explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1052: Every Major's Terrible

2025-06-27T13:30:48Z

82.132.245.173:

The video link 404's - here is a working archive link: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c] --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.82|172.68.174.82]] 17:32, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I think Iambic Octameter has a ''stressed-unstressed'' pattern, not the other way around as this explanation says. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 02:56, 10 April 2017 (UTC)
:No, the explanation is correct, I misread the Wikipedia article. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 13:41, 16 April 2017 (UTC)

Panel 1's cueball is in the same pose as Rodin's "The Thinker"

Panel 4 background is the periodic table of elements.

Panel 5, Fowler's Toad emits a noxious secretion that irritates skin and mucous membranes (it was previously thought to cause warts)

Panel 6, Psychology = a serial killer with a chainsaw, Sociology = hobo; Social Psych = hobo serial killer with chainsaw.

Panel 15, LISP, Scheme, and other computer languages with an excess of parentheses.

Panel 16, biohazard symbol

Panel 19, bongos were played by Richard Feynman

Panel 27, fear of snakes, study of reptiles

Panel 28, a picture of a stomach, pun on "stomach" being slang for "tolerate"

Panel 30, words in all lowercase like e.e.cummings

-- [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206| 75.103.23.206 ]] 22:04, 7 December 2012‎
:Hobo serial killer with chainsaw? Social psych sounds awesome!
:[[Special:Contributions/24.2.217.188|24.2.217.188]] 22:42, 22 October 2013 (UTC)
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In panel 22 (History), what's the theme connecting the years 1935, 1969, and 1991?
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 15:40, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
:1935 is certainly related to some event that lead to the WWII (a quick look at the Wikipedia page for 1935 show that was the year Hitler rearmed Germany), which paved the way to the Cold War. 1969 was Apollo 11, a high moment of the Cold War, as the USA essentially won the race to the Moon. And 1991 was the year that the USSR dissolved, officially ending the Cold War. [[User:Sir labreck|Sir labreck]] ([[User talk:Sir labreck|talk]]) 18:37, 11 August 2015 (UTC)
:1935, Harlem race riot; 1969, race riot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 1991, Rodney King race riots... 2014-2016??? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.62|173.245.54.62]] 03:33, 13 December 2015 (UTC)
:Although the race riot dates match, I think war related is more likely. 1935 (WWII), 1969 (Vietnam), 1991 (Gulf War) I'm not sure what the common thread is, though, and 'war' is too broad [[Special:Contributions/172.69.250.4|172.69.250.4]] 20:37, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
::{{w|WWII}} began in '''1939'''. The {{w|Vietnam War}} was 1955-1975 and {{w|Gulf_War_(disambiguation)|Gulf War}} is ambiguous. Just sayin... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:34, 1 October 2018 (UTC)
:28 March 1935: Near Roswell, New Mexico, Robert H. Goddard successfully launched the first gyroscopically-stabilized liquid-fueled rocket. 1969, Apollo 11. 1991, ?. The only somewhat significant events I could find are the 5th Spacelab mission and the launch of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Also, 1991 was the first year with ''less'' than 100 orbital launches since 1962. [[User:Chrullrich|Chrullrich]] ([[User talk:Chrullrich|talk]]) 11:31, 8 October 2024 (UTC)
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This explanation is very small for that big comic. I am starting to add the transcript and after that I will do more investigations to that opera. This should be the key to explain all the panels.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

:The answer won't lie in the song, trust me. Pirates of Penzance is probably my favorite comic opera out there. Plus Randall gives that the lie in saying you can use the tune from the elements song (a well-known parody) or even Marry Poppins (similar tune, but not exactly the same). I think each panel is just a reference to the words, I don't think that Randall is actually involving The Pirates of Penzance in any way other than the tune. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.211|173.245.52.211]] 20:53, 9 December 2013 (UTC)
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Feynman was also known for being a ladies' man, so the two girls in panel 19 are significant IMHO.
--[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.117|141.101.80.117]] 13:51, 25 December 2013 (UTC)
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Needs explanation what does it mean to '''choose a major''', and what '''major''' is in this context. Note every reader is from U.S.A.; different countries have different higher education systems. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 10:56, 9 January 2014 (UTC)
:True that. 'Graduation' in Brazil means 'Undergraduation' in the US. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.105|108.162.254.105]] 03:51, 1 February 2014 (UTC)
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"Math's just physics unconstrained by precepts of reality" - that isn't a binary tree, its a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifurcation_diagram bifurcation diagram] from chaos theory. And, sorry, it has nothing to do with the Banach–Tarski paradox - that's just mindless name-dropping.
[[User:Davidbak|Davidbak]] ([[User talk:Davidbak|talk]]) 20:54, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
:Are you sure it is not just an illustration of Banach-Tarski, arguably the most famous example where mathematical reality and (physical) intuition diverge? Why would the verse be illustrated by a bifurcation diagram (which I think, and I might be a bit ignorant here, is a concept pretty much only found in the "applied side" of mathematics, which ''is'' constrained by precepts of reality)? And even if it were a bifurcation diagram, why would the mass of the balls change? (again, I am perhaps showcasing my ignorance; if so, please be gentle) Finally, i would deem the bifurcation explanation a bit too obscure to be the real deal - a panel which is only understood by somewhat specialized mathematicians seems strange to me, especially given that all other frames contain understandable references. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.183|108.162.229.183]] 13:38, 9 October 2015 (UTC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRexBMPeRTo[[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 18:59, 3 April 2014 (UTC)
:That is distinctly a bifurcation diagram. Banach Tarski doesn't factor into this at all. Disagree-P 15:39, 20 Nov, 2020

Panel 30: possibly iambic septameter[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.154|141.101.104.154]]

---
I think that the reason for not getting hugs in panel 16 is more to do with the fact that as a virus researcher you would be aware of how easy it is to get a virus/disease and so you would keep away from people and be worried about hugs because of that. (Sorry if I've done something wrong this is my first comment!) [[User:Yxquillio|Yxquillio]] ([[User talk:Yxquillio|talk]]) 08:24, 3 January 2016 (UTC)

Another song I guess could provide a good match is "Can You Stop the Calvary?" by Jona Lewie (or "Where's the Modding API" if you're a YOGSCAST fan like me. :)) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 11:50, 20 September 2016 (UTC)

"End of the first verse where Cueball tells his academic advisor that he is undecided as every major's terrible. He even throws away his study guide." Are you sure it's not a course catalog? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.59|108.162.212.59]] 10:33, 19 June 2017 (UTC)

I think I should add that Pratchett used that quote to prove that geography was not a boring science, as it is physics, which is exciting, with some trees on it. Just a thought.[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 01:30, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

Hey, the cs parens are missing a close paren. Like literally. Lol. [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 15:00, 22 May 2021 (UTC)
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It should be noted that in panel 35, they're referring to "Sophie's Choice." A movie in which the protagonist has to decide which of her two children to save, and which one to kill.
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.245|108.162.245.245]] 16:36, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Is "Undecided" related to the alignment chart? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.228|172.71.154.228]] 22:58, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Panel 31. While epidemiology may well involve the study of causes and trends and whatnot, so does history. Epidemiology is the study of diseases.

The thing for panel 14 is wrong. You can't use that argument to argue for the existence of a greatest possible vacuum cleaner or greatest possible pizza because those things imply limitations like limited size, limited age, able to be broken (for the pizza), etc. If it didn't have these or any limitations it wouldn't be a vacuum cleaner/pizza; it would just be God. "basically, if your pizza gets infinitely great it will turn into God" - [https://www.youtube.com/@redeemedzoomer6053 Redeemed Zoomer] [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.130|172.70.211.130]] 03:47, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

:I agree. Someone attempted to succinctly describe Guanilo's "On Behalf of the Fool" but I don't think it's possible to make it short enough for this page. I'm just going to edit it down to 'Anselm's argument doesn't work' and let anyone curious click the link.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
Also, wild thing I learned recently: There's a Sullivan Appreciation Society, and there's a Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, and they have beef with each other.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

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“Economists often claim that economics is a science like any other; however, as the predictive powers of all economic theories are exceedingly weak compared to those of any science, this is disputed by those outside the field at times.”

That is accidentally hilariously ignorant even to a layman with only a passing interest in economics, like me. Have you ever compared ‘the predictive powers of all economic theories’ with those of psychology and sociology?
Moreover, within a few minutes I can find plenty of examples of economic theories whose ‘predictive powers’ are very clearly NOT ‘exceedingly weak’: from demand curves nearly always slope downwards, through the relation between interest rates and inflation†, to the gravity model of trade.

†Well except for Erdogan, it was not very clear to him. At first he had remained unconvinced that it is a terrible idea to combat inflation by lowering nominal interest rates instead of raising them; this had the expected results.

It is as if I were to claim that meteorology is not a science because meteorologists cannot predict the weather a few months ahead.

Note, I am not writing this to defend economics or something; I am perfectly willing to admit that the field of economics has some problems like it being too easy to get away with poor data and bad methodologies† or a vulnerability to fads. However, that is also the case for the other social sciences; but for some reason, unlike with economics, the internet is not filled with people attacking them with arguments so awful they only prove their ignorance†† about the subject.

†Something of which you can even find many economist complaining about.

††I had even once encountered somebody attacking ‘economists’ who was under the mistaken belief that ‘economists’ in general were Lafferists. However, as real professional economists virtually unanimously agree that Laffers claim that ‘tax cuts pay for themselves (under current US tax rates)’ is complete nonsense (to provide but one example among many: https://kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/tax-reform-2/); that would be as I were to state that ‘NASA believes in geocentrism, look how bad mainstream astronomy is’.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.58|141.101.76.58]] 19:47, 1 June 2025 (UTC)

With regards to the title text, it appears that the text and video is linked in a similar style as comic #3081: PhD Timeline. In that comic, the title text that appears by hovering over the comic shows up below while the video that it redirects you once you click it is linked below. What is the discrepancy here then? @[[User:FaviFake|Favifake]] [[User:TomtheBuilder|TomtheBuilder]] ([[User talk:TomtheBuilder|talk]]) 17:40, 25 June 2025 (UTC)

:Huh, you're right. I tried this on my phone because my PC broke, and it seems the link and the title text are... separate? I don't know HTML enough to understand what's happening, but we should check the metadata of the comics. You can check it using the method in the page [[Transcript]]. Otherwise I'll look at this later once I get my pc back. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 22:47, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

::I don't quite know what the problem is, but the following appears to be the HTML you 'need' to understand. I've rearranged its whitespace slightly, for comprehension, but it's functionally correct (except that you need to check the source to see the ampersand-encoded apostrophes/single-quotes, rather than them being rendered as their literals).
<div id="comic">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c">
<img src="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/every_majors_terrible.png"
title="Someday I'll be the first to get a Ph. D in 'Undeclared'."
alt="Every Major's Terrible"
style="image-orientation:none"
/>
</a>
</div>
::The outer <code>div</code>-tag is just a handy contextual container, included here for reference only. (But apparently taken literally by ''this'' site, despite appearing on my initial previews, so it's not jow visible above.)
::The inner <code>img</code> is 'fairly' typical of all comics:
::*The <code>src=</code> is obviously necessary so it is the image.
::*The <code>title=</code> is the source of our 'title text' (possibly, if it didn't exist, it would fall back to using any alt-text, as below, haven't checked very early era xkcds/archives to see if this was ever left to happen).
::*The <code>alt=</code> is traditionally for what to display if the image isn't loaded (yet!), perhaps more relevent back in dial-up-internet era, but probably still also useful for pure-text browsers (Lynx) or screen-readers. Maybe might show in the "broken image" spot where the link is broken/rotted so the image isn't found, depending upon browser/settings. Above, it's given the comic name, but maybe it has also been given the 'title-text' as well/instead, at timesm
::*The <code>style=</code> is irrelevent to this issue.
::*Not shown here (starts to appear in a later era of xkcds) are further parameters configurations that appear to help serve the viewer with the <code>_2x</code> version of the image, instead, if deemed appropriate. May subtly change things I describe below, but not much.
::The <code>a href</code>-tagging is not usually present. Sometimes used for link to xkcd's own 'large' version of a comic (e.g. [[1000]]), or an onward/outward link (like here).
::
::Anyway, a desktop browser (going by those I use) tends to provide just the title-text (falling back to the alt-text) as a hover-over tooltip. Whilst the link-onwards associated with anything the mouse is over will appear as a mini-hover-thing over (usually) the bottom-left of the page. Perhaps as legacy from when it used to appear in the lower status-bar, before that bit of permanently used screen real-estate got "reclaimed", as with the stretch of "File | View | ... | Help" menu bar at the top.
::Touch-screen devices (phones, tablets, etc) that don't have 'a mouse' to 'hover' seem to defer (on personal experience) to responding only to ''long-press'' on an image (and/or link) of interest to popover a monolithic indicator that... does its own thing.
::For example, Firefox and Chrome browsers on my Android do it subtly differently, but when I tried switching tabs/browsers to check exactly what it reverted this editing to the last Preview submission, so forgive me if I don't give you the details verbatim.
::But they're likely to show title-text (perhaps ellipsesed, if too long), perhaps alt-text (fall-back ''or'' in addition), for any image. They also show the link-destination for any link. And then any more active options available (copy image/link locations to clipboard, open image/link in new tab, etc ...as variously applicable).
::In at least one of my local browsers, this means I get (without explanation) the title-text ''and'' the link-destination given, then the complete set of save-to/open-in options (and others) below that, which might be right-click menu options in a more Windowslike intercace. If it is an image-without-link or a link-only-of-text it would have just the appropriate subset of information/actions.
::I forget if the 'comic name' (i.e. alt-text) also notably features, as the popover-window header, in the same browser or in the other one, and I'm probably going to have to rewrite this whole explanation ''again'' if I switch over to check.
::So, anyway, that's the (rough, probably highly browser-dependent) relationship between the HTML and whatever popover/hover-text you get, if that helps at all. Unlike page-rendering (gradually being standardised through webkit/etc standardisation), the 'off-page' bits of browser UIs are likely still to do things however they see fit, across browsers (Firefox decorate things differently from Chrome, from Edge, etc) and platforms (BrowserX has to do things slightly differently between desktop Windows, desktop iOS, Chromebook, Android, etc), though I'm sure you can also see the commonalities (if only of temporarily convergent UI paradigms) once you experience enough of them.
::HTH, HAND. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.173|82.132.245.173]] 12:58, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

3107: Weather Balloons

2025-06-27T13:17:28Z

82.132.245.173: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3107
| date = June 25, 2025
| title = Weather Balloons
| image = weather_balloons_2x.png
| imagesize = 547x351px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Once you add the balloons into the model, it makes forecasting easier overall--the forecast is always 'cold and dark, with minimal solar-driven convection.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a METEOROLOGIST BOT WITH A FEAR OF PRE-COPULATORY SEXUAL CANNIBALISM. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
A {{w|weather balloon}} is a balloon that carries meteorological instruments into the high atmosphere and sends readings back to scientists, who use the information to make weather and climate predictions. Typically it will rise up until the difference between the pressure inside the balloon and that outside gets too great, and the membrane breaks. This is why the graph plots the number of balloons launched each day, rather than overall, since all balloons launched on one day would be gone from the sky the next day (the fragments of balloon falling back down).

The chart in the comic claims that weather forecasting accuracy correlates with the number of weather balloons launched each day, with accuracy increasing fast at first, with diminishing returns as the number of launches increases. However, it forecasts that if the rate of balloon launches is sufficiently high, it could provide so many balloons that they actually impact the weather by blocking out sunlight. If the balloons are not included in the weather model, the accuracy of the model based on the readings provided by the many balloons decreases. This starts to happen somewhere between 100 billion to 1 trillion weather balloons being launched each day. The accuracy of the model drops completely towards zero for around 10 trillion launched each day, where it even falls below the accuracy for just a single balloon (which may or may not be augmented by non-balloon information) at the start of the graph.

While there's correlation between number of weather balloon launches and weather model accuracy, they're not the only factor. Ground stations have been collecting and collating useful surface data for centuries. Scientific understanding of the physical processes in the atmosphere has also improved, only in part due to balloons, and the speed of computers used in analyses and simulations has increased by many orders of magnitude. The existence of weather and geophysical satellites also significantly improves forecasts, as they can continuously gain information about clouds and temperatures over huge areas, while weather balloons only capture information as they rise through a single air-column for a limited duration.

The surface area of the Earth is around 510 {{w|Trillion|(short-scale) trillion}} square metres, and a typical weather balloon (whilst smaller at launch) will expand to approximately 6 m diameter at altitude; this covers an area slightly under 30m², within a just marginally larger 'air surface area' at height. This makes it entirely possible for not far from 18 trillion standard weather balloons to potentially blanket the whole Earth; or even fewer, given the current availability of larger models each reaching more than twice the width, or four times the coverage of area. This isn't far off the implications given by the graph. On the other hand, because of the inherent translucency of the balloon material, the tendency to jostle vertically (the illustration implying that it's not just a single layer of close-packed balloons) and the need to synchronize launches and ascents to try to form any optimal single layer in one go might make it difficult to accomplish without a slightly greater magnitude of launches. (Or perhaps roughly doubling up the effect by only ever bothering to launch at local times that concentrate the coverage across the whole sunlit hemisphere at any given time.)

The joke in the title text is that when there are so many balloons that sunlight is entirely blocked, weather will always be the same: "cold and dark", so we won't need complex models to forecast it. Also, when there is not heating of the Earth's surface the solar driven convection that drives storms and weather patterns would stop. Of course, humans and most life of Earth would start to die out. However, assuming that the balloons are being launched by humans, the number of them that it would be possible to launch would fall as the population and social structures began to collapse, mitigating the impact on the weather. The pollution from the trillions of balloons would last for longer, but not prevent the Sun from reaching the Earth's surface.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

[A graph is shown. The X axis is labeled Number of Weather Balloon Launches Per Day. It's logarithmic, with ticks in powers of 10, and values shown at 1, 10, 100, 1,000, 1 million, 1 billion, and 1 trillion. The Y axis is labeled Weather Model Accuracy, no values are shown. The plot starts above the mark for 1 balloon, at about 40% of the maximum value of the curve, it quickly rises through a point labelled "Current Rate", at about 4000 launches per day and 85% of the maximum. The maximum value is reached at 100 million, plateaus until 10 billion, and then reduces even more rapidly down to perhaps 15% maximum accuracy above the 10 trillion mark.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Line graphs]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Weather]]

Talk:3107: Weather Balloons

2025-06-27T13:12:48Z

82.132.245.173:

If you could make weather balloons out of plastic grocery bags you could address global warming and plastic bag pollution at the same time. [[Special:Contributions/47.248.235.170|47.248.235.170]] 21:35, 25 June 2025 (UTC)Pat
:You'd only delay those problems as weather balloons do have a life expectancy, just look at the problems the Myth Busters had with them when tackling Lawnchair Larry. [[Special:Contributions/2001:1C02:1A9D:9700:391C:7C6C:4E0A:AD94|2001:1C02:1A9D:9700:391C:7C6C:4E0A:AD94]] 23:21, 25 June 2025 (UTC)
::It wouldn't be a plastic recycling method so much as a plastic distribution method. [[User:RegularSizedGuy|RegularSizedGuy]] ([[User talk:RegularSizedGuy|talk]]) 00:26, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
The current description is useful -- but the phrase "over time" is in error. The graph shows the relationship between the number of weather balloons and the accuracy of modelling: "time" is not a component. [[Special:Contributions/165.225.115.132|165.225.115.132]] 23:56, 25 June 2025 (UTC)
:I would say time is a component because the x axis is labeled number of weather balloons launched _per day_, therefore distributed through time, therefore time is part of the graph. [[Special:Contributions/179.217.229.235|179.217.229.235]] 06:54, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
:The original complaint was neutered {{diff|380453|fairly soon after the observation was made}}, anyway, so no longer applies. Clearly you ''could'' progress through "number of balloons per day". Testing a given number one day, a larger number the next is an easy method (for as long as you wish to sustain that, and are able to). Or even just test for a few releases, one day, then immediately launch more (and test), then yet more (test again), all before the initial ones start to 'decay' out of the current count faster than you can add to them (any eventual backsliding, aside, that makes a timeward correlation to numbers currently aloft).
:But, truly, you could scattergun the effect. Today, launch 1. Tomorrow launch 1 trillion. The day after, try 4000. The day after that, try 4000 ''again'' (just because), or 1 or 400 or 1 trillion or 18 trillion or 42 (or none) — whatever is you desire and within your capability (including maybe preventing other potential launchings from others, to ensure a sufficiently supressed daily figure).
:Anyway, though time 'features', insofar as daily counts (and, as a hidden variable, the matter of balloon longevity, which could change things drastically if prior ones did ''not'' actually vanish between one day and the next but actually permanently accumulated), "over time" is no longer mentioned (whoever rewrote that bit). [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.112|82.132.245.112]] 09:58, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
:Global helium reserves are currently estimated to be around 40 billion cubic meters (source Google), so you run out of helium well before the balloons have a significant effect. Since the majority of it gets used for cooling cryogenic systems in hospitals that is going to become a serious health issue - it's already happened a couple of times as old reserves were depleted, the industry found some new sources but they are running out of places to look. [[User:MarcusRowland|MarcusRowland]] ([[User talk:MarcusRowland|talk]]) 10:07, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
::If we were launching massive quantities of balloons we could use hydrogen instead which is very abundant (yes, it is dangerous, but on the plus side has more lift). Or even argon (18 atomic weight, so it should have some lift) or methane (16 molecular weight) [[User:Rps|Rps]] ([[User talk:Rps|talk]]) 11:37, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
:::Hydrogen's teeny molecules would leak out of the balloons much faster than helium - when I was an educational lab technician we always had to fill hydrogen balloons just before using them because they deflated very quickly. It's also an indirect greenhouse gas so releasing vast quantities into the atmosphere may not be a good idea. Incidentally, has anyone done the sums on how many weather balloons would actually fit into the volume of the earth's atmosphere? --[[User:MarcusRowland|MarcusRowland]] ([[User talk:MarcusRowland|talk]]) 14:56, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
:::Oops, 18 is argon's atomic number, the mass of (terrestrial) argon is ~40, so it sinks in air. Neon (isotopes 20 and 22) would work somewhat, but is not abundant like argon, so probably not a good idea.[[User:Rps|Rps]] ([[User talk:Rps|talk]])
::::Yes, Argon is a classic gas (with others - an extreme example is tungsten hexafluoride!) for filling a balloon that's ''unusually heavy''. Also escapes from the balloon much less, if you find that useful. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.244.48|82.132.244.48]] 19:00, 26 June 2025 (UTC)
Honestly I feel like this one is a thinly veiled joke about LLMs: As they grow bigger with more data to work with, they tend to get better, but the improvements require exponential data, so benefits wear off, until the internet gets so polluted with AI slop (like the atmosphere gets covered in balloons), that the quality of results of any future AI venture plummets, and training new models becomes impossible. [[User:mlerp|mlerp]] ([[User talk:mlerp|talk]])

How many weather balloons ''are'' launched per day? Seems relevant. --[[User:Mushrooms|Mushrooms]] ([[User talk:Mushrooms|talk]]) 10:10, 27 June 2025 (UTC)
:Okay, a lot easier number to find than I thought. Estimates range from 900-1300, which matches the comic pretty well. --[[User:Mushrooms|Mushrooms]] ([[User talk:Mushrooms|talk]]) 10:12, 27 June 2025 (UTC)
::Now establish how accurate current weather predictions are, to tie down the other axis. ;) [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.173|82.132.245.173]] 13:12, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

Talk:1052: Every Major's Terrible

2025-06-27T13:07:47Z

82.132.245.173: I know I typed the image bit... But apparently not. Oh well, minor re-edits.

The video link 404's - here is a working archive link: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c] --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.82|172.68.174.82]] 17:32, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I think Iambic Octameter has a ''stressed-unstressed'' pattern, not the other way around as this explanation says. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 02:56, 10 April 2017 (UTC)
:No, the explanation is correct, I misread the Wikipedia article. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 13:41, 16 April 2017 (UTC)

Panel 1's cueball is in the same pose as Rodin's "The Thinker"

Panel 4 background is the periodic table of elements.

Panel 5, Fowler's Toad emits a noxious secretion that irritates skin and mucous membranes (it was previously thought to cause warts)

Panel 6, Psychology = a serial killer with a chainsaw, Sociology = hobo; Social Psych = hobo serial killer with chainsaw.

Panel 15, LISP, Scheme, and other computer languages with an excess of parentheses.

Panel 16, biohazard symbol

Panel 19, bongos were played by Richard Feynman

Panel 27, fear of snakes, study of reptiles

Panel 28, a picture of a stomach, pun on "stomach" being slang for "tolerate"

Panel 30, words in all lowercase like e.e.cummings

-- [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206| 75.103.23.206 ]] 22:04, 7 December 2012‎
:Hobo serial killer with chainsaw? Social psych sounds awesome!
:[[Special:Contributions/24.2.217.188|24.2.217.188]] 22:42, 22 October 2013 (UTC)
----
In panel 22 (History), what's the theme connecting the years 1935, 1969, and 1991?
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 15:40, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
:1935 is certainly related to some event that lead to the WWII (a quick look at the Wikipedia page for 1935 show that was the year Hitler rearmed Germany), which paved the way to the Cold War. 1969 was Apollo 11, a high moment of the Cold War, as the USA essentially won the race to the Moon. And 1991 was the year that the USSR dissolved, officially ending the Cold War. [[User:Sir labreck|Sir labreck]] ([[User talk:Sir labreck|talk]]) 18:37, 11 August 2015 (UTC)
:1935, Harlem race riot; 1969, race riot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 1991, Rodney King race riots... 2014-2016??? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.62|173.245.54.62]] 03:33, 13 December 2015 (UTC)
:Although the race riot dates match, I think war related is more likely. 1935 (WWII), 1969 (Vietnam), 1991 (Gulf War) I'm not sure what the common thread is, though, and 'war' is too broad [[Special:Contributions/172.69.250.4|172.69.250.4]] 20:37, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
::{{w|WWII}} began in '''1939'''. The {{w|Vietnam War}} was 1955-1975 and {{w|Gulf_War_(disambiguation)|Gulf War}} is ambiguous. Just sayin... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:34, 1 October 2018 (UTC)
:28 March 1935: Near Roswell, New Mexico, Robert H. Goddard successfully launched the first gyroscopically-stabilized liquid-fueled rocket. 1969, Apollo 11. 1991, ?. The only somewhat significant events I could find are the 5th Spacelab mission and the launch of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Also, 1991 was the first year with ''less'' than 100 orbital launches since 1962. [[User:Chrullrich|Chrullrich]] ([[User talk:Chrullrich|talk]]) 11:31, 8 October 2024 (UTC)
----
This explanation is very small for that big comic. I am starting to add the transcript and after that I will do more investigations to that opera. This should be the key to explain all the panels.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

:The answer won't lie in the song, trust me. Pirates of Penzance is probably my favorite comic opera out there. Plus Randall gives that the lie in saying you can use the tune from the elements song (a well-known parody) or even Marry Poppins (similar tune, but not exactly the same). I think each panel is just a reference to the words, I don't think that Randall is actually involving The Pirates of Penzance in any way other than the tune. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.211|173.245.52.211]] 20:53, 9 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Feynman was also known for being a ladies' man, so the two girls in panel 19 are significant IMHO.
--[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.117|141.101.80.117]] 13:51, 25 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Needs explanation what does it mean to '''choose a major''', and what '''major''' is in this context. Note every reader is from U.S.A.; different countries have different higher education systems. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 10:56, 9 January 2014 (UTC)
:True that. 'Graduation' in Brazil means 'Undergraduation' in the US. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.105|108.162.254.105]] 03:51, 1 February 2014 (UTC)
----
"Math's just physics unconstrained by precepts of reality" - that isn't a binary tree, its a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifurcation_diagram bifurcation diagram] from chaos theory. And, sorry, it has nothing to do with the Banach–Tarski paradox - that's just mindless name-dropping.
[[User:Davidbak|Davidbak]] ([[User talk:Davidbak|talk]]) 20:54, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
:Are you sure it is not just an illustration of Banach-Tarski, arguably the most famous example where mathematical reality and (physical) intuition diverge? Why would the verse be illustrated by a bifurcation diagram (which I think, and I might be a bit ignorant here, is a concept pretty much only found in the "applied side" of mathematics, which ''is'' constrained by precepts of reality)? And even if it were a bifurcation diagram, why would the mass of the balls change? (again, I am perhaps showcasing my ignorance; if so, please be gentle) Finally, i would deem the bifurcation explanation a bit too obscure to be the real deal - a panel which is only understood by somewhat specialized mathematicians seems strange to me, especially given that all other frames contain understandable references. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.183|108.162.229.183]] 13:38, 9 October 2015 (UTC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRexBMPeRTo[[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 18:59, 3 April 2014 (UTC)
:That is distinctly a bifurcation diagram. Banach Tarski doesn't factor into this at all. Disagree-P 15:39, 20 Nov, 2020

Panel 30: possibly iambic septameter[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.154|141.101.104.154]]

---
I think that the reason for not getting hugs in panel 16 is more to do with the fact that as a virus researcher you would be aware of how easy it is to get a virus/disease and so you would keep away from people and be worried about hugs because of that. (Sorry if I've done something wrong this is my first comment!) [[User:Yxquillio|Yxquillio]] ([[User talk:Yxquillio|talk]]) 08:24, 3 January 2016 (UTC)

Another song I guess could provide a good match is "Can You Stop the Calvary?" by Jona Lewie (or "Where's the Modding API" if you're a YOGSCAST fan like me. :)) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 11:50, 20 September 2016 (UTC)

"End of the first verse where Cueball tells his academic advisor that he is undecided as every major's terrible. He even throws away his study guide." Are you sure it's not a course catalog? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.59|108.162.212.59]] 10:33, 19 June 2017 (UTC)

I think I should add that Pratchett used that quote to prove that geography was not a boring science, as it is physics, which is exciting, with some trees on it. Just a thought.[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 01:30, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

Hey, the cs parens are missing a close paren. Like literally. Lol. [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 15:00, 22 May 2021 (UTC)
----
It should be noted that in panel 35, they're referring to "Sophie's Choice." A movie in which the protagonist has to decide which of her two children to save, and which one to kill.
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.245|108.162.245.245]] 16:36, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Is "Undecided" related to the alignment chart? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.228|172.71.154.228]] 22:58, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Panel 31. While epidemiology may well involve the study of causes and trends and whatnot, so does history. Epidemiology is the study of diseases.

The thing for panel 14 is wrong. You can't use that argument to argue for the existence of a greatest possible vacuum cleaner or greatest possible pizza because those things imply limitations like limited size, limited age, able to be broken (for the pizza), etc. If it didn't have these or any limitations it wouldn't be a vacuum cleaner/pizza; it would just be God. "basically, if your pizza gets infinitely great it will turn into God" - [https://www.youtube.com/@redeemedzoomer6053 Redeemed Zoomer] [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.130|172.70.211.130]] 03:47, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

:I agree. Someone attempted to succinctly describe Guanilo's "On Behalf of the Fool" but I don't think it's possible to make it short enough for this page. I'm just going to edit it down to 'Anselm's argument doesn't work' and let anyone curious click the link.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
Also, wild thing I learned recently: There's a Sullivan Appreciation Society, and there's a Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, and they have beef with each other.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

----

“Economists often claim that economics is a science like any other; however, as the predictive powers of all economic theories are exceedingly weak compared to those of any science, this is disputed by those outside the field at times.”

That is accidentally hilariously ignorant even to a layman with only a passing interest in economics, like me. Have you ever compared ‘the predictive powers of all economic theories’ with those of psychology and sociology?
Moreover, within a few minutes I can find plenty of examples of economic theories whose ‘predictive powers’ are very clearly NOT ‘exceedingly weak’: from demand curves nearly always slope downwards, through the relation between interest rates and inflation†, to the gravity model of trade.

†Well except for Erdogan, it was not very clear to him. At first he had remained unconvinced that it is a terrible idea to combat inflation by lowering nominal interest rates instead of raising them; this had the expected results.

It is as if I were to claim that meteorology is not a science because meteorologists cannot predict the weather a few months ahead.

Note, I am not writing this to defend economics or something; I am perfectly willing to admit that the field of economics has some problems like it being too easy to get away with poor data and bad methodologies† or a vulnerability to fads. However, that is also the case for the other social sciences; but for some reason, unlike with economics, the internet is not filled with people attacking them with arguments so awful they only prove their ignorance†† about the subject.

†Something of which you can even find many economist complaining about.

††I had even once encountered somebody attacking ‘economists’ who was under the mistaken belief that ‘economists’ in general were Lafferists. However, as real professional economists virtually unanimously agree that Laffers claim that ‘tax cuts pay for themselves (under current US tax rates)’ is complete nonsense (to provide but one example among many: https://kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/tax-reform-2/); that would be as I were to state that ‘NASA believes in geocentrism, look how bad mainstream astronomy is’.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.58|141.101.76.58]] 19:47, 1 June 2025 (UTC)

With regards to the title text, it appears that the text and video is linked in a similar style as comic #3081: PhD Timeline. In that comic, the title text that appears by hovering over the comic shows up below while the video that it redirects you once you click it is linked below. What is the discrepancy here then? @[[User:FaviFake|Favifake]] [[User:TomtheBuilder|TomtheBuilder]] ([[User talk:TomtheBuilder|talk]]) 17:40, 25 June 2025 (UTC)

:Huh, you're right. I tried this on my phone because my PC broke, and it seems the link and the title text are... separate? I don't know HTML enough to understand what's happening, but we should check the metadata of the comics. You can check it using the method in the page [[Transcript]]. Otherwise I'll look at this later once I get my pc back. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 22:47, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

::I don't quite know what the problem is, but the following appears to be the HTML you 'need' to understand. I've rearranged its whitespace slightly, for comprehension, but it's functionally correct (except that you need to check the source to see the ampersand-encoded apostrophes/single-quotes, rather than them being rendered as their literals).
<div id="comic">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c">
<img src="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/every_majors_terrible.png"
title="Someday I'll be the first to get a Ph. D in 'Undeclared'."
alt="Every Major's Terrible"
style="image-orientation:none"
/>
</a>
</div>
::The outer <code>div</code>-tag is just a handy contextual container, included here for reference only.
::The inner <code>img</code> is 'fairly' typical of all comics:
::*The <code>src=</code> is obviously necessary so it is the image.
::*The <code>title=</code> is the source of our 'title text' (possibly, if it didn't exist, it would fall back to using any alt-text, as below, haven't checked very early era xkcds/archives to see if this was ever left to happen).
::*The <code>alt=</code> is traditionally for what to display if the image isn't loaded (yet!), perhaps more relevent back in dial-up-internet era, but probably still also useful for pure-text browsers (Lynx) or screen-readers. Maybe might show in the "broken image" spot where the link is broken/rotted so the image isn't found, depending upon browser/settings. Above, it's given the comic name, but maybe it has also been given the 'title-text' as well/instead, at timesm
::*The <code>style=</code> is irrelevent to this issue.
::*Not shown here (starts to appear in a later era of xkcds) are further parameters configurations that appear to help serve the viewer with the <code>_2x</code> version of the image, instead, if deemed appropriate. May subtly change things I describe below, but not much.
::The <code>a href</code>-tagging is not usually present. Sometimes used for link to xkcd's own 'large' version of a comic (e.g. [[1000]]), or an onward/outward link (like here).
::
::Anyway, a desktop browser (going by those I use) tends to provide just the title-text (falling back to the alt-text) as a hover-over tooltip. Whilst the link-onwards associated with anything the mouse is over will appear as a mini-hover-thing over (usually) the bottom-left of the page. Perhaps as legacy from when it used to appear in the lower status-bar, before that bit of permanently used screen real-estate got "reclaimed", as with the stretch of "File | View | ... | Help" menu bar at the top.
::Touch-screen devices (phones, tablets, etc) that don't have 'a mouse' to 'hover' seem to defer (on personal experience) to responding only to ''long-press'' on an image (and/or link) of interest to popover a monolithic indicator that... does its own thing.
::For example, Firefox and Chrome browsers on my Android do it subtly differently, but when I tried switching tabs/browsers to check exactly what it reverted this editing to the last Preview submission, so forgive me if I don't give you the details verbatim.
::But they're likely to show title-text (perhaps ellipsesed, if too long), perhaps alt-text (fall-back ''or'' in addition), for any image. They also show the link-destination for any link. And then any more active options available (copy image/link locations to clipboard, open image/link in new tab, etc ...as variously applicable).
::In at least one of my local browsers, this means I get (without explanation) the title-text ''and'' the link-destination given, then the complete set of save-to/open-in options (and others) below that, which might be right-click menu options in a more Windowslike intercace. If it is an image-without-link or a link-only-of-text it would have just the appropriate subset of information/actions.
::I forget if the 'comic name' (i.e. alt-text) also notably features, as the popover-window header, in the same browser or in the other one, and I'm probably going to have to rewrite this whole explanation ''again'' if I switch over to check.
::So, anyway, that's the (rough, probably highly browser-dependent) relationship between the HTML and whatever popover/hover-text you get, if that helps at all. Unlike page-rendering (gradually being standardised through webkit/etc standardisation), the 'off-page' bits of browser UIs are likely still to do things however they see fit, across browsers (Firefox decorate things differently from Chrome, from Edge, etc) and platforms (BrowserX has to do things slightly differently between desktop Windows, desktop iOS, Chromebook, Android, etc), though I'm sure you can also see the commonalities (if only of temporarily convergent UI paradigms) once you experience enough of them.
::HTH, HAND. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.173|82.132.245.173]] 12:58, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

Talk:1052: Every Major's Terrible

2025-06-27T13:04:26Z

82.132.245.173: The editor doesn't like me.

The video link 404's - here is a working archive link: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c] --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.82|172.68.174.82]] 17:32, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I think Iambic Octameter has a ''stressed-unstressed'' pattern, not the other way around as this explanation says. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 02:56, 10 April 2017 (UTC)
:No, the explanation is correct, I misread the Wikipedia article. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 13:41, 16 April 2017 (UTC)

Panel 1's cueball is in the same pose as Rodin's "The Thinker"

Panel 4 background is the periodic table of elements.

Panel 5, Fowler's Toad emits a noxious secretion that irritates skin and mucous membranes (it was previously thought to cause warts)

Panel 6, Psychology = a serial killer with a chainsaw, Sociology = hobo; Social Psych = hobo serial killer with chainsaw.

Panel 15, LISP, Scheme, and other computer languages with an excess of parentheses.

Panel 16, biohazard symbol

Panel 19, bongos were played by Richard Feynman

Panel 27, fear of snakes, study of reptiles

Panel 28, a picture of a stomach, pun on "stomach" being slang for "tolerate"

Panel 30, words in all lowercase like e.e.cummings

-- [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206| 75.103.23.206 ]] 22:04, 7 December 2012‎
:Hobo serial killer with chainsaw? Social psych sounds awesome!
:[[Special:Contributions/24.2.217.188|24.2.217.188]] 22:42, 22 October 2013 (UTC)
----
In panel 22 (History), what's the theme connecting the years 1935, 1969, and 1991?
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 15:40, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
:1935 is certainly related to some event that lead to the WWII (a quick look at the Wikipedia page for 1935 show that was the year Hitler rearmed Germany), which paved the way to the Cold War. 1969 was Apollo 11, a high moment of the Cold War, as the USA essentially won the race to the Moon. And 1991 was the year that the USSR dissolved, officially ending the Cold War. [[User:Sir labreck|Sir labreck]] ([[User talk:Sir labreck|talk]]) 18:37, 11 August 2015 (UTC)
:1935, Harlem race riot; 1969, race riot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 1991, Rodney King race riots... 2014-2016??? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.62|173.245.54.62]] 03:33, 13 December 2015 (UTC)
:Although the race riot dates match, I think war related is more likely. 1935 (WWII), 1969 (Vietnam), 1991 (Gulf War) I'm not sure what the common thread is, though, and 'war' is too broad [[Special:Contributions/172.69.250.4|172.69.250.4]] 20:37, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
::{{w|WWII}} began in '''1939'''. The {{w|Vietnam War}} was 1955-1975 and {{w|Gulf_War_(disambiguation)|Gulf War}} is ambiguous. Just sayin... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:34, 1 October 2018 (UTC)
:28 March 1935: Near Roswell, New Mexico, Robert H. Goddard successfully launched the first gyroscopically-stabilized liquid-fueled rocket. 1969, Apollo 11. 1991, ?. The only somewhat significant events I could find are the 5th Spacelab mission and the launch of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Also, 1991 was the first year with ''less'' than 100 orbital launches since 1962. [[User:Chrullrich|Chrullrich]] ([[User talk:Chrullrich|talk]]) 11:31, 8 October 2024 (UTC)
----
This explanation is very small for that big comic. I am starting to add the transcript and after that I will do more investigations to that opera. This should be the key to explain all the panels.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

:The answer won't lie in the song, trust me. Pirates of Penzance is probably my favorite comic opera out there. Plus Randall gives that the lie in saying you can use the tune from the elements song (a well-known parody) or even Marry Poppins (similar tune, but not exactly the same). I think each panel is just a reference to the words, I don't think that Randall is actually involving The Pirates of Penzance in any way other than the tune. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.211|173.245.52.211]] 20:53, 9 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Feynman was also known for being a ladies' man, so the two girls in panel 19 are significant IMHO.
--[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.117|141.101.80.117]] 13:51, 25 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Needs explanation what does it mean to '''choose a major''', and what '''major''' is in this context. Note every reader is from U.S.A.; different countries have different higher education systems. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 10:56, 9 January 2014 (UTC)
:True that. 'Graduation' in Brazil means 'Undergraduation' in the US. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.105|108.162.254.105]] 03:51, 1 February 2014 (UTC)
----
"Math's just physics unconstrained by precepts of reality" - that isn't a binary tree, its a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifurcation_diagram bifurcation diagram] from chaos theory. And, sorry, it has nothing to do with the Banach–Tarski paradox - that's just mindless name-dropping.
[[User:Davidbak|Davidbak]] ([[User talk:Davidbak|talk]]) 20:54, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
:Are you sure it is not just an illustration of Banach-Tarski, arguably the most famous example where mathematical reality and (physical) intuition diverge? Why would the verse be illustrated by a bifurcation diagram (which I think, and I might be a bit ignorant here, is a concept pretty much only found in the "applied side" of mathematics, which ''is'' constrained by precepts of reality)? And even if it were a bifurcation diagram, why would the mass of the balls change? (again, I am perhaps showcasing my ignorance; if so, please be gentle) Finally, i would deem the bifurcation explanation a bit too obscure to be the real deal - a panel which is only understood by somewhat specialized mathematicians seems strange to me, especially given that all other frames contain understandable references. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.183|108.162.229.183]] 13:38, 9 October 2015 (UTC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRexBMPeRTo[[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 18:59, 3 April 2014 (UTC)
:That is distinctly a bifurcation diagram. Banach Tarski doesn't factor into this at all. Disagree-P 15:39, 20 Nov, 2020

Panel 30: possibly iambic septameter[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.154|141.101.104.154]]

---
I think that the reason for not getting hugs in panel 16 is more to do with the fact that as a virus researcher you would be aware of how easy it is to get a virus/disease and so you would keep away from people and be worried about hugs because of that. (Sorry if I've done something wrong this is my first comment!) [[User:Yxquillio|Yxquillio]] ([[User talk:Yxquillio|talk]]) 08:24, 3 January 2016 (UTC)

Another song I guess could provide a good match is "Can You Stop the Calvary?" by Jona Lewie (or "Where's the Modding API" if you're a YOGSCAST fan like me. :)) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 11:50, 20 September 2016 (UTC)

"End of the first verse where Cueball tells his academic advisor that he is undecided as every major's terrible. He even throws away his study guide." Are you sure it's not a course catalog? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.59|108.162.212.59]] 10:33, 19 June 2017 (UTC)

I think I should add that Pratchett used that quote to prove that geography was not a boring science, as it is physics, which is exciting, with some trees on it. Just a thought.[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 01:30, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

Hey, the cs parens are missing a close paren. Like literally. Lol. [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 15:00, 22 May 2021 (UTC)
----
It should be noted that in panel 35, they're referring to "Sophie's Choice." A movie in which the protagonist has to decide which of her two children to save, and which one to kill.
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.245|108.162.245.245]] 16:36, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Is "Undecided" related to the alignment chart? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.228|172.71.154.228]] 22:58, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Panel 31. While epidemiology may well involve the study of causes and trends and whatnot, so does history. Epidemiology is the study of diseases.

The thing for panel 14 is wrong. You can't use that argument to argue for the existence of a greatest possible vacuum cleaner or greatest possible pizza because those things imply limitations like limited size, limited age, able to be broken (for the pizza), etc. If it didn't have these or any limitations it wouldn't be a vacuum cleaner/pizza; it would just be God. "basically, if your pizza gets infinitely great it will turn into God" - [https://www.youtube.com/@redeemedzoomer6053 Redeemed Zoomer] [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.130|172.70.211.130]] 03:47, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

:I agree. Someone attempted to succinctly describe Guanilo's "On Behalf of the Fool" but I don't think it's possible to make it short enough for this page. I'm just going to edit it down to 'Anselm's argument doesn't work' and let anyone curious click the link.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
Also, wild thing I learned recently: There's a Sullivan Appreciation Society, and there's a Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, and they have beef with each other.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

----

“Economists often claim that economics is a science like any other; however, as the predictive powers of all economic theories are exceedingly weak compared to those of any science, this is disputed by those outside the field at times.”

That is accidentally hilariously ignorant even to a layman with only a passing interest in economics, like me. Have you ever compared ‘the predictive powers of all economic theories’ with those of psychology and sociology?
Moreover, within a few minutes I can find plenty of examples of economic theories whose ‘predictive powers’ are very clearly NOT ‘exceedingly weak’: from demand curves nearly always slope downwards, through the relation between interest rates and inflation†, to the gravity model of trade.

†Well except for Erdogan, it was not very clear to him. At first he had remained unconvinced that it is a terrible idea to combat inflation by lowering nominal interest rates instead of raising them; this had the expected results.

It is as if I were to claim that meteorology is not a science because meteorologists cannot predict the weather a few months ahead.

Note, I am not writing this to defend economics or something; I am perfectly willing to admit that the field of economics has some problems like it being too easy to get away with poor data and bad methodologies† or a vulnerability to fads. However, that is also the case for the other social sciences; but for some reason, unlike with economics, the internet is not filled with people attacking them with arguments so awful they only prove their ignorance†† about the subject.

†Something of which you can even find many economist complaining about.

††I had even once encountered somebody attacking ‘economists’ who was under the mistaken belief that ‘economists’ in general were Lafferists. However, as real professional economists virtually unanimously agree that Laffers claim that ‘tax cuts pay for themselves (under current US tax rates)’ is complete nonsense (to provide but one example among many: https://kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/tax-reform-2/); that would be as I were to state that ‘NASA believes in geocentrism, look how bad mainstream astronomy is’.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.58|141.101.76.58]] 19:47, 1 June 2025 (UTC)

With regards to the title text, it appears that the text and video is linked in a similar style as comic #3081: PhD Timeline. In that comic, the title text that appears by hovering over the comic shows up below while the video that it redirects you once you click it is linked below. What is the discrepancy here then? @[[User:FaviFake|Favifake]] [[User:TomtheBuilder|TomtheBuilder]] ([[User talk:TomtheBuilder|talk]]) 17:40, 25 June 2025 (UTC)

:Huh, you're right. I tried this on my phone because my PC broke, and it seems the link and the title text are... separate? I don't know HTML enough to understand what's happening, but we should check the metadata of the comics. You can check it using the method in the page [[Transcript]]. Otherwise I'll look at this later once I get my pc back. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 22:47, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

::I don't quite know what the problem is, but the following appears to be the HTML you 'need' to understand. I've rearranged its whitespace slightly, for comprehension, but it's functionally correct (except that you need to check the source to see the ampersand-encoded apostrophes/single-quotes, rather than them being rendered as their literals).
<div id="comic">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c">
<img src="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/every_majors_terrible.png"
title="Someday I'll be the first to get a Ph. D in 'Undeclared'."
alt="Every Major's Terrible"
style="image-orientation:none"
/>
</a>
</div>
::The outer <code>div</code>-tag is just a handy contextual container, included here for reference only.
::The inner <code>img</code> is 'fairly' typical of all comics:
::*The <code>src=</code> is obviously necessary so it is the image.
::*The <code>title=</code> is the source of our 'title text' (possibly, if it didn't exist, it would fall back to using any alt-text, as below, haven't checked very early era xkcds/archives to see if this was ever left to happen).
::*The <code>alt=</code> is traditionally for what to display if the image isn't loaded (yet!), perhaps more relevent back in dial-up-internet era, but probably still also useful for pure-text browsers (Lynx) or screen-readers. Maybe might show in the "broken image" spot where the link is broken/rotted so the image isn't found, depending upon browser/settings. Above, it's given the comic name, but maybe it has also been given the 'title-text' as well/instead, at timesm
::*The <code>style=</code> is irrelevent to this issue.
::*Not shown here (starts to appear in a later era of xkcds) are further parameters configurations that appear to help serve the viewer with the <code>_2x</code> version of the image, instead, if deemed appropriate. May subtly change things I describe below, but not much.
::The <code>a href</code>-tagging is not usually present. Sometimes used for link to xkcd's own 'large' version of a comic (e.g. [[1000]]), or an onward/outward link (like here).
::
::Anyway, a desktop browser (going by those I use) tends to provide just the title-text (falling back to the alt-text) as a hover-over tooltip. Whilst the link-onwards associated with anything the mouse is over will appear as a mini-hover-thing over (usually) the bottom-left of the page. Perhaps as legacy from when it used to appear in the lower status-bar, before that bit of permanently used screen real-estate got "reclaimed", as with the stretch of "File | View | ... | Help" menu bar at the top.
::Touch-screen devices (phones, tablets, etc) that don't have 'a mouse' to 'hover' seem to defer (on personal experience) to responding only to ''long-press'' on an image (and/or link) of interest to popover a monolithic indicator that... does its own thing.
::For example, Firefox and Chrome browsers on my Android do it subtly differently, but when I tried switching tabs/browsers to check exactly what it reverted this editing to the last Preview submission, so forgive me if I don't give you the details verbatim.
::But they're likely to show title-text (perhaps ellipsesed, if too long), perhaps alt-text (fall-back ''or'' in addition), and then any active options available (copy image/link locations to clipboard, open image/link in new tab, etc ...as variously applicable).
::In at least one of my local browsers, this means I get (without explanation) the title-text ''and'' the link-destination given, then the complete set of save-to/open-in options (and others) below that, which might be right-click menu options in a more Windowslike intercace. If it is an image-without-link or a link-only-of-text it would have just the appropriate subset of information/actions.
::I forget if the 'comic name' (i.e. alt-text) also notably features, as the popover-window header, in the same browser or in the other one, and I'm probably going to have to rewrite this whole explanation ''again'' if I switch over to check.
::So, anyway, that's the (rough, probably highly browser-dependent) relationship between the HTML and whatever popover/hover-text you get, if that helps at all. Unlike page-rendering (gradually being standardised through webkit/etc standardisation), the 'off-page' bits of browser UIs are likely still to do things however they see fit, across browsers (Firefox decorate things differently from Chrome, from Edge, etc) and platforms (BrowserX has to do things slightly differently between desktop Windows, desktop iOS, Chromebook, Android, etc), though I'm sure you can also see the commonalities (if only of temporarily convergent UI paradigms) once you experience enough of them.
::HTH, HAND. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.173|82.132.245.173]] 12:58, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

Talk:1052: Every Major's Terrible

2025-06-27T13:02:14Z

82.132.245.173:

The video link 404's - here is a working archive link: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c] --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.82|172.68.174.82]] 17:32, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I think Iambic Octameter has a ''stressed-unstressed'' pattern, not the other way around as this explanation says. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 02:56, 10 April 2017 (UTC)
:No, the explanation is correct, I misread the Wikipedia article. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 13:41, 16 April 2017 (UTC)

Panel 1's cueball is in the same pose as Rodin's "The Thinker"

Panel 4 background is the periodic table of elements.

Panel 5, Fowler's Toad emits a noxious secretion that irritates skin and mucous membranes (it was previously thought to cause warts)

Panel 6, Psychology = a serial killer with a chainsaw, Sociology = hobo; Social Psych = hobo serial killer with chainsaw.

Panel 15, LISP, Scheme, and other computer languages with an excess of parentheses.

Panel 16, biohazard symbol

Panel 19, bongos were played by Richard Feynman

Panel 27, fear of snakes, study of reptiles

Panel 28, a picture of a stomach, pun on "stomach" being slang for "tolerate"

Panel 30, words in all lowercase like e.e.cummings

-- [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206| 75.103.23.206 ]] 22:04, 7 December 2012‎
:Hobo serial killer with chainsaw? Social psych sounds awesome!
:[[Special:Contributions/24.2.217.188|24.2.217.188]] 22:42, 22 October 2013 (UTC)
----
In panel 22 (History), what's the theme connecting the years 1935, 1969, and 1991?
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 15:40, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
:1935 is certainly related to some event that lead to the WWII (a quick look at the Wikipedia page for 1935 show that was the year Hitler rearmed Germany), which paved the way to the Cold War. 1969 was Apollo 11, a high moment of the Cold War, as the USA essentially won the race to the Moon. And 1991 was the year that the USSR dissolved, officially ending the Cold War. [[User:Sir labreck|Sir labreck]] ([[User talk:Sir labreck|talk]]) 18:37, 11 August 2015 (UTC)
:1935, Harlem race riot; 1969, race riot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 1991, Rodney King race riots... 2014-2016??? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.62|173.245.54.62]] 03:33, 13 December 2015 (UTC)
:Although the race riot dates match, I think war related is more likely. 1935 (WWII), 1969 (Vietnam), 1991 (Gulf War) I'm not sure what the common thread is, though, and 'war' is too broad [[Special:Contributions/172.69.250.4|172.69.250.4]] 20:37, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
::{{w|WWII}} began in '''1939'''. The {{w|Vietnam War}} was 1955-1975 and {{w|Gulf_War_(disambiguation)|Gulf War}} is ambiguous. Just sayin... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:34, 1 October 2018 (UTC)
:28 March 1935: Near Roswell, New Mexico, Robert H. Goddard successfully launched the first gyroscopically-stabilized liquid-fueled rocket. 1969, Apollo 11. 1991, ?. The only somewhat significant events I could find are the 5th Spacelab mission and the launch of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Also, 1991 was the first year with ''less'' than 100 orbital launches since 1962. [[User:Chrullrich|Chrullrich]] ([[User talk:Chrullrich|talk]]) 11:31, 8 October 2024 (UTC)
----
This explanation is very small for that big comic. I am starting to add the transcript and after that I will do more investigations to that opera. This should be the key to explain all the panels.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

:The answer won't lie in the song, trust me. Pirates of Penzance is probably my favorite comic opera out there. Plus Randall gives that the lie in saying you can use the tune from the elements song (a well-known parody) or even Marry Poppins (similar tune, but not exactly the same). I think each panel is just a reference to the words, I don't think that Randall is actually involving The Pirates of Penzance in any way other than the tune. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.211|173.245.52.211]] 20:53, 9 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Feynman was also known for being a ladies' man, so the two girls in panel 19 are significant IMHO.
--[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.117|141.101.80.117]] 13:51, 25 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Needs explanation what does it mean to '''choose a major''', and what '''major''' is in this context. Note every reader is from U.S.A.; different countries have different higher education systems. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 10:56, 9 January 2014 (UTC)
:True that. 'Graduation' in Brazil means 'Undergraduation' in the US. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.105|108.162.254.105]] 03:51, 1 February 2014 (UTC)
----
"Math's just physics unconstrained by precepts of reality" - that isn't a binary tree, its a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifurcation_diagram bifurcation diagram] from chaos theory. And, sorry, it has nothing to do with the Banach–Tarski paradox - that's just mindless name-dropping.
[[User:Davidbak|Davidbak]] ([[User talk:Davidbak|talk]]) 20:54, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
:Are you sure it is not just an illustration of Banach-Tarski, arguably the most famous example where mathematical reality and (physical) intuition diverge? Why would the verse be illustrated by a bifurcation diagram (which I think, and I might be a bit ignorant here, is a concept pretty much only found in the "applied side" of mathematics, which ''is'' constrained by precepts of reality)? And even if it were a bifurcation diagram, why would the mass of the balls change? (again, I am perhaps showcasing my ignorance; if so, please be gentle) Finally, i would deem the bifurcation explanation a bit too obscure to be the real deal - a panel which is only understood by somewhat specialized mathematicians seems strange to me, especially given that all other frames contain understandable references. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.183|108.162.229.183]] 13:38, 9 October 2015 (UTC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRexBMPeRTo[[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 18:59, 3 April 2014 (UTC)
:That is distinctly a bifurcation diagram. Banach Tarski doesn't factor into this at all. Disagree-P 15:39, 20 Nov, 2020

Panel 30: possibly iambic septameter[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.154|141.101.104.154]]

---
I think that the reason for not getting hugs in panel 16 is more to do with the fact that as a virus researcher you would be aware of how easy it is to get a virus/disease and so you would keep away from people and be worried about hugs because of that. (Sorry if I've done something wrong this is my first comment!) [[User:Yxquillio|Yxquillio]] ([[User talk:Yxquillio|talk]]) 08:24, 3 January 2016 (UTC)

Another song I guess could provide a good match is "Can You Stop the Calvary?" by Jona Lewie (or "Where's the Modding API" if you're a YOGSCAST fan like me. :)) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 11:50, 20 September 2016 (UTC)

"End of the first verse where Cueball tells his academic advisor that he is undecided as every major's terrible. He even throws away his study guide." Are you sure it's not a course catalog? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.59|108.162.212.59]] 10:33, 19 June 2017 (UTC)

I think I should add that Pratchett used that quote to prove that geography was not a boring science, as it is physics, which is exciting, with some trees on it. Just a thought.[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 01:30, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

Hey, the cs parens are missing a close paren. Like literally. Lol. [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 15:00, 22 May 2021 (UTC)
----
It should be noted that in panel 35, they're referring to "Sophie's Choice." A movie in which the protagonist has to decide which of her two children to save, and which one to kill.
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.245|108.162.245.245]] 16:36, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Is "Undecided" related to the alignment chart? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.228|172.71.154.228]] 22:58, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Panel 31. While epidemiology may well involve the study of causes and trends and whatnot, so does history. Epidemiology is the study of diseases.

The thing for panel 14 is wrong. You can't use that argument to argue for the existence of a greatest possible vacuum cleaner or greatest possible pizza because those things imply limitations like limited size, limited age, able to be broken (for the pizza), etc. If it didn't have these or any limitations it wouldn't be a vacuum cleaner/pizza; it would just be God. "basically, if your pizza gets infinitely great it will turn into God" - [https://www.youtube.com/@redeemedzoomer6053 Redeemed Zoomer] [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.130|172.70.211.130]] 03:47, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

:I agree. Someone attempted to succinctly describe Guanilo's "On Behalf of the Fool" but I don't think it's possible to make it short enough for this page. I'm just going to edit it down to 'Anselm's argument doesn't work' and let anyone curious click the link.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
Also, wild thing I learned recently: There's a Sullivan Appreciation Society, and there's a Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, and they have beef with each other.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

----

“Economists often claim that economics is a science like any other; however, as the predictive powers of all economic theories are exceedingly weak compared to those of any science, this is disputed by those outside the field at times.”

That is accidentally hilariously ignorant even to a layman with only a passing interest in economics, like me. Have you ever compared ‘the predictive powers of all economic theories’ with those of psychology and sociology?
Moreover, within a few minutes I can find plenty of examples of economic theories whose ‘predictive powers’ are very clearly NOT ‘exceedingly weak’: from demand curves nearly always slope downwards, through the relation between interest rates and inflation†, to the gravity model of trade.

†Well except for Erdogan, it was not very clear to him. At first he had remained unconvinced that it is a terrible idea to combat inflation by lowering nominal interest rates instead of raising them; this had the expected results.

It is as if I were to claim that meteorology is not a science because meteorologists cannot predict the weather a few months ahead.

Note, I am not writing this to defend economics or something; I am perfectly willing to admit that the field of economics has some problems like it being too easy to get away with poor data and bad methodologies† or a vulnerability to fads. However, that is also the case for the other social sciences; but for some reason, unlike with economics, the internet is not filled with people attacking them with arguments so awful they only prove their ignorance†† about the subject.

†Something of which you can even find many economist complaining about.

††I had even once encountered somebody attacking ‘economists’ who was under the mistaken belief that ‘economists’ in general were Lafferists. However, as real professional economists virtually unanimously agree that Laffers claim that ‘tax cuts pay for themselves (under current US tax rates)’ is complete nonsense (to provide but one example among many: https://kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/tax-reform-2/); that would be as I were to state that ‘NASA believes in geocentrism, look how bad mainstream astronomy is’.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.58|141.101.76.58]] 19:47, 1 June 2025 (UTC)

With regards to the title text, it appears that the text and video is linked in a similar style as comic #3081: PhD Timeline. In that comic, the title text that appears by hovering over the comic shows up below while the video that it redirects you once you click it is linked below. What is the discrepancy here then? @[[User:FaviFake|Favifake]] [[User:TomtheBuilder|TomtheBuilder]] ([[User talk:TomtheBuilder|talk]]) 17:40, 25 June 2025 (UTC)

:Huh, you're right. I tried this on my phone because my PC broke, and it seems the link and the title text are... separate? I don't know HTML enough to understand what's happening, but we should check the metadata of the comics. You can check it using the method in the page [[Transcript]]. Otherwise I'll look at this later once I get my pc back. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 22:47, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

::I don't quite know what the problem is, but the following appears to be the HTML you 'need' to understand. I've rearranged its whitespace slightly, for comprehension, but it's functionally correct (except that you need to check the source to see the ampersand-encoded apostrophes/single-quotes, rather than them being rendered as their literals).
<div id="comic">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c">
<img src="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/every_majors_terrible.png"
title="Someday I'll be the first to get a Ph. D in 'Undeclared'."
alt="Every Major's Terrible"
style="image-orientation:none"
/>
</a>
</div>
::The outer <code>div</code>-tag is just a handy contextual container, included here for reference only.
::The inner <code>img</code> is 'fairly' typical of all comics:
::*The <code>src=</code> is obviously necessary so it is the image.
::*The <code>title=</code> is the source of our 'title text' (possibly, if it didn't exist, it would fall back to using any alt-text, as below, haven't checked very early era xkcds/archives to see if this was ever left to happen).
::*The <code>alt=</code> is traditionally for what to display if the image isn't loaded (yet!), perhaps more relevent back in dial-up-internet era, but probably still also useful for pure-text browsers (Lynx) or screen-readers. Maybe might show in the "broken image" spot where the link is broken/rotted so the image isn't found, depending upon browser/settings. Above, it's given the comic name, but maybe it has also been given the 'title-text' as well/instead, at timesm
::*The <code>style=</code> is irrelevent to this issue.
::*Not shown here (starts to appear in a later era of xkcds) are further parameters configurations that appear to help serve the viewer with the <code>_2x</code> version of the image, instead, if deemed appropriate. May subtly change things I describe below, but not much.
::The <code>a href</code>-tagging is not usually present. Sometimes used for link to xkcd's own 'large' version of a comic (e.g. [[1000]]), or an onward/outward link (like here).
::
::Anyway, a desktop browser (going by those I use) tends to provide just the title-text (falling back to the alt-text) as a hover-over tooltip. Whilst the link-onsardee associated with anything the mouse is over will appear as a mini-hover-thing over (usually) the bottom-left of the page. Perhaps as legacy from when it used to appear in the lower status-bar, before that bit of permanently used screen real-estate got "reclaimed", as with the stretch of "File | View | ... | Help" menu bar at the top.
::Touch-screen devices (phones, tablets, etc) that don't have 'a mouse' to 'hover' seem to defer (on personal experience) to responding only to ''long-press'' on an image (and/or link) of interest to popover a monolithic indicator that... does its own thing.
::For example, Firefox and Chrome browsers on my Android do it subtly differently, but when I tried switching tabs/browsers to check exactly what it reverted this editing to the last Preview submission, so forgive me if I don't give you the details verbatim.
::But they're likely to show title-text (perhaps ellipsesed, if too long), perhaps alt-text (fall-back ''or'' in addition), and then any active options available (copy image/link locations to clipboard, open image/link in new tab, etc ...as variously applicable).
::In at least one of my local browsers, this means I get (without explanation) the title-text ''and'' the link-destination given, then the complete set of save-to/open-in options (and others) below that, which might be right-click menu options in a more Windowslike intercace. If it is an image-without-link or a link-only-of-text it would have just the appropriate subset of information/actions.
::I forget if the 'comic name' (i.e. alt-text) also notably features, as the popover-window header, in the same browser or in the other one, and I'm probably going to have to rewrite this whole explanation ''again'' if I switch over to check.
::So, anyway, that's the (rough, probably highly browser-dependent) relationship between the HTML and whatever popover/hover-text you get, if that helps at all. Unlike page-rendering (gradually being standardised through webkit/etc standardisation), the 'off-page' bits of browser UIs are likely still to do things however they see fit, across browsers (Firefox decorate things differently from Chrome, from Edge, etc) and platforms (BrowserX has to do things slightly differently between desktop Windows, desktop iOS, Chromebook, Android, etc), though I'm sure you can also see the commonalities (if only of temporarily convergent UI paradigms) once you experience enough of them.
::HTH, HAND. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.173|82.132.245.173]] 12:58, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

Talk:1052: Every Major's Terrible

2025-06-27T12:58:57Z

82.132.245.173:

The video link 404's - here is a working archive link: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c https://web.archive.org/web/20190610190844/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c] --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.82|172.68.174.82]] 17:32, 7 March 2024 (UTC)

I think Iambic Octameter has a ''stressed-unstressed'' pattern, not the other way around as this explanation says. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 02:56, 10 April 2017 (UTC)
:No, the explanation is correct, I misread the Wikipedia article. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.4|172.68.34.4]] 13:41, 16 April 2017 (UTC)

Panel 1's cueball is in the same pose as Rodin's "The Thinker"

Panel 4 background is the periodic table of elements.

Panel 5, Fowler's Toad emits a noxious secretion that irritates skin and mucous membranes (it was previously thought to cause warts)

Panel 6, Psychology = a serial killer with a chainsaw, Sociology = hobo; Social Psych = hobo serial killer with chainsaw.

Panel 15, LISP, Scheme, and other computer languages with an excess of parentheses.

Panel 16, biohazard symbol

Panel 19, bongos were played by Richard Feynman

Panel 27, fear of snakes, study of reptiles

Panel 28, a picture of a stomach, pun on "stomach" being slang for "tolerate"

Panel 30, words in all lowercase like e.e.cummings

-- [[Special:Contributions/75.103.23.206| 75.103.23.206 ]] 22:04, 7 December 2012‎
:Hobo serial killer with chainsaw? Social psych sounds awesome!
:[[Special:Contributions/24.2.217.188|24.2.217.188]] 22:42, 22 October 2013 (UTC)
----
In panel 22 (History), what's the theme connecting the years 1935, 1969, and 1991?
[[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 15:40, 21 May 2013 (UTC)
:1935 is certainly related to some event that lead to the WWII (a quick look at the Wikipedia page for 1935 show that was the year Hitler rearmed Germany), which paved the way to the Cold War. 1969 was Apollo 11, a high moment of the Cold War, as the USA essentially won the race to the Moon. And 1991 was the year that the USSR dissolved, officially ending the Cold War. [[User:Sir labreck|Sir labreck]] ([[User talk:Sir labreck|talk]]) 18:37, 11 August 2015 (UTC)
:1935, Harlem race riot; 1969, race riot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 1991, Rodney King race riots... 2014-2016??? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.62|173.245.54.62]] 03:33, 13 December 2015 (UTC)
:Although the race riot dates match, I think war related is more likely. 1935 (WWII), 1969 (Vietnam), 1991 (Gulf War) I'm not sure what the common thread is, though, and 'war' is too broad [[Special:Contributions/172.69.250.4|172.69.250.4]] 20:37, 30 September 2018 (UTC)
::{{w|WWII}} began in '''1939'''. The {{w|Vietnam War}} was 1955-1975 and {{w|Gulf_War_(disambiguation)|Gulf War}} is ambiguous. Just sayin... --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:34, 1 October 2018 (UTC)
:28 March 1935: Near Roswell, New Mexico, Robert H. Goddard successfully launched the first gyroscopically-stabilized liquid-fueled rocket. 1969, Apollo 11. 1991, ?. The only somewhat significant events I could find are the 5th Spacelab mission and the launch of the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. Also, 1991 was the first year with ''less'' than 100 orbital launches since 1962. [[User:Chrullrich|Chrullrich]] ([[User talk:Chrullrich|talk]]) 11:31, 8 October 2024 (UTC)
----
This explanation is very small for that big comic. I am starting to add the transcript and after that I will do more investigations to that opera. This should be the key to explain all the panels.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:13, 21 May 2013 (UTC)

:The answer won't lie in the song, trust me. Pirates of Penzance is probably my favorite comic opera out there. Plus Randall gives that the lie in saying you can use the tune from the elements song (a well-known parody) or even Marry Poppins (similar tune, but not exactly the same). I think each panel is just a reference to the words, I don't think that Randall is actually involving The Pirates of Penzance in any way other than the tune. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.211|173.245.52.211]] 20:53, 9 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Feynman was also known for being a ladies' man, so the two girls in panel 19 are significant IMHO.
--[[Special:Contributions/141.101.80.117|141.101.80.117]] 13:51, 25 December 2013 (UTC)
----
Needs explanation what does it mean to '''choose a major''', and what '''major''' is in this context. Note every reader is from U.S.A.; different countries have different higher education systems. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 10:56, 9 January 2014 (UTC)
:True that. 'Graduation' in Brazil means 'Undergraduation' in the US. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.105|108.162.254.105]] 03:51, 1 February 2014 (UTC)
----
"Math's just physics unconstrained by precepts of reality" - that isn't a binary tree, its a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bifurcation_diagram bifurcation diagram] from chaos theory. And, sorry, it has nothing to do with the Banach–Tarski paradox - that's just mindless name-dropping.
[[User:Davidbak|Davidbak]] ([[User talk:Davidbak|talk]]) 20:54, 10 February 2014 (UTC)
:Are you sure it is not just an illustration of Banach-Tarski, arguably the most famous example where mathematical reality and (physical) intuition diverge? Why would the verse be illustrated by a bifurcation diagram (which I think, and I might be a bit ignorant here, is a concept pretty much only found in the "applied side" of mathematics, which ''is'' constrained by precepts of reality)? And even if it were a bifurcation diagram, why would the mass of the balls change? (again, I am perhaps showcasing my ignorance; if so, please be gentle) Finally, i would deem the bifurcation explanation a bit too obscure to be the real deal - a panel which is only understood by somewhat specialized mathematicians seems strange to me, especially given that all other frames contain understandable references. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.183|108.162.229.183]] 13:38, 9 October 2015 (UTC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRexBMPeRTo[[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 18:59, 3 April 2014 (UTC)
:That is distinctly a bifurcation diagram. Banach Tarski doesn't factor into this at all. Disagree-P 15:39, 20 Nov, 2020

Panel 30: possibly iambic septameter[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.154|141.101.104.154]]

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I think that the reason for not getting hugs in panel 16 is more to do with the fact that as a virus researcher you would be aware of how easy it is to get a virus/disease and so you would keep away from people and be worried about hugs because of that. (Sorry if I've done something wrong this is my first comment!) [[User:Yxquillio|Yxquillio]] ([[User talk:Yxquillio|talk]]) 08:24, 3 January 2016 (UTC)

Another song I guess could provide a good match is "Can You Stop the Calvary?" by Jona Lewie (or "Where's the Modding API" if you're a YOGSCAST fan like me. :)) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|JayRulesXKCD]] ([[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|talk]]) 11:50, 20 September 2016 (UTC)

"End of the first verse where Cueball tells his academic advisor that he is undecided as every major's terrible. He even throws away his study guide." Are you sure it's not a course catalog? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.59|108.162.212.59]] 10:33, 19 June 2017 (UTC)

I think I should add that Pratchett used that quote to prove that geography was not a boring science, as it is physics, which is exciting, with some trees on it. Just a thought.[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 01:30, 22 May 2018 (UTC)

Hey, the cs parens are missing a close paren. Like literally. Lol. [[User:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)]] ([[User talk:Sarah the Pie(yes, the food)|talk]]) 15:00, 22 May 2021 (UTC)
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It should be noted that in panel 35, they're referring to "Sophie's Choice." A movie in which the protagonist has to decide which of her two children to save, and which one to kill.
--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.245|108.162.245.245]] 16:36, 11 October 2021 (UTC)

Is "Undecided" related to the alignment chart? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.154.228|172.71.154.228]] 22:58, 24 April 2023 (UTC)

Panel 31. While epidemiology may well involve the study of causes and trends and whatnot, so does history. Epidemiology is the study of diseases.

The thing for panel 14 is wrong. You can't use that argument to argue for the existence of a greatest possible vacuum cleaner or greatest possible pizza because those things imply limitations like limited size, limited age, able to be broken (for the pizza), etc. If it didn't have these or any limitations it wouldn't be a vacuum cleaner/pizza; it would just be God. "basically, if your pizza gets infinitely great it will turn into God" - [https://www.youtube.com/@redeemedzoomer6053 Redeemed Zoomer] [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.130|172.70.211.130]] 03:47, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

:I agree. Someone attempted to succinctly describe Guanilo's "On Behalf of the Fool" but I don't think it's possible to make it short enough for this page. I'm just going to edit it down to 'Anselm's argument doesn't work' and let anyone curious click the link.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)
Also, wild thing I learned recently: There's a Sullivan Appreciation Society, and there's a Gilbert and Sullivan Appreciation Society, and they have beef with each other.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.35.118|172.68.35.118]] 05:27, 20 March 2025 (UTC)

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“Economists often claim that economics is a science like any other; however, as the predictive powers of all economic theories are exceedingly weak compared to those of any science, this is disputed by those outside the field at times.”

That is accidentally hilariously ignorant even to a layman with only a passing interest in economics, like me. Have you ever compared ‘the predictive powers of all economic theories’ with those of psychology and sociology?
Moreover, within a few minutes I can find plenty of examples of economic theories whose ‘predictive powers’ are very clearly NOT ‘exceedingly weak’: from demand curves nearly always slope downwards, through the relation between interest rates and inflation†, to the gravity model of trade.

†Well except for Erdogan, it was not very clear to him. At first he had remained unconvinced that it is a terrible idea to combat inflation by lowering nominal interest rates instead of raising them; this had the expected results.

It is as if I were to claim that meteorology is not a science because meteorologists cannot predict the weather a few months ahead.

Note, I am not writing this to defend economics or something; I am perfectly willing to admit that the field of economics has some problems like it being too easy to get away with poor data and bad methodologies† or a vulnerability to fads. However, that is also the case for the other social sciences; but for some reason, unlike with economics, the internet is not filled with people attacking them with arguments so awful they only prove their ignorance†† about the subject.

†Something of which you can even find many economist complaining about.

††I had even once encountered somebody attacking ‘economists’ who was under the mistaken belief that ‘economists’ in general were Lafferists. However, as real professional economists virtually unanimously agree that Laffers claim that ‘tax cuts pay for themselves (under current US tax rates)’ is complete nonsense (to provide but one example among many: https://kentclarkcenter.org/surveys/tax-reform-2/); that would be as I were to state that ‘NASA believes in geocentrism, look how bad mainstream astronomy is’.
[[Special:Contributions/141.101.76.58|141.101.76.58]] 19:47, 1 June 2025 (UTC)

With regards to the title text, it appears that the text and video is linked in a similar style as comic #3081: PhD Timeline. In that comic, the title text that appears by hovering over the comic shows up below while the video that it redirects you once you click it is linked below. What is the discrepancy here then? @[[User:FaviFake|Favifake]] [[User:TomtheBuilder|TomtheBuilder]] ([[User talk:TomtheBuilder|talk]]) 17:40, 25 June 2025 (UTC)

:Huh, you're right. I tried this on my phone because my PC broke, and it seems the link and the title text are... separate? I don't know HTML enough to understand what's happening, but we should check the metadata of the comics. You can check it using the method in the page [[Transcript]]. Otherwise I'll look at this later once I get my pc back. --[[User:FaviFake|FaviFake]] ([[User talk:FaviFake|talk]]) 22:47, 26 June 2025 (UTC)

::I don't quite know what the problem is, but the following appears to be the HTML you 'need' to understand. I've rearranged its whitespace slightly, for comprehension, but it's functionally correct (except that you need to check the source to see the ampersand-encoded apostrophes/single-quotes, rather than them being rendered as their literals).
<div id="comic">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhaEjgnmy3c">
<img src="//imgs.xkcd.com/comics/every_majors_terrible.png"
title="Someday I'll be the first to get a Ph. D in 'Undeclared'."
alt="Every Major's Terrible"
style="image-orientation:none"
/>
</a>
</div>
::The outer <code>div</code>-tag is just a handy contextual container, included here for reference only.
::The inner <code>img</code> is 'fairly' typical of all comics:
::*The <code>src=</code> is obviously necessary so it is the image.
::*The <code>title=</code> is the source of our 'title text' (possibly, if it didn't exist, it would fall back to using any alt-text, as below, haven't checked very early era xkcds/archives to see if this was ever left to happen).
::*The <code>alt=</code> is traditionally for what to display if the image isn't loaded (yet!), perhaps more relevent back in dial-up-internet era, but probably still also useful for pure-text browsers (Lynx) or screen-readers. Maybe might show in the "broken image" spot where the link is broken/rotted so the image isn't found, depending upon browser/settings. Above, it's given the comic name, but maybe it has also been given the 'title-text' as well/instead, at timesm
::*The <code>style=</code> is irrelevent to this issue.
::*Not shown here (starts to appear in a later era of xkcds) are further parameters configurations that appear to help serve the viewer with the <code>_2x</code> version of the image, instead, if deemed appropriate. May subtly change things I describe below, but not much.
::The <code>a href</code>-tagging is not usually present. Sometimes used for link to xkcd's own 'large' version of a comic (e.g. [[1000]]), or an onward/outward link (like here).
::
::Anyway, a desktop browser (going by those I use) tends to provide just the title-text (falling back to the alt-text) as a hover-over tooltip. Anything the mouse is over will appear as a mini-hover-thing over (usually) the bottom-left of the page. Perhaps as legacy from when it used to appear in the lower status-bar, before that bit of permanently used screen real-estate got "reclaimed", as with the stretch of "File | View | ... | Help" menu bar at the top.
::Touch-screen devices (phones, tablets, etc) that don't have 'a mouse' to 'hover' seem to defer (on personal experience) to responding only to ''long-press'' on an image (and/or link) of interest to popover a monolithic indicator that... does its own thing.
::For example, Firefox and Chrome browsers on my Android do it subtly differently, but when I tried switching tabs/browsers to check exactly what it reverted this editing to the last Preview submission, so forgive me if I don't give you the details verbatim.
::But they're likely to show title-text (perhaps ellipsesed, if too long), perhaps alt-text (fall-back ''or'' in addition), and then any active options available (copy image/link locations to clipboard, open image/link in new tab, etc ...as variously applicable).
::In at least one of my local browsers, this means I get (without explanation) the title-text ''and'' the link-destination given, then the complete set of save-to/open-in options (and others) below that, which might be right-click menu options in a more Windowslike intercace. If it is an image-without-link or a link-only-of-text it would have just the appropriate subset of information/actions.
::I forget if the 'comic name' (i.e. alt-text) also notably features, as the popover-window header, in the same browser or in the other one, and I'm probably going to have to rewrite this whole explanation ''again'' if I switch over to check.
::So, anyway, that's the (rough, probably highly browser-dependent) relationship between the HTML and whatever popover/hover-text you get, if that helps at all. Unlike page-rendering (gradually being standardised through webkit/etc standardisation), the 'off-page' bits of browser UIs are likely still to do things however they see fit, across browsers (Firefox decorate things differently from Chrome, from Edge, etc) and platforms (BrowserX has to do things slightly differently between desktop Windows, desktop iOS, Chromebook, Android, etc), though I'm sure you can also see the commonalities (if only of temporarily convergent UI paradigms) once you experience enough of them.
::HTH, HAND. [[Special:Contributions/82.132.245.173|82.132.245.173]] 12:58, 27 June 2025 (UTC)