explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1745: Record Scratch

2016-10-12T04:42:46Z

Aster Selene: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1745
| date = October 12, 2016
| title = Record Scratch
| image = record_scratch.png
| titletext = The 78-rpm era was closer to the Civil War than to today.
}}

==Explanation==

A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record vinyl disc] (also known as a gramophone record) is a type of storage medium that stores music on a disc with very small bumps. These are often played on a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph phonograph]. Sometimes, the small bumps are scratched, and the phonographs move on these the wrong way, creating an unintentional noise; the noise is referred to a "record scratch". The scratch can also be caused by someone attempting to stop the record by using their hand to manually stop it; as a result, this is often used as [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RecordNeedleScratch a sound effect in movies] as for comedic effect.

The comic pokes fun at a movie cliché in which the story opens with a character in some kind of unbelievable predicament, followed by a record scratch and the character narrating, "Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation." The rest of the story then follows by depicting the events that provide context to the situation. At the time of the comic's posting, parodying the cliché, [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/record-scratch-freeze-frame variations on the phrase had become a popular meme on social media].

As the record scratch continues to be used despite the fact that gramophones have largely become obsolete technology, Randall pokes fun at this by beginning to give backstory on what it is (which many in the younger generation may well not know) rather than giving context to the situation via a story.

The alt-text indicates (in a manner similar to that of [[891: Movie Ages]]) that the "78-rpm era" - referring to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record#78_rpm_disc_developments industry standard of records making 78 rotations per minute] - was closer to to the time of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War American Civil War] than it was to today.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

{{comic discussion}}

1745: Record Scratch

2016-10-12T04:41:54Z

Aster Selene:

{{comic
| number = 1745
| date = October 12, 2016
| title = Record Scratch
| image = record_scratch.png
| titletext = The 78-rpm era was closer to the Civil War than to today.
}}

==Explanation==

A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record vinyl disc] (also known as a gramophone record) is a type of storage medium that stores music on a disc with very small bumps. These are often played on a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph phonograph]. Sometimes, the small bumps are scratched, and the phonographs move on these the wrong way, creating an unintentional noise; the noise is referred to a "record scratch". The scratch can also be caused by someone attempting to stop the record by using their hand to manually stop it; as a result, this is often used as [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RecordNeedleScratch a sound effect in movies] as for comedic effect.

The comic pokes fun at a movie cliché in which the story opens with a character in some kind of unbelievable predicament, followed by a record scratch and the character narrating, "Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation." The rest of the story then follows by depicting the events that provide context to the situation. At the time of the comic's posting, parodying the cliché, [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/record-scratch-freeze-frame Internet meme] that parodies a had become a popular meme on social media].

As the record scratch continues to be used despite the fact that gramophones have largely become obsolete technology, Randall pokes fun at this by beginning to give backstory on what it is (which many in the younger generation may well not know) rather than giving context to the situation via a story.

The alt-text indicates (in a manner similar to that of [[891: Movie Ages]]) that the "78-rpm era" - referring to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record#78_rpm_disc_developments industry standard of records making 78 rotations per minute] - was closer to to the time of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War American Civil War] than it was to today.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

{{comic discussion}}

1745: Record Scratch

2016-10-12T04:38:37Z

Aster Selene: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1745
| date = October 12, 2016
| title = Record Scratch
| image = record_scratch.png
| titletext = The 78-rpm era was closer to the Civil War than to today.
}}

==Explanation==

A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record vinyl disc] (also known as a gramophone record) is a type of storage medium that stores music on a disc with very small bumps. These are often played on a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph phonograph]. Sometimes, the small bumps are scratched, and the phonographs move on these the wrong way, creating an unintentional noise; the noise is referred to a "record scratch". The scratch can also be caused by someone attempting to stop the record by using their hand to manually stop it; as a result, this is often used as [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RecordNeedleScratch a sound effect in movies] as for comedic effect.

The comic pokes fun at a movie cliché in which the story opens with a character in some kind of unbelievable predicament, followed by a record scratch (typically used as a ) and the character narrating, "Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation." The rest of the story then follows by depicting the events that provide context to the situation. At the time of the comic's posting, parodying the cliché, [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/record-scratch-freeze-frame Internet meme] that parodies a had become a popular meme on social media].

As the record scratch continues to be used despite the fact that gramophones have largely become obsolete technology, Randall pokes fun at this by beginning to give backstory on what it is (which many in the younger generation may well not know) rather than giving context to the situation via a story.

The alt-text indicates (in a manner similar to that of [[891: Movie Ages]]) that the "78-rpm era" - referring to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record#78_rpm_disc_developments industry standard of records making 78 rotations per minute] - was closer to to the time of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War American Civil War] than it was to today.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

{{comic discussion}}

1745: Record Scratch

2016-10-12T04:36:29Z

Aster Selene: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1745
| date = October 12, 2016
| title = Record Scratch
| image = record_scratch.png
| titletext = The 78-rpm era was closer to the Civil War than to today.
}}

==Explanation==

A [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record vinyl disc] (also known as a gramophone record) is a type of storage medium that stores music on a disc with very small bumps. These are often played on a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phonograph Phonograph]. Sometimes, the small bumps are scratched, and the phonographs move on these the wrong way and creates an unintentional noise.

This comic pokes fun at a movie cliché in which the story opens with a character in some kind of unbelievable predicament, followed by a record scratch (typically used as a [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RecordNeedleScratch comical shorthand for interrupting the movie]) and the character narrating, "Yup, that's me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation." The rest of the story then follows by depicting the events that provide context to the situation. At the time of the comic's posting, parodying the cliché, [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/record-scratch-freeze-frame Internet meme] that parodies a had become a popular meme on social media].

As the record scratch continues to be used despite the fact that gramophones have largely become obsolete technology, Randall pokes fun at this by beginning to give backstory on what it is (which many in the younger generation may well not know) rather than giving context to the situation via a story.

The alt-text indicates (in a manner similar to that of [[891: Movie Ages]]) that the "78-rpm era" - referring to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gramophone_record#78_rpm_disc_developments industry standard of records making 78 rotations per minute] - was closer to to the time of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_War American Civil War] than it was to today.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}

{{comic discussion}}

1516: Win by Induction

2015-04-24T16:43:16Z

Aster Selene: sorry, my Pokemon nerd got a bit too control freak

{{comic
| number = 1516
| date = April 24, 2015
| title = Win by Induction
| image = win by induction.png
| titletext = This would be bad enough, but every 30th or 40th pokéball has TWO of them inside.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Does the "induction" have any relevance to the fact that Pikachu are "Electric-type" Pokémon?}}

In the {{w|Pokémon}} franchise, human characters called Trainers capture fantastical creatures from the wild, the titular Pokémon (a shortened form of "Pocket Monsters"), and train them to battle one another. Pokémon are captured and stored in devices called Poké Balls, which shrink the creatures down to pocket size (hence "Pocket Monsters"). When Trainers do battle, the anime's dub has immersed the the phrase "''<Pokémon's name>'', I choose you!" into popular culture memory, which is accompanied by throwing the ball containing the selected Pokémon to the ground, releasing it onto the battlefield at full size.

In this comic, a Pokémon chosen at some point was a {{w|Pikachu}}, which does not intend to engage in the battle himself. Instead, the Pikachu chooses another Pikachu to fight for him. This process then repeats itself. Behind the Pikachu with the Pokéball is a long line of other Pikachu, suggesting that this process has been going on for a while.

Nearby stand Cueball, holding a closed Pokéball, and Megan, looking at her watch. This suggests that Cueball intends to have his own Pokémon fight the Pikachu, but is waiting for the battle to actually begin (waiting in vain, if the above described process repeats indefinitely), while Megan (who may have chosen the original Pikachu) is growing impatient with the delay.

The joke in this comic comes from analogy with the mathematical {{w|proof by induction}}, which is a proof with a base case, followed by a never ending sequence of steps. Each step leads to the next, thus proving something for all cases. This title seems to suggest that the process of Pikachu choosing Pikachu will not end, effectively postponing the battle indefinitely.

If there were a single Pikachu in each ball, this would spawn an unlimited number of Pikachu forming a single line. Since, as title text notes, there's occasionally two of them in a Pokéball, this would lead to exponential rather than linear growth, even more quickly forming a huge mob.

==Transcript==
:[There's a long queue of Pikachu extending out of the frame to the left. They are all just out from their ball, at least the last eight Pikachu's open balls lie in two parts on the ground at their feet. They are standing in front of Megan and Cueball. Cueball is holding a closed pokéball while Megan checks the time on her watch. The front most Pikachu, holding a closed pokéball, speaks.]

:Pikachu at the front: Pikachu, I choose ''you!''

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