explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3194: 16 Part Epoxy

2026-01-14T23:29:24Z

2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534:

Woah, just reloaded it and new comic! Sick... I should probably read it now. [[User:Willintendo|Willintendo]] ([[User talk:Willintendo|talk]]) 20:02, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

Paint bucket fill tool strikes again. --[[User:Lycheefoxpup|Lycheefoxpup]] ([[User talk:Lycheefoxpup|talk]]) 20:18, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

TABLES! TABLES! TABLES! WOOOOOO!!!!!! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBaal44|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBaal44|Converse]]''''' 20:21, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:Table created. However, I am a teenager and do not work in construction, so the explanations may need some work. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBaal44|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBaal44|Converse]]''''' 20:56, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::Every item in this table is real. Ask me how I know. [[Special:Contributions/64.201.132.210|64.201.132.210]] 21:34, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::How does the placebo work? Does it just kinda mind control you?--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBaal44|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBaal44|Converse]]''''' 21:42, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:Robert'); DROP TABLE Epoxy;--
:Did it work? [[Special:Contributions/2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534|2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534]] 23:27, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
Thought for placebo adhesive: Water between two microscope slides. It'll stick real good, but it's not really glue, more... fancy pressure physics. [[Special:Contributions/142.165.161.48|142.165.161.48]] 22:28, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

Talk:3194: 16 Part Epoxy

2026-01-14T23:27:17Z

2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534:

Woah, just reloaded it and new comic! Sick... I should probably read it now. [[User:Willintendo|Willintendo]] ([[User talk:Willintendo|talk]]) 20:02, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

Paint bucket fill tool strikes again. --[[User:Lycheefoxpup|Lycheefoxpup]] ([[User talk:Lycheefoxpup|talk]]) 20:18, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

TABLES! TABLES! TABLES! WOOOOOO!!!!!! --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBaal44|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBaal44|Converse]]''''' 20:21, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:Table created. However, I am a teenager and do not work in construction, so the explanations may need some work. --'''''[[User:DollarStoreBaal44|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBaal44|Converse]]''''' 20:56, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
::Every item in this table is real. Ask me how I know. [[Special:Contributions/64.201.132.210|64.201.132.210]] 21:34, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:::How does the placebo work? Does it just kinda mind control you?--'''''[[User:DollarStoreBaal44|DollarStoreBa'al]][[User Talk:DollarStoreBaal44|Converse]]''''' 21:42, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
:Robert'); DROP TABLE Adhesives;--
:Did it work? [[Special:Contributions/2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534|2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534]] 23:27, 14 January 2026 (UTC)
Thought for placebo adhesive: Water between two microscope slides. It'll stick real good, but it's not really glue, more... fancy pressure physics. [[Special:Contributions/142.165.161.48|142.165.161.48]] 22:28, 14 January 2026 (UTC)

3169: EPIRBs

2025-11-18T00:49:17Z

2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3169
| date = November 17, 2025
| title = EPIRBs
| image = epirbs_2x.png
| imagesize = 317x386px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Oh no, the box is drifting out into the harbor!' 'Yeah, I wouldn't worry about losing it.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY AN UNATTENDED DISTRESS BEACON. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An {{w|emergency position-indicating radiobeacon}} (EPIRB) is a maritime safety device that, when it comes in contact with water, sends a distress signal via satellite. This signal is detected by search and rescue organizations such as the {{w|United States Coast Guard}} so that they can dispatch a rescue team. An EPIRB's purpose is to automatically notify such authorities of emergencies at sea such as ship sinking when it is out of range of normal radio communications and/or where those affected may not be able to reliably communicate their plight and correct location.

In the comic Cueball and Megan accidentally drop a box {{w|CT#Other uses|containing}} 1,600 EPIRBs into the water while moving it from a ship to a dock. Because EPIRBs automatically activate when immersed in water, and apparently the crate contains fully enabled units not otherwise held within waterproof packaging, the result would be 1,600 simultaneous signals of a ship sinking. The text beneath the comic is a quote of them calling the Coast Guard to again apologize for the overwhelming flood of signals. The joke of the comic is that the automatic nature of EPIRBs could allow such an overload if a package of them were dropped in water, and that it would cause difficulty for a search and rescue group to receive so many signals at once. Not only that, but Cueball and Megan would likely be fired for gross negligence, causing severe financial penalties which can be as much as $5,000 an hour for rescue assets, potentially reaching hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars for a major incident, safety violations, disruption of operations and legal consequences like significant civil fines and even criminal penalties if the actions were deemed willful or due to a reckless disregard for safety and the law. Cueball and Megan would likely be terminated to prevent further incidents and financial losses.

In reality, EPIRBs usually require some sort of pre-activation and would not be in an operable state when packaged in transit and prior to sale or installation on a vessel. While the Coast Guard may see the 1,600 simultaneous signals at the same geographic location and conclude that it was a likely accident, they still have a bias for action and would begin mobilizing rescue assets until they could verify the false alarm through on-scene verification or successful contact with the owner and "stand down" the full search and rescue response.

The title text continues the joke about the nature of EPIRBs. Because they continuously broadcast their location (particularly modern GPIRBs with a GPS feature to provide an actual location and not just a signal to home in on), there is no reason to worry about the box floating out of the harbor and getting lost, because (even if it ''does'' float out of the harbor) there is no risk of "losing" it - there will be 1,600 separate signals indicating where to recover the box.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
[:Cueball and Megan are on a bridge between a ship and a dock with wood. There is a cart and they drop a box with this text on it]
EPIRB
Water-Activated Distress Beacons
1600 C[oun]t
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3169: EPIRBs

2025-11-18T00:28:43Z

2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3169
| date = November 17, 2025
| title = EPIRBs
| image = epirbs_2x.png
| imagesize = 317x386px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Oh no, the box is drifting out into the harbor!' 'Yeah, I wouldn't worry about losing it.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY AN UNATTENDED DISTRESS BEACON. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An {{w|emergency position-indicating radiobeacon}} (EPIRB) is a maritime safety device that, when it comes in contact with water, sends a distress signal via satellite. This signal is detected by search and rescue organizations such as the {{w|United States Coast Guard}} so that they can dispatch a rescue team. An EPIRB's purpose is to automatically notify such authorities of emergencies at sea such as ship sinking when it is out of range of normal radio communications and/or where those affected may not be able to reliably communicate their plight and correct location.

In the comic Cueball and Megan accidentally drop a box containing 1,600 EPIRBs into the water while moving it from a ship to a dock. Because EPIRBs automatically activate when immersed in water, and apparently the crate contains fully enabled units not otherwise held within waterproof packaging, the result would be 1,600 simultaneous signals of a ship sinking. The text beneath the comic is a quote of them calling the Coast Guard to again apologize for the overwhelming flood of signals. The joke of the comic is that the automatic nature of EPIRBs could allow such an overload if a package of them were dropped in water, and that it would cause difficulty for a search and rescue group to receive so many signals at once.

In reality, EPIRBs usually require some sort of pre-activation and would not be in an operable state when packaged in transit and prior to sale or installation on a vessel. While the Coast Guard may see the 1,600 simultaneous signals at the same geographic location and conclude that it was a likely accident, they still have a bias for action and would begin mobilizing rescue assets until they could verify the false alarm through on-scene verification or successful contact with the owner and "stand down" the full search and rescue response.

The title text continues the joke about the nature of EPIRBs. Because they continuously broadcast their location (particularly modern GPIRBs with a GPS feature to provide an actual location and not just a signal to home in on), there is no reason to worry about the box floating out of the harbor and getting lost, because (even if it ''does'' float out of the harbor) there is no risk of "losing" it - there will be 1,600 separate signals indicating where to recover the box.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
[:Cueball and Megan are on a bridge between a ship and a dock with wood. There is a cart and they drop a box with this text on it]
EPRIB
Water-Activated Distress Beacons
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

3169: EPIRBs

2025-11-18T00:27:51Z

2001:1998:3500:42C:0:0:0:534: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3169
| date = November 17, 2025
| title = EPIRBs
| image = epirbs_2x.png
| imagesize = 317x386px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 'Oh no, the box is drifting out into the harbor!' 'Yeah, I wouldn't worry about losing it.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created BY AN UNATTENDED DISTRESS BEACON. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

An {{w|emergency position-indicating radiobeacon}} (EPIRB) is a maritime safety device that, when it comes in contact with water, sends a distress signal via satellite. This signal is detected by search and rescue organizations such as the {{w|United States Coast Guard}} so that they can dispatch a rescue team. An EPIRB's purpose is to automatically notify such authorities of emergencies at sea such as ship sinking when it is out of range of normal radio communications and/or where those affected may not be able to reliably communicate their plight and correct location.

In the comic Cueball and Megan accidentally drop a box containing 1,600 EPIRBs into the water while moving it from a ship to a dock. Because EPIRBs automatically activate when immersed in water, and apparently the crate contains fully enabled units not otherwise held within waterproof packaging, the result would be 1,600 simultaneous signals of a ship sinking. The text beneath the comic is a quote of them calling the Coast Guard to again apologize for the overwhelming flood of signals. The joke of the comic is that the automatic nature of EPIRBs could allow such an overload if a package of them were dropped in water, and that it would cause difficulty for a search and rescue group to receive so many signals at once.

In reality, EPIRBs usually require some sort of pre-activation and would not be in an operable state when packaged in transit and prior to sale or installation on a vessel. While the Coast Guard may see the 1,600 simultaneous signals at the same geographic location and conclude that it was a likely accident, they still have a bias for action and begin mobilizing rescue assets until they could verify the false alarm through on-scene verification or successful contact with the owner and "stand down" the full search and rescue response.

The title text continues the joke about the nature of EPIRBs. Because they continuously broadcast their location (particularly modern GPIRBs with a GPS feature to provide an actual location and not just a signal to home in on), there is no reason to worry about the box floating out of the harbor and getting lost, because (even if it ''does'' float out of the harbor) there is no risk of "losing" it - there will be 1,600 separate signals indicating where to recover the box.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
[:Cueball and Megan are on a bridge between a ship and a dock with wood. There is a cart and they drop a box with this text on it]
EPRIB
Water-Activated Distress Beacons
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>