Talk:2566: Decorative Constants

2022-01-10T23:02:07Z

172.69.71.77: Correcting a misconception by an earlier commenter that subscripts are meaningless.

I don't have any idea what to put in the actual description, but whoever does should probably note that r(in) - r(out) equals zero, not one. And multiplying by a constant 0 absolutely changes the value! [[User:GreatWyrmGold|GreatWyrmGold]] ([[User talk:GreatWyrmGold|talk]]) 21:59, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
: rout and rin are different values. The subscripts represent different instances of the same variable at different point. In the same way, you might calculate something happening over a time interval tend - tstart . [[Special:Contributions/172.69.71.77|172.69.71.77]] 23:02, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

==Count down clock==
;Keep discussion of comic above this, and further discussion of countdown here below!!!
Any idea what's going on with the clock that's counting downwards in the banner? Currently counting down from 20 days 16 hours? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.214.95|172.70.214.95]] 22:08, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:(Simultaneous edit) What is the days-hours-minutes in the box above the comic referring to? The image itself is dated yesterday, as you can see by saving it. Worst-case-scenario, is this a countdown to the end of XKCD? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.223|108.162.245.223]] 22:11, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:: It's going to hit zero at around midnight on Jan 31st 2022 CST? [[User:SteveBaker|SteveBaker]] ([[User talk:SteveBaker|talk]]) 22:16, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:::'''Posted [[Talk:2565:_Latency#Countdown|this]] on the previous comics discussion. But lets take it here where there will be more traffic:''' --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:44, 10 January 2022 (UTC) -- Copy paste from previous comics discussion:
::::Damn you beat me to it ;-). But I have made a [[2565:_Latency#Trivia|Trivia]] here on this comics page and links to more detail on the [[xkcd Header text]] page. I believe you are a day of, but someone will likely correct me if I'm wrong. As I can see it will be January 31st, 9:59 in Randall's home town Boston.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:06, 10 January 2022 (UTC)
:::::But damned if I can wait. Sure millions will watch the page when it goes to zero! At least it is no April 1st. :-D --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:10, 10 January 2022 (UTC)

2551: Debunking

2021-12-07T17:07:37Z

172.69.71.77: /* Table */

{{comic
| number = 2551
| date = December 6, 2021
| title = Debunking
| image = debunking.png
| titletext = Mark Zuckerberg has only neutral feelings toward Peppa Pig, who he understands is a fictional character, and he blames the coronavirus pandemic on other factors.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a WEIGHTLESS VACCINATED CHIP DUST WHO CAN TAKE THEIR HAT OFF- Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

When writing a news article that "debunks" a claim (shows why it is false), writing its headline in the form "X is false" is [https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/words-matter/201807/when-correcting-lie-dont-repeat-it-do-instead-2 discouraged]. The reason is that just repeatedly seeing "X", even if negated or followed by "is false", can make readers subconsciously believe it.

To avoid this, Randall as a journalist has worded his debunking articles in a positive sense. This makes for a confusing read if the reader has not heard of the original claim. The "original claims" allegedly being debunked here don't actually appear to have been made anywhere, and can only be inferred from the debunking.

Much of the debunking relies on setting simple facts straight, making for bizarrely banal headlines.

===Table===
{| class="wikitable"
!Article Headline
!Possible claim being debunked
|-
| AP photos show that Dr. Fauci's office contains a normal amount of microwaves
| That {{w|Anthony Fauci}}'s office is subject to excessive microwaves. Fauci is the head of the {{w| National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases}} in the US and is seen as the public face to the COVID-19 response in that country. US diplomats have been altering their lives due to an unexplained {{w|Havana syndrome}}, an early theory for which has been use of a microwave weapon. Microwaves can be part of a number of conspiracy theories ranging from health problems or manipulation of the public. However, because the headline references ''photographs'' to debunk the claim, the news article is apparently talking about the number of microwave ''ovens'' in his office. Either there is some miscommunication between the conspiracy theorists and debunkers, or the original claimant was fixated on Fauci's office appliances for some reason.
The vague phrasing also implies that the number of microwaves pictured may be larger than most people would consider "normal" for an office, and that the article is defending that large number as "normal". Since microwaves are not office equipment, the "normal amount" is zero, with perhaps one or two in a break area.
|-
| Singer Billie Eilish was born ''years'' after the TWA Flight 800 explosion.
| A conspiracy theory linking {{w|Billie Eilish}} (born December 2001) with the {{w|TWA Flight 800}} crash in July 1996.
|-
| Vaccinated people can remove their hats without trouble by tugging upward, say doctors.
| Possible theories include:

That vaccination causes one's head to swell, making hats become tight.
That vaccination causes one's hat to become tighter.
That vaccination causes one's inability to raise one's arm high enough to tug one's hat upward
|-
| Physicists say Dorito powder is affected by gravity.
| A claim that {{w|Doritos}} powder is not affected by gravity. For example, an anecdote around a local businessman discovering that objects levitate when sufficient powder is applied to them, or people misunderstanding dust floating under atmospheric turbulence as evidence of "antigravity".
|-
| Steering wheels will work normally on Dec 12th
| Faults (perhaps due to failures in the power steering system, triggered for example by solar storms) will cause cars to steer erratically on that date.
|-
| Santa's skin is dry and healthy this year, with the same amount of oil as before.
| {{w|Santa Claus}} is suffering from oily skin, which can cause acne.
|-
| ''(Title Text)'' Mark Zuckerberg has only neutral feelings toward Peppa Pig, who he understands is a fictional character, and he blames the coronavirus pandemic on other factors.
| That the founder of Facebook ({{w|Mark Zuckerberg}}) has paranoia concerning the character {{w|Peppa Pig}}, believing her to be a real talking pig and the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, or maybe that he is a fan with some out-of-control behaviors towards "her". May be a reference to a [https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-pm-johnson-briefly-lost-words-speech-business-2021-11-22 recent speech] by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in which he expressed admiration for Peppa, much to the bewilderment of journalists.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Several news headlines shown in boxes]

:[Box 1] AP photos show Dr. Fauci's office contains a normal number of microwaves.

:[Box 2] Fact check: singer Billie Eilish was born years after the TWA Flight 800 explosion.

:[Box 3] Vaccinated people can remove their hats without trouble by tugging upward, say doctors.

:[Box 4] Physicists say Dorito powder is affected by gravity.

:[Box 5] Steering wheels will work normally on Dec 12th; make left and right turns as usual.

:[Box 6] CNN investigation; Santa's skin is dry and healthy this year, with the same amount of oil as before.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:I don't know whether the "Don't repeat the claim in the headline debunking it" thing works or not, but it definitely makes reading the news weird.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theory]]

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2566: Decorative Constants

2551: Debunking