explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1365: Inflation

2014-05-07T06:17:53Z

Fizzle:

Space Jam! - [[Special:Contributions/108.162.225.147|108.162.225.147]] 04:51, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.63.186|173.245.63.186]] 04:54, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117705/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_1
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.63.186|173.245.63.186]] 04:54, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
I got "basketball" and "Space Jam", but I didn't get why it said Spalding on it. From reading the explanation, I'm guessing it's a brand. Thanks, because I never would have made the connection. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.218|108.162.237.218]] 05:29, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
Why did Randall choose a basketball? A rugby ball or an american football would fit the shape better [[User:Condor70|Condor70]] ([[User talk:Condor70|talk]]) 06:12, 7 May 2014 (UTC)
Because of the curving lines like a basketball on the image. [[User:Fizzle|Fizzle]] ([[User talk:Fizzle|talk]]) 06:17, 7 May 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1365: Inflation

2014-05-07T06:17:16Z

Fizzle:

Talk:148: Mispronouncing

2014-04-28T07:40:43Z

Fizzle:

The "airpart" could be referencing a Saint Louis accent, rather than intentional mispronunciation. [[Special:Contributions/130.160.145.185|130.160.145.185]] 19:48, 9 March 2013 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure that Emad is supposed to refer to Ahmed, and is some sort of joke about Muslim terrorists.[[User:GallantChaos|GallantChaos]] ([[User talk:GallantChaos|talk]]) 18:08, 22 September 2013 (UTC)

Yes, and it's written Emad because he's deliberately mispronouncing it. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.203|173.245.52.203]] 02:23, 30 October 2013 (UTC)

No, Emad is the online name of one of Randall's friends, look it up at http://wiki.xkcd.com/irc/Emad_%28Explanation%29
[[Special:Contributions/173.245.55.73|173.245.55.73]] 05:31, 19 April 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1358: NRO

2014-04-22T21:36:37Z

Fizzle:

Could what if #32 be valid here? https://what-if.xkcd.com/32/ --[[User:Mralext20|Mralext20]] ([[User talk:Mralext20|talk]]) 07:30, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

: Nah. Spy satellites are usually on geosynced orbits, so they always hover over the same area of the ground, meaning no blur. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.56|108.162.219.56]] 14:17, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

:: Spy satellites are not usually in geosynchronous orbits, as this would be much too far away from earth to be of much use, Spy satelites are normally in very low polar orbits to maximize the areas they can spy on. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.65|108.162.216.65]] 22:52, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

Not only he is using the satellites, he is also using the software - probably something which will highlight recognized target on photo. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:28, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

I always thought this was a reference to the Governments Facial Recognition software they're working on. Combine that with the NSA's spy satellites and you can locate anyone anywhere. Maybe the NRO is a combination of such organizations and technologies (very very deadly) and they're testing it out using a Where's Waldo book. Not only testing the cameras on the satellite's resolution but the facial recognition software's ability to pick out a specific person in a crowd. [[User:Glitch|Glitch]] ([[User talk:Glitch|talk]]) 14:08, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

The sentence "He usually is quite hard to find, which makes it challenging." is really bothering me. I'm not sure what to do with it. I considered deleting it or shortening it, but none of those feel right. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.218|108.162.237.218]] 18:02, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

What was bothering you about it? It was a quick and dirty explanation at the time, so it doesn't matter. [[User:Fizzle|Fizzle]] ([[User talk:Fizzle|talk]]) 21:36, 22 April 2014 (UTC)

Would "Government Facial Recognition" work at all via satellite? Wouldn't they do better with Governments Scalp Recognition? {{unsigned ip|108.162.245.117}}

Talk:1358: NRO

2014-04-22T21:35:40Z

Fizzle:

Could what if #32 be valid here? https://what-if.xkcd.com/32/ --[[User:Mralext20|Mralext20]] ([[User talk:Mralext20|talk]]) 07:30, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

: Nah. Spy satellites are usually on geosynced orbits, so they always hover over the same area of the ground, meaning no blur. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.56|108.162.219.56]] 14:17, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

:: Spy satellites are not usually in geosynchronous orbits, as this would be much too far away from earth to be of much use, Spy satelites are normally in very low polar orbits to maximize the areas they can spy on. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.65|108.162.216.65]] 22:52, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

Not only he is using the satellites, he is also using the software - probably something which will highlight recognized target on photo. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:28, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

I always thought this was a reference to the Governments Facial Recognition software they're working on. Combine that with the NSA's spy satellites and you can locate anyone anywhere. Maybe the NRO is a combination of such organizations and technologies (very very deadly) and they're testing it out using a Where's Waldo book. Not only testing the cameras on the satellite's resolution but the facial recognition software's ability to pick out a specific person in a crowd. [[User:Glitch|Glitch]] ([[User talk:Glitch|talk]]) 14:08, 21 April 2014 (UTC)

The sentence "He usually is quite hard to find, which makes it challenging." is really bothering me. I'm not sure what to do with it. I considered deleting it or shortening it, but none of those feel right. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.218|108.162.237.218]] 18:02, 21 April 2014 (UTC)
What was bothering you about it? It was a quick and dirty explanation at the time, so it doesn't matter.

Would "Government Facial Recognition" work at all via satellite? Wouldn't they do better with Governments Scalp Recognition? {{unsigned ip|108.162.245.117}}

1358: NRO

2014-04-21T07:20:11Z

Fizzle:

{{comic
| number = 1358
| date = April 21, 2014
| title = NRO
| image = nro.png
| titletext = 'DISPATCHING DRONE TO TARGET COORDINATES.' 'Wait, crap, wrong button. Oh jeez.'
}}

==Explanation==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where%27s_Waldo Where's Waldo] is a children's puzzle book in which you have to spot out 'Waldo'. He usually is quite hard to find, which makes it slightly challenging. Cueball and his friend are using sattelite imaging to find Waldo, by holding the book up to the sky and viewing it on the computer. This would require a very advanced camera, as resolutions are usually low. But since Cueball works at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Reconnaissance_Office NRO], he probably has access to some powerful satellites. The humor in this being, while he could be using that power for much more important things, he's instead trying to solve a simple game.
The title text is implying that Cueball has accidentally launched a drone at the co-ordinates, which would be where he and his friend are standing.

==Transcript==
Cueball and a friend are in a remote area. The friend is holding a ''Where's Waldo?'' book towards the sky.
:Laptop: [Target located]
:Cueball: Got him. Left edge, two inches down.
The National Reconnaissance Office has an unusual approach to ''Where's Waldo''.

{{comic discussion}}

1358: NRO

2014-04-21T07:18:17Z

Fizzle: /* Explanation */

1358: NRO

2014-04-21T07:14:44Z

Fizzle: Added brief description. Someone should probably add a bit on the NRO.

{{comic
| number = 1358
| date = April 21, 2014
| title = NRO
| image = nro.png
| titletext = 'DISPATCHING DRONE TO TARGET COORDINATES.' 'Wait, crap, wrong button. Oh jeez.'
}}

==Explanation==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where%27s_Waldo Where's Waldo] is a children's puzzle book in which you have to spot out 'Waldo'. He usually is quite hard to find, which makes it slightly challenging. Cueball and his friend are using sattelite imaging to find Waldo, by holding the book up to the sky and viewing it on the computer. This would require a very advanced camera, as resolutions are usually low. But since Cueball works at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Reconnaissance_Office NRO], he probably has access to some powerful satellites.

==Transcript==
Cueball and a friend are in a remote area. The friend is holding a ''Where's Waldo?'' book towards the sky.
:Laptop: [Target located]
:Cueball: Got him. Left edge, two inches down.

{{comic discussion}}

1358: NRO

2014-04-21T07:07:18Z

Fizzle: Transcript. It's kinda sucky, but more informative than the last one.

{{comic
| number = 1358
| date = April 21, 2014
| title = NRO
| image = nro.png
| titletext = 'DISPATCHING DRONE TO TARGET COORDINATES.' 'Wait, crap, wrong button. Oh jeez.'
}}

==Explanation==
Agents of the NRO are using satellite imaging and computer vision to solve Where's Waldo without looking at it personally.

==Transcript==
Cueball and a friend are in a remote area. The friend is holding a ''Where's Waldo?'' book towards the sky.
:Laptop: [Target located]
:Cueball: Got him. Left edge, two inches down.

{{comic discussion}}

User:Fizzle

2014-04-21T05:14:18Z

Fizzle: Created page with "Yo. I'm a guy who loves xkcd, and I'm proud to be a nerd."

Yo. I'm a guy who loves xkcd, and I'm proud to be a nerd.

Talk:819: Five-Minute Comics: Part 1

2014-04-21T05:11:10Z

Fizzle:

''The Magic Flute'' was composed by W.A. Mozart, not Bach! --[[Special:Contributions/96.20.169.44|96.20.169.44]] 02:10, 30 December 2012 (UTC)

:You are correct! I've fixed that particular mistake. If you spot any other errors on any explanation, please edit the explanation to be correct. Or, if you find an explanation to be lacking, please add to it! [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]<span title="I'm an admin. I can help.">_a</span> ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 06:13, 30 December 2012 (UTC)

Regarding #7, couldn't perhaps the lines of the respective girls be transcribed, too? (can't read them)--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.197|108.162.254.197]] 10:59, 4 February 2014 (UTC)
::Ups,sorry, very bad reading. Refers only to the first girl.--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.197|108.162.254.197]] 11:03, 4 February 2014 (UTC)

::Can anyone tell what the magazine girl is saying? To me it looks like "Airbrush!", but I'm not sure. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.130.180|199.27.130.180]] 03:29, 1 April 2014 (UTC)
:: It's 'Airbrush!', referring to the Photoshop tool that paints, as the photo has been edited. [[User:Fizzle|Fizzle]] ([[User talk:Fizzle|talk]]) 05:11, 21 April 2014 (UTC)