explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2046: Trum-

2020-07-27T17:06:30Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

{{comic
| number = 2046
| date = September 14, 2018
| title = Trum-
| image = trum.png
| titletext = Excited to vote for future presidents Bill Eisenhamper, Amy Forb, Ethan Obample, and Abigail Washingtoast.
}}

==Explanation==
The {{w|President of the United States}}, at the time when this comic was published, is {{w|Donald Trump}} and he shares the first letters of his surname with {{w|Harry S. Truman}}, who was US President between 1945 and 1953. [[Megan]] notes that both of these presidents' last names start with "T-R-U-M", but she also states that they are not much related.

There were several presidents of the US who even have the exact same last name. For example, {{w|John Adams}} and his son {{w|John Quincy Adams}}, and the more recent father and son {{w|George H. W. Bush}} and {{w|George W. Bush}}. Similarly {{w|Theodore Roosevelt}} and {{w|Franklin Delano Roosevelt}} are 5th cousins. Grandfather and grandson {{w|William Henry Harrison}} and {{w|Benjamin Harrison}} also share a last name. And there are the two [https://www.geni.com/path/Lyndon-B-Johnson-36th-President-of-the-United-States+is+related+to+Andrew-Johnson-17th-President-of-the-USA?from=6000000002045454764&to=361204095530004567| most distantly related] presidents with the same surname, both {{w|Andrew Johnson}} and {{w|Lyndon B. Johnson}} have the last name of Johnson (7 letters), although the shared last name is coincidental, given they do not share any relatives with the name Johnson.

Besides T-R-U-M- and the cases of identical names, the longest common surname prefix is H-A-R (3 letters), shared by William Henry (or Benjamin) H-A-R-rison and Warren Gamaliel H-A-R-ding. (The next longest common surname prefixes are B-U-, shared by James B-U-chanan and George (H.) W. Bush; and C-L-, shared by Grover Cleveland and Bill Clinton.)

The longest common suffix (not counting identical names) is also 4 for I-S-O-N for {{w|James Madison}} and the two Harrison presidents. (It is an interesting fact that the name HARRISON contains both the second-longest common prefix and the longest common suffix among non-identical president surnames.)

The joke is that the matching of those few letters is the least weird thing. Trump's presidency is commonly considered weird in ways too varied to concisely list in this article, and both Megan and Cueball seem to agree on this.

The title text lists "absurd" last names that could start with the same letters as other presidents: Bill Eisenhamper, Amy Forb, Ethan Obample, and Abigail Washingtoast. These would refer to {{w|Dwight D. Eisenhower|Dwight D. '''Eisenh'''ower}}, {{w|Gerald Ford|Gerald '''For'''d}}, {{w|Barack Obama|Barack '''Obam'''a}}, and {{w|George Washington|George '''Washingto'''n}}.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan walking together while talking.]
:Megan: It's pretty weird that we've had two totally unrelated presidents whose last names start with '''''"T-R-U-M-"'''''.
:Cueball: Oh, sure, that's ''definitely'' the weirdest thing about the presidency right now.
:Megan: It's less weird than '''''every other fact'''''. But still weird.
:Cueball: True.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Politics]]

1838: Machine Learning

2020-07-27T05:24:56Z

Singlelinelabyrinth: /* Title text */

{{comic
| number = 1838
| date = May 17, 2017
| title = Machine Learning
| image = machine_learning.png
| titletext = The pile gets soaked with data and starts to get mushy over time, so it's technically recurrent.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Machine learning}} is a method employed in automation of complex tasks. It usually involves creation of algorithms that deal with statistical analysis of data and pattern recognition to generate output. The validity/accuracy of the output can be used to give feedback to make changes to the system, usually making future results statistically better.

Cueball stands next to what looks like a pile of garbage (or compost), with a Cueball-like friend standing atop it. The pile has a funnel (labelled "data") at one end and a box labelled "answers" at the other. Here and there mathematical matrices stick out of the pile. As the friend explains to the incredulous Cueball, data enters through the funnel, undergoes an incomprehensible process of linear algebra, and comes out as answers. The friend appears to be a functional part of this system himself, as he stands atop the pile stirring it with a paddle. His machine learning system is probably very inefficient, as he is integral to both the mechanical part (repeated stirring) and the learning part (making the answers look "right").

The main joke is that, despite this description being too vague and giving no intuition or details into the system, it is close to the level of understanding most machine learning experts have of the many techniques in machine learning. 'Machine learning' algorithms that can be reasonably described as pouring data into linear algebra and stirring until the output looks right include support vector machines, linear regressors, logistic regressors, and neural networks. Major recent advances in machine learning often amount to 'stacking' the linear algebra up differently, or varying stirring techniques for the compost.  

====Composting====
This comic compares a machine learning system to a compost pile. {{w|Composting}} is the process of taking organic matter, such as food and yard waste, and allowing it to decompose into a form that serves as fertilizer. A common method of composting is to mound the organic matter in a pile with a certain amount of moisture, then "stirring" the pile occasionally to move the less-decomposed material from the top to the interior of the pile, where it will decompose faster.

In large-scale composting operations, the raw organic matter added to the pile is referred to as "input". This cartoon implies a play on the term "input", comparing a compost input to a data input.

====Title text====

A {{w|recurrent neural network}} is a neural network where the nodes affect one another in cycles, creating feedback loops in the network that allow it to change over time. To put it another way, the neural network has 'state', with the results of previous inputs effecting how each successive input is processed. In the title text, [[Randall]] is saying that the machine learning system is technically recurrent because it "changes" (i.e. gets mushy) over time.

==Transcript==

[Cueball Prime holds a canoe paddle at his side and stands on top of a "big pile of linear algebra" containing a funnel labeled "data" and box labeled "answers". Cueball II stands to the left side of the panel.)]

Cueball II: This is your machine learning system?

Cueball Prime: Yup! You pour the data into this big pile of linear algebra, then collect the answers on the other side.

Cueball II: What if the answers are wrong?

Cueball Prime: Just stir the pile until they start looking right.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]
[[Category:Math]]

1838: Machine Learning

2020-07-27T05:23:45Z

Singlelinelabyrinth: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1838
| date = May 17, 2017
| title = Machine Learning
| image = machine_learning.png
| titletext = The pile gets soaked with data and starts to get mushy over time, so it's technically recurrent.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Machine learning}} is a method employed in automation of complex tasks. It usually involves creation of algorithms that deal with statistical analysis of data and pattern recognition to generate output. The validity/accuracy of the output can be used to give feedback to make changes to the system, usually making future results statistically better.

Cueball stands next to what looks like a pile of garbage (or compost), with a Cueball-like friend standing atop it. The pile has a funnel (labelled "data") at one end and a box labelled "answers" at the other. Here and there mathematical matrices stick out of the pile. As the friend explains to the incredulous Cueball, data enters through the funnel, undergoes an incomprehensible process of linear algebra, and comes out as answers. The friend appears to be a functional part of this system himself, as he stands atop the pile stirring it with a paddle. His machine learning system is probably very inefficient, as he is integral to both the mechanical part (repeated stirring) and the learning part (making the answers look "right").

The main joke is that, despite this description being too vague and giving no intuition or details into the system, it is close to the level of understanding most machine learning experts have of the many techniques in machine learning. 'Machine learning' algorithms that can be reasonably described as pouring data into linear algebra and stirring until the output looks right include support vector machines, linear regressors, logistic regressors, and neural networks. Major recent advances in machine learning often amount to 'stacking' the linear algebra up differently, or varying stirring techniques for the compost.  

====Composting====
This comic compares a machine learning system to a compost pile. {{w|Composting}} is the process of taking organic matter, such as food and yard waste, and allowing it to decompose into a form that serves as fertilizer. A common method of composting is to mound the organic matter in a pile with a certain amount of moisture, then "stirring" the pile occasionally to move the less-decomposed material from the top to the interior of the pile, where it will decompose faster.

In large-scale composting operations, the raw organic matter added to the pile is referred to as "input". This cartoon implies a play on the term "input", comparing a compost input to a data input.

====Title text====

A {{w|recurrent neural network}} is a neural network where the nodes affect one another in cycles, creating feedback loops in the network that allow it to change over time. In the title text, [[Randall]] is saying that the machine learning system is technically recurrent because it "changes" (i.e. gets mushy) over time.

==Transcript==

[Cueball Prime holds a canoe paddle at his side and stands on top of a "big pile of linear algebra" containing a funnel labeled "data" and box labeled "answers". Cueball II stands to the left side of the panel.)]

Cueball II: This is your machine learning system?

Cueball Prime: Yup! You pour the data into this big pile of linear algebra, then collect the answers on the other side.

Cueball II: What if the answers are wrong?

Cueball Prime: Just stir the pile until they start looking right.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]
[[Category:Math]]

Talk:1838: Machine Learning

2020-07-27T05:22:36Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

Appearently, there is the issue of people "training" intelligent systems out of their gut feeling: Let's say for example a system should determine whether or not a person should be promoted to fill a currently vacant business position. If the system is taught by the humans currently in charge of that very decision, and it weakens the people the humnas would decline and stenghtens the one they wouldn't, all these people might do is feeding the machine their own irrational biases. Then, down the road, some candidate may be declined because "computer says so".
One could argue that this, if it happens, is just bad usage and no inherent issue of machine learning itself, so I'm not sure if this thought can be connected to the comic. In my head, it's close to "stirring the pile until the answers look right". What do you people think?
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.2|162.158.88.2]] 05:39, 17 May 2017 (UTC)

It's a good point but I don't think it's relevant to the comic. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.252|141.101.107.252]] 13:55, 17 May 2017 (UTC)

Up the creek *with* a paddle. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.121|162.158.111.121]] 07:52, 17 May 2017 (UTC)

It's a compost pile! Stir it and keep it moist until something useful comes out.
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.64|162.158.75.64]] 11:40, 17 May 2017 (UTC)
]

Actually I doin't think the paddle has anything to do with canoes - paddles like that are often used when stirring large quantities. In Louisiana its called a crawfish or gumbo paddle

I think the entire paragraph that goes "One of the most popular paradigms of..." needs to be cleaned up to make it human readable. [[User:Nialpxe|Nialpxe]] ([[User talk:Nialpxe|talk]]) 12:09, 17 May 2017 (UTC)

The comment that SVMs would be a better paradigm, rather than neural networks, is kind of wrong. Anyone who's worked with neural networks knows they're still essentially a linear algebra problem, just with nonlinear activation functions. Play around with tensorflow (it's fun and educational!) and you'll find most of the linear algebra isn't abstracted away as it might be in Keras, SkLearn or Caret (R). That being said, interpretability is absolutely a problem with these complex models. This is as much because the world doesn't like conforming to the nice modernist notion of a sensible theory (ie. one that can be reduced to a nice linear relationship), but even things like L1 regularisation often leave you wondering "but how does it all fit together?". On the other hand, while methods like SVMs still have a bit of machine learning magic in resolving how its hyperplane divides the hyperspace (ie. the value is derived empirically, not theoretically), the results are typically human interpretable, for a given definition of interpretable. It's no y= wx + b, but it's definitely possible. Same same for most methods short of very deep neural nets with millions of parameters. Most machine learning experts I've met have a pretty good idea what is going on in the simpler models, such as CARTs, SVMs, boosted models etc. The only reason neural nets are blackbox-y is that there's a huge amount going on inside them, and it's too much effort to do more than analyse outputs! [[Special:Contributions/172.68.141.142|172.68.141.142]] 22:43, 17 May 2017 (UTC)

:I remember from school that neural nets can get extremely hard to analyze even when they only contain five neurons. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 03:20, 27 May 2017 (UTC)

Does anyone else think the topic may have been influenced by Google's recently (May 17) featured article about machine learning?[[https://www.google.com/intl/en/about/main/gender-equality-films/]]
--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.35|162.158.79.35]] 12:17, 17 May 2017 (UTC)
:Google has been saying a lot about machine learning recently, particularly w.r.t. android. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.30|141.101.107.30]] 04:43, 19 May 2017 (UTC)

Maybe one day bots will learn to create entire explanations for xkcd. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.179|141.101.99.179]] 12:38, 17 May 2017 (UTC)
:Good, then maybe we won't have over-thought explanations anymore.
:: "That was a joke, haha" [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 07:36, 18 May 2017 (UTC)
:: I lovingly think of this site as "Over-Explain XKCD"[[Special:Contributions/172.68.54.112|172.68.54.112]] 17:44, 20 May 2017 (UTC)

The fuck is "Pinball"? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.122.66|162.158.122.66]] 03:59, 19 May 2017 (UTC)
: Agree, expunged it. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.42|162.158.106.42]] 08:38, 24 May 2017 (UTC)

On the topic of 'Stirring', I'm not sure why it's being associated with neural networks. It's a common thing in machine learning to randomize starting conditions to avoid local minima. This does exist in neural networks, as edge weights are typically randomized, but it's also the first step in many different algorithms, such as k-means where the initial centroid locations are randomized, or decision trees where random forests are sometimes used. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.186|173.245.50.186]] 13:18, 19 May 2017 (UTC) sbendl

====Fixing the explanation====
Right now, the explanation has two parts, one that is simply trying to explain it for the casual reader, and another that goes into the details of machine/deep learning, linear algebra, neural networks etc. (I almost forgot composting!) The way the two parts are jumbled together makes no sense. Perhaps having a simple initial explanation with subsections for more detailed explanation of individual topics relevant to the comic would fix the mess. [[User:Nialpxe|Nialpxe]] ([[User talk:Nialpxe|talk]]) 14:08, 19 May 2017 (UTC)

I only came here to get an explanation of "recurrent," and I canʻt find it.
:seconded --[[User:Misterstick|Misterstick]] ([[User talk:Misterstick|talk]]) 11:29, 5 April 2018 (UTC)
::I'm a machine learning geek and I'll try to add an explanation of "recurrent", a few minutes. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 05:22, 27 July 2020 (UTC)

1838: Machine Learning

2020-07-27T05:20:37Z

Singlelinelabyrinth: Fleshed out the discussion of machine learning stuff to include more than just support vector machines.

{{comic
| number = 1838
| date = May 17, 2017
| title = Machine Learning
| image = machine_learning.png
| titletext = The pile gets soaked with data and starts to get mushy over time, so it's technically recurrent.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Machine learning}} is a method employed in automation of complex tasks. It usually involves creation of algorithms that deal with statistical analysis of data and pattern recognition to generate output. The validity/accuracy of the output can be used to give feedback to make changes to the system, usually making future results statistically better.

Cueball stands next to what looks like a pile of garbage (or compost), with a Cueball-like friend standing atop it. The pile has a funnel (labelled "data") at one end and a box labelled "answers" at the other. Here and there mathematical matrices stick out of the pile. As the friend explains to the incredulous Cueball, data enters through the funnel, undergoes an incomprehensible process of linear algebra, and comes out as answers. The friend appears to be a functional part of this system himself, as he stands atop the pile stirring it with a paddle. His machine learning system is probably very inefficient, as he is integral to both the mechanical part (repeated stirring) and the learning part (making the answers look "right").

The main joke is that, despite this description being too vague and giving no intuition or details into the system, it is close to the level of understanding most machine learning experts have of the many techniques in machine learning. 'Machine learning' algorithms that can be reasonably described as pouring data into linear algebra and stirring until the output looks right include support vector machines, linear regressors, logistic regressors, and neural networks. Major recent advances in machine learning often amount to 'stacking' the linear algebra up differently, or varying stirring techniques for the compost.  <!-- Dear previous comment-leaver: having geeked out moderately hard on neural network trivia for the last year or so, I regret to inform you that Randall's description also applies to neural networks. Most 'big advances' in neural networks are just stacking the linear algebra differently or adding different functions between them, you're still just pouring data onto linear algebra and stirring until the answers look right. Am changing to reflect that.>

====Composting====
This comic compares a machine learning system to a compost pile. {{w|Composting}} is the process of taking organic matter, such as food and yard waste, and allowing it to decompose into a form that serves as fertilizer. A common method of composting is to mound the organic matter in a pile with a certain amount of moisture, then "stirring" the pile occasionally to move the less-decomposed material from the top to the interior of the pile, where it will decompose faster.

In large-scale composting operations, the raw organic matter added to the pile is referred to as "input". This cartoon implies a play on the term "input", comparing a compost input to a data input.

====Title text====

A {{w|recurrent neural network}} is a neural network where the nodes affect one another in cycles, creating feedback loops in the network that allow it to change over time. In the title text, [[Randall]] is saying that the machine learning system is technically recurrent because it "changes" (i.e. gets mushy) over time.

==Transcript==

[Cueball Prime holds a canoe paddle at his side and stands on top of a "big pile of linear algebra" containing a funnel labeled "data" and box labeled "answers". Cueball II stands to the left side of the panel.)]

Cueball II: This is your machine learning system?

Cueball Prime: Yup! You pour the data into this big pile of linear algebra, then collect the answers on the other side.

Cueball II: What if the answers are wrong?

Cueball Prime: Just stir the pile until they start looking right.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]
[[Category:Math]]

Talk:1512: Horoscopes

2020-07-26T19:21:11Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

So funny - especially the title text made me laugh :-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:05, 15 April 2015 (UTC)
:Nine months later, it would certainly eliminate the stress of wondering if you were gonna "get lucky" that night. - Equinox [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.120|199.27.128.120]] 16:13, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

The "coriolis effect" in the title text refers to the spin direction of vortices (rotating currents such as cyclones, whirlpools, and water draining from a basin), which is counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. The title text is a joke extending the reversal to the flow of time.
: The spin direction of whirlpools and basins is 'not' determined by the coriolis effect, on this scale its impact is way too small to make a difference. The title text refers to how the coriolis effect is often used to explain phenomena (especially with relation to the hemispheres), even when its wrong. --[[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.5|198.41.242.5]] 08:23, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

If the baby is born 9 months BEFORE they're conceived, would that account for the shift in seasons for the southern hemisphere? Born in March: Northern hemisphere -> conceived in June; Southern hemisphere -> conceived in December. June and December being summer respectively. If that's right, could someone add that to the wiki? [[User:none]]

The events described during which the conception of a person with a given birth month occurred assumes that the parents were in the United States at that time. The seasons would be shifted by six months in the southern hemisphere, and the holidays of the 4th of July (Independence Day -- Aries), Halloween (Cancer, conception in October), Thanksgiving (Leo, conception in November), Mother's Day (Aquarius, conception in May), and the NCAA (college) basketball playoffs ("March Madness" -- Sagittarius) , might either not be celebrated or celebrated on a different day. [[User:The Dining Logician|The Dining Logician]] ([[User talk:The Dining Logician|talk]]) 08:11, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

:Halloween is starting to become common in Brazil, including the "Trick or Treat" stuff. Mother's Day is also celebrated at the same date. And I wouldn't be surprised if Thanksgiving became common here too, if not only for the sales... [[Special:Contributions/188.114.97.151|188.114.97.151]] 19:47, 17 December 2015 (UTC)

"Today, horoscopes are admitted to be pseudoscience." Citation needed. But what rubbish. Horoscopes are not even pseudoscience, so who is it "admitting" they are? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.187|108.162.250.187]] 08:36, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

:Agree, I would like the citation for "today", as there were experiments disproving horoscopes in ancient Rome already (involving two babies born in same time, one rich, one slave). -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 12:48, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

The general trick to horoscopes is make them vague enough that anyone can think they're true, regardless of their sign. --[[User:PsyMar|PsyMar]] ([[User talk:PsyMar|talk]]) 10:34, 15 April 2015 (UTC)
:"You will have an opportunity today, meet someone new and should take care of your finances. Family matters will continue as per the last few days." [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.192|141.101.98.192]] 13:41, 15 April 2015 (UTC)
: It's the {{w|Forer effect}}. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.134|108.162.249.134]] 21:55, 16 April 2015 (UTC)

I propose an addition to the "conceived during someone's wedding" -- it's more common that the conception is actually after the wedding, during the (somewhat expected) consummation by the actual married couple. Thus, "honeymoon babies"! --BigMal // [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.181|108.162.221.181]] 12:53, 15 April 2015 (UTC)
:I read this as being conceived at someone else's wedding - attending weddings often being a trigger for romantic thoughts. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.162|108.162.249.162]] 03:25, 17 April 2015 (UTC)

Wait, I though Superman goes back in time not by "going against earths rotation, but simply by going faster than light?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.88.209|141.101.88.209]] 19:53, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

The expected conception column is off, therefore the explanations may be off. Length of a human pregnancy is 38 weeks after conception, or 9 1/2 months, not the 9 months that is commonly portrayed. I'm not sure if Randall took this into account or not. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.121|199.27.133.121]] 20:40, 15 April 2015 (UTC)
:This is true, except you must have meant 8½ month not 9½ since 38 weeks is less than 9 month. Actually it is very close to 8,75 month. But anyway you are correct, that all the dates should be fixed to go 38 weeks back, not 9 months!--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:54, 15 April 2015 (UTC)
::Yep, that is what I meant, sorry [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.121|199.27.133.121]] 05:26, 16 April 2015 (UTC)
::Updated with the correct dates, but the explanations haven't been proofread to conform with the dates [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.121|199.27.133.121]] 05:34, 16 April 2015 (UTC)
:::Fixed explanations, then realized you went for 40 weeks, not 38, so changed them to 38 weeks and fixed explanations again ;) [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 17:58, 16 April 2015 (UTC)
::::Even 38 weeks is idealised - I have a niece and nephew who were born 22 weeks after conception (4 years old now and doing well!) And term isn't until 41 weeks (from last menstruation) in France. 38 weeks happens to be a useful average in many parts of the world, but even healthy term pregnancies in USA/UK/Australia(/others?) covers the range of 35-40 weeks from conception. Also, with the rise of babies conceived by IVF, it's no longer quite so obvious what was happening 38-ish weeks before birth! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.162|108.162.249.162]] 03:30, 17 April 2015 (UTC)

No reference to the fact that November babies might be conceived on V day? [[User:Vkapadia|Vkapadia]] ([[User talk:Vkapadia|talk]]) 21:10, 15 April 2015 (UTC)

The real secret behind horoscopes and Nostradamus, is "vague shift"[[User:YourLifeisaLie|The Goyim speaks]] ([[User talk:YourLifeisaLie|talk]]) 01:36, 17 April 2015 (UTC)

In the second paragraph of the explanation, can we use either "i.e." or "for example," but not both? I don't have a particular preference for one or another; anyone who does is encouraged to make the correction. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.125|173.245.50.125]] 06:32, 17 April 2015 (UTC)

I feel like there was a missed opportunity for Scorpio. Could have mentioned Valentines Day. {{unsigned ip|108.162.219.102}}

Aquarius could also, perhaps sadly/strangely, be prom babies. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.7|108.162.215.7]] 22:29, 22 May 2016 (UTC)

Regarding about Gemini, which coincidentally I am one, doesn't apply to South-East Asian countries like Singapore(where I am born in), where the leaves doesn't change colors the whole year round. Same goes to the rest of the horoscopes as well. Boeing-787lover 13:56, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

Aries and to a lesser extent Cancer: kids went back to school, leaving house empty, or if your parents are in education (incl. college) they'd just started a new semester and met a bunch of new people. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 19:21, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

Talk:1483: Quotative Like

2020-07-26T18:49:55Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

That second panel is, like, depressing. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.185|108.162.249.185]] 05:19, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

I found [http://www.bostonglobe.com/ideas/2015/01/25/linguists-are-like-get-used/ruUQoV0XUTLDjx72JojnBI/story.html the article]. [[User:Piderman|Piderman]] ([[User talk:Piderman|talk]]) 05:53, 6 February 2015 (UTC)
:Cool, added it. Thanks. [[User:PinkAmpersand|PinkAmpersand]] ([[User talk:PinkAmpersand|talk]])
God also introduced a new concept "light" and was quicker implementing it throughout the world. And light sounds similar to (like) like. Sebastian --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.231.68|108.162.231.68]] 08:58, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Are there any other examples of actual living people who are not celebrities being name-checked in xkcd? [[User:Andries|Andries]] ([[User talk:Andries|talk]]) 13:23, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

Given that the article noted that the next generation would be, quote, "in control," I think Cueball's interpretation is...well, slightly less absurd than it would be otherwise. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.109}}

«Cueball: Like, when you're like, "She was like"?» What does that mean? --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 15:23, 6 February 2015 (UTC)
: Closest translation: "For example, when you say 'she said...'" [[User:Andyd273|Andyd273]] ([[User talk:Andyd273|talk]]) 15:37, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

;Non-English analogon

It might interest you that in Germany exactly the same
phenomenon exists, only in different flavor: the lower caste using
"Digger" (like, "Fatso") as each third word, possibly in lieu
of a comma. (Appears not yet in written material.) Anyone forced to
overhear such a conversation is tempted to smack them in the face
- hey, it works on a stuck record needle too :-) [[Special:Contributions/108.162.230.221|108.162.230.221]] 13:38, 6 February 2015 (UTC)
:That has like nothing to do with it. The German analogue is "so" ("Ich so: Kein Scheiss! Dann sie so: Sicher, Mann!"). --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.138|108.162.254.138]] 11:47, 8 February 2015 (UTC)
:: The *grammatical* analogue, granted. I talked about the *sociological* analogue. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.230.221|108.162.230.221]] 11:37, 9 February 2015 (UTC)

The quotative like has also spread to colloquial Hebrew: youngsters include the word "c'ilu" ("as if", or "like") at every opportunity. It frequently makes having a conversation about exact topics very difficult. {{unsigned ip|141.101.99.56}}

I vote that the explain be rewritten to incorporate as many uses of this phenomenon as possible. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.195|199.27.128.195]] 22:06, 6 February 2015 (UTC)

: Do you mean like: "In this comic, Megan like mentions an article on like the use of the word "like" as, like, a quotative, like. Cueball, like, makes a joke on this by, like,managing to use the word "like" like three times in like a seven word sentence, like. The "quotative like" is like regularly given as like an example of like the decline of the English language, like. It is used to like introduce a quotation or impersonation, although what follows may not be a like "verbatim" like quote, but rather conveys the like general meaning of the original phrase, like." [[User:Plm-qaz snr|Plm-qaz snr]] ([[User talk:Plm-qaz snr|talk]]) 02:52, 7 February 2015 (UTC)

::Yeah, like that. I like it. [[User:Bentinata|Bentinata]] ([[User talk:Bentinata|talk]]) 04:19, 9 February 2015 (UTC)
:: TVTropes already did it. (Then again, what didn't they?) [[Special:Contributions/108.162.230.221|108.162.230.221]] 11:37, 9 February 2015 (UTC)

Thanks for the censorship Davey... I made a comment in line with the same jokes that were already and still are accepted in these comments. I was going to start being a regular contributer and join the community of a comic I love; but since you insist on censoring comments, not vandalism of article, but COMMENTS, I find it hard to want to be part of such a community. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.195|199.27.128.195]] 18:10, 9 February 2015 (UTC)

:Unless I missed something, Davidy22 has just moved your comment to the bottom of the discussion section (See it a few lines up). As a guideline new comments go at the bottom of the discussion section, unless you are responding to an existing comment, in which case put it below the existing comment and indent it with a colon. People new to the site aren't expected to know these things immediately, so maybe Davidy could have put a comment summary to explain why he moved the comment. Hopefully this explains what has happened, and comments won't be censored unless they are clearly offensive/spam/etc. I for one hope you stick around and join our community. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 23:19, 9 February 2015 (UTC)

::I appologize Davidy22. Thanks for the heads up Pudder. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.195|199.27.128.195]] 16:21, 11 February 2015 (UTC)

I grew up with the quotative 'like' and I don't really notice it, the way you barely notice punctuation. It structures a sentence but isn't meaningful in and of itself so it's never the front of my focus. I suspect part of the sociological effect is just familiarity, where if you're raised in an environment that adheres to prescriptive language it's jarring because it sounds like a malformed sentence, whereas if you're used to the quotative like you aren't even really aware of it and anyone who points it out is committing a faux pas roughly equivalent to bothering you for pausing, saying 'um', or having a regional accent. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 18:49, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

1224: Council of 300

2020-07-26T07:05:08Z

Singlelinelabyrinth: Features are intended. Bugs are accidental. Fixed language.

{{comic
| number = 1224
| date = June 12, 2013
| title = Council of 300
| image = council_of_300.png
| titletext = 'And hypnotize someone into thinking they've uploaded it and passed it around.' 'But then won't the uploader get suspicious that it pauses at 301+ for a while? Why don't we just forge the number entirel--' ::BLAM:: 'The Council of 299 is adjourned.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|YouTube}} (a video sharing site) used to have an odd quirk in its view counter. When a video hit 301 views, the view counter briefly stopped updating. This meant that YouTube was checking the views to make sure that no foul play was going on. The choice of the number 301 is due to a harmless off-by-one error; Numberphile produced a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIkhgagvrjI video] that explains all this very well (and has comically its view counter frozen at 301). At times the number 301 would catch some YouTubers off guard — for very popular videos, it might appear that the video has more likes than views. However, this bug is no longer present.

[[Randall]] plays with the near coincidence of this number, and a conspiracy theory entity known as the {{w|Committee of 300}}. In this case, the video's first 300 views come from each of the Committee's council members who determine if the video will go {{w|Viral video|viral}}. The video is then released to the public by sending it to a regular person ([[Cueball]] in this comic) making the total number of views 301.

The title text elaborates on this by explaining that the council also hypnotizes somebody to make him think they uploaded and shared that particular video.

According to the title text, the council does not seem to tolerate contradiction, because the member that suggests changing 301 to a random number to avoid suspicion is shot, silenced permanently, and removed from the council.

==Transcript==
:[A secret society meets in a darkened chamber; a kitschy video involving two people and an RC helicopter is projected onto the background.]
:Master: ...then it is settled. We the 300 members of the Secret Council, decree that this video meets our standards, and shall "go viral".
:Master: send it to one of our agents to be leaked to the common folk.
:Steward: Some of them are noticing the number.
:Master: ...add a plus sign to throw them off.
:Steward: very well.
:Soon...
:[A communication sent to Cueball, one of the many unsuspecting plebeians of the world.]
:Email: Ooh! check out this great video I found!
:[Zoom in on the viewer count of a YouTube video.]
:301+

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Internet]]
[[Category:YouTube]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theory]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]

Talk:1185: Ineffective Sorts

2020-07-26T05:13:48Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

I loved the "runs in O(n log n)" part. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 00:16, 14 March 2013 (UTC)

I lost it on //portability. It's a sad state where I've actually more or less come across 3 of these. [[Special:Contributions/203.126.136.142|203.126.136.142]] 00:56, 14 March 2013 (UTC)

Audiovisual aid circa 1981, eh: '''http://youtube.com/watch?v=gv0JUEqaAXo#t=236s''' [[Special:Contributions/98.111.152.198|98.111.152.198]] 01:35, 14 March 2013 (UTC)

One of xkcd's best in a quite a while, imo. [[User:Alpha|Alpha]] ([[User talk:Alpha|talk]]) 03:39, 14 March 2013 (UTC)

Saying "bogosorts actually run in O(n*n!) time and may never finish" is a contradiction. Not the runtime is in O(n*n!), but the ''expected'' runtime. [[User:BKA|BKA]] ([[User talk:BKA|talk]]) 08:19, 14 March 2013 (UTC)
:Not necessarily. O(n*n!) is the expected runtime, but unlike other sorts, there is no max runtime which is what it is trying to say.[[Special:Contributions/206.181.86.98|206.181.86.98]] 03:09, 15 March 2013 (UTC)
Didn't the author of the halfhearted merge sort give up on the sort part of the merge sort? 'cause merging is done in the return[a,b] part as far is see it...[[Special:Contributions/193.175.223.10|193.175.223.10]] 18:00, 14 March 2013 (UTC)
[[Special:Contributions/206.181.86.98|206.181.86.98]] 03:09, 15 March 2013 (UTC)Well return[a,b] merges them in exactly the original order. So I think you are right. It recursively cuts the list into tiny bits and returns the uncut back to the previous call. [[Special:Contributions/206.181.86.98|206.181.86.98]] 03:09, 15 March 2013 (UTC)
:The list is sorted when the already sorted sublists are merged. This is an efficient way to sort because only the lowest values in each sublist need to be compared so fewer comparisons are required. The author of the halfhearted merge sort did not write a proper merge (or any merge) and instead returns the sublists in the original order. Sublists of length one are known to be in the correct order which is why the list is recursively cut into units of length one.[[Special:Contributions/24.60.69.41|24.60.69.41]] 22:44, 17 March 2013 (

Did nobody notice that the POSIX/UNIX commands are uppercase, when they are supposed to be case-sensitive lowercase? If you actually call system() with those arguments (in Linux), you don't delete anything and just get the "command not found" error. --[[Special:Contributions/138.67.185.73|138.67.185.73]] 01:41, 21 March 2013 (UTC)
: It's possible they ''are'' meant to be lowercase, as parts of this comic appear to be written in Mixed-case Small Caps. Look at the top lines of each program, for example. --[[User:Aaron of Mpls|Aaron of Mpls]] ([[User talk:Aaron of Mpls|talk]]) 06:59, 5 April 2013 (UTC)

Did anyone see this hint on the about page (http://xkcd.com/about/):

"Which sorting algorithms should I use? They taught me so many.

This is tricky. Most of what they teach you in school is just as an example of how to think about algorithms; 99% of the time you shouldn't worry about optimizing your sorts. Just learn to implement Quicksort (which is very good) and use that without fretting about it too much. People overfocus on efficiency over clarity and simplicity. And most of the time the environment you're coding in will have an efficient sort function built-in anyway.

Note: If you're interviewing for a company for a position with a focus on algorithms, the above is not an excuse not to know your stuff."

--[[User:RagnarDa|RagnarDa]] ([[User talk:RagnarDa|talk]]) 20:07, 7 April 2013 (UTC)

:Idk who is reading explain for interview advice but: know quicksort and mergesort cold, maybe timsort (modified merge, neat) or heapsort (you need to know heaps anyway) and I'm pretty sure you're good. I've never heard of anyone being hired or not based on knowing more obscure sorters. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 05:13, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

For the PanicSort, is the second "Return list:" intentionally having a : at the end? If yes, what does it do? [[User:Logo|Logo]] ([[User talk:Logo|talk]]) 10:47, 9 May 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1146: Honest

2020-07-26T04:40:59Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

Ya can't explain this one![[Special:Contributions/176.61.46.230|176.61.46.230]] 11:06, 12 December 2012 (UTC)
:No, other work is getting in the way. Someone else'll do it. [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 11:15, 12 December 2012 (UTC)
:The honesty of this comic makes it pretty self-explanatory. I like it. [[Special:Contributions/76.122.5.96|76.122.5.96]] 12:21, 12 December 2012 (UTC)

That 1-line explanation by anon 69.143.0.147 is ''brilliant''.

Most people, despite looking generally competent, are just barely making it through the day.

Let's be honest, how can one tell which character is Cueball? Personally, I think this character is far too generic to bother anyways. [[Special:Contributions/46.142.60.241|46.142.60.241]] 20:28, 12 December 2012 (UTC) madd
:Cueball is the first "Cueball" to speak in a comic, everyone else is called something else.[[User:Pennpenn|Pennpenn]] ([[User talk:Pennpenn|talk]]) 03:30, 26 February 2014 (UTC)

can't be reference to #overlyhonestmethods since comic came out a month before.

:I made an edit to add a reference to the ADD strip earlier. It is not very good. If someone would clean it up, that would probably be a good thing. This one really does seem to be a reference to those kinds of difficulties. In my defense, I don't understand why anything happens and I'm confused and scared and trying really hard all the time. Also I've been reading xkcd for two days straight. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 04:40, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

1146: Honest

2020-07-26T04:38:52Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

{{comic
| number = 1146
| date = December 12, 2012
| title = Honest
| image = honest.png
| titletext = I didn't understand what you meant. I still don't. But I'll figure it out soon!
}}

==Explanation==
The phrase "let's be honest here-" is often used to soften a statement that might otherwise seem crass. Before [[Cueball]] can finish his sentence, he is interrupted by his friend, who takes the opportunity to honestly state his deepest feelings.

It is possible that Cueball's friend's last response, "Sorry," (which is on response to Cueball saying, "Too honest. Scale it back.") is insincere as a way of scaling his honesty back by not being honest in his next statement.

The human condition is essentially terrifying. Try to keep up appearances.

The title text could be a reference to {{w|Angst}}, a word used in English to describe an intense feeling of panic — but the friend of Cueball proposes to work on a better understanding on his own fears.

Randall has mentioned having ADD, such as in 1106: ADD. People with neurological or psychological problems such as ADD often express having trouble with things in everyday life that other people seem to find easy.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: I mean, let's be honest here-
:Friend: Ok.

:Friend: I don't understand why anything happens and I'm confused and scared and trying really hard all the time.

:Cueball: ...Too honest.
:Cueball: Scale it back.
:Friend: Sorry.

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

Talk:1077: Home Organization

2020-07-26T02:44:12Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

Seeing as how the lamp is in the box and no lighting is on the ceiling, one would suspect the room to be quite dark, illuminated only be the laptop screen and the modem lights. (please sign your posts)
-Don't forget the router lights. [[User:Xyz|Xyz]] ([[User talk:Xyz|talk]]) 12:50, 3 June 2013 (UTC)

The observer sees the scene through the open window which also lets the light in. [[User:Jiří Dobrý|Jiří Dobrý]] ([[User talk:Jiří Dobrý|talk]]) 21:01, 13 September 2013 (UTC)

I didn't see that. (No frames.) It's how to live your life if you are Robin Hood or one of the gang. All you need is in the hose: a bed and fire as opposed to a laptop and modem. Everything else is outside (thinking outside the box.)[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 18:19, 21 January 2015 (UTC)

The box full of stuff would interfere with the wifi signal. Cueball should move the box onto the roof. [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 23:00, 26 February 2015 (UTC)--DrMath 05:13, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Don't you need a Roomba as well? [[User:Catnerd8695|Catnerd8695]] ([[User talk:Catnerd8695|talk]]) 22:03, 24 May 2018 (UTC)

I'm in this picture and I don't like it. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 02:44, 26 July 2020 (UTC)

Talk:875: 2009 Called

2020-07-25T06:23:26Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

I was too busy trading fashion tips, and they hung up before I could tell them. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:38, 11 January 2013 (UTC)

The '90s called. They wanted my pogs back. But, due to inflation, they couldn't offer me enough money for me to be willing to sell. I told them my friend, Oscar, has some Pokémon stuff, but the '90s had no interest in that crap. I made the right choice to choose pogs over Pokémon. Society made the wrong one. But, I digress. The '90s are doing rather well, and they miss us.[[Special:Contributions/76.29.225.28|76.29.225.28]] 18:20, 14 July 2013 (UTC)
:The only Pokémon stuff I ever had was a bunch of pogs, so... --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.10.172|172.68.10.172]] 18:26, 31 December 2016 (UTC)

2017 called, but I couldn't understand what they were saying over all the screams. I bet it was something about them being attacked by 4 Replicants. [[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 23:49, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

Well, that title text is feeling pretty prophetic now...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.185|141.101.98.185]] 00:08, 12 November 2016 (UTC)

'''Hello it's 2017, please send help.''' [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.202|108.162.237.202]] 21:23, 7 February 2017 (UTC)
:This is 2018 calling in, you'll be alright on your own. At least for the time being. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.130|108.162.241.130]] 05:05, 14 January 2018 (UTC)
::2020 here. We're hosed. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.189.127|172.68.189.127]] 20:52, 6 April 2020 (UTC)

This now stands as a piece of horrifying foreshadowing. Seriously, we're barely in april and things alredy look terrifying. I blame Randall for everything. {{unsigned ip|198.41.226.124}}

The screaming in 2017 was just an echo of everybody's collective screams from 2016 when almost everybody's favorite musician or celebrity died. We now refer to it as 'The Year Who's Number Shall Not be Spoken' [[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.225|172.69.68.225]] 05:59, 15 February 2018 (UTC)

The explanation mentioned Trump, but it doesn't actually attack him too much. Good. We don't need all the Trump hate here. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.165|162.158.74.165]] 22:28, 25 September 2018 (UTC)
:I've removed the sentence because Randall is no clairvoyant. This comic is from 2011 and 2017 was not only a Trump year. And guessing about Clinton doesn't explain the comic at all. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:01, 27 September 2018 (UTC)
::Shouldn't there be a {{Citation needed}} after the statement that Randall isn't clairvoyant? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.214|108.162.210.214]] 20:41, 6 January 2020 (UTC)
:::Well, clearly, he isn't. I mean, he was off by three whole years! But I guess you didn't know that, did you, 108.162.210.214 20:41 6 January 2020 (UTC)? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.75|162.158.62.75]] 14:19, 8 June 2020 (UTC)
::::The notion that 2017 was a bad year seems comical in retrospect. I suspect by this time next year, we will feel the same way about 2020.
::::For the benefit of anyone reading this far enough in the future that the topical reference isn't obvious: There's a new virus and half a million people have died so far. It is still increasing exponentially. If you didn't hear about it it's because whatever happens after this is worse, probably.

Talk:875: 2009 Called

2020-07-25T06:12:22Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

I was too busy trading fashion tips, and they hung up before I could tell them. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:38, 11 January 2013 (UTC)

The '90s called. They wanted my pogs back. But, due to inflation, they couldn't offer me enough money for me to be willing to sell. I told them my friend, Oscar, has some Pokémon stuff, but the '90s had no interest in that crap. I made the right choice to choose pogs over Pokémon. Society made the wrong one. But, I digress. The '90s are doing rather well, and they miss us.[[Special:Contributions/76.29.225.28|76.29.225.28]] 18:20, 14 July 2013 (UTC)
:The only Pokémon stuff I ever had was a bunch of pogs, so... --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.10.172|172.68.10.172]] 18:26, 31 December 2016 (UTC)

2017 called, but I couldn't understand what they were saying over all the screams. I bet it was something about them being attacked by 4 Replicants. [[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 23:49, 23 January 2015 (UTC)

Well, that title text is feeling pretty prophetic now...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.185|141.101.98.185]] 00:08, 12 November 2016 (UTC)

'''Hello it's 2017, please send help.''' [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.202|108.162.237.202]] 21:23, 7 February 2017 (UTC)
:This is 2018 calling in, you'll be alright on your own. At least for the time being. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.130|108.162.241.130]] 05:05, 14 January 2018 (UTC)
::2020 here. We're hosed. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.189.127|172.68.189.127]] 20:52, 6 April 2020 (UTC)

This now stands as a piece of horrifying foreshadowing. Seriously, we're barely in april and things alredy look terrifying. I blame Randall for everything. {{unsigned ip|198.41.226.124}}

The screaming in 2017 was just an echo of everybody's collective screams from 2016 when almost everybody's favorite musician or celebrity died. We now refer to it as 'The Year Who's Number Shall Not be Spoken' [[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.225|172.69.68.225]] 05:59, 15 February 2018 (UTC)

The explanation mentioned Trump, but it doesn't actually attack him too much. Good. We don't need all the Trump hate here. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.165|162.158.74.165]] 22:28, 25 September 2018 (UTC)
:I've removed the sentence because Randall is no clairvoyant. This comic is from 2011 and 2017 was not only a Trump year. And guessing about Clinton doesn't explain the comic at all. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 19:01, 27 September 2018 (UTC)
::Shouldn't there be a {{Citation needed}} after the statement that Randall isn't clairvoyant? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.214|108.162.210.214]] 20:41, 6 January 2020 (UTC)
:::Well, clearly, he isn't. I mean, he was off by three whole years! But I guess you didn't know that, did you, 108.162.210.214 20:41 6 January 2020 (UTC)? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.75|162.158.62.75]] 14:19, 8 June 2020 (UTC)
::::The notion that 2017 was a bad year seems comical in retrospect. I suspect by this time next year, we will feel the same way about 2020.
::::For the benefit of anyone reading this far enough in the future that the topical isn't obvious: There's a new virus and half a million people have died so far. It is still increasing exponentially. If you didn't hear about it it's because whatever happens after this is worse, probably.

Talk:875: 2009 Called

2020-07-25T06:10:24Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

Talk:835: Tree

2020-07-25T05:32:31Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

I didn't really look too closely, but it seems to be based on Red-Black trees (Red Green in the case of Christmas): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_black_tree

: Nope. For a Red-Black tree, all the leaves have to be the same color as the root, and no red nodes can have a red parent. The root here is a yellow star, the leaves are mixed colors, and both colors have instances of a node with a color that matches it's parent, so nether red nor green can be the "Red" for the algorithm. {{unsigned ip|108.162.221.58}}

Then again it could just be a color scheme. [[Special:Contributions/132.3.25.79|132.3.25.79]] 12:35, 23 April 2013 (UTC)Tyler

:: I am forced to conclude, by this and the problem with the heaps, that Randall has forgotten his data structures. Putting a red-black tree on the wall would be so extremely xkcd-typical that missing it suggests having forgotten they are a thing. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 05:32, 25 July 2020 (UTC)

The title text doesn't really make sense - removing the root of a heap is a very common practice for a variety of applications. In fact, you almost always want to process heaps by removing the root. [[User:Ciotog|Ciotog]] ([[User talk:Ciotog|talk]]) 14:05, 2 March 2014 (UTC)
: It is common, ok. And, in fact, Billy WILL process the heap by removing the root. It makes however sense, since all heaps must be "refreshed" after you remove the root. While it takes small time for a computer, it can be lengthy for a human. And it would be probably better an unsorted array of presents, so Billy can open any present without effecting any effect (see Comic 326) --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.229.42|108.162.229.42]] 14:10, 17 June 2014 (UTC)

Hmmm... The heap seems sketchy. Note the second and third levels. Not a heap by C++ standards.
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.218|108.162.245.218]] 22:08, 18 June 2014 (UTC)

The heap doesnt look like a heap to me (or at least not a common binary heap): the root has 4 children for a start, and it is not balanced, for seconds. {{unsigned ip|108.162.250.163}}

As a matter of fact, there's a structure that is a combination of a tree and a heap: it's called a "Treap".

Talk:809: Los Alamos

2020-07-25T04:27:18Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

How does trigonometry come into it?

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 00:40, 26 January 2015 (UTC)

:This is a really good question. If someone wanted to dive the paper I'd be about 99% sure they'd find some underlying physics that relied on trig, though. It tends to show up a lot through physics and chemistry. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]])

I think the joke of the title text lies in the word "spoiler alert".--[[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.169|199.27.128.169]] 02:32, 6 March 2015 (UTC)

Removed the following sentence from the explanation. ''Also, Steve says that he is 99% sure that it is "SOH CAH TOA, or COH SAH TOA," he is asking a question that doesn't work, since you can't be 99% sure that it is SOH CAH TOH or COH SAH TOA.''
It seems to stem from the explainer not understanding the comic. The "Although I'm 99% sure" is not a part of the question that follows, although it is part of the same sentence. Dashes are used to insert one sentence into another--like this--without changing the original sentence's meaning.
Steve's comment could be rephrased as "I have a question, although I'm 99% certain that I know the answer. Is it SOH CAH TOA, or COH SAH TOA? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.97|173.245.48.97]] 08:29, 28 May 2015 (UTC)

The comic also might be referencing a legend about how Trinity scientists came to Oppenheimer with their concern that the bomb might explode the world. He told them to run the math and if probability of destruction was under 1% they should still do the test (it was.) The comic implies then that the 1% probability has nothing to do with physics and is simply based on Steve's certainty about what Sine is.[[Special:Contributions/141.101.88.224|141.101.88.224]] 12:57, 1 June 2015 (UTC)

I feel that the comment is both about Steve being "99% sure" of the SOHCAHTOA, and the test being "99% sure" of not destroying the world, since Steve seems to be a mathematician behind the explosion size and effects of "The Gadget". [[User:Drcrazy102|Drcrazy102]] ([[User talk:Drcrazy102|talk]]) 00:09, 3 June 2015 (UTC)

I'd say that destroying the world is more of a 'make us as god' action than just making a big bomb. [[User:Danshoham|Mountain Hikes]] ([[User talk:Danshoham|talk]]) 23:10, 1 January 2016 (UTC)

This comic really made me think that "soh cah toa" is a bad mnemonic, since "coh sah toa" sounds just as natural and is a mistake. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.26.221|172.68.26.221]] 13:22, 14 April 2017 (UTC)

I always think "Soccer toe," but needing a mnemonic to remember another mnemonic to remember something is weird. --[[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.197|172.69.33.197]] 23:54, 4 September 2019 (UTC)

I always used an individual mnemonic for each function, so cosine is rendered 'cos-adj-hyp'; sine as 'sin-opp-hyp'; and tangent as 'tan-opp-adj'. I haven't done any trigonometry for about 30 years, and nor have I checked the mnemonics are correct, so if they are, they've worked pretty well.

Achoo hats [[Special:Contributions/172.68.141.80|172.68.141.80]] 23:48, 12 July 2020 (UTC)

Talk:790: Control

2020-07-25T03:15:04Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

Soon followed by psychologists recommending the tested drug as a depressant after looking at the results of the trials. '''[[User:Davidy22|{{Color|#707|David}}y²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 02:21, 24 April 2013 (UTC)

This has always bothered me: If LSD Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, why isn't it LAD? What's so special about the S in LySergic that it beats out the A in Acid? Anonymous 01:06, 5 December 2013 (UTC)

: It is from the German "Lysergsäure-diethylamid" where "säure" refers to the acidity. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.240.6|108.162.240.6]] 14:39, 8 December 2013 (UTC)

::Ah, that makes sense. Anonymous. 00:10, 12 January 2014 (UTC)

LSD invokes hallucinations, not delirium. By definition, you know when you're hallucinating. Just saying. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.111|108.162.249.111]] 00:21, 22 January 2014 (UTC)
:: People who do insane things like jump off a building or flee from hallucinations while on LSD are usually those who had it slipped to them without their knowledge. The reason most people who are tripping aren't fooled by the things their poorly filtered mind brings up is that they're aware it's happening, not that it's not convincing. If you think you're sober, those impressions are entirely believable. They are not even really a hallucination, but in fact are the triggering of memories by sensory stimulus or thoughts. LSD blocks part of your brain's normal chemical filtering of memories and thoughts, which would keep you from being distracted by only slightly-relevant thoughts. — [[User:Kazvorpal|Kazvorpal]] ([[User talk:Kazvorpal|talk]]) 21:33, 28 October 2019 (UTC)
: Hallucinations are, in fact, indistinguishable from reality, like delirium. LSD-like effects, where things feel real but you know they aren't are sometimes called pseudohallucinations. Delirants like belladona, datura, mandrake or even nutmeg are more likely produce true hallucinations, usually of the unpleasant kind. [[User:GuB|GuB]] ([[User talk:GuB|talk]]) 13:56, 23 October 2015 (UTC)

: If you are not aware that you have been given a drug that would cause hallucinations, and are going in to have the size of your rash analyzed, you have no expectation of perceiving things that aren't real to help cue you in to what is happening

:: Saying 'LSD does not cause delirium' might make sense when reading wikipedia or someone's sanitized lab report, but "OH GOD SPIDERS" is not a very abnormal response to the drug. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 03:15, 25 July 2020 (UTC)

There is an argument that, when doing tests on humans, who leave the lab and do things that may accidentally or by design affect the data (say, a person being given the placebo rather than a drug for blood sugar, blood pressure, etc who happens to start walking more at work because they are moved to a less centrally located desk, the term "comparison group" should be used instead of "control group," because they can compare the two data sets but not control for all variables [[User:Katt3|Katt3]] ([[User talk:Katt3|talk]]) 17:48, 19 September 2016 (UTC)Katt3

I always thought the multiple arms were to show motion. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.41|173.245.54.41]] 05:32, 2 May 2016 (UTC)

Talk:383: Helping

2020-07-16T14:45:46Z

Singlelinelabyrinth:

Most depressing XKCD ever? [[Special:Contributions/71.201.53.130|71.201.53.130]] 14:24, 22 August 2013 (UTC)
:Every time when I see this comic I'm close before some tear drops running out of my eyes ;( --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:42, 9 December 2013 (UTC)

Waitwaitwait. So the guy was in the building all along, witnessing the suicide/self-harm, and he failed to stop a woman from apparently successfully knocking herself out? 16:19, 24 May 2014 (UTC) {{unsigned ip|141.101.88.205}}

I thought Cueball was choking her![[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.169|108.162.238.169]]

I thought maybe it was about Randall's wife. Just like some of the comics feature her implicitly, I thought maybe this one did. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.20}}

I think the explanation is a bit off. Sometimes getting someone into a hospital is helping. I've had to call 911 to get friends help. Things usually got bad for a while after that. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.124|108.162.216.124]] 21:46, 26 April 2015 (UTC)

The first time I saw this one, it was some 2 or 3 days after I had to call the police for a friend who was attempting suicide. It hit way, way too close to home, to the point where I wanted to cry. I ended up just getting up right then and going for a long walk in the woods to clear my head. 7:24, 2 July 2015 (UTC) {{unsigned ip|173.59.1.79}}

To 108.162.216.20, he married in 2011... this comic was made in 2008. Unfortunately, we may never know who he is referring to. {{unsigned ip|141.101.84.114}}

Am I the only one who feels that the point is he tried to talk to someone to cheer them up, but the woman was so distraught by what cueball said, it lead to self harm? {{unsigned ip|107.136.89.38}}
:I think the text is rather confusing: If you take responsibility for somebody's sadness, as in "I'm sorry. This was my fault." it may help. But saying "I made you feel this good" seems like bragging and does not help. But she was apparently already sad, so, yeah, kinda confused. Isn't that what explainxkcd is for? [[User:Jacky720|That's right, Jacky720 just signed this]] ([[User talk:Jacky720|talk]] | [[Special:Contributions/Jacky720|contribs]]) 22:52, 24 June 2017 (UTC)

When you care for someone, especially a significant other, your natural instinct as a decent human being is to provide help and support when they are in distress or upset. But with issues like depression, tendencies toward self-harm, or even general anxiety, your attempt to help provides no benefit or much more likely makes things worse. You being so close to that person makes it that much harder for them to be helped by you, and it often isn't your place to assume the role of therapist or counselor no matter how much you want to. No matter how much you think that person should be happy, you can't assume responsibility for it and no amount of convincing or reassuring is going to help that. When things get really bad, professional medical help and distance are the only thing that will keep that person safe. I cry when I read this. I've sat and held the hand of a close friend while he was handcuffed by campus police for his own safety and was escorted to a hospital for treatment. It takes a long time to heal that divide - and its the most frustrating thing in the world to know the best thing you can do is step away for a while. If you ever feel the need to comfort a spouse, a child, a friend who is so overwhelmed with existence that they aren't sure they want to live anymore, you'll understand this panel. {{unsigned ip|172.68.141.172}}

First time I read this comic, I didnt think much of it.
Rereading it years later, after I lived with a loved one struggling with depression, made me cry so much. It is exactly what I feel.

Does anyone else feel like the comic is actually saying that sometimes, bad things will happen no matter whether or not you try to help?

Okay, this almost happened to my classmate's friend like around 3 month plus ago, she was struggling with a case of suicide due to depression. When I see this, it reminds me of her friend a lot, and I wonder how is her friend doing. This is actually quite a tear-jerker if you are having a depression or your loved ones having it. Please, get some form of help if you need it...Boeing-787lover 10:08, 26 June 2018 (UTC)

A few of the people writing comments here seem to have concluded that the Cueball somehow made things more difficult for Megan. I don't see any indication of that. Just that he attempted to help or comfort her and that it wasn't sufficient. [[User:Mcherm|Mcherm]] ([[User talk:Mcherm|talk]]) 13:32, 2 May 2020 (UTC)

This one is just what it feels like when you can't do anything but put someone into psychiatric care, or stand by and watch it happen. You can try to help, but then you'll realize that nothing you can do is helping. It sucks. Nothing's going to prepare you for it. If you've been there, you won't forget it. [[User:Singlelinelabyrinth|Singlelinelabyrinth]] ([[User talk:Singlelinelabyrinth|talk]]) 14:45, 16 July 2020 (UTC)