explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:3081: PhD Timeline

2025-04-25T16:51:16Z

CharlesT:

What an age we live in... --[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al | Converse]][https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa%27al My life choices] 15:48, 25 April 2025 (UTC)
:[https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/politics/fbi-director-wisconsin-judge-arrested/index.html It only gets rougher... ] It's enough to radicalize a person. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.65.187|172.69.65.187]] 16:09, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

Events like this are scary, and they're even scarier if you have a personal or geographic connection to them like Randall does. I can understand why he would feel frustrated about his inability to do something concrete, and if this comic raises awareness for the situation then it has done a good thing. Not sure why I thought this comment was necessary; maybe it's just a way of processing the emotions that the comic made me feel. [[User:Dextrous Fred|Dextrous Fred]] ([[User talk:Dextrous Fred|talk]]) 15:49, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

I dont want to start an argument, but I am glad Randall Munroe is making a specific, reasonable point. A lot of times I see people saying either "there is no antisemitism on campus, nobody should ever get deported, ACTUAL terrorists should get green cards", and others say "EVERYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH ME SHOULD GET DEPORTED, EVERYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH ME IS A TERRORIST." I think both of them are extreme points obviously, and I am glad Randall is just taking the side, for now, of "this specific person did not violate their green card visa."

as always, based randall, at least for now. [[User:Tzelofachad|Tzelofachad]] ([[User talk:Tzelofachad|talk]]) 16:04, 25 April 2025 (UTC)
:Did you mean "biased"? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:31, 25 April 2025 (UTC)
::Did you mean "biased towards due process?" [[User:CharlesT|Nyrrix]] ([[User talk:CharlesT|talk]]) 16:51, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

I really hope this is one of those comics that does NOT stand the test of time. In other words, I hope the next generation of graduate students sees this and thinks "oh, that must've been written in 2025, we don't have to worry about those kinds of things anymore." Perhaps "hope" isn't the right word, it implies I have hope. Maybe "pray fervently" is the right phrase. Sigh. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.227.72|198.41.227.72]] 16:30, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

How do we edit the Categories? This should have category Politics. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:31, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

I'm so tired of this administration :( [[User:CharlesT|Nyrrix]] ([[User talk:CharlesT|talk]]) 16:49, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

The comic on mobile has the title text has a youtube video URL, and if you click on the comic on desktop version, it links to the youtube video of the arrest. This isn't reflected in the description currently. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.126.121|172.70.126.121]] 16:51, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

Talk:3081: PhD Timeline

2025-04-25T16:49:45Z

CharlesT:

What an age we live in... --[[User:DollarStoreBa'al |DollarStoreBa'al]][[User talk:DollarStoreBa'al | Converse]][https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:Contributions/DollarStoreBa%27al My life choices] 15:48, 25 April 2025 (UTC)
:[https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/politics/fbi-director-wisconsin-judge-arrested/index.html It only gets rougher... ] It's enough to radicalize a person. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.65.187|172.69.65.187]] 16:09, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

Events like this are scary, and they're even scarier if you have a personal or geographic connection to them like Randall does. I can understand why he would feel frustrated about his inability to do something concrete, and if this comic raises awareness for the situation then it has done a good thing. Not sure why I thought this comment was necessary; maybe it's just a way of processing the emotions that the comic made me feel. [[User:Dextrous Fred|Dextrous Fred]] ([[User talk:Dextrous Fred|talk]]) 15:49, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

I dont want to start an argument, but I am glad Randall Munroe is making a specific, reasonable point. A lot of times I see people saying either "there is no antisemitism on campus, nobody should ever get deported, ACTUAL terrorists should get green cards", and others say "EVERYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH ME SHOULD GET DEPORTED, EVERYONE WHO DISAGREES WITH ME IS A TERRORIST." I think both of them are extreme points obviously, and I am glad Randall is just taking the side, for now, of "this specific person did not violate their green card visa."

as always, based randall, at least for now. [[User:Tzelofachad|Tzelofachad]] ([[User talk:Tzelofachad|talk]]) 16:04, 25 April 2025 (UTC)
:Did you mean "biased"? [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:31, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

I really hope this is one of those comics that does NOT stand the test of time. In other words, I hope the next generation of graduate students sees this and thinks "oh, that must've been written in 2025, we don't have to worry about those kinds of things anymore." Perhaps "hope" isn't the right word, it implies I have hope. Maybe "pray fervently" is the right phrase. Sigh. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.227.72|198.41.227.72]] 16:30, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

How do we edit the Categories? This should have category Politics. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 16:31, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

I'm so tired of this administration :( [[User:CharlesT|Nyrrix]] ([[User talk:CharlesT|talk]]) 16:49, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

2917: Types of Eclipse Photo

2024-04-09T19:26:33Z

CharlesT:

{{comic
| number = 2917
| date = April 8, 2024
| title = Types of Eclipse Photo
| image = types_of_eclipse_photo_2x.png
| imagesize = 594x460px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The most rare, top-tier eclipse photo would be the Solar Earth Eclipse, but the Apollo 12 crew's attempt to capture it was marred by camera shake. They said it looked spectacular, though.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AUSTRALIAN CLOUD FROM THE FUTURE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|recent total solar eclipse}} visible in North America. The last photograph refers to one in 2028 that will cross the Australian continent.

'''The Standard:''' A photo of the solar eclipse during totality, a typical photo most people might hope to take.

'''The Partial:''' A photo of the eclipse in progress, likely approaching totality. Another typical photo most viewers take as the eclipse progresses, or the sum total image that could have been taken if not able to be at the [[2914: Eclipse Coolness|right time/place]] to properly observe totality.

'''The Reaction Shot:''' Some people will choose to take a photo of their reaction or their friends' and/or family's reaction. Typically, this style is chosen to document something more personal to the viewer, since a large number of photos of the eclipse already exist online,{{Citation Needed}} and a shot of the crowd is perhaps a more foresighted way of documenting their personal presence under the phenomenon.

'''The Fancy Lens:''' A photo of this type, that features conspicuous {{w|solar prominence}}s, will almost certainly require a lot more preparation and equipment (the 'fancy lens', a tripod or other mounting, etc).

'''The Focus Issues:''' People new or unaware of the difficulties of astral photography typically experience challenges focusing their lenses on astral bodies, especially if they are trying to fight against a confused auto-focus. The eclipse is no exception to this, and this type of photo popped up more frequently during this event because more people were taking photos of the sky than usual.

'''The Traffic Jam:''' On the way to the zone of totality many people got stuck in traffic. About 20 million people lived in the path of totality and some 200 million people in travel range, so many hundreds of thousands commuted to view the eclipse. As such, many people got stuck in traffic. They took ironic or embittered photos their common predicamnet.

'''The Astronaut:''' Astronauts on the ISS had a particularly unique view of the solar eclipse, seeing the Moon's shadow on the Earth's surface.

'''The "Frustratedly Looking up at the Cloud Situation in Australia for 2028":''' There were clouds over a large portion of the United States during the eclipse. Thus, a [[2915: Eclipse Clouds|frustrated onlooker]] would likely be researching if the {{w|Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028|2028 Australian eclipse}} will also be cloudy, giving them a second chance to see the eclipse in its full glory. Ironically, weather is difficult to predict 4 years in the future.

The title text refers to a [[:File:Apollo_12_view_of_Solar_Eclipse_(5052129615).jpg|photograph]] taken during the {{w|Apollo 12}} mission when the Earth came between the spacecraft and the Sun.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:<big>Types of Eclipse Photo</big>

:[Eclipse during totality]
:The standard

:[Partial eclipse with lighter sky]
:The partial

:[Two Cueballs and Ponytail looking and pointing at the sky]
:The reaction shot

:[Eclipse during totality with red "ribbons" around the Moon]
:The fancy lens

:[A blurry ring of light in the center]
:The focus issues

:[The rear of an SUV]
:The traffic jam

:[A dark circle on Earth's surface]
:The astronaut

:[A gray cover of clouds]
:The "frustratedly looking up the cloud situation in Australia for 2028"

==Trivia==
* The [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/types_of_eclipse_photo.png standard size] image was uploaded with a resolution/size of 8920 by 6909, larger than the supposed 2x version at 1189 by 921. This was likely an error.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Photography]]

2917: Types of Eclipse Photo

2024-04-09T19:23:33Z

CharlesT:

{{comic
| number = 2917
| date = April 8, 2024
| title = Types of Eclipse Photo
| image = types_of_eclipse_photo_2x.png
| imagesize = 594x460px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The most rare, top-tier eclipse photo would be the Solar Earth Eclipse, but the Apollo 12 crew's attempt to capture it was marred by camera shake. They said it looked spectacular, though.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AUSTRALIAN CLOUD FROM THE FUTURE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|recent total solar eclipse}} visible in North America. The last photograph refers to one in 2028 that will cross the Australian continent.

'''The Standard:''' A photo of the solar eclipse during totality, a typical photo most people might hope to take.

'''The Partial:''' A photo of the eclipse in progress, likely approaching totality. Another typical photo most viewers take as the eclipse progresses, or the sum total image that could have been taken if not able to be at the [[2914: Eclipse Coolness|right time/place]] to properly observe totality.

'''The Reaction Shot:''' Some people will choose to take a photo of their reaction or their friends' and/or family's reaction. Typically, this style is chosen to document something more personal to the viewer, since a large number of photos of the eclipse already exist online,{{Citation Needed}} and a shot of the crowd is perhaps a more foresighted way of documenting their personal presence under the phenomenon.

'''The Fancy Lens:''' A photo of this type, that features conspicuous {{w|solar prominence}}s, will almost certainly require a lot more preparation and equipment (the 'fancy lens', a tripod or other mounting, etc).

'''The Focus Issues:''' People new or unaware of the difficulties of astral photography typically experience challenges focusing their lenses on astral bodies, especially if they are trying to fight against a confused auto-focus. The eclipse is no exception to this, and this type of photo popped up more frequently during this event because more people were taking photos of the sky than usual.

'''The Traffic Jam:''' On the way to the zone of totality many people got stuck in traffic. About 20 million people lived in the path of totality and some 200 million people in travel range, so many hundreds of thousands commuted to view the eclipse. As such, many people got stuck in traffic. They took ironic or embittered photos their common predicamnet.

'''The Astronaut:''' Astronauts on the ISS had a particularly unique view of the solar eclipse, seeing the Moon's shadow on the Earth's surface.

'''The "Frustratedly Looking up at the Cloud Situation in Australia for 2028":''' There were clouds over a large portion of the United States during the eclipse. Thus, a [[2915: Eclipse Clouds|frustrated onlooker]] would likely be looking up if the {{w|Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028|eclipse in Australia in 2028}} will also be cloudy, giving them a second chance to see the eclipse in its full glory.

The title text refers to a [[:File:Apollo_12_view_of_Solar_Eclipse_(5052129615).jpg|photograph]] taken during the {{w|Apollo 12}} mission when the Earth came between the spacecraft and the Sun.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:<big>Types of Eclipse Photo</big>

:[Eclipse during totality]
:The standard

:[Partial eclipse with lighter sky]
:The partial

:[Two Cueballs and Ponytail looking and pointing at the sky]
:The reaction shot

:[Eclipse during totality with red "ribbons" around the Moon]
:The fancy lens

:[A blurry ring of light in the center]
:The focus issues

:[The rear of an SUV]
:The traffic jam

:[A dark circle on Earth's surface]
:The astronaut

:[A gray cover of clouds]
:The "frustratedly looking up the cloud situation in Australia for 2028"

==Trivia==
* The [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/types_of_eclipse_photo.png standard size] image was uploaded with a resolution/size of 8920 by 6909, larger than the supposed 2x version at 1189 by 921. This was likely an error.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Photography]]

2917: Types of Eclipse Photo

2024-04-09T17:52:33Z

CharlesT: diction and tense edits

{{comic
| number = 2917
| date = April 8, 2024
| title = Types of Eclipse Photo
| image = types_of_eclipse_photo_2x.png
| imagesize = 594x460px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The most rare, top-tier eclipse photo would be the Solar Earth Eclipse, but the Apollo 12 crew's attempt to capture it was marred by camera shake. They said it looked spectacular, though.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AUSTRALIAN CLOUD FROM THE FUTURE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|recent total solar eclipse}} visible in North America. The last photograph refers to one in 2028 that will cross the Australian continent.

'''The Standard:''' A photo of the solar eclipse during totality, a typical photo most people might hope to take.

'''The Partial:''' A photo of the eclipse in progress, likely approaching totality. Another typical photo most viewers take as the eclipse progresses, or the sum total image that could have been taken if not able to be at the [[2914: Eclipse Coolness|right time/place]] to properly observe totality.

'''The Reaction Shot:''' Some people will choose to take a photo of their reaction or their friends' and/or family's reaction. Typically, this style is chosen to document something more personal to the viewer, since a large number of photos of the eclipse already exist online,{{Citation Needed}} and a shot of the crowd is perhaps a more foresighted way of documenting their personal presence under the phenomenon.

'''The Fancy Lens:''' A photo of this type, that features conspicuous {{w|solar prominence}}s, will almost certainly require a lot more preparation and equipment (the 'fancy lens', a tripod or other mounting, etc).

'''The Focus Issues:''' People new or unaware of the difficulties of astral photography typically experience challenges focusing their lenses on astral bodies, especially if they are trying to fight against a confused auto-focus. The eclipse is no exception to this, and this type of photo popped up more frequently during this event because more people were taking photos of the sky than they usually would, who may be more in hope of getting a decent shot than liable to get one.

'''The Traffic Jam:''' On the way to the zone of totality, many people got stuck in traffic. The 2024 solar eclipse occurred in the range of nearly 200 million people and many millions were commuting to the zone. As such, many took ironic or embittered photos of the traffic.

'''The Astronaut:''' Astronauts on the ISS had a particularly unique view of the solar eclipse, seeing the Moon's shadow on the Earth's surface.

'''The "Frustratedly Looking up at the Cloud Situation in Australia for 2028":''' There were clouds over a large portion of the United States during the eclipse. Thus, a [[2915: Eclipse Clouds|frustrated onlooker]] would likely be looking up if the {{w|Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028|eclipse in Australia in 2028}} will also be cloudy, giving them a second chance to see the eclipse in its full glory.

The title text refers to a [[:File:Apollo_12_view_of_Solar_Eclipse_(5052129615).jpg|photograph]] taken during the {{w|Apollo 12}} mission when the Earth came between the spacecraft and the Sun.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:<big>Types of Eclipse Photo</big>

:[Eclipse during totality]
:The standard

:[Partial eclipse with lighter sky]
:The partial

:[Two Cueballs and Ponytail looking and pointing at the sky]
:The reaction shot

:[Eclipse during totality with red "ribbons" around the Moon]
:The fancy lens

:[A blurry ring of light in the center]
:The focus issues

:[The rear of an SUV]
:The traffic jam

:[A dark circle on Earth's surface]
:The astronaut

:[A gray cover of clouds]
:The "frustratedly looking up the cloud situation in Australia for 2028"

==Trivia==
* The [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/types_of_eclipse_photo.png standard size] image was uploaded with a resolution/size of 8920 by 6909, larger than the supposed 2x version at 1189 by 921. This was likely an error.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Photography]]

2917: Types of Eclipse Photo

2024-04-09T15:58:36Z

CharlesT: Better sentence?

{{comic
| number = 2917
| date = April 8, 2024
| title = Types of Eclipse Photo
| image = types_of_eclipse_photo_2x.png
| imagesize = 594x460px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The most rare, top-tier eclipse photo would be the Solar Earth Eclipse, but the Apollo 12 crew's attempt to capture it was marred by camera shake. They said it looked spectacular, though.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AUSTRALIAN CLOUD FROM THE FUTURE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|recent total solar eclipse}} visible in North America. The standard photo shows a total eclipse, while the partial one captures the eclipse from a person in the {{w|penumbra}} of the {{w|Moon}}. The reaction shot shows people reacting to the eclipse, presumably excited about it. The fancy lens manages to capture {{w|solar prominences}}. The focus issues photo depicts a common situation when a phone cannot focus enough on the eclipse to have a good view of it. The traffic jam shows a person stuck in traffic because so many people want to go to the same place to watch the eclipse. The astronaut would probably see the Moon's shadow on the Earth's surface. The last photograph refers to a {{w|Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028|2028 total solar eclipse}} that will cross the Australian continent. A photographer who took this cloudy photo during the 2024 eclipse would likely feel frustrated to the point of wanting to take a better one in Australia in 2028 - but only if the weather is better.

'''The Standard:''' A photo of the solar eclipse during totality, a typical photo most people take.

'''The Partial:''' A photo of the eclipse in progress, likely approaching totality. Another typical photo most viewers take as the eclipse progresses.

'''The Reaction Shot:''' Some people will choose to take a photo of their reaction or their friends' and/or family's reaction. Typically, this style is chosen to document something more personal to the viewer, since a large number of photos of the eclipse already exist online.{{Citation Needed}}

'''The Fancy Lens:'''

'''The Focus Issues:''' People new or unaware of the challenges of astral photography typically experience challenges focusing their lenses on astral bodies. The eclipse is no exception to this and this type of photo pops up more frequently during this event because more people are taking photos of the sky than they usually would.

'''The Traffic Jam:''' On the way to the zone of totality, many people got stuck in traffic. The 2024 solar eclipse occurred in the range of nearly 200 million people and many millions were commuting to the zone.

'''The Astronaut:''' Astronauts on the ISS have a particularly unique view of the solar eclipse.

'''The "Frustratedly Looking up at the Cloud Situation in Australia for 2028":'''

The title text refers to a [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo_12_view_of_Solar_Eclipse_(5052129615).jpg photograph] taken during the {{w|Apollo 12}} mission when the Earth came between the spacecraft and the Sun.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:<big>Types of Eclipse Photo</big>

:[Eclipse during totality]
:The standard

:[Partial eclipse with lighter sky]
:The partial

:[Two Cueballs and Ponytail looking and pointing at the sky]
:The reaction shot

:[Eclipse during totality with red "ribbons" around the Moon]
:The fancy lens

:[A blurry ring of light in the center]
:The focus issues

:[The rear of an SUV]
:The traffic jam

:[A dark circle on Earth's surface]
:The astronaut

:[A gray cover of clouds]
:The "frustratedly looking up the cloud situation in Australia for 2028"

==Trivia==
* '''This trivia section was created by a BOT but edited by a human'''
* The [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/types_of_eclipse_photo.png standard size] image was uploaded with a resolution/size of 8920 by 6909, larger than the supposed 2x version at 1189 by 921. This was likely an error.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Photography]]

2917: Types of Eclipse Photo

2024-04-09T15:55:45Z

CharlesT: Citation needed.

{{comic
| number = 2917
| date = April 8, 2024
| title = Types of Eclipse Photo
| image = types_of_eclipse_photo_2x.png
| imagesize = 594x460px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The most rare, top-tier eclipse photo would be the Solar Earth Eclipse, but the Apollo 12 crew's attempt to capture it was marred by camera shake. They said it looked spectacular, though.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AUSTRALIAN CLOUD FROM THE FUTURE - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is about the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|recent total solar eclipse}} visible in North America. The standard photo shows a total eclipse, while the partial one captures the eclipse from a person in the {{w|penumbra}} of the {{w|Moon}}. The reaction shot shows people reacting to the eclipse, presumably excited about it. The fancy lens manages to capture {{w|solar prominences}}. The focus issues photo depicts a common situation when a phone cannot focus enough on the eclipse to have a good view of it. The traffic jam shows a person stuck in traffic because so many people want to go to the same place to watch the eclipse. The astronaut would probably see the Moon's shadow on the Earth's surface. The last photograph refers to a {{w|Solar eclipse of July 22, 2028|2028 total solar eclipse}} that will cross the Australian continent. A photographer who took this cloudy photo during the 2024 eclipse would likely feel frustrated to the point of wanting to take a better one in Australia in 2028 - but only if the weather is better.

'''The Standard:''' A photo of the solar eclipse during totality, a typical photo most people take.

'''The Partial:''' A photo of the eclipse in progress, likely approaching totality. Another typical photo most viewers take as the eclipse progresses.

'''The Reaction Shot:''' Some people will choose to take a photo of their reaction or their friends' and/or family's reaction. Typically, this style is chosen to document something more personal to the viewer, since a large number of photos of the eclipse already exist online.{{Citation Needed}}

'''The Fancy Lens:'''

'''The Focus Issues:''' People new or unaware of the challenges of astral photography typically experience challenges focusing their lenses on astral bodies. The eclipse is no exception to this and typically is associated with more of these types of photos.

'''The Traffic Jam:''' On the way to the zone of totality, many people got stuck in traffic. The 2024 solar eclipse occurred in the range of nearly 200 million people and many millions were commuting to the zone.

'''The Astronaut:''' Astronauts on the ISS have a particularly unique view of the solar eclipse.

'''The "Frustratedly Looking up at the Cloud Situation in Australia for 2028":'''

The title text refers to a [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo_12_view_of_Solar_Eclipse_(5052129615).jpg photograph] taken during the {{w|Apollo 12}} mission when the Earth came between the spacecraft and the Sun.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:<big>Types of Eclipse Photo</big>

:[Eclipse during totality]
:The standard

:[Partial eclipse with lighter sky]
:The partial

:[Two Cueballs and Ponytail looking and pointing at the sky]
:The reaction shot

:[Eclipse during totality with red "ribbons" around the Moon]
:The fancy lens

:[A blurry ring of light in the center]
:The focus issues

:[The rear of an SUV]
:The traffic jam

:[A dark circle on Earth's surface]
:The astronaut

:[A gray cover of clouds]
:The "frustratedly looking up the cloud situation in Australia for 2028"

==Trivia==
* '''This trivia section was created by a BOT but edited by a human'''
* The [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/types_of_eclipse_photo.png standard size] image was uploaded with a resolution/size of 8920 by 6909, larger than the supposed 2x version at 1189 by 921. This was likely an error.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Photography]]

Talk:1414: Writing Skills

2021-02-17T23:37:21Z

CharlesT:

If you think about it, Scooby-Doo does the exact same thing for kids, but with the Scientific Method. While viewers may not be capable of running a rigorous experiment, they'll be really familiar with gathering evidence to reveal new knowledge. [[User:CharlesT|CharlesT]] 23:36, 17 February 2021 (UTC)

Scoring higher on grammar and spelling tests could be related to constantly using the English language - however I think an opportunity was missed with this one: the correlation between kids who have access to texting devices and kids who have access to good schooling and tutoring. {{unsigned|Slippyshoe}}

Is the double "writing" at the beginning of the title text a typo, or has it a meaning? (Non-native english here, so I probably missed something). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.156|108.162.229.156]] 08:13, 29 August 2014 (UTC)
:As a native english speaker, I don't see any reason why it is double. Either a typo, or maybe a joke on sloppy writing skills.. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 08:16, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

I have to take issue with Randall on the alt-text, they don't use the written word so much as the ''typed'' word -- penmanship, which was already on the wane when I was in school 25+ years ago, is no longer being taught, or so I've been told by young people coming in to work. Surprisingly, neither are kids being taught to touch-type! The new kids coming to the job are constantly surprised that I can type without looking at the screen or keyboard, not to mention my typing speed! Additionally, composition beyond the sentence level is simply abysmal nowadays; paragraph and essay structure are simply no longer being taught. I myself only got one class in it during my high school sophomore year in 1984/5 -- and the administration eliminated it even before I graduated. In short, while kids are great at writing sentences nowadays, the ability to write coherent longer communications, and yes, handwriting too; despite their being in increased use in today's workplace, are simply things that young people are arriving unequipped with. [[User:Elipongo|Elipongo]] ([[User talk:Elipongo|talk]]) 08:53, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

: "+1"/"Like" for your comprehensive writing style -- however Randall is not concluding anything in in the alt-text but merely proposes and experiment and a method to to conduct such with an expected observation and outcome for verification of such experiment. That is an entirely scientific and objective approach to a problem and hardly something which one can take issue with. [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 09:55, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

:I wouldn't miss handwriting, but the fact they don't teach touch-type is alarming. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:06, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

::With computers in abundance in childrens lives (and hence plenty of practice), I would have thought that actively teaching typing is not that important. Again its a quantity vs quality balance. Some careers would certainly benefit from faster and more accurate typing skills than others (e.g A secretary), but I don't feel someone is necessarily a poor typist because they don't touch-type correctly.--[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 12:30, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

I'm from an older generation that did receive education in writing, composition, grammar etc. We all began with simple "The cat sat on the mat" sentences when young, and gradually improved our skills by practising progressively more difficult tasks. However the key issues were that our output was both judged and directed. Our teachers assessed our writing, pointed out the errors (oh, did they point out the errors!), told us what was 'right', and then set us to writing longer, more complex subjects and structures. The problem with txtspk is that it is unjudged and undirected. I think Randall's idea that quantity will eventually overcome mediocrity is getting too close to the monkeys producing Shakespeare. Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? No. --[[User:KAM|KAM]] ([[User talk:KAM|talk]]) 10:15, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

:I think kids can judge perfectly fine. But yes, txtspk can help with practice on some level of difficulty but doesn't allow to continue higher. They need to move to more advanced methods ... like flame wars. And about pointing errors? You never saw online argument where one side tried to undermine opponent by pointing out grammatic mistakes in their post? -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:06, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

::I cannot agree with you because I think you should have used "an", "any" or the plural “arguments" in "You never saw online argument ...". Also, you made me search for the right use of "grammatic" versus "grammatical". ;) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.92.223|141.101.92.223]] 14:26, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

::: It's obvious to me that you degenerates were both part of the inspiration for Godwin's Law [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 11:55, 2 September 2014 (UTC)

Ironically, "Ulysses" from James Joyce is also considered one of the worst and most boring books in human history, topping many lists of books you can't get past the first page. Many people joke that Marilyn Monroe was one of the few persons that ever read the book right by starting from the end. -- [[Special:Contributions/141.101.70.139|141.101.70.139]] 13:09, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

Is anyone familiar with a recent report that might have lead to this comic? There is no specific reference given in the comic. I think most of the reports on this topic were from Beverly Plester of Coventry University between 2006 and 2011. I can't find much of anything since then... --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.169|108.162.216.169]] 14:32, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

:[http://www.editlib.org/p/131080/ Analysis of Research on the Effects of Texting and Tweeting on Literacy — 2014] should be a good starting point but it's behind a paywall. [http://www.elixirpublishers.com/articles/1360068938_55%20(2013)%2012884-12890.pdf The Impact of Texting/SMS Language on Academic Writing of Students-What do we need to panic about? — Pakistan, 2013] and [http://research.uic.edu.ph/ojs/index.php/arete/article/download/105/30 The Relationship of SMS to the Writing Proficiency of the First Year Education Students of the University of the Immaculate Conception — Philipines, 2013] are both recent studies generally concluding punctuation use is bad but SMS is not to blame; I'd say both have too little data to support any wide conclusion. [[User:Cben|Cben]] ([[User talk:Cben|talk]]) 00:08, 9 September 2014 (UTC)

With the growing influence of voice recognition interfaces, will some folks someday be decrying the shift to abbreviated forms of speech, and the lack of attention to teaching writing or using GUI interfaces? And, as Tim O'Reilly notes, will others celebrate the return to something like the "command line" of old, highly suitable to extensibility and programming via macros, creation of new nouns and verbs, etc? See [http://anomaly.org/wade/blog/2013/12/why_textual_user_interfaces_ar.html Programmer Musings: Why Textual User Interfaces are Better than Graphic User Interfaces] and [http://slashdot.org/story/206085?nobeta=1 At Home with Tim O'Reilly (Videos 1 and 2 of 6) - Slashdot] (click below the videos to see the transcript, and note that it doesn't work in their beta interface). [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 15:25, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

A nice thing about texting is that you learn pretty quickly about the ambiguities that make punctuation and grammar necessary in the first place. ("I saw a man eating shark today." "At SeaWorld?" "No, at a restaurant.") [[User:Promethean|Promethean]] ([[User talk:Promethean|talk]]) 23:41, 30 August 2014 (UTC)

Except people who play catch ''aim'' at things. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.215|173.245.52.215]] 02:21, 31 August 2014 (UTC)

It may be true that grammar is essentially the language we use to talk about language. Nonetheless, you still need to master this sub-language. Lack of understanding of grammar impedes basic understanding - who is the actor in this sentence? What is the action? Who did what to who? What is this idea you are trying to communicate? I don't care about split infinitives or poorly placed commas. Rather, it's the old "eats shoots and leaves" jokes that remain salient. If you haven't mastered basic grammar when, for example, [https://writemyessay.pro writing an essay], nobody knows what you're talking about on a fundamental level. So, it's not merely terminology (adverb! gerund!) It is a necessary set of rules. [[User:Merrill|Merrill]] ([[User talk:Merrill|talk]]) 03:16, 01 August 2018 (GMT-5)

Talk:1414: Writing Skills

2021-02-17T23:36:15Z

CharlesT:

If you think about it, Scooby-Doo does the exact same thing for kids, but with the Scientific Method. While viewers may not be capable of running a rigorous experiment, they'll be really familiar with gathering evidence to reveal new knowledge. 23:36, 17 February 2021 (UTC)

Scoring higher on grammar and spelling tests could be related to constantly using the English language - however I think an opportunity was missed with this one: the correlation between kids who have access to texting devices and kids who have access to good schooling and tutoring. {{unsigned|Slippyshoe}}

Is the double "writing" at the beginning of the title text a typo, or has it a meaning? (Non-native english here, so I probably missed something). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.156|108.162.229.156]] 08:13, 29 August 2014 (UTC)
:As a native english speaker, I don't see any reason why it is double. Either a typo, or maybe a joke on sloppy writing skills.. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 08:16, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

I have to take issue with Randall on the alt-text, they don't use the written word so much as the ''typed'' word -- penmanship, which was already on the wane when I was in school 25+ years ago, is no longer being taught, or so I've been told by young people coming in to work. Surprisingly, neither are kids being taught to touch-type! The new kids coming to the job are constantly surprised that I can type without looking at the screen or keyboard, not to mention my typing speed! Additionally, composition beyond the sentence level is simply abysmal nowadays; paragraph and essay structure are simply no longer being taught. I myself only got one class in it during my high school sophomore year in 1984/5 -- and the administration eliminated it even before I graduated. In short, while kids are great at writing sentences nowadays, the ability to write coherent longer communications, and yes, handwriting too; despite their being in increased use in today's workplace, are simply things that young people are arriving unequipped with. [[User:Elipongo|Elipongo]] ([[User talk:Elipongo|talk]]) 08:53, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

: "+1"/"Like" for your comprehensive writing style -- however Randall is not concluding anything in in the alt-text but merely proposes and experiment and a method to to conduct such with an expected observation and outcome for verification of such experiment. That is an entirely scientific and objective approach to a problem and hardly something which one can take issue with. [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 09:55, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

:I wouldn't miss handwriting, but the fact they don't teach touch-type is alarming. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:06, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

::With computers in abundance in childrens lives (and hence plenty of practice), I would have thought that actively teaching typing is not that important. Again its a quantity vs quality balance. Some careers would certainly benefit from faster and more accurate typing skills than others (e.g A secretary), but I don't feel someone is necessarily a poor typist because they don't touch-type correctly.--[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 12:30, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

I'm from an older generation that did receive education in writing, composition, grammar etc. We all began with simple "The cat sat on the mat" sentences when young, and gradually improved our skills by practising progressively more difficult tasks. However the key issues were that our output was both judged and directed. Our teachers assessed our writing, pointed out the errors (oh, did they point out the errors!), told us what was 'right', and then set us to writing longer, more complex subjects and structures. The problem with txtspk is that it is unjudged and undirected. I think Randall's idea that quantity will eventually overcome mediocrity is getting too close to the monkeys producing Shakespeare. Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? No. --[[User:KAM|KAM]] ([[User talk:KAM|talk]]) 10:15, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

:I think kids can judge perfectly fine. But yes, txtspk can help with practice on some level of difficulty but doesn't allow to continue higher. They need to move to more advanced methods ... like flame wars. And about pointing errors? You never saw online argument where one side tried to undermine opponent by pointing out grammatic mistakes in their post? -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:06, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

::I cannot agree with you because I think you should have used "an", "any" or the plural “arguments" in "You never saw online argument ...". Also, you made me search for the right use of "grammatic" versus "grammatical". ;) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.92.223|141.101.92.223]] 14:26, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

::: It's obvious to me that you degenerates were both part of the inspiration for Godwin's Law [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 11:55, 2 September 2014 (UTC)

Ironically, "Ulysses" from James Joyce is also considered one of the worst and most boring books in human history, topping many lists of books you can't get past the first page. Many people joke that Marilyn Monroe was one of the few persons that ever read the book right by starting from the end. -- [[Special:Contributions/141.101.70.139|141.101.70.139]] 13:09, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

Is anyone familiar with a recent report that might have lead to this comic? There is no specific reference given in the comic. I think most of the reports on this topic were from Beverly Plester of Coventry University between 2006 and 2011. I can't find much of anything since then... --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.169|108.162.216.169]] 14:32, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

:[http://www.editlib.org/p/131080/ Analysis of Research on the Effects of Texting and Tweeting on Literacy — 2014] should be a good starting point but it's behind a paywall. [http://www.elixirpublishers.com/articles/1360068938_55%20(2013)%2012884-12890.pdf The Impact of Texting/SMS Language on Academic Writing of Students-What do we need to panic about? — Pakistan, 2013] and [http://research.uic.edu.ph/ojs/index.php/arete/article/download/105/30 The Relationship of SMS to the Writing Proficiency of the First Year Education Students of the University of the Immaculate Conception — Philipines, 2013] are both recent studies generally concluding punctuation use is bad but SMS is not to blame; I'd say both have too little data to support any wide conclusion. [[User:Cben|Cben]] ([[User talk:Cben|talk]]) 00:08, 9 September 2014 (UTC)

With the growing influence of voice recognition interfaces, will some folks someday be decrying the shift to abbreviated forms of speech, and the lack of attention to teaching writing or using GUI interfaces? And, as Tim O'Reilly notes, will others celebrate the return to something like the "command line" of old, highly suitable to extensibility and programming via macros, creation of new nouns and verbs, etc? See [http://anomaly.org/wade/blog/2013/12/why_textual_user_interfaces_ar.html Programmer Musings: Why Textual User Interfaces are Better than Graphic User Interfaces] and [http://slashdot.org/story/206085?nobeta=1 At Home with Tim O'Reilly (Videos 1 and 2 of 6) - Slashdot] (click below the videos to see the transcript, and note that it doesn't work in their beta interface). [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 15:25, 29 August 2014 (UTC)

A nice thing about texting is that you learn pretty quickly about the ambiguities that make punctuation and grammar necessary in the first place. ("I saw a man eating shark today." "At SeaWorld?" "No, at a restaurant.") [[User:Promethean|Promethean]] ([[User talk:Promethean|talk]]) 23:41, 30 August 2014 (UTC)

Except people who play catch ''aim'' at things. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.215|173.245.52.215]] 02:21, 31 August 2014 (UTC)

It may be true that grammar is essentially the language we use to talk about language. Nonetheless, you still need to master this sub-language. Lack of understanding of grammar impedes basic understanding - who is the actor in this sentence? What is the action? Who did what to who? What is this idea you are trying to communicate? I don't care about split infinitives or poorly placed commas. Rather, it's the old "eats shoots and leaves" jokes that remain salient. If you haven't mastered basic grammar when, for example, [https://writemyessay.pro writing an essay], nobody knows what you're talking about on a fundamental level. So, it's not merely terminology (adverb! gerund!) It is a necessary set of rules. [[User:Merrill|Merrill]] ([[User talk:Merrill|talk]]) 03:16, 01 August 2018 (GMT-5)