1834: Lunch Order

2017-05-16T12:28:23Z

Adren: link to 898 / chain of command (red button responsibilities)

{{comic
| number = 1834
| date = May 8, 2017
| title = Lunch Order
| image = lunch order.png
| titletext = GO FOR LUNCH, REPEAT, GO FOR LUNCH.
}}

==Explanation==
Autocorrect is a feature in many software text-entry applications (such as smartphone "keyboards") that will make changes to entered text that it identifies as misspelled in order to quickly increase legibility of the final text. While this process typically makes text entry quicker and easier for users, sometimes the automatically corrected text will not match what the user intended to send, which can lead to miscommunication.

In most circumstances, military units charged with the maintenance of active nuclear weapons will receive their orders to employ those weapons based on direct communication from a commanding authority, these forces in the United States are commanded by the United States Strategic Command. The majority of modern nuclear weapons are prepared to be deployed by rocket launch.

The joke involves anachronisms. To our knowledge, the last time the United States were at readiness to launch nuclear missiles at a hostile power was [http://www.rawstory.com/2014/04/nukes-were-almost-used-13-times-since-1962-and-the-risk-of-nuclear-accidents-is-rising-report/ June 1980], while the function we know today as Autocorrect would not enter development until [https://www.wired.com/2014/07/history-of-autocorrect/ the 1990's]. That said, the comic might be playing off recent fears involving [http://www.complex.com/life/2017/04/china-warns-united-states-north-korea-war-possible hostilities between the United States and North Korea]; if any l(a)unch preparations have been taken in 2017, they were not declassified by the time this comic was published.

The comic plays on the similarity of the words "launch" and "lunch." By receiving an order to "Lunch" instead of "Launch," nuclear conflict was avoided.

The title text plays on the similarity between two phrases: "GO FOR LAUNCH" is the standard way to express the {{w|Launch status check}} for a rocket (and means that all checks have passed and launch can proceed), whereas "GO FOR LUNCH" expresses the more mundane act of simply beginning one's lunch break. Despite the repetition (which is intended to reduce the chance of a miscommunication), the autocorrect still managed to distort the message a further two times.

A previous comic also explain the [[898: Chain of Command]] and who's responsible of the red button.

==Transcript==
[A control panel is showed, three Hairy's are in there, the rightmost one is controlling the panel, the two others are talking.]

Hairy 1: Sir-Strategic command has sent us a lunch order.

Hairy 2: Don't they have anything better to do?

[Below the panel is a caption.]

Caption: Everyone complains about autocorrect, but we forget about the time it prevented a nuclear war.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]

1743: Coffee

2016-10-07T21:14:52Z

Adren: coffee is like beer

{{comic
| number = 1743
| date = October 7, 2016
| title = Coffee
| image = coffee.png
| titletext = Remind me to order another pack of coffee filters from Dyson. Man, these things are EXPENSIVE.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Very brief summary, please update}}

This strip follows the frequently used theme of people growing up but finding themselves unable or unwilling to accept traditional adult roles (see [[441: Babies]], [[616: Lease]], [[905: Homeownership]] and [[1674: Adult]]). In many cultures, drinking coffee is considered an adult activity; most children aren't served coffee and likely wouldn't like the taste if they were, however there are cultures where coffee is served to children, as in many Hispanic countries with "{{w|Café con leche}}" (coffee with milk) which is at least 50% milk with plenty of sugar.

This comic is also very much related to another one that pictures yet another beverage for grownups: [[1534: Beer]].

In this case, Cueball and Megan are anticipating guests. Offering coffee to houseguests is a commonly-accepted courtesy in the United States. However, they seem to be unaware of the basics of {{w|Coffee_preparation|coffee making}}. Cueball is concerned that this lack of knowledge is an indication of their mutual immaturity (thinking of himself as a "fake adult"), but Megan is confident that the necessary steps can be determined.

They attempt to make coffee by pouring the ingredients on the ground (misinterpreting the meaning of "ground coffee"), sucking it up with a Dyson vacuum-cleaner (misinterpreting the meaning of "vacuum brewing"), then boiling the mixture by placing the vacuum-cleaner's removable (plastic) canister over a hot stove, and serving the resulting sludge without separating the grounds from the liquid.

Megan says she is a regular "Starbuck" after serving the batch of coffee, believing the name of the cafe chain {{w|Starbucks}} to be synonymous with the actual job title "barrista", further indicating a general lack of knowledge regarding the subject of coffee.

This method of making coffee would be very expensive as it would most likely destroy the (previously functional) vacuum cleaner. It would probably not be very hygienic either. Furthermore, the removable canisters on bagless vacuums (such as the Dyson shown) are made of plastic and would melt or ignite if placed over direct heat from a stove. Furthermore, failing to remove the grounds before serving would produce a slurry, rather than the smooth golden-brown liquid that is customary in the western world.

The joke here is that Megan misunderstands the words "coffee grounds", attempts to pour coffee grounds on the "ground", tries to vacuum brew the coffee using a vacuum cleaner, and uses the wrong kind of filter (a vacuum cleaner filter instead of a coffee filter) in order to make a proper coffee. It demonstrates her total lack of knowledge of coffee making.

The title-text refers to the extreme expense of replacing the "filter", as vacuum-cleaner filters are considerably more costly than single-use coffee filters. It also suggests that they genuinely believe that a key function of the Dyson is to make coffee, implying that vacuuming is another 'adult' responsibility with which Cueball and Megan are unfamiliar.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

:[Cueball and Megan are standing.]
:Cueball: We should make coffee for our guests.
:Megan: Crap. I know nothing about coffee.
:Cueball: We're basically fake adults.
:Megan: Don't panic. We can figure this out.

:[Megan shaking can of coffee grounds out on floor as Cueball watches.]
:Megan: We just pour the coffee grounds...

:[Megan pouring pail of water over grounds on floor.]
:Megan: ...Add water...

:[Cueball watching Megan vacuum up mixture with bagless vaccum cleaner.]
:vacuum: vrrrr

:[Megan holding vacuum cleaner dirt canister over stove, Cueball watching. Vacuum cleaner in background.]
:Megan: Now we just hold it over the burners...
:oven: hissss

:[Megan pouring contents of vacuum cleaner dirt canister into mug, while Cueball watches]
:Megan: Annnd...Serve.
:Cueball: Nice!
:Megan: I'm a regular starbuck!
{{comic discussion}}

explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1834: Lunch Order

1743: Coffee