explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1559: Driving

2015-08-03T10:47:58Z

GeorgDerReisende:

They're probably in California, seeing as that's the only place self-driving cars are actually on the road. [[User:Wmss|Wmss]] ([[User talk:Wmss|talk]]) 09:46, 3 August 2015 (UTC)

If there are self-driving cars, what about self-filling cars? So these cars are able to make long distances without the driver's interaction. Maybe he is sleeping. [[User:GeorgDerReisende|GeorgDerReisende]] ([[User talk:GeorgDerReisende|talk]]) 10:47, 3 August 2015 (UTC)

Talk:1551: Pluto

2015-07-15T12:12:32Z

GeorgDerReisende:

I knew it! So my BOT was also running today. And don't miss the updates at WhatIf. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:28, 14 July 2015 (UTC)

Yeah, it's pretty amazing! What is it with XKCD and Pluto these days by the way? [[User:Nk22|The Twenty-second. The Not So Only. The Nathan/Nk22]] ([[User talk:Nk22|talk]]) 19:36, 14 July 2015 (UTC)
:New Horizons space probe flyby of the Pluto system! I can't imagine that a space probe finally reaching a hitherto unmapped planetoid like Pluto wouldn't be exciting to certain people, especially an ex NASA guy like Randall. -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.162|108.162.250.162]] 06:27, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

Pluto is moving away from the Sun - and we've learned that as it does so, it enters the snowy part of its 248-year cycle. Hmm ... didn't Ned Stark say something about this? [[User:Cosmogoblin|Cosmogoblin]] ([[User talk:Cosmogoblin|talk]]) 22:11, 14 July 2015 (UTC)

Alright, the only one that's still got me stumped is "moon buds." The phrase has no stock meaning (Googling it turned up pictures of weed, naturally), but my best guess is this suggests moons reproduce through {{w|budding}}. Any thoughts? [[User:Captain Video|Captain Video]] ([[User talk:Captain Video|talk]]) 00:38, 15 July 2015 (UTC)
:I have added something. {{User:17jiangz1/signature|03:21, 15 July 2015}}

"Border of pride lands" might also be an indirect reference to the "dark region" on Mars in 1504:opportunity, last panel, which is itself a reference to the Hyena Country of "Lion King." [[User:Taibhse|Taibhse]] ([[User talk:Taibhse|talk]]) 09:56, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

A couple of other possibilities for the reference to hatching: http://scifi.stackexchange.com/questions/82353/giant-bird-in-space
--[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.9|141.101.104.9]] 10:26, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

So Megaman needs no further explanation? --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.109|141.101.99.109]] 11:04, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

Where is the north pole? I like to play geohashing there. --[[User:GeorgDerReisende|GeorgDerReisende]] ([[User talk:GeorgDerReisende|talk]]) 12:12, 15 July 2015 (UTC)

Talk:1533: Antique Factory

2015-06-04T08:57:15Z

GeorgDerReisende:

<p>The reference to inexorable passage of time reminds me of [[209: Kayak]] [[User:Effy|Effy]] ([[User talk:Effy|talk]]) 11:55, 3 June 2015 (UTC)</p>
<p>The briefcase seems to be slightly different from the third panel to the fourth. Is this just a drawing difference, or something significant? [[User:Technetium|Technetium]] ([[User talk:Technetium|talk]]) 12:29, 3 June 2015 (UTC)</p>

Arguably, the premise of the comic is that while an antique ''may'' be something old that has been in storage (e.g. an attic, or an otherwise unused spare room) for most of its time since it was actually new, some would consider that less desirous than an item that was thoroughly used when new, and has acquired signs of wear and tear (or even an actual patina, rather than the perfect surface of the freshly manufactured goods) over a significant proportion of its existence.

Indeed, fake antiques of various kinds are subjected to intense (and artificial) 'usage' to give them the look of age that they lack, to add to the authentic-looking (but actually deliberately 'back-dated') construction methods that were used. Or even to make up for this being done wrong.

In this comic, however, there's no sign of criminal intent. It seems that contemporary pieces of furniture are being 'used' (the chair sat on, which may be fair enough; the table sat ''at'', which is a somewhat more intangible process) roughly in line with how a then-contmporary antique would have been used, when new, with no intention to accelerate or artifice the 'aging' process. Normally one would not consider this a cost-effect business model, but this argument has never troubled the character before, so why should it now?

(I leave it up to someone else to summarise this idea in the main explanation. If they agree with it.) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.106.95|141.101.106.95]] 13:09, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

I thought that the premise of the comic is that he went to somewhere where normal things (now antiques) were once made, but he's VERY late for work. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.7|108.162.219.7]] 16:42, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

Giving Randall's affinity for {{w|Terry Pratchett}} the title text may be a reference to one of his books. On the title page inside the book [http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0091888050/ref=rdr_ext_tmb The Science of Discworld II: The Globe: 2] there is a waring at the bottom which says: "Warning: ''May contain nuts''". May contain nuts is also the title of the last chapter (#32) in that book. And there is a [http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/read.cgi?id=20020613&tid=322939 foot note] in that book where the Tyrant Lord Vetinari makes it clear that you can never be certain that any item do not include nuts... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 18:32, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

It's also probably not coincidental that there is evidently an acorn seated in the picture. Aging. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.214.227|108.162.214.227]] 23:33, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

Sometimes the veneer of the furniture is made of nut tree timber. And creating new antique furniture, advertising with nut tree veneer shall make them more valuable. --[[User:GeorgDerReisende|GeorgDerReisende]] ([[User talk:GeorgDerReisende|talk]]) 08:57, 4 June 2015 (UTC)