explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2746: Launch Window

2023-03-07T16:50:54Z

Richard ames:

Looks like Randall posted this one really late this time. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.111.75|172.70.111.75]] 05:22, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

Is this about an actual window being open? --[[Special:Contributions/172.70.250.189|172.70.250.189]] 06:11, 7 March 2023 (UTC)
yes, that seems to be the joke. it's actually a pretty good one.

It's definitely quite abstract; I think it's talking about an actual window of the building that the rocket is supposedly "inside" [[Special:Contributions/172.71.30.142|172.71.30.142]] 06:14, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

I've added a bit more to the explanation, but I wasn't sure what, if anything, could be said about the 'sunlight' comment... Is it just a joke about the stereotypical "computer nerd/engineer" never stepping foot in the sun, or am I missing something there? Also, could someone please add the characters' names in to the explanation where necessary? I can't remember them well enough to be confident in who's who [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.186|108.162.245.186]] 06:34, 7 March 2023 (UTC)
:I think it's more general than nerds (though possibly speaking as a probable nerd myself). Depending upon the local clime, and time of year, while having some Sun can be nice (whether or not it's warm, and it's warm enough for the local bugs) I know that even in the winter mornings, where a few streets I might often walk up face directly into the rising Sun, the glare can be severe and I really need to remember my hat so I can tilt its brim down. Even if it isn't simultaneously dropping water (or ice) on my head at the time.
:I get the impression that this launch-building is (like most launch sites) far more equatorial than my 50-odd degrees of latitude, it's probably <s>a fansite</s> equipped with HVAC and though it might still be nice enough to go outside with your packed lunch (bugs excepted) for a while, actually having to work on an external rocket and its launch-pad would not be a matter of moderation and choice to nip back in again because it is too bright (and possibly hot, even in the shade) to be comfortable. Not when the "launch room" had been set up with a nice, predictable temperature and illumination level.
:But I don't want to speak for those actually habituated to the great outdoors. ("There's no bad weather, only bad clothing," etc.) Which even some nerds are, when not working on necessarily indoors tasks... [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.87|172.71.242.87]] 13:21, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

I think there's clearly a play on mission control-type spaces, as shown here, being dark, air conditioned, and insect-free.

2293: RIP John Conway

2020-04-13T17:41:21Z

Richard ames: Adding some descriptions of the game of life and the specific instance created by Randall here.

{{comic
| number = 2293
| date = April 13, 2020
| title = RIP John Conway
| image = rip_john_conway.gif
| titletext = 1937-2020
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a GLIDER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
{{w|John Horton Conway|John Conway}}, an English mathematician, passed away of {{w|COVID-19}} two days before this comic's release. One of his most famous creations was {{w|Conway's Game of Life}}, which consists of an infinite square grid and rules of how it changes over time. This comic begins with the shape of a stick figure as the starting configuration, which then evolves according to the rules of the Game of Life.

John Horton Conway was an English mathematician who, among other mathematics studies, created The Game of Life - an automation that, given an initial set of cells in a grid, will create a pattern based on preexisting rules. The core rules are quite simple, but can lead to fairly complex patterns that can move, split apart, and other characteristics of living objects.

This pattern breaks into three parts, two of which stay at the same level as the original figure's feet before rapidly melting away, and a third that ascends up and to the right. Randall may be suggesting a soul breaking apart from the rapidly disintegrating corporeal remains here.

Conway passed away on April 11, 2020 due to complications from the COVID-19 virus. As such, Monroe created this memorial comic of a stick figure fading away, which obeys the rules of the Game of Life.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[A pixelated image of a stick figure. The image is animated, and soon splits into two groups, one of which dissipates. The other becomes a glider and moves off to the top-right corner of the image before repeating the animation. The movements obey Conway's Game of Life]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Tribute]]

2174: First News Memory

2019-07-10T20:24:45Z

Richard ames: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2174
| date = July 10, 2019
| title = First News Memory
| image = first_news_memory.png
| titletext = Psychology researchers say our 'flashbulb' memories of big events can be unreliable, but I clearly remember watching live on CNN as Challenger crashed into and destroyed the Berlin Wall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a FAULTY FIRST NEWS MEMORY. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
The Challenger exploded in 1986, so Harry's teacher was not showing them the launch live. Presumably, showing a number of young schoolchildren a traumatizing event led to his dismissal.

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail, Cueball, Megan, Hairy, White Hat, Black Hat and Hairbun are all at a party, discussing their earliest news memories.]

:[Panel with Ponytail, Cueball, Megan, and Hairy]
:Ponytail: What's your first news memory?
:Cueball: I always like this question! Mine was the 1988 election.
:Megan: Berlin wall for me. You?

:[Frame-less panel with Megan, Hairy, White Hat, and Black Hat]
:Hairy: Watching the ''Challenger'' launch in class. We were so excited; everyone was horrified when it blew up.
:Hairy: It was 1995.
:Hairy: Our teacher got fired soon after.

:[Panel with Hairy, White Hat, Black Hat, and Hairbun]
:White Hat: Mine's the 2016 election.
:Hairbun: ...aren't you in your 30's?
:White Hat: Look, we're not all great about keeping up with the news, OK?

:[Panel with White Hat, Black Hat, and Hairbun]
:Black Hat: My first memory is when we landed on the moon.
:Black Hat: My second memory is my mom telling us we were moving to Earth instead, to blend in with the humans.
:Hairbun: This explains a lot.

{{comic discussion}}

2157: Diploma Legal Notes

2019-05-31T15:37:51Z

Richard ames:

{{comic
| number = 2157
| date = May 31, 2019
| title = Diploma Legal Notes
| image = diploma_legal_notes.png
| titletext = If you're planning to challenge the royal family, you should probably wait 6-8 weeks, since a number of the younger ones have diplomas and Kate was actually on the varsity lightsaber team at St Andrews.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CHALLENGER TO THE BRITISH THRONE. Each privilege, title text needs to be explained. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

A class of 2019 graduate, presumably for some college or university, is given some rather odd privileges for graduating.

A common line in degree granting ceremonies is "the degree of X is conferred with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto." This dates from the Roman Empire and continued through the rise of the university as an institution in medieval times. In the Roman era, the rights and privileges accorded to physicians and scholars included exemption from certain civic duties and military services, immunity from certain levies and from being summoned to court unduly, and even granting a state salary. In the medieval era, rights generally mirrored those of ecclesiastical figures and included immunity from civil law (instead scholars were subject to canon, or church law), as well as safe conduct on their travels between jurisdictions. (See Scholarly Privileges, Their Roman Origins and Medieval Expression, Pearl Kibre, in the American Historical Review, Vol 59 No. 3 (April, 1954) at https://www.jstor.org/stable/1844716.

While true that some degrees do grant professional privileges today, generally additional accreditation beyond the degree is required (passing the bar, medical certification, etc.) to gain anything most people would consider a privilege or right or incur any obligation. (The obligation to pay your student loans back exists regardless of completing your degree).

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.

Depending on the jurisdiction, these may or may not be privileges that one already has by virtue of being in a particular jurisdiction or being part of a particular culture.

In some cultures, a couple might be recognised as married if they meet certain conditions (as opposed to being legally recognised by a religious or civil authority), such as being recognised by the community or after the {{w|Inuit_women#Family_structure_and_marriage|birth of their first child}}. Because states often provide benefits (tax reductions, social services, etc) for being married, they often require that, in order to receive the benefits, that a marriage have a registered person recognise the marriage, which is likely the privilege that this graduating class' diploma is granting.

In common law jurisdictions, {{w|Citizen's arrest|citizen's arrest}} is legal without a warrant in some situations, although in many cases it is better to let a police officer arrest criminals due to potential legal issues that might arise. The privilege granted by graduating might grant or extend this privilege, depending on where the graduating class is located.

:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.

:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.

:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.

:* You can send mail without stamps.
The {{w|Franking#Franking_privilege|franking privilege}} allows sending mail without stamps and is often granted to legislators conducting "official business." A group of legislators elected at the same time may sometimes be referred to as the "class of ''year''" such as [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/28/us/politics/congress-freshman-class.html "the congressional freshman class of 2019..."]

:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.

:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[An official document with a title at the top between two images of graduation hats on either side:]

:[Title:] Congratulations, Class of 2019!

:Your diploma grants you many new powers and privileges. These include:

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.
:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.
:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.
:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.
:* You can send mail without stamps.
:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.
:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

{{comic discussion}}

2157: Diploma Legal Notes

2019-05-31T15:37:11Z

Richard ames:

{{comic
| number = 2157
| date = May 31, 2019
| title = Diploma Legal Notes
| image = diploma_legal_notes.png
| titletext = If you're planning to challenge the royal family, you should probably wait 6-8 weeks, since a number of the younger ones have diplomas and Kate was actually on the varsity lightsaber team at St Andrews.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CHALLENGER TO THE BRITISH THRONE. Each privilege, title text needs to be explained. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

A class of 2019 graduate, presumably for some college or university, is given some rather odd privileges for graduating.

A common line in degree granting ceremonies is "the degree of X is conferred with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto." This dates from the Roman Empire and continued through the rise of the university as an institution in medieval times. In the Roman era, the rights and privileges accorded to physicians and scholars included exemption from certain civic duties and military services, immunity from certain levies and from being summoned to court unduly, and even granting a state salary. In the medieval era, rights generally mirrored those of ecclesiastical figures and included immunity from civil law (instead scholars were subject to canon, or church law), as well as safe conduct on their travels between jurisdictions. (See Scholarly Privileges, Their Roman Origins and Medieval Expression, Peral Kibre, in the American Historical Review, Vol 59 No. 3 (April, 1954) at https://www.jstor.org/stable/1844716.

While true that some degrees do grant professional privileges today, generally additional accreditation beyond the degree is required (passing the bar, medical certification, etc.) to gain anything most people would consider a privilege or right or incur any obligation. (The obligation to pay your student loans back exists regardless of completing your degree).

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.

Depending on the jurisdiction, these may or may not be privileges that one already has by virtue of being in a particular jurisdiction or being part of a particular culture.

In some cultures, a couple might be recognised as married if they meet certain conditions (as opposed to being legally recognised by a religious or civil authority), such as being recognised by the community or after the {{w|Inuit_women#Family_structure_and_marriage|birth of their first child}}. Because states often provide benefits (tax reductions, social services, etc) for being married, they often require that, in order to receive the benefits, that a marriage have a registered person recognise the marriage, which is likely the privilege that this graduating class' diploma is granting.

In common law jurisdictions, {{w|Citizen's arrest|citizen's arrest}} is legal without a warrant in some situations, although in many cases it is better to let a police officer arrest criminals due to potential legal issues that might arise. The privilege granted by graduating might grant or extend this privilege, depending on where the graduating class is located.

:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.

:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.

:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.

:* You can send mail without stamps.
The {{w|Franking#Franking_privilege|franking privilege}} allows sending mail without stamps and is often granted to legislators conducting "official business." A group of legislators elected at the same time may sometimes be referred to as the "class of ''year''" such as [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/28/us/politics/congress-freshman-class.html "the congressional freshman class of 2019..."]

:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.

:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[An official document with a title at the top between two images of graduation hats on either side:]

:[Title:] Congratulations, Class of 2019!

:Your diploma grants you many new powers and privileges. These include:

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.
:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.
:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.
:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.
:* You can send mail without stamps.
:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.
:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

{{comic discussion}}

2157: Diploma Legal Notes

2019-05-31T15:36:09Z

Richard ames:

{{comic
| number = 2157
| date = May 31, 2019
| title = Diploma Legal Notes
| image = diploma_legal_notes.png
| titletext = If you're planning to challenge the royal family, you should probably wait 6-8 weeks, since a number of the younger ones have diplomas and Kate was actually on the varsity lightsaber team at St Andrews.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CHALLENGER TO THE BRITISH THRONE. Each privilege, title text needs to be explained. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

A class of 2019 graduate, presumably for some college or university, is given some rather odd privileges for graduating.

A common line in degree granting ceremonies is "the degree of X is conferred with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto." This dates from the days of the Roman Empire and continued through the rise of the university as an institution in medieval times. In the Roman era, the rights and privileges accorded to physicians and scholars included exemption from certain civic duties and military services, immunity from certain levies and from being summoned to court unduly, and even granting a state salaries. In the medieval era, rights generally mirror those of ecclesiastical figures and included immunity from civil law (instead scholars were subject to canon, or church law), as well as safe conduct on their travels between jurisdictions. (See Scholarly Privileges, Their Roman Origins and Medieval Expression, Peral Kibre, in the American Historical Review, Vol 59 No. 3 (April, 1954) at https://www.jstor.org/stable/1844716.

While true that some degrees do grant professional privileges today, generally additional accreditation beyond the degree is required (passing the bar, medical certification, etc.) to gain anything most people would consider a privilege or right or incur any obligation. (The obligation to pay your student loans back exists regardless of completing your degree).

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.

Depending on the jurisdiction, these may or may not be privileges that one already has by virtue of being in a particular jurisdiction or being part of a particular culture.

In some cultures, a couple might be recognised as married if they meet certain conditions (as opposed to being legally recognised by a religious or civil authority), such as being recognised by the community or after the {{w|Inuit_women#Family_structure_and_marriage|birth of their first child}}. Because states often provide benefits (tax reductions, social services, etc) for being married, they often require that, in order to receive the benefits, that a marriage have a registered person recognise the marriage, which is likely the privilege that this graduating class' diploma is granting.

In common law jurisdictions, {{w|Citizen's arrest|citizen's arrest}} is legal without a warrant in some situations, although in many cases it is better to let a police officer arrest criminals due to potential legal issues that might arise. The privilege granted by graduating might grant or extend this privilege, depending on where the graduating class is located.

:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.

:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.

:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.

:* You can send mail without stamps.
The {{w|Franking#Franking_privilege|franking privilege}} allows sending mail without stamps and is often granted to legislators conducting "official business." A group of legislators elected at the same time may sometimes be referred to as the "class of ''year''" such as [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/28/us/politics/congress-freshman-class.html "the congressional freshman class of 2019..."]

:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.

:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[An official document with a title at the top between two images of graduation hats on either side:]

:[Title:] Congratulations, Class of 2019!

:Your diploma grants you many new powers and privileges. These include:

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.
:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.
:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.
:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.
:* You can send mail without stamps.
:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.
:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

{{comic discussion}}

2157: Diploma Legal Notes

2019-05-31T15:30:42Z

Richard ames:

{{comic
| number = 2157
| date = May 31, 2019
| title = Diploma Legal Notes
| image = diploma_legal_notes.png
| titletext = If you're planning to challenge the royal family, you should probably wait 6-8 weeks, since a number of the younger ones have diplomas and Kate was actually on the varsity lightsaber team at St Andrews.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a CHALLENGER TO THE BRITISH THRONE. Each privilege, title text needs to be explained. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

A class of 2019 graduate, presumably for some college or university, is given some rather odd privileges for graduating.

A common line in degree granting ceremonies is "the degree of X is conferred with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto." This dates from the days of roman times and continued through the rise of the university as an institution in medieval times. In Roman times, the rights and privileges included exemption from certain civic duties and military services, immunity from certain levies and from being summoned to court unduly, and even granting them state salaries. In the medieval era, rights generally mirror those of ecclesiastical figures and immunity from civil law (instead scholars were subject to canon, or church law), as well as safe conduct on their travels from institution to institution. (See Scholarly Privileges, Their Roman Origins and Medieval Expression, Peral Kibre, in the American Historical Review, Vol 59 No. 3 (April, 1954) at https://www.jstor.org/stable/1844716.

While true, that some degrees do grant professional privileges, generally additional accreditation beyond the degree is required (passing the bar, medical certification, etc.) to gain anything most people would consider a privilege or right, or incur any obligation. (The obligation to pay your student loans back exists regardless of completing your degree).

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.

Depending on the jurisdiction, these may or may not be privileges that one already has by virtue of being in a particular jurisdiction or being part of a particular culture.

In some cultures, a couple might be recognised as married if they meet certain conditions (as opposed to being legally recognised by a religious or civil authority), such as being recognised by the community or after the {{w|Inuit_women#Family_structure_and_marriage|birth of their first child}}. Because states often provide benefits (tax reductions, social services, etc) for being married, they often require that, in order to receive the benefits, that a marriage have a registered person recognise the marriage, which is likely the privilege that this graduating class' diploma is granting.

In common law jurisdictions, {{w|Citizen's arrest|citizen's arrest}} is legal without a warrant in some situations, although in many cases it is better to let a police officer arrest criminals due to potential legal issues that might arise. The privilege granted by graduating might grant or extend this privilege, depending on where the graduating class is located.

:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.

:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.

:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.

:* You can send mail without stamps.
The {{w|Franking#Franking_privilege|franking privilege}} allows sending mail without stamps and is often granted to legislators conducting "official business." A group of legislators elected at the same time may sometimes be referred to as the "class of ''year''" such as [https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/11/28/us/politics/congress-freshman-class.html "the congressional freshman class of 2019..."]

:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.

:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[An official document with a title at the top between two images of graduation hats on either side:]

:[Title:] Congratulations, Class of 2019!

:Your diploma grants you many new powers and privileges. These include:

:* You may now legally perform marriages and arrest people.
:* If you have your diploma with you, you can use grocery store express lanes with any number of items.
:* All graduates are entitled to delete one word of their choice from the Oxford English Dictionary.
:* The university will mail you your working lightsaber within 6-8 weeks.
:* You can send mail without stamps.
:* You have earned the right to challenge the British royal family to trial by combat. If you defeat them all, the throne is yours.
:* You may now ignore "Do Not Pet" warnings on airport security dogs.

{{comic discussion}}