explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

888: Heaven

2021-04-26T18:13:40Z

Netherlands: The long brown piece will only delete 3 rows, not 4.

{{comic
| number = 888
| date = April 20, 2011
| title = Heaven
| image = heaven.png
| titletext = If you've never had sex, this is what it feels like. Complete with the brief feeling of satisfaction, followed by ennui, followed by getting bored and trying to make it happen again.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic shows the popular video game ''{{w|Tetris}}'', in which you use different shaped pieces to fill in lines to score points. Filling multiple lines by adding a single piece results in bonus points. Normally all pieces are made up of four small squares. This has also been the case for all the pieces at the bottom of the game; however, some parts of some blocks have been erased when a line has been deleted because it was full.

Heaven, in ''Tetris'', is when you get the perfect piece that fills out all the other pieces on the board. The falling piece here is really odd, but it fits the 18 bare spaces exactly to make it possible to remove 6 lines in a row—compared to the three that is normally possible using the tall brown piece. On top of the heavenly feeling of getting a piece that fits—the top score is also about to be smashed, as the player was at the moment only one point til reaching it!

The next piece, shown to the right, which shall come after the special one, is much taller than the normally possible straight brown piece—a normal one can be seen at the bottom right of the game. This next piece seems to be ten tall, which when rotated fits the cleared bottom of the well perfectly.

The title text compares this experience with sex, complete with an {{w|orgasm}} and the feelings you get right after sex. After "the brief feeling of satisfaction" from the orgasm you are bored, {{w|ennui}} means a feeling of utter weariness and discontent resulting from {{w|satiety}} or lack of interest, but at the end you want more.

A fan has made a modified version of the classic ''Tetris'' game, where at a certain frequency, a heavenly perfectly-fitting block comes along. The game can be found [http://www.gudmagazine.com/games/heaven/ here](Flash game, no longer works).

Also see comic [[724: Hell]], which presents an opposing situation in which the game is designed to be impossible to play.

Choosing to post a comic called Heaven as number {{w|888_(number)#Symbology_and_numerology|888}} is not a coincidence—as in Christian numerology, the number 888 represents Jesus and in Chinese numerology it represents triple fortune.

==Transcript==
:[The panel shows the display of a Tetris game. A large oddly shaped piece is falling towards the board. The piece fits into the gaps exactly to complete six rows at once. The next piece is simply a very long brick. All the pieces at the bottom are made from possible tetris pieces.]
:Next
:Top
:0002187
:Score
:0002186
:Level
:5
:[Below the panel:]
:Heaven

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Sex]]
[[Category:Video games]]

1278: Giraffes

2021-04-26T13:07:56Z

Netherlands: Added the reference to Kickstarter in xkcd (1055),

{{comic
| number = 1278
| date = October 16, 2013
| title = Giraffes
| image = giraffes.png
| titletext = If you fund my Kickstarter...
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Genetic engineering}} is the scientific approach towards altering and modifying the {{w|genome}} of organisms. In the process, DNA material is extracted from a source organism and then inserted into the genome of a host organism. It is thus possible to create {{w|Hybrid (biology)|hybrids}} between species that would not crossbreed naturally. The technique is also applied in order to expedite the sometimes lengthy process of {{w|selective breeding}}.

The comic suggests the creation of genetically modified {{w|Giraffe|giraffes}}. Following the [[:Category:Dinosaurs|recurring theme]] in the comics that dinosaurs and dinosaur-like traits make life more interesting, [[Randall]] expresses his desire to see genetic engineers insert DNA from extinct {{w|Sauropoda|sauropods}} into the giraffe's genome, resulting in giraffes with very large and thick tails. Randall has previously shown great interest in dinosaurs and their integration into the modern age. It is possible that Randall wishes to combine the two due to the fact that they'd look very "cool" together as they are both seemingly weird animals. Giraffes are distinctive for their extremely long neck and sauropods have extremely long tails; the drawing would indicate that the giraffe's neck and sauropod's tail are of equal height/length, thus creating a bizarrely satisfying sense of symmetry.

The idea of extracting and reproducing DNA material of dinosaurs appears most prominently in the 1993 motion picture ''{{w|Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park}}''. The concept is regarded by scientists as rather implausible because DNA disintegrates soon after the death of the organism (read: [http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/279/1748/4724 around 500 years]) and would not be preserved in fossils.

Furthermore, the science of genetic engineering is not yet able to accomplish major alterations in complex genomes. While mice and other small vertebrates have successfully been modified for research purposes, the daily use of genetic engineering is limited to plants and {{w|Unicellular organism|monads}}. That besides, the less closely related the starting species are to each other, the more difficult it would be to successfully combine them. So while the field of genetic engineering is always advancing, combining the body of a modern-day mammal with the tail of a dinosaur will remain a pipe dream for a long time yet.

In general, genetic engineering is a highly controversial topic with regards to the responsibility of science. While some praise the scientific progress and welcome the possibilities it brings, others fear that genetic science might enable man to alter the ways of nature and to presume the role of an almighty creator. The creation of hybrid animals (so called ''{{w|Chimera (genetics)|Chimeras}}'') is often regarded as the ultimate {{w|hubris}} and the climax of moral decay. Some countries have therefore installed strong legal restrictions for the modification of genetic material extracted from humans and animals.

The title text refers to {{w|Kickstarter}}, a funding platform for creative projects. Any person who wants to start a creative project, but lacks the resources to do so, can create a Kickstarter campaign where donors can contribute donations. Usually, the owner of the Kickstarter promises exclusive benefits to donors of certain tiers. For example, the title text could well be finished to say ''If you fund my Kickstarter with a donation of $20 or more, I will give you exclusive access to my weekly blog on the development stages of the giraffosaurus. If you donate $100 or more, you can receive a life-sized cardboard cut-out of the giraffosaurus. Donations of $10,000 or more will earn your name in a raffle for ownership of the first three giraffosauruses.'' This may also be a reference to [http://xkcd.com/1055/ Kickstarter (xkcd comic)]

While dinosaurs are a recurring trope since the beginning of xkcd, giraffes have been featured in some of the more recent [http://what-if.xkcd.com/44/ what-if] articles as a measurement of height.

Interestingly enough, there seems to have been a species of sauropod dinosaur that bore a certain likeness to the modern giraffe and has therefore been christened ''{{w|Giraffatitan}}''.

==Transcript==
:My Hobby:
:[Silhouette of a giraffe with a sauropod's tail.]
:Convincing genetic engineers that giraffes would look better if they had sauropod tails

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Dinosaurs]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Giraffes]]

588: Pep Rally

2021-04-23T18:22:56Z

Netherlands: Added some things to the title text explanation and fixed some grammar (minor)

{{comic
| number =588
| date =May 25, 2009
| title =Pep Rally
| image =pep_rally.png
| titletext =You know, pep rallies weirded me out in high school, and they've only gotten creepier in retrospect.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|The title text isn't explained properly.}}
Any American who went to high school remembers the convocations they had during {{w|High school football|football}} or basketball season, in which class would be interrupted and everyone was crowded into the gymnasium for a {{w|pep rally}}. Cheerleaders would cheer, they'd play the school fight song, the {{w|Cheerleading|cheerleaders}} might do a routine, and the team would be introduced.

This is used to inspire {{w|school spirit}} and get people excited about attending the games so that they'd come to the games and spend money on tickets and concessions. A common boast at pep rallies is "Our school is the best!"

"Wait, why?" says one of the students, quite logically. Why is ''their'' school the best? The student population is simply made up of students living in the general ZIP code of the school's location. There's no intrinsic reason why ''any'' school is any better than the rest of them in any way that really matters in real life. And even having the #1 basketball or football team in the state doesn't mean the students in that school are any "better" than anyone else.

This comic subverts the usual expectation of unanimous agreement with the cheerleader's sentiment, and reminds you that people who go to other schools or root for other teams aren't "bad people". In fact, they are capable of being quite kind as is demonstrated by the North High football team who helped rebuild someone's deck, the principal who donated his kidney, and the welcoming invitation from one of the student's friends to his school's events. [[Randall]] would no doubt argue that this is the same of people who follow a different religion than you, are of a different ethnicity, or have a different political party affiliation.

The title text says that Randall was weirded out by pep rallies growing up, as many introverted people do because of the noise and excitement. Now that he's older, he finds them even ''more'' creepy, probably in retrospect of all the weird stuff in the pep rallies.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail stands in front of crowded bleachers (with only Cueballs in it), waving pompoms high in the air.]
:Ponytail: Lakeview High is the best!
:Crowd: Yeah!
:Voice #1: Wait, why?

:[Zoom on Ponytail, now with her hands and pompoms down.]
:Ponytail: What?
:Voice #1 (off-screen): A guy on the North High football team helped me rebuild my deck.
:Voice #1 (off-screen): It seems ungrateful to presume we're better.

:[Same picture with Ponytail now just listening.]
:Voice #1 (off-screen): I mean, school districts are just based on zip codes.
:Voice #2 (off-screen): Their principal donated a kidney to my dad.

:[Ponytail looks down, holding up her pompoms.]
:Voice #1 (off-screen): I'm texting with my friend there now. He says it's okay, and we're invited to their events if we want.
:Voice #1 (off-screen): But he sounded kind of hurt.
:Voice #2 (off-screen): Why are we doing this, rally, again?

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2454: Fully Vaccinated

2021-04-23T18:07:06Z

Netherlands: Minor grammar mistakes and minor mistake in title text

{{comic
| number = 2454
| date = April 23, 2021
| title = Fully Vaccinated
| image = fully_vaccinated.png
| titletext = "You still can't walk into someone's house without being invited!" "What? Oh, I see your confusion. No, this vaccine is for a bat VIRUS. I'm fine with doorways and garlic and stuff."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FULLY VACCINATED VAMPIRE, which want's to know more about the vampire lore invoked in the title text, and who and how it is misunderstoodand who says what... Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}, specifically regarding the [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccine]].

The {{w|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}} (CDC) has stated that once people are fully vaccinated, they are able to visit other people's houses (and not risk spreading/catching coronavirus). The implication, of course, is that you can visit people that you would also have visited before the outbreak. The humor in this comic comes from [[Megan]] who is just going to visit a random stranger's house. She explains this is okay because she is fully vaccinated, telling the person in the house that she is two weeks past her second dose. This was part of the topic of the last vaccine comic [[2450: Post Vaccine Social Scheduling]].

Restrictions to socializing, brought in as various governments reacted to the emergent COVID-19 pandemic, often disallowed or discouraged visiting family, friends, etc, beyond a mutually isolating 'support bubble', which meant that many house visits that might have occurred beforehand were no longer advisable. With the development and distribution of vaccines, and the eventual receiving of a second dose as applicable, the rules have been modified to allow those vaccinated to once again resume some degree of their prior outgoing behavior where the risks have been mitigated.

In this instance, though, Megan has taken the advice even further. Rather than opening back up to a situation closer to the 'old normal', she has taken it as an official sanction to ''exceed'' the old social limits and pester complete strangers. Alternately, this ''is'' what she always used to do, and only stopped 'for the duration', this unlucky householder being (one of) the first to be subjected to this 'guerilla visiting' now that there seems to be no reason not to continue.

In the title text, the owner of the house explains to Megan that just because she has been vaccinated she just can't enter into someone's house without being invited - a commonly understood form of property law. {{Citation needed}}

But due to the vaccine type Megan thinks the owner has mixed this up with a commonly understood element of vampire lore, that vampires must be {{tvtropes|MustBeInvited|invited into a home}} before they can pass through the doorway.

In vampire lore, vampires are often able to transform into bats. Since the coronavirus is likely a {{w|bat virome}} that has entered into humans, this makes Megan think that the owner thinks she is now a vampire. (The virus may have either gone directly to a human from a bat, or it could have come to humans through another animal, see {{w|Bat virome#Coronaviruses|this section}} on the bat virome page).

Megan thus begins to explain that the vaccine works on a bat virus and has nothing to do with bats. And since she is thus not a vampire she has no problems entering a doorway uninvited. And for good measure she also tells that she is also not affected by garlic or other stuff that vampires are repelled of. Again vampire lore states that they are [https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2010/02/22/six-ways-to-stop-a-vampire/ repelled by garlic]. And for instance crosses, holy water, sunshine, and wooden stakes through the heart (the last is a problem for humans in general, vampiric or otherwise).

Of course the owner had just been trying to explain that she cannot come in just because she is vaccinated, but this seems to not register with Megan.

Doing ridiculous things that were never allowed, even normally, after being vaccinated of low-risk, was also the theme of xkcd number 2434: vaccine guidance https://xkcd.com/2434/

==Transcript==
:[Megan is standing in front of a three-step stair leading up to an open door. She has one hand in the air while talking to someone inside the house, who replies. The ground outside has small turfs of grass.]
:Megan: Hi, I'm here to visit!
:Voice, from inside the house: Do I know you?
:Megan: No, it's cool, I'm two weeks past my second dose.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Remember, once you're fully vaccinated, the CDC says you're free to visit other people's houses.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Social interactions]]