explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3067: SawStart

2025-03-30T04:48:46Z

172.71.154.247: comic file isn’t 2x

It's weird seeing a totally empty explanation, also whats the point of sawstop, don't they just use vibrating blades? [[Special:Contributions/104.23.190.110|104.23.190.110]] 12:40, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
:SawStop is for rotating blades, like you would use for sawing wood. I'm sure there's a good reason why they don't use vibrating blades there, the most likely is "wood is harder than a plaster cast". I could also imagine that vibrating blades don't create nice cuts, which doesn't matter with a plaster cast that will be disposed of, but very much matters with wood used for construction. --[[User:Coconut Galaxy|Coconut Galaxy]] ([[User talk:Coconut Galaxy|talk]]) 13:16, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
::Oscillating saws for cutting wood exist, and you could use one to make a long cut, but traditional circular saws are much faster and make straighter cuts. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.234.66|172.68.234.66]] 20:55, 26 March 2025 (UTC)

empty explanation is freaky woah [[Special:Contributions/172.69.194.204|172.69.194.204]] 12:42, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
:Every explanation is empty, at least for a short amount of time. And this is not the earliest that a comic went up (shortly after midday, UK time, when it's not unknown for them to not arrive until after the midnight at the end of the designated publication day), but it looks like you (both, including first-poster at the top) have had the good luck/fortune to be just casually checking for new changes to old articles on the site and instead get 'first look' at the newest addition to it. Of course, it'll be a few hours before most of the article gets fine-tuned into some form of 'completion'. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.86.157|172.70.86.157]] 13:23, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
sudo systemctl stop saw-start.service [[Special:Contributions/172.69.208.132|172.69.208.132]] 13:11, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
:yay you saved the world! --[[User:Bb777|hi]] ([[User talk:Bb777|talk]]) 14:08, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
:"Failed to stop saw-start.service: Access restricted by systemd security policies"
:sudo holding-in-the-power-button doesn't work either.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.139|172.69.34.139]] 17:26, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

I'm 99% sure that the system is designed to start a ''stopped'' blade up to full speed within milliseconds, not just increase the speed of a spinning blade. --[[User:Coconut Galaxy|Coconut Galaxy]] ([[User talk:Coconut Galaxy|talk]]) 13:22, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

WAITER, WAITER, MORE [[Black Hat]] PLEASE [[User:CalibansCreations|'''<span style="color:#ff0000;">Caliban</span>''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 13:31, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

Because of gyroscopic precession, a still spinning (unstoppable?) blade, removed from its axle and housing, would be /very/ difficult and dangerous to dispose of. I'm a woodworker and I think I'll be having nightmares tonight.
-DW [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.176|172.69.23.176]] 13:36, 24 March 2025 (UTC)
: At least if it's unstoppable we can use it as a free source of energy! [[Special:Contributions/172.69.195.62|172.69.195.62]] 14:01, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

As a woodworker, one note I would like to make is that while the sawblade ''can'' be damaged by cartridge activation, it is not ''required'' that it be replaced. It is possible to have the blade inspected and potentially repaired and continue to use it. That is addressed in SawStop's FAQ https://www.sawstop.com/sawstop_faq/can-the-blade-be-reused-if-the-safety-system-brake-is-activated/ [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.189|172.69.33.189]] 15:04, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

The [citation needed] for violating other laws probably means that law enforcement should issue a citation to the manufacturer. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 15:21, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

General observation from a s/w test engineer/woodworker: Original version of the Sawstop used a shotgun shell to fire a stopper into the sawblade which absolutely did destroy the blade. (and made enough noise to pretty much ensure a 'code brown' if you triggered the stop system.) Newer version uses a high tension spring along with a deformable aluminum stopper assembly to absorb the energy and bring the blade to a stop. The advantage of the deformable aluminum assembly is that you can remove it from the blade (with care) and as noted can put the sawblade back to work. However you need a new ($200-ish) stopper assembly before you can re-start the saw. Having a family member who is a retired emergency room doctor who would regularly email me 'stories from work' of woodworker injuries who came through her ER, I can assure you that a tablesaw is pretty much the most dangerous woodworking tool in a typical woodshop. That being said, its quite amusing to me that "SawStop" became XKCD worthy. SawStop is somewhat notorious in the woodworking community because of their highly obnoxious business practices with regards patent and legal attacks on business competitors who came up with alternative approaches to the 'saw brake' or 'saw safety' system. JC from Canada {{unsigned ip|172.69.33.194}}
: Funny, the version I'd heard from the woodworking community was SawStop getting vast pushback from their competitors who didn't want to licence the first saw safety systems, and then spent a vast amount of money making their own inferior systems when Sawstop pushed for tablesaws to have to have some sort of safety system. But I suppose it's all a matter of which set of propaganda from the businesses you're buying into. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.195.180|172.69.195.180]] 11:18, 25 March 2025 (UTC)
: The full story is a bit of both. The inventor didn't want to be a table saw company, so he initially tried to license it to existing companies, and only founded SawStop after getting rejected everywhere. Later, Bosch made a similar but distinct system and SawStop sued to keep it from reaching market. Finally, SawStop tried to get the US gov't to make skin-sensing tech mandatory on all table saws, and talked about how they are just trying to be safe, while simultaneously filing a lawsuit against Felder for their newer technology. A lot of people in the community viewed that as hypocritical as they seem to want safety, but only if they are the ones to profit from it. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.94.34|172.70.94.34]] 20:55, 26 March 2025 (UTC)

Funnily enough this could be practical in robot combat [[Special:Contributions/104.23.190.15|104.23.190.15]]15:01, 24 March 2025 EST

Note that since the blade is spun up using explosives and not the electric motor (even ignoring the title text), the saw being unplugged in no way makes the blade safe to touch. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.23.226|172.68.23.226]] 20:03, 24 March 2025 (UTC)

The explosive charge would already be deadly. --[[User:Bb777|[insert signature here]]] ([[User talk:Bb777|talk]]) 00:31, 25 March 2025 (UTC)

Why is it important to include the fact that this could be used in robot warfare? [[User:Ozymandias|Ozymandias]] ([[User talk:Ozymandias|talk]])
:As far as I can tell, this fact has not been included. Nor was it ever there in the last handful of edits (or in what I knew was there beforehand).
:There ''is'' something about Warhammer 40K (which I appreciate the meaning of, but find a little out of the blue as currently written). Maybe you mean that. It could be rewritten as a "in a circumstance such as the world of Warhammer 40K", I suppose. Though why single that out? For reference, though, in case you want to change things: https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Chainsword [[Special:Contributions/172.69.43.240|172.69.43.240]] 11:45, 25 March 2025 (UTC)

wonder if the comic is referring to the (somewhat popular) whatisthisrock subreddit --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.210.176|172.68.210.176]] 19:29, 27 March 2025 (UTC)
ignore the above since it was referring to another comic --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.210.176|172.68.210.176]] 19:33, 27 March 2025 (UTC)

In any case, SawStart sounded like an excellent project idea for the Youtuber Stuff Made Here. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.168.133|162.158.168.133]] 19:42, 27 March 2025 (UTC)

The comic file isn’t 2x, despite one being available at [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/sawstart_2x.png]. Can someone with autoconfirmed rights update the file? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.247|172.71.154.247]] 04:48, 30 March 2025 (UTC)

2978: Stranded

2025-03-21T21:09:28Z

172.71.154.247: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2978
| date = August 28, 2024
| title = Stranded
| image = stranded_2x.png
| imagesize = 219x323px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = At least they're not alone down there.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is referencing the {{w|Boeing Starliner}}, which launched for its Crewed Flight Test on June 5th, 2024. The mission to the {{w|International Space Station}} was originally scheduled for only eight days, but as of the comic’s release, August 28, 2024, the astronauts {{w|Barry E. Wilmore|Butch Wilmore}} and {{w|Sunita Williams}} are still "stranded" on the ISS, not expected to return to Earth until February 2025. They actually returned to Earth on March 18, 2025.

The comic points out that being stranded is a matter of perspective and circumstances; people on Earth could equally be considered "stranded", unable to get off the planet. Many science fiction stories deal with some sort of rush to evacuate the Earth, though there's usually a reason why they would wish to leave, a reason that's notably absent in the comic. Moreover, the proposed solution of one rocket would not be able to bring all 8 billion people on Earth to space.<ref>Munroe, Randall. ''Everybody Out''. xkcd What If? [https://what-if.xkcd.com/7/ https://what-if.xkcd.com/7/]</ref>

The comic is also referencing the fact that during press conferences, NASA has stressed that the Starliner astronauts are not actually stranded, because there are procedures for emergency returns to Earth. However, the current circumstances are not dire enough to warrant this emergency procedure.

The title text references commentators saying that at least the Starliner crew aren't alone up there, as there are currently nine people aboard the ISS, but flips it around to be about the (8 billion) people on Earth. Another funny take on the title text would be that in the turbulent times the fact that one is "stranded" like this might even be a benefit. The 8 billion people are also not alone in the sense there are numerous other species on Earth.

A comic with a similar premise is [[2403: Wrapping Paper]].

==Transcript==
:[Two astronauts, Megan and Cueball, are shown floating in the cabin of a space station, Megan near the top and Cueball near the bottom. Various miscellaneous devices and features are visible, all across the inner walls of the space station, as well as a large round window through which they can see some of the Earth's surface. Three white shapes are visible that could represent landmasses in a large body of water, bodies of water in/around a landmass or possibly weather systems.]
:Megan: Until they get another rocket ready to launch, 8 billion people are stranded down there.

==References==
<references/>

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Rockets]]

Talk:3020: Infinite Armada Chess

2024-12-06T02:31:01Z

172.71.154.247:

Did I do well? Added a very very basic explanation. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.147.132|172.68.147.132]] 04:25, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Well, yes but I wonder if just one tiny fix is needed. If you replace the white side with a simplyfied artillery tower, you reinvented space invaders.{{unsigned ip|172.71.160.70|04:57, 5 December 2024 (UTC)}}

I was personally hoping for an explanation of the Infinite Armada thing, and I feel like a link to the TV Tropes page doesn't really. Explain that at all. So I would love a bit of an expansion on that part! Just want to be sure I didn't miss some reference or something. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.23.91|172.68.23.91]] 05:48, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
: Likewise. I get the comic, but I assumed the 'armada' part was a reference that I just did not get. But it seems it is just a word choice. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.102.105|172.71.102.105]] 09:39, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
:: The only "Infinite Armada" reference I can think of is ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]'', which kind of makes sense because if you have a Star Forge to make chess pieces with, why wouldn't you make them all queens? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.159|162.158.167.159]] 18:47, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

I think that since the error was "out of bounds", not "out of memory", it's referring to indexing outside of the region of memory that the program allocated to deal with the board. This would happen since instead of addressing rank 1..8, you could address rank 9, 10, 0, or -1. Unless bounds checking is performed when converting the board coordinates into linear array indices, you'd get an out-of-bounds error (or worse, succeed in reading or modifying memory that you weren't intending to). --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.30.253|172.71.30.253]] 05:45, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
:It was "Out of Bounds memory access". That means it was trying to access a memory address that was out of the bounds of the computer, as if it were trying to access the ω-th index of the board array, which would put it out of the memory range of any computer [[User:Firestar233|guess who]] ([[User talk:Firestar233|if you want to]] | [[Special:Contributions/Firestar233|what i have done]]) 06:15, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
:: There is no hint that the bounds are those of the computer, the simplest explanation really is that the bounds are those of an array. The error message does come up. In addition, to try to access the memory at the ω-th index, you would need to construct the ω-th index itself first (which would fail or not terminate) [[User:Jmm|Jmm]] ([[User talk:Jmm|talk]]) 07:01, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
::: The specific message, "RuntimeError: Out of bounds memory access", is a WebGL error issuing from its WASM cross-platform browser implementation. This implies to me that an attempt to render an infinite chessboard failed in a fairly trivial way, because of a poor implementation. It's very unlikely that there had been a problem with the [https://github.com/official-stockfish/Stockfish/tree/master/src Stockfish playing algorithm] yet, which would have failed with a different message if it ran out of memory, such as "Killed", which is all that shells like Bash print when one of their job processes is killed by the kernel's OOM killer, or by anything else for that matter. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.215.21|172.70.215.21]] 12:58, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Is this a reference to [https://youtu.be/rav29N0-h2c infinite chess by Naviary?] [[User:HaruruChanDesu|HaruruChanDesu]] ([[User talk:HaruruChanDesu|talk]]) 11:21, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

"it does not really need to consider the infinitely many pieces" => a chess Engine would need to consider the infinitely many pieces (or have a way to abstract them), even if some pieces are currently stuck because the engine recursively evaluates moves and counter-moves (i.e. evaluates the game up to some depth).

Is the cardinality of the set of all the pieces smaller than the cardinality of the set of all possible moves? My gut instinct says yes but I don't have the energy to muck around and see if I can prove it. If I did try I think that matrix diagonalization would be the first thing I'd try. Anybody less lazy than me on this? --[[User:Tomb|Tomb]] ([[User talk:Tomb|talk]]) 21:30, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Can someone explain the linked joke with all the extra queens? I don't understand why it's a bad position. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.59.126|172.69.59.126]] 16:49, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
:Knight to d6. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.175|162.158.167.175]] 17:09, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
::...is checkmate by black. White can't capture the knight with either of the two queens that attack it because they're both pinned, by black's bishop and rook. (And we know it's black's turn to move because the colored squares indicate white just moved.) [[User:DKMell|DKMell]] ([[User talk:DKMell|talk]]) 17:54, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Expected some discussion here already on the best opening moves given a infinite board or at least the board depicted.
1. e3 e6 2. Qh5 seems a logical start, but not entirely sure what would happen after that?
Any ideas? [[User:Flekkie|Flekkie]] ([[User talk:Flekkie|talk]]) 22:56, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

== Hit me up when this becomes real. ==

I would like to try this out. [[User:CalibansCreations|'''<span style="color:#ff0000;">Caliban</span>''']] ([[User talk:CalibansCreations|talk]]) 12:29, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
:It should be easy enough. You will rarely get the queens out in play from deep in the array. So maybe just put two chess boars together and put some placeholder in for queens in the extra fields. If ever a queen in the bottom row is moved, place extra queens that can now be moved into the 2-3 squares that would be outside the board...--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:39, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
:It might be something one could set up in Infinite Chess, although having limits on the chessboard may be difficult. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.150.67|172.68.150.67]] 14:01, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

: Here's a finite approximation in ChessCraft: https://www.chesscraft.ca/design?id=5KM4 [[User:Promethean|Promethean]] ([[User talk:Promethean|talk]]) 15:37, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

While I understand how to play chess, I don't get the bit about "having a bunch of queens doesn't go very well". At first glance, the linked chess layout looks pretty solid. Can someone please enlighten me? Also, what does the TV Tropes link about Title Drop have to do with Infinite Armada, aside from that being the title of the comic? [[Special:Contributions/172.70.230.77|172.70.230.77]] 13:10, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

:: ... Nd6. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.91.246|172.70.91.246]] 13:31, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

::: Ah, thanks. Moving the knight there puts the king in check, and moving either queen to take it exposes the king to the bishop or rook, so checkmate. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.38|162.158.63.38]] 15:05, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

::::You are assuming that the opponent makes no moves while you spend at least three moves advancing your knight. Looks like either side can draw by always moving the king backwards whenever a queen has moved and made a hole he can move to and otherwise trying to make a new, deeper hole. Eventually he gets so far back that any attack turns into an infinite sequence of queens taking each other, with the attacker only having file attacks while the defender can retake from a rank, file, or diagonal. Any time the attacker breaks off the infinite sequence of queens taking each other to set up something else, the defender takes advantage of the break to move the king deeper and put more queens in front of him or to create more empty spaces to sidestep into when attacked. To me, this looks like a certain draw. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.252|172.69.33.252]] 16:21, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

:::::They're talking about the linked layout at https://x.com/chesscom/status/1841540380363211164, not the layout in the comic. It only takes one move for the black knight to move to Nd6 and put the white king in checkmate. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.109.167|141.101.109.167]] 20:59, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

You might be able to get the developer of fairy stockfish ( https://fairy-stockfish.github.io/ ) to add this if you ask nicely. I have seen them add several reader requests. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.143|172.70.211.143]] 15:46, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Could this be a reference to the meme about "eating an infinite armada of pizza"? The wording seems too similar to be a coincidence. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.46|172.70.114.46]] 14:46, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Would this guarantee a draw between two competent players who'd played the variant before, or would there be more nuance to it than there appears to be?

Can someone explain the linked joke with all the extra queens? I don't understand why it's a bad position. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.59.125|172.69.59.125]] 16:48, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

The explanation of the linked joke is that the king appears safe at first glance, but in reality there is a simple move that wins the game for black. Moving the black knight to the top left corner of the queen square checks the king. The king cannot move to escape. Two queens are in position to take the knight and save the white king, but both of those moves expose the king to attack from other black pieces (the rook or the bishop).

Wow. Not only did White give Black a mate in one, they also blundered a mate in one. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.176|162.158.167.176]] 20:21, 5 December 2024 (UTC)

Really? This comic specifically references some obscure roblox game with like 350k visits? That can't be right. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.247|172.71.154.247]] 02:31, 6 December 2024 (UTC)

Talk:2976: Time Traveler Causes of Death

2024-08-23T18:24:42Z

172.71.154.247: Yeah, no.

How'd I do for my first 'explanation?' I know it's short...[[User:Onestay|Onestay]] ([[User talk:Onestay|talk]]) 17:56, 23 August 2024 (UTC)
:I added to it. It's a good start. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.134.191|172.69.134.191]] 17:57, 23 August 2024 (UTC)
::Please sign your comments [[User:Onestay|Onestay]] ([[User talk:Onestay|talk]]) 18:01, 23 August 2024 (UTC)
:::How's this [[Special:Contributions/127.0.0.1|127.0.0.1]] 18:24, 23 August 2024 (UTC)
:::added a table [[User:42.book.addict|42.book.addict]] ([[User talk:42.book.addict|talk]]) 18:20, 23 August 2024 (UTC)

Talk:2954: Bracket Symbols

2024-07-04T10:00:44Z

172.71.154.247:

ummm. How does editing this stuff work. Is this HTML? Why can't we have a gooey? Also, I only sort of get this comic, but it's not that funny.
<marquee behavior="scroll" direction="up">Here is some scrolling text... going up!</marquee>
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.58.102|172.69.58.102]] 05:13, 4 July 2024 (UTC)
: Have a WHAT? - [[Special:Contributions/172.70.179.88|172.70.179.88]] 09:26, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

== Initial draft ==

Did my best with my first ever contribution - I know there's a chart feature but I cba to relearn html. Feel free to fix it and PLEASE finish my bad explanations. [[User:Qwikster|Qwikster]] ([[User talk:Qwikster|talk]]) 06:05, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

⌊⌋ are floor brackets (and you can now copy-paste them from here into the explanation as needed) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.33|162.158.126.33]] 06:03, 4 July 2024 (UTC)
* As for the spaghetti, in Python, it'd be a list containing a tuple containing a list containing a set containing an empty tuple. Probably doesn't mean anything specific and pretty much useless), but it *is* legal code [[Special:Contributions/162.158.126.164|162.158.126.164]] 06:05, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

Yay, I figured out how to use a table! [[User:Qwikster|Qwikster]] ([[User talk:Qwikster|talk]]) 06:42, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

I'm British, ex 60+ years and I'm sure I was taught in school to use "for first person speech" and 'for quoting others'. I hadn't even noticed printers doing the opposite. But there again I didn't go to Grammar School. [[User:RIIW - Ponder it|RIIW - Ponder it]] ([[User talk:RIIW - Ponder it|talk]]) 07:36, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

I'm British, too, and as I recall my school says sixty years ago, the symbols () are just called brackets and parenthesis is just the grammatical construct in which they can be used. But you can use dashes or even commas to indicate a parenthesis. This has been discussed on such blogs has Ben Yagoda's Not One-off Britishisms. https://notoneoffbritishisms.com/2015/12/15/square-brackets/ --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.178|172.70.90.178]] 08:16, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

The integral sign (and its reverse) in the context of string instruments are the so-called 'F-holes', and they're not just decorative elements but help in the instrument(s) resonate more freely. Other shapes exist as well. See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_hole here] for an in-depth explanation. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.151.27|172.69.151.27]] 09:13, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

「かっこ」[[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.151|108.162.250.151]] 09:24, 4 July 2024 (UTC)

== Other Brackets ==
Randall missed an opportunity to reference catamorphisms i.e. banana brackets. There may be some better examples missed as well.

1835: Random Obsessions

2024-02-03T20:04:57Z

172.71.154.247: updated with new information as of 2024

{{comic
| number = 1835
| date = May 10, 2017
| title = Random Obsessions
| image = random obsessions.png
| titletext = I take the view that "open-faced sandwiches" are not sandwiches, but all other physical objects are.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic is formatted as a graph showing various Internet trends over the years according to [https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=robot%20monkeys,pirates%20vs%20ninjas,zombies,bacon,definition%20of%20sandwich Google Trends]. The caption states that these "random obsessions," as stated in the title, have 9-10 year cycles, and so predicts that the sandwich debate will be over by around 2024. (As of 2024, the sandwich debate is still not really going away and doesn't seem to be any time soon.)

Discussions about the definition of "sandwich" are surprisingly common on the web, such as "Is hot dog a sandwich?" (See this [https://www.reddit.com/r/Sandwiches/comments/6587ub/what_is_a_sandwich_debate/ discussion] on Reddit)

The title text is a joke based on the debate over the definition of a sandwich. The speaker, presumably [[Randall]], starts out with the fairly reasonable stance that open-faced sandwiches are not true sandwiches, but then veers off into the absurd by claiming that literally every other physical object in the universe ''is'' a sandwich. We can only hope that Randall does not extend this view to {{w|Cannibalism|human beings}}. (On the other hand, Randall may simply be defining a sandwich in an unusual way without implying that all other items are edible, or that all objects "sandwiched" between two of the same thing (such as air, vacuum, laptops, or slices of bread) constitute a "sandwiched item" which is not necessarily edible. Such strange definitions have been seen before, in the title text of [[1405: Meteor]].)

The other obsessions mentioned are, in order: robot monkeys, pirates vs ninjas, zombies, and bacon.

"Robot Monkeys" likely refers to people being obsessed with a movie or robots of some kind. It may specifically refer to the American/Japanese animated TV series, {{w|Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!}}, which aired from September 18, 2004 to December 16, 2006. It is possible that, based on this, that the trend curve does not actually begin in 2001, but does actually begin in 2004 as shown.

"Pirates vs Ninjas" refers to a longstanding internet meme, popular in roughly the years shown on the chart, that held that ninjas and Caribbean pirates were arch-enemies.

"Zombies" refers to the recent occurrence of zombie themed television shows (The Walking Dead) and movies (World War Z etc).

Though the trend is dying out, as seen by the fact the graph is past the peak, there has been an explosion in bacon flavored/scented products as well as items of clothing and decor that look like bacon. The YouTube channel Epic Meal Time was also part of the bacon fad, as adding large quantities of bacon to the meal being prepared was one of the running gags of the channel.

==Transcript==
:[The comic shows curves plotted in an (x,y)-plane. The x-axis shows years from 2004 to 2017, with every even year labeled. The y-axis is labeled "popularity relative to peak (based on google trends)". There are five vaguely bell-shaped curves, each stretching over 9-10 years. It is implied that they rise from a value close to zero, to which they also return.]

:The curve labeled "robot monkeys" peaks in early 2005 and ends near the x-axis in late 2011.
:The curve labeled "pirates vs ninjas" peaks in late 2008 and ends in late 2014.
:[The remaining three curves all end in mid 2017, the comic release date. ]
:The curve labeled "zombies" starts in late 2007 and peaks in early 2013. By 2017 it has fallen to about 30% of its peak value.
:The curve labeled "bacon" starts in late 2009 and peaks in mid-2015. By 2017 it shows a value of about 90% of its peak value.
:The curve labeled "definition of a sandwich" starts in late 2013 and in 2017 it has reached approximately half its peak value.

:[Text below the panel:]
:Judging from Google Trends, these random semi-ironic obsessions seem to last about nine or ten years, so we should be done with the sandwich thing by 2024.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Line graphs]]
[[Category:Zombies]]

863: Major in the Universe

2024-01-23T03:14:48Z

172.71.154.247: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 863
| date = February 21, 2011
| title = Major in the Universe
| image = major in the universe.png
| titletext = I hear Steven Levitt is writing a book analyzing A.J. Jacobs' quest to spend a year reading everything Malcolm Gladwell ever wrote. The audiobook will be narrated by Robert Krulwich of Radiolab.
}}

==Explanation==
Several authors are referenced here. {{w|Malcolm Gladwell}} is a Canadian author who wrote such books as "The Tipping Point", "Outliers" and "Blink." {{w|Steven Levitt}} is one of the co-authors of the book ''{{w|Freakonomics}}'' and the Freakonomics blog on NYTimes.com.

{{w|Robert Krulwich}} is a science correspondent for {{w|NPR}} (National Public Radio, for those outside of the US) and a co-host of the show {{w|Radiolab}}.

{{w|A. J. Jacobs}} is a journalist who immerses himself in different ideas and lives them out for periods of time. For example, he lived for a year according to {{w|The Year of Living Biblically|all the rules in the bible literally}}.

In this comic, [[Cueball]] as a college student, meeting with his adviser or professor ([[Hairbun]]) trying to decide what to major in. He decides to major in "The Universe", but when his adviser details the real work required of that major, Cueball scratches his head and tells what he really means. If you have not read Malcolm Gladwell's books, their disparate parts are usually tied together by a common thread. For example, in ''{{w|Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking|Blink}}'', a motif of intuitive judgments ties together the examples of the {{w|Getty kouros}}, {{w|John Gottman#Predictions of divorce|John Gottman's marriage studies}}, the {{w|Millennium Challenge 2002|Millennium Challenge war game}}, {{w|Speed dating|speed dating}}, and {{w|Facial Action Coding System|Paul Ekman's FACS}}, to name a few. These books have been criticized for supposedly presenting an incomplete picture of such phenomena, but they are hugely entertaining and eloquent.

Randall is making fun of people who claim to have a broad range of interests, but apparently just to deflect attention from the fact that they are too lazy to master even one field. However, the title text of [[Every Major's Terrible]] says that he will someday be the first to get a PhD in "undeclared."

==Transcript==
:[Cueball before a professor.]
:Cueball: How can I pick a major? I'm interested in everything! Can't I major in "the universe"?

:Professor: Okay. First, I'll need papers on every European trade summit that did not result in an agreement. Then, spend a year memorizing every microprocessor instruction set ever used in a production chip.

:[Cueball scratches head.]

:Cueball: What I meant was I just want to read Malcolm Gladwell books and drink.
:Professor: We all do, sweetie.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

812: Glass

2024-01-23T02:54:12Z

172.71.154.247: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 812
| date = October 29, 2010
| title = Glass
| image = glass.png
| titletext = I read in this one article that the breaking of electroweak symmetry is the reason we have SOULS. This guy with a degree said so!
}}

==Explanation==
In the beginning of the comic, [[Megan]] is trying to break a wine glass like an opera singer. This is a rather famous trick where the vocalist sings at the resonant, or natural frequency of the glass and cause it to resonate more and more until it can no longer handle the stress and breaks - for more info, see the {{w|Mythbusters}} episode about the Earthquake Machine. If the resonant frequency of the glass is outside of the singer's range, then putting some water in the glass will lower its resonant frequency. This effect can be used to play different notes on the rim of a glass by varying the amount of water in it. For example, see this [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULiNR-k4m70 video].

While Megan is trying to break the glass by hitting its resonant frequency, she is actually creating something new. This is similar to particle physics where a new particle can be identified by a {{w|Resonance_(particle_physics)|resonance}} peak in the differencial cross-section of a scattering experiment: Known particles plus some very specific amount of energy lead to the creation of a new particle, the Higgs boson. This is represented in the comic with the water and the pitch of Megan's voice creating blood.

The term "God Particle" was coined in 1993 by physicist {{w|Leon M. Lederman}} to describe the {{w|Higgs boson}} because it's "central to the state of physics today, so crucial to our final understanding of the structure of matter, yet so elusive." He originally called it the "goddamn particle", but this was considered offensive, and his editor shortened it to just "God particle", maybe to promote interest in the particle from non-academics too. Many people misinterpret the name to be some kind of link between physics and religion, so physics is getting back at them by playing pranks that resemble famous miracles from Christian tradition:
*Jesus turned water into wine at the marriage in Cana.
*The first of the ten plagues in Egypt turned all of the water into blood — the rivers, canals, ponds, pools, and every sort of container holding water.
*The wine turning into blood is also a reference to the Catholic ritual of {{w|Transubstantiation}}.

Notably, the Higgs Boson was discovered in 2012, 2 years after this comic was released. So at the time, physicists were still looking for the particle.

Notice that, in the last panel, the blood seems to have dripped out of [[Cueball]]'s glass onto the table and solidified instantly, further proof that physics doesn't apply in this scenario.

The title text refers to the breaking of electroweak symmetry. According to the standard model of particle physics, the electromagnetic and the weak interactions were once unified into a single 'electroweak interaction'. Shortly after the Big Bang, the universe underwent a phase transition that split the electroweak interaction into the electromagnetic and weak interactions that we observe today. The word 'symmetry' refers to the SU(2)xU(1) gauge symmetry that is satisfied by the unified electroweak, but has been spontaneously broken in the phase transition. As with many scientific theories, these can be used incorrectly in order to lend credibility to unrelated and nonsensical claims. This particular case is an instance of "quantum woo." Similarly, a degree can be used to lend the appearance of credibility to a person pushing such an idea, regardless of what field it was earned it or whether said person has any competence.
Another comic, albeit much later, about quantum mechanics and souls is [[1240: Quantum Mechanics]]

==Transcript==
:[Megan is singing, Cueball is staring at a glass of water on a table.]
:Megan: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE... Anything break?
:Cueball: No, but the water in the glass turned to wine.

:[Cueball picks up glass]
:Megan: Weird.
:Cueball: No, wait. This is blood.

:Megan: Okay, physics, quit fucking with us.
:Voice from above the panel: You stop looking for the Higgs boson and we'll talk.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Comics with blood]]

Talk:2819: Pronunciation

2023-08-23T18:52:28Z

172.71.154.247: Biden sucks

These are all heteronyms