explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

909: Worst-Case Shopping

2016-01-12T20:48:08Z

Ralphsd: Fixed position of "(worst-case)"; split two sentences for better flow

{{comic
| number = 909
| date = June 8, 2011
| title = Worst-Case Shopping
| image = worst case shopping.png
| titletext = Wait a minute. If I'm escaping from a submarine at 50 meters, then I'll *definitely* need a flashlight to find air pockets for gradual decompression on the way up. Time to start shopping professional dive lights.
}}

==Explanation==
For most people, under most circumstances, a flashlight's water-resistance is a completely moot point, as most flashlight use occurs on dry land. But, [[208|as Randall has shown before]], there is a tendency for people to imagine elaborate scenarios in which an extra edge would be useful.

In the dream sequence over the first 2 and a half frames, Cueball appears to be diving to find a key underwater, which he spots using his flashlight when he is at 8 meters. His flashlight goes out at 10 meters because he bought the "Hi-Brite" model. The dream sequence also references a "radio shed", which were only really used in the past for {{w|amateur radio}}s or some other military style bases/compounds—which would align with his "warn the President" line.

The title text takes Cueball's thought process to the next level. If he is getting a flashlight that works to 40 meters (worst-case), he should probably be prepared for even deeper waters as well (even worse-case). However, this is seen as ridiculous from his friend, since the more durable model costs $25 more in return. However, he replies that you never know what situation you'd be in.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is diving in very deep, dark blue water. He shines a flashlight at the sea floor.]
:Cueball (thinks): Eight meters. There's the wreckage... Yes! I see the key!

:[As he swims further toward it, his flashlight starts to cut out.]
:Cueball (thinks): Gotta grab it, surface, get in to the radio shed, and warn the President! Just a few more...
:Flashlight: BZZT FIZZ

:[This panel has no border like the others, and is divided in half diagonally by a thought bubble.]
:[The left half of it is a dark blue thought bubble with the diver inside it. On the right hand side are packaged flashlights hanging on a shelf. The one called Hi-Brite is $24.95 and is labeled "water resistant to 10 meters." The one called "FenStar G6" is $49.95 and says "water resistant to 40 meters."]
:Cueball (thinks): Oh no.

:[Cueball and a friend stand in front of a flashlight display in a store. Cueball looks down at the packages with his hand on his chin in thought. The thought bubble from the previous panel leads from his head. The friend stands behind him.]
:Cueball: ...maybe I should spring for the deeper water resistance.
:Friend: Why on earth would you care about that?
:Cueball: Look, you never know.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

909: Worst-Case Shopping

2016-01-12T20:46:33Z

Ralphsd: typo fix

{{comic
| number = 909
| date = June 8, 2011
| title = Worst-Case Shopping
| image = worst case shopping.png
| titletext = Wait a minute. If I'm escaping from a submarine at 50 meters, then I'll *definitely* need a flashlight to find air pockets for gradual decompression on the way up. Time to start shopping professional dive lights.
}}

==Explanation==
For most people, under most circumstances, a flashlight's water-resistance is a completely moot point, as most flashlight use occurs on dry land. But, [[208|as Randall has shown before]], there is a tendency for people to imagine elaborate scenarios in which an extra edge would be useful.

In the dream sequence over the first 2 and a half frames, Cueball appears to be diving to find a key underwater, which he spots using his flashlight when he is at 8 meters. His flashlight goes out at 10 meters because he bought the "Hi-Brite" model. The dream sequence also references a "radio shed", which were only really used in the past for {{w|amateur radio}}s or some other military style bases/compounds—which would align with his "warn the President" line.

The title text takes Cueball's thought process to the next level (worst-case), because if he is getting a flashlight that works to 40 meters, he should probably be prepared for even deeper waters as well (even worse-case). However, this is seen as ridiculous from his friend, since the more durable model costs $25 more in return. However, he replies that you never know what situation you'd be in.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is diving in very deep, dark blue water. He shines a flashlight at the sea floor.]
:Cueball (thinks): Eight meters. There's the wreckage... Yes! I see the key!

:[As he swims further toward it, his flashlight starts to cut out.]
:Cueball (thinks): Gotta grab it, surface, get in to the radio shed, and warn the President! Just a few more...
:Flashlight: BZZT FIZZ

:[This panel has no border like the others, and is divided in half diagonally by a thought bubble.]
:[The left half of it is a dark blue thought bubble with the diver inside it. On the right hand side are packaged flashlights hanging on a shelf. The one called Hi-Brite is $24.95 and is labeled "water resistant to 10 meters." The one called "FenStar G6" is $49.95 and says "water resistant to 40 meters."]
:Cueball (thinks): Oh no.

:[Cueball and a friend stand in front of a flashlight display in a store. Cueball looks down at the packages with his hand on his chin in thought. The thought bubble from the previous panel leads from his head. The friend stands behind him.]
:Cueball: ...maybe I should spring for the deeper water resistance.
:Friend: Why on earth would you care about that?
:Cueball: Look, you never know.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

398: Tap That Ass

2016-01-12T20:21:17Z

Ralphsd: Second panel explanation, final panel explanation and title explanation were modified

{{comic
| number = 398
| date = March 19, 2008
| title = Tap That Ass
| image = tap_that_ass.png
| titletext = Hey, when you're done draining the syrup, just leave the hole, okay?
}}

==Explanation==
This comic uses verbal irony to exploit the application of double meanings. The phrase "tap that ass" is a colloquialism for "to have intercourse with that person" and is most likely how the reader expects the phrase to be used. However, throughout the comic, this is not the case.

In the first panel, it is possible that [[Cueball]] is using "tap that ass" sexually. However, it is more likely that he is using "tap" to mean "pick" or "choose", in which case he would be the one choosing the next committee chair. "That ass" refers to one of the individuals in the meeting room to be picked for the position.

In the second panel, "tap" is referring to wiretapping. The Cueball character with the headphones on has just unplugged his headphone. This suggests he and his colleague at the phone were just done with the wiretapping. In this scenario it is strange that the colleague is still on the phone instead of hanging up. However, it would be much stranger to wiretap someone in plain eyesight unless that person is blind. "Ass" likely refers to the person they have just wiretapped. Cueball says he'd tap that ass "without a warrant", suggesting that they had one in this situation.

In the third panel, "tap" is referring to extracting sap from trees. A sexual connotation would make no sense in this context. "That ass" refers to the maple tree.

In the final panel, Cueball has a chance to now use the phrase "tap that ass" to mean "having intercourse". The punchline is that he does not do so and instead explicitly states he'd have sex with a tree.

The title text features a request from Cueball from the last panel to Cueball from the third panel. He asks Cueball not to plug up the hole left behind from tapping the tree, so he can have sex with it.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball in a hallway looking in on a board meeting.]
:Cueball: I'd tap that ass to be the new committee chair.
:[Cueball wearing headphones with a briefcase and a laptop. Another man on a telephone.]
:Cueball: I'd tap that ass without a warrant.
:[Cueball with his hand on his chin, looking at a tree.]
:Cueball: I'd tap that ass and extract delicious maple syrup.
:[Cueball standing in a blank frame.]
:Cueball: I'd have sex with that tree.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Sex]]

Talk:398: Tap That Ass

2016-01-12T20:01:24Z

Ralphsd: Commented on criticism of explanation of final panel, criticized explanation of second panel.

no, "tap" in the first frame means "pick," as in, "today the mayor tapped Mike Smith to be interim head of the planning department." No idea where you got the borrowing money bit from. [[User:MR|MR]] ([[User talk:MR|talk]]) 22:27, 5 March 2013 (UTC)MR
:Agreed. Someone who is better at life than us should correct it.--[[User:JSekula71|JSekula71]] ([[User talk:JSekula71|talk]]) 20:29, 27 April 2013 (UTC)
::Also agreed. I've changed it, but it could be better :-) [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 02:35, 28 April 2013 (UTC)
:::Changed the explanation about the first panel and mentioned the title text at the end, but it really could be better:D [[Special:Contributions/141.101.97.215|141.101.97.215]] 05:21, 23 April 2014 (UTC)
It should be known that "xkcd: Volume 0" includes a continuation of this comic in which Cueball has sex with the tree and eventually a child. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.217.17|108.162.217.17]] 16:22, 19 November 2015 (UTC)

It does not seem like the final panel is trying to show the absurdity of assuming "tap that ass" to be sexual. It is just continuing the joke by explicitly stating "tap that ass" in regards to the third panel. [[User:Flewk|Flewk]] ([[User talk:Flewk|talk]]) 00:59, 28 December 2015 (UTC)
:I agree. This can be doubly confirmed by looking at the title text which confirms Cueball in the fourth panel really does wants sex with the tree. [[User:Ralphsd|Ralphsd]] ([[User talk:Ralphsd|talk]]) 20:01, 12 January 2016 (UTC)

The current explanation for the second panel is that "tap that ass" is either meant sexually or at the guy who is at the phone. However, if you actually look at what's happening you can see that the person speaking is actually done wiretapping and is now unplugging his headphones from his laptop. This means the guy at the phone is most likely a police officer and the wiretapper is his colleague. [[User:Ralphsd|Ralphsd]] ([[User talk:Ralphsd|talk]]) 20:01, 12 January 2016 (UTC)