explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1970: Name Dominoes

2018-03-22T17:51:11Z

CLSI: /* Table of names */

{{comic
| number = 1970
| date = March 21, 2018
| title = Name Dominoes
| image = name_dominoes.png
| titletext = In competition, you can only play a name if you know who the person is. No fair saying "Frank ... Johnson. That sounds like a real person! Let me just Google him real quick."
}}

*A large version of the comic picture can be found [https://xkcd.com/1970/large/ here].
*A numbered version can be found [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/7/73/1970-_Name_Dominoes_-_The_large_image_with_numbers.jpg here].

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by Fats Domino: Table links should be checked and explanation and connections added. (Add a full transcript... "Done!" And good luck with that! "Thanks".) Do NOT delete this tag too soon. }}

{{w|Dominoes}} is a family of boardgames played with rectangular "domino" tiles. A domino tile is divided into two squares, each displaying a number. Under most rules, a domino tile is placed on the table adjacent to another tile, and the adjacent ends must match in some way (namely by the number displayed on the touching ends). Randall's "name dominoes" shows a set of domino tiles with people's names instead of numbers, and adjacent tiles are matched by whether the closest name is the same (such as how Chris Evans' family name matches Evan Taylor Jones' given name).

The title text spells out a rule that a player may only place a tile if they know who that person is. This is a variation of a rule in {{w|Scrabble}}, where a player loses a turn if their chosen word don't survive a dictionary challenge over the validity of the word. This rule implies that players are allowed to create new name dominoes tiles and that it is not a fixed set. In this case the player that is challenged has used the name Frank Johnson of which there are {{w|Frank Johnson|12 exact matches}} on Wikipedia along with six with a middle name and more. In a google search as of the day the comic came out the first hit was {{w|Frank Johnson (basketball)|Frank Johnson}} who is a retired American professional basketball player and coach. Randall has made several [[:Category:Basketball|references to basketball]] in his comics.

A large board is covered in rectangular "dominoes" (270), with each domino bearing the name of a "well-known" person or character (fictional). The dominoes are arranged as if a game of dominoes were being played, but instead of the game requiring the number of spots of adjacent dominoes to match up, this game requires adjacent ''names'' to match up. Because most people have two or more names, different matches are made at each end of a domino. Fun fact is that two of the people is "named after" the game: {{w|Fats Domino}} and {{w|Domino Harvey}}.

The match can be exact (e.g., "Kevin" on one domino adjacent to "Kevin" on another), homonymic (e.g., "Klein" adjacent to "Kline"), or nickname-based (e.g., "James" adjacent to "Jimmy", which in turn is adjacent to "Jim"). Sometimes last names are matched up with first names (e.g., "{{w|Elizabeth Warren}}" adjacent to "{{w|Warren Beatty}}"), and in some cases only a single name is used (e.g., "{{w|Columbo}}", "{{w|Drake_(musician)|Drake}}", "{{w|Garfield_(character)|Garfield}}", "{{w|Prince_(musician)|Prince}}"). Singular names are represented by a half-size square "domino", with a few exceptions: "{{w|Garnet_(Steven_Universe)|Garnet}}" has a full-size tile (a complex reference explained below), and "{{w|Batman}}" and "{{w|Superman}}" have full-size tiles and are placed as though they were two-part names: the first square of "Superman" is matched with "Super", and the second square is matched with the second square of "Batman" (as though both characters had the last name "Man"). Some people have three or more names (e.g., "{{w|Frank Lloyd Wright}}") and have a 3-square domino tile (50% longer than normal) which permits matching to a middle name (e.g. "Frank Lloyd Wright" is matched to "{{w|Lloyd Alexander}}" and "{{w|Harold Lloyd}}").

The names come from a wide variety of fields: scientists (e.g., {{w|Isaac Newton}}), historical figures ({{w|George Washington}}), musicians ({{w|Drake (musician)|Drake}}), politicians ({{w|John Kerry}}), actors ({{w|Kevin Costner}}), writers ({{w|Washington Irving}}), fashion designers ({{w|Oscar de la Renta}}), and so on. Most of the names are real people but a few are fictional characters, including some non-human characters like {{w|Garfield_(character)|Garfield}} and {{w|Grover#Super_Grover|Super Grover}}. In one case the nick name for a company is used: {{w|Ma Bell}} aka Bell System.

One notable reference beyond just the use of a name is in the bottom left, there is the connection [ {{w|William Safire}} ][ Garnet ][ {{w|Jack Ruby|Ruby, Jack}} ]. The connection seems to be based on the fact that {{w|Sapphire}}, {{w|Garnet}} and {{w|Ruby}} are all {{w|gemstones}}, which does not match the implied rules of the game. This tile is a reference to the character {{w|Garnet_(Steven_Universe)|Garnet}} in the cartoon {{w|Steven Universe}}, who is a "fusion" formed by two Gems: Ruby and Sapphire. Thus, the name "Garnet" is treated as though it was two names "Ruby" and "Sapphire", requiring a two-square tile despite having a one-word name. Randall has previously made references to this universe in [[1608: Hoverboard]]. (See [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/39/1608_1031x1095y_Steven_Universe_family_and_ice_cream_prediction.png this] and [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/f/fa/1608_1077x1109y_Darth_Vaders_talks_about_Steven_Universe_on_the_bridge_Megan_adjust_antenna.png this] image from that comic).

Additionally, Ayn Rand, Paul Ryan and Rand Paul have been mentioned before, in the title text of [[1277: Ayn Random]]. That idea may have been the prototype for this.

In at least one case it is not entirely clear who is being referred to: "John Kelly" most likely refers to Gen. {{w|John F. Kelly}}, Donald Trump's chief of staff, but the name is extremely common and could equally refer to {{w|John Kelly|any number of people}}.

==Table of names==
*Work in progress
**The number # refers to the numbers on this [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/7/73/1970-_Name_Dominoes_-_The_large_image_with_numbers.jpg numbered picture].
***Read more on this page:
***[[1970: Name Dominoes/Numbered images]]
*Wiki links not tested as they were set in only from the name in the comic.
**Spell checking...

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!style="width:15%"|Domino
!style="width:45%"|Notability and notes
!style="width:15%"|Connections
!style="width:20%"|Mode
!style="width:5%"|#
|-
|{{w|Christian Campbell}}
|
|
|
|1
|-
|{{w|Neve Campbell}}
|
|
|
|2
|-
|{{w|Joe McCarthy}}
|
|
|
|3
|-
|{{w|Eugene McCarthy}}
|
|
|
|4
|-
|{{w|Gene Vincent}}
|
|
|
|5
|-
|{{w|Gene Kelly}}
|
|
|
|6
|-
|{{w|Kate Hudson}}
|
|
|
|7
|-
|{{w|Rock Hudson}}
|
|
|
|8
|-
|{{w|Gordon Brown}}
|
|
|
|9
|-
|{{w|James Brown}}
|
|
|
|10
|-
|{{w|Jon Brown}}
|
|
|
|11
|-
|{{w|John Howard}}
|Australian politician. Served as 25th Prime Minister of Australia from 1996-2007.
|
|
|12
|-
|{{w|Columbo}}
|Fictional character. Homicide detective from American TV show "Columbo"; portrayed by actor Peter Falk.
|
|
|13
|-
|{{w|Chris Columbus (filmmaker)|Chris Columbus}}
|Film director and screenwriter.
|Columbo Christopher Columbus Chris Hughes
|Last-Only (approximate) First-First (approximate) and Last-Last First-First
|14
|-
|{{w|Christopher Columbus}}
|Italian explorer. Credited with "discovering" the Americas in 1492 by leading voyages and establishing continued ties between Europe and the Americas.
|
|
|15
|-
|{{w|Naomi Campbell}}
|British model and actress.
|
|
|16
|-
|{{w|Joseph Campbell}}
|American author. Most known for his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces about the hero type found throughout world mythologies.
|
|
|17
|-
|{{w|Joseph Smith}}
|American religious leader; founder of Mormonism. Publisher of The Book of Mormon.
|
|
|18
|-
|{{w|Frank Vincent}}
|American actor.
|
|
|19
|-
|{{w|John Kelly}}
|White House Chief of Staff under President Donald Trump. Retired US Marine Corps general.
|
|
|20
|-
|{{w|Katherine Johnson}}
|African-American mathematician at NASA. Calculated trajectories, launch windows, and flight paths for NASA moon missions and the Space Shuttle.
|
|
|21
|-
|{{w|The Rock}}
|Nickname for Dwayne Johnson, a pro wrestler and actor.
|
|
|22
|-
|{{w|Chris Rock}}
|
|
|
|23
|-
|{{w|Chris Isaac}}
|
|
|
|24
|-
|{{w|James Newton Howard}}
|
|
|
|25
|-
|{{w|John Wayne}}
|
|
|
|26
|-
|{{w|Howard Stern}}
|
|
|
|27
|-
|{{w|Howard Hunt}}
|
|
|
|28
|-
|{{w|Chris Hughes}}
|
|
|
|29
|-
|{{w|Naomi Watts}}
|
|
|
|30
|-
|{{w|Naomi Klein}}
|
|
|
|31
|-
|{{w|Kevin Kline}}
|
|
|
|32
|-
|{{w|Francis Bacon}}
|
|
|
|33
|-
|{{w|Francis Drake}}
|
|
|
|34
|-
|{{w|Lyndon Johnson}}
|
|
|
|35
|-
|{{w|Oscar the Grouch}}
|
|
|
|36
|-
|{{w|Oscar Isaac}}
|
|
|
|37
|-
|{{w|Isaac Hayes}}
|
|
|
|38
|-
|{{w|Isaac Newton}}
|Well-known 1600s physicist who created the three laws of motion.
|
|
|39
|-
|{{w|Wayne Newton}}
|
|
|
|40
|-
|{{w|Wayne Knight}}
|
|
|
|41
|-
|{{w|Helen Hunt}}
|
|
|
|42
|-
|{{w|Helen Hughes}}
|
|
|
|43
|-
|{{w|James Watt|James Watt (Steam)}}
|
|
|
|44
|-
|{{w|James G. Watt|James Watt (Interior)}}
|
|
|
|45
|-
|{{w|Kevin Costner}}
|
|
|
|46
|-
|{{w|Kevin Bacon}}
|
|
|
|47
|-
|{{w|Kevin Love}}
|
|
|
|48
|-
|{{w|Lisa Frank}}
|
|
|
|49
|-
|{{w|Frank Drake}}
|
|
|
|50
|-
|{{w|Drake}}
|
|
|
|51
|-
|{{w|Oscar de la Renta}}
|
|
|
|52
|-
|{{w|Oscar de la Hoya}}
|
|
|
|53
|-
|{{w|Sean Hayes}}
|
|
|
|54
|-
|{{w|Wallace Shawn}}
|
|
|
|55
|-
|{{w|Wayne Howard}}
|
|
|
|56
|-
|{{w|Wayne Brady}}
|
|
|
|57
|-
|{{w|James Brady}}
|
|
|
|58
|-
|{{w|Tom Brady}}
|
|
|
|59
|-
|{{w|Helen Thomas}}
|
|
|
|60
|-
|{{w|Tom Hanks}}
|
|
|
|61
|-
|{{w|Hank Aaron}}
|
|
|
|62
|-
|{{w|Aaron Carter}}
|
|
|
|63
|-
|{{w|Stephen James}}
|
|
|
|64
|-
|{{w|Will Smith}}
|
|
|
|65
|-
|{{w|Kevin Smith}}
|
|
|
|66
|-
|{{w|Kein James}}
|
|
|
|67
|-
|{{w|Garfield}}
|
|
|
|68
|-
|{{w|James Garfield}}
|
|
|
|69
|-
|{{w|Warren Buffett}}
|
|
|
|70
|-
|{{w|Jimmy Buffett}}
|
|
|
|71
|-
|{{w|Warren Beatty}}
|
|
|
|72
|-
|{{w|Elizabeth Warren}}
|
|
|
|73
|-
|{{w|Earl Warren}}
|
|
|
|74
|-
|{{w|Elizabeth Kolbert}}
|
|
|
|75
|-
|{{w|Stephen Colbert}}
|
|
|
|76
|-
|{{w|George Wallace}}
|
|
|
|77
|-
|{{w|Charles Wallace}}
|
|
|
|78
|-
|{{w|James Monroe}}
|
|
|
|79
|-
|{{w|Marilyn Monroe}}
|
|
|
|80
|-
|{{w|Hank Williams}}
|
|
|
|81
|-
|{{w|William C. Williams}}
|
|
|
|82
|-
|{{w|Steve Harvey}}
|
|
|
|83
|-
|{{w|Domino Harvey}}
|
|
|
|84
|-
|{{w|Harvey Milk}}
|
|
|
|85
|-
|{{w|James Saint James}}
|
|
|
|86
|-
|{{w|Etta James|Etta James (1)}}
| Used again in 266
|
|
|87
|-
|{{w|Jim Jones}}
|
|
|
|88
|-
|{{w|James Earl Jones}}
|
|
|
|89
|-
|{{w|Charlie Parker}}
|
|
|
|90
|-
|{{w|Ray Parker Jr.}}
|
|
|
|91
|-
|{{w|Ray Charles}}
|
|
|
|92
|-
|{{w|Charles Manson}}
|
|
|
|93
|-
|{{w|Marilyn Manson}}
|
|
|
|94
|-
|{{w|Robin Williams}}
|
|
|
|95
|-
|{{w|Billy D. Williams}}
|
|
|
|96
|-
|{{w|Will Wright}}
|
|
|
|97
|-
|{{w|Fats Domino}}
|
|
|
|98
|-
|{{w|Bill Clinton}}
|
|
|
|99
|-
|{{w|Jimmy John}}
|
|
|
|100
|-
|{{w|Tom Jones}}
|
|
|
|101
|-
|{{w|Tommy John}}
|
|
|
|102
|-
|{{w|Quincy Jones}}
|
|
|
|103
|-
|{{w|James Earl Ray}}
|
|
|
|104
|-
|{{w|Man Ray}}
|
|
|
|105
|-
|{{w|Rachel Ray}}
|
|
|
|106
|-
|{{w|Ray Allen}}
|
|
|
|107
|-
|{{w|Tim Allen}}
|
|
|
|108
|-
|{{w|Tim Cook}}
|
|
|
|109
|-
|{{w|Tim Howard}}
|
|
|
|110
|-
|{{w|Robin Wright}}
|
|
|
|111
|-
|{{w|Wilbur Wright}}
|
|
|
|112
|-
|{{w|Fatty Arbuckle}}
|
|
|
|113
|-
|{{w|Fat Joe}}
|
|
|
|114
|-
|{{w|George Clinton}}
|
|
|
|115
|-
|{{w|John Kerry}}
|
|
|
|116
|-
|{{w|Kerry Washington}}
|
|
|
|117
|-
|{{w|John Irving}}
|
|
|
|118
|-
|{{w|John Quincy Adams}}
|
|
|
|119
|-
|{{w|John Adams}}
|
|
|
|120
|-
|{{w|Amy Adams}}
|
|
|
|121
|-
|{{w|Aimee Mann}}
|
|
|
|122
|-
|{{w|Superman}}
|
|
|
|123
|-
|{{w|Batman}}
|
|
|
|124
|-
|{{w|Ayn Rand}}
|
|
|
|125
|-
|{{w|Lily Allen}}
|
|
|
|126
|-
|{{w|Paul Allen}}
|
|
|
|127
|-
|{{w|Ron Howard}}
|
|
|
|128
|-
|{{w|Howard Hughes}}
|
|
|
|129
|-
|{{w|Joe Kennedy}}
|
|
|
|130
|-
|{{w|George Bush}}
|
|
|
|131
|-
|{{w|George Wasington}}
|
|
|
|132
|-
|{{w|Wasington Irving}}
|
|
|
|133
|-
|{{w|Martha Wasington}}
|
|
|
|134
|-
|{{w|Ma Rainey}}
|
|
|
|135
|-
|{{w|Jack Ma}}
|
|
|
|136
|-
|{{w|Super Grover}}
|
|
|
|137
|-
|{{w|Jack Black}}
|
|
|
|138
|-
|{{w|Rand Paul}}
|
|
|
|139
|-
|{{w|Paul Ryan}}
|
|
|
|140
|-
|{{w|Paul Simon}}
|
|
|
|141
|-
|{{w|Ron Paul}}
|
|
|
|142
|-
|{{w|John Hughes}}
|
|
|
|143
|-
|{{w|Langston Hughes}}
|
|
|
|144
|-
|{{w|John F. Kennedy}}
|
|
|
|145
|-
|{{w|Little Richard}}
|
|
|
|146
|-
|{{w|Rich Little}}
|
|
|
|147
|-
|{{w|Martha Stewart}}
|
|
|
|148
|-
|{{w|Yo Yo Ma}}
|
|
|
|149
|-
|{{w|Ma Bell}}
|Aka Bell System, the system of companies, led by the Bell Telephone Company and later by AT&T, which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984.
|
|
|150
|-
|{{w|Grover Cleveland Alexander}}
|
|
|
|151
|-
|{{w|Grover Cleveland}}
|
|
|
|152
|-
|{{w|Jack White}}
|
|
|
|153
|-
|{{w|Jack Ryan}}
|
|
|
|154
|-
|{{w|Debby Ryan}}
|
|
|
|155
|-
|{{w|Carly Simon}}
|
|
|
|156
|-
|{{w|Carly Hughes}}
|
|
|
|157
|-
|{{w|Charles Evans Hughes}}
|
|
|
|158
|-
|{{w|John Williams}}
|
|
|
|159
|-
|{{w|Little John}}
|
|
|
|160
|-
|{{w|Stuart Little}}
|
|
|
|161
|-
|{{w|Potter Stewart}}
|
|
|
|162
|-
|{{w|Kristen Stewart}}
|
|
|
|163
|-
|{{w|Kristen Bell}}
|
|
|
|164
|-
|{{w|Kristen Hooks}}
|
|
|
|165
|-
|{{w|Alexander Graham Bell}}
|
|
|
|166
|-
|{{w|Franklin Graham}}
|
|
|
|167
|-
|{{w|Lloyd Alexander}}
|
|
|
|168
|-
|{{w|Meg White}}
|
|
|
|169
|-
|{{w|Meg ryan}}
|
|
|
|170
|-
|{{w|Debbie Reynolds}}
|
|
|
|171
|-
|{{w|John Reynolds}}
|
|
|
|172
|-
|{{w|Carly Fiorina}}
|
|
|
|173
|-
|{{w|Grace Lee Boggs}}
|
|
|
|174
|-
|{{w|Wade Boggs}}
|
|
|
|175
|-
|{{w|William Safire}}
|
|
|
|176
|-
|{{w|Prince William}}
|
|
|
|177
|-
|{{w|Little Prince}}
|
|
|
|178
|-
|{{w|Harry Potter}}
|
|
|
|179
|-
|{{w|James Potter}}
|
|
|
|180
|-
|{{w|James Hook}}
|
|
|
|181
|-
|{{w|James Dean}}
|
|
|
|182
|-
|{{w|Aretha Franklin}}
|
|
|
|183
|-
|{{w|Frank Lloyd Wright}}
|
|
|
|184
|-
|{{w|Barry White}}
|
|
|
|185
|-
|{{w|Walter White}}
|
|
|
|186
|-
|{{w|Walt Whitman}}
|
|
|
|187
|-
|{{w|John Kelly}}
|
|
|
|188
|-
|{{w|Grace Lee}}
|
|
|
|189
|-
|{{w|Nancy Grace}}
|
|
|
|190
|-
|{{w|Garnet_(Steven_Universe)|Garnet}}
|A {{w|garnet}} is a gem stone and the two names around here are {{w|William Safire}} (almost {{w|Sapphire}}) and {{w|Jack Ruby}} as in {{w|Ruby}}. But it is not just used because they are all {{w|gemstones}}. It is instead a reference to the character {{w|Garnet_(Steven_Universe)|Garnet}} in the cartoon {{w|Steven Universe}}. She is a "fusion" formed by two gems: Ruby and Sapphire, hence the legal connection in the Name Dominoes... Randall has previously made references to this universe in [[1608: Hoverboard]]. (See [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/3/39/1608_1031x1095y_Steven_Universe_family_and_ice_cream_prediction.png this] and [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/f/fa/1608_1077x1109y_Darth_Vaders_talks_about_Steven_Universe_on_the_bridge_Megan_adjust_antenna.png this] image from that comic).
|{{w|William Safire}} {{w|Jack Ruby}}
|Last-Only (as a Sapphire gem stone) Last-Only (as a Ruby gem stone) Both used to fuse together to Garnet.
|191
|-
|{{w|Prince}}
|
|
|
|192
|-
|{{w|Prince Felder}}
|
|
|
|193
|-
|{{w|Prince Harry}}
|
|
|
|194
|-
|{{w|Harry Styles}}
|
|
|
|195
|-
|{{w|John Dean}}
|
|
|
|196
|-
|{{w|Benjamin Franklin}}
|
|
|
|197
|-
|{{w|Harrold Lloyd}}
|
|
|
|198
|-
|{{w|Harrold Ford}}
|
|
|
|199
|-
|{{w|Betty White}}
|
|
|
|200
|-
|{{w|Meg Whitman}}
|
|
|
|201
|-
|{{w|Christine Todd Whitman}}
|
|
|
|202
|-
|{{w|Megyn Kelly}}
|
|
|
|203
|-
|{{w|Grace Kelly}}
|
|
|
|204
|-
|{{w|Grace Jones}}
|
|
|
|205
|-
|{{w|Jack Nicholson}}
|
|
|
|206
|-
|{{w|Jack Ruby}}
|
|
|
|207
|-
|{{w|Jack Russel}}
|
|
|
|208
|-
|{{w|Harry Fielder}}
|
|
|
|209
|-
|{{w|Harry Trueman}}
|
|
|
|210
|-
|{{w|Harry Jon Benjamin}}
|
|
|
|211
|-
|{{w|John Edward}}
|
|
|
|212
|-
|{{w|Benjamin Harrison}}
|
|
|
|213
|-
|{{w|Harrison Ford}}
|
|
|
|214
|-
|{{w|Henry Ford}}
|
|
|
|215
|-
|{{w|Betty Ford}}
|
|
|
|216
|-
|{{w|Betty Friedan}}
|
|
|
|217
|-
|{{w|Chris Christie}}
|
|
|
|218
|-
|{{w|Chris Pratt}}
|
|
|
|219
|-
|{{w|Maggie Grace}}
|
|
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|220
|-
|{{w|Grace Hopper}}
|
|
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|221
|-
|{{w|Russel Crowe}}
|
|
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|222
|-
|{{w|Russ Smith}}
|
|
|
|223
|-
|{{w|John Smith}}
|
|
|
|224
|-
|{{w|Justin Long}}
|
|
|
|225
|-
|{{w|John Bel Edwards}}
|
|
|
|226
|-
|{{w|John Candy}}
|
|
|
|227
|-
|{{w|John Henry}}
|
|
|
|228
|-
|{{w|Henry James}}
|
|
|
|229
|-
|{{w|Bill James}}
|
|
|
|230
|-
|{{w|Chirs Cooper}}
|
|
|
|231
|-
|{{w|Chirs Hemsworth}}
|
|
|
|232
|-
|{{w|Chirs Evans}}
|
|
|
|233
|-
|{{w|Topher Grace}}
|
|
|
|234
|-
|{{w|Van Morrison}}
|
|
|
|235
|-
|{{w|Sheryl Crow}}
|
|
|
|236
|-
|{{w|Sheryl Sandberg}}
|
|
|
|237
|-
|{{w|Cameron Crow}}
|
|
|
|238
|-
|{{w|Long John Silver}}
|
|
|
|239
|-
|{{w|Olivia Newton John}}
|
|
|
|240
|-
|{{w|Huey long}}
|
|
|
|241
|-
|{{w|John Edwards}}
|
|
|
|242
|-
|{{w|Candy Crowley}}
|
|
|
|243
|-
|{{w|Alestier Crowley}}
|
|
|
|244
|-
|{{w|James Fenimore Cooper}}
|
|
|
|245
|-
|{{w|James Cook}}
|18th century British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy.
|Alistair Cooke Cokie Roberts Alistair Cookie James Fenimore Cooper
|Last-Last (approximate) Last-First (approximate) Last-Last (approximate) First-First
|246
|-
|{{w|Robert Frost}}
|
|
|
|247
|-
|{{w|Bob Evans}}
|
|
|
|248
|-
|{{w|Evan Tayler Jones}}
|
|
|
|249
|-
|{{w|James Cameron}}
|
|
|
|250
|-
|{{w|Cam Newton}}
|
|
|
|251
|-
|{{w|Cameron Diaz}}
|
|
|
|252
|-
|{{w|Huey Newton}}
|
|
|
|253
|-
|{{w|Huey Lewis}}
|
|
|
|254
|-
|{{w|John Lewis}}
|
|
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|255
|-
|{{w|Jenny Lewis}}
|
|
|
|256
|-
|{{w|Ryan Lewis}}
|
|
|
|257
|-
|{{w|Burt Reynolds}}
|
|
|
|258
|-
|{{w|Alistair Cooke}}
|Name misspelled Alistiar Cooke in the comic.
|
|
|259
|-
|{{w|Monsterpiece_Theater#Alistair_Cookie|Alistair Cookie}}
|A parody of Alistair Cooke "played" by Cookie Monster in the Sesame Street sketch "Monsterpiece Theatre" in the 1980s, a parody of the PBS series "Masterpiece Theatre".
|James Cook Alastair Reynolds
|Last-Last (approximate) First-First (approximate)
|260
|-
|{{w|Cokie Roberts}}
|
|
|
|261
|-
|{{w|John Roberts}}
|
|
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|262
|-
|{{w|Robert Johnson}}
|
|
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|263
|-
|{{w|Robert E. Lee}}
|
|
|
|264
|-
|{{w|Tommy Lee}}
|
|
|
|265
|-
|{{w|Tommy Lee Jones}}
|
|
|
|266
|-
|{{w|Etta James|Etta James (2)}}
|Used first time in 86
|
|
|267
|-
|{{w|John Oliver}}
|
|
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|268
|-
|{{w|Ryan Reynolds}}
|
|
|
|269
|-
|{{w|Alastair Reynolds}}
|
|
|
|270
|}

==Transcript==
:[This comic a large grid with 270 black "domino" tiles. On each tile there is a name written with white text. The grid is arranged so that each touching side corresponds with the first or last name of another person (or at least there are some kind of relation between the names on the end of connecting tiles). Some of the domino tiles are rotated 90, 180 or 270 degrees so the text is either to be read down, up-side down or up. The names on the tiles are listed here below in approximate reading order, thus staring top left and moving over the grid from left to right and down. Each swipe left to right covers approximately tiles that are within a span of one standard tile in height. To be exact it lists the names in the order they were numbered in this [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/7/73/1970-_Name_Dominoes_-_The_large_image_with_numbers.jpg image]. One name is used twice, Etta James.]
:Christian Campbell
:Neve Campbell
:Joe McCarthy
:Eugene McCarthy
:Gene Vincent
:Gene Kelly
:Kate Hudson
:Rock Hudson
:Gordon Brown
:James Brown
:Jon Brown
:John Howard
:Columbo
:Chris Columbus
:Christopher Columbus
:Naomi Campbell
:Joseph Campbell
:Joseph Smith
:Frank Vincent
:John Kelly
:Katherine Johnson
:The Rock
:Chris Rock
:Chris Isaac
:James Newton Howard
:John Wayne
:Howard Stern
:Howard Hunt
:Chris Hughes
:Naomi Watts
:Naomi Klein
:Kevin Kline
:Francis Bacon
:Francis Drake
:Lyndon Johnson
:Oscar the Grouch
:Oscar Isaac
:Isaac Hayes
:Isaac Newton
:Wayne Newton
:Wayne Knight
:Helen Hunt
:Helen Hughes
:James Watt (Steam)
:James Watt (Interior)
:Kevin Costner
:Kevin Bacon
:Kevin Love
:Lisa Frank
:Frank Drake
:Drake
:Oscar de la Renta
:Oscar de la Hoya
:Sean Hayes
:Wallace Shawn
:Wayne Howard
:Wayne Brady
:James Brady
:Tom Brady
:Helen Thomas
:Tom Hanks
:Hank Aaron
:Aaron Carter
:Stephen James
:Will Smith
:Kevin Smith
:Kein James
:Garfield
:James Garfield
:Warren Buffett
:Jimmy Buffett
:Warren Beatty
:Elizabeth Warren
:Earl Warren
:Eliabeth Kolbert
:Stephen Colbert
:George Wallace
:Charles Wallace
:James Monroe
:Marilyn Monroe
:Hank Williams
:William C. Williams
:Steve Harvey
:Domino Harvey
:Harvey Milk
:James Saint James
:Etta James
:Jim Jones
:James Earl Jones
:Charlie Parker
:Ray Parker Jr.
:Ray Charles
:Charles Manson
:Marilyn Manson
:Robin Williams
:Billy D. Williams
:Will Wright
:Fats Domino
:Bill Clinton
:Jimmy John
:Tom Jones
:Tommy John
:Quincy Jones
:James Earl Ray
:Man Ray
:Rachel Ray
:Ray Allen
:Tim Allen
:Tim Cook
:Tim Howard
:Robin Wright
:Wilbur Wright
:Fatty Arbuckle
:Fat Joe
:George Clinton
:John Kerry
:Kerry Washington
:John Irving
:John Quincy Adams
:John Adams
:Amy Adams
:Aimee Mann
:Superman
:Batman
:Ayn Rand
:Lily Allen
:Paul Allen
:Ron Howard
:Howard Hughes
:Joe Kennedy
:George Bush
:George Wasington
:Wasington Irving
:Martha Wasington
:Ma Rainey
:Jack Ma
:Super Grover
:Jack Black
:Rand Paul
:Paul Ryan
:Paul Simon
:Ron Paul
:John Hughes
:Langston Hughes
:John F. Kennedy
:Little Richard
:Rich Little
:Martha Stewart
:Yo Yo Ma
:Ma Bell
:Grover Cleveland Alexander
:Grover Cleveland
:Jack White
:Jack Ryan
:Debby Ryan
:Carly Simon
:Carly Hughes
:Charles Evans Hughes
:John Williams
:Little John
:Stuart Little
:Potter Stewart
:Kristen Stewart
:Kristen Bell
:Kristen Hooks
:Alexander Graham Bell
:Franklin Graham
:Lloyd Alexander
:Meg White
:Meg ryan
:Debbie Reynolds
:John Reynolds
:Carly Fiorina
:Grace Lee Boggs
:Wade Boggs
:William Safire
:Prince William
:Little Prince
:Harry Potter
:James Potter
:James Hook
:James Dean
:Aretha Franklin
:Frank Lloyd Wright
:Barry White
:Walter White
:Walt Whitman
:John Kelly
:Grace Lee
:Nancy Grace
:Garnet
:Prince
:Prince Felder
:Prince Harry
:Harry Styles
:John Dean
:Benjamin Franklin
:Harrold Lloyd
:Harrold Ford
:Betty White
:Meg Whitman
:Christine Todd Whitman
:Megyn Kelly
:Grace Kelly
:Grace Jones
:Jack Nicholson
:Jack Ruby
:Jack Russel
:Harry Fielder
:Harry Trueman
:Harry Jon Benjamin
:John Edward
:Benjamin Harrison
:Harrison Ford
:Henry Ford
:Betty Ford
:Betty Friedan
:Chris Christie
:Chris Pratt
:Maggie Grace
:Grace Hopper
:Russel Crowe
:Russ Smith
:John Smith
:Justin Long
:John Bel Edwards
:John Candy
:John Henry
:Henry James
:Bill James
:Chirs Cooper
:Chirs Hemsworth
:Chirs Evans
:Topher Grace
:Van Morrison
:Sheryl Crow
:Sheryl Sandberg
:Cameron Crow
:Long John Silver
:Olivia Newton John
:Huey long
:John Edwards
:Candy Crowley
:Alestier Crowley
:James Fenimore Cooper
:James Cook
:Robert Frost
:Bob Evans
:Evan Tayler Jones
:James Cameron
:Cam Newton
:Cameron Diaz
:Huey Newton
:Huey Lewis
:John Lewis
:Jenny Lewis
:Ryan Lewis
:Burt Reynolds
:Alistiar Cooke
:Alistair Cookie
:Cokie Roberts
:John Roberts
:Robert Johnson
:Robert E. Lee
:Tommy Lee
:Tommy Lee Jones
:Etta James
:John Oliver
:Ryan Reynolds
:Alastair Reynolds

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Large drawings]]

Talk:1526: Placebo Blocker

2015-05-19T17:07:00Z

CLSI: A real-live placebo blocker experiment

;Placebome

The title of the referenced paper introduces the 'Placebome', the collection of genes which lead to the placebo effect. This is an absolutely ridiculous word, and would be worthy of Jonathan Eisen's [http://phylogenomics.blogspot.ch/search/label/Worst%20New%20Omics%20Word%20Award Worst New Omics Word Award]. [[User:Quantum7|Quantum7]] ([[User talk:Quantum7|talk]]) 08:31, 18 May 2015 (UTC)

;Title text bottle

It seems more plausible to me that the "they" and "same bottle" in the title text refer to the sugar pills for headache. The title text would then be an organic continuation of the immediately preceding dialogue. [[User:Angew|Angew]] ([[User talk:Angew|talk]]) 09:01, 18 May 2015 (UTC)
:Agreed. Take two sugar pils. The second will boost the effect of the first. It could work if you believe it.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:14, 18 May 2015 (UTC)
:: Agreed, updated. -- [[User:Phyzome|Phyzome]] ([[User talk:Phyzome|talk]]) 13:47, 18 May 2015 (UTC)

I'm confused about why this explanation is a stub. Personally, I think it explains the comic well, but I'll refrain from removing the incomplete tag in case most people think that the explanation isn't adequate. [[User:Caeleste Alarum|Caeleste Alarum]] ([[User talk:Caeleste Alarum|talk]]) 15:21, 18 May 2015 (UTC)

Wouldn't you find a malady that can be treated via placebo, like a headache, give control group A a headache pill, control group B a placebo and tell them it was a headache pill and give the test group a placebo blocker as the placebo and tell them it is a headache pill?

A placebo blocker would be really useful in medical testing to find out which medicines are actually effective and which are simply producing a stronger placebo effect through a noticeable side effect.
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.125|173.245.48.125]] 15:46, 18 May 2015 (UTC)

;How to do it.

Compound two sets of placebos. The control set is just sugar pills. The other set would be the blocker. Unless the active dose is massive, it'd also be partially a sugar pill already.

Present both as a possible treatment for some malady.

Each group would then only get one pill, and be ignorant that there was potentially a placebo blocker in their dose.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.160|108.162.238.160]] 17:09, 18 May 2015 (UTC)

I would guess that there would have to be at least 6 groups. Groups 1 and 2 would be the traditional experiment with a drug and a placebo, groups 3, 4, 5, and 6 are given two pills one of which they told is a drug, the other is a placebo blocker which may prevent the first drug from helping you. groups 3 and 4 are given the real placebo blocker, groups 5 and 6 are given another placebo. This would be an interesting experiment in that you could test the psychological effects of telling someone who took a real drug that "it may not work." [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.188|108.162.238.188]] 18:36, 18 May 2015 (UTC) Veggiet

I think we've entirely overlooked the idea of using a control group that doesn't know what the word placebo means. With such a control group, one could not tell them any lies at all "I've invented this new drug called placebo that will cure your rheumatism".[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 18:57, 18 May 2015 (UTC)

:Why do you have to include the world placebo? Any new made up name like turgidax or pragmanol or frogans or vulpix or bligdrine will work. What is wrong with saying to the patient in the control group,"You are testing a pill of bligdrine." The patient may or may not know what placebo is, but they will certainly be not aware of bligdrine. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.163|173.245.48.163]] 20:21, 18 May 2015 (UTC)BK201

I once removed the last paragraph regarding speculations on the title text as of what could happen if there were two different pills in the bottle. But it is to me clear that there is just sugar pills, as is already explained above. And thus this paragraph is overkill. But it was inserted again after I deleted it. I vote for it to be deleted, but will let someone else do this, as not to make it a personal edit war... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 16:05, 19 May 2015 (UTC)

Here's an experiment done all the way back in 1978: Levine, J.D., Gordon, N.C., and Fields, H.L. (1978). The mechanism of placebo analgesia. Lancet 2: 654-657.
Summary: The researchers recruited volunteers who were undergoing tooth extraction. After surgery, one group received morphine-based drugs (most, but not all, reported pain relief). Others received placebo (about a third reported pain relief). Others yet were given placebo AND naloxone, a drug that blocks the action of opioids (none reported pain relief). The researchers concluded that administration of placebo caused the release of endogenous opioids in some patients, and naloxone worked as a placebo blocker. More recent research with functional brain imaging has confirmed that opioids and placebos activate the same brain regions (Petrovic, P., Kalso, E., Petersson, K.M., and Ingvar, M. (2002). Placebo and opioid analgesia imaging--A shared neuronal network. Science 295: 1737-1740).[[User:CLSI|CLSI]] ([[User talk:CLSI|talk]]) 17:07, 19 May 2015 (UTC)

Talk:1252: Increased Risk

2013-08-16T17:42:27Z

CLSI:

I think this is to address the old chestnut of "<something> will ''double'' your risk of getting cancer!", or the like, where the risk of getting that cancer (in this example) is maybe 1 in 10,000, so doubling the risk across a population wouldmake that a 1 in 5,000 risk to your health... which you may still consider to be an acceptable gamble if it's something nice (like cheese!) that's apaprently to blame and you'd find abstinence from it gives a barely marginal benefit for a far greater loss of life enjoyment. Also, this sort of figure almost always applies towards a ''specific form'' of cancer, or whatever risk is being discussed, meaning you aren't vastly changing your life expectancy at all. In fact, the likes of opposing "red wine is good/bad for you" studies can be mutually true by this same principle (gain a little risk of one condition, lose a little risk from another). (Note: I don't know of any particular "cheese gives you cancer!" stories doing the rounds, at the moment. I bet they have done, but I only mention it because I actually quite like cheese. And I probably ''wouldn't'' give it up under the above conditions.)

It's also possible that this covers the likes of "<foo> in <country> is 10 times more dangerous than it is <other country>" statements. Perhaps ''only'' ten incidents happened in the former, and a single instance in the latter, out the ''whole'' of each respective country. Or a single incident occured in both, but the second country is ten times the size, so gets 'adjusted for population' in the tables. And, besides which, that was just for one year and was just a statistical blip that will probably revert-towards-the-mean next year.

Finally, for a given risk of some incident happening on the first two trips, with no 'memory' or build-up involved, it pretty much is half-as-likely-again for the incident to have happened (some time!) in three separate trips. (Not quite, if those that lose against the odds and get caught by the incident the first or second trip never get to ''have'' a (second or) third trip... but for negligable odds like thegiven example, of the dog with the handgun, it's near-as-damnit so.) [[Special:Contributions/178.104.103.140|178.104.103.140]] 11:12, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

Where did "dogs with shotguns" come from? I only saw "handgun" in the comic. Besides, I interpreted the risk as being hit by a negligent discharge from the handgun, not being deliberately attacked by the dog. Also, since probabilities are the set of real numbers between 0 and 1 inclusive, there are an uncountable number of them. "A x% increase in a tiny risk is still tiny" is an inductive statement, which means it could only be used to argue that a countable set of numbers is tiny. [[Special:Contributions/76.64.65.200|76.64.65.200]] 12:24, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

:If induction base is uncountable, you can prove it for the whole [0; 1]. For example your induction base may be "every risk under 0.00000000000000000001% is tiny". --[[User:DiEvAl|DiEvAl]] ([[User talk:DiEvAl|talk]]) 12:38, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

I think it's worth mentioning that this comic doesn't [[985|distinguish between percentages and percentage points]]. --[[User:DiEvAl|DiEvAl]] ([[User talk:DiEvAl|talk]]) 12:35, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

Is it the case that doing something three times increases risk by 50% over two times inherently? I feel like this is the case, but it's early, here. Also, I'm not sure Randall is attacked by a dog, he may be using it as a diversion. I think that he's done this before. [[User:Theo|Theo]] ([[User talk:Theo|talk]]) 12:56, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
:(First, good point, DiEvAl, about the percentages/percentage-points. I ''knew'' I'd missed something out in my first thoughts. I actually tend to assume ''against'' percentage points, which is somewhat the opposite from what I've seen in the general public.)
:Actually, depends on how you count it. But I was using the "encounter 'n' incidents per trip", "encounter '2n' incidents per two trips", "encoutner '3n' incidents per three trips" measure, where 3n==2n+50%. But that works best with a baseline of >>1 incidents per trip assumed. In reality, if the chance is a fractional 'p' for an occurance in one instance, it's (1-p) that it ''didn't'' occur thus (1-p)n that it didn't occur in any of 'n' instances and 1-(1-p)n that it did (at least once, possible several times or even all). Not so simple, but for p tending to zero it 'does' converge on 1.5 times for across three what you'd expect for two (albeit because 0*1.5=0). Like they say, "Lies, Damn Lies...", etc. ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.104.103.140|178.104.103.140]] 14:22, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

I don't think Randall is being attacked by a dog at all. What he's saying is that if you are going to think getting attacked by a shark is so likely, then you better be watching out for that never-gonna-happen dog scenario too. [[User:Jillysky|Jillysky]] ([[User talk:Jillysky|talk]]) 13:56, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

Is 0.000001% really "one in a million"?
;If 1% = 1 in 100, then
:0.1% = 1 in a 1,000
:0.01% = 1 in a 10,000
:0.001% = 1 in a 100,000
:0.0001% = 1 in a 1,000,000
:0.00001% = 1 in a 10,000,000
:'''0.000001% = 1 in a 100,000,000'''
Would it be more accurate to leave off the % sign?
Assuming I'm right, I think it'd be less confusing to leave it and reduce the numbers by a couple orders of magnitude.
--Clayton [[Special:Contributions/12.202.74.87|12.202.74.87]] 14:36, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

''If the chance of the dog attack is 0.000000001% (one in a billion) on each visit to the beach, then the chance of attack over two visits is 0.000000002% whereas in three visits it becomes 0.000000003%''

Um, no. Following that logic, if I go to the beach a billion times then I '''will''' get shot by a dog that is packing. Rather, each visit to the beach has it's own odds, like the rolling of dice? On any particular visit there's a one-in-a-billion chance. And that's true on each subsequent visit as well. Tuesday's visit to the beach isn't twice as dangerous just because I was at the beach on Monday. [[User:CFoxx|CFoxx]] ([[User talk:CFoxx|talk]]) 16:26, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
:For each visit that is the case. Because it's one visit, that's true. However, if (time not being a factor) one were to have a billion visits planned, the odds over all would be increased. Pretty sure that overall this means that you got the joke faster than I did. Thanks for the clarification! [[User:Theo|Theo]] ([[User talk:Theo|talk]]) 17:06, 16 August 2013 (UTC)
::The odds overall may increase with multiple visits. But not, at least, at the rate listed. Otherwise that billionth trip (if one survived that long as one is likely to do) would be certain death. [[User:CFoxx|CFoxx]] ([[User talk:CFoxx|talk]]) 17:30, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

Just a thought: is the title text a reference to the Sorites paradox? --AJ [[Special:Contributions/80.42.221.105|80.42.221.105]] 17:25, 16 August 2013 (UTC)

Rats! I made the newbie mistake of editing something before I found the discussion page. I looked for it, honest I did! I see that UTC has already brought up what I referred to as "Cueball's error" in my (pre-log-in) edit. I did find it hard to believe I'd be the first xkcd fan to notice this error. I think this is worth addressing in the explanation, though I of course won't take offense if someone wants to obliterate my edit and start over. (CLSI)