{{comic
| number = 3174
| date = November 28, 2025
| title = Bridge Clearance
| image = bridge_clearance_2x.png
| imagesize = 450x233px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = A lot of the highway department's budget goes to adjusting the sign whenever the moon passes directly overhead.
}}

==Explanation==
Roads passing under bridges (or other overhead structures) often have signs indicating the "clearance" or lowest height of the bridge above the road, primarily to indicate to drivers of taller vehicles the potential hazard of driving underneath. In extreme cases warnings usually start with signs advising which routes to avoid starting down, but on most highways the signs are placed in the immediate vicinity of the offending structure. The comic shows one such sign with the low bridge in the background. An exit ramp, which conveniently avoids the bridge, has another sign has its own clearance information that, while technically accurate, is humorously pointless in the XKCD style as it is unlikely that a road vehicle on Earth will care about running into a star in a galaxy far far away.

Note that 10 feet 6 inches would be considered to be an dangerously low bridge that would be likely to rip the roof off most North American tractor trailers and box trucks that typically have a height of 12 to 13.5 feet. While a "No Bridge" type of sign is not generally used for clearance information above 13.5 feet, in this case the second sign can be justified as an additional aid to over height traffic that an alternative does exist. The situation depicted in the comic most frequently exists in the situation of North American railroad level crossings that were partly replaced in the early days of motoring (1920 to 1950) before truck transport became widespread. In the case the crossing is blocked by a train, cars will have free use of the underpass while trucks would need to wait. One example of this can be found in Greensboro, North Carolina where Elm Street crosses the former Southern Railway main line.

The title text references the fact that the Moon periodically passes over the road (or, from a different point of view, the road passes under the Moon). This implies that the road lies between {{w|Orbit of the Moon#Inclination|latitudes approximately 28.5° N and S}}. The Moon passes over any given longitude almost daily ({{w|Sidereal time|roughly every 24 hours}} but shifted by the Moon's own {{w|Lunar month#Sidereal month|slower motion}}). Whenever the Moon passes overhead, the theoretical clearance reduces to the distance between Earth and the Moon (around 225-250,000 miles or 360-400,000 km) and the same pedantic highway department would likely feel inclined to dynamically update the sign to remain technically correct at all times. This would be theoretically practical with active signage and some basic programming.

==Transcript==
:[There is a road heading into the distance under a bridge, with an off-ramp/sliproad that veers off to the right. There are signs on the shoulders/verges/berms of both routes.]

:[Left/forward-leading sign, on a pole leading up to support a pre-bridge 'hazard bar'. Both the edging of the sign and the overhead bar have diagonal warning stripes. The wording wraps across several lines, the initial line being underscored by a horizontal rule.]
:Bridge
:Clearance
:10 ft 6 in

:[Right-forking sign, on a pole that is seen going upwards off-frame, the sign having a similar style of edging and wording.]
:No Bridge
:Clearance
:46 Billion+
:Light-years
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Engineering]]
[[Category:Space]]

3174: Bridge Clearance

2025-12-09T14:06:58Z

Sturmovik: Undo revision 401086 by DollarStoreBa'al (talk) Removing badly written human slop.

3174: Bridge Clearance

2025-12-09T13:59:52Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */ Adding a real life example of what the comic depicts.

{{comic
| number = 3174
| date = November 28, 2025
| title = Bridge Clearance
| image = bridge_clearance_2x.png
| imagesize = 450x233px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = A lot of the highway department's budget goes to adjusting the sign whenever the moon passes directly overhead.
}}

==Explanation==
Roads passing under bridges (or other overhead structures) often have signs indicating the "clearance" or lowest height of the bridge above the road, primarily to indicate to drivers of taller vehicles the potential hazard of driving underneath. In extreme cases warnings usually start with signs advising which routes to avoid starting down, but on most highways the signs are placed in the immediate vicinity of the offending structure. The comic shows one such sign with the low bridge in the background. An exit ramp, which conveniently avoids the bridge, has another sign has its own clearance information that, while technically accurate, is humorously pointless in the XKCD style as it is unlikely that a road vehicle on Earth will care about running into a star in a galaxy far far away.

Note that 10 feet 6 inches would be considered to be an dangerously low bridge that would be likely to rip the roof off most North American tractor trailers and box trucks that typically have a height of 12 to 13.5 feet. While a "No Bridge" type of sign is not generally used for clearance information above 13.5 feet, in this case the second sign can be justified as an additional aid to over height traffic that an alternative does exist. The situation depicted in the comic most frequently exists in the situation of North American railroad level crossings that were partly replaced in the early days of motoring (1920 to 1950) before truck transport became widespread. In the case the crossing is blocked by a train, cars will have free use of the underpass while trucks would need to wait. One example of this can be found in Greensboro, North Carolina where Elm Street crosses the former Southern Railway main line.

The title text references the fact that the Moon periodically passes over the road (or, from a different point of view, the road passes under the Moon). This implies that the road lies between {{w|Orbit of the Moon#Inclination|latitudes approximately 28.5° N and S}}. The Moon passes over any given longitude almost daily ({{w|Sidereal time|roughly every 24 hours}} but shifted by the Moon's own {{w|Lunar month#Sidereal month|slower motion}}). Whenever the Moon passes overhead, the theoretical clearance reduces to the distance between Earth and the Moon (around 225-250,000 miles or 360-400,000 km) and the same pedantic highway department would likely feel inclined to dynamically update the sign to remain technically correct at all times. This would be theoretically practical with active signage and some basic programming.

==Transcript==
:[There is a road heading into the distance under a bridge, with an off-ramp/sliproad that veers off to the right. There are signs on the shoulders/verges/berms of both routes.]

:[Left/forward-leading sign, on a pole leading up to support a pre-bridge 'hazard bar'. Both the edging of the sign and the overhead bar have diagonal warning stripes. The wording wraps across several lines, the initial line being underscored by a horizontal rule.]
:Bridge
:Clearance
:10 ft 6 in

:[Right-forking sign, on a pole that is seen going upwards off-frame, the sign having a similar style of edging and wording.]
:No Bridge
:Clearance
:46 Billion+
:Light-years
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Engineering]]
[[Category:Space]]

3174: Bridge Clearance

2025-12-09T13:45:04Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */ Removed the sea of AI slop.

3168: Beam Dump

2025-11-18T16:26:48Z

Sturmovik: Removed the unnecessary explanation of what "industrial" means.

{{comic
| number = 3168
| date = November 14, 2025
| title = Beam Dump
| image = beam_dump_2x.png
| imagesize = 309x346px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = We're adding some industrial flypaper to minimize reflection or scattering of customers who might complain.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a SAFELY DECELERATING BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Experimental {{w|particle physics}} and {{w|amusement park}}s both involve moving objects at speed, and both require provisions to be made to safely handle those objects if something goes wrong. However, the considerations in each situation are quite different, largely due to the fact that in one case the objects are people which we would not want to damage, and a solution from one field is therefore unlikely to be suitable in the other.

In the comic, [[Cueball]], [[Megan]], and [[White Hat]] have apparently hired an accelerator physicist, portrayed as [[Ponytail]], to design a water park. Ponytail has decided that, in the event that an emergency stop is activated on a large {{w|waterslide}}, the riders would be diverted to a "{{w|beam dump}}", a large block of {{w|graphite}}, which Ponytail believes would safely slow the momentum of the riders. However, unlike in Ponytail's former field of work, the subsequent fate of the visitors should be a major concern, and collisions into heavy solid blocks is a physical health risk.

In the context of a {{w|particle accelerator}}, beam dumps are indeed formed of large blocks of graphite, which safely slow the unwanted particles without having them release large amounts of energy in a more uncontrolled manner. It could be argued that since this measure is intended for the safety of the operators, and not the particles (customers) it would technically be effective at the original purpose if the blocks are sufficiently large, protecting the operators from high velocity customers — if not from the lawsuits of any survivors/next-of-kin.

Reflection and scattering, mentioned in the title text, are effects that occur as a result of particle collisions in a particle accelerator. In the context of this amusement park, though, it could mean customers worrying about the "beam dump" solution and running off to find someone to complain to about it. Alternatively, it could mean the messy after-effects of them striking the graphite. Either way, Ponytail proposes to use industrial grade, ie high strength, {{w|flypaper}} to prevent it by trapping the patrons.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[Ponytail is standing in front of a diagram on the wall, pointing at it with a pointer. The diagram has a picture of a waterslide and some untelligible text. The waterslide has two paths at the bottom; one returns to the base of the entrance tower, the other goes to a large black block. On the right stand Cueball, Megan, and White Hat facing her.]
:Ponytail: If the emergency stop is activated, any riders on the waterslide will be diverted into the beam dump, a large graphite block which will safely absorb their momentum.

:[Caption below panel:]
:We regretted hiring an accelerator physicist to design our water park.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Physics]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]

3108: Laser Danger

2025-07-02T13:19:26Z

Sturmovik: Green lasers aren't a reference to anything, they are just the type used to harass planes due to their power output.

{{comic
| number = 3108
| date = June 27, 2025
| title = Laser Danger
| image = laser_danger_2x.png
| imagesize = 684x272px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = To combat the threat, many airlines are installing wing-mounted spray bottles.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by A GIANT KITTEN WITH GIANT FRICKIN LASERS. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Shining a laser at a plane is a federal crime in the United States, and similarly proscribed in many other locations. A sufficiently powerful laser can disorient, distract and/or blind the pilot operating the aircraft. This can prove particularly dangerous to the safety of the aircraft and its occupants during take-off and landing, when planes are likely to have altitudes and orientations particularly susceptible to laser interference, and are phases that are already hazardous periods of flight. This 'use' of lasers was previously discussed in [[3030: Lasering Incidents]] and [[2481: 1991 and 2021]].

Megan claims that there's another reason why lasering a plane is illegal: to avoid provoking cats into leaping at them. Cats are known to [[729: Laser Pointer|chase and jump onto]] the dots created by laser pointers. Cats also prey on birds, with estimates of 1.3 to 3.7 billion birds killed each year. Of course, a cat would be unable to jump to the height of a flying plane{{Citation needed}}. If the cat were able to reach the plane, it would find itself hilariously outsized, though colliding with the plane mid-air could cause damage akin to a bird strike (e.g. shattered windshield or engine failure). The cat in the image is similar in size to the plane and thus could do significant damage. It is unclear whether the cat is unusually large or the plane is a model aircraft.

The laser is shown in green, which have become more popular in recent decades as they offer the highest power for the lowest cost and are most frequently the type used in aviation related incidents.

The title text alludes to the fact that many cats do not like getting wet, and one of the methods people use to discourage them from a place or activity that is unwanted is to use spray bottles to wet their fur. The spray bottle might also emit a hissing sound, which cats associate with other cats threatening them. The "wing mounted spray bottles" on aircraft could be a reference to fuel dump tubes, which spray out fuel to lighten the aircraft, commonly used before emergency landings (especially soon after take-off, when a nearly full load of fuel is now more trouble than it should have been). To combat against actual physical threats to aircraft in real life, El Al (the Israeli national airline) and government aircraft {{w|Air Force One|used by heads of state}} often have various {{w|Flare (countermeasure)|countermeasures}} installed.

==Transcript==
: Megan: Shining laser pointers at planes is a federal crime. It's incredibly dangerous.
: Cueball: Oh, because it can blind the pilot?
: Megan: That's one reason...

: [A plane is shown, with a green laser pointer aimed at it.]

: [The laser disappears. A cat, approximately the same size as the plane, pounces on the plane and sends it tumbling.]

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Aviation]]
[[Category:Cats]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

3102: Reading a Big Number

2025-06-16T15:14:55Z

Sturmovik: Adding the likely explanation that this is a CSV formatted database row paired with some additional information in a text configuration file.

{{comic
| number = 3102
| date = June 13, 2025
| title = Reading a Big Number
| image = reading_a_big_number_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x438px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = [desperately] Maybe this is from some country where they use commas as decimal points, and also as digit separators after the decimal, and also use random other characters for decoration???
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|A table makes no sense for this comic. Use the [[explain xkcd:Editor FAQ#table|method described in the editor FAQ]].}}
This comic expresses [[Randall]]'s reactions to reading {{w|large number}}s. It starts with normal digits and commas you would find in a large number, but gradually becomes more and more chaotic. It turns out that this is not a number at all, but some sort of printing error in whatever Randall is reading.

The very start of the comic is a bit absurd. In most cases, you can tell that a number like this is very large because of how long it is when written out; you wouldn't have to completely reinterpret it at the end of ''every'' group of digits. However, to tell exactly which "-illion" the number falls into, you would have to count the groups, and the scale of such a large number would grow less familiar as you try to keep track of how large it even is. Certain sizes of numbers tend to show up in specific contexts, like {{w|astronomy}}. So, rather than literally showing Randall's developing thoughts on the evidently massive size of this number, the comic also shows how he tends to interpret numbers at each possible "-illion" scale. See detailed explanation of Randall's thoughts in the [[#Table of thoughts|table]] below, where the title text is also explained.

There are a few possible explanations for seeing a number like this appear in a software application. The most likely is that the observer is looking not at a number, but a group of {{w|Comma-separated values}} in their raw form, like when a CVS formatted file is opened in a basic text editor. The CVS format is a common way to export "rows" of a {{w|relational database}}. In this context the "number" would actually be a database row with 11 fields followed by a separate pair of values after the quotation mark. Databases use schemas that define the structure and range of values that are stored the fields that make up the rows. Therefore a data field defined to have three digits would store null values with the appropriate number of zeroes. This would explain the mix of 3 and 4 digit groupings. Moreover, most database schemas do not require all fields to be non-null and databases with large amounts of null fields are common. In this case one of the populated values (54 or 054) would be the {{w|primary key}} with all the other values left null. Often when new data objects are initialized with default or null data that is replaced later. For example 054 could be the user number and 54 the display name that is defaulted to the user number.

The strange quotation mark can indicate that the observed "number" is being consumed by two different processes as non-standard characters are useful when parsing data. In this case the first 11 values define the database row, then the final two value after the quote perform some other function. The presence of the hexadecimal characters "e" and "f" could indicate this part of the number is a {{w|hash value}} or security label that was added after the system designers realized they needed to implement access control or data integrity and it was too late/difficult to change the original database schema. As a technology enthusiast, Randall would be familiar with configuration files that contain something similar to this format.

Other computer programming related reasons for the observed number include an array out-of-bounds error where bad coding results in the computer reading unrelated data in memory as text, eventually printing it as output. There is also misuse of the {{w|printf}} function in the {{w|C programming language}}. If strings passed to printf do not contain a {{w|null byte}} to terminate the string, it will go further into memory, again into unrelated data. Or the programmer might have several printf statements back to back, forgetting that printf doesn't add newlines (like the println function in other programming languages), so all their debug information gets printed on the same line.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Number fragment !! Thought !! Explanation
|-
| 54 || 54! Great! I know that number. Solid start. || 54 is a number with some real-world familiarity for most people. It is small enough to appear on digital clocks, and has enough factors to be listed on standard multiplication tables as 6 × 9.

Randall pretending to reckon with the start of such a large number is probably meant to draw attention to the meaninglessness of doing so. Unless the exact value is somehow important, most readers wouldn't find much of a meaningful difference between "54 zillion" or "over 50 zillion", or even "zillions and zillions". In practice, the brain {{w|Approximate number system|can only approximate}} numbers this large; the {{w|Just-noticeable difference|threshold needed to tell the difference}} between the amounts that they represent is too high. Randall expresses a similar sentiment once he gets to the trillions and quadrillions.
|-
| ,000 (thousand) || Oh, a comma and some zeros. Cool. Must be at least 54 thousand. || Underselling how long the number is with the "at least a thousand", but is a fair thought from the POV of not being able to know how long the number is.
|-
| ,000 (million) || A second comma! I wonder if we're talking population or money. || Excitement from how large the number must be. {{w|Population}}s (like the number of people in a region) and large sums of money are both often measured in millions.
|-
| ,000 (billion) || Yikes! If this is money, it's a lot of money. || Three commas means a number in the billions. That's a lot of money for one person to have. Big decisions by large corporations, such as {{w|megamerger}}s, are often measured in billions of dollars in costs.
|-
| ,000,000 (quadrillion) || Why am I reading this? Whatever this number is, I'm not going to be able to visualize it. || Five commas is a number in the quadrillions. At this point the number is too big for human minds to comprehend.
|-
| ,000 (quintillion) || All right, either someone made a unit conversion error or this is one of those incomprehensible astronomy numbers. || Astronomy often deals with extremely large numbers due to the incredible scale of the universe. For example, the distance to the Andromeda galaxy in kilometers could be numbered in quintillions. Alternatively, the person calculating the number made a mistake. Regarding the unit conversion there has recently been a comic about such a thing in [[3065: Square Units]] and similar mistakes have been used in [[2585: Rounding]].
|-
| ,0000 (!?) || Oh no. Is this a misplaced comma or an extra zero? I guess we'll see if the next group has two zeros or three. If it's two, we can at least hope the digits are right. || Commas are placed every three digits in {{w|Decimal separator#Digit grouping|typical western usage}} (although not necessarily in various other {{w|Indian numbering system#Decimal formatting|cultures}}), so something is wrong. However, it might simply be that someone misplaced the comma to the right, meaning that this group has four digits and the next one would likely have two (the next comma in the 'correct' place). If the next group is three, then either the commas are now ''all'' misplaced or possibly someone/something just doubled up a zero by accident. A mistake of any kind makes one think that the number may not actually be accurate but, if the former, at least it might just be a relatively unimportant transposition.
|-
| ,0000 || Oh no. || A second group of four zeroes means it's not a typo. Something is seriously wrong. Note that some countries like [https://www.aceninja.sg/insights/2025/01/01/understanding-chinese-cultural-nuances-numerals China] or [https://www.kanpai-japan.com/learn-japanese/how-to-count-in-japanese Japan] (where 4-digit groupings are common) or [https://www.cuemath.com/numbers/indian-place-value-chart/ India] (which uses a unique 2- and 3-digit mixed system) may use non 3-digit groupings, but have their own rules for number groupings.
|-
| ,054 || What is happening. || Big numbers are normally rounded, so it's very strange to see a non-zero value this far down in the place values. Also, "54" matches the digits at the start of the number so it could indicate the number was copied incorrectly. The non-zero digits here imply that all of the digits so far, including the zeroes, are {{w|significant figures}}; the number is not only extremely large, but implausibly precise with at least 30 sig figs. By way of comparison, the diameter of the observable universe is about 4.4 × 1026 m, and if that measurement had 30 sig figs, it would be precise to about half a millimeter.
|-
| ,000"000 || Someone messed up real bad. || The arcsecond mark " (more properly written as a {{w|double prime}} symbol, ″) indicates that this number is an angle or a distance in inches. For an angle, even accounting for how small an arcsecond is (1/3600th of a degree), this angle would be a huge number of rotations. As for inches, it would represent a distance much larger than the observable universe, though it is uncommon to use customary units like inches in conjunction with large numbers.

Alternatively, this could be "to-the-11th-power" (…00011 000…), which would make the already extremely large number extremely ridiculously big. (5.4 × 1033)11 ≈ 1.14 × 10371, in the same territory as a googol, i.e. 10100.

This could also be a sign of bad copy-pasting, where the quotation mark " was accidentally copied along with the large number but not with a matching one. Or if this number was being printed from a computer program, the mark may be a sign that the closing quote around a computer string was accidentally {{w|Escape character|escaped}}, causing it to be interpreted as a literal written quote mark character to be included in the string, rather than a special symbol marking the end of the string.
|-
| ,00c2ef46 || Someone messed up real bad and I hope it wasn't me. || Numbers normally only use the digits 0–9. The presence of the letters c, e, and f suggests that this number is written in {{w|hexadecimal}}, or {{w|Radix|base}} 16, where going up one place represents multiplying by sixteen instead of ten. Instead of ten possible digits for each place, there need to be sixteen: after 9, you count A, B, C, D, E, F, before carrying over to 10. Hexadecimal is mostly used by computers, so Randall, as a programmer, might be worried that the hexadecimal appearing is his fault. Seeing a long string of unexpected characters may indicate a memory bug, such as a ''{{w|buffer overflow}}''. These bugs can lead to crashes, data corruption, and security vulnerabilities, which Randall would rather not be responsible for.

If not for the c and f, the letter e could also be read as {{w|E notation}}, a shorthand for {{w|scientific notation}} in many calculators and computer programs. There, "e" means "times ten {{w|to the power of}}", so …00e46 (= …00 × 1046) would add 46 more zeros to the value of the preceding number. However, usually the number would be {{w|Normalized number|normalized}} to have a single digit before a decimal part, changing any extra digits into a bigger {{w|Power of 10|exponent of ten}}, such as 5.4e84 (= 5.4 × 1084). The point of normalization is to make it easier to compare the magnitudes of very large and very small numbers, so that the reader doesn't need to count digits in the first place.
|-
| (title text) || [desperately] Maybe this is from some country where they use commas as decimal points, and also as digit separators after the decimal, and also use random other characters for decoration??? || In the United States, UK, India, China, Korea, Japan, and other countries, the dot is used to separate the integer part of a number from its fractional part. However, most of mainland Europe and South America uses the comma for this purpose. In some places, one may also see the period used to group digits. Since the final number is unreadable and potentially infinite, this implies that Randall has, naturally, made up an explanation instead of trying to figure out what was really happening.
|-
|}

==Transcript==
:[A large number is written along the middle of the panel. Above and below the number there are 10 labels, (5 above and 5 below), and from each label a small curved line points to a part of the number. There is a heading above the top labels:]
:<big>Thought process while reading a big number:</big>

:[The number is continuing off the edge of the comic to the right, the last digit is missing about a third:]
:'''<big>54,000,000,000,000,000,000,0000,0000,054,000"000,00c2ef46</big>'''

:[The labels are listed below in the reading order as from where the small lines are pointing on to the number, so both those above and below the number, not first all those above. Text in the brackets indicate where on the number the line is pointing:]

:[To the first two numbers before the first comma, label above the number:]
:54! Great! I know that number. Solid start.

:[To the first zero after the first comma, label below the number:]
:Oh, a comma and some zeros. Cool. Must be at least 54 thousand.

:[To the second comma, label above the number:]
:A second comma! I wonder if we're talking population or money.

:[To the third comma, label below the number:]
:Yikes! If this is money, it's a '''''lot''''' of money.

:[To the fifth comma, label above the number:]
:Why am I reading this? Whatever this number is, I'm not going to be able to visualize it.

:[To the sixth comma, label below the number:]
:All right, either someone made a unit conversion error or this is one of those incomprehensible astronomy numbers.

:[To the middle of a group of four zeros after the seventh comma, label above the number:]
:Oh no. Is this a misplaced comma or an extra zero? I guess we'll see if the next group has two zeros or three. If it's two, we can at least hope the digits are right.

:[To the middle of a group of four zeros after the eighth comma, label below the number:]
:Oh '''''no'''''.

:[To the last two numbers of the three digits after the ninth comma, label below the number:]
:What is happening.

:[To a quotation mark, where the eleventh comma should have been, label above the number:]
:Someone messed up real bad.

:[To the first number in a group with mixed alphanumeric numbers, where the thirteenth comma should have been, label below the number:]
:Someone messed up real bad and I hope it wasn't me.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]

3099: Neighbor-Source Heat Pump

2025-06-10T17:11:24Z

Sturmovik: Cleaned up first paragraph

{{comic
| number = 3099
| date = June 6, 2025
| title = Neighbor-Source Heat Pump
| image = neighbor_source_heat_pump_2x.png
| imagesize = 431x284px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The installation of the pipes on the inside of the insulation can be challenging, especially when the neighbor could come home at any minute.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by A HOT-TEMPERED NEIGHBOUR. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Since the energy crisis of the 1970's electric {{w|air source heat pump}}s have been a offered as a more efficient alternative to burning fuel. Much like the operation of a typical refrigerator or air conditioner, heat pumps use a relatively small amount of power to move heat to where it is most needed (away from where the heat is ''not'' required). This is most commonly and conveniently done using a heat exchanger installed on the outside wall of the building/apartment, which can extract heat from the ambient outside air and use that to heat the inside of the household. Because of the varying nature of the external climate, this is less efficient (or at least more technically difficult) in colder weather, the time when the heating would be most appreciated. Although the effectiveness of cold climate heat pumps has [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J52mDjZzto significantly improved in recent decades], heat pumps still suffer from a poor reputation compared to combustion heating was due to their poor cold weather performance resulting in discomfort, high electricity usage/cost or both.

An alternate method of harvesting heat is the {{w|ground source heat pump}}. This does the same job of extracting heat energy from ''its'' surroundings (pipes sent deep into the ground, rather than just being exposed to the air by the side of the building), and benefits from the more constant temperature of the pedosphere (or deeper) which is often deeper than the [[402: 1,000 Miles North|frost-line]], always giving a ''relatively'' warm heat-source, to extract energy from, even in the depths of winter. If set up to also cool a home, in warm conditions, it also finds the same reliably small range of ground-temperatures useful in being ''cooler'' than the ambient air of summer, thus being more suited to disperse excess heat into whilst cooling the indoors environment. A further method, the water source heat pump, similarly makes use of a sufficiently large body of water's tendency to provide a near constant 4°C temperature (whatever the external conditions) in its depths.

In this comic, [[Randall]] goes further and finds a handy source of heat (in winter) and cold (in summer)… the house of a neighbor, which is itself being actively maintained (perhaps by more traditional heating and cooling technology) at a temperature which approaches his own preference for temperature. Being thermally inverted to the current seasonal conditions, it would be even more economical to tap into for heat during cold times and coolness during the warmer ones. At least it would be for Randall, not the neighbor who is now forced to effectively air-condition ''two'' buildings, instead of the one they thought they were maintaining. This is accomplished by sending the pipes (that ''might'' have been just buried in the ground) from the heat-exchange unit off into the walls of the neighbouring house to tap into the artificially-maintained temperature there.

The title text addresses some of the issues involved when trying to properly install the Neighbor-Source Heat Pump, without the neighbor realising that they are about to be leeched from in this way. It may already be quite difficult to interfere with the structure of the neighbouring house (in this case, by feeding pipes up into at least two of its wall cavities) without this being noticed once the absent neighbour returns, but to do so under the imminent risk of being observed at work by the neighbour arriving home would take [[666: Silent Hammer|even more care]] to accomplish.

While the small-scale application suggested here can thus be assumed to cause neighborly trouble, this concept has been in use on much larger scales for about the last ten years with virtually no repercussions - which is largely due to [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200908-the-buildings-warmed-by-the-human-body the tapped neighboring premises not being residential buildings]. On top of this, {{w|district heating}}, or "neighborhood heating" is a real system where a centralized heat source provides heating for multiple buildings in the neighborhood, either through a dedicated heat source (created to exploit the economies of scale) just for this purpose, or else taking waste heat from some other local amenity (e.g. a waste incinerator) that is producing sufficient quantities to spare as a side-effect of its core operation. This is humorously in contrast to to the comic where someone steals heat from one of their neighbours as one might {{w|Cable television piracy|steal Cable TV}}.

This was the first of two comics in a row that apparently advocate putting things in other people's walls, as this was followed by [[3100: Alert Sound]].

==Transcript==
:[Two houses are shown next to each other. They have almost identical facades with a base, two windows on either side of a door and a chimney to the right on the roof. But next to the left house there is a small box with two light-blue pipes going from the house to the box. From the bottom of the box two similar light-blue pipes goes a bit down under ground, the left further than the right, and then they bend to the right and goes under the neighboring house to the right. The upper pipe closest to the ground is shown to enter the wall of the right house, going almost up to the roof, and then bending sharply around going down below ground. Then it goes under ground to the other side of the house and do the same in the right wall, going up and down. Where it goes under ground, it connects to the the other pipe that has gone all the way straight under the house.]

:[Caption below the panel:]
:A covertly-installed '''''Neighbor-Source Heat Pump''''' takes advantage of the fact that your neighbor keeps their house cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Physics]]

3098: Trojan Horse

2025-06-09T15:04:49Z

Sturmovik: More AI cleanup and clarification of the status of livestock in ancient times vs livestock today.

{{comic
| number = 3098
| date = June 4, 2025
| title = Trojan Horse
| image = trojan_horse_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x196px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Ultimately, history would imperfectly record the story of the Foal of Troy.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a BABY BOT INSIDE A BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic presents a brief retelling of the {{w|Trojan Horse}} story, the climactic event of the legendary {{w|Trojan War}}, one of the best-known epics of ancient Greece and Rome. The retelling is a {{w|Feghoot|feghoot}}, set up to deliver the pun in the title text as well as a deconstruction of the story, replacing the epic elements with far more ordinary ones while keeping the tone of the tale the same.

The premise is that the Trojan Horse story's origin is mundane. The gift to the Trojans by the (supposedly) departing Greek army, we are told, was a normal-sized, living mare, which promptly and unexpectedly dropped a foal. According to the title text, this is the story of the "Foal of Troy", which "history imperfectly recorded". In the "imperfect record" (presumably the one by {{w|Virgil}}), the normal-sized live horse became a colossal wooden statue that "dropped" a commando unit of some 40 Greek soldiers, who opened the gates of Troy to the main Greek force (who had sailed back under the cover of darkness), resulting in the "''Fall'' of Troy". The pun is implicit, as "Fall of Troy" does not appear in the comic. Fall (∏τώση) and Foal (∏ουλάρι) begin with the same letter in Greek and are spelled even more similarly in English, as well as being near {{w|homophone}}s.

It is not made clear whether the gifter of the horse knew of/suspected the pregnancy or whether they'd have even chosen to hand it over under different circumstances. However, it is consistent with the story, and with the {{w|Beware_of_Greeks_bearing_gifts|"Greeks bearing gifts" trope}} that originated with it, that the Greeks intentionally gifted a pregnant mare to annoy the Trojans. Surprise foals, where a mare is purchased with a hitherto unknown pregnancy, actually occur. The pregnancy is typically excused as weight gain, up until the point where a foal is discovered with its mother in the morning. Horses with rounder builds, like some pony breeds, are known for maintaining undetected pregnancies. The reason a surprise foal might be salient for the comic, beyond the "Foal of Troy" pun, is the non-trivial costs of horse ownership, which can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. Food costs are part of (but not all of) this, as the comic touches on.

The joke suffers from a modern bias in that in present day North America horses are seen largely as companion animals that can cost a great deal of one's discretionary income (or grain supply) to maintain. However in ancient times, horses were valuable tools and the gift of a pregnant mare would generally be welcomed. In the uncommon situation where the local food supply was insufficient to maintain one or both of the creatures, they could be slaughtered for their meat, a practice that in Randel's time has become taboo.

Archaeological evidence of a military conquest of {{w|Troy}} during the Bronze Age, or even of a major war centered on the city, is lacking. Far better evidence exists for the destruction of several iterations of the city by earthquakes. It is not thought that these earthquakes were caused by horses. Possibly, the Trojan War legend arose as visitors attempted to explain the ruins of an earthquake-ravaged, deserted city. The "Foal of Troy" story, therefore, need not include a Greek conquest of Troy, or even a major military conflict with the Greeks.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[A horse is facing Cueball and Ponytail, who are standing in front of an entrance below a tower.]
:[In an inset panel, Cueball is talking to Megan and Hairy.]
:Cueball: When the Greeks departed, they left behind a horse as a gift.

:[Hairbun is standing behind a horse, with Cueball standing in front.]
:We took it as a gesture of peace, but it carried a secret payload.

:[A smaller horse is standing behind the horse from previous panel, which is looking behind at it.]
:One night, from within the horse, '''''another, smaller horse emerged!'''''

:[Close-up on Cueball.]
:Cueball: Our guards have been unable to determine the inner horse's objective, but it has begun to show an interest in our oats.
:Off-panel voice 1: An attack on Troy's food supply!
:Off-panel voice 2: How ''dare'' they!?

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

3098: Trojan Horse

2025-06-09T14:48:09Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */ Cutting AI slop paragraph

{{comic
| number = 3098
| date = June 4, 2025
| title = Trojan Horse
| image = trojan_horse_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x196px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Ultimately, history would imperfectly record the story of the Foal of Troy.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a BABY BOT INSIDE A BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic presents a brief retelling of the {{w|Trojan Horse}} story, the climactic event of the legendary {{w|Trojan War}}, one of the best-known epics of ancient Greece and Rome. The retelling is a {{w|Feghoot|feghoot}}, set up to deliver the pun in the title text.

The premise is that the Trojan Horse story's origin is mundane. The gift to the Trojans by the (supposedly) departing Greek army, we are told, was a normal-sized, living mare, which promptly and unexpectedly dropped a foal. According to the title text, this is the story of the "Foal of Troy", which "history imperfectly recorded". In the "imperfect record" (presumably the one by {{w|Virgil}}), the normal-sized live horse became a colossal wooden statue that "dropped" a commando unit of some 40 Greek soldiers, who opened the gates of Troy to the main Greek force (who had sailed back under the cover of darkness), resulting in the "''Fall'' of Troy". The pun is implicit, as "Fall of Troy" does not appear in the comic. Fall (∏τώση) and Foal (∏ουλάρι) begin with the same letter in Greek and are spelled even more similarly in English, as well as being near {{w|homophone}}s. This would correspond with history exaggerating a supposed attack upon the food supply into the fall of the entire city. Of course, in reality, people are willing to feed horses because horses can accomplish useful tasks, but only if they haven't died of starvation, and the people in the comic do not seem disturbed by the mare's appetite, only the foal's.

The debate in the comic, about the mission of the "Foal of Troy" and its impact on the city, reflects the debate in the Trojan Horse legend about the purpose of the horse statue and whether it was safe to accept it. The consequence of accepting the "Foal of Troy", a minor assault on the city's oat store, is accepted with indignation in the comic. In the legend, the potential consequences of accepting the horse statue were rejected or ignored until after it was too late. This is the etymology that caused the story to lend its name to the act of trying to smuggle something unwanted past people's notice by hiding it within something larger and more innocuous, particularly {{w|Trojan horse (computing)|computer malware}}.

It is not made clear whether the gifter of the horse knew of/suspected the pregnancy or whether they'd have even chosen to hand it over under different circumstances. However, it is consistent with the story, and with the {{w|Beware_of_Greeks_bearing_gifts|"Greeks bearing gifts" trope}} that originated with it, that the Greeks intentionally gifted a gravid mare to annoy the (in the "mundane" version otherwise victorious) Trojans. Surprise foals, where a mare is purchased with a hitherto unknown pregnancy, actually occur. The pregnancy is typically excused as mundane weight gain, up until the point where a foal is discovered with its mother in the morning. Horses with rounder builds, like some pony breeds, are known for maintaining undetected pregnancies. The reason a surprise foal might be salient for the comic, beyond the "Foal of Troy" pun, is the non-trivial costs of horse ownership, which can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. Food costs are part of (but not all of) this, as the comic touches on.

Archaeological evidence of a military conquest of {{w|Troy}} during the Bronze Age, or even of a major war centered on the city, is lacking. Far better evidence exists for the destruction of several iterations of the city by earthquakes. It is not thought that these earthquakes were caused by horses. Possibly, the Trojan War legend arose as visitors attempted to explain the ruins of an earthquake-ravaged, deserted city. The "Foal of Troy" story, therefore, need not include a Greek conquest of Troy, or even a major military conflict with the Greeks.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[A horse is facing Cueball and Ponytail, who are standing in front of an entrance below a tower.]
:[In an inset panel, Cueball is talking to Megan and Hairy.]
:Cueball: When the Greeks departed, they left behind a horse as a gift.

:[Hairbun is standing behind a horse, with Cueball standing in front.]
:We took it as a gesture of peace, but it carried a secret payload.

:[A smaller horse is standing behind the horse from previous panel, which is looking behind at it.]
:One night, from within the horse, '''''another, smaller horse emerged!'''''

:[Close-up on Cueball.]
:Cueball: Our guards have been unable to determine the inner horse's objective, but it has begun to show an interest in our oats.
:Off-panel voice 1: An attack on Troy's food supply!
:Off-panel voice 2: How ''dare'' they!?

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

3098: Trojan Horse

2025-06-05T12:49:26Z

Sturmovik:

{{comic
| number = 3098
| date = June 4, 2025
| title = Trojan Horse
| image = trojan_horse_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x196px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Ultimately, history would imperfectly record the story of the Foal of Troy.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a BABY BOT INSIDE A BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic presents a brief retelling of the {{w|Trojan_Horse|Trojan horse}} story, the climactic event of the legendary {{w|Trojan_War|Trojan war}}, one of the best-known epics of ancient Greece and Rome.

The joke, spelled out in the title text, is that the Trojan Horse story's origin is mundane. The gift to the Trojans by the (supposedly) departing Greek army, we are told, was a normal-sized, living, pregnant mare, which promptly dropped a foal. "History" expanded the tale until the live, normal-sized, pregnant mare became a colossal wooden statue that "dropped" a commando unit of some 40 Greek soldiers, who opened the gates of Troy to the main Greek force (who had sailed back under the cover of darkness), with disastrous consequences for Troy, transmuting (for the purpose of a pun) the "Foal of Troy" to the "Fall of Troy". Fall (πτώση) and Foal (πουλάρι) begin with the same letter in Greek and are spelled even more similarly in English. This would suggest that what actually happened was that the foal opened the gates, but it is unclear how and why a foal that hadn't even been born yet when its dam was given to Troy would have opened the gates of Troy or otherwise accounted for other aspects of the story of the Fall of Troy.

The debate in the comic, about the mission of the "Foal of Troy" and its impact on the city, reflects the debate in the Trojan Horse legend about the purpose of the horse statue and whether it was safe to accept it. The consequence of accepting the "Foal of Troy", a minor assault on the city's oat store, is accepted with indignation in the comic. In the legend, the potential consequences of accepting the horse statue were rejected or ignored until after it was too late. This is the etymology that caused the story to {{w|Trojan horse (computing)|lend its name to malware hidden as something innocuous}}.

One possible context for the comic is the real life phenomena of surprise (also called BOGO (Buy One Get One)) foals where a mare is purchased with a hitherto unknown pregnancy. This pregnancy might even escape detection, typically excused as mundane weight gain, up until the point where a foal is discovered with its mother in the morning. Horses with rounder builds, like some pony breeds, are known for maintaining undetected pregnancies. The reason surprise foals might be salient for Randel, beyond the "Foal of Troy" pun, is the non-trivial costs of horse ownership, which can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. It is possible that a friend or family member of Randal's was "blessed" by a surprise foal and was having to deal with the associated unanticipated boarding costs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[A horse is facing Cueball and Ponytail, who are standing in front of an entrance below a tower.]
:[In an inset panel, Cueball is talking to Megan and Hairy.]
:Cueball: When the Greeks departed, they left behind a horse as a gift.

:[Hairbun is standing behind a horse, with Cueball standing in front.]
:We took it as a gesture of peace, but it carried a secret payload.

:[A smaller horse is standing behind the horse from previous panel, which is looking behind at it.]
:One night, from within the horse, '''''another, smaller horse emerged!'''''

:[Close-up on Cueball.]
:Cueball: Our guards have been unable to determine the inner horse's objective, but it has begun to show an interest in our oats.
:Off-panel voice 1: An attack on Troy's food supply!
:Off-panel voice 2: How ''dare'' they!?

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

3098: Trojan Horse

2025-06-05T12:45:32Z

Sturmovik: Cut the long winded third paragraph which feels like it was AI generated and doesn't add much if anything to the explanation. Replaced it with a discussion of the real life phenomena of surprise foals.

{{comic
| number = 3098
| date = June 4, 2025
| title = Trojan Horse
| image = trojan_horse_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x196px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Ultimately, history would imperfectly record the story of the Foal of Troy.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a BABY BOT INSIDE A BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
This comic presents a brief retelling of the {{w|Trojan_Horse|Trojan horse}} story, the climactic event of the legendary {{w|Trojan_War|Trojan war}}, one of the best-known epics of ancient Greece and Rome.

The joke, spelled out in the title text, is that the Trojan Horse story's origin is mundane. The gift to the Trojans by the (supposedly) departing Greek army, we are told, was a normal-sized, living, pregnant mare, which promptly dropped a foal. "History" expanded the tale until the live, normal-sized, pregnant mare became a colossal wooden statue that "dropped" a commando unit of some 40 Greek soldiers, who opened the gates of Troy to the main Greek force (who had sailed back under the cover of darkness), with disastrous consequences for Troy, transmuting (for the purpose of a pun) the "Foal of Troy" to the "Fall of Troy". Fall (πτώση) and Foal (πουλάρι) begin with the same letter in Greek and are spelled even more similarly in English. This would suggest that what actually happened was that the foal opened the gates, but it is unclear how and why a foal that hadn't even been born yet when its dam was given to Troy would have opened the gates of Troy or otherwise accounted for other aspects of the story of the Fall of Troy.

The debate in the comic, about the mission of the "Foal of Troy" and its impact on the city, reflects the debate in the Trojan Horse legend about the purpose of the horse statue and whether it was safe to accept it. The consequence of accepting the "Foal of Troy", a minor assault on the city's oat store, is accepted with indignation in the comic. In the legend, the potential consequences of accepting the horse statue were rejected or ignored until after it was too late. This is the etymology that caused the story to {{w|Trojan horse (computing)|lend its name to malware hidden as something innocuous}}.

One possible context for the comic is the real life phenomena of surprise (also called BOGO (Buy One Get One)) foals where a mare is purchased with a hitherto unknown pregnancy. This pregnancy might even escape detection, typically excused as mundane weight gain, up until the point where a foal is discovered with its mother in the morning. Horses with rounder builds, like some poly breeds, are known for undetected pregnancies. The reason surprise foals might be salient for Randel, beyond the "Foal of Troy" pun, is the non-trivial costs of horse ownership, which can amount to hundreds or thousands of dollars per month. It is possible that a friend or family member of Randal's was "blessed" by a surprise foal and was having to deal with the associated unanticipated boarding costs.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
:[A horse is facing Cueball and Ponytail, who are standing in front of an entrance below a tower.]
:[In an inset panel, Cueball is talking to Megan and Hairy.]
:Cueball: When the Greeks departed, they left behind a horse as a gift.

:[Hairbun is standing behind a horse, with Cueball standing in front.]
:We took it as a gesture of peace, but it carried a secret payload.

:[A smaller horse is standing behind the horse from previous panel, which is looking behind at it.]
:One night, from within the horse, '''''another, smaller horse emerged!'''''

:[Close-up on Cueball.]
:Cueball: Our guards have been unable to determine the inner horse's objective, but it has begun to show an interest in our oats.
:Off-panel voice 1: An attack on Troy's food supply!
:Off-panel voice 2: How ''dare'' they!?

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

3092: Baker's Units

2025-05-22T18:14:14Z

Sturmovik:

{{comic
| number = 3092
| date = May 21, 2025
| title = Baker's Units
| image = bakers_units_2x.png
| imagesize = 349x310px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 169 is a baker's gross.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by baker's bot. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

A '{{w|Dozen#Baker's_dozen|baker's dozen}}' is an expression referring to the number 13, as opposed to the normal 'dozen', meaning 12. This stems from a tradition in medieval times whereby salespeople would include 13 items when selling a 'dozen'. This was due to them having to pay penalties (in some regions, {{w|Ducking_stool|draconian}} ones) when customers were sold one item short, or not enough weight. To avoid the customer complaints and the penalty, bakers added a safety margin that allowed them to still serve a dozen in a hurry: If a miscount happened the baker would have given out twelve rolls just as ordered; if no miscount happened the baker would just be short of one inexpensive item.

[[Randall]] proceeds to apply this principle to other things involving the number 12. A reader might anticipate this means simply applying a count of 13 of a thing, or adding one to the most prominent quantity. But it slowly becomes clear that, instead, Randall finds something about the thing that is comprised of 12 units, changes that to 13, and demonstrates the logical consequence.

The results gradually become more unexpected and silly:
* Imperial feet are 12 inches long; a 'baker's foot' would be 13 inches long.
* Noon is 12 o'clock (also 12:00 in {{w|24-hour clock}} notation); 'baker's noon' would be 1 o'clock PM (13:00 in 24-hour notation). Local noon has often been a vital piece of information for those who need to know when the working daylight is half-way through, or specifically for noting the {{w|Solar time|local solar maximum}} for astronomical or navigation purposes (though the original "noon" {{w|Noon#Etymology|used to be}} several hours later), whilst 1PM does not usually merit any notable marker beyond those of any other "o'clock". The inverted case to this is when it becomes a convenient time to convey a {{w|Time ball|post-noon signal}}, perhaps having observed and subsequently verified solar-noon exactly an hour earlier.
* A {{w|dodecahedron}} is a solid shape having 12 faces ("dodeca" = "twelve"). The best-known kind is the regular dodecahedron, a {{w|Platonic solid}} whose faces are regular pentagons (the shape that most {{w|Dice#Polyhedral dice|d12}}s take the form of), but there are others such as the {{w|rhombic dodecahedron}} and {{w|Pyritohedron#Pyritohedron|pyritohedron}}. A 'baker's dodecahedron' would have thirteen faces, making it, in fact, a tridecahedron, typically a form with some combination of triangles, squares (or other 4-sided shapes), pentagons, and/or hexagons. One way of forming a tridecahedron is to truncate one vertex of a dodecahedron, essentially "replacing" it with an additional small face. Tridecahedrons are not Platonic solids, and their use in dice-based games (though not impossible) would result in an unbalanced skew of possibilities, as well as one extra result (perhaps zero or thirteen) that a gaming system might not be designed to anticipate.
*Under the Gregorian calendar, years have 12 months and, in most western traditions, New Year's Eve is celebrated on the last day of the 12th of these. Therefore a baker would celebrate 'baker's New Year's Eve' at the end of an extra 13th month, on January 31 (possibly implying that their New Year would shift by one month each year, relative to everyone else's calendars). Randall was apparently unaware that both lunar calendars and the planet Mars do in fact have a 13th month known as {{w|Undecember}} or Smarch.
* Octaves are comprised of 12 half-steps (a half-step is the distance between adjacent notes, such as F and F#). A 'baker’s octave' would have 13 half-steps (corresponding to a minor ninth) and cause problems in musical composition, as octaves (of the baker’s variety) would be dissonant, instead of being consonant. However, Randall's musical notation actually shows a ''major'' ninth, with ''fourteen'' half-steps. If he wanted thirteen half-steps, Randall could have used D♭ instead of D, or drawn a bass clef instead of a treble clef.
* Trial juries in the Anglo-Saxon law tradition ({{w|Common Law}}) consist of 12 peers. The 'baker’s jury' would have 13 peers. This might be considered to make little practical difference, though it does mean that (in situations where a jury is allowed to present a majority verdict instead of requiring unanimity), the odd number of jurors would prevent exact ties. (Note that {{w|Trial by jury in Scotland|Scottish juries}}, in particular, start with the expectation of there being 15 jurors, and may well end up reduced to 13 or even 12.)
* The {{w|Flag of Europe}} has 12 stars forming a circle (as a symbol of harmony); unlike in the US flag, the stars do not represent member states. The flag was first adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955, when it already had 13 members - today there are over 40. The European Communities adopted the Flag of Europe in 1986 before the EC turned into the European Union. A 13th star could potentially be added to make a 'baker's EU flag', without major damage to the symbol. In the United States, thirteen stars in a circle is associated with the {{w|Betsy Ross flag}}, the first U.S. flag.
* Magnesium is the element with the ordinal number 12, with twelve protons. Aluminum is number 13, and is a very different material.{{Citation needed}} 'Baker's magnesium' actually has more applications than standard magnesium in baking such as {{w|sodium aluminium phosphate}} used in some baking powders and {{w|aluminum foil}} (often called tinfoil) sometimes used to protect pans or baked goods during baking, but it does not have as much nutritional value.
* In the title text, a count of 144 (12x12) is a gross. Thus, 169 (13x13) would be a 'baker's gross', an addition of not just one but 25 units.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove too soon.}}
:Baker's units
:[A formation comprising of 13 items] - Baker's dozen
:[A ruler divided into 13 parts] - Baker's foot
:1:00 PM - Baker's noon
:[A polyhedron with 13 faces] - Baker's dodecahedron
:January 31st - Baker's New Year's Eve
:[Two notes on a staff 13 half-steps apart] - Baker's octave
:[13 people standing in a row] - Baker's jury
:[A flag with 13 stars forming a circle] - Baker's EU flag
:Aluminum - Baker's magnesium

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Chemistry]]
[[Category:Math]]

3092: Baker's Units

2025-05-22T18:09:13Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 3092
| date = May 21, 2025
| title = Baker's Units
| image = bakers_units_2x.png
| imagesize = 349x310px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = 169 is a baker's gross.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by baker's bot. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

A '{{w|Dozen#Baker's_dozen|baker's dozen}}' is an expression referring to the number 13, as opposed to the normal 'dozen', meaning 12. This stems from a tradition in medieval times whereby salespeople would include 13 items when selling a 'dozen'. This was due to them having to pay penalties (in some regions, {{w|Ducking_stool|draconian}} ones) when customers were sold one item short, or not enough weight. To avoid the customer complaints and the penalty, bakers added a safety margin that allowed them to still serve a dozen in a hurry: If a miscount happened the baker would have given out twelve rolls just as ordered; if no miscount happened the baker would just be short of one inexpensive item.

[[Randall]] proceeds to apply this principle to other things involving the number 12. A reader might anticipate this means simply applying a count of 13 of a thing, or adding one to the most prominent quantity. But it slowly becomes clear that, instead, Randall finds something about the thing that is comprised of 12 units, changes that to 13, and demonstrates the logical consequence.

The results gradually become more unexpected and silly:
* Imperial feet are 12 inches long; a 'baker's foot' would be 13 inches long.
* Noon is 12 o'clock (also 12:00 in {{w|24-hour clock}} notation); 'baker's noon' would be 1 o'clock PM (13:00 in 24-hour notation). Local noon has often been a vital piece of information for those who need to know when the working daylight is half-way through, or specifically for noting the {{w|Solar time|local solar maximum}} for astronomical or navigation purposes (though the original "noon" {{w|Noon#Etymology|used to be}} several hours later), whilst 1PM does not usually merit any notable marker beyond those of any other "o'clock". The inverted case to this is when it becomes a convenient time to convey a {{w|Time ball|post-noon signal}}, perhaps having observed and subsequently verified solar-noon exactly an hour earlier.
* A {{w|dodecahedron}} is a solid shape having 12 faces ("dodeca" = "twelve"). The best-known kind is the regular dodecahedron, a {{w|Platonic solid}} whose faces are regular pentagons (the shape that most {{w|Dice#Polyhedral dice|d12}}s take the form of), but there are others such as the {{w|rhombic dodecahedron}} and {{w|Pyritohedron#Pyritohedron|pyritohedron}}. A 'baker's dodecahedron' would have thirteen faces, making it, in fact, a tridecahedron, typically a form with some combination of triangles, squares (or other 4-sided shapes), pentagons, and/or hexagons. One way of forming a tridecahedron is to truncate one vertex of a dodecahedron, essentially "replacing" it with an additional small face. Tridecahedrons are not Platonic solids, and their use in dice-based games (though not impossible) would result in an unbalanced skew of possibilities, as well as one extra result (perhaps zero or thirteen) that a gaming system might not be designed to anticipate.
*Under the Gregorian calendar, years have 12 months and, in most western traditions, New Year's Eve is celebrated on the last day of the 12th of these. Therefore a baker would celebrate 'baker's New Year's Eve' at the end of an extra 13th month, on January 31 (possibly implying that their New Year would shift by one month each year, relative to everyone else's calendars). Randall was apparently unaware that both lunar calendars and the planet Mars have a 13th month known as {{w|Undecember}} or Smarch.
* Octaves are comprised of 12 half-steps (a half-step is the distance between adjacent notes, such as F and F#). A 'baker’s octave' would have 13 half-steps (corresponding to a minor ninth) and cause problems in musical composition, as octaves (of the baker’s variety) would be dissonant, instead of being consonant. However, Randall's musical notation actually shows a ''major'' ninth, with ''fourteen'' half-steps. If he wanted thirteen half-steps, Randall could have used D♭ instead of D, or drawn a bass clef instead of a treble clef.
* Trial juries in the Anglo-Saxon law tradition ({{w|Common Law}}) consist of 12 peers. The 'baker’s jury' would have 13 peers. This might be considered to make little practical difference, though it does mean that (in situations where a jury is allowed to present a majority verdict instead of requiring unanimity), the odd number of jurors would prevent exact ties. (Note that {{w|Trial by jury in Scotland|Scottish juries}}, in particular, start with the expectation of there being 15 jurors, and may well end up reduced to 13 or even 12.)
* The {{w|Flag of Europe}} has 12 stars forming a circle (as a symbol of harmony); unlike in the US flag, the stars do not represent member states. The flag was first adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955, when it already had 13 members - today there are over 40. The European Communities adopted the Flag of Europe in 1986 before the EC turned into the European Union. A 13th star could potentially be added to make a 'baker's EU flag', without major damage to the symbol. In the United States, thirteen stars in a circle is associated with the {{w|Betsy Ross flag}}, the first U.S. flag.
* Magnesium is the element with the ordinal number 12, with twelve protons. Aluminum is number 13, and is a very different material.{{Citation needed}} 'Baker's magnesium' actually has more applications than standard magnesium in baking such as {{w|sodium aluminium phosphate}} used in some baking powders and {{w|aluminum foil}} (often called tinfoil) sometimes used to protect pans or baked goods during baking, but it does not have as much nutritional value.
* In the title text, a count of 144 (12x12) is a gross. Thus, 169 (13x13) would be a 'baker's gross', an addition of not just one but 25 units.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove too soon.}}
:Baker's units
:[A formation comprising of 13 items] - Baker's dozen
:[A ruler divided into 13 parts] - Baker's foot
:1:00 PM - Baker's noon
:[A polyhedron with 13 faces] - Baker's dodecahedron
:January 31st - Baker's New Year's Eve
:[Two notes on a staff 13 half-steps apart] - Baker's octave
:[13 people standing in a row] - Baker's jury
:[A flag with 13 stars forming a circle] - Baker's EU flag
:Aluminum - Baker's magnesium

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Food]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Chemistry]]
[[Category:Math]]

3086: Globe Safety

2025-05-20T17:00:33Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */ Tightened up the explanation and added an additional way to interpret the joke.

{{comic
| number = 3086
| date = May 7, 2025
| title = Globe Safety
| image = globe_safety_2x.png
| imagesize = 255x448px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Frankly, given their extreme gravitational fields and general instability, even 12-inch globes should probably be banned.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by an EARTH MASS BOT THE SIZE OF A REGULAR BOT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
For any given amount of (stationary) mass, a value can be calculated known as the {{w|Schwarzschild radius}}, which denotes the radius of a spherical volume of space. If the mass somehow is compressed into this volume, it becomes so dense that it forms a {{w|black hole}}. The Schwarzschild radius corresponding to the mass of the Earth is about 0.35 inches (roughly 9 mm, or a diameter of 7/10" or 18 mm), meaning that if you could compress the Earth into a ball that small, it would be a black hole. The object at bottom right in the comic, with a triangular warning sign next to it, is a {{w|Black hole#Observation|depiction of a black hole}}.

{{w|Globes}}, in this context, are miniature re-creations of planet Earth, used to show its features without any of the [[977: Map Projections|typical problems of a flat map]]. [[Randall]] claims that safety standards are in place to ensure that globes are not manufactured at, below, or even close to the Schwarzschild radius of the Earth which implies that the Schwarzschild radius and black hole formation is less a function of mass, but instead based on the ''concept'' of spatial bodies like planets and stars. A scale model of Earth will gain the Schwarzschild radius of the full size Earth because in the XKCD universe Earth-like-things (and presumably representations of other planets and stars) have Schwarzschild radii because that's the way they are.

An alternate interpretation is that any globe of the Earth shares the same mass as the Earth and hence the same Schwarzschild radius. Such a globe might be made by creating a literal 1:1 replica of Earth and then shrinking it without distortion until it has the required size (possibly by removing some of the "empty space" inside atoms). This would, of course, give the most perfect maps; however, for each globe made the Earth's mass would increase by its original amount. In addition it would be impossible to use an Earth-mass globe since something of that density would immediately burrow through the real Earth's crust and proceed to the center of planet.

The title text doubles down on the joke, suggesting that globes up to 12 inches (30.5 cm) should be banned, due to their extreme gravitational fields. Again, the implication is that representations of Earth would also gain the actual Earth's gravitational properties or would see those properties as a result of actually having an Earth-like mass.

==Transcript==
:[A standard globe of the Earth is shown. It stands on a typical stand which holds it by two arms at the poles, so it can turn around like the Earth does. The Earth is turned so it shows Australia at the bottom and most of Asia, including the entire India to the left. Only the very tip of Alaska can be seen of the Americas. Above the globe there is a double ended arrow that goes to two small lines that align with the edges of the globe (indicating the diameter). The arrow has been split in the middle and two lines of text are written in the gap. Above this text there is another line of text.]
:Remember:
:4 inches minimum

:[Beneath the globe there are two small drawings. The left shows the Earth and to the left of the Earth there is a double ended arrow ending at two lines that indicated the diameter of the Earth going from top to bottom. The distance of this is written in inches to the left. From the Earth an arrow points to another drawing, this time the typical depiction of a black hole, with a "hat" like shape. A triangular warning sign is shown a the top right of the black hole with an exclamation mark inside.]
:7/10"

:[Caption below the panel:]
:The Earth's Schwarzschild radius is about 0.35 inches, which is why safety regulations require desktop globes to be at least 4 inches in diameter.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Maps]]

3038: Uncanceled Units

2025-01-15T15:46:08Z

Sturmovik: Blurb on unit practicality

{{comic
| number = 3038
| date = January 15, 2025
| title = Uncanceled Units
| image = uncanceled_units_2x.png
| imagesize = 323x355px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Speed limit c arcminutes^2 per steradian
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by THE PLANCK CONSTANT, WHICH IS TECHNICALLY A FREQUENCY AND CAN THUS BE EXPRESSED IN HERTZ - Please continue to explain the joke and possible interpretations. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
Another of [[Randall]]'s [[:Category:Pet Peeves|pet peeves]], this comic expresses disapproval of units that could be mathematically simplified.

In this comic, [[White Hat]] is presenting a refrigerator to [[Cueball]], claiming it only uses 3 kWh per day. This is a commonly used, but uncancelled unit: kiloWatts x hour / day contains two units of time, which can be cancelled (24h = 1d), yielding 1/8 kW or 125 W. White Hat is expressing the refrigerator's power consumption as a unit of energy divided by time, but his choice of energy unit, kilowatt hour, is itself a unit of power times time (as opposed to the standard unit for energy, the Joule). Whilst this way of expressing energy consumption may be jarring to a scientific purist, it may well be preferred by an ordinary consumer as electricity is generally priced in kWh, allowing an easy conversion into currency to understand how much the refrigerator will cost to run each day.

Cueball (possibly representing Randall) answers by asking whether the refrigerator would fit in his kitchen, since the ceiling is only 50 gallons per square foot high, which is also an uncancelled unit, as gallons can be transformed to cubic feet (1 US gal ≈ 0.1337 ft3), which can be divided by the square feet, yielding a ceiling height of around 203.7 cm, or around 6 feet 8 inches. (Using Customary gallons [1 UK gal ≈ 0.1605 ft3], the height is approximately 244.7 cm, roughly 8 feet.) Cueball's unit is much less common and was likely deliberately chosen to be harder to understand, which shows how Randall feels about people using other uncancelled units like "kWh per day".

''[[what if? (blog)|what if?]]'': [https://what-if.xkcd.com/11/ Droppings] also covers strange instances of unit cancellation, including a measure of volume per distance converted to area; similar to Cueball's measure of volume per area representing a distance (the height of his ceiling).

A common source of unit drama occurs between lay people who are looking for every day practicality and science/engineering types who are inclined towards formalized mathematical operations. For example customary units which support even divisibility versus metric units which prioritize base 10 scales. In this case telling the average customer the energy use in joules per day or average consumption in watts would require them to perform more complicated conversions to get to the figure they actually care about, the actual cost per day. White Hat could just give this cost figure directly, but does not know what every customer pays for electricity (an explicit yearly cost estimate would be included on the government required energy efficiency label).

In the title text, a speed limit is given as c arcminutes2 per steradian, where c is presumably the speed of light in vacuum, 2.998×108 m/s (meters per second) or 186282 mi/s (miles per second). A steradian (sr) is the SI unit for solid angle, subtending a section of a sphere, like a radian is a unit of angle subtending a section of a circle. A square arcminute is also a unit of solid angle, equivalent to a section of a sphere of 1/60 of a degree by 1/60 of a degree. There are ((1/60)*(π/180))2 = 8.462×10-8 sr in a square arcminute. Then multiplying by c gives a speed of 56.75 mph (probably 55 mph, based upon the {{w|National Maximum Speed Law|'traditional' US speed limit}}, before rounding errors in the reverse direction), or 91.33 km/h, showing that you can combine an outrageously high speed with two unnecessary units that cancel each other to form a normal road speed.

It is worth noting that although some of these examples are ridiculous, uncancelled units can be helpful to better understand the concept, the {{w|Hubble's law|Hubble Parameter}} can be expressed as 2.17132212x10-18 hertz, 67 km/s/Mpc is directly related to how it is measured and gives a better understanding of what it means. Another example would be fuel efficiency in cars, as mi/gal and km/l technically simplify to ares, but by expressing it in volume and distance it allows easy estimations of range and travel cost, while mm2 or in2 would require significant unit conversions.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[White Hat and Cueball are standing to either side of a refrigerator. The fridge has two top compartments and one bottom compartment. The top left compartment has a tall handle on its right, the top right compartment has a tall handle on its left, and the bottom compartment has a long handle on its top. The top left compartment has a paper attached to it with unreadable text, possibly an advertisement.]
:White Hat: This fridge uses only 3 kWh per day!
:Cueball: But will it fit in my kitchen? The ceiling there is only 50 gallons per square foot.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Pet peeve: Uncanceled units

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Pet Peeves]]

2922: Pub Trivia

2024-04-24T12:17:38Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */ Just realized that question 1 is perfectly valid. It's a confusing way of saying "Name any member of BTS".

{{comic
| number = 2922
| date = April 19, 2024
| title = Pub Trivia
| image = pub_trivia_2x.png
| imagesize = 422x666px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Bonus question: Where is London located? (a) The British Isles (b) Great Britain and Northern Ireland (c) The UK (d) Europe (or 'the EU') (e) Greater London
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by A BOT ASKING BAD TRIVIA QUESTIONS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Many pubs have {{w|pub trivia|trivia nights}}, where patrons form teams and compete to answer questions about a range of topics. The typical goal for trivia games is that they be challenging, yet possible, and so questions with answers that are too difficult or too easy generally make for a poor game. In addition, it's usually preferable that questions are clearly worded with a single, objective answer, so as to avoid disputes about which answers are correct.

Cueball has apparently been hired by one bar to infiltrate ''other'' bars' quiz nights and ask particularly bad questions. The implication is that this will make the games unpleasant, in the hopes that people will leave, and possibly go to the bar that hired Cueball.

Cueball uses a variety of strategies to write bad questions, including questions that are trivial (where the answer is painfully obvious), unanswerable (either because there is no answer or because the answer is unknown), ambiguously worded or arguable.

Many of his questions could be altered slightly to make them more reasonable for such a game, but that would defeat Cueball's purpose.

It is possible the intention of this pub quiz is to identify the issues with each question as is done here, accepting these as the answers. As Cueball was hired by a rival pub, they could then take these corrections back to that rival place.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Question !! Problem with the Question !! Explanation !! More Reasonable Alternative(s)
|-
|1. Which member of {{w|BTS}} has a birthday this year?||Potentially confusing {{w|trick question}}.||All people have birthdays every year{{Citation needed}} (other than pedantic exceptions due to calendar issues or timezone alterations, or someone dying before their birthday, or being born on a leap day, none of which apply in this case). Therefore, answering with any of the seven members of BTS would be correct making the question equivalent to "Name any member of BTS" (a perfectly valid pub trivia question). The trick nature of this question may result in participant questions or confusion if not "par for the course".||Name any member of BTS. Which member of BTS has a birthday today/this week/this month? Which member of BTS turns [a specific age] this year?
|-
|2. How many sides does a {{w|platonic solid}} have?||Multiple answers, ambiguous language||There are five {{w|Platonic solids}}, with 4, 6, 8, 12 or 20 faces (colloquially called sides) in {{w|Euclid|Euclidean}} {{w|Euclidean geometry|3-space}}. The solids have, respectively, 6, 12, 12, 30 and 30 edges (also occasionally called sides colloquially). A more devious quizmaster might actually include this as a trick question with the correct answer being 'zero', since strictly speaking solids do not have 'sides'. Or 'two' inside and outside.||How many Platonic solids are there? What is the highest number of faces on a Platonic solid? How many faces does a [specific Platonic solid] have? How many faces (or edges, or vertices) do ''all'' the Platonic solids have (i.e., added together)? What is the number of vertices, minus the number of edges, plus the number of faces equal to for a platonic solid (i.e., the {{w|Euler characteristic}})?
|-
|3. What is the smallest lake in the world?||Arguable, potentially unknowable||While the largest lakes are relatively straightforward to categorize, smaller bodies of water range in size down to individual puddles. There is no clear, definitional line at which a body goes from being a lake to a pond, for example. In addition, the size of small lakes will fluctuate due to variability in precipitation, and other weather effects, and some lakes only exist for brief periods (intermittent lakes). Hence, which small bodies of water are "lakes" and which is the smallest can't be clearly answered, without specifying a whole list of parameters and standards.

This question is related to the Tom Scott video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEGzvZ85dgs What counts as the world's shortest river?]
||What lake has the largest surface area in the world? What is the world's deepest lake? What lake is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's smallest? (Benxi Lake in China).
|-
|4. Which Steven Spielberg movie features more shark attacks, {{w|Jaws (movie)|Jaws (1975)}} or {{w|Lincoln (movie)|Lincoln (2012)}}?||Trivial||''Jaws'' is a famous movie about a killer shark, and features at least five fatal shark attacks. Lincoln is a movie about the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, containing zero shark attacks.{{Citation needed}} Anyone with even a passing familiarity with American popular culture should be able to get this one right, and someone with no knowledge could likely guess the answer from the titles alone. This might be mistaken for a silly trick question, as ''Lincoln'' is a much less famous movie.||How many times is a shark seen on screen in "Jaws"? Which film won more {{w|Academy Awards}}? How many fatal shark attacks occur in "Jaws"? Which movie in the "Jaws" franchise has the most shark attacks?
|-
|5. How many planets were there originally?||Ambiguous||The question doesn't specify a time frame or culture, which is necessary to understand both the word 'planet' and the word 'originally'. It could be referring to the {{w|classical planets|original meaning of the word planet}}, which in antiquity referred to the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn (total of 7 planets). It could be referring to the planets originally known to the quiz master, which (assuming Cueball is between 18 and 96 years old) would be after the reclassification of Ceres, Pallas, Vesta and Juno to asteroids, and after the discovery of Pluto, but prior to the reclassification of Pluto to dwarf planet (total of 9 planets). It could conceivably be referring to the first official definition of planet by the International Astronomical Union in 2006, which would be Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune (total of 8 planets). It could be referring to the process of planetary formation, in which case another layer of ambiguity is added, as it could be referring to the number of protoplanetary bodies in the {{w|protoplanetary disk}} (which is unknown since some of them were destroyed like {{w|Theia (planet)|Theia}}), or the number of planets that accreted from the disk before some were likely ejected (which is also unknown), or how many planets existed when the sun or the universe was formed (which is 0). It also doesn't specify that it's referring to planets in our solar system alone (in the galaxy there are almost certainly trillions of planets). Additionally, it asks how many "were there", as opposed to how many planets "were known" (the number which we know of being far smaller than the true number of planets in the universe). ||How many planets were known to Ancient Greece? How many planets were known to science prior to the invention of the telescope? How many planets were recognized in our Solar System at the end of the 20th century?
|-
|6. What {{w|NFL}} player has scored the most points outside of a game?||Ambiguous, unknowable||The term "scored the most points" generally only applies within the context of a game, making it very unclear what kind of "points" the question is referring to. Does it mean points in non-NFL games? Points in games other than football? Points outside the context of any game at all (such as 'making a point' in conversation)? Even if this were clarified, points scored in official games in professional sports leagues are meticulously recorded and published, points scored in any other context are not, so the question is likely impossible to answer. Arguably, {{w|Brian Jordan}} would be an answer, with 121 Minor League and 755 MLB runs scored (points).||Which NFL player scored the most points in a game/season/career?
|-
|7. The {{w|Wright brothers}} built the first airplane. Who built the last one?||Unknowable||Orville and Wilbur Wright are widely credited with designing and building the first airplane (in the sense that they invented wingflaps, and discounting everybody flying before them without wingflaps). In modern times, design and construction of airplanes has become a huge, international industry, with many airplanes of widely varying sizings being built each year. Since airplanes are built continuously, which one was made most recently depends on when the question is asked (and would be very difficult for the average person to know -- and not trivial for even a member of the aerospace industry to know). If it's asking about the last airplane ''ever'', that's impossible to know, since that plane hasn't been built yet{{Citation needed}} (and likely won't for a very long time).||Who built the first airplane '''after''' the Wright brothers? When was the final Wright Model B aircraft built?
|-
|8. Is every even number greater than 2 the sum of two primes?||Unknown, possibly unknowable||This is a famous, centuries-old {{w|open question}} in math known as {{w|Goldbach's conjecture}}. Mathematicians widely believe that it is true, and it has held true for every number checked up to 4 ⋅ 1018, but since it's impossible to check every number, we can't assume it's universally true. No mathematical proof of its veracity exists at this point. Since it is {{w|Gödel's incompleteness theorems|known}} that something can be true but impossible to prove (and, being true, impossible to disprove), this may be the situation forever.||According to which mathematical conjecture is every even number greater than 2 the sum of two primes?
|-
|9. Not counting {{w|Canberra}}, what city is the capital of {{w|Australia}}?||No answer exists||Australia has only one capital (unlike some countries, which divide the legislative and administrative capitals, for example {{w|Bolivia}} with {{w|Le Paz}} and {{w|Sucre}}), and that capital is Canberra. Hence, by definition, there is no national capital "not counting Canberra". Though each constituent state also has its state capital, this would still leave us with an ambiguous choice. Before 1927, the answer could be Melbourne, as that was where the Parliament sat at that time. This may be a joke about how other cities, such as Melbourne and Sydney, are often mistaken for the capital of Australia due to Canberra's comparatively small population (roughly 500,000 in the greater metropolitan area, compared to Melbourne and Sydney's roughly 5,000,000 each). It also alludes to the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne as each claims to be the true capital. ||What city is the capital of Australia? What is currently the largest city in Australia? What is the smallest state capital in Australia? What city was the most recently founded state capital of Australia? What city was the capital city before Canberra?
|-
|10. Who played the drums?||Trivial, yet unknowable without context||As worded, the question could be answered with anyone who's ever played the drums, in any context, whether professional or not, in all of history. This would include a huge number of people, most of whom would not be well-known. Most people would be able to offer a technically correct answer, and almost none of them would be interesting. Or maybe the host is wondering who it was that played drums that night, as part of the bar's live music.||Who played the drums for some specific band/album/track/concert/tour/time/place?
|-
|(Title text) Where is {{w|London}} located? (a) the {{w|British Isles}} (b) {{w|Great Britain}} and {{w|Northern Ireland}} (c) the {{w|United Kingdom|UK}} (d) {{w|Europe}} (or 'the {{w|European Union|EU}}') (e) {{w|Greater London}}||Multiple answers||All choices are technically correct as they are various geographical areas that include the city of London, England. Also note that the City of London is different from the city ''named'' London, as the latter includes a large region around the former, hence (e) as an answer. Answer (d) is both correct and incorrect, as it conflates a geographic region, Europe, and a political body, the European Union. The United Kingdom (and therefore London) {{w|Brexit|left the EU}} in 2020, but is still geographically included in Europe. In addition, answer (b) is not a single geographical designation, but two combined together. Meanwhile, answer (c) is short for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but as well as Northern Ireland and Great Britain (the largest of the British Isles), it includes many other (though not all) surrounding islands, despite these not being mentioned in its full official name. Nonetheless, 'Great Britain' is often used as synecdoche for all of the UK except Northern Ireland (as well as for the UK as a whole), which could make answers (b) and (c), in a loose sense, equivalent. (Answer (a) is a different thing again, including islands that are neither Great Britain, nor part of the UK.) This often confusing {{w|File:British_Isles_Venn_Diagram-en_(3).png|overlapping map}} of definitions and nomenclatures provides fertile ground for tricky quiz questions. This also does not get into {{w|London (disambiguation)|cities named London}} outside of the UK, so for example "Ontario" or "Canada" could also be possible answers if the test designer were truly evil, thus making none of the answers correct. ||What is the capital of the United Kingdom? (answer: London) Where is London, England '''not''' located? (a) the British Isles (b) Great Britain and Northern Ireland (c) the UK (d) Europe (e) the EU (answer: (e))
|}

==Transcript==
:[The top half of Cueball is shown beneath the list of questions he is reading aloud. He is holding a wireless microphone in his right hand and a pencil and notebook in his left, reading from the notebook and speaking into the microphone. The list is shown on the notebook as well, but just as unreadable lines.]:
:Cueball: Welcome to pub trivia! Round one is 10 questions:
:# Which member of BTS has a birthday this year?
:# How many sides does a platonic solid have?
:# What is the smallest lake in the world?
:# Which Steven Spielberg movie features more shark attacks - ''Jaws'' (1975) or ''Lincoln'' (2012)?
:# How many planets were there originally?
:# What NFL player has scored the most points outside of a game?
:# The Wright brothers built the first airplane. Who built the last one?
:# Is every even number greater than 2 the sum of two primes?
:# Not counting Canberra, what city is the capital of Australia?
:# Who played the drums?

:[Caption below the panel]:
:A local pub trivia place hired me to run bad quizzes at competing bars.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Math]]
[[Category:Geography]]
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Sharks]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:American football]]

2921: Eclipse Path Maps

2024-04-18T17:51:10Z

Sturmovik: Adding note about the polar Novaya Zemlya effect.

{{comic
| number = 2921
| date = April 18, 2024
| title = Eclipse Path Maps
| image = eclipse_path_maps_2x.png
| imagesize = 562x674px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = Okay, this eclipse will only be visible from the Arctic in February 2063, when the sun is below the horizon, BUT if we get lucky and a gigantic chasm opens in the Earth in just the right spot...
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a TORNADO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
A total {{w|solar eclipse}} occurred {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|on April 8, 2024}} in North America, ten days before this comic. This comic comments on the fact that most solar eclipses happen on territories not easily reachable by humans, places with weather conditions that make viewing the eclipse less appealing, like cloudy skies (mentioned previously in [[2915: Eclipse Clouds]] and [[2917: Types of Eclipse Photo]]), fog, or tornadoes (also a [[:Category:Tornadoes|recurring subject]] on xkcd), or areas that experience only a short period of totality.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Zone label !! Geography !! Suitability for observation
|-
| Zone where totality lasts 1-2 seconds || Land || No stated issues for visiting, but rendered all too brief an experience for astronomical reasons.
|-
| Bay of shifting ice || Water (part frozen) || Open water might make this location accessible by boated observers. Solid ice ''might'' grant observers ready access by skidoo, ski and/or skid-plane. Shifting ice causes problems for all these modes of access.
|-
| Shipwreck cove || Water/Coast || The name describes the likely impediment to any boat access.
|-
| Desert so harsh they train Mars astronauts there || Land (peninsula) || Implied inhospitable, and probably a lack of any normal transport/accommodation infrastructure.
|-
| Sea of rocky crags and maelstroms || Water (straits) || Yet more risk of nautical hazards, including {{w|Whirlpool|strong rotating currents}}. Possibly a nod to Scylla and Charbydis from The Odyssey.
|-
| [State department travel advisory] || Island || Unknown risk, but probably involves some form of political instability, war, or major health hazard that makes unnecessary visits highly inadvisable. May also be a result of adverse weather effects. Or perhaps all of these at the same time.
|-
| Isle of perpetual fog || Island (inc. littoral zones?) || Meteorologically unfortunate (ground visibility; ''may'' not fully obscure the skyward view).
|-
| Nice, scenic, accessible area (6 square miles, 40,000,000 visitors expected) || Land || Apparently ideal in all respects. Except for the crowds. (Would entail up to three people for every square metre, even before accounting for the existing population and obstructions, as well as a high probability of {{what if|8|travel congestion}}.)
|-
| Tornado capital of the world || Land || Meteorologically unfortunate (frequent disruptive wind vortices, and cloud cover likely).
|-
| Area where the eclipse will be low in the sky, behind the tornadoes || Land || Astronomically disadvantageous, with added complications from the neighbouring weather system.
|}

The title text mentions the {{w|Solar eclipse of February 28, 2063|solar eclipse of February 2063}}, and claims it will only be visible from the Arctic, though in fact this annular eclipse will traverse through the Indian Ocean. The eclipse in the comic would supposedly happen when the {{w|Sun}} would be below the horizon, which is a contradiction in terms, since an eclipse is only an eclipse from the standpoint of the viewer — it is equivalent to saying that the eclipse is not visible from that location, but is visible from a location over the horizon, at a point that is at the other end of a direct straight line {{w|Chord (geometry)|through the Earth}} that is directed 'down' towards the unrisen Sun and Moon. It then jokingly suggests that a giant chasm could open up between the location being considered and the location from where it would be visible, allowing people to view it. If this did happen, the chasm itself would likely eclipse the eclipse as a spectacle. In most cases, it would also likely cause severely detrimental effects (for example, magma eruptions, tsunamis, etc.), and would therefore not be considered 'lucky' by most people, despite the small and short-term benefit of being able to view an eclipse from a previously unsuitable location.

Note, the {{w|Novaya Zemlya effect|Novaya Zemlya effect}} can make it possible to observe a solar eclipse when the sun is below the horizon at the poles during certain weather conditions. Also called a "polar mirage", the effect is when an atmospheric inversion ducts sunlight along the surface of the Earth for distances up to 250 miles, which would make the sun appear 5o higher in the sky than it actually is. This appears to be the rare situation where Randall was unaware of an obscure scientific phenomena that would contribute to a joke.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:'''Every eclipse path map'''
:[A grey band representing the totality path of an eclipse travels along the map across several labels. Labels along the path from top to bottom:]
:[On land] Zone where totality lasts 1-2 seconds
:[On water] Bay of shifting ice
:[On water] Shipwreck cove
:[On land] Desert so harsh they train Mars astronauts there
:[On water] Sea of rocky crags and maelstorms
:[In square brackets] State department travel advisory
:[On an island] Isle of perpetual fog
:[On small part of a peninsula] Nice, scenic, accessible area (6 square miles, 40,000,000 visitors expected)
:[On land] Tornado capital of the world
:[On land] Area where the eclipse will be low in the sky, behind the tornadoes

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Solar eclipses]]
[[Category:Maps]]
[[Category:Tornadoes]]
[[Category:Weather]]

2915: Eclipse Clouds

2024-04-05T14:58:49Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */ Adding note about the actual eclipse forecast for New England.

{{comic
| number = 2915
| date = April 3, 2024
| title = Eclipse Clouds
| image = eclipse_clouds_2x.png
| imagesize = 526x251px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The rare compound solar-lunar-nephelogical eclipse
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a SOMETHING OBSCURED BY CLOUDS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Following on from [[2914: Eclipse Coolness]], Randall makes another comic about the {{w|Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024|solar eclipse occurring on April 8, 2024}}.

[[Cueball]] is checking the weather forecast. At the time that this comic was posted, much of the eclipse path was projected to be overcast, and Cueball expresses disappointment as someone wishing to watch the Moon slowly block out the Sun (and not the clouds obscuring both). The off-panel voice points out the mild irony that he wanted to see something block out the Sun, so the clouds technically fit his wish, leading Cueball to exclaim that he has a specific taste for things blocking the Sun.

The title-text references the 'alignment' of Sun, Moon ''and'' cloud (Nephele [νεφέλη] is Greek for cloud), describing it as rare, although this is not really as desirable as it might make it sound. Sun/Moon conjunctions are already quite rare, so that the balance against Sun/Moon/no-cloud probabilities isn't really so notable. In theory, it should equal being the difference between cloud and no-cloud on any average day for your chosen location. In practice, scholars such as {{w|Murphy's law|Edward A. Murphy}} and {{w|Finagle's law|Finagle}} would argue that conjunctions of the Sun, Moon, and clouds are considerably more likely than a Sun/Moon conjunction occurring on a sunny day.

Note, as of the posting of this comic the weather reports had consistently shown the Eclipse path in Northern Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, the points nearest to Randall's actual home in Cambridge, MA, to have the best potential viewing in the country with near 0% projected cloud cover. While while this should in theory negate Randall's anxiety, the historical forecast called for a 75% chance of cloud cover and may have prompted Randall to make other plans like visiting friends or family in sunnier portions of the eclipse path like Texas. Randall may therefore be still faced with the choice of altering his eclipse viewing plans even if the situation technically favors New England.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Cueball sits on an office chair at a desk, typing at his laptop.]
:Cueball: These eclipse weather forecasts are killing me.
:Laptop: ''refresh''

:[Cueball remains at his desk. An off-panel voice from the left speaks.]
:Off-panel voice: So you really want to see something block out the sun...

:[Cueball is still at his desk.]
:Off-panel voice: ...But not a cloud. It has to be the Moon specifically.
:Cueball: '''''My tastes are very singular!'''''

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Solar eclipses]]

2686: Space Adventure

2022-10-18T11:50:37Z

Sturmovik: Shuttlecraft is modeled after the ST:TOS Galileo

{{comic
| number = 2686
| date = October 17, 2022
| title = Space Adventure
| image = space_adventure_2x.png
| imagesize = 369x484px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = "Sir, it looked really cool." "Oh no--prestige TV. Okay, which of you has a terrible secret that's being slowly revealed to the audience through flashbacks? Just spit it out so we can escape this arc!"
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a BUNCH OF WEALTHY PRODUCERS - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic references {{w|Category:Space_adventure_television_series|space adventure television series}} and appear to show a typical scene from such a series: The trope of the vessel (in this case a relatively powerless shuttlecraft modeled after the Star Trek Original Series shuttle {{w|Galileo_(Star_Trek)|Galileo}}) evading combat with some unseen but presumably more battleworthy enemy vessel by fleeing into some form of 'space geography' that the heroes think, or hope, they can hide in or fly through more successfully than their pursuers can find or follow them in. Oftentimes a {{tvtropes|NegativeSpaceWedgie|negative space wedgie}} or some nebulous form of {{tvtropes|AerialCanyonChase|canyon-run}}, but if it is an actual black hole (within which the use of fantastical physics is intended to provide some sort of uncertain plot-armour) then often it's a swirly-effect meant to appear to be some kind of cosmic plughole. And this is the escape-route (or hiding place) that this particular ship seems about to try to take advantage of.

The command to head towards the black hole normally promises some (fictional) manner of breaking physics to survive the phenomenon, but is instead followed up by a command that seems intent to break the {{w|Fourth Wall}}. i.e. assuming that this is a fictional scenario and intending to establish exactly what ''kind'' of fictional scenario it is. By attempting to interact with the black hole in the most computationally intensive way possible (firing all kinds of weaponry at it, in distinctly different ways) they 'aim' to find out how thoroughly accurate their fictional existence actually is.

(We can aleady see that it is the imagery of a black hole (or, rather, the hot matter still visible as swirling around its event horizon) featured in the film {{w|Interstellar (film)|''Interstellar''}}, a high-budget blockbuster which famously created this particular effect from the calculations of actual professional physicists. Although Randall has also used the [[2135: M87 Black Hole Size Comparison|actual imagery of a black hole]], elsewhere.)

Exactly how this helps the crew and passengers, is unclear, but being {{tvtropes|GenreSavvy|genre-aware}} ({{tvtropes|WrongGenreSavvy|or not}}) can have implications for how characters manage to handle the problems that crop up in their various plotlines. The title text indicates that the resulting effects "looked cool", which may not necessarily indicate particular accuracy to 'real life' but indicates at least that the {{w|showrunner}}s are taking this fiction ''seriously''. It leads on to the assumption that there is one {{tvtropes|TroubledBackstoryFlashback|key piece of information}}, that one of those present possesses, which has some bearing on their current predicament. And they are going to be in peril from all kinds of {{tvtropes|MonsteroftheWeek|'monsters of the week'}} or other nemeses at least until they learn what that is, so perhaps they could skip much of the danger just by a more immediate revelation. “Prestige TV” is another name for {{w|Golden Age of Television (2000s–present)|the present Golden Age of Television}}, which started around the year 2000. Golden Age television shows are more likely to have better special effects, including weapons being fired and emulation of physics, as technology improvements have made good special effects cheaper, and this may be co-related to the now popular tendency of rather more interwoven season-long (or even whole-series) story arcs, building upon multiple cliff-hangers and situation developments. This is as a contrast to the more traditional stand alone episodes of drama, from earlier decades, that almost always resolve in precisely the conclusive manner that leaves the characters mostly in the same frame of mind as in the start – such that they arrive fresh in the next episode, or indeed ''any'' further episode, under virtually the same pretextual scenario.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Against a black background, a white spaceship travels toward a space object, identified as a black hole. Two characters speak from within the spaceship.]
:Ship officer: Sir, the enemy ship is closing in!
:Captain: Helm, head for the black hole.
:Captain: On my mark, fire torpedoes, phasers, and all our other weapons at different points around the event horizon.
:Captain: Let's see what kind of budget these showrunners have.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:If I ever find myself in a space adventure, I'll assume I'm a fictional character and try to probe the studio's financial constraints.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]

2651: Air Gap

2022-07-28T15:01:48Z

Sturmovik: adding bit on isolation transformers

{{comic
| number = 2651
| date = July 27, 2022
| title = Air Gap
| image = air_gap.png
| titletext = You can still do powerline networking, but the bitrate does drop a little depending on the lightbulb warmup and cooldown delay.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an AIR GAP-PROTECTED BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
The comic conflates the concepts of computer network security and home electrical power safety, resulting in a deeply impractical and ineffective proposed solution. In {{w|computer security}}, {{w|Air_gap_(networking)|air-gapping}} is a measure used to secure sensitive computers or networks of computers by isolating them from the broader internet, since computers are often breached through the internet. {{w|Energy security}} is the concern, typically expressed at a national, rather than domestic, level, with ensuring sufficient affordable and reliable sources of energy to meet demand. It has become an increasingly pressing issue due to the use of energy supplies as a geopolitical tool, exacerbated by the drive to reorient energy generation away from polluting fossil fuels. {{w|Lightning protection}} is a home fire safety practice.

[[Randall]] suggests increasing the security of your home power supply by air-gapping it, using the light from a powered lightbulb to power a solar panel which then supplies power to the home, such that there is no physical wired connection between your house and the public electricity network. This is a large and very inefficient version of an {{w|opto-isolator}}, but would protect equipment behind the solar panel from power surges such as lightning strikes (which in an improperly {{w|Ground (electricity)|grounded}} home could blow out the light bulb, but not so easily risk frying the equipment beyond the photovoltaic cell and its inverter). Due to its inefficiency, this approach would waste significant amounts of energy, and therefore actually worsen problems of energy security.

The title text mentions that a computer can still be connected to the internet via the power supply by using {{w|powerline networking}}, but that the bandwidth would be reduced by the lightbulb's warmup and cooldown delay, which would reduce the signalling rate the lightbulb could accomplish. However, this is incorrect, as the solar panel cannot emit signals, and an unidirectional link is useless for traditional networking, because necessary requests and acknowledgments would be unable to travel from behind the solar panel to the lightbulb. Early {{w|communication satellite}} systems for data networking used high bandwidth unidirectional {{w|downlink}}s paired with low bandwidth ground telephone lines for outbound transmission, but such network configurations remain very uncommon.

===Why this would be inefficient===

Solar panels are less than 100% efficient - in fact, they generally have an efficiency far below 50%. Lightbulbs are also inefficient at converting energy into light-- for example, a standard incandescent lightbulb would convert only about 5% of its energy into visible light, with the rest emitted as heat and unusable infrared light. Therefore, only a small fraction of energy would be transmitted between the two ends of the air gap, making the circuit require much more electricity and be much less cost-efficient.

Randell is seemingly unaware of {{w|isolation transformers}} which serve this exact same function to allow the transfer of power via changing electro-magnetic fields without an actual conductive path. Most transformers, including "wall wart" power adapters, provide this form of isolation and protect devices from noise, voltage transients and shock hazard.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[A solar panel and a lamp are pictured together, with the lamp pointed at the solar panel, and electronic equipment connected to the solar panel.]
:[Caption] Security tip: Increase the security of your home power supply by installing an air gap.
{{comic discussion}}

Miss Lenhart

2022-03-28T13:35:41Z

Sturmovik: /* Math teacher */ Adding details about how her observed career tracks with real life math teachers in the American education system.

{{Infobox character
| image = Miss_lenhart.png
| caption = Miss Lenhart from comic [[499: Scantron]], the first named appearance.
| first_appearance = [[135: Substitute]] (mentioned only)
}}

'''Miss Lenhart''' is the go-to character when [[Randall]] needs a teacher. She has white hair of shoulder length, and is thus a named version of [[Blondie]], like [[Rob]] is a named version of [[Cueball]]. She may or may not represent the same character from comic to comic.

==Characteristics==
Miss Lenhart has only been named two times where she actually appears. The first time she is both drawn and mentioned by name is in [[499: Scantron]], and the only other time (so far by comic 1731) is in [[1050: Forgot Algebra]]. But her name was used before for a not-shown teacher in [[135: Substitute]], which is why it makes sense to call the math teacher in [[263: Certainty]] Miss Lenhart. That would thus make it the first time she appeared as a character in a comic.

Her family name is again the only thing used in [[416: Zealous Autoconfig]], although there it does not directly say that she is a teacher. While school is mentioned, it is for her children. Thus the name is first connected directly to the blonde teacher in her fifth "appearance" after she was also drawn in [[442: xkcd Loves the Discovery Channel]].

Later, her name is used again without her being present, except on the phone in [[704: Principle of Explosion]]. Here, she is Mrs. Lenhart. It is possible that this character is the mother of Miss Lenhart. Or, because she here obviously has a son, she may have been married after she was originally named Miss. This is the second time she has been mentioned to be a mother. Both Blondie and one of the other named Blondie-like characters [[Mrs. Roberts]] are shown to be mothers.

Her name is mentioned in total five times. So the other comics with Miss Lenhart refer to a teacher with her appearance, just like [[Megan]] only has been named a few times, but is still used to describe the general dark-haired woman. However, Miss Lenhart must have long blonde hair, so a teacher with her hair in a ponytail, like in [[982: Set Theory]], is not Miss Lenhart but [[Ponytail]], even though the teaching method reminds of the one in [[1724: Proofs]] with Miss Lenhart.

===Math teacher===
There are several cases where Miss Lenhart is described as a math teacher. Her name is used in this context in her first comic [[135: Substitute]], and she is both named and drawn in [[1050: Forgot Algebra]] as a math teacher. She is also teaching mathematics in [[263: Certainty]], [[622: Haiku Proof]], and [[1724: Proofs]].

Her career appears to closely follow the trajectory of a public school Math teacher at either the middle or high school level as teachers become subject specific at that point. Teacher's lounges and substitutes are also features of the North American secondary school system. In [[1519: Venus]] and [[803: Airfoil]] she is seen teaching two non-math science related classes, which is something else that happens in American schools due to a general shortage of qualified STEM teachers.

In [[1519: Venus]], it is confirmed that Miss Lenhart is one month away from retirement (which is shown to result in taking her teaching duties less seriously. Being forced to teach outside her subject matter expertise (Earth/Environmental Science instead of Math) may have factored into her decision, but regardless, public sector teachers in the United States generally still earn pensions and are able to retire earlier than other workers.

After [[1519: Venus]], we see Miss Lenhart transition to college level material such as [[2028: Complex_Numbers]], [[2545: Bayes%27 Theorem]], [[2560: Confounding Variables]] and [[2283: Exa-Exabyte]]. If she did in fact retire early from public secondary school education, it would be possible for her to supplement her pension as an adjunct professor teaching college level science and math courses at a community or state institution of higher education.

In some early comics a mathematician looking like Blondie is could possibly be a representation of Miss Lenhart.

:[[435: Purity]]
:[[599: Apocalypse]].

But so far they have not been included, as Miss Lenhart as Blondie is not clearly depicted as a teacher (or with name) in these comics.

===See also===
* [[:Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]

{{navbox-characters}}

1519: Venus

2022-01-20T19:34:14Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1519
| date = May 1, 2015
| title = Venus
| image = venus.png
| titletext = The sudden introduction of Venusian flowers led to an explosive growth of unusual Earth pollinators, which became known as the "butterfly effect."
}}

==Explanation==
[[Miss Lenhart]] is [[#Trivia|teaching]] a class on science about the planet {{w|Venus}}.

In the first panel, we see her teaching the history of Venus. Venus may have had water on its surface billions of years ago, but if that's true all hydrogen since then was eventually lost due to dissociation. However, there is no evidence that Venus ever had fields of flowers, or Venusians, or any other form of life.

The {{w|runaway greenhouse effect}} on the second panel is a play on words. While the term normally refers to a rapid rise in temperature caused by greenhouse gases, Miss Lenhart uses the term literally and claims the existence of sentient greenhouses that actually ran away. In reality, the effect caused Venus to develop a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide, which raised its temperature above to approx. 460 °C (860 °F), hotter than daytime on Mercury. This eventually destroyed all evidence of anything that had been on the surface of Venus billions of years ago.

The third panel ties the previous distortion of Miss Lenhart into the very real {{w|Tulip mania|historic reputation}} of the Netherlands as {{w|Netherlands#Agriculture|flower growers}} and as a further fabrication by Miss Lenhart the Dutch flower industry was in fact started by the Venusians.

In the final panel we learn that she is a month away from retirement and doesn't care about relaying accurate information anymore. She just wants to have a laugh at the expense of the naive school children. Although it is clear that [[Science Girl]] in the front row was not fooled.

The title text jokes about the {{w|butterfly effect}}, the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Japan can cause a Tornado in the U.S.. In this case the {{w|Butterfly|butterflies}} would just help pollinate the flowers. The butterfly effect is a term coined by {{w|Edward Norton Lorenz}} who had the comic [[1350: Lorenz]] named after him due to its chaotic nature.

Although Miss Lenhart was supposed to retire a month after this comic she seems to return a year later for a math course at university level, in [[1724: Proofs]], where she continues the trend from this class. It is probable that she retired from a primary or secondary school teaching position, likely to collect a pension, before taking a side job at a university/college level.

==Transcript==
:[Miss Lenhart is standing in front of an image depicting a section of a temperate Venus' surface, with greenhouses, grass, flowers and a river flowing into a sea.]
:Miss Lenhart: Venus was once temperate. It had seas and rivers, and Venusians cultivated vast fields of beautiful flowers.

:[The image now shows the entirety of Venus, with continents and oceans. The greenhouses appear to be fleeing from Venus.]
:Miss Lenhart: Until their greenhouses fled the planet due to the runaway greenhouse effect.

:[Miss Lenhart is shown to be standing in front of a classroom. Science Girl is sitting in the front row.]
:Miss Lenhart: The Venusians pursued their greenhouses to Earth, settling in the Netherlands and kickstarting the Dutch floral industry. Any questions?

:Off-panel student (presumably Science Girl): Because you're retiring in a month, do you just not care what you say anymore?
:Miss Lenhart: ''What?!'' I '''''ride the skies''''' atop a screaming bird of truth! Also, yes, I do not.

==Trivia==
*It is not directly mentioned that it is Miss Lenhart teaching, but her looks and profession fits this character well enough to make this deduction.
*Similarly, the girl knowing she is being cheated fits the description of [[Science Girl]].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Science Girl]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Space]]

2481: 1991 and 2021

2021-06-28T18:53:48Z

Sturmovik: Added in connections to Comic 2280 that has largely the same premise.

{{comic
| number = 2481
| date = June 25, 2021
| title = 1991 and 2021
| image = 1991_and_2021.png
| titletext = "Oh, and our computers all have cameras now, which is nice during the pandemic lockdowns." "The WHAT."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an ILLEGAL LASER POINTER. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic shows a Cueball from 2021 who is [[2280:_2010_and_2020|once again]] discussing the future's technology with White Hat, this time in 1991 instead of 2010. White Hat is awed by the advances in technology, but is not expecting that the law combating laser attacks on passenger aircraft is not the most important thing mentioned.

"Laser attacks on airliners" ''sounds'' dramatic and important, and White Hat probably thinks that {{w|laser weapon}}s have been developed and have been used to attack aircraft. Given that "a [US] federal law" has been passed to combat such attacks, White Hat may be envisioning a future where US citizens have access to laser guns, and some reckless individuals have been firing them at airplanes. (If it were some other group like terrorists or foreign militaries, a federal law would be unlikely to dissuade them.)

In reality, the "lasers" in question are low-powered laser pointers, which some people aim at passenger airliners as a (dangerous) prank. When the beam hits the airplane, it cannot damage the plane itself, much less shoot it from the sky;{{citation needed}} it can, however, blind the pilot, which poses a threat to them and their passengers. A law ([https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/39A 18 USC §39A]) was thus passed in 2012 to criminalize this. (A moment of thought would make it clear that the "laser attack" is unlikely to damage the plane directly, because if it did, no new law would be needed.)

The robot fighting TV shows mentioned include ''{{w|BattleBots}}'', {{w|Robot Wars (TV series)|''Robot Wars''}}, and {{w|MegaBots Inc.|''MegaBots''}}, the earliest of which started in 1998. In them, machines armed with a variety of weapons fight in an arena. These are not technically robots in the traditional sense; for the most part, they are either remote controlled or piloted by humans, and have only rudimentary on board computer systems. They are certainly not controlled by AI. Also, while these shows have been popular enough to return to the air after periods of hiatus, they are not nearly as popular as sports involving humans.

In this comic, "cordless phone" may be meant literally, meaning any wireless phone without a cord. That's distinct from common parlance where "cordless phone" is distinct from a cellular phone, and is a wireless extension of a landline, typically of limited range, i.e. within a home. It seems likely that Cueball was using a term he believed a 1991 citizen would more easily relate to. Although cell phones had been in use for over a decade by 1991, they were most commonly depicted as a foible of a stereotypical "businessman", typically accompanied by displays of distraction, classism, & self-importance. The term "cell phone" was at that time frequently used to refer to older analog cellular networks, with many mobile users proud of their new CDMA or GSM "''digital''" phones, as distinct from true "cellular" systems which have been deprecated since that time (this distinction has since disappeared from common usage). A more general term used in modern parlance, such as "mobile phone" or "wireless phone" may have been less recognizable to the average person in 1991. Describing a cell phone as "a cordless phone [where you can] send news stories to your friends" would be a reasonable way of describing a cell phone to a person of that era.

Additionally, cellular phones today do not have much longer range than cellular phones of 1991 (in fact most have less range, due to their lower transmission power & use of higher frequencies, as well as indirectly due to increasing crowding on most wireless frequencies). Cordless phones reliant on a land-line, may exhibit somewhat longer range than they did in 1991, due to improvements in digital error correction & audio compression, although the effective range of a single transmission at a given power & frequency would otherwise be reduced by interference from the proliferation of other wireless devices outside functional range &\or operating independently. Satellite phones also offer more terrestrial range than cellular or cordless landline phones, however their functional range has not greatly increased since 1991 either (being already sufficient to reach a satellite within line-of-sight above). A possible explanation for a perceived "longer range" is that cellular phone towers are much more omnipresent than in 1991, granting cellular devices much greater functional area even though their functional range from ''one'' tower is typically less than in 1991.

Sharing on social media has distorted what news stories people encounter. Instead of a curated selection of important {{Citation needed}} news fact-checked by a newspaper or tv/radio broadcast, we see only what people similar to us found interesting.

By most reasonable measures, the most important technologies on the list could be seen as the rise of mobile phones, and the ability to easily share news stories (aside of course, from any perceived advent of high-powered laser weapons or televised robotic warfare). The first of these, mobile phone usage (& smartphones in particular) has led to a dramatic change in how people communicate, with a large amount of communication now remote, which was not as convenient in the 90s (requiring, for example, setting up {{w|roaming}} at the carrier's office before taking the phone to another city) and impossible for most people a few decades prior: Low frequency wireless for personal communication was relatively uncommon in the early '90s & remains so today. Sharing of news stories person-to-person is partly blamed for the spread of {{w|fake news}}; misinformation has become more and more politically, legally, & socially significant in the past few years. While wireless communication has certainly had enormous & wide-ranging effects, the factuality of the data communicated is arguably of greater importance than the means of its communication. The joke is that the impact of a technology on society isn't really about how exciting or dangerous it might look at first glance.

The title text {{tvtropes|ParrotExpowhat|horrifies 90s White Hat}}, who is blissfully unaware of [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19]]. At the time, the {{w|Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS|spread of HIV/Aids}} was regularly in the news, though because it was predominantly sexually-transmitted, thereby giving it a comparatively low {{w|Basic reproduction number|R-nought}}, there was debate on whether to consider it a pandemic. For this reason, a lockdown was never considered to contain it and dealing with a similar outbreak using one could be seen as very extreme indeed. Cueball's revelation is at risk of inducing a temporal paradox as in the previously mentioned [[2280:_2010_and_2020|Comic 2280]] Cueball visits White Hat in the year 2010 where White Hat remained seemingly unaware of the impending Covid pandemic. It is possible that depending on how Cueball described COVID 19 in 1991 (as in spreading via the air) or White Hat's canonical lack of expertise that White Hat could have simply not foreseen hand sanitizer going up up in price in response to the Covid pandemic.

On release, the title text was not actually included as such. It was instead included as the text of a "see also" link, which is often invisible to readers and is activated by clicking the comic. Such links have been used in the past for larger versions of the comic or for related information on other sites. Here, it linked back to the comic itself, and was evidently a mistake.

==Transcript==

:[Cueball (with a time travel aura) is talking to White Hat]

:White Hat: Welcome to 1991!
:White Hat: So you're from 2021? What happens with technology over the next 30 years?

:Cueball: We passed a federal law to combat laser attacks on airliners, and there are TV shows where robots battle.
:Cueball: Also, cordless phones are longer range now, and it's really easy to send news stories to your friends.
:White Hat: Wow, okay.

:Cueball: Now, try to guess which of those things turn out to be important.
:White Hat: ...is it not the lasers?
:Cueball: It is not the lasers.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Time travel]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:COVID-19]]

2480: No, The Other One

2021-06-24T14:58:02Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2480
| date = June 23, 2021
| title = No, The Other One
| image = no_the_other_one.png
| titletext = Key West, Virginia is not to be confused with Key, West Virginia.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by SPRINGFIELD. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is a map of the United States, showing cities or towns with the same name as other more famous cities. For example, the map has a dot for a place called Los Angeles in Texas, not to be confused with Los Angeles, California.

Few place names are unique, and there may be {{w|List of the most common U.S. place names|many places with the same name}}. Multiple American towns have been named after the same British town, famous person, or geographic feature.

However, names can become associated with specific places on a national level, where the best-known example is usually the biggest or otherwise the most significant. The name of this comic indicates the contextualization required to specify one of the less-famous exemplars of a given name. Someone might say they are from "Los Angeles" and would have to say "no, the other one" since the listener would assume they are from Los Angeles, California.

The [[title text]] references {{w|Key, West Virginia}} and {{w|Key West, Virginia}}, two places that, when spoken aloud, are only distinguishable by the pause (comma) location. Neither are to be confused with {{w|Key West|Key West, Florida}}, which is a well-known national location.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Place name in comic
! Well-known place
! Notes
|-
| {{w|Albany, Georgia|Albany, GA}}
| rowspan="3" | {{w|Albany,_New_York|Albany, NY}}
| rowspan="3" | Albany is the capital of New York state. Albany is also a suburb of Washington Tyne and Wear.
|-
| {{w|Albany, Minnesota|Albany, MN}}


|-
| {{w|Albany, Wyoming|Albany, WY}}

|-
| {{w|Alexandria,_Louisiana|Alexandria, LA}}
| {{w|Alexandria,_Virginia|Alexandria, VA}}
| Alexandria, VA is known for being George Washington's hometown. It is not named after {{w|Alexandria|Alexandria, Egypt}}.
|-
| {{w|Anchorage, Kentucky|Anchorage, KY}}
| {{w|Anchorage,_Alaska|Anchorage, AK}}
| Anchorage is Alaska's most populous city.
|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Delaware|Atlanta, DE}}
| rowspan="6" | {{w|Atlanta|Atlanta, GA}}
| rowspan="6" | Atlanta is the capital of Georgia, a center of the civil rights movement in the 1950's and 60's, and a major air transportation hub.
|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Michigan|Atlanta, MI}}

|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Idaho|Atlanta, ID}}

|-
| {{w|Atlanta,_Nebraska|Atlanta, NE}}

|-
| {{w|Atlanta, Texas|Atlanta, TX}}
|
|
|-
| {{w|Atlanta, Wisconsin|Atlanta, WI}}
|
|
|-
| {{w|Atlantic City, Wyoming|Atlantic City, WY}}
| {{w|Atlantic City, New Jersey|Atlantic City, NJ}}
| Atlantic City, NJ is a famous coastal resort town in New Jersey known for its casinos, boardwalk and beaches.
|-
| {{w|Austin, MN}}
| {{w|Austin, Texas|Austin, TX}}
| Austin is the capital of the state of Texas, and the 11th largest city (by population) in the US.
|-
| {{w|Baton Rouge, South Carolina|Baton Rouge, SC}}
| {{w|Baton Rouge, Louisiana|Baton Rouge, LA}}
| Baton Rouge is the capital of the state of Louisiana.
|-
| {{w|Beaumont, California|Beaumont, CA}}
| {{w|Beaumont, Texas|Beaumont, TX}}
| Beaumont is best known for the oil discovery that sparked the Texas oil boom of the early 1900s.
|-
| {{w|Beverly Hills, Illinois|Beverly Hills, IL}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | Beverly Hills is a city in Los Angeles County, CA and is home to many celebrities, luxury hotels, and the Rodeo Drive shopping district.
|-
| {{w|Beverly Hills, Texas|Beverly Hills, TX}}

|-
| {{w|Bloomington, Minnesota | Bloomington, MN}}
| {{w|Bloomington, Indiana | Bloomington, IN}}
| Bloomington is the location of Indiana University.
|-
| Boston, MO
| {{w|Boston|Boston, MA}}
| Boston is a port in Holland Lincolnshire. It may also be the capital of Massachusetts and the scene of several key events of the American Revolution.
|-
| Bowling Green, FL
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Bowling Green, Kentucky|Bowling Green, KY}}
| rowspan="2" | Bowling Green, KY is the largest city of this name, and the 3rd most populous city in Kentucky.
|-
| Bowling Green, OH
|-
| Bridgeport, WV
| {{w|Bridgeport, Connecticut|Bridgeport, CT}}
| Bridgeport is the most populous city in Connecticut and fifth most populous in {{w|New England}}.
|-
| Buffalo, TX
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Buffalo, New York|Buffalo, NY}}
| rowspan="2" | Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City itself.
|-
| Buffalo, WY
|-
| Cambridge, OH
| {{w|Cambridge, Massachusetts|Cambridge, MA}}
| Cambridge is a village in Gloucestershire and also a city in Cambridgeshire known as the home of Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin Universities. Cambridge, Massachusetts is a city in the Boston - not the one in Lincolnshire - metropolitan area known as the home of {{w|Harvard University}} and {{w|Massachusetts Institute of Technology}} among others.
|-
| Cedar Rapids, NE
| {{w|Cedar Rapids, Iowa|Cedar Rapids, IA}}
|
|-
| Charlestown, NY
| {{w|Charlestown, Massachusetts|Charlestown, MA}}
| Charlestown is an area of Boston and home to Bunker Hill, the site of a key American Revolutionary War battle. Originally a separate town, it was the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
|-
| Cleveland, UT
| {{w|Cleveland|Cleveland, OH}}
| Cleveland is also a range of hills in North Yorkshire. It is presumably unrelated to Cleveland, OH, which was named after its founder, General Moses Cleaveland.
|-
| Columbus, GA
| {{w|Columbus, Ohio|Columbus, OH}}
| Columbus is the most populous city in Ohio, as well as its state capital. It is named after {{w|Christopher Columbus}} and {{w|Columbus#United_States|many other locations}} throughout the United States bear that name.
|-
| Dallas, GA
| rowspan="4" | {{w|Dallas|Dallas, TX}}
| rowspan="4" |
|-
| Dallas, NC
|-
| Dallas, OR
|-
| Dallas, SD
|-
| Dayton, NV
| {{w|Dayton, Ohio|Dayton, OH}}
|
|-
| Des Moines, NM
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Des Moines, Iowa|Des Moines, IA}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Des Moines, WA
|-
| {{w|Detroit,_Alabama|Detroit, AL}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Detroit|Detroit, MI}}
| rowspan="2" | Detroit is best known as the center of the U.S. automobile industry.
|-
| Detroit, KS
|-
| Disney, OK
|
|
|-
| Fayetteville, TN
| {{w|Fayetteville, North Carolina|Fayetteville, NC}}
|
|-
| Gettysburg, OH
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Gettysburg, Pennsylvania|Gettysburg, PA}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Gettysburg, SD
|-
| Grand Rapids, MN
| {{w|Grand Rapids|Grand Rapids, MI}}
| The second most populous city in the state of Michigan
|-
| {{w|Houston,_Alaska|Houston, AK}}
| rowspan="6" | {{w|Houston|Houston, TX}}
| rowspan="6" | Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth-most populous in the United States.
|-
| {{w|Houston,_Alabama|Houston, AL}}
|-
| Houston, FL
|-
| Houston, IN
|-
| Houston, MO
|-
| Houston, OH
|-
| Indianapolis, IA
| {{w|Indianapolis|Indianapolis, IN}}
|
|-
| {{w|Jackson,_Alabama|Jackson, AL}}
| {{w|Jackson,_Mississippi|Jackson, MS}}
| Jackson is the capital of Mississippi, but there are {{w|Jackson|many other}} states with Jacksons. This one is likely particularly notable due to its proximity to Jackson, MS.
|-
| {{w|Jamestown,_California|Jamestown, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Jamestown,_Virginia|Jamestown, VA}}
| rowspan="2" | Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.
|-
| Jamestown, ND
|-
| Jersey Shore, PA
|
| The {{w|Jersey_Shore|Jersey Shore}} is a coastal region of New Jersey. It is also the namesake of a {{w|Jersey_Shore_(TV_series)|reality TV show}}.
|-
| Key West, VA
| {{w|Key_West|Key West, FL}}
| Key West is an island off the tip of Florida that is popular with tourists and contains the southernmost point of the continental states.
|-
| Knoxville, IA
| {{w|Knoxville,_Tennessee|Knoxville, TN}}
|
|-
| Las Vegas, NM
| {{w|Las_Vegas|Las Vegas, NV}}
|
|-
| {{w|Lincoln,_California|Lincoln, CA}}
| rowspan="4" | {{w|Lincoln,_Nebraska|Lincoln, NE}}
| rowspan="4" | Lincoln is a cathedral city in Lincolnshire. It is also the capital of Nebraska.
|-
| Lincoln, IL
|-
| Lincoln, MT
|-
| Lincoln, RI
|-
| Lisbon, ME
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Lisbon,_Portugal|Lisbon, Portugal}}
| rowspan="2" | Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, in Europe.
|-
| Lisbon, NH
|-
| {{w|Long_Beach Township, New_Jersey|Long Beach, NJ}}
| {{w|Long Beach, California|Long Beach, CA}}
| The location in New Jersey is typically referred to by its full name, Long Beach Township, or the more generalized location of {{w|Long Beach Island}}.
|-
| Los Angeles, TX
| {{w|Los_Angeles|Los Angeles, CA}}
|
|-
| {{w|Louisville, Colorado|Louisville, CO}}
| {{w|Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville, KY}}
| Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky
|-
| Manhattan, KS
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Manhattan|Manhattan, NY}}
| rowspan="2" | Manhattan is one of the {{w|Boroughs of New York City|five boroughs of New York City}}, corresponds to the {{w|New York County}}.
|-
| Manhattan, MT
|-
| Memphis, NE
| {{w|Memphis,_Tennessee|Memphis, TN}}
| Memphis is a city in Egypt.
|-
| {{w|Mesa,_California|Mesa, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Mesa,_Arizona|Mesa, AZ}}
| rowspan="2" | Mesa is a suburb of Phoenix, and the largest suburban city by population in the United States.
|-
| Mesa, CO
|-
| {{w|Miami,_Arizona|Miami, AZ}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Miami|Miami, FL}}
| rowspan="2" | Miami is the seventh largest city in the United States and a major tourism hub.
|-
| Miami, TX
|-
| Mountain View, HI
| {{w|Mountain_View,_California|Mountain View, CA}}
| Mountain View is the birthplace of Silicon Valley, and is the location of many high technology companies, such as Google.
|-
| {{w|Nashville,_Arkansas|Nashville, AR}}
| {{w|Nashville,_Tennessee|Nashville, TN}}
| Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and a major center for the country music industry.
|-
| New England, ND
| {{w|New England}}, Northeast
|
|-
| New Haven, KY
| {{w|New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven, CT}}
| New Haven is the second largest city in Connecticut, and is known for its distinctive {{w|New Haven-style pizza|pizza}}. It also home to {{w|Yale University}}
|-
| New York, TX
| {{w|New_York_City|New York, NY}}
|
|-
| Newark, DE
| {{w|Newark|Newark, NJ}}
| Newark is a town in Nottinghamshire.
|-
| North Pole, NY
| {{w|North_Pole|North Pole}}
| North pole is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface.
|-
| Oakland, OR
| {{w|Oakland,_California|Oakland, CA}}
| Oakland, CA is currently the home to three professional sports teams including the {{w|Oakland_Athletics|Oakland Athletics}} and is the former home of several more, including the {{w|History_of_the_Oakland_Raiders|Oakland Raiders}}, now in Las Vegas.
|-
| Orlando, OK
| {{w|Orlando,_Florida|Orlando, FL}}
|
|-
| Ottawa, KS
| {{w|Ottawa|Ottawa, ON}}
| Ottawa is the capital of Canada.
|-
| Pasadena, MD
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Pasadena, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | Pasadena, California is the home of {{w|California Institute of Technology}} and the NASA {{w|Jet Propulsion Laboratory}}
|-
| Pasadena, TX
|-
| {{w|Peoria,_Arizona|Peoria, AZ}}
| {{w|Peoria, Illinois|Peoria, IL}}
| Peoria is known for being considered an "Average American Town", in the phrase {{w|Will_it_play_in_Peoria%3F|"Will it play in Peoria?"}} It is actually smaller than Peoria, AZ.
|-
| Philadelphia, MS
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Philadelphia, NY
|-
| Phoenix, MD (?)
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Phoenix,_Arizona|Phoenix, AZ}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Phoenix, OR
|-
| {{w|Plano,_Illinois|Plano, IL}}
| {{w|Plano,_Texas|Plano, TX}}
| Plano is part of the {{w|Dallas–Fort_Worth_metroplex|Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex}}, and the home of many corporate headquarters.
|-
| {{w|Plymouth,_California|Plymouth, CA}}
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Plymouth,_Massachusetts|Plymouth, MA}}
| rowspan="2" | Plymouth was the site of the colony founded in 1620 by the Mayflower Pilgrims. Named after the city in the Southwest of England which was the final port of departure.
|-
| Plymouth, IN
|-
| {{w|Portland,_Maine|Portland, ME}}
| {{w|Portland,_Oregon|Portland, OR}}
| Portland is a tied island in Devon, near Weymouth. Portland, OR was {{w|Portland,_Oregon#Establishment|named after}} Portland, ME
|-
| Princeton, ID
| rowspan="2" | {{w|Princeton, New Jersey|Princeton, NJ}}
| rowspan="2" | Princeton, NJ is famous for being the home of the eponymous {{w|Princeton University}} and the {{w|Institute for Advanced Study}}
|-
| Princeton, MA
|-
| {{w|Richmond, Vermont|Richmond, VT}}
| {{w|Richmond, Virginia|Richmond, VA}}
| The Virginian Richmond was named after {{w|Richmond,_London|the suburb of London, UK}} due to an observed similarity of the river. London's Richmond was named for the palace built there by Henry VII, itself named after the {{w|Richmond,_North_Yorkshire|market town}} and castle in the north of England that was a childhood home. That was in turn named for the {{w|Richemont,_Seine-Maritime|Normandy}} area from which the noble family came who were gifted this land for their part of the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century. There are more than fifty settlements called Richmond across the world, directly or indirectly taking their names from one or other of the English 'originals'.
|-
| Roswell, GA
| {{w|Roswell, New Mexico|Roswell, NM}}
| Roswell, New Mexico is the site of one of the most famous “alien coverups” in American history, and is well known for its alien-themed tourism.
|-
| Saint Louis, MI
| rowspan="2" | {{w|St._Louis|St. Louis, MO}}
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| Saint Louis, OK
|-
| rowspan="2" | Salem, CT
| {{w|Salem,_Oregon|Salem, OR}}
| Capital of Oregon
|-
| {{w|Salem,_Massachusetts|Salem, MA}}
| Location of the {{w|Salem_witch_trials|Salem witch trials}}
|-
| San Diego, TX
| {{w|San_Diego|San Diego, CA}}
|
|-
| Santa Fe, TX
| {{w|Santa_Fe,_New_Mexico|Santa Fe, NM}}
|
|-
| Savannah, MO
| {{w|Savannah|Savannah, GA}}
|
|-
| South Bend, TX
| {{w|South_Bend|South Bend, IN}}
| South Bend, IN is the location of {{w|University_of_Notre_Dame|the University of Notre Dame}}.
|-
| Texas, NY
| {{w|Texas|State of Texas}}
| Located in Mexico township, NY. North of the village of Mexico. No plans for a wall {{fact}}.
|-
| Vienna, ME
| {{w|Vienna, Austria}}
| Vienna is the capital and largest city of Austria.
|-
| Washington, NC
| {{w|Washington, DC}}
| Washington was a a village in County Durham, now a new town in Tyne and Wear.
|-
| White House, TN
| {{w|White House|White House, DC}}
| White House is a building, not a place.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:US maps]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-12-01T17:13:53Z

Sturmovik: /* Grilling in the library */

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common.{{Citation needed}} However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which may happen in gas stations, but is mostly associated with restaurants and diners who allow free top-ups of inexpensive soft drinks (or tea/coffee), as a possible loss-leader, for those that potentially will pay more for a substantive meal. The hospitality sector has been curtailed to various degrees, depending on local responses to the pandemic, and it's possible no outlets that offered free top-ups can continue to do so, or even operate an eat-in service at all. While gasoline stations don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries. In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this.

In light of this Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling", meaning to hang out, or the other use of the verb grill that means to question intensely. Before the pandemic libraries would frequently host guest speakers, often authors, but sometimes speakers, academics, local community leaders or notable VIPs. This is because libraries serve as public event spaces in small towns across the United States and Megan is the type of person who might enjoy a lively Q&A with said speakers.

Even if grilling (either kind) were allowed in Cueball's and Megan's library beforehand, it would not be allowed during the pandemic, as it would involve eating in an enclosed area, an activity specifically warned to increase the contagiousness of the virus. Backyard (or library) cookouts have been discouraged by the {{w|Center for Disease Control and Prevention}}, or CDC, because of this. Thus, two activities are described here as one, both of which are discouraged during a pandemic, but together discouraged regardless of COVID-19.

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theater as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks.

This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.
Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

Out of frustration, some players attempt to reach through the deposit hole in order to try to take one of the stuffed animals or other prizes without the use of the claw. Since multiple people would presumably have already touched the metal interior, this is an effective way to spread the contagion quickly, which makes it even more imperative to discontinue this practice. There are other dangers to doing this as well; one can [https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3672117 get their arm stuck in the machine], and can even cause themselves serious damage.

Again it is possible that the arcade used a ticket or token system where one could cash out their winnings for self-selected items such as plush toys. As a COVID mitigation, the arcade may have found it necessary to make the plush toys only available via an enclosed claw style "skill" game.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-12-01T17:12:42Z

Sturmovik: /* Grilling in the library */

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common.{{Citation needed}} However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which may happen in gas stations, but is mostly associated with restaurants and diners who allow free top-ups of inexpensive soft drinks (or tea/coffee), as a possible loss-leader, for those that potentially will pay more for a substantive meal. The hospitality sector has been curtailed to various degrees, depending on local responses to the pandemic, and it's possible no outlets that offered free top-ups can continue to do so, or even operate an eat-in service at all. While gasoline stations don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries. In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this.

In light of this Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling", meaning to hang out, or the other use of the verb grill that means to question intensely. Before the pandemic libraries would frequently host guest speakers, often authors, but sometimes speakers, academics, local community leaders or notable VIPs. This is because libraries serve as public event spaces in small towns across the United States and Cueball is the type of person who might enjoy a lively Q&A with said speakers.

Even if grilling (either kind) were allowed in Cueball's and Megan's library beforehand, it would not be allowed during the pandemic, as it would involve eating in an enclosed area, an activity specifically warned to increase the contagiousness of the virus. Backyard (or library) cookouts have been discouraged by the {{w|Center for Disease Control and Prevention}}, or CDC, because of this. Thus, two activities are described here as one, both of which are discouraged during a pandemic, but together discouraged regardless of COVID-19.

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theater as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks.

This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.
Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

Out of frustration, some players attempt to reach through the deposit hole in order to try to take one of the stuffed animals or other prizes without the use of the claw. Since multiple people would presumably have already touched the metal interior, this is an effective way to spread the contagion quickly, which makes it even more imperative to discontinue this practice. There are other dangers to doing this as well; one can [https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3672117 get their arm stuck in the machine], and can even cause themselves serious damage.

Again it is possible that the arcade used a ticket or token system where one could cash out their winnings for self-selected items such as plush toys. As a COVID mitigation, the arcade may have found it necessary to make the plush toys only available via an enclosed claw style "skill" game.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-11-30T14:21:14Z

Sturmovik: /* Indoor fireworks */

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better{{Citation needed}}. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming{{Citation needed}}. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving{{Citation needed}}, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common.{{Citation needed}} However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which may happen in gas stations, but is mostly associated with restaurants and diners who allow free top-ups of inexpensive soft drinks (or tea/coffee), as a possible loss-leader, for those that potentially will pay more for a substantive meal. The hospitality sector has been curtailed to various degrees, depending on local responses to the pandemic, and it's possible no outlets that offered free top-ups can continue to do so, or even operate an eat-in service at all. While gasoline stations don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries. In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this. Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling".

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theatre as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. These are usually seen in large indoor venues for concerts and sporting events, both of which have been curtailed due to the pandemic. In this case Cueball would be accurately lamenting his inability to enjoy indoor fireworks.

This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.
Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

Again it is possible that the arcade used a ticket or token system where one could cash out their winnings for self-selected items such as plush toys. As a COVID mitigation, the arcade may have found it necessary to make the plush toys only available via an enclosed claw style "skill" game.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-11-30T14:17:06Z

Sturmovik: /* Arcade claw machines */

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better{{Citation needed}}. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming{{Citation needed}}. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving{{Citation needed}}, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common.{{Citation needed}} However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which may happen in gas stations, but is mostly associated with restaurants and diners who allow free top-ups of inexpensive soft drinks (or tea/coffee), as a possible loss-leader, for those that potentially will pay more for a substantive meal. The hospitality sector has been curtailed to various degrees, depending on local responses to the pandemic, and it's possible no outlets that offered free top-ups can continue to do so, or even operate an eat-in service at all. While gasoline stations don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries. In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this. Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling".

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theatre as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.
Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

Again it is possible that the arcade used a ticket or token system where one could cash out their winnings for self-selected items such as plush toys. As a COVID mitigation, the arcade may have found it necessary to make the plush toys only available via an enclosed claw style "skill" game.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-11-30T14:14:09Z

Sturmovik: /* Tennis without a "safety" net */

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it. This is borne out by the rest of their discussion: None of the activities they list were ever common and most are strange, some are even forbidden and various items are misconstrued as existing for pandemic mitigation purposes.

After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer/BioNTech making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===Scuba diving without a mask===
{{w|Scuba set|Scuba}} stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mouthpiece which allows the diver to breathe underwater. A mask is a fundamental part of scuba diving to allow the diver to see underwater better{{Citation needed}}. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, are a recommended precaution when in public, but wearers are advised not to wear them when swimming{{Citation needed}}. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where scuba diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are scuba diving{{Citation needed}}, but you do need to wear a scuba mask–irrespective of whether there is a pandemic.

Scuba masks previously rated quite well on the mask effectiveness scale in [[2367: Masks]]. However because the regulator is technically not a face covering, Megan's Scuba club may be requiring full face or "hardhat" style diving equipment, which would justify her complaint.

===Free refills at gas stations===
{{w|Gas station}}s are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common.{{Citation needed}} However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which may happen in gas stations, but is mostly associated with restaurants and diners who allow free top-ups of inexpensive soft drinks (or tea/coffee), as a possible loss-leader, for those that potentially will pay more for a substantive meal. The hospitality sector has been curtailed to various degrees, depending on local responses to the pandemic, and it's possible no outlets that offered free top-ups can continue to do so, or even operate an eat-in service at all. While gasoline stations don't offer gas refills to cars, there are quite a number of locations offering free "refills" for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles were considerably less common before the pandemic, thanks also to generous incentive schemes in many countries. This might explain why the characters have a ghost memory of "free gasoline refills".

===Grilling in the library===
{{w|Grilling}} food generally poses a significant fire hazard (and can produce toxic carbon monoxide) and is thus typically not allowed indoors, especially in libraries. In the pandemic, many libraries discourage people from spending time there, preferring that visitors only check out or drop off books. Some libraries have even removed chairs to achieve this. Randall might be making a wordplay on "chilling".

===Tennis without a "safety" net===
{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus. In the off chance that Megan's tennis club used some sort of virtual net system employing beams of light to detect the ball, a physical net may have been installed as a form of hygiene theatre as part of their COVID re-opening plan.

===Indoor fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. {{w|Firework}}s are explosives shot into the air for entertainment. Most fireworks are not suitable for use indoors; setting them off indoors is even more dangerous than they already are, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks, most often used by specially trained and licensed pyrotechnicians. This may also be a reference to "Indoor Fireworks", a song by {{w|Elvis Costello}} from his 1986 album {{w|King of America}}, which uses fireworks as a metaphor for a tumultuous romantic relationship.
Some countries (for instance, The Netherlands) have temporarily banned fireworks because of COVID-19, reasoning the fireworks-induced injuries would put additional stress on hospitals that are already nearing maximum (intensive care) capacity due to COVID cases.

===Arcade claw machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are also used for handling dangerous items, but arcade claw machines are not implemented for the purpose of safety.

===Title text: Riding a horse through the mall===
A mall, in a historical context, refers to a large open walkway, such as the {{w|National Mall}}, where one could conceivably enter with a horse, although it was considered inappropriate to do so. However, it appears Cueball and Megan are referring to a {{w|shopping mall}}, where a shopper entering with a horse was never a regular occurrence{{Citation needed}}, at least in universes where there isn’t {{what if|34|a horse in aisle five}}.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation.]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going scuba diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[The frame returns to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking.]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Sport]]

2381: The True Name of the Bear

2020-11-04T13:33:19Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2381
| date = November 4, 2020
| title = The True Name of the Bear
| image = the_true_name_of_the_bear.png
| titletext = Thank you to Gretchen McCulloch for fielding this question, and sorry that as a result the world's foremost internet linguist has been devoured by the brown one. She will be missed.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by THE BEAR WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The Canadian Internet linguist {{w|Gretchen McCulloch}} [https://twitter.com/gretchenamcc/status/1113195661275611137?lang=ca tweeted] about [https://www.charlierussellbears.com/LinguisticArchaeology.html the theory] that the word for bear became taboo in some branches of Indoeuropean languages - notably the Germanic one - and it was replaced by euphemisms. In the Germanic branch, the euphemism may have been like "the brown one" and words for bear derive from words for "brown".

The Indoeuropean root for bears is *rkto-, which has been inferred from languages that use words derived for it. In the comic, Gretchen McCulloch applies {{w|Sound change|sound shifting}} laws to it to guess how it would have evolved into English, but pronouncing it seems to actually summon a bear, showing that abandoning that word was a fairly wise move for the forefathers of German languages speakers.

Interestingly enough, the hypothesized word Arth is the same as the Welsh for the word bear. Welsh belongs to the Celtic language family, which is one of the Indoeuropean branches that still uses a word derived from *rkto-, as the Italic (Romance), Greek and Indoarian (Sanscrit) branches do, while Germanic, Slavic and Baltic branches abandoned it for different euphemisms.

Use of True Names appears to be highly effective in the Xkcd universe as evidenced in the previous comic [[1013: Wake Up Sheeple]]

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan is looking down at her phone.]
:Megan: Wow - according to the internet, we don't know the true name of the bear.
:Cueball: What?

:[Gretchen comes on-panel.]
:Megan: Apparently there was a superstition that saying its name would summon it. "Bear" and "bruin" mean "the brown one." Its actual name has been lost.
:Cueball: Wow.
:Ponytail: Gretchen, is this for real?

:[Zoom-in on Gretchen.]
:Gretchen: Well, sort of
:Gretchen: The Proto-Indo-European root was *rkto-
:Gretchen: It was lost in the Germanic languages like English, but survived elsewhere, e.g. Greek "arktos" and Latin "ursus"

:[Back to the second panel, with Megan holding her phone down, Ponytail with her hands in the air, and Gretchen with his hand on his chin.]
:Megan: So could we figure out what the word would have been in English?
:Gretchen: Hmm. I mean, we'll never know, but given Germanic sound shifts, a reasonable guess might be "arth"?
:Ponytail: ''No!!''

:[The panel zooms in again to Gretchen.]
:Ponytail (off-panel): ''Stop! AAAAA!''
:Gretchen: What??
:Ponytail (off-panel): Don't ''say'' it!

:[Ponytail is holding her palms out. Megan is no longer in the panel.]
:Ponytail: What have you ''done''?
:Off-panel noise: <big>'''''ROAR'''''</big>
:Gretchen: Oh
:Gretchen: Oh no

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Animals]]

2363: Message Boards

2020-09-25T12:30:26Z

Sturmovik: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2363
| date = September 23, 2020
| title = Message Boards
| image = message_boards.png
| titletext = (c) You can have a scooter when you pay for it yourself, and (d) if you can't learn to start a new thread rather than responding to an old one, you'll be banned. [thread locked by moderator]
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by A LG Chocolate. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

The joke of this comic lies in the dates of the forum posts and the (presumed) relation between the posters.

The initial post was made in 2000 by NIN85 who was, at the time, a teenaged girl (likely 14-15 years old given her username ends in 85, implying she was born in 1985), complaining that her mother did not allow her to get a {{w|Vespa}}. Vespa is a brand of scooters and mopeds produced by the Italian manufacturer Piaggio. Most U.S. states require motorcycle licenses for any vehicle with an engine size over 50 cubic centimeters. Most Vespas are larger than this, although 49 CC models (classified as mopeds) do exist. Depending on the state, the [https://drivinglaws.aaa.com/tag/mopeds-other/ minimum age to get a moped in the United States] is 14, 15, or 16.

The reply was written in 2020 (twenty years later) by JULZ (or Julian), the son of the now-adult NIN85, likely in his teenage years. "Julz" complains about his mother refusing to allow him to get an electric scooter, which doesn't require a license. He is implicitly pointing out the hypocrisy of his mother, as a 15-year-old, thinking that teenagers with scooters are perfectly reasonable, while as a 35-year-old, being against the idea.

The humor derives partially from the fact that this isn't really hypocrisy: we expect teenaged viewpoints to evolve into mature adult viewpoints, and do not hold adults to promises made or beliefs held when they were teenagers. Humor also results from the unexpected situation of the child tracking down his mother's old forum post, and his mother still being active in the same niche forum 20 years later. She quickly responds to his comment, addressing him by his real name, which makes it clear they are related. She points out that they had already talked about it (presumably explaining why he is not allowed to get an electric scooter) and expressing her disbelief that he managed to find her original post on the message board.

In the title text, the parent is apparently a {{w|Internet_forum#Moderators|mod}} on that board now, or at least can quickly twist the ear of an actual mod. (It is unclear whether she ever got her scooter and perhaps became a different kind of {{w|Mod_(subculture)|Mod}}.) She threatens banning if the kid does not learn to post a new thread for stuff like this instead of dredging up dead threads from decades ago, a common complaint on message boards. The act of 'reviving long-dead threads' is often described as "necroposting", or "necroing", and some subforums may actually encourage tagging onto existing but idle discussions (to add new/updated information) rather than repeatedly creating new threads (that end up rehashing or linking all old information).

This 'necro' does not seem to be particularly informative, however, except as a curiosity. It's possible the motivation to lock this thread is more about hiding her hypocrisy from other users on the board than for the usual reason of letting dead threads stay dead, but a locked thread is usually still readable. It could easily be found and read by old and new forum-goers alike. Even, if not lost entirely by then, by a son or daughter of Julz in yet another twenty years. And they may even be able to have the discussion unlocked on some pretext, then append their own topical teenage complaints against Julian the parent.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Single panel showing a view of the "MopedPro" forum on a message board, with a caption below the panel.]
::Forum Tab: '''''MopedPro Forum''''' (Top Left) | (4 tabs with illegible writing on them. None of them appear to be selected) (Top Right)

:NIN85 (posted December 5, 2000 - 13:01):
:So mad that my mom won't let me get a Vespa. I'm old enough for a moped license and they're really not that dangerous.

:JULZ [new user] (posted September 23, 2020 - 17:05):
:At least she's not stopping you from getting an electric scooter you don't even need a license for

:NIN85 (posted September 23, 2020 - 18:36):
:Okay, Julian, (a) you know we talked about this, and (b) how the heck did you find this thread

:[Caption below the comic]:
:I love that message boards are now old enough for this to happen.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Social networking]]

2348: Boat Puzzle

2020-08-21T02:47:52Z

Sturmovik: /* Reasonable Assumptions */ Adjust wording.

{{comic
| number = 2348
| date = August 19, 2020
| title = Boat Puzzle
| image = boat_puzzle.png
| titletext = 'No, my cabbage moths have already started laying eggs in them! Send the trolley into the river!' 'No, the sailing wolf will steal the boat to rescue them!'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a GOAT THAT EATS WOLVES. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is a twist on {{w|Wolf, goat and cabbage problem|an old riddle}}. In the original riddle, a person has to cross a river in a boat that can only hold them and one other object. They have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage that they need to bring across with them, similar to the first panel. If the wolf is left alone with the goat, however, the wolf will eat the goat; and if the goat and cabbage are alone, the goat will eat the cabbage. (The problem can be solved in seven trips.)

However, the comic quickly devolves into surrealism in the later panels as new characters show up, bringing deviations of the original "cabbage", "goat", and "wolf" that add extra layers of complexity to the riddle. White Hat brings extra wolves and cabbages. Black Hat, in his traditional classhole style, brings {{w|cabbage moth}}s which will infest unsupervised cabbages with destructive larvae, and boat-destroying {{w|termite}}s. How he intends to bring them across the river (or even if he wants to) is unknown, but it brings to mind the parable of {{w|The Scorpion and the Frog}}. Beret Guy arrives with a wolf who can operate a boat, who could perhaps serve as a second pilot to expedite the crossing, so long as he is not asked to ferry a goat, and also a goat who eats wolves (which does not alter the problem constraints but is unusual, as one would expect from Beret Guy's associate).

The last panel is a reference to the {{w|Trolley_Problem|Trolley Problem}}, a moral test that asks the participant whether they would passively let people in the way of an uncontrollable trolley die or actively divert the trolley to kill a single person standing on a branch of the tracks. The comic gives a twist here too: according to the title text, the characters must choose between stopping the trolley full of wolves with a cushion of cabbages (in which Black Hat's cabbage moths have laid eggs, which he implicitly argues are morally equivalent to "innocent children") or letting it crash into the river (at which point the wolf who can operate a boat will steal the boat to rescue the wolves from the trolley, which will delay the other characters from crossing the river).

The River Crossing puzzle was also mentioned in [[1134: Logic Boat]] and referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]].

The Trolley Problem was also mentioned in [[1455: Trolley Problem]] and referenced in [[1938: Meltdown and Spectre]].

==Solving The Problem==

Unlike typical Logic Boat problems the presence of multiple humans makes finding a solution almost trivial, however trying to determine the solution with the least number of trips could still make the somewhat challenging. Because the set of constraints are both ambiguous and incomplete, it requires the reader to make assumptions that, in turn, will lead to different solutions.

===Reasonable Assumptions===

The following assumptions can be made based on the setup of the problem or are necessary to avoid an unsolvable puzzle.

* '''Cueball is an observer.'''. He is set up as an observer there to solve the problem, not pilot the boat or "watch" the cargo.
* '''The boat can only hold two items.''' This is standard in logic boat problems. Groups of insects count as one item.
* '''Black Hat and Beret Guy both want to cross the river with their cargo'''. Neither states that they wish to cross the river like Ponytail and White Hat, but it can be inferred from the setup of the scenario.
* '''The termites will destroy the boat ''after'' crossing.''' Otherwise the problem is unsolvable. This is similar to the {{w|Poncelet–Steiner theorem}}, which shows that any compass-and-straightedge construction can be completed with a "rusty compass", so long as the compass works at least once.
* '''The wolf eating goat also eats cabbage.''' The wolf eating constraint adds to the goat's existing constraints.
* '''The sailing wolf follows the command of an adjacent human.''' The alternatives require more assumptions for a solvable puzzle.
* '''The sailing wolf returns the trolley wolves to the near shore.''' The trolley wolves show no indication of wanting to cross the river.
* '''Stopping the trolley destroys all the cabbages.''' Otherwise the event does not affect the logic puzzle.
* '''The pack of wolves from the trolley will eat a human or wolf-eating goat left by themselves.''' Aligns with the spirit of the constraints.
* '''A wolf can protect a human from a pack of wolves'''. Citation needed.

===The Trolley===

The trolley problem creates two versions of the puzzle, one where the cabbages are destroyed, the other where they are not and a wolf rescue takes place. The ethical issues associated with the trolley problem are independent from the logic of how to cross the river.

===Solutions===

* General

With four humans involved, the first trip across can bring an extra human who then can guard the cargo as it is brought across in arbitrary order with care being taken not to have predator and prey along together at the end. The termites must be last cargo ferried across as they will destroy the boat.

* The Trolley is Stopped

The cabbages are destroyed. The second to last trip brings across the last human and the last trip brings across the terminates.

* The Trolley is not Stopped

A pack of wolves is now on the near bank. The last human is brought across in the third to last trip, followed by the last wolf and lastly the termites.

===Missing Information===

No information is provided about whether or not the humans all get along with each other and this is left as a possible exercise for the reader given all of the characters' varying personality traits. However the sailing wolf would likely come in handy if certain humans (ex Black Hat, Beret Guy) cannot be left alone. It is also probable that certain characters might not serve in the capacity as a cargo guard.

It is also unclear if humans can leave with their cargo once all the cargo has been brought across. This could complicate matters if a far side "guard" leaves early.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Ponytail are standing on the bank of a river. There is a boat in the river. A goat and wolf are also on the riverbank, and Ponytail is holding a cabbage.]
:Ponytail: I need to cross the river. I have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage.
:Cueball: Hmm.

:[White Hat appears, accompanied by two wolves and pulling a wagon full of cabbages.]
:Cueball: OK, here's what-
:White Hat: Hi, I also need to cross. I have two wolves and 100 cabbages.

:[Black Hat arrives, surrounded by a cloud of flying creatures and carrying a jar of bugs under his arm. Beret Guy follows with another wolf and goat on leashes.]
:Black Hat: I have 50 cabbage moths and 2,000 boat-destroying termites.
:Beret Guy: I have a wolf that can operate a boat, and a goat that eats wolves.

:[The fourth panel is a zoomed-out shot, where everything but the sky appears black.]

:[A trolley speeds in, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. A person is standing on the front, and many ears are barely visible above the seats.]

:Cueball: Hang on, I need to make a spreadsheet.
:Trolley operator: Look out!
:Trolley operator: My wolf-filled trolley is out of control and can only be stopped by a cushion of cabbages!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

Talk:2348: Boat Puzzle

2020-08-21T02:45:27Z

Sturmovik:

A link could be made to this wiki entry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf,_goat_and_cabbage_problem#Occurrence_and_variations . Also the last panel is seemingly a reference to the trolley problem https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem

Callback to strip 1134. https://xkcd.com/1134/ I don't know how to add a proper link.
Pete [[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.71|162.158.154.71]] 22:23, 19 August 2020 (UTC)

Oh boy someone out there is gonna get nerd-sniped ''real'' hard [[User:Fieldbox|Fieldbox]] ([[User talk:Fieldbox|talk]]) 23:48, 19 August 2020 (UTC)

Some thoughts I had:

- There's a hierarchy: Wolfeater -> Wolves -> Goats & Cabbage moths -> Cabbages

- Does Wolfeater also eat cabbage? Yes. It's a goat

- There are [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_paper_scissors#Additional_weapons additional weapons for Rock paper scissors]

- Black Hat's moths and termites could obviously be transported so far (Black Hat might lie, source needed), but in the spirit of the question: moths can't be left alone with cabbages, and termites will destroy the boat if a crossing with them is attempted

- Cabbages can cushion the trolley, and still function as cabbages afterwards. Use White Hat's, because he has 100/101 cabbages, Ponytail's 1 cabbage adds less than 1% to the cushion, and if it's a special kind (probably not in the spirit of the question), it would get jumbled with the rest of them in the cushioning

- 6 humans to keep an eye on things, instead of the normal 1

- Trolley doesn't get to cross. It can hold multiple wolves, let's say at least 3, and if the trolley ''could'' cross, then Cueball wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ponytail go across with her 3 items [[User:Coverbe|Coverbe]] ([[User talk:Coverbe|talk]]) 05:03, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

Relevant: "Rubicon" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ROdRgRRsY [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.14|162.158.159.14]] 07:28, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

Question: is the wolf-eating goat the same goat as the goat that Beret Guy won from Monty Hall? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.247|172.69.63.247]] 15:53, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

On "Reasonable assumptions": "Stopping the trolley destroys all the cabbages. Otherwise the event does not affect the logic puzzle" - This could be a red herring. And: We can still see the cabbages as 2 groups: 1+100. Destroying White Hat's 100 still lets Ponytail's 1 survive intact

"The pack of wolves in the trolley, if rescued, will eat a human or wolf eating goat left alone" - This phrasing is strange. If part of it means "wolves will eat the wolf-eating-goat": I disagree. See rock-paper-scissors [[User:Coverbe|Coverbe]] ([[User talk:Coverbe|talk]]) 16:25, 20 August 2020 (UTC)
:If you have (any) single wolf and (any) single goat alone on one side as you depart, upon your return you will probably discover ''either'' a wolf-eating-goat ''or'' a wolf eating goat. Which it is, will obviously depend upon the finer details, but it's a failure both ways... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.14|162.158.159.14]] 18:29, 20 August 2020 (UTC)
::That I agree with. I still wonder about "The pack of wolves […] will eat a human […]". I think it's a more reasonable assumption that any human can control any number of wolves [[User:Coverbe|Coverbe]] ([[User talk:Coverbe|talk]]) 19:03, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

What if only Cueball of all the humans can row the boat? He could be the ferryman[[Special:Contributions/172.69.2.166|172.69.2.166]] 18:19, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

But no-one's allowed to use the boat if they haven't figured out their eye color yet. (Assume the people, goats, wolves, moths, and termites are all perfect logicians. Assume the water is unreflective, the trolley has no windows, and Cueball makes his spreadsheet without looking at a screen. Assume everyone is a very bad communicator outside of announcing their logical predicaments. Assume that Black Hat will strictly enforce these guidelines.) [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.18|108.162.219.18]] 19:31, 20 August 2020 (UTC)

"The pack of wolves in the trolley, if abandoned by the humans and rescued by the wolf who can operate a boat, will eat a human or wolf-eating goat left alone." - This seems really needlessly complex and doesn't really have a bearing on the problem in general.
:Yeah, not sure that's better.[[User:Sturmovik|Sturmovik]] ([[User talk:Sturmovik|talk]]) 02:45, 21 August 2020 (UTC)

2348: Boat Puzzle

2020-08-20T15:54:28Z

Sturmovik: /* Missing Information */

{{comic
| number = 2348
| date = August 19, 2020
| title = Boat Puzzle
| image = boat_puzzle.png
| titletext = 'No, my cabbage moths have already started laying eggs in them! Send the trolley into the river!' 'No, the sailing wolf will steal the boat to rescue them!'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a GOAT THAT EATS WOLVES. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is a twist on {{w|Wolf, goat and cabbage problem|an old riddle}}. In the original riddle, a person has to cross a river in a boat that can only hold them and one other object. They have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage that they need to bring across with them, similar to the first panel. If the wolf is left alone with the goat, however, the wolf will eat the goat; and if the goat and cabbage are alone, the goat will eat the cabbage. (The problem can be solved in seven trips.)

However, the comic quickly devolves into surrealism in the later panels as new characters show up, bringing deviations of the original "cabbage", "goat", and "wolf" that add extra layers of complexity to the riddle. White Hat brings extra wolves and cabbages. Black Hat, in his traditional classhole style, brings {{w|cabbage moth}}s which will infest unsupervised cabbages with destructive larvae, and boat-destroying {{w|termite}}s. How he intends to bring them across the river (or even if he wants to) is unknown, but it brings to mind the parable of {{w|The Scorpion and the Frog}}. Beret Guy arrives with a wolf who can operate a boat, who could perhaps serve as a second pilot to expedite the crossing, so long as he is not asked to ferry a goat, and also a goat who eats wolves (which does not alter the problem constraints but is unusual, as one would expect from Beret Guy's associate).

The last panel is a reference to the {{w|Trolley_Problem|Trolley Problem}}, a moral test that asks the participant whether they would passively let people in the way of an uncontrollable trolley die or actively divert the trolley to kill a single person standing on a branch of the tracks. The comic gives a twist here too: according to the title text, the characters must choose between stopping the trolley full of wolves with a cushion of cabbages (in which Black Hat's cabbage moths have laid eggs, which he implicitly argues are morally equivalent to "innocent children") or letting it crash into the river (at which point the wolf who can operate a boat will steal the boat to rescue the wolves from the trolley, which will delay the other characters from crossing the river).

The River Crossing puzzle was also mentioned in [[1134: Logic Boat]] and referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]].

The Trolley Problem was also mentioned in [[1455: Trolley Problem]] and referenced in [[1938: Meltdown and Spectre]].

==Solving The Problem==

Unlike typical Logic Boat problems the presence of multiple humans makes finding a solution almost trivial, however trying to determine the solution with the least number of trips could still make the somewhat challenging. Because the set of constraints are both ambiguous and incomplete, it requires the reader to make assumptions that, in turn, will lead to different solutions.

===Reasonable Assumptions===

The following assumptions can be made based on the setup of the problem or are necessary to avoid an unsolvable puzzle.

* '''Cueball is an observer.'''. He is set up as an observer there to solve the problem, not pilot the boat or "watch" the cargo.

* '''The boat can only hold two items.''' This is standard in logic boat problems. Groups of insects count as one item.

* '''Black Hat and Beret Guy both want to cross the river with their cargo'''. Neither states that they wish to cross the river like Ponytail and White Hat, but it can be inferred from the setup of the scenario.

* '''The termites will destroy the boat after use.''' Otherwise the problem is unsolvable.

* '''The wolf eating goat also eats cabbage.''' The wolf eating constraint adds to the goat's existing constraints.

* '''The sailing wolf follows the command of an adjacent human.''' The alternatives require more assumptions for a solvable puzzle.

* '''The sailing wolf returns the trolley wolves to the near shore.''' The trolley wolves show no indication of wanting to cross the river.

* '''Stopping the trolley destroys all the cabbages.''' Otherwise the event does not affect the logic puzzle.

* '''The pack of wolves in the trolley, if rescued, will eat a human or wolf eating goat left alone.'''. Aligns with the spirit of the constraints.

* '''A wolf can protect a human from a pack of wolves'''. Origin of domesticated dogs.

===The Trolley===

The trolley problem creates two versions of the puzzle, one where the cabbages are destroyed, the other where they are not and a wolf rescue takes place. The ethical issues associated with the trolley problem are independent from the logic of how to cross the diver.

===Solutions===

* General

With four humans involved, the first trip across can bring an extra human who then can guard the cargo as it is brought across in arbitrary order with care being taken not to have predator and prey along together at the end. The termites must be last cargo ferried across as they will destroy the boat.

* The Trolley is Stopped

The cabbages are destroyed. The second to last trip brings across the last human and the last trip brings across the terminates.

* The Trolley is not Stopped

A pack of wolves is now on the near bank. The last human is brought across in the third to last trip, followed by the last wolf and lastly the termites.

===Missing Information===

No information is provided about whether or not the humans all get along with each other and this is left as a possible exercise for the reader given all of the characters' varying personality traits. However the sailing wolf would likely come in handy if certain humans (ex Black Hat, Beret Guy) cannot be left alone. It is also probably that certain characters might not serve in the capacity as a cargo guard.

It is also unclear if humans can leave with their cargo once all the cargo has been brought across. This could complicate matters if a far side "guard" leaves early.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Ponytail are standing on the bank of a river. There is a boat in the river. A goat and wolf are also on the riverbank, and Ponytail is holding a cabbage.]
:Ponytail: I need to cross the river. I have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage.
:Cueball: Hmm.

:[White Hat appears, accompanied by two wolves and pulling a wagon full of cabbages.]
:Cueball: OK, here's what-
:White Hat: Hi, I also need to cross. I have two wolves and 100 cabbages.

:[Black Hat arrives, surrounded by a cloud of flying creatures and carrying a jar of bugs under his arm. Beret Guy follows with another wolf and goat on leashes.]
:Black Hat: I have 50 cabbage moths and 2,000 boat-destroying termites.
:Beret Guy: I have a wolf that can operate a boat, and a goat that eats wolves.

:[The fourth panel is a zoomed-out shot, where everything but the sky appears black.]

:[A trolley speeds in, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. A person is standing on the front, and many ears are barely visible above the seats.]

:Cueball: Hang on, I need to make a spreadsheet.
:Trolley operator: Look out!
:Trolley operator: My wolf-filled trolley is out of control and can only be stopped by a cushion of cabbages!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]

2348: Boat Puzzle

2020-08-20T15:52:04Z

Sturmovik: /* Missing Information */

{{comic
| number = 2348
| date = August 19, 2020
| title = Boat Puzzle
| image = boat_puzzle.png
| titletext = 'No, my cabbage moths have already started laying eggs in them! Send the trolley into the river!' 'No, the sailing wolf will steal the boat to rescue them!'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a GOAT THAT EATS WOLVES. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic is a twist on {{w|Wolf, goat and cabbage problem|an old riddle}}. In the original riddle, a person has to cross a river in a boat that can only hold them and one other object. They have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage that they need to bring across with them, similar to the first panel. If the wolf is left alone with the goat, however, the wolf will eat the goat; and if the goat and cabbage are alone, the goat will eat the cabbage. (The problem can be solved in seven trips.)

However, the comic quickly devolves into surrealism in the later panels as new characters show up, bringing deviations of the original "cabbage", "goat", and "wolf" that add extra layers of complexity to the riddle. White Hat brings extra wolves and cabbages. Black Hat, in his traditional classhole style, brings {{w|cabbage moth}}s which will infest unsupervised cabbages with destructive larvae, and boat-destroying {{w|termite}}s. How he intends to bring them across the river (or even if he wants to) is unknown, but it brings to mind the parable of {{w|The Scorpion and the Frog}}. Beret Guy arrives with a wolf who can operate a boat, who could perhaps serve as a second pilot to expedite the crossing, so long as he is not asked to ferry a goat, and also a goat who eats wolves (which does not alter the problem constraints but is unusual, as one would expect from Beret Guy's associate).

The last panel is a reference to the {{w|Trolley_Problem|Trolley Problem}}, a moral test that asks the participant whether they would passively let people in the way of an uncontrollable trolley die or actively divert the trolley to kill a single person standing on a branch of the tracks. The comic gives a twist here too: according to the title text, the characters must choose between stopping the trolley full of wolves with a cushion of cabbages (in which Black Hat's cabbage moths have laid eggs, which he implicitly argues are morally equivalent to "innocent children") or letting it crash into the river (at which point the wolf who can operate a boat will steal the boat to rescue the wolves from the trolley, which will delay the other characters from crossing the river).

The River Crossing puzzle was also mentioned in [[1134: Logic Boat]] and referenced in [[589: Designated Drivers]].

The Trolley Problem was also mentioned in [[1455: Trolley Problem]] and referenced in [[1938: Meltdown and Spectre]].

==Solving The Problem==

Unlike typical Logic Boat problems the presence of multiple humans makes finding a solution almost trivial, however trying to determine the solution with the least number of trips could still make the somewhat challenging. Because the set of constraints are both ambiguous and incomplete, it requires the reader to make assumptions that, in turn, will lead to different solutions.

===Reasonable Assumptions===

The following assumptions can be made based on the setup of the problem or are necessary to avoid an unsolvable puzzle.

* '''Cueball is an observer.'''. He is set up as an observer there to solve the problem, not pilot the boat or "watch" the cargo.

* '''The boat can only hold two items.''' This is standard in logic boat problems. Groups of insects count as one item.

* '''Black Hat and Beret Guy both want to cross the river with their cargo'''. Neither states that they wish to cross the river like Ponytail and White Hat, but it can be inferred from the setup of the scenario.

* '''The termites will destroy the boat after use.''' Otherwise the problem is unsolvable.

* '''The wolf eating goat also eats cabbage.''' The wolf eating constraint adds to the goat's existing constraints.

* '''The sailing wolf follows the command of an adjacent human.''' The alternatives require more assumptions for a solvable puzzle.

* '''The sailing wolf returns the trolley wolves to the near shore.''' The trolley wolves show no indication of wanting to cross the river.

* '''Stopping the trolley destroys all the cabbages.''' Otherwise the event does not affect the logic puzzle.

* '''The pack of wolves in the trolley, if rescued, will eat a human or wolf eating goat left alone.'''. Aligns with the spirit of the constraints.

* '''A wolf can protect a human from a pack of wolves'''. Origin of domesticated dogs.

===The Trolley===

The trolley problem creates two versions of the puzzle, one where the cabbages are destroyed, the other where they are not and a wolf rescue takes place. The ethical issues associated with the trolley problem are independent from the logic of how to cross the diver.

===Solutions===

* General

With four humans involved, the first trip across can bring an extra human who then can guard the cargo as it is brought across in arbitrary order with care being taken not to have predator and prey along together at the end. The termites must be last cargo ferried across as they will destroy the boat.

* The Trolley is Stopped

The cabbages are destroyed. The second to last trip brings across the last human and the last trip brings across the terminates.

* The Trolley is not Stopped

A pack of wolves is now on the near bank. The last human is brought across in the third to last trip, followed by the last wolf and lastly the termites.

===Missing Information===

No information is provided about whether or not the humans all get along with each other and this is left as a possible exercise for the reader given all of the characters' varying personality traits. However the sailing wolf would likely come in handy if certain humans (ex Black Hat, Beret Guy) cannot be left alone.

It is also unclear if humans can leave with their cargo once all the cargo has been brought across. This could complicate matters if a far side "guard" leaves early.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Ponytail are standing on the bank of a river. There is a boat in the river. A goat and wolf are also on the riverbank, and Ponytail is holding a cabbage.]
:Ponytail: I need to cross the river. I have a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage.
:Cueball: Hmm.

:[White Hat appears, accompanied by two wolves and pulling a wagon full of cabbages.]
:Cueball: OK, here's what-
:White Hat: Hi, I also need to cross. I have two wolves and 100 cabbages.

:[Black Hat arrives, surrounded by a cloud of flying creatures and carrying a jar of bugs under his arm. Beret Guy follows with another wolf and goat on leashes.]
:Black Hat: I have 50 cabbage moths and 2,000 boat-destroying termites.
:Beret Guy: I have a wolf that can operate a boat, and a goat that eats wolves.

:[The fourth panel is a zoomed-out shot, where everything but the sky appears black.]

:[A trolley speeds in, leaving a trail of dust in its wake. A person is standing on the front, and many ears are barely visible above the seats.]

:Cueball: Hang on, I need to make a spreadsheet.
:Trolley operator: Look out!
:Trolley operator: My wolf-filled trolley is out of control and can only be stopped by a cushion of cabbages!

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Food]]