explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1786: Trash

2017-01-18T11:02:44Z

John Sidles: Narnian explanation of the "Large Cat"

I put in an explanation, but I'm on a mobile device, so someone will need to fix all the spacing, and necessary links, and probably fix a bunch of other stuff too. [[User:Yosho27|Yosho27]] ([[User talk:Yosho27|talk]]) 07:26, 16 January 2017 (UTC)

Yucca Mountain is a nuclear waste storage. [[User:Sten|'''S<small>TEN</small>''']] <small>([[User talk:Sten|talk]])</small> 07:33, 16 January 2017 (UTC)

Perhaps one should mention that Narnia is a retelling of the Christian tradition. Aslan created all 'dimensions' or worlds including ours and is the allegorical Jesus. Narnia is a wonderful world for children, at least most of the time, when there are no witches, where they can have fun and are able to prove more noble than in the real world. Both makes dumping trash in Narnia quite sacrilegious. Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.115|162.158.89.115]] 08:07, 16 January 2017 (UTC)
:I have mentioned some of it. But I do not think it is especially important for this comic, only for the fact that Aslan is God everywhere, and since Narnia is a dead world today, then Aslan could be in a different world that Blacl Hat taps into. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:50, 16 January 2017 (UTC)

Presumerably also the whole comic is a reference/cynical look at human's history of dumping things in the sea and so on? ( see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_debris for example) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.162|141.101.107.162]] 11:25, 16 January 2017 (UTC)
:Added some on this especially regarding the nuclear waste --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:50, 16 January 2017 (UTC)

Is Black Hat getting his furniture from Beret Guy's new shop? The wiki itself says that this seems like something that would happen. Comic [[1772: Startup Opportunity]].
[[User:SteelStarling|SteelStarling]] ([[User talk:SteelStarling|talk]]) 15:10, 16 January 2017 (UTC)
:Yeah but probably rather this shop: [[1533: Antique Factory]] ;) The wiki says what the users can agree upon. I wrote most of the current explanation. (And then someone else was so nice to copy edit all my spelling mistakes - not a native English speaker!) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 18:45, 16 January 2017 (UTC)

If we dumped radioactive waste into Narnia, wouldn't Narnia receive much less waste per unit time, than we are inserting? Therefore the nuclear waste problem would be much less severe than on Earth? --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.59.70|162.158.59.70]] 23:31, 16 January 2017 (UTC)

Actually, subduction zone tectonic deposition of nuclear waste is a very promising form of nuclear waste disposal that would be considered oceanic disposal, which is why no one's been able to try it yet. Additionally, I'd like to point out that oceanic disposal of nuclear waste isn't really a current issue, since it's been banned by a number of treaties, and nuclear power plants are monitored closely enough that it doesn't really happen anymore. {{unsigned ip|162.158.122.108}}

Anyone else think that this is pretty derivative of this SMBC comic? Similar themes of Narnia and the nuclear waste: [http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3513 Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal]. {{unsigned ip|129.59.122.25}}

The first two panels read naturally with "Narnia" as a metaphor for a culture's sacred narratives, and "garbage chute" as a metaphor for the exploitation of those narratives by sociopathic individuals/corporations/subcultures (in the person of Black Hat). Then per the Narnia Wiki ( http://narnia.wikia.com/wiki/Cat ), the name of the "large cat" is Ginger, whose Narnia-fate is to become soulless; transparently a reference to a "ginger"-haired American politician "He Who Must Not Be Named". [[User:John Sidles|John Sidles]] ([[User talk:John Sidles|talk]]) 11:02, 18 January 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1777: Dear Diary

2016-12-28T05:50:47Z

John Sidles: This strip (and others like it) is absurd!

I am not sure if he is actually referring to his own diary. His characters can't interact with him, and never do. To me, it seemed more like Black Hat is so used to fisching on the web that he can't even write a regular diary entry. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.22|108.162.219.22]] 06:15, 26 December 2016 (UTC)Innertuber40

Is it possible that instead of the metaphoric "Dear Diary", maybe he is literally writing to a person named "Diary"? This can explain the phishing mail body, at least in some extent. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.59.172|162.158.59.172]] 12:51, 26 December 2016 (UTC)

Just seemed to be an absurd comic to me when I read it. I hadn't considered that he could be applying a scam as a contingency for someone finding his diary, or simply planting it to be found, but it wouldn't be out of character for him to do so. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.122.102|162.158.122.102]] 13:15, 26 December 2016 (UTC)

A tangent here is the Key, by Tanizaki Junichiro. In it, we read about the lives of a married couple through their respective diaries, and eventually they begin writing in less than honest terms as they know the other is reading their own diary, but keep playing along. A masterful work.
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.58.21|162.158.58.21]] 19:23, 26 December 2016 (UTC)

Tom Riddle (especially if he'd gotten a wealthier host) definitely should've tried this. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.148|108.162.219.148]] 00:34, 27 December 2016 (UTC)
: Didn't Lucius Malfoy (Mr. Wealthy himself) originally have the diary? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.165.238|162.158.165.238]] 10:56, 27 December 2016 (UTC)

The title text may be a reference to a common occurrence on email discussion lists. Often, people attempting to unsubscribe from the mailing list will unwittingly send an email out to the whole list that just says "unsubscribe". These, like the Nigerian scam emails, are worthless emails that might clog your inbox.

Perhaps this is a commentary on the practice of blogging itself, and how far it's come from its roots in its paper-media analogue (the diary). Though that's as far as I've gotten - I haven't taken this thought to any of its logical conclusions (whatever they might be). [[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.16|162.158.75.16]] 13:43, 27 December 2016 (UTC)

This could be a Harry Potter reference. If the Diary is the horcrux of Tom Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort, then Black Hat could be attempting to trick Tom Riddle into the Nigerian scam. The alt-text could indicate a version of Tom Riddle that is internet savvy. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.232|108.162.215.232]] 02:28, 28 December 2016 (UTC)

As with "1767: US State Names"---a strip that similarly seems absurd at first impression---"1777: Dear Diary" can be read as a realistic description of non-rational elements of human cognition. Specifically, "1767: US State Names" describes how (in practice) we call names to mind, whereas "1777: Dear Diary" describes how (in practice) we call meanings to mind. The point illustrated is that we conceive our own cognition as rationally structured, even though it's not. Read in this light, this particular strip (and others like) is not absurd, but rather is realistic and illuminating. [[User:John Sidles|John Sidles]] ([[User talk:John Sidles|talk]]) 05:50, 28 December 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1767: US State Names

2016-12-04T02:12:58Z

John Sidles: A humanistic interpretation ...

"Spanish Maine" is ironic given the sinking of the {{w|USS Maine (ACR-1)|naval ship of the same name}} and the inspired rally, "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!" [[Special:Contributions/172.68.79.81|172.68.79.81]] 18:31, 3 December 2016 (UTC)

I'm wondering whether this could be a joke about autocorrect/suggested completion as found in smartphone texting apps.
[[User:Dromaeosaur|Dromaeosaur]] ([[User talk:Dromaeosaur|talk]]) 08:06, 2 December 2016 (UTC)
:But would autocorrect replace Texas with Hexxus?--[[User:Blaisorblade|Blaisorblade]] ([[User talk:Blaisorblade|talk]]) 09:02, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

According to Wikipedia Will Wheaton is not from Washington [[Special:Contributions/162.158.133.150|162.158.133.150]] 08:56, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

I think the starting point is the ambiguity of the standard "Name all 50 states" challenge. I'm no native speaker but "Name" means both "invent a new name" and "give the correct name for", and Randall is misunderstanding this on purpose. Maybe that's obvious to some, but it seems the sort of thing worth explaining here?--[[User:Blaisorblade|Blaisorblade]] ([[User talk:Blaisorblade|talk]]) 09:02, 2 December 2016 (UTC)
:Clever! That's certainly true, it could be a pun on the word "name". Although Randall has done similar things in the past (putting objects in states, reordering states, drawing physically cumbersome bicycles) that suggest he likes playing with the idea that people who ''sort of'' know how things work but ultimately end up mixing things up and creating something that's not all that accurate (but nonetheless very interesting and creative). [[Special:Contributions/172.68.79.81|172.68.79.81]] 18:31, 3 December 2016 (UTC)

"Colocated" is technically misspelled (it's either "co-located" or "collocated"), though that could be for the sake of matching it to "Colorado." However, the word is used in many situations other than "co-location center" (e.g. workers being collocated in the same office), so unless Colorado is particularly notable for its co-location centers, I don't think it makes sense to claim that that's what it's specifically referring to. –[[User:PhantomLimbic|PhantomLimbic]] ([[User talk:PhantomLimbic|talk]]) 09:36, 2 December 2016 (UTC)
:Hmm, it looks like "colocated" is a spelling used specifically within the industry, so perhaps the claim is warranted after all. –[[User:PhantomLimbic|PhantomLimbic]] ([[User talk:PhantomLimbic|talk]]) 09:50, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

Isn't it a challenge to correctly name all the states with clues given as to the proper name?[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.95|162.158.91.95]] 10:27, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

I think the challenge is supposed to be a blank map that someone has filled out in red pen. The joke is that whoever filled it out does pretty much know all of the states but isn't really clear on their actual names.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.50|108.162.238.50]] 10:34, 2 December 2016 (UTC)
Right, I get you. Something a bored Geography teacher may or may not find amusing when it comes to giving out detentions for the week :)[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.95|162.158.91.95]] 10:40, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

Is Georgia / George a reference to the kings of georgia (of which 9 were named george)? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Georgian_monarchs) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.253|141.101.98.253]] 10:49, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

About "OH HI", I've understood it as a reference to the cult movie "The Room" (2003) (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368226), where the main character Johnny greets the other ones with a "Oh hi!". But that's maybe only my view. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.226.112|108.162.226.112]] 12:12, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

I think it's within plausibility for OH HI to be a reference to the logic game 0h h1 [http://0hh1.com]. Toss that possibility around? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.96|108.162.212.96]] 23:30, 3 December 2016 (UTC)

As a Hoosier, I think that the name given to Indiana is on point. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.45|108.162.238.45]] 14:06, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

Shouldn't the table be alphabetical and the transcript be in geographical order (rather than the other way around as it is now)?[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.83|108.162.219.83]] 15:12, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

I'm fairly confident that "Mossouri" is not a typo, but rather a reference to Katie Mossouris, the Microsoft security researcher who created the bug bounty program. see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Moussouris. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.54|108.162.245.54]] 18:06, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

Dear, it's old to complain of xkcd's various quality drops, but I think this is my turn. A good number of recent comics have just been variously exaggerated text lists of stuff. Randall might just as well switch to a written format; pictorial context is becoming less and less necessary for his comics by the week. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> {{unsigned ip|162.158.203.149}}
:Never read [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebus_the_Aardvark Cerebus the Aardvark], did you? --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.78.133|172.68.78.133]] 14:04, 3 December 2016 (UTC)

I'm thinking that at least in part, it's a commentary on what the average American middle-schooler knows about their country's geography. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.98|173.245.52.98]] 10:56, 2 December 2016 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure there is no 'ee' sound in Michigan, also of note the Carolina's are named for one the British King Charles's although I'm not sure which, and Wysiwyg has been used in xkcd before... Somewhere[[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.88|108.162.237.88]] 21:14, 2 December 2016 (UTC)
:Agreed re Michigan and removed. [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 23:11, 3 December 2016 (UTC)

Newark? He named New York after Newark, New Jersey? Yea, I got your Newark right here, buddy! --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.78.133|172.68.78.133]] 14:04, 3 December 2016 (UTC)

For me, Randall's comic is a gentle-but-hilarious depiction of the general imprecision of human cognition --- pretty much every story that we tell, and every fact we remember, arrives in our awareness in the foggy forms that this comic makes fun of. [[User:John Sidles|John Sidles]] ([[User talk:John Sidles|talk]]) 02:12, 4 December 2016 (UTC)