explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2244: Thumbtacks And String

2021-03-13T05:17:13Z

River: /* Transcript */ new section

Per the title text: I've overheard various people mention, usually in arguments, tattooing information to prevent it being forgotten. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.147|172.69.68.147]] 22:06, 20 December 2019 (UTC) M.Striker

Reminds me of [https://www.ikea.com/se/sv/p/markerad-matta-kort-lugg-vit-svart-00434753/ this rug] (sold by IKEA), which looks like a giant receipt of the very same rug. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.187|162.158.111.187]] 23:09, 20 December 2019 (UTC)
: Getting all information on that receipt correct would be quite challenge even with pre-ordering ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:13, 20 December 2019 (UTC)
:The explanation suggests the actual receipt is printed on the rug, but it's not custom made. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.234.140|162.158.234.140]] 16:31, 23 December 2019 (UTC)
: Above ikea rug link shows generic models only. I assume it's no longer available. Better provide generic image search, as it actually returns the relevant item:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ikea+receipt+rug&iax=images&ia=images

The tattoo subtext makes me think it's referring to the 2001 film 'Memento', a film noir in which the main character tries to solve a mystery while suffering from amnesia so he carries a bundle of clippings from motel-room to motel-room and has the most important clues tattooed onto his body.
[[User:RimGreaper|RimGreaper]] ([[User talk:RimGreaper|talk]]) 23:55, 20 December 2019 (UTC)

Firesign Theater had a scene in their album, "Don't Crush that Dwarf, Hand Me the Pliers," that has a mural named, "Heroic Struggle of the Little Guy to Finish the Mural." [[User:Cosumel|Cosumel]] ([[User talk:Cosumel|talk]]) 17:16, 23 December 2019 (UTC)

I'm disappointed that the bulletin board itself only counts as one of the generic office supplies. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.34.222|162.158.34.222]] 10:39, 21 December 2019 (UTC)

A quick search provided a real world example of the title text [https://www.eonline.com/news/528117/teen-tattoos-mcdonald-s-receipt-on-his-arm-a-week-later-tattoos-the-tattoo-receipt-on-his-other-arm "A tatoo if a tatoo parlour receipt"]. The exercise of string and tacks is left for readers of Pinerest [[User:Iggynelix|Iggynelix]] ([[User talk:Iggynelix|talk]]) 15:09, 21 December 2019 (UTC)
:This example should be added to the Explanation!
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 16:15, 21 December 2019 (UTC)
:: If only that bit of the Explanation could also serve as an example... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.158.93|162.158.158.93]] 20:24, 21 December 2019 (UTC)
:::Added it and other things here above to the explanation. Of course he was from Norway... (Said the Dane, next door neighbor to Norway, with almost the same written language :-). --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 23:08, 21 December 2019 (UTC)
:Note that none of the Norwegian guy's tattoos are actually self-referential. The first tattoo is the receipt for McDonalds, the second tattoo is the receipt for the first tattoo. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 00:46, 24 December 2019 (UTC)

ROTFL because it reminds me of some program managers at a former company who thought they could organize tasks on a large project by putting them up on a board and sequence-ordering them with colored twine. Made for a nice piece of modern art and not much more. [[User:Cellocgw|Cellocgw]] ([[User talk:Cellocgw|talk]]) 15:06, 23 December 2019 (UTC)

I think that its a play on puting the cart before the horse. You can't make a Thumbtacks and string diagram without thumbtacks and string, you can't tattoo a receipt for the tattoo without having got the tattoo. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.213|172.69.63.213]] 16:58, 23 December 2019 (UTC)

== Transcript ==

Transcript needs a lot of work:

- Emojis, as visual elements, should probably be removed

- Figure out a way to describe everything on the board and the connections, including:
:- position of each item on the board and in relation to Beret Guy
:- relative size of each item
:- contents of each item - not all of them are clear/specific text or symbols
:- connections between items, some of which are to specific content elements within an item
- Describe Beret Guy's position

I plan to work on this later, but likely won't complete. River 05:17, 13 March 2021 (UTC)

Talk:1106: ADD

2021-03-13T04:31:47Z

River: /* Transcript */ new section

We are lucky for the comic title, since otherwise I wouldn't be so sure this only apply to people with ADD ... in current world, there are so many things wanting your attention that they may overhelm even normal people (of course not so easily). --[[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:21, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

I agree. You don't have to be ADD to relate.
Then again, doesn't everyone who isn't autistic have some amount of attention deficit? It seems like everyone fits under one label or the other these days.
--[[Special:Contributions/138.67.184.237|138.67.184.237]] 21:33, 16 September 2012 (UTC)

:Hey, I'm autistic and I have ADD. [[Special:Contributions/130.160.145.224|130.160.145.224]] 22:00, 10 March 2013 (UTC)

::[Message deleted for harmful content]

:::I think that's very little data to go on to jump to "a psychiatrist wants your money". Axes to grind best left out of casual, low-information exchanges on the internet I think. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.155|108.162.249.155]] 05:15, 2 March 2016 (UTC)

::: Oi, I know someone who has autism, it is on NO MEANS the parents fault or the kid's laziness. It is IMPOSSIBLE to "make the most out of this" and be productive if you had seen someone try to focus on this. 108.162.216.31, please think how these people feel before commenting. See [[481: Listen to Yourself]] and [[202: YouTube]].[[User:Dontknow|Dontknow]] ([[User talk:Dontknow|talk]]) 04:53, 7 May 2017 (UTC)
:::: Let's settle this. I am diagnosed with ADHD and autism. The psychiatrist means well, and is probably right about autism. With ADHD, you probably also have this but most people on the medicine don't actually need the medicine. Of course, if you are not in the USA/Germany, this doesn't apply
: It does closely resemble the executive dysfunction (and/or 'task intertia') experienced by some autistic people. Definitely can relate to this comic via executive dysfunction, though I don't have ADD. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.155|108.162.249.155]] 05:15, 2 March 2016 (UTC)

you're not allowed to have both? [[Special:Contributions/86.15.83.223|86.15.83.223]] 21:48, 29 December 2012 (UTC)

Is there an opposite to autism/ADD where you find them all interesting as hell and are able to pick and choose and have an hell of a time but get put off easily by failure except where you stick at the one that is widely believed to be impossible because everyone else fails too and it's OK and you eventually find the various solutions to it all?

And nobody cares?[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 19:33, 20 January 2015 (UTC)

It's called "perfection"[[User:Dontknow|Dontknow]] ([[User talk:Dontknow|talk]]) 04:53, 7 May 2017 (UTC)

== Delete Discussion Box ==

Is it possible to delete this discussion box? There's a lot of harmful comments about ADHD and Autism, and I really don't think that visitors to this site would appreciate this blatant ableism. If it's not possible to get rid of the box, can we please get rid of the comments? Thank you. [[User:TrippCeyssens|TrippCeyssens]] ([[User talk:TrippCeyssens|talk]]) 20:26, 18 October 2020 (UTC)

This issue has now been addressed.

== Transcript ==

For the transcript, can we think of a way to convey not just the left-to-right balloon order (as the transcript for the full-width panel currently indicates) but also the relative height of each balloon? River 04:31, 13 March 2021 (UTC)River

1106: ADD

2021-03-13T04:22:40Z

River: /* Transcript */ added colors to list of balloons in full width panel

{{comic
| number = 1106
| date = September 10, 2012
| title = ADD
| image = add.png
| titletext = 20 balloons float away while I'm busy permanently tying one to a tree to deal with it for good. Unfortunately, that one balloon was 'land a rocket on the moon in Kerbal Space Program.'
}}

==Explanation==
This comic appears to be a visual representation of the thought process of someone with {{w|Attention Deficit Disorder}} (ADD). Various of Cueball's thoughts or tasks that he must do are represented by balloons which are rising out of his reach. He holds the "math problem" balloon and grabs the "call mom" balloon, but notices "check oven" is rising out of his reach. He abandons the two balloons he holds to dive and grab the "check oven" balloon. Of course, this allows the other two to rise, presumably out of Cueball's reach, as the pullout reveals a plethora of other balloons already rising too high, some of which describe actions required to live, like balloons marked "breathe" or "drink water".

This represents how someone with ADD quickly drops one task to take on another, only to jump to yet another task before that one is done; or alternatively, it represents how the person with ADD feels; that while they are focusing on one task, 20 others are getting away from them. The title text further reinforces this, noting that while committing to actually complete one task (represented by tying a balloon to a tree), 20 others floated away. The task he chose to complete is (as stereotypical for someone with ADD), a task that results in no necessary accomplishment — the task is to land a rocket on the moon (Mun) in ''{{w|Kerbal Space Program}}'', a PC-based spaceflight simulator and video game. Additional humour comes from the fact that landing a rocket on the moon in Kerbal Space Program would require a lot of repetition through trial-and-error, making a long and involved task during which many other important tasks might be ignored normally.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Cueball is holding a balloon with "Math Problem" written on it. He is running to grab a balloon labeled "Call Mom" that is floating away.]

:[Cueball is now holding both balloons, but looks over his shoulder and sees a balloon that reads "Check Oven".]
:Cueball: ''!!''

:[Cueball releases the balloons he had been holding and runs for the third.]

:[Cueball jumps for the "Check Oven" balloon and snatches it just before it is out of reach.]
:''LEAP''
:Cueball: Hah!

:[Full width panel showing 16 balloons floating away and one Cueball is holding. The balloons are different sizes and colors, labeled as follows from left to right. Listed as * Label - color]
:*Parking Meter - blue
:*Taxes - green
:*Buy Soap - red
:*Phone Call - green
:*Relax - yellow
:*Inbox - blue
:*Clean - red
:*Beat Game - green
:*Feed Cat - yellow
:*Drink Water - blue
:*Call Mom - red
:*Math Problem - green
:*Send Card - red
:*Check Oven (Cueball is holding this one still) - yellow
:*Engine Light - yellow
:*Read - blue
:*Breathe - blue

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Psychology]]
[[Category:Kerbal Space Program]]

2408: Egg Strategies

2021-01-07T00:15:38Z

River: /* Transcript */ Added brackets to descriptions

{{comic
| number = 2408
| date = January 6, 2021
| title = Egg Strategies
| image = egg_strategies.png
| titletext = Neutral Evil is for people who like keeping the weight nicely centered in the carton, but also hate everyone else who wants that.
}}

==Eggsplanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EGG LISTENING ANXIOUSLY TO THE RADIO. Please mention here why this eggsplanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic shows nine egg cartons, each of which contains between five and eight eggs. The cartons are presented in the format of a ''{{W|Dungeons & Dragons}}'' {{w|Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignment chart}}. Originally created as a way of categorizing game characters' motivations, the chart has three possibilities on each axis: lawful/neutral/chaotic on the X axis and good/neutral/evil on the Y axis. Used outside its original purpose, the chart has become a meme used for categorizing things it has no real applicability to. This comic is such a meme.

A standard egg carton has 12 cups for 12 eggs, but the egg owner is unlikely to consume all 12 eggs at once. Because of that, the carton will be emptied gradually according to the owners' preference. This comic depicts various possible storage schemes for the unused eggs and assigns them D&D alignments. The final carton, "chaotic evil," shows what appears to be six eggs (counting the yolks) smashed inside the carton.

The center of gravity of the different arrangements shifts as well, contributing to the "goodness" and "lawfulness" of the solutions.

An alignment chart was also featured in [[2251: Alignment Chart Alignment Chart]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
[3x3 grid of egg cartons, each containing between 5-8 eggs in an arrangement matching a description of lawful/neutral/chaotic paired with good/neutral/evil]

[each egg carton is depicted from a top-down view, with the lid open and the eggs and their places visible]

'''Top Left - Lawful Good'''

[6 eggs centered

3 in the top row, shifted to the right

3 in the bottom row, shifted to the left]

'''Top Center - Neutral Good'''

[7 eggs

4 in the left side

3 in the right side, with one in the top row and two in the bottom row]

'''Top Right - Chaotic Good'''

[6 eggs spread randomly]

'''Middle Left - Lawful Neutral'''

[5 eggs all on the bottom row, starting on the left side]

'''Middle Center - True Neutral'''

[7 eggs all to the left side

4 in the top row

3 in the bottom row]

'''Middle Right - Chaotic Neutral'''

[6 eggs staggered in every other space so that each egg is diagonal from the two nearest

no two eggs are directly next to each other side-to-side or up-and-down

3 in the top row, starting in the left most position

3 in the bottom row; starting position second from the left side]

'''Bottom Left - Lawful Evil'''

[8 eggs

6 in the egg carton, centered but offset one place to the left; 3 eggs each on the top and bottom

2 eggs are on top of the 6 that are placed in the carton]

'''Bottom Center - Neutral Evil'''

[8 eggs

3 on the bottom edge of the lid

2 in the top center positions in the egg carton

3 centered on the edge and on top of/between the eggs on the lid and the eggs in the proper positions]

'''Bottom Right - Chaotic Evil'''

[broken eggs in the center of the carton and spilling/splattering over the rest of the carton and onto the lid

6 or 7 yellow-orange yolks are visible

the spilled egg whites are colored light yellow-greenish

several pieces of egg shells, varying in size from approximately one-half to very small chips are mixed in with the yolks and whites]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Food]]

2408: Egg Strategies

2021-01-07T00:11:55Z

River: /* Transcript */ Added descriptions for the bottom (evil) row of egg cartons.

{{comic
| number = 2408
| date = January 6, 2021
| title = Egg Strategies
| image = egg_strategies.png
| titletext = Neutral Evil is for people who like keeping the weight nicely centered in the carton, but also hate everyone else who wants that.
}}

==Eggsplanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EGG LISTENING ANXIOUSLY TO THE RADIO. Please mention here why this eggsplanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic shows nine egg cartons, each of which contains between five and eight eggs. The cartons are presented in the format of a ''{{W|Dungeons & Dragons}}'' {{w|Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignment chart}}. Originally created as a way of categorizing game characters' motivations, the chart has three possibilities on each axis: lawful/neutral/chaotic on the X axis and good/neutral/evil on the Y axis. Used outside its original purpose, the chart has become a meme used for categorizing things it has no real applicability to. This comic is such a meme.

A standard egg carton has 12 cups for 12 eggs, but the egg owner is unlikely to consume all 12 eggs at once. Because of that, the carton will be emptied gradually according to the owners' preference. This comic depicts various possible storage schemes for the unused eggs and assigns them D&D alignments. The final carton, "chaotic evil," shows what appears to be six eggs (counting the yolks) smashed inside the carton.

The center of gravity of the different arrangements shifts as well, contributing to the "goodness" and "lawfulness" of the solutions.

An alignment chart was also featured in [[2251: Alignment Chart Alignment Chart]].

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
3x3 grid of egg cartons, each containing between 5-8 eggs in an arrangement matching a description of lawful/neutral/chaotic paired with good/neutral/evil

each egg carton is depicted from a top-down view, with the lid open and the eggs and their places visible

'''Top Left - Lawful Good'''

6 eggs centered

3 in the top row, shifted to the right

3 in the bottom row, shifted to the left

'''Top Center - Neutral Good'''

7 eggs

4 in the left side

3 in the right side, with one in the top row and two in the bottom row

'''Top Right - Chaotic Good'''

6 eggs spread randomly

'''Middle Left - Lawful Neutral'''

5 eggs all on the bottom row, starting on the left side

'''Middle Center - True Neutral'''

7 eggs all to the left side

4 in the top row

3 in the bottom row

'''Middle Right - Chaotic Neutral'''

6 eggs staggered in every other space so that each egg is diagonal from the two nearest

no two eggs are directly next to each other side-to-side or up-and-down

3 in the top row, starting in the left most position

3 in the bottom row; starting position second from the left side

'''Bottom Left - Lawful Evil'''

8 eggs

6 in the egg carton, centered but offset one place to the left; 3 eggs each on the top and bottom

2 eggs are on top of the 6 that are placed in the carton

'''Bottom Center - Neutral Evil'''

8 eggs

3 on the bottom edge of the lid

2 in the top center positions in the egg carton

3 centered on the edge and on top of/between the eggs on the lid and the eggs in the proper positions

'''Bottom Right - Chaotic Evil'''

broken eggs in the center of the carton and spilling/splattering over the rest of the carton and onto the lid

6 or 7 yellow-orange yolks are visible

the spilled egg whites are colored light yellow-greenish

several pieces of egg shells, varying in size from approximately one-half to very small chips are mixed in with the yolks and whites

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Food]]

2408: Egg Strategies

2021-01-07T00:00:14Z

River: /* Transcript */ Added descriptions for the middle row.

{{comic
| number = 2408
| date = January 6, 2021
| title = Egg Strategies
| image = egg_strategies.png
| titletext = Neutral Evil is for people who like keeping the weight nicely centered in the carton, but also hate everyone else who wants that.
}}

==Eggsplanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an EGG LISTENING ANXIOUSLY TO THE RADIO. Please mention here why this eggsplanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic shows nine egg cartons, each of which contains between five and eight eggs. The cartons are presented in the format of a ''{{W|Dungeons & Dragons}}'' {{w|Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)|alignment chart}}. Originally created as a way of categorizing game characters' motivations, the chart has three possibilities on each axis: lawful/neutral/chaotic on the X axis and good/neutral/evil on the Y axis. Used outside its original purpose, the chart has become a meme used for categorizing things it has no real applicability to. This comic is such a meme.

A standard egg carton has 12 cups for 12 eggs, but the egg owner is unlikely to consume all 12 eggs at once. Because of that, the carton will be emptied gradually according to the owners' preference. This comic depicts various possible storage schemes for the unused eggs and assigns them D&D alignments. The final carton, "chaotic evil," shows what appears to be six eggs (counting the yolks) smashed inside the carton.

The center of gravity of the different arrangements shifts as well, contributing to the "goodness" and "lawfulness" of the solutions.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
3x3 grid of egg cartons, each containing between 5-8 eggs in an arrangement matching a description of lawful/neutral/chaotic paired with good/neutral/evil

'''Top Left - Lawful Good'''

6 eggs centered

3 in the top row, shifted to the right

3 in the bottom row, shifted to the left

'''Top Center - Neutral Good'''

7 eggs

4 in the left side

3 in the right side, with one in the top row and two in the bottom row

'''Top Right - Chaotic Good'''

6 eggs spread randomly

'''Middle Left - Lawful Neutral'''

5 eggs all on the bottom row, starting on the left side

'''Middle Center - True Neutral'''

7 eggs all to the left side

4 in the top row

3 in the bottom row

'''Middle Right - Chaotic Neutral'''

6 eggs staggered in every other space so that each egg is diagonal from the two nearest

no two eggs are directly next to each other side-to-side or up-and-down

3 in the top row, starting in the left most position

3 in the bottom row; starting position second from the left side

'''Bottom Left - Lawful Evil'''

'''Bottom Center - Neutral Evil'''

'''Bottom Right - Chaotic Evil'''

{{comic discussion}}

2408: Egg Strategies

2021-01-06T23:51:31Z

River: /* Transcript */ Added initial descriptions for the top (good) row.

2408: Egg Strategies

2021-01-06T23:38:16Z

River: /* Transcript */ Added list of egg cartons and label for each egg carton.