https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=108.162.237.193&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T11:24:13ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=119:_Worst_Band_Name_Ever&diff=265132119: Worst Band Name Ever2022-05-08T19:50:42Z<p>108.162.237.193: Replaced content with "JByoshi is fat and I wouldn't have sex with them"</p>
<hr />
<div>JByoshi is fat and I wouldn't have sex with them</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1582:_Picture_a_Grassy_Field&diff=1024511582: Picture a Grassy Field2015-09-25T20:18:48Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1582<br />
| date = September 25, 2015<br />
| title = Picture a Grassy Field<br />
| image = picture_a_grassy_field.png<br />
| titletext = Wait, I can fix this. Picture another field. In the middle sits the only creature the first creature is afraid of. Now just-- wait, where did THAT one go?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
In this comic [[Megan]] asks [[Cueball]] to picture himself in a grassy field. It is a standard technique to begin a visualization by asking the person to imagine that they are in some calm environment (could be for any kind of {{w|mediation}}/{{w|mindfulness}} like for instance {{w|yoga}}). A [https://www.google.com/search?q=imagine+grassy+field&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 grassy field] could have been replaced by a [https://www.google.com/search?q=imagine+you+are+on+a+beach&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 beach] at the sea, or a [https://www.google.com/search?q=imagine+you+are+in+a+forrest&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 forest] with sunbeams coming down through the trees...<br />
<br />
Proceeding with the visualization Megan asks Cueball to imagine a creature with the power to be able to escape from any visualized scene, and then tries to convince him that this creature has indeed escaped from his current visualization as it indeed would be able to do. She then proceeds by apologizing for this, but then tells him (warns him) that it from now on might appear in Cueball's daydreams, so he should begin looking out for it. This proves that she is not at all sorry, but did this intentionally to try and mess with Cueball's head. (The idea of the possibility of escaping an imagined situation was already used in [[248: Hypotheticals]]).<br />
<br />
This comic may be a reference to {{w|René Descartes}}' {{w|Ontological_argument#Ren.C3.A9_Descartes|Ontological Argument}} for the existence of God.<br />
<br />
Informally Descartes ontological argument proceeds as follows,:<br />
:"I can imagine a perfect being called God."<br />
:"But if it didn't also exist it wouldn't be perfect."<br />
:"Therefore God exists."<br />
Both this comic and the ontological argument take an imagined being and then have that being transcend or escape the imagination due to its imagined qualities.<br />
<br />
In the title text Megan proposes a solution to get rid of the creature in Cueball's daydream, namely by picturing the only creature that the first fears. However if this new (maybe quite scary) creature should be able to pursue the original creature, then it would also have to be able to move through visualized scenes just as easily. And this is what Megan pretends happens again. So now the problem is that Cueball has two creatures on the loose in his daydreams. And even if the second scares the first away, he would then still have the new one to worry about.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan and Cueball are walking together.]<br />
<br />
:Megan: Picture a grassy field.<br />
:Megan: In the center sits a small, pale, big-eyed creature with the power to escape from any visualized scene and move freely through the brain that imagined it.<br />
:Megan: It glances around nervously and-<br />
:Megan: -whoops, where'd it go?<br />
:Megan: Sorry about that! Keep an eye out for it in your daydreams.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1582:_Picture_a_Grassy_Field&diff=1024021582: Picture a Grassy Field2015-09-25T04:43:28Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ add transcript</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1582<br />
| date = September 25, 2015<br />
| title = Picture a Grassy Field<br />
| image = picture_a_grassy_field.png<br />
| titletext = Wait, I can fix this. Picture another field. In the middle sits the only creature the first creature is afraid of. Now just-- wait, where did THAT one go?<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page.}}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan and Cueball are walking to the right in a single, otherwise blank panel]<br />
<br />
:Megan: Picture a grassy field.<br />
<br />
:Megan: In the center sits a small, pale, big-eyed creature with the power to escape from any visualized scene and move freely through the brain that imagined it.<br />
<br />
:Megan: It glances around nervously and-<br />
<br />
:Megan: -whoops, where'd it go?<br />
<br />
:Megan: Sorry about that! Keep an eye out for it in your daydreams.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1580:_Travel_Ghost&diff=1022191580: Travel Ghost2015-09-21T15:46:58Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ -"</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1580<br />
| date = September 21, 2015<br />
| title = Travel Ghost<br />
| image = travel_ghosts.png<br />
| titletext = And a different ghost has replaced me in the bedroom.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|rough draft}}<br />
A "{{w|Time attack#Video games|ghost}}" is a common term for the recording of a player's actions in a {{w|Racing video game|racing game}}. The recording is used to create a virtual racer that another player can compete against. The previous player is shown as ghostly and transparent, because the two racers cannot physically interact.<br />
<br />
A mapping app, such as {{w|Google Maps (mobile application)|Google Maps}}, attempts to plot the fastest route from one place to another, but there's no way to tell which route is really the fastest without testing it. So, [[Cueball]] has created an app that will simulate a number of different routes and produce "ghosts" from them. He hopes to use this app to discover the fastest route by competing against his ghosts like a racing game. He brags about this app to his friend [[White Hat]].<br />
<br />
However, the comic takes a turn for the absurd when it depicts ''actual'' ghosts competing with him, instead of simulations on his phone. Soon enough, he is fired from work because one of his "ghosts" is more punctual than he is. And even worse his children apparently comes to prefer the more punctual "ghosts" over him as this version of daddy never misses their games.<br />
<br />
In the title text this is even taken into the bedroom, although it is a different ghost than the one preferred by the children. Maybe because in there it may not be such a good idea to come first...<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball, holding a smartphone, is talking to White Hat]<br />
:Cueball: Lots of apps let you plan your trips using real-time bus, train, and traffic data. They try to predict which route will be faster, but aren't always right.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball continues to talk off-panel. The text is above a map showing three possible routes with an overlaid Cueball on each; the top and the bottom route and Cueball are faded and the middle is black up until the black Cueball. After that this route is also faded. A black point on the right indicates the destination.]<br />
:Cueball (off-panel): Instead of just '''''planning''''', my new app lets you send "ghost" versions of you along different routes, simulating their travel using the real-time data<br />
<br />
:[Cueball, again talking to White Hat, holding the smartphone down]. <br />
:Cueball: That way, you can see which route turned out to be faster in practice,<br />
:Cueball: You can also race your past selves.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is getting out of his car holding his smartphone in one hand and a briefcase in the other; A faded out Cueball bicyclist is in front of him to the right. At the top there is a caption in a frame:<br />
:Soon...<br />
:Cueball: Ugh, lost to the bike ghost ''again.''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball with his briefcase is outside a door, holding a key card up to a key reader. On the inside of the door Ponytail is facing the door and points toward the faded version of Cueball also holding a briefcase.]<br />
:Cueball: Hey, my key won't work<br />
:Ponytail: I'm sorry, but we've decided to replace you. This floaty guy is much more punctual.<br />
<br />
:[Two small girls, one with a hair bun the other with wavy long hair, is holding faded out Cueball's hands. The real Cueball is standing to the right, next to his briefcase on the ground. He is holding his hands out towards his kids.]<br />
:Little girl with hair-bun: Our ''new'' dad never misses our games!<br />
:Cueball: ''Nooo!''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1579:_Tech_Loops&diff=102017Talk:1579: Tech Loops2015-09-18T04:38:49Z<p>108.162.237.193: one more</p>
<hr />
<div>There are only three loops; "Awful hack from 2009" and "IRC for some reason" forms one, "Tool" → "Updater" → "Library" → "Tool" is the second, and there's a long one from "Awful hack from 2009" → "Library" → "Library" → "Custom settings" → "Library" → "Hardware workaround" → "Awful hack from 2009". Any other path not from "DLL needed by something" ends at "Repository". [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.193|108.162.237.193]] 04:35, 18 September 2015 (UTC)</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1579:_Tech_Loops&diff=102016Talk:1579: Tech Loops2015-09-18T04:35:04Z<p>108.162.237.193: relatively flat topology</p>
<hr />
<div>There are only two loops; "Awful hack from 2009" and "IRC for some reason" forms one, and there's another from "Awful hack from 2009" → "Library" → "Library" → "Custom settings" → "Library" → "Hardware workaround" → "Awful hack from 2009". Any other path not from "DLL needed by something" ends at "Repository". [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.193|108.162.237.193]] 04:35, 18 September 2015 (UTC)</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1577:_Advent&diff=1018901577: Advent2015-09-16T05:53:00Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ a caption</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1577<br />
| date = September 14, 2015<br />
| title = Advent<br />
| image = advent.png<br />
| titletext = The few dozen doors that have little Christmas trees on them are a nice touch.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|first drafts}}<br />
An {{w|Advent calendar}} is usually a means of celebrating the days before Christmas. Each day on the calendar is represented by a "door" (a flap of card), behind which is usually a picture related to the Christian nativity, a picture of commercial Christmas (eg a present), a small chocolate, or a small gift. This comic satirizes the concept by proposing such a calendar that would have one gift for each day one is anticipated to live. Such a calendar would be very morbid and existential. This is especially disturbing when given as a gift because it implies someone has put extensive thought into when the recipient will die.<br />
<br />
In [[Cueball|Cueball's]] case, assuming each square in the calendar represents one day, the wall he is facing is the entire present he received and the boxes just out of view follow the same pattern, the entire wall represents 16,800 days (a large grid of 12x20 smaller grids of 10x7 boxes: 12×20×10×7 = 16,800), i.e. just under 46 more years (16,800/365.25 = 45.99589). <br />
<br />
Assuming that Cueball is a male from the US, and according to American Official Social Security [http://www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/table4c6.html Actuarial Life Table] for males, he is probably 31.9 years old [http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=32*x+%2B+y+%3D+45.9%3B+31*x+%2B+y+%3D+46.83%3B+z*x+%2B+y+%3D+45.99589]. This would make [[Cueball]] almost exactly one year older than [[Randall]], who was born October 17, 1984 making him 30.9 years old when he wrote this comic.<br />
<br />
The title text refers back to a standard advent calendar by saying that the Christmases are specially marked; on a traditional Advent calendar, only the 1st to the 24th of December have doors, however in recent times, Advent calendars often also include an additional door for the day after Advent, Christmas Day. A few dozen may be any small number, and 3.833 dozens (46) is aptly described by ''a few dozen''; see [[1070: Words for Small Sets]]. Any dictionary (for example [http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/dozen Oxford Learner's Dictionaries]) says that a dozen may be an approximate number, not exactly 12.<br />
<br />
A completely different advent calendar was mentioned in [[994: Advent Calendar]].<br />
<br />
Similar calendars have been mentioned in the blog ''Wait But Why'' in the 2014 post [http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/05/life-weeks.html Your Life in Weeks], and in equally geeky webcomic ''Abstruse Goose'', in the 2008 post [http://abstrusegoose.com/51 936 Little Blobs].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is looking at a large wall subdivided into a rectangular 20 x 12 grid, with each grid subdivided into 10x7 small drawers. Below the frame there is a caption:]<br />
:Unsettling gift: Life expectancy Advent calendar<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Philosophy]]<br />
[[Category:Christmas]]<br />
[[Category:Time]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1578:_Squirrelphone&diff=1018891578: Squirrelphone2015-09-16T05:43:25Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ r</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1578<br />
| date = September 16, 2015<br />
| title = Squirrelphone<br />
| image = squirrelphone.png<br />
| titletext = After a while, the squirrel starts making that beeping noise and doesn't stop until it hops back up onto the stump.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is a joke about [http://squirrelmail.org/ SquirrelMail], a web-based email client that was for many early email users their first webmail service.<br />
<br />
Before SquirrelMail, users had to check email by opening a terminal via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telnet telnet] to a remote server and using a command line tool like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_%28Unix%29 mail] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_%28e-mail_client%29 Pine] or dowloading it via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Mail_Transfer_Protocol SMTP] to a dedicated email client. Organizations enabling it in their servers allowed their users as well to check mail from any web browser, even in a setting like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_caf%C3%A9 Internet cafés] where only WWW was possible and telnet or email clients were not available.<br />
<br />
While SquirrelMail was an existent service, there has never existed a "Squirrel-phone" or similar sevice, a living squirrel being not an appropiate creature to mantain a phone call.<br />
<br />
<br />
The sounds the squirrel makes correspond to the tones that the terminals made when you used the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) in the US:<br />
* When someone else called you and the receiver of your phone was hanged up, the phone made loud and long "riiing riiiing" tones. --- This is the case in the first frame of the comic.<br />
* When you picked up, the phone call was established and no noises were made.<br />
* When no phone call was established and you picked up, a continous "riiiiiiiiiiing" tone was heard, meaning the service was up and you could dial someone else's number.<br />
* When no phone call was established but dialling was not possible, short "bip bip bip bip" tones were heard. This happened either when an existing call ended or was interrupted or you had had the receiver too long (about half a minute) picked up without dialing --- This is the case in the alt-text of the comic ---. In this case, you should hang up again to be able to pick up and dial.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is approaching a stump with a squirrel perched on it. A ringing noise is coming from the squirrel's back.]<br />
:Squirrel: Riiiiing<br />
:Squirrel: Riiiiiing<br />
<br />
:[Cueball has picked up the squirrel and is holding it to his left ear]<br />
:Cueball: Hello?<br />
<br />
:[The squirrel bites Cueball's head]<br />
:Chomp!<br />
:Cueball: Ow!<br />
<br />
:[Cueball holds his face while the squirrel leaps away, fleeing]<br />
:Cueball: ???<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Squirrels]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1578:_Squirrelphone&diff=101888Talk:1578: Squirrelphone2015-09-16T05:33:03Z<p>108.162.237.193: doubt it's squirrelmail</p>
<hr />
<div>Could it be a reference to this? http://web.media.mit.edu/~stefanm/phd/cellularsquirrel/<br />
<br />
<br />
What about the old "Bananaphone" pun?<br />
<br />
<br />
Sometimes I wonder if the joke is to make ExplainXKCD squirm.<br />
<br />
^ Not really. Those like me who used SquirrelMail had a laugh. Mostly every XKCD joke is incomprehensible to people not familiar with the subject of the joke.<br />
<br />
"a living squirrel being not an appropiate creature to mantain a phone call. "... well, duh. Everyone knows that a squid would make MUCH more sense! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.161|108.162.250.161]] 05:16, 16 September 2015 (UTC)<br />
:I doubt this is supposed to be about SquirrelMail; it's much more likely to just be "Bananaphone" with a squirrel. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.193|108.162.237.193]] 05:33, 16 September 2015 (UTC)</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1578:_Squirrelphone&diff=1018851578: Squirrelphone2015-09-16T05:28:21Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ add transcript</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1578<br />
| date = September 16, 2015<br />
| title = Squirrelphone<br />
| image = squirrelphone.png<br />
| titletext = After a while, the squirrel starts making that beeping noise and doesn't stop until it hops back up onto the stump.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is a joke about [http://squirrelmail.org/ SquirrelMail], a web-based email client that was for many early email users their first webmail service.<br />
<br />
Before SquirrelMail, users had to check email by opening a terminal via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telnet telnet] to a remote server and using a command line tool like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mail_%28Unix%29 mail] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pine_%28e-mail_client%29 Pine] or dowloading it via [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simple_Mail_Transfer_Protocol SMTP] to a dedicated email client. Organizations enabling it in their servers allowed their users as well to check mail from any web browser, even in a setting like [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_caf%C3%A9 Internet cafés] where only WWW was possible and telnet or email clients were not available.<br />
<br />
While Squirrelmail was an existent service, there has never existed a "Squirrel-phone" or similar sevice, a living squirrel being not an appropiate creature to mantain a phone call.<br />
<br />
<br />
The sounds the squirrel makes correspond to the tones that the terminals made when you used the POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) in the US:<br />
* When someone else called you and the receiver of your phone was hanged up, the phone made loud and long "riiing riiiing" tones.<br />
* When you picked up, the phone call was established and no noises were made.<br />
* When no phone call was established and you picked up, a continous "riiiiiiiiiiing" tone was heard, meaning the service was up and you could dial someone else's number.<br />
* When no phone call was established but dialling was not possible, short "bip bip bip bip" tones were heard. This happened either when an existing call ended or was interrupted or you had had the receiver too long (about half a minute) picked up without dialing (This is case of the alt-text). In this case, you should hang up again to be able to pick up and dial.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is approaching a stump with a squirrel perched on it. A ringing noise is coming from the squirrel's back.]<br />
:Squirrel: Riiiiing<br />
:Squirel: Riiiiiing<br />
<br />
:[Cueball has picked up the squirrel and is holding it to his left ear]<br />
:Cueball: Hello?<br />
<br />
:[The squirrel bites Cueball's head]<br />
:Chomp!<br />
:Cueball: Ow!<br />
<br />
:[Cueball holds his face while the squirrel leaps away, fleeing]<br />
:Cueball: ???<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Squirrels]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1577:_Advent&diff=1016671577: Advent2015-09-14T04:38:18Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ add transcript</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1577<br />
| date = September 14, 2015<br />
| title = Advent<br />
| image = advent.png<br />
| titletext = The few dozen doors that have little Christmas trees on them are a nice touch.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page.}}<br />
An Advent calendar is a means of celebrating the days before Christmas. Each day on the calendar contains a small gift. This comic satirizes the concept by proposing such a calendar that would have one gift for each day one is anticipated to live. Such a calendar would be very morbid and existential. This is especially disturbing when given as a gift because it implies someone has put extensive thought into when the recipient will die.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is looking at a large wall subdivided into a rectangular grid, with each grid subdivided into 64 small drawers]<br />
:Caption: Unsettling gift: Life expectancy Advent calendar<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1573:_Cyberintelligence&diff=1010911573: Cyberintelligence2015-09-04T06:57:09Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */ add transcript</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1573<br />
| date = September 4, 2015<br />
| title = Cyberintelligence<br />
| image = cyberintelligence.png<br />
| titletext = We had gathered that raw information, but had yet to put it all together.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|}}<br />
<br />
This comic plays on the fact that some organization appears to be spending obscene amounts of money on their "cyber intelligence" budget, yet all that research appears not to have informed then that the prefix "cyber-" fell out of fashion years ago.<br />
<br />
The title text continues the joke by implying the organization learned about the demise of "cyber-" yet failed to process or analyze that data. It may also be a reference to the previous comic, which was a link to a survey for xkcd readers.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Ponytail is giving a presentation, pointing at a chart with graphs on it.]<br />
:Ponytail: Our overall FY2015 cyberintelligence budget was $8.1 billion—<br />
:Voice: -Yet it wasn't enough to pick up in the fact that no one else has used the prefix "cyber-" for like a decade?<br />
:Ponytail: Shut up.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1552:_Rulebook&diff=979741552: Rulebook2015-07-17T15:24:46Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Explanation */ Pluto theory doesn't seem credible</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1552<br />
| date = July 17, 2015<br />
| title = Rulebook<br />
| image = rulebook.png<br />
| titletext = It's definitely an intentional foul, but we've decided it's worth it.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{Incomplete|first draft}}<br />
<br />
This cartoon is a common theme in xkcd and a reference to the film series Air Bud and other similar films. In the film a golden retriever becomes the star player in a sports team. Invariably in these films the opposing team will contest the legality of inter-species play resulting in the referees stating "nothing in the rule book says dogs can't play". The same scenario is alluded in [[115: Meerkat]].<br />
<br />
Rulebooks are considered the final arbiter of decisions in many games. However, this flawed reasoning allows any number of activities that are not specifically discussed in the rule book, such as setting the playing field on fire, [[650: Nowhere|riding on dinosaurs]], [[356: Nerd Sniping|nerd sniping]], or [https://what-if.xkcd.com/1/ throwing the ball at 90% of the speed of light]. Rule books are also mentioned in <br />
<br />
:* [[330: Indecision]]<br />
:* [[393: Ultimate Game]]<br />
<br />
In this scenario [[Ponytail]] declares to her opponents, [[Cueball]], [[Megan]] and a golden retriever that her team may euthanize and digest a member of their team and note that it is also not specifically discussed in the rule book.<br />
<br />
The title text alludes to the flaw in the reasoning indicating such things are discussed indirectly in the rule book. Killing a player is a technical foul, but the penalty may be well worth the removal of the opposing star player and dogs, however gifted at sports, are not nearly as well protected by law as humans are.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:[Dog wearing jersey number 9]<br />
<br />
:[Ponytail: There's nothing in the rulebook that says we can't kill and eat your dog.]<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Rulebook]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=388:_Fuck_Grapefruit&diff=97897388: Fuck Grapefruit2015-07-16T17:08:51Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Table */ use words instead of meaningless letter sequences</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 388<br />
| date = February 25, 2008<br />
| title = Fuck Grapefruit<br />
| image = fuck_grapefruit.png<br />
| titletext = Coconuts are so far down to the left they couldn't be fit on the chart. Ever spent half an hour trying to open a coconut with a rock? Fuck coconuts.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|A large portion of this explanation is waffle, and not even the tasty kind... Needs rewriting to be more succinct, perhaps moving the comments on individual fruits to an additional column in the table, or removing some of the less relevant ones completely.}}<br />
<br />
This comic consists of a chart where [[Randall]] has plotted {{w|fruits}} according to two criteria: ease/difficulty to eat, and tastiness. For instance, {{w|pineapples}} are deemed fairly tasty but very difficult to eat, whereas (seeded) {{w|grapes}} are very tasty and somewhat easy, and logically {{w|Grape#Seedless_grapes|seedless grapes}} are just about equally tasty while being far more easy at the same time.<br />
<br />
Obviously being easy to eat is preferable to being difficult, and being tasty is preferable to being untasty, so the "best" fruits (regarding these two aspects only) are in the top-right corner, and the worst in the bottom-left one; additionally, in the top-left corner are the "difficult-but-worthy" fruits, and in the bottom-right one, the "not-so-tasty-but-easy-anyway" ones.<br />
<br />
According to the resulting chart, {{w|grapefruit}} is the third hardest fruit to eat as well as the second most untasty fruit (from the ones listed at least) - see the [[#Table|Table]]. Eating one of them is like spending too much of one's time and energy without much reward. Hence Randall's quip in the title: "Fuck grapefruit".<br />
<br />
From the chart/table it is also clear that {{w|peaches}} are among Randall's favorite fruit as it is the one deemed most tasty and it is far more tasty than the four fruits that are deemed easier to eat.<br />
<br />
The title text brings {{w|coconuts}} into the equation. As Randall puts it, they are far more difficult to eat (especially to open) than the usual mainstream fruits such as the ones plotted here, and once open Randall doesn't even like the taste. Therefore, they could not even fit on the chart because they are too far in the bottom-left corner. Having spent half an hour trying (in vain?) to open a coconut, Randall has superseded the previous "worst fruit" in the title: "Fuck coconuts".<br />
<br />
Although it has "{{w|nut}}" in its name, the coconut is actually a {{w|Drupe|stone fruit}} and thus belongs on a chart of fruit. Along these lines of thought, many would claim that the {{w|tomato}} is a {{w|vegetable}}. In the botanical sense however, it is actually a fruit (or a {{w|berry}} - but Randall has already included for instance {{w|blueberries}}). But then he might as well have included a {{w|cucumber}} which in this sense is also a fruit. See for instance the description on this {{w|List of culinary fruits}}. The {{w|strawberry}} is actually not a berry but an {{w|accessory fruit}}, like many of the other fruits on the chart.<br />
<br />
It is clear from this chart that Randall is not much into any kind of {{w|citrus}} fruit. Although it would have been interesting to see where he would have placed the more sweet and often much more peel-able {{w|mandarin orange|mandarin}} and especially the hybrid {{w|clementine}}. (This could resemble the comparison of seeded vs. seedless grapes - and why are the seeded grapes more tasty?). It is a mystery why he would think that a {{w|lemon}} is easier to eat (or peel) than an {{w|orange}}. And whereas it is clear that a knife is needed to begin eating a pineapple, thus making this very difficult to eat, one could also say the same for {{w|watermelon}}! So why should he consider this easier to eat than for instance oranges, that are fairly easy to peel? Similarly, it seems weird that he thinks that {{w|bananas}} are rather difficult to eat, as they are among the most easily peel-able fruit. However, the eater is left with a rather large peel, that one should not just drop in nature or on a street (where people always slip on them...) Maybe this explains that they should be more difficult to eat? Many would also think that fruits containing a stone/pit such as peaches and {{w|cherries}} would be more annoying; however, this clearly not the case for Randall, and this comic reflects his personal opinions - see below.<br />
<br />
As evident from the above paragraph, and according to [http://blog.xkcd.com/2008/02/25/fruit-opinions/ FRUIT OPINIONS!] on the [http://blog.xkcd.com/ Blag], this was the most controversial comic written to this point, ''beating out comics about cunnilingus, the Obama endorsement, and my making 4chan tiny on the map of the internet''.<br />
*{{w|Cunnilingus}} see [[136: Science Fair]].<br />
*{{w|List of Barack Obama presidential campaign endorsements, 2008|The Obama endorsement}} See [http://blog.xkcd.com/2008/01/28/obama/ Politics] also from the Blag. <br />
**The only comic mentioning {{w|Obama}} before this comic was [[360: Writers Strike]].<br />
*{{w|4chan}} is tiny on the map of the internet called [[256: Online Communities]]. (See the small island to the far right - left of "dragons" in the sentence ''Here there be anthromorphic dragons''.)<br />
**Not to be confused with the comic that is actually named [[195: Map of the Internet]].<br />
<br />
==Table==<br />
The comic shows an X-Y plot of fruit, showing tastiness on the vertical axis and difficulty-of-consumption on the horizontal axis. The Y-axis goes from "tasty" at the top, to "untasty" at the bottom. The X-axis goes from "easy" on the right to "difficult" on the left. <br />
<br />
Below is a table listing the coordinates for each fruit according to how tasty it is and assuming that the extremes of each axis goes from -100% to 100% (untasty = -tasty and difficult = -easy). Note that this does not agree with the title text since {{w|coconuts}} would be off the charts. However the extremes for both tasty and untasty as well as for easy and difficult are equally far from the main axis. <br />
<br />
The coordinated have been found by measuring each fruit from the center of the drawing (not center of mass, but center from left to right/top to bottom) to the two axes. The axes are hand drawn which is clearly visible. The numbers have been obtained be measuring to the nearest point of each axis, not taking into account that the axes are not perfect straight perpendicular lines. <br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable sortable"<br />
! Tastiness !! Easiness !! Fruit<br />
|-<br />
| 100% || 68% || {{w|Peaches}}<br />
|-<br />
| 85% || 13% || {{w|Grape|Seeded grapes}}<br />
|-<br />
| 75% || 75% || {{w|Strawberries}}<br />
|-<br />
| 72% || 100% || {{w|Grape#Seedless_grapes|Seedless grapes}}<br />
|-<br />
| 68% || -100% || {{w|Pineapples}}<br />
|-<br />
| 58% || 87% || {{w|Blueberries}}<br />
|-<br />
| 38% || 42% || {{w|Cherries}}<br />
|-<br />
| 37% || 66% || {{w|Pear}}s<br />
|-<br />
| 22% || 79% || {{w|Green apples}}<br />
|-<br />
| 17% || 59% || {{w|Plums}}<br />
|-<br />
| 15% || -20% || {{w|Watermelons}}<br />
|-<br />
| -12% || 79% || {{w|Apple|Red apples}}<br />
|-<br />
| -18% || 16% || {{w|Bananas}}<br />
|-<br />
| -20% || -85% || {{w|Pomegranates}}<br />
|-<br />
| -46% || -49% || {{w|Oranges}}<br />
|-<br />
| -74% || 26% || {{w|Tomatoes}}<br />
|-<br />
| -86% || -75% || {{w|Grapefruit}}<br />
|-<br />
| -100% || -15% || {{w|Lemons}}<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[An X-Y plot of fruit where both axises have arrows in both ends. At the end of each arrow is a label.] <br />
:[The X-axis from left to right:]<br />
:Difficult<br />
:Easy<br />
:[The Y-axis from top to bottom:]<br />
:Tasty<br />
:Untasty<br />
<br />
:[The fruit names are listed here below from top to bottom according to the how tasty the fruit is, not necessarily in the same order that the names are written if one fruit is tall/large and the other low:]<br />
:Peaches<br />
:Seeded grapes<br />
:Strawberries<br />
:Seedless grapes<br />
:Pineapples<br />
:Blueberries<br />
:Cherries<br />
:Pears<br />
:Green apples<br />
:Plums<br />
:Watermelons<br />
:Red apples<br />
:Bananas<br />
:Pomegranates<br />
:Oranges<br />
:Tomatoes<br />
:Grapefruit<br />
:Lemons<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Charts]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1540:_Hemingway&diff=959991540: Hemingway2015-06-20T06:58:12Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Explanation */ after 1995 can't be "early 1990s"</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1540<br />
| date = June 19, 2015<br />
| title = Hemingway<br />
| image = hemingway.png<br />
| titletext = Instead of bobcat, package contained chair.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{Incomplete|Finished with Edit Conflict assimilation, but prior author(s) invited to rejig}}<br />
<br />
This comic is a reference to the six-word short story {{w|For sale: baby shoes, never worn}}, which has been attributed to famous author {{w|Ernest Hemingway}}; however, [[Randall|Randall Munroe]] explicitly states that this might not be the case at all. The comic plays on the fact that the original story takes the form of a short advertisement that might have been seen in a newspaper, and for these examples uses various modern 'standards' that did not exist in Hemingway's time. In keeping with the original, each example remains six words long. The title text obeys this rule, too.<br />
<br />
In short: It is said that Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words ("For sale: baby shoes, never worn.") and allegedly called it his best work.<br />
<br />
The various drafts offered in the comic are:<br />
*"For Sale: This gullible baby's shoes": This suggests the seller somehow tricked the baby out of its shoes. This pokes fun at the tragedy that the original story suggests. With the original (For Sale: Baby shoes, never worn), readers could infer that the baby who would have worn the shoes must have died. Randall tries to make the reader infer other, more absurd things instead.<br />
*"Baby shoes for sale by owner": This suggests that a very intelligent baby is somehow selling its own shoes, or that someone is selling an old pair of shoes they had as a baby.<br />
*"Free shoes, provided you overpower baby": This suggests the person posting the ad doesn't in fact own the shoes, but rather is asking people to forcibly steal shoes from a baby wearing them.<br />
*"For Sale: Weird baby's toe shoes: This might be a reference to [[1065: Shoes]], where shoes with toes were considered "creepy".<br />
*"For Sale: Baby shoes / Prime eligible": This is a reference to Amazon, which offers Prime as a paid service to expedite shipping of items ordered on its website.<br />
*"This weird trick covers baby feet!": This is modeled after common 'click bait' wording designed to get users to visit web pages, typically using words such as "This weird trick" or "secrets they don't want you to know" to artificially increase its apparent appeal.<br />
*"For Sale: Baby shoes, just hatched": This plays on the meaning of the phrase "baby shoes", reframing it to mean a newly-born shoe (similar to "baby bird"), rather than its typical meaning of shoes designed for babies.<br />
*"Sale: Seven-league boots (expedited shipping): {{w|Seven-league boots}} are mythical boots that allow their user to move seven leagues (about 25 miles) per step. The "expedited shipping" part suggests that the boots will be shipped to the customer on the feet of a walking person, thus allowing the boots to be shipped much faster than if by airplane (except, of course, if the boots had to be shipped overseas).<br />
*"Complete this survey for free shoes": This is another reference to common internet marketing campaigns, where users are incentivized to take surveys in exchange for small compensation such as free samples or coupons.<br />
*"''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway [Citation needed]": This is a reference to Wikipedia. "Citation needed" is used to mark claims that require additional evidence to justify as true. In this case, Randal is using this to question whether the short story was really written by Hemingway.<br />
*"This is my greatest short story": This is a completely different style that could also have been used to write a short story in six words. Rather than telling a story about shoes, this is more "meta" by referencing itself and being a self-fulfilling (or self-defeating) prophecy.<br />
*"For Sale: Baby shoes (-1) [Cursed]": This is written like a description of a virtual item typically found in Roguelike games or MMOs. "-1" and "Cursed" are attributes of the item, which usually produce negative consequences that reduce its wearer's stats or abilities.<br />
*"<Blink><Marquee>Baby shoes!</Marquee><Blink>": This is reminiscent of the style of HTML widely used in the 1990s. Both the <Blink> and <Marquee> tags make the text content ("Baby shoes!") appear more prominent and attention-grabbing. The normally invisble-and-rendered tag elements can be seen and are part of the six words count. This could have been due to 'sanitising' of uploaded text where HTML tags (other than any that are specifically allowed, like it appears Strikethrough formatting might be) are deliberately deactivated by the server, or because the incorrectly closed final tag breaks any intended rendering support.<br />
*"For Sale: Baby-sized saddle, bobcat": This is a reference to [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]] in which [[Cueball]] says: 'Instead of office chair, package contained bobcat'.<br />
*"Hemingway busted for Craigslist shoe scam": This is written like a news headline where Hemingway supposedly wrote about shoes in order to perpetrate a scam. Craigslist is a website where users can advertise and seek goods and services.<br />
<br />
The title text continues the reference to [[A-Minus-Minus|325: A-Minus-Minus]], but inverts the situation. Rather than unexpectedly receiving a bobcat by package, this time the package contains a regular item instead of the expected bobcat.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Caption above comic]<br />
:Hemingway's Rough Drafts<br />
<br />
:[A list of rough draft stories]<br />
:For sale: This Gullible Baby's Shoes<br />
:Baby Shoes For Sale By Owner<br />
:<strike>Actually, There's no evidence Hemingway wrote</strike><br />
:Free Shoes, Provided You Overpower Baby<br />
:For Sale: Weird Baby's Toe Shoes<br />
:For Sale: Baby Shoes ''Prime'' eligible<br />
:<strike>Though popularly attributed to Hemingway, the</strike><br />
:This Weird Trick Covers Baby Feet!<br />
:For Sale: Baby Shoes, Just Hatched<br />
:Sale: Seven-League Boots (Expedited Shipping)<br />
:Complete this survey for free shoes!<br />
:''Shoes'', by Ernest Hemingway <sup>[<span style='color: #0645ad; font-style: italic;'>citation needed</span>]</sup><br />
:This is my greatest short story.<br />
:For sale: Baby shoes (-1) [cursed]<br />
:<span style='color: #727272;'>&lt;blink&gt;&lt;marquee&gt;</span>Baby Shoes!<span style='color: #727272;'>&lt;/marquee&gt;&lt;blink&gt;</span><br />
:For Sale: Baby-sized Saddle, Bobcat<br />
:Hemingway Busted for Craigslist Shoe Scam<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics|Color]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:549:_Westley%27s_a_Dick&diff=95785Talk:549: Westley's a Dick2015-06-17T10:41:42Z<p>108.162.237.193: </p>
<hr />
<div>This is a bit too much story... --[[User:NeatNit|NeatNit]] ([[User talk:NeatNit|talk]]) 05:52, 22 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Not really: if you don't know ''The Princess Bride'' story, but want to understand this comic, it is the right amount of information. [[User:Markhurd|Mark Hurd]] ([[User talk:Markhurd|talk]]) 11:39, 22 December 2013 (UTC)<br />
: You mean there are people who read XKCD and ''dont'' know the story of ''The Princess Bride''?? But yeah, Westley has been a merciless murderer for the last few years, and they kind of gloss over it. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.62.210|173.245.62.210]] 04:30, 28 February 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
You committed one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is Never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well know, Never give too long an explanation of a movie! {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.32}}<br />
::Reply to both the above comments: I have seen the movie, but I'm sure many xkcd readers have not. Also I could hardly remember any details from the movie, and certainly not the one about rolling down a cliff or the "as you wish" reply. And since it is important to know about the Dread Pirate and the prince as well as the Spaniard to understand the comic, it is almost impossible to explain less of the movie and still get all this info into the explanation. I would not even have know it was from that film based on the comic. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:12, 11 June 2015 (UTC)<br />
:::I presume he was just taking the opportunity to make a joke using dialogue from the film. I think your explanation is spot on, FWIW.[[User:Mattdevney|Mattdevney]] ([[User talk:Mattdevney|talk]]) 15:39, 12 June 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I presume that fans have discussed the option that Westley was lying about the whole Dread Pirate Roberts story to cover up something he doesn't want Buttercup to worry about? I always thought the comment "I'd hardly be a dread pirate if I didn't." was kind of an admission, rather than a boast. Everything following it could be seen as an attempt to keep the secret. See the trope [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/KeepingSecretsSucks Keeping Secrets Sucks] although, in this case, it obviously didn't end up in [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TheMasqueradeWillKillYourDatingLife The Masquerade Will Kill Your Dating Life][[User:Mattdevney|Mattdevney]] ([[User talk:Mattdevney|talk]]) 15:39, 12 June 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Another thing to keep in mind is that he was help captive for several years ("Good night, Westley. I'll probably kill you in the morning."). The movie indicates that this went on for a while, but doesn't indicate when exactly the original DPR retired, from what I recall. Hence this could be a case of reading too much into a detail of the film—though done for humorous effect, of course. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.193|108.162.237.193]] 10:41, 17 June 2015 (UTC)</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=549:_Westley%27s_a_Dick&diff=95398549: Westley's a Dick2015-06-12T21:15:00Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Explanation */ Inigo</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number =549<br />
| date =February 27, 2009<br />
| title =Westley's a Dick<br />
| image =westleys_a_dick.png<br />
| titletext =Inigo/Buttercup 4eva <3<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Inigo isn't explained and there are too may brackets.}}<br />
This is an alternate take on the 1973 fantasy romance novel ''{{w|The Princess Bride}}'' written by {{w|William Goldman}} which became a {{w|The Princess Bride (film)|film in 1987}}. <br />
<br />
The below explanation is full of '''spoilers''' regarding the story.<br /><br />
The story takes place in the country of Florin. Buttercup (played by {{w|Robin Wright}} and here depicted as a girl with long hair) was a farmer who took her greatest joy from bossing Westley ({{w|Cary Elwes}} here depicted as [[Cueball]] with a black {{w|bandana}}) around like a servant. His only reply to her requests would be, "As you wish". As time passed, Buttercup realized that when Westley said "As you wish", what he really meant was "I love you". And one day she realized that she truly loved him back.<br />
<br />
However, having no money for marriage, Westley went away to seek his fortune across the sea. Buttercup soon received word that Westley had been murdered by the {{w|Dread Pirate Roberts}}, and for days she neither slept nor ate, falling into a deep despondency and swearing that she would never love again.<br />
<br />
Five years later, the aged King of Florin is near death, and the heir apparent, Prince Humperdinck, chooses Buttercup to be his bride, considering her to be the fairest maiden in the land. However, Buttercup doesn't love him. One day, while out riding, she is captured by three bandits — a Sicilian self-proclaimed genius named Vizzini, Spanish swordsman Inigo Montoya, and gentle giant Fezzik. (Vizzini is the only one of the trio who's genuinely malevolent, though.) The trio had been hired by Humperdinck to kill Buttercup and make it look like rival nation Guilder was responsible, giving Humperdinck the only excuse he needs to start a war between the two countries.<br />
<br />
What they didn't count on was that Westley, wearing the outfit of a "Man in Black" (all-black clothing, sword, and black mask) was following them to stop them. Catching up to the trio, Westley defeats Inigo in fencing, Fezzik in hand-to-hand combat (rendering the two of them unconscious), and then kills Vizzini in a battle of wits.<br />
<br />
Westley doesn't reveal his identity to Buttercup at first, but he gladly admits to being the Dread Pirate Roberts. Believing him to have been responsible for Westley's death, Buttercup gets into a vehement argument with him, culminating with her saying, "I ''died'' that day! And you can die too, for all I care!"<br />
<br />
She pushes him off a hill, with Westley replying "Aaaaaass... yoooooouuuu... wiiiiiish!" on the way down. Finally realizing who he is, she rolls down after him, and that's the point at which this comic picks up.<br />
<br />
There are, however, several fundamentally questionable decisions Westley ''had'' to have made in order for the film's narrative to make any sense whatsoever. He took over as the Dread Pirate Roberts from the man previously known as Roberts — who ''also'' isn't the original DPR. Westley became, at minimum, the ''fourth'' man known as the Dread Pirate Roberts — it's a legacy name designed to evoke fear into the populace. (As he said, ''no one'' would surrender to the Dread Pirate Westley.)<br />
<br />
But over the last five years, while earning the previous Roberts' respect, taking over for him and then making his fortune, Westley has allowed Buttercup to believe that he'd been murdered, preventing her from getting on with the rest of her life. And now he kills people, sacks ports and loots ships for a living. <br />
<br />
Buttercup asks him why he let her believe he was dead. Hi tries to evade her question by blaming her for sleeping with the prince. But she only did that after having mourned him for years. Then she continues to blame him for killing people, where his only excuse is that he would not have been a dread pirate if he didn't. <br />
<br />
In the end he claims that it was for the sake of {{w|narrative}} - without it there would be no story to tell. <br />
<br />
"Fuck narrative", the comic's Buttercup says. "I'm gonna go see if that Spaniard's single." (ie. Inigo). As she says this while walking away, Westley replies, as he always did, "As you wish" - this is also the last line in the movie, although there it is said by the narrator not Westley.<br />
<br />
Of course, Inigo has had to be a bad guy for awhile now himself, but he admitted even to Westley that he was just doing it to pay the bills. <br />
<br />
The conclusion is that Westley has behaved like a dick, hence the title of the comic. It is not the first time [[Randall]] has referenced this movie, as the Dread Pirate was referenced in [[345: 1337: Part 5]], and a quote from this movie is in the title text of [[1427: iOS Keyboard]]. So it seems like a film that has some meaning for Randall. So maybe he likes it, but, if you think too much about the story, you realize how awful the hero of the story, Westley, actually behaves. In the movie he and Buttercup ends up together in spite of this behavior!<br />
<br />
The title text shows what would look like a message she and Inigo has written together, for instance in a heart on a three. Their names, then forever (4eva) and a heart (smiley heart = "<3"). So they did end up together according to this version of the story.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A girl (Buttercup) with long hair and a man (Westley) looking like Cueball but with a bandana lies at the foot of a high cliff. There is a forest in the background]<br />
:Buttercup: Oh, my sweet Westley!<br />
<br />
:[Buttercup sits on her knees, Westley takes off his bandana.]<br />
:Buttercup: Why did you let me think you were dead?<br />
:Westley: You shacked up with the prince!<br />
:Buttercup: After years of mourning! The worst pain of my life!<br />
<br />
:[Buttercup stands up looking down on Westley who still sits with the bandana in his hand.]<br />
:Buttercup: And now you ... kill people?<br />
:Westley: I'd hardly be a dread pirate if I didn't.<br />
:Buttercup: How lovable.<br />
<br />
:[Westley stands with the bandana in hand while Buttercup walks away from him.]<br />
<br />
:Westley: It was for the sake of the narrative!<br />
:Buttercup: Fuck the narrative. I'm going to go see if that Spaniard's single.<br />
:Westley: ...As you wish.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Romance]]</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1474:_Screws&diff=82801Talk:1474: Screws2015-01-16T08:05:57Z<p>108.162.237.193: </p>
<hr />
<div>This page is now on the first page of google for "uranium screw". [[User:Mrmakeit|Mrmakeit]] ([[User talk:Mrmakeit|talk]]) 05:31, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I don't think that patent is the right one, it seems to describe a uranium decontamination procedure, not a screw made of uranium like in the comic. [[User:LeoDeQuirm|LeoDeQuirm]] ([[User talk:LeoDeQuirm|talk]]) 05:46, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
I'm pretty sure the "uranium screw" is just a reference to the fact that the head of the screw appears to have split in two ("fissioned"), as opposed to a normal flat head screw that still has the edges connected. [[User:Sam887|Sam887]] ([[User talk:Sam887|talk]]) 05:50, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
Just a shot in the dark here, but a company that sells uranium ore and radiological equipment happens to also sell screws for one of its Geigers that look just like the screw cross-section in the comic. [http://www.uraniumrocks.com/products/replacement-circuit-board-mount-screws-for-victoreen-cdv-700-short] [[User:Conqu2|Conqu2]] ([[User talk:Conqu2|talk]]) 06:01, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I was wondering if the "uranium screw" was referring to the Demon Core -- two hemispherical domes that Louis Slotin was holding apart with a screwdriver. Then I remembered the Demon Core was plutonium, not uranium. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.119|173.245.48.119]] 06:49, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
I think the be was going for apple's pentalobe screw with the 5 ponted star<br />
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I don't think the uranium screws are named for their use in stuff to do with uranium, as I have both seen and used screws that look like that before. It's basically a flat head screw whose divot extends all the way across the face of the screw. I agree more with the previous commentor who notes that the screw looks like it has fissioned. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.182|108.162.237.182]] 06:34, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
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An actual rivet is neither a screw nor a bolt; it's a fastener that is placed and then has one end plastically deformed -- traditionally by a rivet gun, but more often in smaller sizes by some sort of press or clamp. (Pop rivets are hollow, and are deformed by pulling a cone-sheaped wedge into the open end of the hollow core.) There's no way to remove one except to destroy it (drill it out or cut one end off). The item pictured could also be the head of a carriage bolt, but that's no help if you can't get at the other end of the bolt. Randall is slightly pessemistic, though: there *are* some "security" screws and bolts that use a slightly-elliptical domed head that's hard to tell from a rivet; they can be unscrewed, but only with a matching slightly-elliptical socket. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.70|199.27.133.70]] 06:35, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
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All of which can be removed by a sonic screwdriver. Totally a real thing.<br />
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Could the "cursed -1" be a Nethack reference? I don't know if Dungeons and Dragons has the "blessed/uncursed/cursed" status, but in Nethack cursed items with negative enchantments (denoted "cursed -whatever") are a pretty common occurrence. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.25|199.27.133.25]] 07:31, 16 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
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In Nethack, Cursed objects cannot be removed. Seems appropriate. At first I thought it was a pozidrive screw head. Posts on the fission screw head: where have you seen screws whose divot does *not* extend across the head?<br />
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[[User:Kreuiter|Kreuiter]] ([[User talk:Kreuiter|talk]]) 08:03, 16 January 2015 (UTC)from wikipedia: Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orléans (13 April 1747 – 6 November 1793) commonly known as Philippe, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe Égalité, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror<br />
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I don't think it is specifically a reference to Nethack as a lot of ol games (both video and tabletop) use the mechanic of non removable cursed objects. It is common enough in my opinion that we could argue about until we are blue in the face and get nowhere.</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1428:_Move_Fast_and_Break_Things&diff=76590Talk:1428: Move Fast and Break Things2014-10-02T03:36:07Z<p>108.162.237.193: </p>
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<div>catch me if I'm wrong here, but driving the hearse recklessly would probably be more likely to injure pedestrians on the way to the funeral - not the attendees, who are often behind the hearse (?) -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 11:05, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
:That really depends on how recklessly you're driving.--[[User:Bmmarti3|Bmmarti3]] ([[User talk:Bmmarti3|talk]]) 13:32, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
:: Arguably, if you're doing it 'right' for certain values of 'right,' you should be getting both. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.193|108.162.237.193]] 03:36, 2 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
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Forgive me, but "removing wrong body parts" in the explanation made me grin. "Woops, that's not an appendix! Why are we in the brain, anyway?" [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.165|108.162.219.165]] 13:53, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
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:The scary thing is that it does happen with suprising frequency. Incorrect diagnosis of symptoms, left leg amputated instead of the right, Mr Jones' operation accidentally carried out on Mr James, surgical instruments left inside the patient, incorrect drugs prescribed, etc etc. There is an interesting [http://www.ted.com/talks/brian_goldman_doctors_make_mistakes_can_we_talk_about_that?language=en TED talk] on the subject by Brian Goldman. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 14:07, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
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:Reminds me of [http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=580#comic this SMBC comic] —[[User:Artyer|Artyer]] <sup><big>([[User Talk:Artyer|talk]]<big>'''&#124;'''</big><sub>[[Special:Contributions/Artyer|ctb]]</sub>)</big></sup> 15:50, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
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Quick question: If cueball almost got fired from his job at the funeral home, and still works there, how is this a job interview? —[[User:Artyer|Artyer]] <sup><big>([[User Talk:Artyer|talk]]<big>'''&#124;'''</big><sub>[[Special:Contributions/Artyer|ctb]]</sub>)</big></sup> 15:50, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
:You can go to a job interview while you still have a job; in fact in some places you're more likely to get an offer this way. [[User:Zowayix|Zowayix]] ([[User talk:Zowayix|talk]]) 16:26, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
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:Maybe he quit instead of getting fired. [[User:Cheeselover724|Cheeselover724]] ([[User talk:Cheeselover724|talk]]) 21:48, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
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For the violin, he must have [http://www.laboiteverte.fr/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Faerie__s_Aire_and_Death_Waltz.jpg bowed real fast and slippage occurred.] --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.127|108.162.216.127]] 17:06, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
:That's amazing! Where does it come from? --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 21:06, 1 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
::Hmm, found this, don't know if it's legitimate or not. http://lostinthecloudblog.com/2010/03/13/john-stump-composer-of-faeries-aire-and-death-waltz/ --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 21:32, 1 October 2014 (UTC)</div>108.162.237.193https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1245:_10-Day_Forecast&diff=763881245: 10-Day Forecast2014-09-27T15:08:22Z<p>108.162.237.193: /* Transcript */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1245<br />
| date = July 31, 2013<br />
| title = 10-Day Forecast<br />
| image = 10 day forecast.png<br />
| titletext = Oh, definitely not; they don't have Amazon Prime.<br />
}}<br />
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==Explanation==<br />
The 10-day forecast is a prediction of the weather extending 10 days into the future (with varying degrees of accuracy). However, when [[Cueball]] checks the forecast for his local area, it apparently predicts progressively extreme lightning storms, a plague of insects, what appears to be {{w|Rapture|The Rapture}}, and the appearance of the anti-Christ. Upon the anti-Christ (or perhaps Woden or Mothra) appearing, the forecast breaks up into static and nothingness with the day stuck on Tuesday, meaning that the world has ended.<br />
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When asked about this, [[Megan]] casually explains that Cueball put a minus (-) sign in front of his ZIP code. A {{w|Zone Improvement Plan|ZIP code}} is a numeric postal code used in the United States, but many more countries use similar systems. As ZIP codes are tied to a geographic location, it is also often used to specify a local region for the purposes of weather reports.<br />
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Many computer systems that let the user write in a number many only work with certain numbers (such as positive numbers). Numbers the system is not designed to work with (such as negative numbers) may lead to errors or unpredictable behavior. When this happens with the number of a video game level, it can result in data of another type being loaded, creating a level with a corrupted or physically-impossible landscape; this is sometimes known as a "[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MinusWorld Minus World]".<br />
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Megan assumes that the negative zip code represents an actual geographical location, or a real-life Minus World, and that the weather forecaster is indeed showing an accurate forecast for the (corrupted) area. She also implies that several such Minus World locations exist.<br />
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In the title text, Megan agrees with Cueball's desire not to move to that ZIP code area, the punchline being that her reason is not to avoid the apocalypse, but to retain access to Amazon Prime, which shows that her priorities are amusingly warped. The service Amazon Prime is provided by {{w|Amazon.com|Amazon}}, where the user pays a flat annual fee and in exchange he/she gets access a number of "enhanced" Amazon services, including free two-day shipping, free access to a library of streaming videos, and the ability to borrow books.<br />
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==Transcript==<br />
:Megan: Is it going to rain this weekend? I have a thing.<br />
:[Cueball sits behind a computer desk.]<br />
:Cueball: Lemme check.<br />
:<small>*type type*</small><br />
:Cueball: ...uhh. What?<br />
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:'''Your 10-day forecast:'''<br />
:Today [Sunny] Today<br />
:Tomorrow [Cloudy] Tomorrow<br />
:Friday [Thunderstorms]<br />
:Saturday [Extreme thunderstorms]<br />
:Sunday [Swarm of insects]<br />
:Monday [Images of distorted, floating people]<br />
:Tuesday [A human with two horns silhouetted against a bleak red background]<br />
:Tuesday [Grey static]<br />
:Tuesday [Black screen]<br />
:Tuesday [Black screen]<br />
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:Megan: ...Oh! You typed a minus sign in the ZIP code. The negative ZIP codes are all like that.<br />
:Cueball: Let's ''never'' move there.<br />
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{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>108.162.237.193