explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1183: Rose Petals

2013-03-08T07:19:03Z

Youngstormlord: Added explanation, needs much more work.

{{comic
| number = 1183
| date = March 8, 2013
| title = Rose Petals
| image = rose petals.png
| titletext = Joke's on you--the Roomba and I had a LOVELY evening.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic strip is playing with romantic movies and gestures used in them. In such movies, one of often used romantic gestures is spreading rose petals in the house or apartment, making a way towards the bedroom in which a romantic interest/lover is waiting surrounded by roses for the love-making session. The joke is that petals don't lead to the bedroom and Cueball's lover but out onto the street. It's not his lover that is spreading them, but Roomba.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball enters a living room, to see a line of rose petals on the floor.]
:[Cueball follows the line of rose petals.]
:[Cueball observes that the line of rose petals leads out the front door, onto the street, and along the sidewalk.]
:''WHIRRRRRR''
:[The panel shows a table fan behind what appears to be an inverted mailbox filled with rose petals with its back removed. Both are sitting on a Roomba which is motoring down the sidewalk. The fan is on, and is blowing the rose petals out the slit in the front of the mailbox.]
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

User:Youngstormlord

2013-01-24T23:01:18Z

Youngstormlord:

Long term fan of xkcd, full of energy and will to help this wiki... which is all fine and well, except for the fact that English is my second language and I can't check grammar, only spelling on my browser :(. And I don't know how to put links. But I'm ready to learn! :)

User:Youngstormlord

2013-01-24T23:00:52Z

Youngstormlord: added about me, as a new user :)

User talk:Youngstormlord

2013-01-24T22:56:02Z

Youngstormlord: /* Please do not move spam pages */

==Concerning your edits==
Great work making explanations, but try to proofread before you publish. Also, please just make the explanation page. We'll do the redirects for you. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 12:04, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

:Ok. I guess I should have read editing help a bit closer... I'm also sorry for typo's, English is not my native tongue, so I used spellchecker.
[[User:Youngstormlord|Youngstormlord]] ([[User talk:Youngstormlord|talk]]) 12:55, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

== Please do not move spam pages ==

It just makes more work for me. All that you need to do is replace the page's contents with <tt><nowiki>{{spam}}</nowiki></tt> and it will be dealt with. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]_a ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:59, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

:Thanks for the information and I apologize for making it harder for you. I'll do it correctly from now on. What can I say, I'm a new member and don't know all the rules and tricks of this wiki...
[[User:Youngstormlord|Youngstormlord]] ([[User talk:Youngstormlord|talk]]) 22:55, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

User talk:Youngstormlord

2013-01-24T22:55:39Z

Youngstormlord: /* Please do not move spam pages */

==Concerning your edits==
Great work making explanations, but try to proofread before you publish. Also, please just make the explanation page. We'll do the redirects for you. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 12:04, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

:Ok. I guess I should have read editing help a bit closer... I'm also sorry for typo's, English is not my native tongue, so I used spellchecker.
[[User:Youngstormlord|Youngstormlord]] ([[User talk:Youngstormlord|talk]]) 12:55, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

== Please do not move spam pages ==

It just makes more work for me. All that you need to do is replace the page's contents with <tt><nowiki>{{spam}}</nowiki></tt> and it will be dealt with. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]]_a ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 17:59, 24 January 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for the information and I apologize for making it harder for you. I'll do it correctly from now on. What can I say, I'm a new member and don't know all the rules and tricks of this wiki...
[[User:Youngstormlord|Youngstormlord]] ([[User talk:Youngstormlord|talk]]) 22:55, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

User talk:Youngstormlord

2013-01-24T12:55:43Z

Youngstormlord: /* Concerning your edits */ signed my post :(

Talk:808: The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T12:54:56Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "Sorry if this seems like it is not proofread, English is my second language so I used spellchecker as much as I could. No grammar checker, though :(. I won't be making any mor..."

Sorry if this seems like it is not proofread, English is my second language so I used spellchecker as much as I could. No grammar checker, though :(. I won't be making any more redirects, either. So, there's that.
[[User:Youngstormlord|Youngstormlord]] ([[User talk:Youngstormlord|talk]]) 12:54, 24 January 2013 (UTC)

User talk:Youngstormlord

2013-01-24T12:48:20Z

Youngstormlord: /* Concerning your edits */

Toot

2013-01-24T10:54:09Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 757 | date = June 23, 2010 | title = Toot | image = toot.png | titletext = This is also one of only five identified situations in which a vu..."

{{comic
| number = 757
| date = June 23, 2010
| title = Toot
| image = toot.png
| titletext = This is also one of only five identified situations in which a vuvuzela is actually appropriate.
}}

==Explanation==
"Toot my own horn" is an idiom meaning to brag.

The {{w|Vuvuzela}} is a [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wf2P8SnOwLo highly sophisticated instrument], mainly used for making noise at football matches in South Africa. This comic was published during the {{w|2010 FIFA World Cup}} in South Africa, and the constant buzzing from vuvuzelas throughout the maches attracted attention an controversy.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I was first in my class at Caltech.

:[Cueball falls backward as Black Hat sounds an air horn in his face.]
:Black Hat: Really? I don't mean to toot my own horn, but
:''BRAAAAAAP!''

:[A picture of an air horn.]
:Air horns: worth carrying around your entire life for those few perfect moments.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Sarcasm]]

757

2013-01-24T10:54:05Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 757 | date = June 23, 2010 | title = Toot | image = toot.png | titletext = This is also one of only five identified situations in which a vu..."

Public Opinion

2013-01-24T10:51:32Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 756 | date = 2010-06-21 | title = Public Opinion | image = public_opinion.png | titletext = News networks giving a greater voice to viewers..."

{{comic
| number = 756
| date = 2010-06-21
| title = Public Opinion
| image = public_opinion.png
| titletext = News networks giving a greater voice to viewers because the social web is so popular are like a chef on the Titanic who, seeing the looming iceberg and fleeing customers, figures ice is the future and starts making snow cones.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic is mocking the "old media" (television, radio, newspapers) for their moving from information source to source of opinions. Such change came with development of internet and "new media" as source of information (websites, blogs, social networks), which pushed "old media" back and diminished their significance. In their try to get back to relevance, "old media" tried to copy the opinion part of the new, taking what could be considered a bad thing from them. The humor of the comic comes from news anchor cutting to what could be considered and opinion piece from people on the street, thus proving politician's point.

==Transcript==
[A news anchor reads from a paper. There is a picture on the left side of screen of a man speaking at a podium. In the bottom right-hand corner, a logo reads "News24".]

News anchor: A leading politician today charged that the media, rather than informing people, now merely report on public ignorance. Do our viewers agree? Let's hear from some voices on the street...

{{comic discussion}}

756

2013-01-24T10:51:23Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 756 | date = 2010-06-21 | title = Public Opinion | image = public_opinion.png | titletext = News networks giving a greater voice to viewers..."

756: Public Opinion

2013-01-24T10:50:44Z

Youngstormlord: added explanation, needs links and categories

808

2013-01-24T10:21:42Z

Youngstormlord:

{{comic
| number = 808
| date = 2010-10-20
| title = The Economic Argument
| image = the_economic_argument.png
| titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money selling this stuff to OTHER people who think it works', which corporate accountants and actuaries have zero problems with.
}}

==Explanation==
The image shows fields of human life that would be greatly improved and/or allowed a certain people to make a lot of money if some " Weird phenomenons " things were working in reality or were testable and usable concepts. Weird phenomenons in this case meaning counter-intuitive things that usually go against "common sense" and which the science hasn't investigated to the full yet (or didn't find any evidence of in the first place, making claims completely unscientific). As the comic tries to prove, if there were commercial use for it and proofs of it working, there will be high investment made in the technology to use and harness such concepts. So far,
only relativity and quantum electrodynamics have found some use in the real world (because they are scientific concepts, as compared to all the other ones).

The non-scientific, disproved concepts trying to pass as real and scientific are as follows:

Remote viewing: Alleged ability to see and know things far away with the strength of your mind, without physically being in that place and using technology (cameras, tv screens and so on). Proved to be disproven.

Dowsing: Alleged supernatural ability to sense, using two dowsing rods/sticks/pieces of metal where hidden valuables or underground water/oil supplies are. Both dowsing and remote viewing would have cut great costs to oil companies, because it would have made finding new oil sources easier.

Auras: Non-scientific belief that every human has invisible aura that can effect their health and feelings.
Homeopathy: Non-scientific belief that 1) the more dilluted the remedy, the more effective it is 2)a remedy (before dilution) should cause similar symptoms. Completely untrue and proven to be as effective as a placebo (which means, not at all). Often advertised as "alternative medicine", which means not a medicine at all.
Remote Prayer: Non-scientific belief. Trying to help a person with their health problems by praying/pleading to greater supernatural force to help them get better. Scientifically proven not to work, even sometimes having a detrimental effect if the person knew they were prayed to.
All three would have revolutionized healthcare if proven to work, which is very, very unlikely.

Astrology: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking towards stars for answers. Non-scientific and very popular belief trying to take the mantle of science.
Tarot: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking at cards for answers.
Both would have revolutionized our Business Planning(saving lots of money and probably lives) if true.

Crystal energy: non-scientific belief that crystals can store "soul energy" which can be tapped into and used by human beings. If true and correct, it would have revolutionized the world technology by replacing energy sources with crystals. Not true at all.

Curses and hexes: non-scientific belief that a person can cause supernatural harm to people and things by doing certain magical rituals and mouthing magical words. If it were true, the military use of such would have proliferated rather quickly.

Title text brings the point home that people believing in non-scientific, unproven and disproved phenomena are gullible, making a smart people selling things they know don't work to them on an easy path to riches.

==Transcript==
:{A table is labeled with three columns: Crazy phenomenon, If it worked, people would be using it to make a killing in...; and Are they?}

:Remote Viewing, Dowsing - Oil Prospecting -
:
:Auras, Homeopathy, Remote Prayer - Health Care Cost Reduction -
:
:Astrology, Tarot - Financial Business Planning -
:
:Crystal Energy - Regular Energy -
:
:Curses, Hexes - The Military -
:
:Relativity - GPS Devices - X
:Quantum Electrodynamics - Semiconductor Circuit Design - X

Eventually, arguing that these things work means arguing that modern capitalism isn't THAT ruthlessly profit-focused.

{{comic discussion}}

The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:20:59Z

Youngstormlord:

The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:20:29Z

Youngstormlord:

{{comic
| number = 808
| date = 2010.10.20
| title = The Economic Argument
| image = the_economic_argument.png
| titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money selling this stuff to OTHER people who think it works', which corporate accountants and actuaries have zero problems with.
}}

==Explanation==
The image shows fields of human life that would be greatly improved and/or allowed a certain people to make a lot of money if some " Weird phenomenons " things were working in reality or were testable and usable concepts. Weird phenomenons in this case meaning counter-intuitive things that usually go against "common sense" and which the science hasn't investigated to the full yet (or didn't find any evidence of in the first place, making claims completely unscientific). As the comic tries to prove, if there were commercial use for it and proofs of it working, there will be high investment made in the technology to use and harness such concepts. So far,
only relativity and quantum electrodynamics have found some use in the real world (because they are scientific concepts, as compared to all the other ones).

The non-scientific, disproved concepts trying to pass as real and scientific are as follows:

Remote viewing: Alleged ability to see and know things far away with the strength of your mind, without physically being in that place and using technology (cameras, tv screens and so on). Proved to be disproven.

Dowsing: Alleged supernatural ability to sense, using two dowsing rods/sticks/pieces of metal where hidden valuables or underground water/oil supplies are. Both dowsing and remote viewing would have cut great costs to oil companies, because it would have made finding new oil sources easier.

Auras: Non-scientific belief that every human has invisible aura that can effect their health and feelings.
Homeopathy: Non-scientific belief that 1) the more dilluted the remedy, the more effective it is 2)a remedy (before dilution) should cause similar symptoms. Completely untrue and proven to be as effective as a placebo (which means, not at all). Often advertised as "alternative medicine", which means not a medicine at all.
Remote Prayer: Non-scientific belief. Trying to help a person with their health problems by praying/pleading to greater supernatural force to help them get better. Scientifically proven not to work, even sometimes having a detrimental effect if the person knew they were prayed to.
All three would have revolutionized healthcare if proven to work, which is very, very unlikely.

Astrology: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking towards stars for answers. Non-scientific and very popular belief trying to take the mantle of science.
Tarot: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking at cards for answers.
Both would have revolutionized our Business Planning(saving lots of money and probably lives) if true.

Crystal energy: non-scientific belief that crystals can store "soul energy" which can be tapped into and used by human beings. If true and correct, it would have revolutionized the world technology by replacing energy sources with crystals. Not true at all.

Curses and hexes: non-scientific belief that a person can cause supernatural harm to people and things by doing certain magical rituals and mouthing magical words. If it were true, the military use of such would have proliferated rather quickly.

Title text brings the point home that people believing in non-scientific, unproven and disproved phenomena are gullible, making a smart people selling things they know don't work to them on an easy path to riches.

==Transcript==
:{A table is labeled with three columns: Crazy phenomenon, If it worked, people would be using it to make a killing in...; and Are they?}

:Remote Viewing, Dowsing - Oil Prospecting -
:
:Auras, Homeopathy, Remote Prayer - Health Care Cost Reduction -
:
:Astrology, Tarot - Financial Business Planning -
:
:Crystal Energy - Regular Energy -
:
:Curses, Hexes - The Military -
:
:Relativity - GPS Devices - X
:Quantum Electrodynamics - Semiconductor Circuit Design - X

Eventually, arguing that these things work means arguing that modern capitalism isn't THAT ruthlessly profit-focused.

{{comic discussion}}

808: The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:19:38Z

Youngstormlord: added date

The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:18:02Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 808 | date = | title = The Economic Argument | image = the_economic_argument.png | titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money se..."

{{comic
| number = 808
| date =
| title = The Economic Argument
| image = the_economic_argument.png
| titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money selling this stuff to OTHER people who think it works', which corporate accountants and actuaries have zero problems with.
}}

==Explanation==
The image shows fields of human life that would be greatly improved and/or allowed a certain people to make a lot of money if some " Weird phenomenons " things were working in reality or were testable and usable concepts. Weird phenomenons in this case meaning counter-intuitive things that usually go against "common sense" and which the science hasn't investigated to the full yet (or didn't find any evidence of in the first place, making claims completely unscientific). As the comic tries to prove, if there were commercial use for it and proofs of it working, there will be high investment made in the technology to use and harness such concepts. So far,
only relativity and quantum electrodynamics have found some use in the real world (because they are scientific concepts, as compared to all the other ones).

The non-scientific, disproved concepts trying to pass as real and scientific are as follows:

Remote viewing: Alleged ability to see and know things far away with the strength of your mind, without physically being in that place and using technology (cameras, tv screens and so on). Proved to be disproven.

Dowsing: Alleged supernatural ability to sense, using two dowsing rods/sticks/pieces of metal where hidden valuables or underground water/oil supplies are. Both dowsing and remote viewing would have cut great costs to oil companies, because it would have made finding new oil sources easier.

Auras: Non-scientific belief that every human has invisible aura that can effect their health and feelings.
Homeopathy: Non-scientific belief that 1) the more dilluted the remedy, the more effective it is 2)a remedy (before dilution) should cause similar symptoms. Completely untrue and proven to be as effective as a placebo (which means, not at all). Often advertised as "alternative medicine", which means not a medicine at all.
Remote Prayer: Non-scientific belief. Trying to help a person with their health problems by praying/pleading to greater supernatural force to help them get better. Scientifically proven not to work, even sometimes having a detrimental effect if the person knew they were prayed to.
All three would have revolutionized healthcare if proven to work, which is very, very unlikely.

Astrology: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking towards stars for answers. Non-scientific and very popular belief trying to take the mantle of science.
Tarot: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking at cards for answers.
Both would have revolutionized our Business Planning(saving lots of money and probably lives) if true.

Crystal energy: non-scientific belief that crystals can store "soul energy" which can be tapped into and used by human beings. If true and correct, it would have revolutionized the world technology by replacing energy sources with crystals. Not true at all.

Curses and hexes: non-scientific belief that a person can cause supernatural harm to people and things by doing certain magical rituals and mouthing magical words. If it were true, the military use of such would have proliferated rather quickly.

Title text brings the point home that people believing in non-scientific, unproven and disproved phenomena are gullible, making a smart people selling things they know don't work to them on an easy path to riches.

==Transcript==
:{A table is labeled with three columns: Crazy phenomenon, If it worked, people would be using it to make a killing in...; and Are they?}

:Remote Viewing, Dowsing - Oil Prospecting -
:
:Auras, Homeopathy, Remote Prayer - Health Care Cost Reduction -
:
:Astrology, Tarot - Financial Business Planning -
:
:Crystal Energy - Regular Energy -
:
:Curses, Hexes - The Military -
:
:Relativity - GPS Devices - X
:Quantum Electrodynamics - Semiconductor Circuit Design - X

Eventually, arguing that these things work means arguing that modern capitalism isn't THAT ruthlessly profit-focused.

{{comic discussion}}

808

2013-01-24T10:17:26Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 808 | date = | title = The Economic Argument | image = the_economic_argument.png | titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money se..."

808: The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:16:33Z

Youngstormlord: /* Explanation */

808: The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:15:44Z

Youngstormlord: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 808
| date =
| title = The Economic Argument
| image = the_economic_argument.png
| titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money selling this stuff to OTHER people who think it works', which corporate accountants and actuaries have zero problems with.
}}

==Explanation==
The image shows fields of human life that would be greatly improved and/or allowed a certain people to make a lot of money if some " Weird phenomenons " things were working in reality or were testable and usable concepts. Weird phenomenons in this case meaning counter-intuitive things that usually go against "common sense" and which the science hasn't investigated to the full yet (or didn't find any evidence of in the first place, making claims completely unscientific). As the comic tries to prove, if there were commercial use for it and proofs of it working, there will be high investment made in the technology to use and harness such concepts. So far,
only relativity and quantum electrodynamics have found some use in the real world (because they are scientific concepts, as compared to all the other ones).

The non-scientific, disproved concepts trying to pass as real and scientific are as follows:

Remote viewing: Alleged ability to see and know things far away with the strength of your mind, without physically being in that place and using technology (cameras, tv screens and so on). Proved to be disproven.

Dowsing: Alleged supernatural ability to sense, using two dowsing rods/sticks/pieces of metal where hidden valuables or underground water/oil supplies are. Both dowsing and remote viewing would have cut great costs to oil companies, because it would have made finding new oil sources easier.

Auras: Non-scientific belief that every human has invisible aura that can effect their health and feelings.
Homeopathy: Non-scientific belief that 1) the more dilluted the remedy, the more effective it is 2)a remedy (before dilution) should cause similar symptoms. Completely untrue and proven to be as effective as a placebo (which means, not at all). Often advertised as "alternative medicine", which means not a medicine at all.
Remote Prayer: Non-scientific belief. Trying to help a person with their health problems by praying/pleading to greater supernatural force to help them get better. Scientifically proven not to work, even sometimes having a detrimental effect if the person knew they were prayed to.
All three would have revolutionized healthcare if proven to work, which is unlikely.

Astrology: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking towards stars for answers. Non-scientific and very popular belief trying to take the mantle of science.
Tarot: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking at cards for answers.
Both would have revolutionized our Business Planning(saving lots of money and probably lives) if true.

Crystal energy: non-scientific belief that crystals can store "soul energy" which can be tapped into and used by human beings. If true and correct, it would have revolutionized the world technology by replacing energy sources with crystals. Not true at all.

Curses and hexes: non-scientific belief that a person can cause supernatural harm to people and things by doing certain magical rituals and mouthing magical words. If it were true, the military use of such would have proliferated rather quickly.

Title text brings the point home that people believing in non-scientific, unproven and disproved phenomena are gullible, making a smart people selling things they know don't work to them on an easy path to riches.

==Transcript==
:{A table is labeled with three columns: Crazy phenomenon, If it worked, people would be using it to make a killing in...; and Are they?}

:Remote Viewing, Dowsing - Oil Prospecting -
:
:Auras, Homeopathy, Remote Prayer - Health Care Cost Reduction -
:
:Astrology, Tarot - Financial Business Planning -
:
:Crystal Energy - Regular Energy -
:
:Curses, Hexes - The Military -
:
:Relativity - GPS Devices - X
:Quantum Electrodynamics - Semiconductor Circuit Design - X

Eventually, arguing that these things work means arguing that modern capitalism isn't THAT ruthlessly profit-focused.

{{comic discussion}}

808: The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:15:04Z

Youngstormlord: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 808
| date =
| title = The Economic Argument
| image = the_economic_argument.png
| titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money selling this stuff to OTHER people who think it works', which corporate accountants and actuaries have zero problems with.
}}

==Explanation==
The image shows fields of human life that would be greatly improved and/or allowed a certain people to make a lot of money if some " Weird phenomenons " things were working in reality or were testable and usable concepts. Weird phenomenons in this case meaning counter-intuitive things that usually go against "common sense" and which the science hasn't investigated to the full yet (or didn't find any evidence of in the first place, making claims completely unscientific). As the comic tries to prove, if there were commercial use for it and proofs of it working, there will be high investment made in the technology to use and harness such concepts. So far,
only relativity and quantum electrodynamics have found some use in the real world (because they are scientific concepts, as compared to all the other ones).

The non-scientific, disproved concepts trying to pass as real and scientific are as follows:

Remote viewing: Alleged ability to see and know things far away with the strength of your mind, without physically being in that place and using technology (cameras, tv screens and so on). Proved to be disproven.

Dowsing: Alleged supernatural ability to sense, using two dowsing rods/sticks/pieces of metal where hidden valuables or underground water/oil supplies are. Both dowsing and remote viewing would have cut great costs to oil companies, because it would have made finding new oil sources easier.

Auras: Non-scientific belief that every human has invisible aura that can effect their health and feelings. Non-scientific.
Homeopathy: Non-scientific belief that 1) the more dilluted the remedy, the more effective it is 2)a remedy (before dilution) should cause similar symptoms. Completely untrue and proven to be as effective as a placebo (which means, not at all). Often advertised as "alternative medicine", which means not a medicine at all.
Remote Prayer: Non-scientific belief. Trying to help a person with their health problems by praying/pleading to greater supernatural force to help them get better. Scientifically proven not to work, even sometimes having a detrimental effect if the person knew they were prayed to.
All three would have revolutionized healthcare if proven to work, which is unlikely.

Astrology: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking towards stars for answers. Non-scientific and very popular belief trying to take the mantle of science.
Tarot: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking at cards for answers.
Both would have revolutionized our Business Planning(saving lots of money and probably lives) if true.

Crystal energy: non-scientific belief that crystals can store "soul energy" which can be tapped into and used by human beings. If true and correct, it would have revolutionized the world technology by replacing energy sources with crystals. Not true at all.

Curses and hexes: non-scientific belief that a person can cause supernatural harm to people and things by doing certain magical rituals and mouthing magical words. If it were true, the military use of such would have proliferated rather quickly.

Title text brings the point home that people believing in non-scientific, unproven and disproved phenomena are gullible, making a smart people selling things they know don't work to them on an easy path to riches.

==Transcript==
:{A table is labeled with three columns: Crazy phenomenon, If it worked, people would be using it to make a killing in...; and Are they?}

:Remote Viewing, Dowsing - Oil Prospecting -
:
:Auras, Homeopathy, Remote Prayer - Health Care Cost Reduction -
:
:Astrology, Tarot - Financial Business Planning -
:
:Crystal Energy - Regular Energy -
:
:Curses, Hexes - The Military -
:
:Relativity - GPS Devices - X
:Quantum Electrodynamics - Semiconductor Circuit Design - X

Eventually, arguing that these things work means arguing that modern capitalism isn't THAT ruthlessly profit-focused.

{{comic discussion}}

808: The Economic Argument

2013-01-24T10:13:35Z

Youngstormlord: added explanation, needs date, links and categories

{{comic
| number = 808
| date =
| title = The Economic Argument
| image = the_economic_argument.png
| titletext = Not to be confused with 'making money selling this stuff to OTHER people who think it works', which corporate accountants and actuaries have zero problems with.
}}

==Explanation==
The image shows fields of human life that would be greatly improved and/or allowed a certain people to make a lot of money if some " Weird phenomenons " things were working in reality or were testable and usable concepts. Weird phenomenons in this case meaning counter-intuitive things that usually go against "common sense" and which the science hasn't investigated to the full yet (or didn't find any evidence of in the first place, making claims completely unscientific). As the comic tries to prove, if there were commercial use for it and proofs of it working, there will be high investment made in the technology to use and harness such concepts. So far,
only relativity and quantum electrodynamics have found some use in the real world (because they are scientific concepts, as compared to all the other ones).

The non-scientific, disproved concepts trying to pass as real and scientific are as follows:

Remote viewing: Alleged ability to see and know things far away with the strength of your mind, without physically being in that place and using technology (cameras, tv screens and so on). Proved to be disproven.

Dowsing: Alleged supernatural ability to sense, using two dowsing rods/sticks/pieces of metal where hidden valuables or underground water/oil supplies are. Both dowsing and remote viewing would have cut great costs to oil companies, because it would have made finding new oil sources easier.

Auras: Non-scientific belief that every human has invisible aura that can effect their health and feelings. Non-scientific.
Homeopathy: Non-scientific belief that 1) the more dilluted the remedy, the more effective it is 2)a remedy (before dilution) should cause similar symptoms. Completely untrue and proven to be as effective as a placebo (which means, not at all). Often advertised as "alternative medicine", which means not a medicine at all.
Remote Prayer: Non-scientific belief. Trying to help a person with their health problems by praying/pleading to greater supernatural force to help them get better. Scientifically proven not to work, even sometimes having a detrimental effect if the person knew they were prayed to.
All three would have revolutionized healthcare if proven to work, which is unlikely.

Astrology: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking towards stars for answers. Non-scientific and very popular belief trying to take the mantle of science.
Tarot: Trying to find out what future will bring by looking at cards for answers.
Both would have revolutionized our Business Planning(saving lots of money and probably lives) if true.

Crystal energy: non-scientific belief that crystals can store "soul energy" which can be tapped into and used by human beings. If true and correct, it would have revolutionized the world technology by replacing energy sources with crystals. Not true at all.

Curses and hexes: non-scientific belief that a person can cause supernatural harm to people and things by doing certain magical rituals and mouthing magical words. If it were true, the military use of such would have proliferated rather quickly.

Title text brings the point home that people believing in non-scientific, unproven and disproved phenomena are gullible, making a smart people selling things they know don't work to them on an easy path to riches.

==Transcript==
{A table is labeled with three columns: Crazy phenomenon, If it worked, people would be using it to make a killing in...; and Are they?}

Remote Viewing, Dowsing - Oil Prospecting -
Auras, Homeopathy, Remote Prayer - Health Care Cost Reduction -
Astrology, Tarot - Financial
Business Planning -
Crystal Energy - Regular Energy -
Curses, Hexes - The Military -
Relativity - GPS Devices - X
Quantum Electrodynamics - Semiconductor Circuit Design - X

Eventually, arguing that these things work means arguing that modern capitalism isn't THAT ruthlessly profit-focused.

{{comic discussion}}

Constructive

2013-01-23T23:10:34Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 810 | date = | title = Constructive | image = Constructive.png | titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join th..."

{{comic
| number = 810
| date =
| title = Constructive
| image = Constructive.png
| titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.
}}

==Explanation==

For every online community to thrive and for constructive discussions to be had, it needs to have a certain number of friendly, polite and helpful people. Spammers are opposite of that; they are people or organisations trying to sell certain products, with no regards to the rules of community or any discussions being made. In fact, some of them use automated scripts to simulate human beings, allowing them to quickly post identical "advertising posts" in multiple threads under multiple names, flooding the forums and stifling real discussions. Therefore, it is vital to prevent them from posting non-sequitur posts with links towards their websites and to prevent bots from registering.

Captcha is one of the methods used to prevent lots of automated registering of fake usernames used by bots and spammers. It consists of asking a person to prove that they are human before registering them as user and allowing them to post on sites or forum topics. That is done by using pictures of words and letters that humans can easily recognize, but bots and OCR software have trouble with.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) of bots has advanced so far, that the man has invented a new system. It asks of the users to rate a slate of comments as constructive (the best sort of comments!) or not, then asks them to reply with comments of their own. The woman asks what will happen when spammers find a way around his system, such as making bots that make constructive and helpful comments? Well, it turns out that is what he is trying to accomplish in first place, a thriving community helping it's members with constructive and helpful comments.

Title text investigates the consequences of such system further, by thinking of people unable to give constructive and helpful comments... which are sort of people you don't want in your online community anyway.

==Transcript==
:[A man is talking to a woman]
:Man: Spammers are breaking traditional captchas with AI, so I've built a new system. It asks users to rate a slate of comments as "Constructive" or "Not constructive".
:[Close up of man]
:Man: Then it has them reply with comments of their own, which are later rated by other users.
:[Woman standing next to man again]
:Woman: But what will you do when spammers train their bots to make automated constructive and helpful comments?
:[Close up of man again]
:Man: Mission Fucking Accomplished.

:{Title text: And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.}

{{comic discussion}}

810

2013-01-23T23:09:22Z

Youngstormlord: Created page with "{{comic | number = 810 | date = | title = Constructive | image = Constructive.png | titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join th..."

810: Constructive

2013-01-23T23:06:16Z

Youngstormlord: /* Transcript */

810: Constructive

2013-01-23T23:05:55Z

Youngstormlord: /* Transcript */

{{comic
| number = 810
| date =
| title = Constructive
| image = Constructive.png
| titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.
}}

==Explanation==

For every online community to thrive and for constructive discussions to be had, it needs to have a certain number of friendly, polite and helpful people. Spammers are opposite of that; they are people or organisations trying to sell certain products, with no regards to the rules of community or any discussions being made. In fact, some of them use automated scripts to simulate human beings, allowing them to quickly post identical "advertising posts" in multiple threads under multiple names, flooding the forums and stifling real discussions. Therefore, it is vital to prevent them from posting non-sequitur posts with links towards their websites and to prevent bots from registering.

Captcha is one of the methods used to prevent lots of automated registering of fake usernames used by bots and spammers. It consists of asking a person to prove that they are human before registering them as user and allowing them to post on sites or forum topics. That is done by using pictures of words and letters that humans can easily recognize, but bots and OCR software have trouble with.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) of bots has advanced so far, that the man has invented a new system. It asks of the users to rate a slate of comments as constructive (the best sort of comments!) or not, then asks them to reply with comments of their own. The woman asks what will happen when spammers find a way around his system, such as making bots that make constructive and helpful comments? Well, it turns out that is what he is trying to accomplish in first place, a thriving community helping it's members with constructive and helpful comments.

Title text investigates the consequences of such system further, by thinking of people unable to give constructive and helpful comments... which are sort of people you don't want in your online community anyway.

==Transcript==
:[A man is talking to a woman]
:Man: Spammers are breaking traditional captchas with AI, so I've built a new system. It asks users to rate a slate of comments as "Constructive" or "Not constructive".
:[Close up of man]
:Man: Then it has them reply with comments of their own, which are later rated by other users.
:[Woman standing next to man again]
:Woman: But what will you do when spammers train their bots to make automated constructive and helpful comments?
:[Close up of man again]
:Man: Mission Fucking Accomplished.

:{{Title text: And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.}}

{{comic discussion}}

810: Constructive

2013-01-23T23:05:27Z

Youngstormlord: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 810
| date =
| title = Constructive
| image = Constructive.png
| titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.
}}

==Explanation==

For every online community to thrive and for constructive discussions to be had, it needs to have a certain number of friendly, polite and helpful people. Spammers are opposite of that; they are people or organisations trying to sell certain products, with no regards to the rules of community or any discussions being made. In fact, some of them use automated scripts to simulate human beings, allowing them to quickly post identical "advertising posts" in multiple threads under multiple names, flooding the forums and stifling real discussions. Therefore, it is vital to prevent them from posting non-sequitur posts with links towards their websites and to prevent bots from registering.

Captcha is one of the methods used to prevent lots of automated registering of fake usernames used by bots and spammers. It consists of asking a person to prove that they are human before registering them as user and allowing them to post on sites or forum topics. That is done by using pictures of words and letters that humans can easily recognize, but bots and OCR software have trouble with.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) of bots has advanced so far, that the man has invented a new system. It asks of the users to rate a slate of comments as constructive (the best sort of comments!) or not, then asks them to reply with comments of their own. The woman asks what will happen when spammers find a way around his system, such as making bots that make constructive and helpful comments? Well, it turns out that is what he is trying to accomplish in first place, a thriving community helping it's members with constructive and helpful comments.

Title text investigates the consequences of such system further, by thinking of people unable to give constructive and helpful comments... which are sort of people you don't want in your online community anyway.

==Transcript==
:[[A man is talking to a woman]]
:Man: Spammers are breaking traditional captchas with AI, so I've built a new system. It asks users to rate a slate of comments as "Constructive" or "Not constructive".
:[[Close up of man]]
:Man: Then it has them reply with comments of their own, which are later rated by other users.
:[[Woman standing next to man again]]
:Woman: But what will you do when spammers train their bots to make automated constructive and helpful comments?
:[[Close up of man again]]
:Man: Mission Fucking Accomplished.

:{{Title text: And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.}}

{{comic discussion}}

810: Constructive

2013-01-23T23:04:48Z

Youngstormlord: added explanation, needs date and categories

{{comic
| number = 810
| date =
| title = Constructive
| image = Constructive.png
| titletext = And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.
}}

==Explanation==

For every online community to thrive and for constructive discussions to be had, it needs to have a certain number of friendly, polite and helpful people. Spammers are opposite of that; they are people or organisations trying to sell certain products, with no regards to the rules of community or any discussions to be made. In fact, some of them use automated scripts to simulate human beings, allowing them to quickly post identical "advertising posts" in multiple threads under multiple names, flooding the forums and stifling real discussions. Therefore, it is vital to prevent them from posting non-sequitur posts with links towards their websites and to prevent bots from registering.

Captcha is one of the methods used to prevent lots of automated registering of fake usernames used by bots and spammers. It consists of asking a person to prove that they are human before registering them as user and allowing them to post on sites or forum topics. That is done by using pictures of words and letters that humans can easily recognize, but bots and OCR software have trouble with.

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) of bots has advanced so far, that the man has invented a new system. It asks of the users to rate a slate of comments as constructive (the best sort of comments!) or not, then asks them to reply with comments of their own. The woman asks what will happen when spammers find a way around his system, such as making bots that make constructive and helpful comments? Well, it turns out that is what he is trying to accomplish in first place, a thriving community helping it's members with constructive and helpful comments.

Title text investigates the consequences of such system further, by thinking of people unable to give constructive and helpful comments... which are sort of people you don't want in your online community anyway.

==Transcript==
:[[A man is talking to a woman]]
:Man: Spammers are breaking traditional captchas with AI, so I've built a new system. It asks users to rate a slate of comments as "Constructive" or "Not constructive".
:[[Close up of man]]
:Man: Then it has them reply with comments of their own, which are later rated by other users.
:[[Woman standing next to man again]]
:Woman: But what will you do when spammers train their bots to make automated constructive and helpful comments?
:[[Close up of man again]]
:Man: Mission Fucking Accomplished.

:{{Title text: And what about all the people who won't be able to join the community because they're terrible at making helpful and constructive co-- ... oh.}}

{{comic discussion}}

1164: Home Alone

2013-01-23T15:03:10Z

Youngstormlord: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1164
| date = January 23, 2013
| title = Home Alone
| image = home alone.png
| titletext = Starring Macaulay Culkin.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Home Alone (franchise)|Home Alone}} was a popular movie series in which the child protagonist Kevin McCallister is left in a house unattended while burglars try to rob it. In the movies, the protagonist comes up with a variety of ingenious traps and devices to harass and eventually incapacitate the burglars in each movie, which is the only reason for the popularity of the series. It's a classic story of the underdog (in this instance, a child) defeating a much stronger opponent (the burglars) through his own ingenuity. Of course, the reverse wouldn't work as a movie because it would mean an adult man using his much greater skills and abilities against a couple of children.

The scene depicted is an adaptation of an iconic scene from the first movie, which was used heavily in advertising. {{w|Macaulay Culkin}} is the actor who played the protagonist in the ''Home Alone'' movies, although he has grown into an adult since the creation of the last ''Home Alone'' movie.

==Transcript==
:[Aged man standing at the head of a flight of stairs. A paint can on a rope is swinging into a child at the foot of the stairs. A child on the floor is in a semi-fetal position and crying.]
:Child: Ow!!
:Child on floor: Waaaaaaaaa!
:Rejected movie ideas:
:Age-reversed ''Home Alone'' reboot.

{{comic discussion}}