lower tolerance for risk when dealing with their children. This strip points out that the internet has now existed for long enough (and preserves archives for long enough) that it's now become a potential medium for this whole dynamic. Part of the humor results from the unexpected situation that the child went to the trouble of tracking down his mother's old forum post, and that his mother is still active in the same niche forum 20 years later (as evidenced by her rapid response).

In the title text, the parent is apparently a {{w|Internet_forum#Moderators|moderator}} on that board now, or at least can quickly twist the ear of an actual mod. She has the thread locked (preventing further replies) and threatens banning if the kid does not learn to post a new thread for stuff like this instead of dredging up dead threads from two decades ago. The act of 'reviving long-dead threads' is often called "necroposting" or "necroing", and many forums (and users) frown upon this as it is seen as similar to bringing up a conversation from ages ago in real life: if it has been concluded, then everything worth saying has likely already been said, so there is nothing new to bring to the table. Some forums may actually encourage tagging onto existing but idle discussions (to add new/updated information) rather than repeatedly creating new threads, but that does not seem to be the case here.

Invoking the power of moderation could suggest that, in typical parental fashion, she's using her greater influence and social position to end the discussion, making clear that she's the one in charge. "You'll be banned from this forum thread" could be seen as the internet version of "as long as you live under my roof, you'll live by my rules".

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Single panel showing a view of the "MopedPro" forum on a message board, with a caption below the panel.]
::Forum Tab: '''''MopedPro Forum''''' (Top Left) | (4 tabs with illegible writing on them. None of them appear to be selected) (Top Right)

:NIN85 (posted December 5, 2000 - 13:01):
:So mad that my mom won't let me get a Vespa. I'm old enough for a moped license and they're really not that dangerous.

:JULZ [new user] (posted September 23, 2020 - 17:05):
:At least she's not stopping you from getting an electric scooter you don't even need a license for

:NIN85 (posted September 23, 2020 - 18:36):
:Okay, Julian, (a) you know we talked about this, and (b) how the heck did you find this thread

:[Caption below the comic]:
:I love that message boards are now old enough for this to happen.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Social networking]]

2357: Polls vs the Street

2020-09-17T15:13:38Z

172.69.170.142: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2357
| date = September 9, 2020
| title = Polls vs the Street
| image = polls_vs_the_street.png
| titletext = Other pollsters complain about declining response rates, but our poll showed that 96% of respondents would be 'somewhat likely' or 'very likely' to agree to answer a series of questions for a survey.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by <s><CANDIDATE X></s> <s><CANDIDATE Y></s> <CANDIDATE Ω>. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic discusses getting data or opinions through a study (polls) or by getting them anecdotally (on the street). The phrase "voice on the street" is commonly used by news reporters who get opinions on issues by literally asking people walking by what they think, and has been previously mentioned (and derided) in [[756: Public Opinion]].

Many news organizations, and other data-driven institutions, conduct or commission polls to assess the opinions of the general public. These polls generally rely on asking a randomly selected and anonymous set of people a set of consistent, prepared and deliberately crafted questions about their opinions, experiences, and intents. The results of these polls are traditionally held to reflect the views of the public as a whole, within certain margins for error. Many news shows also conduct "man-on-the-street" interviews (more formally known as ''{{w|vox populi}}'', "voice of the people"), to provide a human face of "the public" and engage viewers more. Many pollsters, pundits, and politicians worry that polling data may not accurately reflect the true trends in public opinion, as in the infamous "{{w|Dewey Defeats Truman}}" newspaper headline, and so White Hat is here extolling the virtues of interviewing [https://www.logicallyfallacious.com/logicalfallacies/Appeal-to-Common-Folk "real people"] to get at that ground truth.

White Hat suggests that, while polls suggest "candidate X" is more favored, the people on the street that White Hat interviews are more supportive of "candidate Y". He implies that his experiences reflect reality better than the polls. There are a number of reasons why polls may not be entirely representative. The sampling method might not be genuinely random, some groups might be less likely than others to respond to a poll, and it's argued that some people express views that they consider to be more socially acceptable, even in anonymous polls, but vote differently in actual elections (examples include the "{{w|Bradley effect}}" and the "{{w|shy Tory factor}}"). Despite these concerns, there is little evidence that individual conversations do a better job at determining public opinion than polling.

This comic is very likely a reference to the {{w|2020 United States presidential election}}, which will occur on November 3, 2020 (about 2 months from the time of the comic's publication). Most polls show Democratic candidate Joe Biden polling ahead of incumbent Donald Trump, but Trump and his supporters frequently argue that the polls are inaccurate, often arguing that they personally knew or talked to many Trump supporters, and few Biden supporters. At the same time, the fact that Trump won the 2016 election astonished many ([[Sad comics|including Randall]]) who had seldom met Trump supporters in their own lives and within their own social circles. This kind of anecdotal evidence is generally a poor basis for gauging public support, for multiple reasons. Politics in the US are frequently regional, so sampling in a single area is unlikely to be representative of the whole country, or even a whole state. It's not uncommon for gathering places (both physical and virtual) to attract people from one political group more than another, producing a skewed sample. If someone uses their own perception, rather than rigorous analysis, {{W|confirmation bias}} is likely to have a major impact (a person might pay more attention to supporters of their preferred candidate, and ignore political opponents).

This strip lampoons such thinking, as it quickly becomes clear that White Hat's methodology is heavily driven by selection bias. He's apparently talking only to the residents of his town, and extrapolating those results to the whole country. By that logic, he would conclude that ''everyone'' has visited his town, and most people live there. It is true that he's getting "ground truth", but it's also true that he's only sampling a very small (and highly idiosyncratic) part of the whole population.

This is a joke about the phrase "on the street". Usually this phrase means "anywhere out in public where the interviewer can openly approach people", but White Hat is presumably taking the phrase literally and interviewing people he meets on the roadway. In the US, roads are generally reserved for vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles and in most areas bicycles), and walking or standing in the roadway for long periods is dangerous and usually illegal. The people who can be found on the roadway outside of designated pedestrian zones would generally be from the small fraction of the population who have no qualms about the risks of being struck by moving vehicles or causing accidents when drivers swerve to avoid them.

Although the comic begins by White Hat comparing traditional polls to the "people on the street," the following panels make it increasingly clear that White Hat is literally polling on a physical road and using those results to draw conclusions. In the second panel, White Hat contrasts poll support for candidate X against street support for candidate Y, which could be interpreted according to either the metaphorical or literal version of "on the street." In the third panel, White Hat's literal "on the street" poll reveals that, contrary to polls that surveyed geographically diverse people, everyone that White Hat meets on his street lives in White Hat's town. In the final panel, White Hat's poll of people literally "on the street" identifies only people who like to play in the street, again due to selection bias. White Hat's poll result contrasts with polls of the general population who find playing unpopular due to the dangerous nature of the activity.

Finally, the title text explains that White Hat's poll respondents are want to get out of surveys conducted on the street, implying that the respondents will quickly agree with nearly anything to quickly end the poll and get out of the street to avoid danger.

The title text is a joke about {{w|selection bias}} and {{w|tautology}}. People who don't feel like taking surveys wouldn't get as far as answering a survey question about survey questions.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon. Please include why this is incomplete}}
:White Hat: Polls are just numbers.
:White Hat: You have to talk to people on the ''street''.

:White Hat: Polls ''say'' most people support <Candidate X>.
:White Hat: But the people I talk to on the ''street'' support <Candidate Y>.

:White Hat: Polls ''claim'' most people don't live in my town and have never been here.
:White Hat: But the people I meet on the ''street'' tell a very different story.

:White Hat: According to ''polls'', most people don't like playing in traffic.
:White Hat: So why do I never seem to meet these people on the ''street''?
 
 
Title text: Other pollsters complain about declining response rates, but our poll showed that 96% of respondents would be 'somewhat likely' or 'very likely' to agree to answer a series of questions for a survey.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Politics]]