explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1410: California

2014-08-22T02:54:16Z

173.245.52.99: Added link to data

''and remark that "They've gone plaid!"''
I heard them say:
"They've gone Plait!"
I think it was "They've gone to plaid!" [[User:Chrullrich|Chrullrich]] ([[User talk:Chrullrich|talk]]) 08:16, 20 August 2014 (UTC)
:Correct, the [http://sfy.ru/?script=spaceballs script] contains: They've gone to plaid. [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 08:36, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

Spaceballs was parodying the use of surreal colours and patterns and the like when travelling at high speeds (ludicrous speed in the movie, hence its use in the legend of the graph) in older science fiction movies like 2001 a space odyssey. Plaid refers to the common textile pattern see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaid_(pattern). Also see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygE01sOhzz0. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.186|141.101.99.186]] 09:30, 20 August 2014 (UTC)
:Spaceballs is really full of movie references! I originally saw the movie on BBC1, so I was surprised to see the Alien reference in the restaurant when I bought the DVD, because the BBC decided to cut the sequence for being distasteful! [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 11:36, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

:Another thing to note with regards to the Spaceballs reference which is itself referencing 2001 relates to the actual mechanical process by which Kubrick created the famous 'beyond' light-tunnel sequence. The technique called slit-scan photography was adapted to motion pictures from its then-traditional still photography roots by Douglas Trumbull while he worked with Kubrick on this iconic sequence. The technique involved a process of exposing the film to an abstract image being lit/seen through a thin vertical slit. The means by which we see California squeezed down to a slit-like slice to produce this graph over time actually resembles greatly this process we see employed by Kubrick and Trumbull. See: http://vimeo.com/41747091 as well as http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slit-scan_photography for a little more in-depth information. {{unsigned ip|108.162.219.211}}

And here we have evidence of global warming. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.190|173.245.54.190]] 12:54, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

Looking at the color key reminds me of an aviator's scale of turbulence: nil, mild, moderate, severe, extreme. Extreme is when the rotating air overwhelms any possible control input (elevator, rudder, and aileron) so the plane's attitude is at the mercy of the wind, without recourse. AFAIK, plaid turbulence has not been reported by any surviving pilot. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.153|173.245.54.153]] 13:20, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

@108.162.238.144: While I agree that "ludicrous" is a normal English word, it isn't used very often. A Google search for "ludicrous" only turns up 2 dictionary references before linking to the wiki page for Spaceballs. So I think it's plausible that Randall thought of Spaceballs when using ludicrous instead of exceptional. [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 14:14, 20 August 2014 (UTC)
: Plausible? Pretty much certain, given that he backs it up with the plaid reference. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 16:12, 20 August 2014 (UTC)
It is also a play on the fact that plaid and warp are both terms in weaving. --[[User:I'll Get It In A Moment|I'll Get It In A Moment]] ([[User talk:I'll Get It In A Moment|talk]]) 12:38, 21 August 2014 (UTC)

;Unclear how the morphing of California works to compress horizontally and provide a point for the vertical axis of graph

The top of California goes east-west, and the bottom actually slopes a bit north as it goes east, and of course the the initial image is rotated a bit clockwise. The way the bottom of california morphs, it looks clear that drought values are being averaged across horizontal parallels that are not straight east west. But the top of california seems to be treated differently - rotating quickly back to east-west. Does anyone know where the detailed data is? Is it only available as the images from NOAA, or are there data values? Can anyone reproduce this graph? [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 21:07, 20 August 2014 (UTC)

I disagree that the use of "ludicrous" is not in reference to Spaceballs. Yes, it might not be; but the other reference to Spaceballs in the title text suggests that it is. Context, people. [[User:Smperron|Smperron]] ([[User talk:Smperron|talk]]) 13:26, 21 August 2014 (UTC)

The data can be found here

http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/MapsAndData/DataTables.aspx?CA
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.99|173.245.52.99]] 02:54, 22 August 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1408: March of the Penguins

2014-08-17T01:23:58Z

173.245.52.99: Citation to NY Times article

Isn't it Danish not Megan? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.195|141.101.99.195]] 05:30, 15 August 2014 (UTC)
: No, Danish has longer hair. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.47|108.162.245.47]] 05:37, 15 August 2014 (UTC)

: Also, if it were Danish, she would have a good come back for black hat. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.108|108.162.216.108]] 13:54, 15 August 2014 (UTC)BK

Would Movie Ages (http://www.xkcd.com/891) be just as pertinent, if not more so, than Timeghost? Should we include a reference to it in the explanation? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.170|173.245.54.170]] 14:08, 15 August 2014 (UTC)DBrak
: Good idea. I think we should, so I've included that reference now.<br />--[[User:Das-g|Das-g]] ([[User talk:Das-g|talk]]) 14:42, 15 August 2014 (UTC)

This is totally off-topic, but I can't help myself. I remember reading somewhere that the film was made by a French team (I think) and they realized they had a hit on their hands. But when they were negotating with a distributor for the USA market that it was demanded that all reference to the penguins' amazing behavior being due to their evolutionary development had to be removed. "Evolution" was a dirty word for the USA market. --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 22:28, 15 August 2014 (UTC)
I don't think RenniePet's comment is off-topic; the same audience that they deleted "Evolution" for used it as an example for family values and ID - is the "Oh God" dialog an allusion to whether Black Hat been playing God? --[[User:FractalgeekUK|FractalgeekUK]] ([[User talk:FractalgeekUK|talk]]) 00:17, 16 August 2014 (UTC)

I found a NY Times article on the evolution point:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/13/science/13peng.html?_r=0&pagewanted=print
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.99|173.245.52.99]] 01:23, 17 August 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1406: Universal Converter Box

2014-08-12T03:12:47Z

173.245.52.99:

Would like to see what a gender changer for the petrol pump looks like... [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.219|108.162.250.219]] 04:37, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

: It’s a funnel. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.129|108.162.216.129]] 04:45, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: Im more intereted in understanding how the conversion between 87, 91 and 93 octane and Diesel is taking place -- some mini refinery most be included [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:34, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::: No need for a mini refinery if you simply have 4 feed lines multiplexed through a valve.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 18:57, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

: I guess those folks still using their ADB keyboards are out of luck.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.129|108.162.216.129]] 04:45, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Oh god... there are quite a few blank spots on that gas pump, and we all know what Randall likes to do with [http://what-if.xkcd.com/35/ tape]. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.211|173.245.56.211]] 04:55, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Where's the old Mac DIN based serial port? I've got a Color Classic I'd like to resurrect! (No, seriously. It's got a math program on it that I paid about one <i>fifteenth </i> of what they're going for today!) [[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 05:21, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Probably related: [http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/21b3ob/walking_through_my_local_electronic_store_i_found/ HDMI — garden hose adapter] for pouring sh*t from the TV directly on your lawn. {{unsigned ip|141.101.75.19}}

The above garden hose comment reminds me of the classic Three Stooges film in which they are bungling plumbers who get confused and connect the electric wires to the pipes with impossible but hilarious results -- for instance a TV shows Niagara Falls then suddenly water comes gushing out of it.

[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.99|173.245.52.99]] 03:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

:: The original Ethernet used a fat coaxial cable known as "Garden Hose". There were no hubs or switches, each station had a 'stinger' tap clamped to the coax. I used such a setup in the 1970s. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 15:54, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I hate the fact that I can think of multiple standards that are not covered here. A gazillion DIN connectors, mini HDMI, RS232, Canon/XLR,... All the AC power adapters just on their own will weigh more than 22.7 kilograms. And seriously, how are we meant to connect our coaxial network cable to an iPhone2 with this? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 06:04, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: +1 [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I'm just a little pissed that all those plugs and it still doesn't include an Australian 240v power plug... sigh. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.219|108.162.250.219]] 06:09, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:: There are no power adapters in this afaik -- the title text talks about DC adapters, but they come in a separate bag [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

::: I can see just one. I think it's the American plug, but I'm not sure (not familiar with what it looks like). It's got a removable ground pin. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.217|108.162.249.217]] 14:01, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:::: Absolutely right, not sure how I missed that [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 15:14, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

While we're mentioning things Randall forgot, we have eSATA, 9-pin serial, there are at least three types of firewire, Multiple SCSI interface sizes, TRRS audio/mic connectors, 1/4" inch audio connectors, XLR, varous RF connectors, and a ton of power connectors. {{unsigned ip|173.245.56.210}}

:: The STA and SCSI are mostly internal connections which users rarely had to worry about [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 07:30, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

:::But there is external SCSI as well. Which sometimes needed to be manually numbered using DIP switches and properly terminated. --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the magsafe 4 connector was the 'hair connector' from the avatar movie. That would really be the ultimate self-connecting magsafe successor. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.78|141.101.104.78]] 08:05, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

Many of the video cables in this comic actually are compatible: DVI is backwards-compatible with VGA, HDMI is (mostly) compatible with DVI, S-video is compatible with composite RCA, and SCART is compatible with VGA in addition to supporting both types of composite. Might want to note that somewhere in the article. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.195|108.162.219.195]] 08:20, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
: Display Port? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

The male/female adapters has me wondering slightly... Does the kit come with adapters for the fuel and the power plug? Might make for a light generator. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.75|108.162.215.75]] 08:26, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

I was mildly sad to see that the token ring was not accompanied by a Tolkien ring. —[[User:TobyBartels|TobyBartels]] ([[User talk:TobyBartels|talk]]) 08:58, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:+1 --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:12, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

'''Some more "missing" items, and I'm wondering if we need to add all our suggestions in a single list to the main article.''' -- BigMal // [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.209|108.162.216.209]] 12:08, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:IBM PC keyboard DIN
:IBM PC joystick
:Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI)
:GPIB/HPIB (RS-485?) -- for electronics lab equipment (power supplies, desktop DMM, oscilloscope -- before USB and Ethernet)
:BNC (compostie video or analog signals)
:12V DC automotive power (old "cigarette lighter" port)
:Off-Board Diagnostic Connector (ODBC II -- automotive per SAE).
:Deutsch triangular SAE J1939/CAN connectors and "H1939" circular 9-pin Service Tool connector
:Other kinds of plumbing, inspired by the fuel pump -- US garden hose, various sizes of US NPT (National Pipe Thread?), various sizes of US "compression" thread
:and Pneumatic too -- all four of the most common pneumatic tool quick disconnects plus Schrader valve fitting (US standard for pneumatic tires) {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.209}}

According to Wikipedia, the 1st and 2nd gen MagSafe connectors in this image are swapped: What Randall labeled as MagSafe 1 is actually MagSafe 2 and vice-versa. [[User:Mezgrman|Mezgrman]] ([[User talk:Mezgrman|talk]]) 10:31, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:No, this isn't talking about generations, it's talking about actual connections. The ''MagSafe'' adapter was first developed with what Apple calls the "T" style form factor, then was aesthetically updated to the "L" style, which is labeled as "MagSafe" in the comic. The two form factors were interchangeable due to the actual connection and power flow being identical. ''MagSafe 2'' has returned to the "T" style, and was introduced with the Retina Display and newer MacBook Air models, and has a longer, thinner profile that is NOT interchangeable with regular MagSafe adapters, though a small adapter is available. [http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1713 MagSafe Troubleshooting] [http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2346 Identifying Power Adapters] --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.57|108.162.245.57]] 00:22, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Do any of these connectors interface with the Raspberry Pi's GPIO? (Wow, it took me surprisingly long to find the name of that.) If not, can we add that to the list? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.41|108.162.216.41]] 13:57, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:The Floppy, IDE and SCSI IDC connectors will fit (but only using 2x13 pins of the 2x17/20/25 pins). So, no - none of these will interface directly with the Raspberry Pi. [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 15:53, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

The one gender changer that bag won't have is the one for Token Ring... of all the adapters this thing can handle, I believe the Token Ring one is the only one without a gender -- one Token Ring plug plugs into another, or into the wall socket, etc. without needing to worry about whether you have a mail connector or a female one. Though I guess the Bluetooth Dongle and string also don't need adapters, pe se... [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 14:28, 11 August 2014 (UTC)
:One Token Ring to rule them all? --[[User:DivePeak|DivePeak]] ([[User talk:DivePeak|talk]]) 00:08, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

;Is the Magsafe 4 a reference to the connectors for hands and things from the movie A.I.?

I think that the Magsafe 4 is supposed to look like those fancy auto-moving connectors from A.I. Artificial Intelligence.
[[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.142|199.27.133.142]] 15:50, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

The Magsafe 4 could also be a reference to the Na'vi tendril/braid from Avatar. {{unsigned ip|108.162.238.156}}

I wonder where the 30-pin and the Lightning plug that Apple loves so much is. I could see if the 30-pin is hiding int the Floppy or something, but nowhere is the Lightning plug. What gives? [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.71|199.27.128.71]] 19:47, 11 August 2014 (UTC

;Universal Business Adapter

There might be a hidden reference to a famous [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIOqOxI0K_I IBM TV Ad] from, dunno, late 90's or so, in this. I read somewhere that the joke was lost to some viewers and IBM actually put resources into developing an "universal adapter" for business clients due to the demand. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.203|141.101.80.203]] 19:15, 11 August 2014 (UTC)

1403: Thesis Defense

2014-08-04T05:21:35Z

173.245.52.99: Changed from "speaker" to Megan and removed the incorrect "his".

{{comic
| number = 1403
| date = August 4, 2014
| title = Thesis Defense
| image = thesis_defense.png
| titletext = MY RESULTS ARE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT ON THE STATE OF THE AAAAAAAAAAAART
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page.}}

==Transcript==
[[Megan]], yelling with sword in hand: In conclusion, '''AAAAAAAAAAAA!!!'''

Closing: The best thesis defense is a good thesis offense.

{{comic discussion}}

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

Talk:1396: Actors

2014-07-18T23:43:08Z

173.245.52.99:

Could be Bieber... 04:42, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
:Good point. [[User:Sjrsimac|Sjrsimac]] ([[User talk:Sjrsimac|talk]]) 04:48, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
:More likely Timberlake.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.207|108.162.246.207]] 06:48, 18 July 2014 (UTC)Nix
:It's referring to Justin Theroux, currently in ninth place on IMDB's Most Popular Males list. (http://www.imdb.com/search/name?gender=male) Yeah, I have no idea who he is either. I feel old. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.170|108.162.237.170]] 06:49, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
Do you think it's necessary to add that the temperature is in Fahrenheit, and that normal body temperature is around 98.6? The part about getting a bit of his shirt should also probably be explained in that context. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.211|173.245.56.211]] 05:39, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
:Yeah, please do. Most Americans can't handle metric units, and I can't handle Fahrenheit. The only thing I can remember is that body temperature is around 100°F. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.59|108.162.254.59]] 07:26, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
:Inserted Fahrenheit and Celcius into the explanation...
:Compared Suns temp. to Xi Persei, inserted link to films about birds (them being the hottest warm-blooded creatures I know of) [[User:Tier666|Tier666]] ([[User talk:Tier666|talk]]) 08:03, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

I seem to recall several other comics making fun of these generic headlines of the form "The <n> <adjective> <nouns> you must see". I could only find one though: http://xkcd.com/1283/ --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.95|141.101.104.95]] 07:40, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
: http://www.xkcd.com/1307/ (Buzzfeed Christmas) has plenty of these. [[Special:Contributions/103.22.201.239|103.22.201.239]] 08:58, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

Forget animals and "stars" with fevers: certainly the "hottest" objects involved in creating characters are the server farms behind CGI cartoon films! I can only imagine the heat load during final rendering. (Note: I stated "creating characters" akin to acting; to use movie-making in general, the hottest objects would be stage lighting, or the Sun during outdoor scenes.) --BigMal // [[Special:Contributions/173.245.55.88|173.245.55.88]] 12:20, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
: Rendering is not acting. The computation of {{w|MASSIVE_(software)|crowd behaviour}}, on the other hand, is. So question is how hot will became CPUs (or GPUs) of computers involved in computing the battles like in LOTR. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 12:35, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
::I'm sure there are plenty of movies in which the sun is a character. There might also be special effects or a separate voice actor, but if the sun plays itself for some of the time, it might be considered an (uncredited) actor. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Mr._Sun][http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VEfomqnif34#t=833] [[Special:Contributions/103.22.201.239|103.22.201.239]] 16:54, 18 July 2014 (UTC)
:For that matter isn't ξ Persei visible in some night-sky scenes, making it once again the hottest? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.38|108.162.216.38]] 21:51, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

I'm not sure there is misunderstanding about stars. I mean, the misunderstanding about the meaning of ''hot'' is enough to rank ξ Persei as hotter that any actress, including Kirsten Dunst (which is sexiest according to [http://top10for.com/top-10-sexiest-hollywood-actresses-2014/ this list], my opinion is different). I'm also sure ξ Persei is more attractive if you measure the force in fixed distance of 10 meters from surface. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 12:35, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

Anybody else suddenly notice that ξ looks a lot like the new name of the "Artist formerly known as Prince"? And thus miss the Astronomical reference entirely and wonder if his last name was now Persei?[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 20:38, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

The article says "They are shooting stars with a laser beam...", is this a typo, or a phrasing I don't understand? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.38|108.162.216.38]] 21:51, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

Incidentally, an IR thermometer is great for the kitchen -- the best way to heat a skillet to a consistent temperature for making perfect pancakes or stir-fry.
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.99|173.245.52.99]] 23:43, 18 July 2014 (UTC)

826: Guest Week: Zach Weiner (SMBC)

2014-07-16T21:13:28Z

173.245.52.99: /* Concessions */ grammar

{{comic
| number = 826
| date = November 26, 2010
| title = Guest Week: Zach Weiner (SMBC)
| before = ''Explainxkcd note: Don't try and click on this image to see the exhibits. Visit [http://www.xkcd.com/826/ the actual comic] instead''
| image = guest week zach weiner smbc.png
| titletext = Guest comic by Zach Weiner of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. When I was stressed out, Zach gave me a talk that was really encouraging and somehow involved nanobots.
}}

==List of tasks to make explanation complete==

{{incomplete|See below.}}

#Not all of the popups are fully/properly explained.
##Poorly Remembered History can do with more details in the explanations.
##Regrettable pranks could be better explained and linked to science where applicable
##A few cases of inconsistent style of explanation.
#Cross-reference explanations to Wikipedia where possible.
#<s>Locations of hotspots are missing?</s>
#Comment on the notable people in the main graphics (man with red cape, double black hat guy).
#Review for grammar.

==Explanation==
This comic is drawn by a guest webcomic artist, Zack Weiner, following the theme of "Guest Week". Zach is the author of the webcomic [http://www.smbc-comics.com/ Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal]. It's interactive, so you'll have to see the [http://www.xkcd.com/826/ original comic].

The entire comic is a hypothetical "{{w|Smithsonian Museum}} of Dad-Trolling, an entire building dedicated to deceiving children for amusement." It is an often occurrence that curious little boys will ask simply questions about science to their fathers, such as, "Daddy, why is the sky blue?". Father would respond, "Well Susie, the sky is blue to match your dress."

===Hall Of Misunderstood Science===
Each exhibit is a display set up to reinforce the false, sarcastic, or exaggerated answers to typical questions that children may ask their parents about scientific topics. The answers given involve just enough information that the child may be satisfied with the answer and repeat it to others while maintaining the irony for adults that the answers are obviously misleading or false.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_27.png|The basilisk is a mythological reptilian monster that was described as having the ability to turn other living things to stone with its gaze. This plays on and encourages a relatively common childhood notion that a reptile or other animal (often an alligator, crocodile, tiger, or other large or dangerous predator) may be hiding under the child's bed or near where they sleep, causing anxiety.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_26.png|The exhibit about molecules is referring to a common trope attributed especially to elderly men in that they complain or sometimes exaggerate claims about certain developments over their lifetime which change the way they view or interact with the world (e.g. "When I was your age, we had fun all day with just a piece of wood!"). Historically, though it was understood that matter was made up of small particles it was a common misnomer to refer to these particles as atoms.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_25.png|The magnet exhibit alludes to a loss of sexual desire in adults that while perceived may not be true by comparing the attraction between magnets to the attraction between humans.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_24.png|Jesus' {{w|dandruff}} as {{w|snow}} refers to a common idiom in English that {{w|rain}} is "God's tears" and proposes a humorous and irreverent extension of the saying as an explanation for the existence of snow.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_20.png|The letters associated with {{w|DNA}} are related to the {{w|nucleotides}} which make up DNA chains (they are guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine, and are referred to respectively by the letters G, A, T, and C). The commonality of the abbreviation disguises the link to the names of the nucleotides and gives rise questions regarding the letter choices. This could be an example of a parent crafting an answer that makes enough sense to a child, while disguising the parent's ignorance of the real reasons. This may also be a reference to another lamentation of older people -- that the world gets more complicated as time goes by -- and often leads to sarcastic or exaggerated fabrications. In this case, ostensibly, back when DNA was discovered, there were fewer letters available to assign to the components of DNA.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_23.png|The sleep exhibit reinforces common fears by accentuating the aspect of vulnerability associated with sleep. "The Boogie Man" is a common and generic ghost/monster name used by people telling ghost stories to young kids; he typically hides in closets and underneath beds, and attacks sleeping children.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_22.png|Water is less dense as {{w|ice|a solid}} than it is when in its {{w|water|liquid state}}. This is an unusual property as most materials are more dense in solid form. The exhibit falsely explains the phenomenon by linking it to a defense mechanism employed by prey species to deter predators. A {{w|rhinoceros}}, though fierce and territorial, is not a {{w|predator}}.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_21.png|The anti- in {{w|antimatter}} is a prefix in English which means "the opposite of" referring to the fact that antimatter is made up of oppositely charged particles from regular matter. This is a partial homonym to species of insects commonly called {{w|ant|ants}}.
</gallery>

===Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience===
This section holds falsehoods that a dad might use to frighten his children. It is an interactive experience, so visitors can try something for themselves, then learn the frightening fact it indicates.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_19.png|Helium makes your voice high-pitched, because sound travels faster in helium than in oxygen. Helium is not prone to combustion, because it is a noble gas. Visitors are told they are about to explode because of the helium they have inhaled.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_18.png|Your middle finger is always longer than the others, so this test will always tell visitors they are an alien half-breed.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_16.png|Cherries are a common ingredient in Jello cups, but the exhibit implies that the cherry is actually a rabbit brain.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_17.png|This is meant to encourage little children to make their beds, or be eaten.
</gallery>

===Concessions===
This area holds concession stands, which sell food. There are misleading names on each stand.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_15.png|KFP - a parody of Kentucky Fried Chicken ({{w|KFC}}), a popular fast food chain which specializes in fried chicken.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_14.png|{{w|Ground beef}} - a pun on the name. Ground refers to both the floor and the past participle of grind.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_13.png|Eyes cream - wordplay once more. Ice cream sounds exactly like eyes cream when spoken, hence the 'how did you think it was spelled?'
</gallery>

===Conservatory of Poorly Remembered History===
This section perhaps refers to how poorly understood world history is in America. It is interesting to note that African and Australian history is completely omitted, while European and Asian history are at least referenced.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_11.png|{{w|Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan}} - Genghis, born Temüjin, was a Mongolian conqueror and founder of {{w|Mongol Empire|the then-largest continuous land empire in history}}. While Americans can easily remember Khan as a badass figure, the Asian cultures as a whole tend to get slapped with stereotypical "mystical Oriental" elements, such as Chinese-style dragons.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_12.png|{{w|Crimean War|Crimean War}} - an European Conflict. The joke is that American education, stereotypically, tends not to focus on wars that did not involve the United States; the Crimean war in particular would be glossed over in favor of the {{w|California Gold Rush}}, the {{w|Oregon Trail}}, and the rising political tension that would lead to the {{w|American Civil War}}. So the Crimean war is incorrectly remembered as a war on crime, (probably guessed from the name "Crime"an war.)

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_10.png|{{w|The Renaissance|The Renaissance}} - a cultural movement in Europe that took place after the Dark ages. Here, the Renaissance is incorrectly remembered as a time when wizards were in control. The Renaissance was a birth of may different art styles and paintings, so the author may have mistaken the paintings as conjured up by wizards. This could also be a reference to Harry Potter, or how people blamed "witches and wizards" in the Dark Ages.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_3.png|{{w|Star Wars}} - fiction is often treated as fact by children, or referred to as such by adults to children, either accidentally or purposefully. The father of the child is probably a Star Wars fan, to trick his child into thinking that the Star Wars events really existed

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_9.png|{{w|France}} - this further parodies the ignorance of countries outside of the Americas, since most people know that France exists.
</gallery>

===Rotunda of Uncomfortable Topics===
<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_8.png|"Naked wrestling" is a common euphemism for sex if your children happen to walk in on your coitus and you don't want to ruin their innocence.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_7.png|"Alcohol is poison" - an excuse to explain away why fathers may drink unhealthily, or are addicts.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_5.png|The "big tummies before babies come" obviously refers to pregnancy.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_6.png|Sidestepping around the death of a loved one is common with young children to spare them the sorrow of death; this takes it a step further by saying that the child's grandmother went to Saturn.
</gallery>

===Miscellaneous===
<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_4.png|The dinosaur skeleton presumably refers to how humans have never actually seen a real dinosaur and have always only seen the bones.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_2.png|The Bathrooms have 3 doors. Clicking reveals that there is one for each gender of humans, and one for "Korgmen & Spangs". This may be a reference to the Marvel alien species {{w|Korg_(comics)|the Korg}}.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_1.png|The uncategorized dark green exhibit to the right is labeled "Magic eye trick that doesn't actually work". The exhibit resembles an {{w|autostereogram}}, a picture that has a hidden 3D image, but has to be looked at by forcing your eyes to focus either beyond ("wall-eyed") or in front of ("cross-eyed") the image, which many people find difficult or impossible to do. Autostereograms are commonly sold in books under the trademark "Magic Eye". Presumably the exhibit only pretends to be an autostereogram without actually being one.
</gallery>

==Transcript==
:In the spirit of xkcd I present a proposal for a new Smithsonian museum:
:The Smithsonian Museum Of Dad-Trolling
:An entire building dedicated to deceiving children for amusement

:(Click to view exhibits!)

:The top left room is 'The Hall of Misunderstood Science'. It contains six exhibits.

:Exhibit: A giant basilisk looms over children.
:Exhibit label: BASILISKS: Real, deadly, under your bed.

:Exhibit: Four magnets hang from a square arch. A child is touching two of them together.
:Text on the arch: Magnets only leap at each other when they're teenagers. Later, they lose interest.

:Exhibit: A child on his dad's shoulders looks up at a looming statue of Jesus behind a lectern. There are flakes falling from Jesus onto them both.
:Exhibit label: Snow is Jesus' dandruff. His scalp gets dry when it's cold.

:Exhibit: A child lies asleep, while hands and a scary face reach up around the bed toward him.
:Exhibit label: Sleep: Now you're vulnerable to the boogie man!

:Exhibit: An ice block sits on a stand in front of pictures of a wolf and rhinoceros looking frightened.
:Exhibit label: Freezing water: Expands to frighten predators.

:Exhibit: An insect on a stick is orbited by a small sphere.
:Exhibit label: Anti-matter: Matter that is more than 50% ants.

:Exhibit: A DNA strand with the letters T, A, C, and G hanging around it.
:Exhibit label: DNA only has four letters because the alphabet was smaller back then.
:Dad, to child: Told you so.

:Exhibit: A bunch of molecules hang from the ceiling.
:Exhibit label: Molecules? In my day, we only had atoms!

:The top right room is 'Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience'. There are four exhibits.

:Exhibit: Five balloons float tethered to a table. A child is holding a sixth balloon. The Dad looks alarmed.
:Sign on exhibit: If this helium makes your voice go higher, it's because you're ten seconds from exploding.

:Exhibit: An alien face is shown above an outline of several hands next to a ruler. A child holds his hand up to it.
:Sign on exhibit: Measure your middle finger. If it's longer than the others, you're an alien halfbreed.

:Exhibit: Three cups are on a table. A child is walking away with a fourth cup, the dad's arm around the child's shoulder.
:Exhibit label: Has anyone seen my rabbit brain? It looks like a cherry, and I dropped it in a Jello cup.

:Exhibit: A monstrous set of jaws open upward around a bed.
:Sign on exhibit: Make your bed or monsters will know a kid lives there.

:The center right room is 'Concessions'. There are three booths.

:Booth: A concession stand is labeled 'KFP', and displays a KFC-style bucket. A dad and child are eating.
:Dad: The "P" is for "phoenix".

:Booth: A concession stand.
:Sign on stand: Ground beef: Beef we found on the ground.
:Dad, to child: Told you.

:Booth: A stand shaped like a giant eye.
:Booth label: EYES CREAM
:Subtitle: How did you think it was spelled?
:Sign on booth: Now with more of the goo in your eyes. Same as every other creamery.

:The lower left room is 'Conservatory of Poorly Remembered History'. There are five exhibits.

:Exhibit: A man is riding a dragon.
:Exhibit label: Genghis Khan: victory through dragons.

:Exhibit: A criminal in front of some windows.
:Exhibit label: The Crimean War: The first war against crime.

:Exhibit: A castle with flags hanging on it.
:Exhibit label: The Renaissance
:Subtitle: Long story short, the wizards were in control.

:Exhibit:A man in Jedi-style robes with a fake beard.
:Exhibit label: Star Wars is a documentary. No, seriously.
:Dad, to children: Kids, this man is a veteran.

:The lower right room is 'Rotunda of Uncomfortable Topics'. There are five exhibits.

:Exhibit: A wrestling ring, with a man and woman mostly obscured by the exhibit label.
:Exhibit label: Naked wrestling: perfectly normal. NEVER DO IT.

:Exhibit: a figure sits at a booth in front of a bowl of food. The dad is holding a bottle.
:Exhibit label: Alcohol is poison. I drink to save you from it.
:Dad: You're welcome.

:Exhibit: A large bird.
:Exhibit label: Mommies get big tummies before babies come because the stork likes chubby girls.

:Exhibit: A rocket ship.
:Sign on exhibit: Grandma's not dead. She just returned to Saturn. For REVENGE.

:In the areas outside the rooms, there are two more exhibits and restrooms, all clickable.

:Exhibit: A dinosaur skeleton.
:Exhibit label: That's right. Dinosaurs were made entirely of BONES.
:Dad, to kid: If you think about it, it makes sense.

:Exhibit: A large image hangs on the wall. It is a dense squiggly jumble of lines.
:Dad, to kids: You gotta squint juuust right.
:Sign on exhibit: Magic eye trick that doesn't actually work.

:Restrooms: There are three doors, each with a sign.
:First door (male logo): Men & Boys
:Second door (female logo): Women & Girls
:Third door (unrecognizable logo): Korgmen & Spangs

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cory Doctorow]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Ferret]]
[[Category:Guest Week]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]

826: Guest Week: Zach Weiner (SMBC)

2014-07-16T21:12:06Z

173.245.52.99: /* Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience */ fixed helium part

{{comic
| number = 826
| date = November 26, 2010
| title = Guest Week: Zach Weiner (SMBC)
| before = ''Explainxkcd note: Don't try and click on this image to see the exhibits. Visit [http://www.xkcd.com/826/ the actual comic] instead''
| image = guest week zach weiner smbc.png
| titletext = Guest comic by Zach Weiner of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. When I was stressed out, Zach gave me a talk that was really encouraging and somehow involved nanobots.
}}

==List of tasks to make explanation complete==

{{incomplete|See below.}}

#Not all of the popups are fully/properly explained.
##Poorly Remembered History can do with more details in the explanations.
##Regrettable pranks could be better explained and linked to science where applicable
##A few cases of inconsistent style of explanation.
#Cross-reference explanations to Wikipedia where possible.
#<s>Locations of hotspots are missing?</s>
#Comment on the notable people in the main graphics (man with red cape, double black hat guy).
#Review for grammar.

==Explanation==
This comic is drawn by a guest webcomic artist, Zack Weiner, following the theme of "Guest Week". Zach is the author of the webcomic [http://www.smbc-comics.com/ Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal]. It's interactive, so you'll have to see the [http://www.xkcd.com/826/ original comic].

The entire comic is a hypothetical "{{w|Smithsonian Museum}} of Dad-Trolling, an entire building dedicated to deceiving children for amusement." It is an often occurrence that curious little boys will ask simply questions about science to their fathers, such as, "Daddy, why is the sky blue?". Father would respond, "Well Susie, the sky is blue to match your dress."

===Hall Of Misunderstood Science===
Each exhibit is a display set up to reinforce the false, sarcastic, or exaggerated answers to typical questions that children may ask their parents about scientific topics. The answers given involve just enough information that the child may be satisfied with the answer and repeat it to others while maintaining the irony for adults that the answers are obviously misleading or false.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_27.png|The basilisk is a mythological reptilian monster that was described as having the ability to turn other living things to stone with its gaze. This plays on and encourages a relatively common childhood notion that a reptile or other animal (often an alligator, crocodile, tiger, or other large or dangerous predator) may be hiding under the child's bed or near where they sleep, causing anxiety.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_26.png|The exhibit about molecules is referring to a common trope attributed especially to elderly men in that they complain or sometimes exaggerate claims about certain developments over their lifetime which change the way they view or interact with the world (e.g. "When I was your age, we had fun all day with just a piece of wood!"). Historically, though it was understood that matter was made up of small particles it was a common misnomer to refer to these particles as atoms.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_25.png|The magnet exhibit alludes to a loss of sexual desire in adults that while perceived may not be true by comparing the attraction between magnets to the attraction between humans.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_24.png|Jesus' {{w|dandruff}} as {{w|snow}} refers to a common idiom in English that {{w|rain}} is "God's tears" and proposes a humorous and irreverent extension of the saying as an explanation for the existence of snow.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_20.png|The letters associated with {{w|DNA}} are related to the {{w|nucleotides}} which make up DNA chains (they are guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine, and are referred to respectively by the letters G, A, T, and C). The commonality of the abbreviation disguises the link to the names of the nucleotides and gives rise questions regarding the letter choices. This could be an example of a parent crafting an answer that makes enough sense to a child, while disguising the parent's ignorance of the real reasons. This may also be a reference to another lamentation of older people -- that the world gets more complicated as time goes by -- and often leads to sarcastic or exaggerated fabrications. In this case, ostensibly, back when DNA was discovered, there were fewer letters available to assign to the components of DNA.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_23.png|The sleep exhibit reinforces common fears by accentuating the aspect of vulnerability associated with sleep. "The Boogie Man" is a common and generic ghost/monster name used by people telling ghost stories to young kids; he typically hides in closets and underneath beds, and attacks sleeping children.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_22.png|Water is less dense as {{w|ice|a solid}} than it is when in its {{w|water|liquid state}}. This is an unusual property as most materials are more dense in solid form. The exhibit falsely explains the phenomenon by linking it to a defense mechanism employed by prey species to deter predators. A {{w|rhinoceros}}, though fierce and territorial, is not a {{w|predator}}.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_21.png|The anti- in {{w|antimatter}} is a prefix in English which means "the opposite of" referring to the fact that antimatter is made up of oppositely charged particles from regular matter. This is a partial homonym to species of insects commonly called {{w|ant|ants}}.
</gallery>

===Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience===
This section holds falsehoods that a dad might use to frighten his children. It is an interactive experience, so visitors can try something for themselves, then learn the frightening fact it indicates.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_19.png|Helium makes your voice high-pitched, because sound travels faster in helium than in oxygen. Helium is not prone to combustion, because it is a noble gas. Visitors are told they are about to explode because of the helium they have inhaled.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_18.png|Your middle finger is always longer than the others, so this test will always tell visitors they are an alien half-breed.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_16.png|Cherries are a common ingredient in Jello cups, but the exhibit implies that the cherry is actually a rabbit brain.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_17.png|This is meant to encourage little children to make their beds, or be eaten.
</gallery>

===Concessions===
This area holds concession stands, which sell food. There are misleading names on each stand.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_15.png|KFP - a parody of Kentucky Fried Chicken ({{w|KFC}}), a popular fast food chain which specializes in fried chicken.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_14.png|{{w|Ground beef}} - a pun on the name. Ground refers to both the floor and the past tense of grind.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_13.png|Eyes cream - wordplay once more. Ice cream sounds exactly like eyes cream when spoken, hence the 'how did you think it was spelled?'
</gallery>

===Conservatory of Poorly Remembered History===
This section perhaps refers to how poorly understood world history is in America. It is interesting to note that African and Australian history is completely omitted, while European and Asian history are at least referenced.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_11.png|{{w|Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan}} - Genghis, born Temüjin, was a Mongolian conqueror and founder of {{w|Mongol Empire|the then-largest continuous land empire in history}}. While Americans can easily remember Khan as a badass figure, the Asian cultures as a whole tend to get slapped with stereotypical "mystical Oriental" elements, such as Chinese-style dragons.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_12.png|{{w|Crimean War|Crimean War}} - an European Conflict. The joke is that American education, stereotypically, tends not to focus on wars that did not involve the United States; the Crimean war in particular would be glossed over in favor of the {{w|California Gold Rush}}, the {{w|Oregon Trail}}, and the rising political tension that would lead to the {{w|American Civil War}}. So the Crimean war is incorrectly remembered as a war on crime, (probably guessed from the name "Crime"an war.)

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_10.png|{{w|The Renaissance|The Renaissance}} - a cultural movement in Europe that took place after the Dark ages. Here, the Renaissance is incorrectly remembered as a time when wizards were in control. The Renaissance was a birth of may different art styles and paintings, so the author may have mistaken the paintings as conjured up by wizards. This could also be a reference to Harry Potter, or how people blamed "witches and wizards" in the Dark Ages.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_3.png|{{w|Star Wars}} - fiction is often treated as fact by children, or referred to as such by adults to children, either accidentally or purposefully. The father of the child is probably a Star Wars fan, to trick his child into thinking that the Star Wars events really existed

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_9.png|{{w|France}} - this further parodies the ignorance of countries outside of the Americas, since most people know that France exists.
</gallery>

===Rotunda of Uncomfortable Topics===
<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_8.png|"Naked wrestling" is a common euphemism for sex if your children happen to walk in on your coitus and you don't want to ruin their innocence.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_7.png|"Alcohol is poison" - an excuse to explain away why fathers may drink unhealthily, or are addicts.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_5.png|The "big tummies before babies come" obviously refers to pregnancy.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_6.png|Sidestepping around the death of a loved one is common with young children to spare them the sorrow of death; this takes it a step further by saying that the child's grandmother went to Saturn.
</gallery>

===Miscellaneous===
<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_4.png|The dinosaur skeleton presumably refers to how humans have never actually seen a real dinosaur and have always only seen the bones.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_2.png|The Bathrooms have 3 doors. Clicking reveals that there is one for each gender of humans, and one for "Korgmen & Spangs". This may be a reference to the Marvel alien species {{w|Korg_(comics)|the Korg}}.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_1.png|The uncategorized dark green exhibit to the right is labeled "Magic eye trick that doesn't actually work". The exhibit resembles an {{w|autostereogram}}, a picture that has a hidden 3D image, but has to be looked at by forcing your eyes to focus either beyond ("wall-eyed") or in front of ("cross-eyed") the image, which many people find difficult or impossible to do. Autostereograms are commonly sold in books under the trademark "Magic Eye". Presumably the exhibit only pretends to be an autostereogram without actually being one.
</gallery>

==Transcript==
:In the spirit of xkcd I present a proposal for a new Smithsonian museum:
:The Smithsonian Museum Of Dad-Trolling
:An entire building dedicated to deceiving children for amusement

:(Click to view exhibits!)

:The top left room is 'The Hall of Misunderstood Science'. It contains six exhibits.

:Exhibit: A giant basilisk looms over children.
:Exhibit label: BASILISKS: Real, deadly, under your bed.

:Exhibit: Four magnets hang from a square arch. A child is touching two of them together.
:Text on the arch: Magnets only leap at each other when they're teenagers. Later, they lose interest.

:Exhibit: A child on his dad's shoulders looks up at a looming statue of Jesus behind a lectern. There are flakes falling from Jesus onto them both.
:Exhibit label: Snow is Jesus' dandruff. His scalp gets dry when it's cold.

:Exhibit: A child lies asleep, while hands and a scary face reach up around the bed toward him.
:Exhibit label: Sleep: Now you're vulnerable to the boogie man!

:Exhibit: An ice block sits on a stand in front of pictures of a wolf and rhinoceros looking frightened.
:Exhibit label: Freezing water: Expands to frighten predators.

:Exhibit: An insect on a stick is orbited by a small sphere.
:Exhibit label: Anti-matter: Matter that is more than 50% ants.

:Exhibit: A DNA strand with the letters T, A, C, and G hanging around it.
:Exhibit label: DNA only has four letters because the alphabet was smaller back then.
:Dad, to child: Told you so.

:Exhibit: A bunch of molecules hang from the ceiling.
:Exhibit label: Molecules? In my day, we only had atoms!

:The top right room is 'Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience'. There are four exhibits.

:Exhibit: Five balloons float tethered to a table. A child is holding a sixth balloon. The Dad looks alarmed.
:Sign on exhibit: If this helium makes your voice go higher, it's because you're ten seconds from exploding.

:Exhibit: An alien face is shown above an outline of several hands next to a ruler. A child holds his hand up to it.
:Sign on exhibit: Measure your middle finger. If it's longer than the others, you're an alien halfbreed.

:Exhibit: Three cups are on a table. A child is walking away with a fourth cup, the dad's arm around the child's shoulder.
:Exhibit label: Has anyone seen my rabbit brain? It looks like a cherry, and I dropped it in a Jello cup.

:Exhibit: A monstrous set of jaws open upward around a bed.
:Sign on exhibit: Make your bed or monsters will know a kid lives there.

:The center right room is 'Concessions'. There are three booths.

:Booth: A concession stand is labeled 'KFP', and displays a KFC-style bucket. A dad and child are eating.
:Dad: The "P" is for "phoenix".

:Booth: A concession stand.
:Sign on stand: Ground beef: Beef we found on the ground.
:Dad, to child: Told you.

:Booth: A stand shaped like a giant eye.
:Booth label: EYES CREAM
:Subtitle: How did you think it was spelled?
:Sign on booth: Now with more of the goo in your eyes. Same as every other creamery.

:The lower left room is 'Conservatory of Poorly Remembered History'. There are five exhibits.

:Exhibit: A man is riding a dragon.
:Exhibit label: Genghis Khan: victory through dragons.

:Exhibit: A criminal in front of some windows.
:Exhibit label: The Crimean War: The first war against crime.

:Exhibit: A castle with flags hanging on it.
:Exhibit label: The Renaissance
:Subtitle: Long story short, the wizards were in control.

:Exhibit:A man in Jedi-style robes with a fake beard.
:Exhibit label: Star Wars is a documentary. No, seriously.
:Dad, to children: Kids, this man is a veteran.

:The lower right room is 'Rotunda of Uncomfortable Topics'. There are five exhibits.

:Exhibit: A wrestling ring, with a man and woman mostly obscured by the exhibit label.
:Exhibit label: Naked wrestling: perfectly normal. NEVER DO IT.

:Exhibit: a figure sits at a booth in front of a bowl of food. The dad is holding a bottle.
:Exhibit label: Alcohol is poison. I drink to save you from it.
:Dad: You're welcome.

:Exhibit: A large bird.
:Exhibit label: Mommies get big tummies before babies come because the stork likes chubby girls.

:Exhibit: A rocket ship.
:Sign on exhibit: Grandma's not dead. She just returned to Saturn. For REVENGE.

:In the areas outside the rooms, there are two more exhibits and restrooms, all clickable.

:Exhibit: A dinosaur skeleton.
:Exhibit label: That's right. Dinosaurs were made entirely of BONES.
:Dad, to kid: If you think about it, it makes sense.

:Exhibit: A large image hangs on the wall. It is a dense squiggly jumble of lines.
:Dad, to kids: You gotta squint juuust right.
:Sign on exhibit: Magic eye trick that doesn't actually work.

:Restrooms: There are three doors, each with a sign.
:First door (male logo): Men & Boys
:Second door (female logo): Women & Girls
:Third door (unrecognizable logo): Korgmen & Spangs

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cory Doctorow]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Ferret]]
[[Category:Guest Week]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]

826: Guest Week: Zach Weiner (SMBC)

2014-07-16T21:08:09Z

173.245.52.99: /* Hall Of Misunderstood Science */ clarified

{{comic
| number = 826
| date = November 26, 2010
| title = Guest Week: Zach Weiner (SMBC)
| before = ''Explainxkcd note: Don't try and click on this image to see the exhibits. Visit [http://www.xkcd.com/826/ the actual comic] instead''
| image = guest week zach weiner smbc.png
| titletext = Guest comic by Zach Weiner of Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal. When I was stressed out, Zach gave me a talk that was really encouraging and somehow involved nanobots.
}}

==List of tasks to make explanation complete==

{{incomplete|See below.}}

#Not all of the popups are fully/properly explained.
##Poorly Remembered History can do with more details in the explanations.
##Regrettable pranks could be better explained and linked to science where applicable
##A few cases of inconsistent style of explanation.
#Cross-reference explanations to Wikipedia where possible.
#<s>Locations of hotspots are missing?</s>
#Comment on the notable people in the main graphics (man with red cape, double black hat guy).
#Review for grammar.

==Explanation==
This comic is drawn by a guest webcomic artist, Zack Weiner, following the theme of "Guest Week". Zach is the author of the webcomic [http://www.smbc-comics.com/ Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal]. It's interactive, so you'll have to see the [http://www.xkcd.com/826/ original comic].

The entire comic is a hypothetical "{{w|Smithsonian Museum}} of Dad-Trolling, an entire building dedicated to deceiving children for amusement." It is an often occurrence that curious little boys will ask simply questions about science to their fathers, such as, "Daddy, why is the sky blue?". Father would respond, "Well Susie, the sky is blue to match your dress."

===Hall Of Misunderstood Science===
Each exhibit is a display set up to reinforce the false, sarcastic, or exaggerated answers to typical questions that children may ask their parents about scientific topics. The answers given involve just enough information that the child may be satisfied with the answer and repeat it to others while maintaining the irony for adults that the answers are obviously misleading or false.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_27.png|The basilisk is a mythological reptilian monster that was described as having the ability to turn other living things to stone with its gaze. This plays on and encourages a relatively common childhood notion that a reptile or other animal (often an alligator, crocodile, tiger, or other large or dangerous predator) may be hiding under the child's bed or near where they sleep, causing anxiety.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_26.png|The exhibit about molecules is referring to a common trope attributed especially to elderly men in that they complain or sometimes exaggerate claims about certain developments over their lifetime which change the way they view or interact with the world (e.g. "When I was your age, we had fun all day with just a piece of wood!"). Historically, though it was understood that matter was made up of small particles it was a common misnomer to refer to these particles as atoms.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_25.png|The magnet exhibit alludes to a loss of sexual desire in adults that while perceived may not be true by comparing the attraction between magnets to the attraction between humans.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_24.png|Jesus' {{w|dandruff}} as {{w|snow}} refers to a common idiom in English that {{w|rain}} is "God's tears" and proposes a humorous and irreverent extension of the saying as an explanation for the existence of snow.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_20.png|The letters associated with {{w|DNA}} are related to the {{w|nucleotides}} which make up DNA chains (they are guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine, and are referred to respectively by the letters G, A, T, and C). The commonality of the abbreviation disguises the link to the names of the nucleotides and gives rise questions regarding the letter choices. This could be an example of a parent crafting an answer that makes enough sense to a child, while disguising the parent's ignorance of the real reasons. This may also be a reference to another lamentation of older people -- that the world gets more complicated as time goes by -- and often leads to sarcastic or exaggerated fabrications. In this case, ostensibly, back when DNA was discovered, there were fewer letters available to assign to the components of DNA.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_23.png|The sleep exhibit reinforces common fears by accentuating the aspect of vulnerability associated with sleep. "The Boogie Man" is a common and generic ghost/monster name used by people telling ghost stories to young kids; he typically hides in closets and underneath beds, and attacks sleeping children.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_22.png|Water is less dense as {{w|ice|a solid}} than it is when in its {{w|water|liquid state}}. This is an unusual property as most materials are more dense in solid form. The exhibit falsely explains the phenomenon by linking it to a defense mechanism employed by prey species to deter predators. A {{w|rhinoceros}}, though fierce and territorial, is not a {{w|predator}}.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_21.png|The anti- in {{w|antimatter}} is a prefix in English which means "the opposite of" referring to the fact that antimatter is made up of oppositely charged particles from regular matter. This is a partial homonym to species of insects commonly called {{w|ant|ants}}.
</gallery>

===Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience===
This section holds falsehoods that a dad might use to frighten his children. It is an interactive experience, so visitors can try something for themselves, then learn the frightening fact it indicates.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_19.png|Helium makes your voice high-pitched, because speed of sound travels faster in helium than in oxygen. Helium, however, is prone to combustion. Visitors are told is a sign they are about to explode because of the helium they have drunk.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_18.png|Your middle finger is always longer than the others, so this test will always tell visitors they are an alien half-breed.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_16.png|Cherries are a common ingredient in Jello cups, but the exhibit implies that the cherry is actually a rabbit brain.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_17.png|This is meant to encourage little children to make their beds, or be eaten.
</gallery>

===Concessions===
This area holds concession stands, which sell food. There are misleading names on each stand.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_15.png|KFP - a parody of Kentucky Fried Chicken ({{w|KFC}}), a popular fast food chain which specializes in fried chicken.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_14.png|{{w|Ground beef}} - a pun on the name. Ground refers to both the floor and the past tense of grind.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_13.png|Eyes cream - wordplay once more. Ice cream sounds exactly like eyes cream when spoken, hence the 'how did you think it was spelled?'
</gallery>

===Conservatory of Poorly Remembered History===
This section perhaps refers to how poorly understood world history is in America. It is interesting to note that African and Australian history is completely omitted, while European and Asian history are at least referenced.

<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_11.png|{{w|Genghis Khan|Genghis Khan}} - Genghis, born Temüjin, was a Mongolian conqueror and founder of {{w|Mongol Empire|the then-largest continuous land empire in history}}. While Americans can easily remember Khan as a badass figure, the Asian cultures as a whole tend to get slapped with stereotypical "mystical Oriental" elements, such as Chinese-style dragons.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_12.png|{{w|Crimean War|Crimean War}} - an European Conflict. The joke is that American education, stereotypically, tends not to focus on wars that did not involve the United States; the Crimean war in particular would be glossed over in favor of the {{w|California Gold Rush}}, the {{w|Oregon Trail}}, and the rising political tension that would lead to the {{w|American Civil War}}. So the Crimean war is incorrectly remembered as a war on crime, (probably guessed from the name "Crime"an war.)

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_10.png|{{w|The Renaissance|The Renaissance}} - a cultural movement in Europe that took place after the Dark ages. Here, the Renaissance is incorrectly remembered as a time when wizards were in control. The Renaissance was a birth of may different art styles and paintings, so the author may have mistaken the paintings as conjured up by wizards. This could also be a reference to Harry Potter, or how people blamed "witches and wizards" in the Dark Ages.

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_3.png|{{w|Star Wars}} - fiction is often treated as fact by children, or referred to as such by adults to children, either accidentally or purposefully. The father of the child is probably a Star Wars fan, to trick his child into thinking that the Star Wars events really existed

File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_9.png|{{w|France}} - this further parodies the ignorance of countries outside of the Americas, since most people know that France exists.
</gallery>

===Rotunda of Uncomfortable Topics===
<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_8.png|"Naked wrestling" is a common euphemism for sex if your children happen to walk in on your coitus and you don't want to ruin their innocence.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_7.png|"Alcohol is poison" - an excuse to explain away why fathers may drink unhealthily, or are addicts.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_5.png|The "big tummies before babies come" obviously refers to pregnancy.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_6.png|Sidestepping around the death of a loved one is common with young children to spare them the sorrow of death; this takes it a step further by saying that the child's grandmother went to Saturn.
</gallery>

===Miscellaneous===
<gallery class=center widths=432px heights=285px>
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_4.png|The dinosaur skeleton presumably refers to how humans have never actually seen a real dinosaur and have always only seen the bones.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_2.png|The Bathrooms have 3 doors. Clicking reveals that there is one for each gender of humans, and one for "Korgmen & Spangs". This may be a reference to the Marvel alien species {{w|Korg_(comics)|the Korg}}.
File:guest_comic_week_zach_weiner_smbc_1.png|The uncategorized dark green exhibit to the right is labeled "Magic eye trick that doesn't actually work". The exhibit resembles an {{w|autostereogram}}, a picture that has a hidden 3D image, but has to be looked at by forcing your eyes to focus either beyond ("wall-eyed") or in front of ("cross-eyed") the image, which many people find difficult or impossible to do. Autostereograms are commonly sold in books under the trademark "Magic Eye". Presumably the exhibit only pretends to be an autostereogram without actually being one.
</gallery>

==Transcript==
:In the spirit of xkcd I present a proposal for a new Smithsonian museum:
:The Smithsonian Museum Of Dad-Trolling
:An entire building dedicated to deceiving children for amusement

:(Click to view exhibits!)

:The top left room is 'The Hall of Misunderstood Science'. It contains six exhibits.

:Exhibit: A giant basilisk looms over children.
:Exhibit label: BASILISKS: Real, deadly, under your bed.

:Exhibit: Four magnets hang from a square arch. A child is touching two of them together.
:Text on the arch: Magnets only leap at each other when they're teenagers. Later, they lose interest.

:Exhibit: A child on his dad's shoulders looks up at a looming statue of Jesus behind a lectern. There are flakes falling from Jesus onto them both.
:Exhibit label: Snow is Jesus' dandruff. His scalp gets dry when it's cold.

:Exhibit: A child lies asleep, while hands and a scary face reach up around the bed toward him.
:Exhibit label: Sleep: Now you're vulnerable to the boogie man!

:Exhibit: An ice block sits on a stand in front of pictures of a wolf and rhinoceros looking frightened.
:Exhibit label: Freezing water: Expands to frighten predators.

:Exhibit: An insect on a stick is orbited by a small sphere.
:Exhibit label: Anti-matter: Matter that is more than 50% ants.

:Exhibit: A DNA strand with the letters T, A, C, and G hanging around it.
:Exhibit label: DNA only has four letters because the alphabet was smaller back then.
:Dad, to child: Told you so.

:Exhibit: A bunch of molecules hang from the ceiling.
:Exhibit label: Molecules? In my day, we only had atoms!

:The top right room is 'Regrettable Pranks: An Interactive Experience'. There are four exhibits.

:Exhibit: Five balloons float tethered to a table. A child is holding a sixth balloon. The Dad looks alarmed.
:Sign on exhibit: If this helium makes your voice go higher, it's because you're ten seconds from exploding.

:Exhibit: An alien face is shown above an outline of several hands next to a ruler. A child holds his hand up to it.
:Sign on exhibit: Measure your middle finger. If it's longer than the others, you're an alien halfbreed.

:Exhibit: Three cups are on a table. A child is walking away with a fourth cup, the dad's arm around the child's shoulder.
:Exhibit label: Has anyone seen my rabbit brain? It looks like a cherry, and I dropped it in a Jello cup.

:Exhibit: A monstrous set of jaws open upward around a bed.
:Sign on exhibit: Make your bed or monsters will know a kid lives there.

:The center right room is 'Concessions'. There are three booths.

:Booth: A concession stand is labeled 'KFP', and displays a KFC-style bucket. A dad and child are eating.
:Dad: The "P" is for "phoenix".

:Booth: A concession stand.
:Sign on stand: Ground beef: Beef we found on the ground.
:Dad, to child: Told you.

:Booth: A stand shaped like a giant eye.
:Booth label: EYES CREAM
:Subtitle: How did you think it was spelled?
:Sign on booth: Now with more of the goo in your eyes. Same as every other creamery.

:The lower left room is 'Conservatory of Poorly Remembered History'. There are five exhibits.

:Exhibit: A man is riding a dragon.
:Exhibit label: Genghis Khan: victory through dragons.

:Exhibit: A criminal in front of some windows.
:Exhibit label: The Crimean War: The first war against crime.

:Exhibit: A castle with flags hanging on it.
:Exhibit label: The Renaissance
:Subtitle: Long story short, the wizards were in control.

:Exhibit:A man in Jedi-style robes with a fake beard.
:Exhibit label: Star Wars is a documentary. No, seriously.
:Dad, to children: Kids, this man is a veteran.

:The lower right room is 'Rotunda of Uncomfortable Topics'. There are five exhibits.

:Exhibit: A wrestling ring, with a man and woman mostly obscured by the exhibit label.
:Exhibit label: Naked wrestling: perfectly normal. NEVER DO IT.

:Exhibit: a figure sits at a booth in front of a bowl of food. The dad is holding a bottle.
:Exhibit label: Alcohol is poison. I drink to save you from it.
:Dad: You're welcome.

:Exhibit: A large bird.
:Exhibit label: Mommies get big tummies before babies come because the stork likes chubby girls.

:Exhibit: A rocket ship.
:Sign on exhibit: Grandma's not dead. She just returned to Saturn. For REVENGE.

:In the areas outside the rooms, there are two more exhibits and restrooms, all clickable.

:Exhibit: A dinosaur skeleton.
:Exhibit label: That's right. Dinosaurs were made entirely of BONES.
:Dad, to kid: If you think about it, it makes sense.

:Exhibit: A large image hangs on the wall. It is a dense squiggly jumble of lines.
:Dad, to kids: You gotta squint juuust right.
:Sign on exhibit: Magic eye trick that doesn't actually work.

:Restrooms: There are three doors, each with a sign.
:First door (male logo): Men & Boys
:Second door (female logo): Women & Girls
:Third door (unrecognizable logo): Korgmen & Spangs

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cory Doctorow]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Ferret]]
[[Category:Guest Week]]
[[Category:Interactive comics]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:Science]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]