explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2901: Geographic Qualifiers

2024-03-02T17:01:43Z

172.69.194.243: /* Explanation */ Actual elephant was in that Ausse list, etc.

{{comic
| number = 2901
| date = March 1, 2024
| title = Geographic Qualifiers
| image = geographic_qualifiers_2x.png
| imagesize = 435x386px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Thank you for the loveliest evening I've ever had...' [normal] '...east of the Mississippi.' [instant intrigue!]
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT EAST OF THE BERLIN WALL - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
In this comic, [[Cueball]] is bragging to a [[:Category:Multiple Cueballs|Cueball-like guy]] in front of a giant statue of a {{w|squirrel}} standing on a skateboard. Cueball states that this is the largest statue of that theme in “the {{w|Northern Hemisphere}}”. The other guy then becomes confused, as he realizes that this seems to imply the existence of a taller one in the {{w|Southern Hemisphere}}.

He quickly considers different countries in that hemisphere, {{w|Brazil}}, {{w|South Africa}} and {{w|Australia}}. This last country is a place know for its many {{w|Big things (Australia)|overly large statues}}. Squirrels are, however, not native to Australia, and introduced populations of {{w|Eastern gray squirrel|gray}} and {{w|Northern palm squirrel|palm squirrels}} [https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/palm-squirrel reportedly] have been eradicated, at considerable expense of time and money (squirrels [https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/article/squirrel-distribution-habitat do live elsewhere] in the southern hemisphere). It would be considered doubtful that there are any commemorative statues of such small pests, there (though {{w|Sarina, Queensland#Attractions|not certain}}). Outsized [https://natureworks.com.au/products/animals/mammals/farm-forest-animals/giant-wirral-the-enormous-squirrel-statue/ "garden gnomes"] are available, but with the additional stipulation of it riding a skateboard? Maybe [[Randall]], and/or the 'knowledgable' Cueball, knows all this for certain. The confused guy does not. There are of course many famous (or even fictional) animals that are depicted statues in countries where they do not belong, such as an elephant in the Australian collection.

Adding an unnecessary qualifier like this doesn't change the truth of the statement. But it suggests that there's a need to restrict the scope of the statement, i.e. it wouldn't be true with a less restrictive qualifier (or none at all). This will cause the listener to wonder about these other cases. Or, in some cases, whether to take this statement {{tvtropes|SuspiciouslySpecificDenial|at face value}}.

Randall states, in the caption, that he loves the mystery created by adding such, maybe needless, qualifiers. He also mentions another example than the one used by Cueball, giving "East of the {{w|Mississippi River|Mississippi}}" (the river) as an example (which he then used in the title text, see below). Doing so could thus have been one of Randall's [[:Category:My Hobby|hobbies]], but he doesn't make that explicit.
Sometimes qualifiers are added simply due to incomplete information. They've exhaustively surveyed squirrel statues in the Northern Hemisphere and determined that this one is the largest. (Not counting any actual larger ones not ''also'' skateboarding!) But since they haven't searched the Southern Hemisphere, they don't want to commit to it being the largest in the world.

In the title text, someone is expressing gratitude at the end of a date, saying that it's the loveliest evening they've ever had (in actuality, "loveliest" is usually hyperbole).{{Citation needed}} This seems normal until they add a location qualifier. This leaves the companion wondering what kind of great evening they had in some other location. In this case, it's unlikely that the speaker would have incomplete information about their own dating history.

The statue may be a reference to [https://www.worldrecordacademy.org/2022/06/worlds-largest-squirrel-sculpture-cedar-creek-texas-sets-world-record-422206 Ms. Pearl], the giant squirrel statue in {{w|Cedar Creek, Texas}} which, at 14 ft (4 m) was indeed the largest squirrel statue in the western hemisphere in 2018. The qualifiers, in this case, ''are'' necessary since a [https://www.new-east-archive.org/articles/show/10477/a-giant-squirrel-has-taken-over-almat|temporary 40 ft (12 m) statue] was erected in {{w|Kazakhstan}} in 2018. But information for tourists in Cedar Creek, Texas, doesn't tend to include this information{{Citation needed}} creating the mystique. The artist behind the Kazakhstan statue appears to have been unaware of the Cedar Creek statue so the Kazakh statue is ''not'' intentionally close to three times bigger.

It is perhaps thanks only to the specific phrasing "tallest statue of a skateboarding squirrel" that we need not consider tallest-statues-of-squirrels (temporarily) placed on skateboards, tallest statuesque skateboards with squirrels atop or even a rather modestly sized statuette representing a moment when [https://bigthings.vroomvroomvroom.com/listing/worlds-largest-skateboard/ a large skateboard] had sciurine visitors. In any or all hemispheres.

==Transcript==
:[The scene in this comic is shown from afar and drawn in black silhouette on a white background. It depicts a huge statue of a squirrel standing on a skateboard, which is on a pedestal. Below and in front of the statue there are two Cueball-like guys. The Cueball on the left is pointing at the statue and speaking to his friend on the right who has a thought bubble above him.]
:Cueball: At over 40 feet, it's the tallest statue of a skateboarding squirrel in the Northern Hemisphere.
:Friend [thinking]: ...Wait, who in the heck...Brazil? South Africa? Australia? Squirrels aren't even native there...

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I love the instant mystery created by qualifiers like "east of the Mississippi" or "in the Northern Hemisphere."

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Squirrels]]

2896: Crossword Constructors

2024-02-20T14:58:02Z

172.69.194.243: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2896
| date = February 19, 2024
| title = Crossword Constructors
| image = crossword_constructors_2x.png
| imagesize = 285x388px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Also, we would really appreciate it if you could prominently refer to it as an 'eHit'.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a THREE-LETTER WORD THAT STARTS WITH B - Add meanings of words given, if any. Also check whether any of these words are albums or songs already. Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is inspired by a common situation when people try to make crossword puzzles. Here, [[Cueball]], [[Hairbun]], and [[White Hat]] are {{w|crossword puzzle}} constructors, but some of the words they would like to use would result in awkward sequences of letters crossing them which are not English words or familiar names, such as "aete", "eni", etc. However, they have an idea to write a letter to persuade prominent singers ({{w|Taylor Swift}}, {{w|Ed Sheeran}}, {{w|Nicki Minaj}}, {{w|Ariana Grande}} and {{w|The Weeknd}}) to choose these awkward sequences of letters as titles of their future albums, thereby letting Cueball, Hairbun, and White Hat write clues about those albums and use those letter sequences as answers.

The particular sequences of letters that are selected are notable for their exclusive usage of the most common English letters. They also all begin and end with a vowel. These are two features that are common in "crosswordese", i.e. words which appear significantly more often in crosswords than in reality. Examples of crosswordese that are actually used include the words "OREO", "EPEE", and (Yoko) "ONO". However, none of these words are actual common English words {{cn}} and are unlikely to be album names (especially when taking {{w|Ed Sheeran discography|Ed’s albums}} into consideration).

The title text lists another sequence of awkward letters, "ehit". Thus, Cueball, Hairbun, and White Hat ask these singers to refer their hits (popular songs) as "eHit"s, adding the "e" for electronic such as in e-mail and e-dating. This is also a reference to common crossword entries like "E-TAIL" or "E-MAG" which are often criticized for using the prefix "E" to create words that no one really uses.

===Possible unintended meanings of words===
*aete: {{w|Apple_event#Object_Model|AppleEvent Terminology Extension}}
*eni: {{w|Eni|Eni S.p.A.}}, Italian multinational energy company; the name of an {{W|Eniola_Aluko|England footballer}}
*oreta: ''{{w|Oreta}}'', moth genus in family Drepanidae
*aroe: {{w|Aroe}} may refer to: The Aru Islands Regency, islands in eastern Indonesia; Aroe, an alternative name for Aroi, Patras, in western Greece
*oine: {{w|Kusumoto Ine}}, also known as O-Ine, Japanese physician
*aen: {{w|AEN}} may refer to: Acute esophageal necrosis, a rare esophageal disorder; and more
*enta: ''[[wikt:enta|enta]]'' (French verb) third-person singular past historic of ''[[wikt:enter#French|enter]]'' (to graft, to implant)
*aerae: ''[[wikt:aerae|aerae]]'' (Latin noun) genitive/dative singular and nominative plural of ''[[wikt:aera#Latin|aera]]'' (era)

''{{w|Enta da Stage}}'' is the debut album by American East Coast hip hop group Black Moon.<br/>
''öine'' means nocturnal/nightly in Estonian, and features in a number of album titles by artists from that country.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a table and typing on his laptop, with small movement lines above his hands indicating typing. White Hat and Hairbun are standing behind him and looking at what he writes. The text he writes can be seen above them. The list of words at the end are written in two columns with four words in each. Here below, the second column of words is written below the first:]
:Dear Ms. Swift, Mr. Sheeran, Ms. Minaj, Ms. Grande, and Mr. Weeknd,
:We are a group of crossword puzzle constructors, and we would like to suggest some titles for your future albums:
:*Aete
:*Eni
:*Oreta
:*Aroe
:*Oine
:*Aen
:*Enta
:*Aerae

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

Talk:2875: 2024

2024-01-02T03:34:20Z

172.69.194.243:

It [[wikipedia:List of presidents of the United States by age|appears]] that only three US presidents so far have lived for over 30 years since their last election: Herbert Hoover, Jimmy Carter, and (technically) George H.W. Bush. One other (John Adams) had made it to 29. In addition, Gerald Ford had lived for over 29 years after the end of his presidency (and over 30 years after its start) but had technically never been elected.<br/>Of course none of those five were two-term presidents so they in any case would not have been restricted from further election by the 22nd amendment (and John Adams additionally wasn't affected by it due to having died prior to its ratification). --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.200.134|172.70.200.134]] 22:42, 1 January 2024 (UTC)
:I don't think he's suggesting that 30 years is enough -- that's only when half the tooth cells have been replaced. So we have to resort to dentistry and replace all the teeth. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 00:10, 2 January 2024 (UTC)

I've just made some "content and flow" edits to bring the Explanation up to a reasonable spec of explanatoriaciousness (which I fully expect to be buffed up and/or trimmed by others). I didn't ''directly'' explain that SCOTUS has nine (or more!) voting members, but there's the link(s) I added where this gets fairly well qualified for the person who might need to know this, and I refrained from suggestion reasons why one or both of the more recent Presidents might be best 'forgotten' (depending upon a person's own considerations on each matter), etc... I actually think that if all nine SCOTUSii all decided in one direction on the issues of Obama's teeth then it would be because of ideologically opposing views lining up by pure accident (e.g. some see/do not see pulling teeth as a valid way of becoming President for a third term, the rest see/do not see the pulling of teeth from Obama as laudible but would expect the next step to fail to happen for entirely separate reasons). And if someone definitely knows if FDR wore dentures (or not), particularly in his last five or so years, then that can surely be inserted as a valid (counter-)justifying fact. Anyway, probably done with my own polishing. For the moment, certainly. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.243|172.69.194.243]] 03:34, 2 January 2024 (UTC)