explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:25:36Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
This is another example where [[Randall|Randall]] describes the inexorable passage of time. The kids are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat healthy vegetables, possibly less palatable to the child, but it's also a phrase for "don't ask too many stupid/irrelevant questions and just do as you are told" or "just shut up and accept things the way they are" as described here: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+eat+your+carrots+and+broccolli "just eat your carrots and broccolli"]. The kids are upset by the ignorance of adults to their interests.

Urban Dictionary says [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. Explanation number 4 explicitly says 1982 to 1991. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

With Urban Dictionary's 4th interpretation, and assuming the kids are 8 years old, the comic is set between 2015 and 2024 (i.e. it could happen today). According to Randall's interpretation (1990-1999 or even 1985-1994), the comic is set several years in the future.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-ranges stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:24:45Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
This is another example where [[Randall|Randall]] describes the inexorable passage of time. The kids are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat healthy vegetables, possibly less palatable to the child, but it's also a phrase for "don't ask too many stupid/irrelevant questions and just do as you are told" or "just shut up and accept things the way they are" as described here: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+eat+your+carrots+and+broccolli "just eat your carrots and broccolli"]. The kids are upset by the ignorance of adults to their interests.

Urban Dictionary says [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. Explanation number 4 explicitly says 1982 to 1991. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

With Urban Dictionary's 4th interpretation, and assuming the kids are 8 years old, the comic is set between 2015 and 2024 (i.e. it could happen today). According Randall's interpretation (1990-1999 or even 1985-1994), the comic is set several years in the future.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-ranges stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:20:31Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
This is another example where [[Randall|Randall]] describes the inexorable passage of time. The kids are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat healthy vegetables, possibly less palatable to the child, but it's also a phrase for "don't ask too many stupid/irrelevant questions and just do as you are told" or "just shut up and accept things the way they are" as described here: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+eat+your+carrots+and+broccolli "just eat your carrots and broccolli"]. The kids are upset by the ignorance of adults to their interests.

Urban Dictionary says [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

With Urban Dictionary's interpretation, and assuming the kids are 8 years old, the comic is set between 2009 and 2018 (i.e. it could happen today). According Randall's interpretation (1990-1999 or even 1985-1994), the comic is set several years in the future.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-ranges stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:18:29Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
This is another example where [[Randall|Randall]] describes the inexorable passage of time. The kids are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat healthy vegetables, possibly less palatable to the child, but it's also a phrase for "don't ask too many stupid/irrelevant questions and just do as you are told" or "just shut up and accept things the way they are" as described here: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+eat+your+carrots+and+broccolli "just eat your carrots and broccolli"]. The kids are upset by the ignorance of adults to their interests.

[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

With Urban Dictionary's interpretation, and assuming the kids are 8 years old, the comic is set between 2009 and 2018 (i.e. it could happen today). According Randall's interpretation (1990-1999 or even 1985-1994), the comic is set several years in the future.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-ranges stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:17:07Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
This is another example where [[Randall|Randall]] describes the inexorable passage of time. The kids are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat healthy vegetables, possibly less palatable to the child, but it's also a phrase for "don't ask too many stupid/irrelevant questions and just do as you are told" or "just shut up and accept things the way they are" as described here: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+eat+your+carrots+and+broccolli "just eat your carrots and broccolli"]. The kids are upset by the ignorance of adults to their interests.

[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

With Urban Dictionary's interpretation, and assuming the kids are 8 years old, the comic is set between 2009 and 2018 (i.e. it could happen today). According Randall's interpretation (1990-1999 or even 1985-1994), the comic is set several years in the future.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-range stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:14:51Z

173.245.50.94: According to what we think is Randall's interpretation, the comic is set between 2023 and 2032

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
This is another example where [[Randall|Randall]] describes the inexorable passage of time. The kids are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat healthy vegetables, possibly less palatable to the child, but it's also a phrase for "don't ask too many stupid/irrelevant questions and just do as you are told" or "just shut up and accept things the way they are" as described here: [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=just+eat+your+carrots+and+broccolli "just eat your carrots and broccolli"]. The kids are upset by the ignorance of adults to their interests.

[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

With Urban Dictionary's interpretation, and assuming the kids are 8 years old, the comic is set between 2009 and 2018 (i.e. it could happen today). According to what we think is Randall's interpretation, the comic is set between 2023 and 2032.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-range stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1548: 90s Kid

2015-07-08T20:02:13Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ 90s kids are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999

{{comic
| number = 1548
| date = July 8, 2015
| title = 90s Kid
| image = 90s_kid.png
| titletext = We remember Rugrats, and think of them every time our kids look at us through their baby gates.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First go at an edit.}}
In another example of Randall describing the inexorable passage of time, the children in the comic are repeating not just the perennial parental commandment to eat the vegetables that are healthy, but possibly less palatable to the child, but also less traditionally typical phrase (doubtless overheard from their parents' conversations with similarly-aged parents) referencing 90's culture.

[http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=90s+Kid 90s kids] are people stuck in the 90s, presumably born between 1976 and 1985. However Randall seems to think that 90s kids are people born from 1990 to 1999.

{{w|Rugrats}} is a cartoon that was produced from 1991 all the way to 2004, whilst {{w|Doug}} is another that ran for years 1991 to 2000. Parents of the rough age-range stated are likely to have been enjoying both shows in their early youth.

Use of the initialism "{{w|LOL}}" (often, but not exclusively, "Laugh Out Loud") was probably coined in the 1980's but may have found its way into general usage with the later uptake of wider public Internet use (accelerating towards the end of the 90's, and heading towards saturation by post-Millenium) but needn't be tied down to the early childhoods of the child's parents so neatly as it is still fairly current currency so even late-adopters recently joining the electronic revolution or copying their peers could have picked this up.

A {{w|baby gate}} is a semi-fixed piece of child-safety equipment to restrict a small child (typically a toddler) from leaving a safe area (and especially to prevent access to stairways, up or down, where falls may happen) without overly inconveniencing an adult who can open the mechanism. Baby gates, fully enclosed {{w|playpen}}s and similar barriers around cots feature as (usually) insurmountable barriers to the younger characters in Rugrats, who are of crawling and toddling age. The title-text suggests that viewing a child of one's own peering through such a barrier elicits nostalgia for the this cartoon.

==Transcript==
:[Two kids are in a playground. A fence is visible in the background, and on the floor appear to be various items including a puddle and toy blocks.]
:Scruffy-haired kid: Ugh don't you hate how parents are all "Eat your carrots" and "LOL, remember Rugrats and Doug? Share if you're a 90's kid!"
: The median age at first birth in the US is 25, which means the typical new mother is now a 90's kid.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics to make one feel old]]

1023: Late-Night PBS

2015-07-06T13:59:06Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */ italics

{{comic
| number = 1023
| date = February 29, 2012
| title = Late-Night PBS
| image = late night pbs.png
| titletext = Then it switched to these old black-and-white tapes of Bob Ross slumped against the wall of an empty room, painting the least happy trees you've ever seen. Either PBS needs to beef up studio security or I need to stop using Ambien to sleep.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|Clean up title text explanation, remove redundant or unhelpful information from subsections (especially additional details), check for grammar and spelling}}

This comic is a joke about how some things are not how you remember them due to as a kid, due to complex subtext or naivety, taken to a humorous extreme, with a specific reference to television programs for children.

{{w|PBS}} is a television station known for high brow and educational programming, it is often an outlet for BBC programming in the US. The show "''{{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (game show)|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego}}''" was a lighthearted educational game show that was canceled in the 90's. In the show players follow geography based clues to find out where a master criminal, Carmen Sandiego, is going, and catch her. After catching or failing to catch Carmen Sandiego the chef would congratulate or encourage you. Rockapella was an a cappella band featured on the show that gave clues, punctuated the show with humor, and closed the show.

[[Megan]] recounts the story about her surprise as to the nature of programming on late night PBS to Cueball. She claims to have fallen asleep after watching ''Downton Abbey'' and woken up to see that ''Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego'' is still making new episodes, but is significantly darker then she remembers it. The host has grown older, he would be 50 when the comic was written, and developed a drinking problem, the locations the child contestants visit are traumatizing, and the children are clearly freaked out. In the end they find Carmen Sandiego hiding behind a Dutch bookcase, an allusion to "The Diary of Anne Frank", thus implying that the kids have been working as investigators trying to find the locations of Jews for the Nazis. The Chief admonishes the children for their actions and Rockapella glares at the children disapprovingly until the children break down into tears.

After completing her story Cueball's remarks that he did not remember the show being that dark, in response to Cueball's statement Megan replies that as kids neither of them could probably understand on the darker subtext of the show. It is true that some programs intended for children often have subtle themes for adults who may be watching the show with their children that the children do not usually remember or pick up on. The joke being that although children viewers may not be able to pick up on everything, there is no way that a child would not notice if a show was as dark as previously described.

{{w|Bob Ross}} had a painting show on PBS and was known to describe components of his painting as "Happy little" objects. {{w|Ambien}} a prescription sleep aid, can cause are vivid dreams and hallucinations. Thus, the joke in the title text is that Randall/Megan isn't sure if this is hallucinating from taking Ambien (thus giving an alternate explanation for the changes to the programming), or if something horrible has happened because PBS's security staff isn't large enough.

===Locations visited===
{{w|Mogadishu}} is a battle-torn city in {{w|Somalia}}, where there was the aptly named "{{w|Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu}}" in 1993, which would coincide with the air dates of "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego" game show.

{{w|The Killing Fields}} are a number of sites in {{w|Cambodia}} where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the {{w|Khmer Rouge}} regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the {{w|Cambodian Civil War}} (1970-1975).

The reference to "A Bookshelf in a Dutch Apartment" is a reference to {{w|Anne Frank}}, who was a Jewish girl who hid from the {{w|Nazi}}s in a Secret Annex hidden behind a bookshelf in an apartment in {{w|Amsterdam, Netherlands}}. She wrote the famous diary, {{w|Diary of Anne Frank}}.

===Carmen Sandiego===
"{{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego}}" was a {{w|computer game}} series in the mid-80s. {{w|Carmen Sandiego}} was a mysterious character that you tracked around the globe, attempting to find clues to find out where she was headed to next. The point of the series was to learn about geography and the world while having fun. The series moved to a {{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego (game show)|game-show TV series}} in the early 1990s from 1991 to 1995. The role of The Chief was played by {{w|Lynne Thigpen}}, a role she played in all 3 computer games (Where in the USA, Where in the World, and Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego) and both TV shows (Where in Time and Where in the World). She was responsible for telling the detectives (sleuths) what had been stolen, which of Carmen's thieves was suspected of stealing it, and some relevant information about their last whereabouts (effectively, telling the sleuths what their mission was). Whenever the detectives would catch a thief (or Carmen), she would appear and congratulate them or console them if Carmen got away.

====TV Show====
The host of the TV show was {{w|Greg Lee (actor)|Greg Lee}}. When the show originally aired, Greg was in his late 20s/early 30s. His job was to ask the questions of the contestants and tell them which flags to plant on the map in the final round, as well as engage in silly situations with The Chief and Rockapella to keep the show moving and provide clues.

The show was split into 3 rounds. In the first round, there were 3 sleuths. Each question they got right gave them additional points. The top 2 scoring sleuths moved onto the next round, where they had to play a game (like the game Memory) where they had to find the thief, warrant, and loot in the correct order. Whichever sleuth did so captured the thief, saved the loot, and moved onto the next round, where they had a chance to catch Carmen Sandiego herself. Success was not always guaranteed in this round, as contestants had to plant flags correct on 7 different countries in a continent within a very short time period. If the sleuth was successfully able to do this, they captured Carmen and won the grand prize (a trip to a place of their choosing in the continental US). If not, Carmen would escape and the sleuth would win a lesser prize (like a computer).

====Rockapella====
{{w|Rockapella}} was the '{{w|A cappella}}' group (keeping up the tradition of punny names for a cappella groups) which sang the theme song to "Where in The World Is Carmen Sandiego." 'A cappella' is a loan word from Italian meaning "''in the manner of the Church''" hearkening back to {{w|Gregorian chant}}; in the 19th century the term evolved to mean any vocalization without accompaniment. In the TV version of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Rockapella also acted as a "house band" of sorts, singing songs while the contestants transitioned between events, providing clues, playing pranks on Greg Lee, etc. At the end of each show, Greg Lee and the episode's winning contestant would shout "Do it, Rockapella!" at which point the band would sing the shows theme song.

===Additional Details===
One continuity issue in this comic is that the places they have to visit in this episode seem to require traveling to different periods in time (1993, 1975-1979, 1940s, respectively). Episodes of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego usually did not deal with this — this is what the TV show Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego (the successor to Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, albeit with a different house band and a different host) did.

{{w|PBS}} stands for Public Broadcasting Service and is an American TV broadcaster that is predominantly supported by the viewers themselves through pledge drives. It often runs (and sometimes co-produces) acclaimed British {{w|costume drama}}s, including the mentioned ''{{w|Downton Abbey}}''.

This comic is not the first time a host of one of the Carmen Sandiego TV shows was mocked and shown as drinking on the job; Robot Chicken showed a similar scenario with the host of Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego in 2010 ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EIULR-zLEk link] — the voice of the host in the skit is the voice of the actual host from Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego).

{{w|SpongeBob SquarePants#Reception|SpongeBob SquarePants}} and The Fairly OddParents are other examples of shows that have hidden meanings in things for the adults watching the show with their children.

{{w|Bob Ross}} was a famous painter with a painting show on PBS called "{{w|The Joy of Painting}}" that ran for 12 years.

{{w|Ambien}}, also known as Zoldipem, is a prescription medication used for the treatment of insomnia, as well as some brain disorders.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is rubbing sleep out of her eyes and talking to Cueball.]
:Megan: Have you ever watched PBS late at night?
:Megan: I fell asleep after ''Downton'' and woke up at like 3 AM.

:[The upper portion of the panel continues dialogue, while the lower shows a drunk gameshow host and several contestants. The monitor shows a field of crosses, presumably graves.]
:Megan: ''Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego'' was back on, except the host hadn't aged well and he'd clearly been drinking.
:Megan: Every question took them to some horrible place like Mogadishu or the Cambodian killing fields.

:[Now it shows a bookshelf revealing a hidden room.]
:Megan: The kids were freaked out, but they kept playing. Eventually they were told they'd found Carmen Sandiego hiding behind a bookshelf in a Dutch apartment.

:Megan: The Chief appeared and asked "Are you proud of what you've become?"
:Megan: Then Rockapella walked out and just glared at the kids until they started crying.
:Cueball: I, uh, don't remember the old show being that dark.
:Megan: Maybe we were too young to pick up on it.

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

1023: Late-Night PBS

2015-07-06T13:55:56Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ Correct link and italics

{{comic
| number = 1023
| date = February 29, 2012
| title = Late-Night PBS
| image = late night pbs.png
| titletext = Then it switched to these old black-and-white tapes of Bob Ross slumped against the wall of an empty room, painting the least happy trees you've ever seen. Either PBS needs to beef up studio security or I need to stop using Ambien to sleep.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|Clean up title text explanation, remove redundant or unhelpful information from subsections (especially additional details), check for grammar and spelling}}

This comic is a joke about how some things are not how you remember them due to as a kid, due to complex subtext or naivety, taken to a humorous extreme, with a specific reference to television programs for children.

{{w|PBS}} is a television station known for high brow and educational programming, it is often an outlet for BBC programming in the US. The show "''{{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (game show)|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego}}''" was a lighthearted educational game show that was canceled in the 90's. In the show players follow geography based clues to find out where a master criminal, Carmen Sandiego, is going, and catch her. After catching or failing to catch Carmen Sandiego the chef would congratulate or encourage you. Rockapella was an a cappella band featured on the show that gave clues, punctuated the show with humor, and closed the show.

[[Megan]] recounts the story about her surprise as to the nature of programming on late night PBS to Cueball. She claims to have fallen asleep after watching ''Downton Abbey'' and woken up to see that ''Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego'' is still making new episodes, but is significantly darker then she remembers it. The host has grown older, he would be 50 when the comic was written, and developed a drinking problem, the locations the child contestants visit are traumatizing, and the children are clearly freaked out. In the end they find Carmen Sandiego hiding behind a Dutch bookcase, an allusion to "The Diary of Anne Frank", thus implying that the kids have been working as investigators trying to find the locations of Jews for the Nazis. The Chief admonishes the children for their actions and Rockapella glares at the children disapprovingly until the children break down into tears.

After completing her story Cueball's remarks that he did not remember the show being that dark, in response to Cueball's statement Megan replies that as kids neither of them could probably understand on the darker subtext of the show. It is true that some programs intended for children often have subtle themes for adults who may be watching the show with their children that the children do not usually remember or pick up on. The joke being that although children viewers may not be able to pick up on everything, there is no way that a child would not notice if a show was as dark as previously described.

{{w|Bob Ross}} had a painting show on PBS and was known to describe components of his painting as "Happy little" objects. {{w|Ambien}} a prescription sleep aid, can cause are vivid dreams and hallucinations. Thus, the joke in the title text is that Randall/Megan isn't sure if this is hallucinating from taking Ambien (thus giving an alternate explanation for the changes to the programming), or if something horrible has happened because PBS's security staff isn't large enough.

===Locations visited===
{{w|Mogadishu}} is a battle-torn city in {{w|Somalia}}, where there was the aptly named "{{w|Battle of Mogadishu (1993)|Battle of Mogadishu}}" in 1993, which would coincide with the air dates of "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego" game show.

{{w|The Killing Fields}} are a number of sites in {{w|Cambodia}} where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the {{w|Khmer Rouge}} regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the {{w|Cambodian Civil War}} (1970-1975).

The reference to "A Bookshelf in a Dutch Apartment" is a reference to {{w|Anne Frank}}, who was a Jewish girl who hid from the {{w|Nazi}}s in a Secret Annex hidden behind a bookshelf in an apartment in {{w|Amsterdam, Netherlands}}. She wrote the famous diary, {{w|Diary of Anne Frank}}.

===Carmen Sandiego===
"{{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego}}" was a {{w|computer game}} series in the mid-80s. {{w|Carmen Sandiego}} was a mysterious character that you tracked around the globe, attempting to find clues to find out where she was headed to next. The point of the series was to learn about geography and the world while having fun. The series moved to a {{w|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego (game show)|game-show TV series}} in the early 1990s from 1991 to 1995. The role of The Chief was played by {{w|Lynne Thigpen}}, a role she played in all 3 computer games (Where in the USA, Where in the World, and Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego) and both TV shows (Where in Time and Where in the World). She was responsible for telling the detectives (sleuths) what had been stolen, which of Carmen's thieves was suspected of stealing it, and some relevant information about their last whereabouts (effectively, telling the sleuths what their mission was). Whenever the detectives would catch a thief (or Carmen), she would appear and congratulate them or console them if Carmen got away.

====TV Show====
The host of the TV show was {{w|Greg Lee (actor)|Greg Lee}}. When the show originally aired, Greg was in his late 20s/early 30s. His job was to ask the questions of the contestants and tell them which flags to plant on the map in the final round, as well as engage in silly situations with The Chief and Rockapella to keep the show moving and provide clues.

The show was split into 3 rounds. In the first round, there were 3 sleuths. Each question they got right gave them additional points. The top 2 scoring sleuths moved onto the next round, where they had to play a game (like the game Memory) where they had to find the thief, warrant, and loot in the correct order. Whichever sleuth did so captured the thief, saved the loot, and moved onto the next round, where they had a chance to catch Carmen Sandiego herself. Success was not always guaranteed in this round, as contestants had to plant flags correct on 7 different countries in a continent within a very short time period. If the sleuth was successfully able to do this, they captured Carmen and won the grand prize (a trip to a place of their choosing in the continental US). If not, Carmen would escape and the sleuth would win a lesser prize (like a computer).

====Rockapella====
{{w|Rockapella}} was the '{{w|A cappella}}' group (keeping up the tradition of punny names for a cappella groups) which sang the theme song to "Where in The World Is Carmen Sandiego." 'A cappella' is a loan word from Italian meaning "''in the manner of the Church''" hearkening back to {{w|Gregorian chant}}; in the 19th century the term evolved to mean any vocalization without accompaniment. In the TV version of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Rockapella also acted as a "house band" of sorts, singing songs while the contestants transitioned between events, providing clues, playing pranks on Greg Lee, etc. At the end of each show, Greg Lee and the episode's winning contestant would shout "Do it, Rockapella!" at which point the band would sing the shows theme song.

===Additional Details===
One continuity issue in this comic is that the places they have to visit in this episode seem to require traveling to different periods in time (1993, 1975-1979, 1940s, respectively). Episodes of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego usually did not deal with this — this is what the TV show Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego (the successor to Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, albeit with a different house band and a different host) did.

{{w|PBS}} stands for Public Broadcasting Service and is an American TV broadcaster that is predominantly supported by the viewers themselves through pledge drives. It often runs (and sometimes co-produces) acclaimed British {{w|costume drama}}s, including the mentioned ''{{w|Downton Abbey}}''.

This comic is not the first time a host of one of the Carmen Sandiego TV shows was mocked and shown as drinking on the job; Robot Chicken showed a similar scenario with the host of Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego in 2010 ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EIULR-zLEk link] — the voice of the host in the skit is the voice of the actual host from Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego).

{{w|SpongeBob SquarePants#Reception|SpongeBob SquarePants}} and The Fairly OddParents are other examples of shows that have hidden meanings in things for the adults watching the show with their children.

{{w|Bob Ross}} was a famous painter with a painting show on PBS called "{{w|The Joy of Painting}}" that ran for 12 years.

{{w|Ambien}}, also known as Zoldipem, is a prescription medication used for the treatment of insomnia, as well as some brain disorders.

==Transcript==
:[Megan is rubbing sleep out of her eyes and talking to Cueball.]
:Megan: Have you ever watched PBS late at night?
:Megan: I fell asleep after Downton and woke up at like 3 AM.

:[The upper portion of the panel continues dialogue, while the lower shows a drunk gameshow host and several contestants. The monitor shows a field of crosses, presumably graves.]
:Megan: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego was back on, except the host hadn't aged well and he'd clearly been drinking.
:Megan: Every question took them to some horrible place like Mogadishu or the Cambodian killing fields.

:[Now it shows a bookshelf revealing a hidden room.]
:Megan: The kids were freaked out, but they kept playing. Eventually they were told they'd found Carmen Sandiego hiding behind a bookshelf in a Dutch apartment.

:Megan: The Chief appeared and asked "Are you proud of what you've become?"
:Megan: Then Rockapella walked out and just glared at the kids until they started crying.
:Cueball: I, uh, don't remember the old show being that dark.
:Megan: Maybe we were too young to pick up on it.

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

Talk:633: Blockbuster Mining

2015-06-30T07:16:48Z

173.245.50.94: Is Harriet Margaret?

Why do we think that this is Danish? The hair isn't the same and there are no other indicators. [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 12:59, 13 June 2013 (UTC)
:I'm also sure it's not [[Megan]], she isn't that violent. And for now we have chaos here because [[Danish]] is still at the transcript.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 11:45, 18 June 2013 (UTC)
::I'm only using Megan because it's drawn like Megan. Megan, like Cueball is basically the default girl. Her personality changes as necessary. Besides, we're seeing an actor play Harriet the Spy so none of the violence is a character trait. I'd classify it as Harriet the Spy, but it's not only not completely accurate but it steps on the punchline. [[User:LadyMondegreen|LadyMondegreen]] ([[User talk:LadyMondegreen|talk]]) 16:48, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
:::I will tag this as incomplete. Megan is not that violent and we still have to find a better solution.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:49, 20 June 2013 (UTC)
::::"Woman" is a fine alternative to "Megan", but too generic. "Female spy" might give away the punchline a little early. "Testosterette" looks too much like the name of a toaster pastry flavoured with bacon, gunshot and a hint of Jack Daniel's. [[User:Thokling|Thokling]] ([[User talk:Thokling|talk]]) 18:11, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

Misuse of "to" in the title text. I'll check this out. --[[User:Quicksilver|Quicksilver]] ([[User talk:Quicksilver|talk]]) 19:22, 20 August 2013 (UTC)
:Randall has targeted grammar nazi's and people afflicted with OCD in the past. Consider yourself a member in a special breed of Internetter! [[User:Thokling|Thokling]] ([[User talk:Thokling|talk]]) 18:11, 28 September 2013 (UTC)

The "rectangular object" appears to be be the spiral bound notebook when looked at closely. Or is it just me? {{unsigned ip|108.162.237.120}}

Do we know which particular action scenes of which particular movies are satirized in each frame? I get the feeling they're either extremely generic or from something familiar. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.226.228|108.162.226.228]] 15:28, 1 January 2014 (UTC)

The one in the "stop I'll talk" frame reminds me of the scene in Mission Impossible III (I think three) where the bad guy gets the info and then shoots the girlfriend anyway, however it could be from any movie. It was my impression that the panels are more of a "spy goes bananas" aspect so this could just be a reference to the stereotypical spy information extraction tactic gone awry.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.65|108.162.215.65]] 20:57, 1 January 2014 (UTC)

The movie based on this book already and by the same name deserves mention here somewhere.--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.192|108.162.219.192]] 03:35, 2 January 2014 (UTC)
:Bitch II Terror Beater?

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 00:40, 29 January 2015 (UTC)

Is the person playing Harriet perhaps [[Margaret]], thus making this her first known appearance? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.94|173.245.50.94]] 07:16, 30 June 2015 (UTC)

1409: Query

2015-06-29T16:42:39Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ deleting extra space

{{comic
| number = 1409
| date = August 18, 2014
| title = Query
| image = query.png
| titletext = Select * from ghosts
}}

==Explanation==
[[Megan]] picks up a strange device that mysteriously asks her to enter a query after stating "Loaded table: People/ Enter query." In computer databases, "{{w|Table (database)|tables}}" are groups of similar information consisting of records each having certain attributes. Databases are generally made up of many tables, each containing different types of records. A database for a traditional library might have a "Books" table and a "Cardholders" table with records of all of the books in the library, and all of the people who have library cards. Each table will have different columns for certain attributes for every record. For example, the "Books" table might have columns for "title", "author", "date", etc.

A request from a database by a user is called a "query". {{w|SQL}} (Structured Query Language) is a programming language designed for databases, and has a certain syntax for its queries. A common query is "select" which requests certain information from the database. In the library example, one might select (in plain English) all books written by a certain author or published after a certain date, etc.

Megan uses the device by entering an SQL query into it: "Select * from people where age > 30" (show all the people older than 30). It appears that the actual people around her who are over 30 are wrapped in a yellow light, which does not apply to Megan in this query. Megan then tries other experimental queries, presumably to determine whether the results are correct. First, she queries for people with a high annual income (a group that does not include her), then for those who are afraid of flying (which does include her). Because the results for herself are valid both times, she then indulges her curiosity by asking who has watched porn in the preceding twelve hours. This suggests that whatever "database" she is accessing is extremely thorough as it contains updated records of people's day-to-day activities.

The percentage of people lit appears to approximately correspond to real demographic data: note, 5 of the 10 characters are female; the median world/US age are fairly close to 30; top decile income in the USA is approximately $100,000 (and top earners are usually men); up to 40% of people are afraid of flying.

Finally, she types "Drop table People". Drop is an SQL command to delete a table. When she enters the command the entire table disappears and because she is also in this table she disappears, too. The implications are unclear. It may be a suggestion that all of reality is a computer program, all of the people are merely "data" in the program, and Megan was somehow granted access to the database for the program. It could also be an allusion to the fact that human life is so rich, diverse & interesting, but also, extremely fragile. Someone who controls much power can, simply with the press of a few buttons, erase everything that thousands or millions of people had worked so hard on.

There is a subtle pun included here. If we were to assume that the device ''physically contains'' the table "people". When Megan tasks the device with dropping the table, it not only causes the data table to be dropped, but also the physical storage itself to be dropped.

The drop table command was also used in [[327: Exploits of a Mom]], although with less fatal result.

The title text may suggest that when the people disappeared or "died", their records were moved to a table called "Ghosts". The query would then, presumably, see all the people that were deleted. In some implementations of databases deleted records are still hidden and remain until a "Ghost Cleanup Process" removes the data permanently; the title text may also allude to this process. Alternatively, the title text may refer to movies such as ''{{w|The Sixth Sense}}'', in which certain people are ghosts, unbeknownst to those around them, another quality that may be elucidated by Megan's device.

==Transcript==
:[The first and then every second part of the comic is drawn without any frames around the panels. They depict Megan with the device she finds. In the first and last of these there are more than one "panel" where Megan is drawn more than once without frames between. In between these frameless panels, in all even numbered rows, are a framed picture with an overview of the surroundings.]

:[The first two panels are drawn in the first row.]
:[Megan walks up to device lying on the ground.]

:[Megan picks up a device and looks a the screen. The screen is shown in black with white text and a white bar for her to enter text in.]
:Loaded table: People
:Enter query

:[Megan looks around and sees nine people nearby: A black haired girl with ponytail talking on he phone; a Cueball-like guy talking to a hairy guy; a group of three people, with Ponytail and another Cueball-like guy sitting, and a Megan-like girl lying on the ground; another hairy guy sitting with an ice cream cone on a big box; Another Ponytail girl leaning up against the box with her phone together with a third Cueball-like guy also with a phone in his hand. The device still shows the last part of the text in white on black, and with room to enter a query]
:Enter query
:Megan: ??

:[Megan types into the device. The query is shown as coming from the devices screen:]
:Select * from people where age > 30

:[Five people are highlighted in a yellow cloud around their bodies: Black haired ponytail, both guys talking, and the two last of the group of three.]

:[Megan types again:]
:Select * from people where annual_income > 100000

:[One person is highlighted in yellow - the one talking to the first Cueball.]

:[Megan types:]
:Select * from people where afraid_of_flying = True

:[Four people, including herself, are highlighted in yellow. Also the Megan-like girl on the ground and the last two behind the box.]

:[Megan types:]
:Select * from people where hours_since_wathing_porn < 12

:[Three people are highlighted. The two girls around the second Cueball and the third Cueball.]

:[The next three panels are drawn on the same row.]
:[Megan looks at the device, while holding it in two hands.]
:Megan: Neat.

:[Megan holds the device in one hand, still looking at it.]
:Megan: ...

:[Megan types:]
:Drop table People

:[Everyone disappears; the items they were holding drop to the ground, including the device Megan has been using. the other devices are three phones and one ice cream cone.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Puns]]

1543: Team Effort

2015-06-26T13:36:45Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ Explaining US units

{{comic
| number = 1543
| date = June 26, 2015
| title = Team Effort
| image = team_effort.png
| titletext = Given the role they play in every process in my body, really, they deserve this award more than me. Just gotta figure out how to give it to them. Maybe I can cut it into pieces to make it easier to swallow ...
}}

==Explanation==

[[Megan]] has won an award at a ceremony (presumably movie-related and possibly an Oscar, as she mentions her director). In her (rather self-absorbed) acceptance speech she thanks not only her director and her and family and friends, but also the bacteria that populate her gastrointestinal tract. As she states correctly, the number of bacterial cells inside a human body outnumber the number of human cells by as much as a factor 10. This makes sense, since the bacteria keep her healthy. In the title text, Megan contemplates ''how'' to thank them and considers to eat it after having it cut in pieces.

1.5 pints (the average of one or two pints) are around 700 cc.

==Transcript==
[Megan is on a stage receiving an award from Ponytail, the latter of whom is standing behind a podium.]

Megan:
:I'd like to thank my director,
:my friends and family, and–
:of course–the writhing mass
:of gut bacteria inside me.

:I mean, there's like one or
:two pints of them in here;
:their cells outnumber mine!

:Anyway, This was a real team effort.

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1543: Team Effort

2015-06-26T13:34:37Z

173.245.50.94: format

Bah, my first draft was conflicted yet again! Here's my draft - anyone feel free to re-merge any or part herein.
:When people receive a major award, like the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Awards|Academy Award] (or an "Oscar"), they give an acceptance speech which traditionally begins with the recipient thanking people who have helped them achieve the honour. Sometimes when a number of people are mentioned, the recipient will say that it was a team effort - a comment which elevates the "helpers" to virtually the same level as the recipient.
:This comic takes things one step further and attributes assistance in winning the award to a normal bodily function - the bacteria in short-haired-girls gut. This bacteria is largely what makes digestion possible, and without it she would die - and not be able to win the award.
[[User:Jarod997|Jarod997]] ([[User talk:Jarod997|talk]]) 13:30, 26 June 2015 (UTC)

1541: Voice

2015-06-24T14:08:27Z

173.245.50.94: /* Note on Ponytail */ deleting extraneous exclamation mark

{{comic
| number = 1541
| date = June 22, 2015
| title = Voice
| image = voice.png
| titletext = Anyway, we should totally go watch a video story or put some food in our normal mouths!
}}

==Explanation==
During a casual talk with [[Megan]], [[Ponytail]] suddenly interrupts her normal speech stating that she is for some reason only capable of controlling her own voice once every six years. Apparently only for a very brief time since she immediately returns to the casual talk, continuing her previous sentence mid-word before being able to tell Megan how she could help her. Upon Megan's confused request, she denies knowledge of the occurrence, although in a somewhat suspicious way, using a possibly fake laughter.

It could be this was just a prank by Ponytail, to tease Megan, but given her fake laughter reply to Megan's inquiry and the continuing comment in the title text it seems most likely that Ponytail is indeed possessed by some sort of entity that prevents her from expressing her own thoughts, except for a very short time every six years. Of course this may just be her way of continuing with the prank... (see a previous case of such a prank [[#Voice hijacking|below]]).

In case it is not a prank it would thus appears that Ponytail's usual "self" is indeed this possessing entity. Whether this entity is actually aware that the "real" Ponytail did speak, or if it actually does not know that it was interrupted (since it continued mid-word) is not clear from the last response to Megan.

The title text suggests that Ponytail is possessed by some sort of inhuman entity, most likely an alien or {{w|AI}}, unfamiliar with movies and eating. See below for [[#Related comics|related comics]].

===Related comics===
====Non human entity trying to behave like a human====
The recent comic, [[1530: Keyboard Mash]], also revolves around the same theme of a non human entity trying to convince other humans that is is in fact a human. This is mostly a referenced in the title text of this comic. In Keyboard Mash it is a spider that tries to chat like it was a human, making statements that are true if you are human, but which humans would never utter in a conversation like here - ''put some food in our normal mouths!'' However, the pretended 'human' being (the spider) is not seen by the other person in this comic. As opposed to this one where Megan speaks directly with Ponytail.

====Voice hijacking====
It has already been established recently, in [[1528: Vodka]], that Ponytail's voice can be hijacked by non-human entities. That time it was the vodka she was drinking that took over. It is possible that this is continuing or caused by the same openness to possession as shown here. It is also possible that she simply thinks possession jokes are funny and once again jokes with Megan.

====Six years ago====
Six years ago today, which according to this comic was the last time Ponytail had control of her own voice, this comic [[600: Android Boyfriend]] was posted. Ponytail acquired an android boyfriend. It seems unlikely that this older comic has any relation with this particular episode - except that this comic mentions a six year period and Ponytail is also in that comic.

====Note on Ponytail====
''Ponytail is mainly a filler character, showing up when two females are needed or when a large group of people are present.''

This means the character in this comic may or may not be the same as the Ponytail in other comics. (As for most xkcd characters without hats as opposed to those [[:Category:Characters with Hats|with hats]] who usually behaves the same way from comic to comic.)

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Ponytail are walking.]
:Megan: Are you doing anything later?
:Ponytail: I was th- ''I can only control my voice once every six years. Please, you have to'' -inking of going out, but no real plans.
:Megan: ...What was that?
:Ponytail: Haha, what?

==Trivia==
*{{w|Demonic possession|Possession}} stories are common in films and books. Some recent examples that could have inspired this comic could be one of these (beware of '''spoilers'''):
**In the film {{w|The Host (2013 film)|The Host}} the human race has been taken over by small parasitic aliens called "Souls" that inserts themselves individually into a host body where they are then able to access the host's memories. In the story the main characters is the host that controls a body, and then the personality of that body, which now no longer is able to control her body, but can speak to the host. And in a few situations can take over her body for a short period. Very similar to what happens in this comic.
**The Yeerks from the {{w|Animorphs (TV series)|Animorphs}} TV series take humans as a host by entering and merging with their brain through the ear canal. In some situations this merger is not complete. (The Animorph series were referenced previously in [[1380: Manual for Civilization]].)
**In the movie {{w|Being John Malkovich}} the main character possess Malkovich, but is eventually forced out and then when trying to get back inside Malkovich he instead ends up getting stuck inside a child's mind. From there he can only look out through the child's eyes, but no longer take active possession.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]

1542: Scheduling Conflict

2015-06-24T14:07:19Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1542
| date = June 24, 2015
| title = Scheduling Conflict
| image = scheduling_conflict.png
| titletext = Neither a spokesperson for the organization nor the current world champion could be reached for comment.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First draft.}}

This comic envisions a "National Scheduling Conflict Championship," presumably as the culmination of some larger scheduling-conflict competition. It is unclear if the goal of the event is to have a scheduling conflict and miss it, or if there are actual challenges at the event, but the contestants miss the event as it's their nature to always have a scheduling conflict—in other words, whether the event's cancellation is a success or a predictable failure

This may (or most probably may not) be a play on a common trope in movies such as ''{{w|High School Musical}}'', where the protagonists must choose between two events they want to participate in, one of which is often a competition of some sort.

==Transcript==
[Picture showing a newspaper and its headline]
:National Scheduling Conflict Championships Canceled
{{comic discussion}}

1541: Voice

2015-06-22T19:28:41Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1541
| date = June 22, 2015
| title = Voice
| image = voice.png
| titletext = Anyway, we should totally go watch a video story or put some food in our normal mouths!
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First draft; Alt-Text explanation missing}}

During a casual talk, [[Ponytail]] suddenly interrupts her normal speech stating that she is for some reason only capable of controlling her own voice once every six years, apparently for a very brief time since she immediately returns to the casual talk, continuing her previous sentence mid-word before being able to tell Megan how she could help her. Upon Megan's confused request, she denies knowledge of the occurrence, although in a somewhat suspicious way, using a possibly fake laughter.

It remains unclear if this is just a prank by Ponytail, or if she is indeed possessed by some sort of power that prevents her from expressing her own thoughts, except for a very short time every six years. If the latter is the case, it appears that Ponytail's usual "self" is indeed said power and is aware of suppressing the "real" Ponytail, as becomes clear by her response to Megan's inquiry.

The title text suggests that Ponytail is possessed by some sort of inhuman entity, most likely an alien or AI (possibly a Yeerk from the Animorphs series), unfamiliar with movies and eating. A similar situation was recently explored in [[1530: Keyboard Mash]].

==== [[1528: Vodka]] ====
It has already been established that Ponytail's voice can be hijacked by non-human entities when the vodka she was drinking took over. It is possible that this is continuing or caused by the same openness to posession. It is also possible that she simply thinks posession jokes are funny.

==== [[600: Android Boyfriend]] ====
Six years ago today, which is presumably the last time [[Ponytail]] had control of her own voice, she acquired an android boyfriend. How this older comic may or may not play into this particular episode is unclear.

==== Note on Ponytail ====
''Ponytail is mainly a filler character, showing up when two females are needed or when a large group of people are present.''

This means the character is this comic may or may not be the same as the Ponytail in other comics.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Ponytail are walking.]
:Megan: Are you doing anything later?
:Ponytail: I was th- ''I can only control my voice once every six years. Please, you have to'' -inking of going out, but no real plans.
:Megan: ...what was that?
:Ponytail: Haha, what?

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:1541: Voice

2015-06-22T13:15:59Z

173.245.50.94: /* every six years */

The premise of this comic reminds me of a sci-fi short story I read many years ago but have never been able to track down. A young girl's doll (?) comes to life, and it explains that it is a entity that can inhabit inanimate objects. Some things happen that I have forgotten, and while walking down the road, the girl is almost struck by a runaway car. The entity takes control of the car and steers it away from her. It decides that, having saved the girl's life, it has every right to take control of her - leaving our poor protagonist in the worst kind of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" scenario as the story ends. Perhaps Randall Munroe read the same story. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.212|141.101.98.212]] 12:08, 22 June 2015 (UTC)
:To me it reminds me of the movie "Being John Malkovich", especially the end, where the main character is forever trapped in the other person's body, unable to talk. Kind of the-other-way-around, but a similar concept. [[User:Linuspogo|Linuspogo]] ([[User talk:Linuspogo|talk]]) 12:23, 22 June 2015 (UTC)

== every six years ==

6 years back it was june 22, 2009 -> [[600|Comic 600]]. I guess there is no link between those comics , but I would not be surprised if there was. [[User:SirKitKat|sirKitKat]] ([[User talk:SirKitKat|talk]]) 12:44, 22 June 2015 (UTC)
: anyway, I'm looking forward to the comic of june 22, 2021 ;) [[User:SirKitKat|sirKitKat]] ([[User talk:SirKitKat|talk]]) 12:51, 22 June 2015 (UTC)
::Do you realize that xkcd is fiction? Do you realize that Homer and Marge Simpson have not been married for 27 years, since Bart has been 10 during these 27 years? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.94|173.245.50.94]] 13:15, 22 June 2015 (UTC)

Talk:1541: Voice

2015-06-22T13:15:24Z

173.245.50.94: /* every six years */

The premise of this comic reminds me of a sci-fi short story I read many years ago but have never been able to track down. A young girl's doll (?) comes to life, and it explains that it is a entity that can inhabit inanimate objects. Some things happen that I have forgotten, and while walking down the road, the girl is almost struck by a runaway car. The entity takes control of the car and steers it away from her. It decides that, having saved the girl's life, it has every right to take control of her - leaving our poor protagonist in the worst kind of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" scenario as the story ends. Perhaps Randall Munroe read the same story. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.212|141.101.98.212]] 12:08, 22 June 2015 (UTC)
:To me it reminds me of the movie "Being John Malkovich", especially the end, where the main character is forever trapped in the other person's body, unable to talk. Kind of the-other-way-around, but a similar concept. [[User:Linuspogo|Linuspogo]] ([[User talk:Linuspogo|talk]]) 12:23, 22 June 2015 (UTC)

== every six years ==

6 years back it was june 22, 2009 -> [[600|Comic 600]]. I guess there is no link between those comics , but I would not be surprised if there was. [[User:SirKitKat|sirKitKat]] ([[User talk:SirKitKat|talk]]) 12:44, 22 June 2015 (UTC)
: anyway, I'm looking forward to the comic of june 22, 2021 ;) [[User:SirKitKat|sirKitKat]] ([[User talk:SirKitKat|talk]]) 12:51, 22 June 2015 (UTC)
::Do you realize that xkcd is fiction? Do you realize that Homer and Marge Simpson have not been married for 27 years, since Bart has been 10 during those 27 years? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.94|173.245.50.94]] 13:15, 22 June 2015 (UTC)

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:47:25Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ :This sentence was stopped at the sixth word

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

In keeping with the theme of the original short story, all of these stories are exactly six words.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
:This sentence was stopped at the sixth word
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
:Amazon Prime is a service that offers free shipping of goods purchased on [http://www.amazon.com www.amazon.com].
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
:This sentence was stopped at the sixth word
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<code><blink><marquee></code>Baby Shoes!<code></marquee><blink></code>
:<code><nowiki><blink></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <code><nowiki><marquee></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right. Both of them are deprecated (intended to be removed later), and are considered to be excessive and annoying.
:Note that the end of the line is missing a "/". It should be <code></marquee></blink></code>.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text, itself another six-word story, makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:41:11Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ <code> again

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

In keeping with the theme of the original short story, all of these stories are exactly six words.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
:Amazon Prime is a service that offers free shipping of goods purchased on [http://www.amazon.com www.amazon.com].
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<code><blink><marquee></code>Baby Shoes!<code></marquee><blink></code>
:<code><nowiki><blink></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <code><nowiki><marquee></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right. Both of them are deprecated (intended to be removed later), and are considered to be excessive and annoying.
:Note that the end of the line is missing a "/". It should be <code></marquee></blink></code>.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text, itself another six-word story, makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:39:13Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ typo

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

In keeping with the theme of the original short story, all of these stories are exactly six words.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
:Amazon Prime is a service that offers free shipping of goods purchased on [http://www.amazon.com www.amazon.com].
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:<code><nowiki><blink></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <code><nowiki><marquee></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right. Both of them are deprecated (intended to be removed later), and are considered to be excessive and annoying.
:Note that the end of the line is missing a "/". It should be <code></marquee></blink></code>.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text, itself another six-word story, makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:38:35Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ <code>

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

In keeping with the theme of the original short story, all of these stories are exactly six words.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
:Amazon Prime is a service that offers free shipping of goods purchased on [http://www.amazon.com www.amazon.com].
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:<code><nowiki><blink></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <code><nowiki><marquee></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right. Both of them are deprecated (intended to be removed later), and are considered to be excessive and annoying.
:Note that the end fof the line is missing a "/". It should be <code></marquee></blink></code>.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text, itself another six-word story, makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:36:59Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ ** is unreadable

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

In keeping with the theme of the original short story, all of these stories are exactly six words.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
:Amazon Prime is a service that offers free shipping of goods purchased on [http://www.amazon.com www.amazon.com].
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:Note that the end fof the line is missing a "/". It should be </marquee></blink>.
:<code><nowiki><blink></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <code><nowiki><marquee></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right. Both of them are deprecated (intended to be removed later), and are considered to be excessive and annoying.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text, itself another six-word story, makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:36:01Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ </marquee></blink>

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and puts it in a more modern form as titles of products from websites like Amazon and Craigslist.

In keeping with the theme of the original short story, all of these stories are exactly six words.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
**Amazon Prime is a service that offers free shipping of goods purchased on [http://www.amazon.com www.amazon.com].
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
**For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
**This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:Note that the end fof the line is missing a "/". It should be </marquee></blink>.
**<code><nowiki><blink></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <code><nowiki><marquee></nowiki></code> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right. Both of them are deprecated (intended to be removed later), and are considered to be excessive and annoying.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:32:11Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ For another weird trick see 1426: Reduce Your Payments

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|This seems to be a pretty deepgoing one. Mention what language <blink> etc. is and include something about Amazon Prime}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}, however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
:For another weird trick see [[1426: Reduce Your Payments]]
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:<blink> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <marquee> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

Category:Clickbait

2015-06-19T14:31:05Z

173.245.50.94: Typical clickbait is "This weird trick...".

Typical clickbait is "This weird trick...".

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:28:07Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ blink and marquee

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|This seems to be a pretty deepgoing one. Mention what language <blink> etc. is and include something about Amazon Prime}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_sale:_baby_shoes,_never_worn For sale: baby shoes, never worn], which has been attributed to famous author [https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Ernest_Hemingway Ernest Hemingway], however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
:<blink> is an HTML tag that makes text blink. <marquee> is an HTML tag that makes text move from left to right.
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:26:26Z

173.245.50.94: Each sentence should be explained

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|This seems to be a pretty deepgoing one. Mention what language <blink> etc. is and include something about Amazon Prime}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_sale:_baby_shoes,_never_worn For sale: baby shoes, never worn], which has been attributed to famous author [https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Ernest_Hemingway Ernest Hemingway], however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all.

*For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes
*Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner
*<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike>
*Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby
*For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes
*For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo]
*<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike>
*This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!
*For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched
*Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)
*Complete this survey for free shoes!
*''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [citation needed]
:This imitates Wikipedia labeling of dubious claims.
*This is my greatest short story.
*For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]
*<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink>
*For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat
*Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam

The title text makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
<blink><marquee>Baby Shoes!</marquee><blink> 
For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat 
Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam 
{{comic discussion}}

1540: Hemingway

2015-06-19T14:18:14Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{Incomplete|New Page}}
{{comic
| number = 1540
| date = June 19, 2015
| title = Hemingway
| image = 1540.jpg
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|This seems to be a pretty deepgoing one. Mention what language <blink> etc. is and include something about Amazon Prime}}

This comic is a reference to the six-word short story [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_sale:_baby_shoes,_never_worn For sale: baby shoes, never worn], which has been attributed to famous author [https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Ernest_Hemingway Ernest Hemingway], however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all.

The title text makes a reference to the third pane of [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'

==Transcript==
{{Incomplete|New}}
[Caption above comic:] 
Hemingway's Rough Drafts 
[A list of rough draft titles] 
For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes 
Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner 
<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike> 
Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby 
For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes 
For Sale: Baby Shoes [an "Amazon Prime eligible" logo] 
<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike> 
This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet! 
For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched 
Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping) 
Complete this survey for free shoes! 
''Shoes'', by Ernes Hemingway (citation needed) 
This is my greatest short story. 
For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed] 
{{comic discussion}}

1539: Planning

2015-06-17T13:57:52Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ grammar

{{comic
| number = 1539
| date = June 17, 2015
| title = Planning
| image = planning.png
| titletext = [10 years later] Man, why are people so comfortable handing Google and Facebook control over our nuclear weapons?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First attempt at an explanation.}}
[[Ponytail]] asks [[Megan]] why people seems to be comfortable with {{w|Google}} and {{w|Facebook}} getting so much control of their lives, as this is what happens when they are handing over all these data.

Megan says she does not know, but she finds equally disturbing that we have built thousands of {{w|nuclear weapons}}, which are now spread around the planet. And now no one seems to care anymore, but has moved on to other things (like data delivered to Facebook etc.)

This comic was posted on the day that {{w|Vladimir Putin}} [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/world/europe/putin-40-new-missiles-russian-nuclear-arsenal.html announced] that his country would buy 40 more nuclear missiles.

Her best solution to appease Ponytail is to just go with the flow, since this kind of big-picture planning actually doesn't exist (it just seems to happen on auto-pilot), without anyone actually thinking about the consequences.
This is of course a scary thought, but it seems like [[Randall]] believes this is what happens in the world, and probably not just with weapons and data.

In the title text we move ahead 10 years, to a similar conversation where the two parts of the above have been mixed. A future equivalent to Ponytail asks why we all think it is OK to hand over the control of our nuclear weapons to Google and Facebook. What would certainly be a dangerous route to take.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Ponytail are walking]
:Ponytail: Why are people so comfortable handing Google and Facebook all this control over our lives?
:Megan: I dunno.
:Megan: Our species built thousands of nuclear weapons, scattered them around the planet, and then moved on to other things.
:Megan: Maybe it's best to accept that some of this big-picture planning is just happening on autopilot.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

1539: Planning

2015-06-17T13:57:22Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1539
| date = June 17, 2015
| title = Planning
| image = planning.png
| titletext = [10 years later] Man, why are people so comfortable handing Google and Facebook control over our nuclear weapons?
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|First attempt at an explanation.}}
[[Ponytail]] asks [[Megan]] why people seems to be comfortable with {{w|Google}} and {{w|Facebook}} getting so much control of their lives, as this is what happens when they are handing over all these data.

Megan says she do not know, but she finds equally disturbing that we have built thousands of {{w|nuclear weapons}}, which are now spread around the planet. And now no one seems to care anymore, but has moved on to other things (like data delivered to Facebook etc.)

This comic was posted on the day that {{w|Vladimir Putin}} [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/17/world/europe/putin-40-new-missiles-russian-nuclear-arsenal.html announced] that his country would buy 40 more nuclear missiles.

Her best solution to appease Ponytail is to just go with the flow, since this kind of big-picture planning actually doesn't exist (it just seems to happen on auto-pilot), without anyone actually thinking about the consequences.
This is of course a scary thought, but it seems like [[Randall]] believes this is what happens in the world, and probably not just with weapons and data.

In the title text we move ahead 10 years, to a similar conversation where the two parts of the above have been mixed. A future equivalent to Ponytail asks why we all think it is OK to hand over the control of our nuclear weapons to Google and Facebook. What would certainly be a dangerous route to take.

==Transcript==
:[Megan and Ponytail are walking]
:Ponytail: Why are people so comfortable handing Google and Facebook all this control over our lives?
:Megan: I dunno.
:Megan: Our species built thousands of nuclear weapons, scattered them around the planet, and then moved on to other things.
:Megan: Maybe it's best to accept that some of this big-picture planning is just happening on autopilot.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:16:01Z

173.245.50.94: /* Explanation */ See Mondegreen

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

For a related experience see {{w|Mondegreen}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell ther
:Anɔ⊕ne the wan na.
:Had be is annoying or Ill...
:For♡tting L♡♡oveee ?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:14:28Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell ther
:Anɔ⊕ne the wan na.
:Had be is annoying or Ill...
:For♡tting L♡♡oveee ?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:13:13Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell her
:Anɔ⊕ne the wan na.
:Had be is annoying or Ill...
:For♡tting L♡♡oveee ?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:12:44Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell her
:Anɔ⊕ne the wanna
:Had be is annoying or Ill...
:For♡tting L♡♡oveee ?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:12:09Z

173.245.50.94:

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell her
:Anɔ⊕ne the wanna
:Had be is annoying or I'll / Hit doe artisan go kill
:For♡tting L♡♡oveee ?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:09:58Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell her
:And I ⊕ne the wanna / Mah⊕ng the can nap
:Had be is annoying or I'll / Hit doe artisan go kill
:For♡tting L♡♡oveee ?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:08:01Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */ ♡

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell her
:And I ⊕ne the wanna / Mah⊕ng the can nap
:Had be is annoying or I'll / Hit doe artisan go kill
:Forgetting L♡♡oveee? / Formatting gl♡♡ovee?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}

1538: Lyrics

2015-06-15T14:05:53Z

173.245.50.94: /* Transcript */ Using ⊕ in the transcript

{{comic
| number = 1538
| date = June 15, 2015
| title = Lyrics
| image = lyrics.png
| titletext = To me, trying to understand song lyrics feels like when I see text in a dream but it𝔰 hอᵣd t₀ ᵣeₐd aกd 𝒾 canٖt fཱྀcu༧༦࿐༄
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This is a stub. There is probably a more thorough explanation. Maybe add possible song titles/lyrics if this is a real song?}}
The comic is illustrating (in text form) how listening to a song feels before you have learned what the actual lyrics are. The lyrics are represented in an indecipherable way, with a few mildly recognizable words. This represents the auditory experience of being able to hear and understand some words, but not all of them.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball sits in a chair holding a phone. A speaker on a counter behind him is transmitting music. Four lines of wavy undecipherable lyrics emanate from the speaker. The lyrics are surrounded by musical notes.]
:I can't even tell her
:And I ⊕ne the wanna / Mah⊕ng the can nap
:Had be is annoying or I'll / Hit doe artisan go kill
:Forgetting Loooveee? / Formatting glooovee?
:[Caption below the frame:]
:'''Sometimes I wonder what it would'''
:'''be like to be able to understand'''
:'''song lyrics without looking them up.'''

{{comic discussion}}