https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=162.158.255.148&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-28T13:15:55ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1270:_Functional&diff=2119121270: Functional2021-05-14T19:03:49Z<p>162.158.255.148: Fixed a typo</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1270<br />
| date = September 27, 2013<br />
| title = Functional<br />
| image = functional.png<br />
| titletext = Functional programming combines the flexibility and power of abstract mathematics with the intuitive clarity of abstract mathematics.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Brief Explanation==<br />
[[White Hat]] questions [[Cueball]]'s faith in {{w|functional programming}}. [[Cueball]] responds saying, "Tail recursion is its own reward."<br />
<br />
{{w|Functional programming}} is a style of computer programming that uses only function calls, and not other traditional programming tools like loops. Functional programming often uses {{w|Recursion (computer science)|recursive functions}} to serve the same purpose that loops serve in other programming languages. A recursive function calls itself again, typically with slightly different arguments. E.g., the following {{w|Factorial|factorial function}} is recursive because it calls itself again for any argument value n greater than 0.<br />
<br />
factorial(n):<br />
if n == 0:<br />
return 1<br />
return n * factorial(n-1)<br />
<br />
{{w|Tail call|Tail recursion}} is a particular sort of recursion that often compiles into more efficient code (see the longer explanation below), but the differences between tail recursion and other sorts of recursion aren't important to the humor of this comic.<br />
<br />
The comic is a pun on two readings of "Tail recursion is its own reward". The expression "X is its own reward" often is used to suggest that X is {{w|intrinsic value (ethics)|intrinsically valuable}} in its own right. Some (but not all) programmers and mathematicians find recursive functions elegant and intrinsically pleasing, so would take tail recursion to be its own reward in this sense. Since recursive functions call themselves again, and make use of the resulting values, there is also a sense in which recursive functions also serve as their own "reward" - i.e., the recursive function itself returns the values that the function requires to perform its tasks. So even if you don't find tail recursion intrinsically pleasing, there is still this technical sense in which it is its own reward anyway.<br />
<br />
The title text is humorous in part because it violates two expectations. First, expressions of the form "X combines some trait of Y with some trait of Z" usually talk about combining traits of two different things (i.e., Y is not equal to Z) whereas this text surprises the reader by having "abstract mathematics" occupy the role of both Y and Z. And second, such expressions usually list two positive traits. The first listed trait (the "flexibility and power of abstract mathematics") is pretty clearly positive. However the second trait (the "intuitive clarity of abstract mathematics") is less clearly positive. Many people actually find abstract mathematics to be quite lacking in intuitive clarity, and for much the same reasons many people often find functional programming also to be lacking in intuitive clarity. So the title text invites the reader to puzzle over whether it really is a positive thing for functional programming to be able to claim to match the "intuitive clarity of abstract mathematics", or whether [[Randall]] might instead have just smacked functional programming with a funny {{w|backhanded compliment}}. Another explanation is that the fact that that part of the title text is confusing is a metaphor for the fact that abstract mathematics and functional programming can be confusing, and the first part of the title text is flexible because it can be applied to a wide variety of situations with different things filling in the blanks for X, Y, and Z, and it's apparently powerful because it's using in marketing a lot,{{Citation needed}} so advertisers must feel that it will have a powerful effect.<br />
<br />
==Longer Explanation==<br />
Functional programming is a famous paradigm (or style) in modern programming that favors functions that can be evaluated like mathematical functions, i.e., functions are "evaluated" (executed), and return a value (their output) which exclusively depends upon the values of their arguments (their inputs). {{w|imperative programming|Imperative programs}}, by contrast, often make use of one or more variables that are external to the function that is currently executing. This means that an "imperative function" may return a different result for the same input due to changes in a non-local variable, whereas a "pure function" will ALWAYS return the same result for a given input; however, in practice some functional programming languages also support non-local variables. Additionally, for similar reasons, functional programming systems often strive to eliminate or at least rigorously contain (encapsulate) so-called "side effects"; i.e., "functional-style" functions should have absolutely no effect on anything OTHER THAN their return value. This is to say, in well-designed "functional-style" computer code, all functions, or as many as is practicable, should be stringently self-contained, their behaviour should depend entirely and exclusively upon their written definition and the values of their arguments, and they should be totally unable to affect anything else in the program except via their explicit return value. This is directly contrary to the imperative programming paradigm, where functions are often designed and invoked especially for some ulterior effect that will eventuate when they are executed; some "imperative-style" functions even have NO RETURN VALUE, and exist purely because running them is known to cause some other result. In functional programming, these are not considered functions at all, but rather "procedures", and the difference between functions and procedures is quite strong; some languages which are purely functional do not admit procedures as valid parts of the language at all.<br />
<br />
Unlike {{w|Procedural programming|procedures}}, functions always return a value. For example, {{w|Sine|sine(x)}} returns 1 when x is 90°. Furthermore, the function may call itself (usually with slightly different parameters), thus effectively starting a loop. This is called {{w|Recursion (computer science)|recursion}}.<br />
<br />
In order to {{w|Iteration|iterate}}, imperative programs usually use {{w|Loop (programming)|loops}}. Functional programs usually use recursion instead.<br />
<br />
For example, the {{w|factorial}} function (e.g. "factorial(5) = 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1") can be coded imperatively as:<br />
<br />
factorial(n):<br />
prod = 1<br />
while n > 0:<br />
prod = prod * n<br />
n = n - 1<br />
end<br />
return prod<br />
<br />
An imperative, recursive (but not tail-recursive) implementation can look like this:<br />
<br />
factorial(n):<br />
if n > 0:<br />
return n * factorial(n-1)<br />
else:<br />
return 1<br />
<br />
In this situation, the recursion stops when the argument (n) is not greater than zero. Without the conditional definition, it would be an infinite loop. {{w|Tail recursion}} is a special case of recursion whose very '''last''' operation is to invoke the function itself or return a definite value. The previous example is not tail-recursive, since after the call to "factorial(n-1)", the returned value has to be multiplied by n.<br />
<br />
This (functional) example is tail recursive inside the helper function:<br />
<br />
factorial(n) = factorial_helper(n, 1)<br />
<br />
factorial_helper(n, prod) = <br />
if n > 0 then<br />
factorial_helper(n - 1, prod * n)<br />
else<br />
prod<br />
<br />
e.g.<br />
factorial(5) = factorial_helper(5, 1)<br />
factorial_helper(5,1) = factorial_helper(5-1, 1*5)<br />
factorial_helper(4,5) = factorial_helper(4-1, 5*4)<br />
factorial_helper(3,20) = factorial_helper(3-1, 20*3)<br />
factorial_helper(2,60) = factorial_helper(2-1, 60*2)<br />
factorial_helper(1,120) = factorial_helper(1-1, 120*1)<br />
factorial_helper(0,120) = 120<br />
<br />
In functional programming, tail recursion is detected by the compiler or interpreter and can be executed as efficiently as loops in imperative programming languages. This makes tail recursion an essential programming technique in functional programming.<br />
<br />
Cueball is making a play on words where "Tail recursion is its own reward" is used both in the sense that it is worth doing on the grounds of being elegant and intellectually satisfying alone, without the programmer having to "actually get" anything from it, as well as in the sense that the 'tail call' of a function is its final step, and is the final step (and hence the result/reward) for ''all levels'' of a tail-recursive function.<br />
<br />
The title text suggests that to {{w|Abstract mathematics|the mathematically minded}} functional programming may be both powerful and flexible as well as intuitive and clear since it very closely approximates the way mathematicians ordinarily think about general recursive functions. The implicit humorous contrast is that, to many (possibly most) others, including many software engineers, functional programming can seem abstruse or highly unobvious for the exact same reason, BECAUSE it closely approximates abstract mathematical logic rather than the mechanistic, stepwise logic valued in the imperative programming style. It is also a reference to a common saying among functional programmers about the imperative programming language, 'C': "C combines the flexibility and power of {{w|assembly language}} with the user-friendliness of assembly language", which is a humorous take on the original saying "C combines the flexibility and power of {{w|assembly language}} with the user-friendliness of a high-level language".<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[White Hat stands behind Cueball, who is sitting at a computer.]<br />
:White Hat: Why do you like functional programming so much? What does it actually ''get'' you?<br />
:Cueball: Tail recursion is its own reward.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Programming]]<br />
[[Category:Recursion]]<br />
[[Category:Puns]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1496:_Art_Project&diff=1848121496: Art Project2019-12-18T22:18:16Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */ and guacamole</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1496<br />
| date = March 9, 2015<br />
| title = Art Project<br />
| image = art project.png<br />
| titletext = It's my most ambitious project yet, judging by the amount of guacamole.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic appears to be satirizing {{w|art}} in two different ways. From one perspective, [[Randall]] is describing various art forms in unusual ways (e.g., a portrait by [[Cueball]], a video for [[Megan]], and perhaps live performance by [[Ponytail]]). From another perspective, Randall might be making fun of {{w|time-lapse photography}} movies. {{w|YouTube}} has a robust collection of videos taken from stitching together pictures or short video clips taken every day or every week; in the {{w|87th Academy Awards|2015 Academy Awards}}, one of the Best Picture nominees, {{w|Boyhood (film)|Boyhood}}, used a similar method, filming short sequences annually over the course of 12 years.<br />
<br />
In each case, the art described is simpler than it sounds, and some might not consider it art. A picture of oneself "every hundred years" will only happen once or twice in a lifetime; a "picture every 1/24th of a second" is the traditional {{w|frame rate}} of cinema cameras for film production, and "watching my face age in real time" is just life.<br />
<br />
Then finally another Megan-like character, possibly a relatively demure [[Danish]], pokes fun at all of them by simply watching their attempts at "art" while she eats a burrito. Randall may also be referencing the many perspectives on art by leaving this comic open to several interpretations.<br />
<br />
The use of a burrito as a punchline representing someone who is grounded in reality instead of engaging in esoteric pursuits has been seen before in [[1269: Privacy Opinions]].<br />
<br />
The title text is just more snark, claiming that it's their most ambitious project ever, if the sole criterion for ambition is the amount of guacamole that one has to eat.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Four people stand next to each other.]<br />
:Cueball [taking a selfie with his smart-phone]: I'm doing an art project where I take a picture of myself every hundred years.<br />
:Megan [filming herself with her smart-phone]: I'm doing an art project where I take a picture of myself every <sup>1</sup>/24<sup>th</sup> of a second.<br />
:Ponytail [pointing to her face with both hands]: I'm doing an art project where you can come to my house and watch my actual face age in real time.<br />
:Girl with long black hair [holding a burrito]: I'm doing an art project where you all do those things while I eat a burrito.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1496:_Art_Project&diff=1848111496: Art Project2019-12-18T22:17:43Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */ a lot of people know what a burrito is</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1496<br />
| date = March 9, 2015<br />
| title = Art Project<br />
| image = art project.png<br />
| titletext = It's my most ambitious project yet, judging by the amount of guacamole.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic appears to be satirizing {{w|art}} in two different ways. From one perspective, [[Randall]] is describing various art forms in unusual ways (e.g., a portrait by [[Cueball]], a video for [[Megan]], and perhaps live performance by [[Ponytail]]). From another perspective, Randall might be making fun of {{w|time-lapse photography}} movies. {{w|YouTube}} has a robust collection of videos taken from stitching together pictures or short video clips taken every day or every week; in the {{w|87th Academy Awards|2015 Academy Awards}}, one of the Best Picture nominees, {{w|Boyhood (film)|Boyhood}}, used a similar method, filming short sequences annually over the course of 12 years.<br />
<br />
In each case, the art described is simpler than it sounds, and some might not consider it art. A picture of oneself "every hundred years" will only happen once or twice in a lifetime; a "picture every 1/24th of a second" is the traditional {{w|frame rate}} of cinema cameras for film production, and "watching my face age in real time" is just life.<br />
<br />
Then finally another Megan-like character, possibly a relatively demure [[Danish]], pokes fun at all of them by simply watching their attempts at "art" while she eats a burrito. Randall may also be referencing the many perspectives on art by leaving this comic open to several interpretations.<br />
<br />
The use of a burrito as a punchline representing someone who is grounded in reality instead of engaging in esoteric pursuits has been seen before in [[1269: Privacy Opinions]].<br />
<br />
The title text is just more snark, claiming that it's their most ambitious project ever, if the sole criterion for ambition is the amount of {{w|guacamole}} that one has to eat.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Four people stand next to each other.]<br />
:Cueball [taking a selfie with his smart-phone]: I'm doing an art project where I take a picture of myself every hundred years.<br />
:Megan [filming herself with her smart-phone]: I'm doing an art project where I take a picture of myself every <sup>1</sup>/24<sup>th</sup> of a second.<br />
:Ponytail [pointing to her face with both hands]: I'm doing an art project where you can come to my house and watch my actual face age in real time.<br />
:Girl with long black hair [holding a burrito]: I'm doing an art project where you all do those things while I eat a burrito.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:859:_(&diff=184704Talk:859: (2019-12-16T22:24:55Z<p>162.158.255.148: </p>
<hr />
<div>) Here you go, you're free now. --[[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.150|199.27.128.150]] 01:55, 3 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
:Thanks but I will need some more: ))))) ooohh! ))))))) aaahh!!<br />
<br />
In saying: "The programming language Lisp (also featured in 224: Lisp is known for large numbers...", a closing parenthesis was omitted. Was this intentional?<br />
<br />
:Maybe. >.> <.< [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 03:21, 9 October 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:You would need to check the source to be sure... --[[User:Bpothier|B. P.]] ([[User talk:Bpothier|talk]]) 19:08, 9 October 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:(Muahahahahahahahaha! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.8|108.162.245.8]] 02:04, 7 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::)[[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.148|162.158.255.148]] 22:24, 16 December 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
If this comic bothers you, [[312: With Apologies to Robert Frost|#312]] can help. [[User:Joey|Joey]] ([[User talk:Joey|talk]]) 03:07, 20 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I do not think it's productive to explain the joke using the joke itself without clearly indicating that such is happening. So, ''It also refers to this awkward feeling when you see something (like an unmatched parentheses, speling error or a randomly-placed, comma.'' does not explicitly indicate the reflexive usage of the joke. I hope I'm not being overly pedantic, but my first instinct was to correct the spelling error. An an example the passage is fine, but it should be made to stand apart from the "real explanation" in some way, maybe in a callout or italicized as I have it here --[[User:Smartin|Smartin]] ([[User talk:Smartin|talk]]) 03:36, 4 January 2013 (UTC)<br />
:"I hope I'm not being overly pedantic [...] <b>An</b> an example the passage is..." Perhaps you meant "As". [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.161|108.162.237.161]] 04:41, 24 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
::[[wikipedia:Muphry's law]] [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.240|172.68.65.240]] 02:00, 15 March 2018 (UTC)<br />
<br />
This reminds me of when I used to program the TI-83. It would automatically close any parentheses at the end of a line, and all the programming guides told me not to close them, since it would save a tiny bit of memory. I must have annoyed my teachers a lot when this bled over into my homework. I know I've gotten graded down for it. [[Special:Contributions/70.102.89.181|70.102.89.181]] 04:17, 28 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
:This happens to me too!! Sometimes when I'm writing something, I don't put the closing ), though, I think this happens to most people sometimes. anyway, here's some TI-BASIC code:<br />
:-1→Xmin:1→Xmax<br />
:-1→Ymin:1→Ymax<br />
:AxesOff<br />
:Degrees<br />
:While 1<br />
:For(X,0,359,5<br />
:sin(X-120→A<br />
:sin(X→B<br />
:sin(X+120→C<br />
:Line(0,1,A,.3<br />
:Line(0,1,B,.3<br />
:Line(0,1,C,.3<br />
:Line(0,-1,-A,-.3<br />
:Line(0,-1,-B,-.3<br />
:Line(0,-1,-C,-.3<br />
:Line(.3,A,-.3,-B<br />
:Line(.3,A,-.3,-C<br />
:Line(.3,B,-.3,-A<br />
:Line(.3,B,-.3,-C<br />
:Line(.3,C,-.3,-A<br />
:Line(.3,C,-.3,-B<br />
:End<br />
:End <br />
<br />
:('s: 16<br />
:)'s: 0<br />
:(However, technically there are no ('s, because they are actually part of the For(, sin(, and Line( tokens, not the separate symbol.<br />
<br />
:I '''still''' get syntax errors when programming in other languages! {{unsigned ip|173.245.56.180}}<br />
<br />
<br />
))))))))) aaaahhhh [[User:Plm-qaz snr|Plm-qaz snr]] ([[User talk:Plm-qaz snr|talk]]) 12:39, 27 August 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
My hobby is (not really an hobby but a life's work (or calling)) (is explaining in detail (especially detail allowing me to indulge my hobby (not really an hobby but a life's work (or calling) where did this come from>)?<br />
<br />
Damn!<br />
<br />
[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 14:44, 24 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I know lisp and see the connection, but where in the comic does it actually mention programming? Parentheses are used in ordinary English too, and they also have to be paired with each other. I think this comic is actually about lack of closure in a much more general way. Only the title text brings up programming, but only in the context of parsing strings. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.180|108.162.219.180]] 23:12, 3 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
:Parsing strings is part of programming. The title text is part of the comic. What is the problem? \[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.58|173.245.54.58]] 16:53, 29 July 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'd like to mention that Google's result page shows the title of this comic differently from the other xkcd comics. I think Randall broke it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.161|108.162.237.161]] 04:41, 24 May 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
You know what's evil? Combining this comic with the substitution list comics! That is, changing an empty character to the place of the ')'. [[User:Zorlax the Mighty|Zorlax the Mighty&#39;); DROP TABLE users;--]] ([[User talk:Zorlax the Mighty|talk]]) 11:48, 2 August 2016 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Only just need ')' to complete, there you go! Boeing-787lover 13:46, 16 January 2018 (UTC)</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2121:_Light_Pollution&diff=1719322121: Light Pollution2019-04-01T21:19:40Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2121<br />
| date = March 8, 2019<br />
| title = Light Pollution<br />
| image = light_pollution.png<br />
| titletext = It's so sad how almost no one alive today can remember seeing the galactic rainbow, the insanity nebula, or the skull and glowing eyes of the Destroyer of Sagittarius.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
This comic shows how {{w|Light pollution|light pollution}} in cities affect what you can see from the night sky. The first three panels show realistic examples of what you could see from the sky inside a large city, in the suburbs and far away from light pollution. These panels roughly correlate on the {{w|Bortle Scale}} to 8-9 (city), 5-6 (suburbs) and 2-3 (remote area).<br />
<br />
The last panel contrasts these for comedic effect with fake things in the sky that are not actually present in the night sky.{{Citation needed}} The "Ships of the Sky King" are likely a reference to an elven legend in {{w|J. R. R. Tolkien}}'s works, in which several elven ships sail tangentially off the planet of Middle Earth and into the sky. This story was previously mentioned in [[1255: Columbus]]. "{{w|Celestial spheres|Crystal spheres}}" is an ancient theory about the heavens and what it was that held up the stars, before it was commonly accepted that space could be made of hard vacuum and celestial bodies held there by laws of inertia and gravity and vast distances. The spheres are nested inside each other concentrically. Randall proposes they are held by {{w|latticework}} like that which supports the Eiffel Tower, and that the lattice structure could be seen long ago when the sky was much darker. It is also a possible reference to the science fiction short-story "{{w|The_Crystal_Spheres|The Crystal Spheres}}" by David Brin, where the solar system is surrounded by hard crystal spheres that have to be broken before leaving as an explanation of the Fermi Paradox.<br />
<br />
Although all crystals do have a {{w|Crystal structure|crystal lattice}}, as in the [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crystal meaning 3] of the word "crystal" in Merriam-Webster (<i>a body that [...] has a regularly repeating internal arrangement of its atoms and often external plane faces</i>), these lattices are sub-microscopic and would be invisible in the sky. Additionally, crystal structure was not yet known at the time that the celestial spheres theory was popular.<br />
<br />
In consensus reality, the sky does contain many invisible objects that can observe us and/or provide major structures of our society, such as satellites, {{w|Mesosphere#Exploration_and_uses|nearcraft}}, and drones, but these are usually invisible due to size and distance more than brightness.<br />
<br />
The title text starts off sounding like a legitimate statement about light pollution. It is common to remark that the vast majority of people never see things in the night sky that were commonly seen by our ancestors every night prior to industrialization, such as the {{w|Milky Way}} or now-obscure phenomena such as {{w|Zodiacal light}}, {{w|Airglow}} or {{w|Gegenschein}}. The title text then further adds to the humor of the last panel by describing non-existent features, which could be references to {{w|H. P. Lovecraft}} as he often refers to beasts the possible size that “The Destroyer of Sagittarius” would have to be ({{w|Sagittarius (constellation)|Sagittarius}} is one of the constellations of the zodiac and {{w|Sagittarius A*}} a black hole at the center of the {{w|Milky Way}} inside of that constellation.). He also often speaks of insanity and color, connecting the two.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:[Four views of the night sky are shown among each other. The text on top reads:]<br />
:'''Light Pollution and the Disappearing Night Sky'''<br />
<br />
:[The first view shows only a few bright stars visible on a fairly light gray-brownish background. The inline text on the left top is:]<br />
:High Light Pollution<br />
:(Cities)<br />
<br />
:[On the second view more stars are visible and some faint blurry white clouds on a dark-gray background are visible.]<br />
:Moderate Light Pollution<br />
:(Suburbs)<br />
<br />
:[A lot of stars, even partly colored, and a clear image of many clouds on a dark background are shown.]<br />
:Low Light Pollution<br />
:(Very remote areas)<br />
<br />
:[The last image shows the same region as above but with even more exposed stars and clouds, the colors are also more explicit. A faint lattice of triangles overlaying the image to its full extent and three ghastly silhouettes of sail-ships are shown embedded in clouds. The text on the top left reads:]<br />
:No Light Pollution<br />
:(How the sky should look)<br />
:[Four arrows are pointing to some triangles:]<br />
:Lattice of the crystal spheres<br />
:[Three arrows are indicating the sail-ships:]<br />
:Ships of the Sky King<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Astronomy]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2131:_Emojidome&diff=171879Talk:2131: Emojidome2019-04-01T18:17:34Z<p>162.158.255.148: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
I've checked the network tab and console - nothing really seems to happen when you vote, which may be something we want to put on the explanation tomorrow - Myxoh<br />
<br />
I suspect the real april fools joke is going to come on Wednesday when xkdc posts an app showing us our psychological profiles that they are now selling to marketing companies after data-mining our emotional preferences to marketing firms - Nosajimiki<br />
<br />
@Nosajimiki: psychological profiles of xkcd fans. That might be some interesting marketing. - 5Cincinatus<br />
<br />
@Myxoh: I came here to see if anyone else had noticed this! But, I do also see a websocket connection to emojidome.xkcd.com, I bet it's counting votes that way.<br />
<br />
There is a websocket connection. A message is sent every time you vote. It looks like there are also status update messages every second (saying which emoji currently has exactly how many votes, i suspect this changes the amount of hearts that show up), and "bracket start" messages every so often. The bracket start message seems to contain hundreds of upcoming emoji pairs. Edit: a bracket start is sent at the start of every match (so every ~30 seconds). It also contains logs of which messages to show for previous matches, and which emoji are currently battling.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.138.10|172.69.138.10]] 16:30, 1 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
There seems to be nothing stopping me from clicking multiple times. Do you think it actually counts it all those times? Can I click-spam to say "this is much better"? [[User:Fabian42|Fabian42]] ([[User talk:Fabian42|talk]]) 16:48, 1 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Well this is fun. Look like there are 512 symbols, meaning 256 first-round contests. The first round would take (at 38 seconds / round) ~2.7 hours. The remaining rounds, from an estimate of geometric progression, would just under double this, meaning this comic will run for ~ 5 hours until we have our winner... ~alexandicity [[Special:Contributions/172.69.226.177|172.69.226.177]] 16:51, 1 April 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Did he just add a scroll bar to the previous matches? I didn't notice it earlier [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.148|162.158.255.148]] 18:17, 1 April 2019 (UTC)</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2125:_Luna_2&diff=1712982125: Luna 22019-03-18T18:05:37Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2125<br />
| date = March 18, 2019<br />
| title = Luna 2<br />
| image = luna_2.png<br />
| titletext = The flags were probably vaporized on impact, because we launched it before we had finished figuring out how to land. That makes sense from an engineering standpoint, but also feels like a metaphor.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a FLAGMENTATION GRENADE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This comic is referring to {{w|Luna 2}}, the first man-made object to make contact with the surface of the moon, and consequently, as stated in the comic, the first man-made object to touch another world.<br />
<br />
On September 13, 1959, it hit the Moon's surface east of {{w|Mare Imbrium}} near the craters Aristides, {{w|Archimedes}}, and {{w|Autolycus}}.<br />
<br />
Cueball's mention that it is "on-brand" for humans to disrupt or destroy another world upon meeting it is a reference to the vast historical references when, upon setting foot on territory, human "conquer" it, by violently vandalizing it.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is standing behind while Megan sits at a laptop.]<br />
:Megan: Huh. ''Luna 2'', the first artificial object to touch another world, carried a sphere made of steel Soviet flag emblems.<br />
<br />
:[A patterned sphere is shown blowing up to pieces.]<br />
:It was designed to blow apart on impact, scattering tiny metal flags and ribbons across the surface of the moon.<br />
<br />
:[Close-up of Cueball and Megan's faces.]<br />
:Cueball: So the first physical contact humans had with a heavenly body...<br />
:Megan: ...was throwing a sharpnel grenade full of flags at it.<br />
:Cueball: Well, it's on-brand for us, at least.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Space]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2122:_Size_Venn_Diagram&diff=1709522122: Size Venn Diagram2019-03-11T19:50:37Z<p>162.158.255.148: Add Big Bear Lake</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2122<br />
| date = March 11, 2019<br />
| title = Size Venn Diagram<br />
| image = size_venn_diagram.png<br />
| titletext = Terms I'm going to start using: The Large Dipper, great potatoes, the Big Hadron Collider, and Large Orphan Annie.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a Large Terror. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This comic is a {{w|Venn diagram}} illustrating the complete set of possible intersections of five different size adjectives: "little, "large", "small", and "great", “big”. Each unique intersection contains a short list of nouns that can be preceded by each of its intersecting adjectives.<br />
<br />
For example, "flying fox" (a type of bat) appears at the intersection of "large", "small", and "great", because the species {{w|large flying fox}}, {{w|small flying fox}}, and {{w|great flying fox}} all exist, but there is no such species as a "big flying fox" or a "little flying fox". Similarly, humans have organs named the {{w|small intestine}} and {{w|large intestine}}, but no "little intestine", "great intestine", or "big intestine".<br />
<br />
Some descriptors are applied in combination to their noun, rather than individually; for example, "planet" is placed in both the "little" and "big" groups in reference to the 2008 video game ''{{w|Little Big Planet}}''.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall declares that he will start intentionally using term combinations that don't appear in the above diagram, presumably to confuse people.<br />
<br />
A similar concept can be seen in [[181: Interblag]], but in a tabular form rather than a Venn diagram.<br />
<br />
===List of items in the diagram===<br />
The following table lists all size/noun combinations that the Venn diagram can generate, with a description of each.<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
!Item<br />
!Big<br />
!Great<br />
!Large<br />
!Little<br />
!Small<br />
|-<br />
|'''Aunt'''<br />
|<br />
|The sister of one's grandparent<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Bang Theory'''<br />
|currently-accepted {{w|Big Bang|scientific theory}} that explains the origin of the universe; also a {{w|The Big Bang Theory|TV sitcom}}|| || || ||<br />
|-<br />
|'''Barrier Reef'''<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Great Barrier Reef|world's largest coral reef system}}, off the coast of Australia<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Bear Lake'''<br />
|A {{w|Big Bear Lake, California|lake and the community around it}} in the mountains of southern California.<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Bend'''<br />
|Name of {{w|Big Bend|several geographic locations}}, including a {{w|Big Bend National Park|US National Park}} in Texas<br />
|Name of {{w|Great Bend (disambiguation)|several geographic locations}}, including a {{w|Big Bend, Kansas|city in Kansas}} and the description of the S-shaped curving of the {{w|Nile River}} in Egypt and Sudan<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Billed Seed Finch'''<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Blue'''<br />
|Nickname for [https://www.ibm.com IBM] and the {{w|New York Giants}}, also [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095250 a movie]<br />
|<br />
|butterfly<br />
|<br />
|butterfly<br />
|-<br />
|'''Blue Heron'''<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Great Blue Heron|Species of heron}} that measures 91–137 cm (36–54 in) long<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Little Blue Heron|Species of heron}} that measures about 60 cm (24 in) long<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Board'''<br />
| Nickname for the {{w|New York Stock Exchange}} || || || ||<br />
|-<br />
|'''Cardiac Vein'''<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Circle'''<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Great circle|Largest possible circle}} that can be drawn on a sphere; the {{w|equator}} is an example of one on the Earth<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Claims Court'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Small claims court|Judicial court}} that handles cases involving only relatively small amounts of money<br />
|-<br />
|'''enchilada'''<br />
|[[wiktionary:big enchilada|important person]] || || || ||<br />
|-<br />
|'''Depression'''<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Great Depression|Period of prolonged economic downturn}} that affected the world economy in the 1930's<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Dipper'''<br />
|{{w|Big Dipper|Subset collection of stars}} in the constellation {{w|Ursa Major}}<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|Another name for the constellation {{w|Ursa Minor}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Emerald'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''End'''<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Eyed Conger'''<br />
|eel<br />
|<br />
|eel<br />
|<br />
|eel<br />
|-<br />
|'''Flying Fox'''<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Foot'''<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|Main character in the ''{{w|Land Before Time}}'' film series<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Forest Bat'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|bat<br />
|bat<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Format'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Large format|anything larger than 4x5 inches in photography}}<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Foundation'''<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Frog'''<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Game'''<br />
|Large animals hunted for sport or food, usually referring to the African {{w|big five game}} (lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, cape buffalo); can also refer to the NFL's {{w|Super Bowl}} <br />
|{{w|Great Game|19th Century geopolitical competition}} between the British and Russian Empires over control of Afghanistan<br />
|Large animals hunted for sport or food, such as bears or moose<br />
|<br />
|Small animals hunted for sport or food, such as rabbits or ducks<br />
|-<br />
|'''Hadron Collider'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|particle accelerator<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Hearted'''<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''House on the Prairie'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Little House on the Prairie|novel}} (later made into a TV show)<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Intestine'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|gut<br />
|<br />
|gut<br />
|-<br />
|'''Island'''<br />
|{{w|Big Island|largest island in Hawaii}}<br />
|{{w|Great Island|in Cork Harbour, Ireland}}<br />
|{{w|Large Island|island in the Antilles, owned by Grenada}}<br />
|{{w|Little Island|several islands named such}}, plus a song in ''{{w|Randy Newman's Faust}}''<br />
|{{w|Small Island (novel)|novel which was made into a movie}}<br />
|-<br />
|'''League'''<br />
|Nickname for top-level competition<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Little League Baseball|Youth baseball organization}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Lies'''<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Magellanic Cloud'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|galaxy<br />
|<br />
|galaxy<br />
|-<br />
|'''Millimeter Telescope'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|radiotelescope<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''One'''<br />
|Nickname for any large natural disaster that is expected to happen in the future, such as a tsunami or an earthquake in California<br />
|Nickname for {{w|Wayne Gretzky}}, considered by many to be the greatest ice hockey player of all time<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Orphan Annie'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Little Orphan Annie|comic strip}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Planet'''<br />
|Part of the video game ''{{w|Little Big Planet}}''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|Part of the video game ''{{w|Little Big Planet}}''<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Potatoes'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|term to describe something as relatively unimportant<br />
|-<br />
|'''Pox'''<br />
|<br />
|an old name for {{w|syphilis}}<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|{{w|smallpox|a deadly disease}} which was effectively eradicated by 1977<br />
|-<br />
|'''Professor'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|rap artist<br />
|calculator (also Asperger's)<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Richard'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Little Richard|musician}}<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Room'''<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''Screen'''<br />
|another name for movies<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|another name for TV<br />
|-<br />
|'''Sister'''<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Soldiers'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|{{w|Small Soldiers|1998 movie}} about sentient animated toys at war<br />
|-<br />
|'''Sur'''<br />
|{{w|Big Sur|coastal region of California}} famed for its mountain scenery <br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Terror'''<br />
| <br />
|One of two periods of violent political repression; one during {{w|Reign of Terror|the French Revolution}} between 1793 and 1794, the other in {{w|Great Purge|the Soviet Union under Josef Stalin}} between 1936 and 1938<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Time'''<br />
|major<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|minor<br />
|-<br />
|'''Toothed Aspen'''<br />
|tree (bigtooth)<br />
|<br />
|tree<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''Wall of China'''<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Great Wall of China|Series of fortifications}} over 13,000 miles long that served to protect various Chinese empires from raids and invasion from their north<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|'''White'''<br />
|{{w|Big White Ski Resort|ski resort in British Columbia}}<br />
|{{w|Great white shark|species of shark}} or a {{w|Great White|rock band}}<br />
|{{w|Pieris brassicae|a butterfly}} or {{w|Large White pig|a common breed of pig}}<br />
|<br />
|{{w|Dixeia|multiple species}} of {{w|Pieris rapae|butterflies}} are known as small whites<br />
|-<br />
|'''Wonder'''<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|-<br />
|'''World'''<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|<br />
|?<br />
|?<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<!-- Ordered clockwise, starting from Big. --><br />
<br />
:Big: Bang Theory, Enchilada, Board, Sur<br />
:Little: Orphan Annie, House on the Prairie, Richard<br />
:Large: [[wikipedia:large format|format]], [[wikipedia:Large Millimeter Telescope|Millimeter Telescope]], [[wikipedia:Large Hadron Collider|Hadron Collider]]<br />
:Small: [[wikipedia:small claims court|claims court]], [[wiktionary:small potatoes|potatoes]]<br />
:Great: [[wikipedia:Great Barrier Reef|Barrier Reef]], [[wikipedia:Great Wall of China|Wall of China]], [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Depression]], [[wikipedia:Great Terror|Terror]], [[wiktionary:great-aunt|aunt]]<br />
<br />
:Big/Great: Bend, Bear Lake<br />
:Big/Small: time, screen<br />
:Big/Little: [[wikipedia:Big Dipper|Dipper]]/[[wikipedia:Ursa Minor|Dipper]], [[wikipedia:LittleBigPlanet|Planet]], [[wikipedia:Little Lies|Lies]]/[[wiktionary:big lie|lie]], [[wiktionary:little sister|sister]]/[[wiktionary:big sister|sister]]<br />
:Little/Great: Blue Heron<br />
:Little/Large: [[wikipedia:Little Professor|Professor]]/[[wikipedia:Large Professor|Professor]], Forest Bat<br />
:Big/Large: Toothed Aspen<br />
:Large/Small: intestine, Magellanic Cloud<br />
:Little/Small: wonder, soldiers<br />
:Small/Great: pox, cardiac vein<br />
:Large/Great: Billed Seed Finch<br />
<br />
<br />
:Big/Large/Great: hearted<br />
:Big/Small/Great: end<br />
:Big/Little/Small: foot<br />
:Big/Little/Great: league<br />
:Little/Large/Great: (none)<br />
:Big/Little/Large: foundation<br />
:Big/Large/Small: Eyed Conger, Blue<br />
:Little/Large/Small: emerald<br />
:Little/Small/Great: circle, room<br />
:Large/Small/Great: flying fox<br />
<br />
:Big/Large/Small/Great: game, white<br />
:Big/Little/Small/Great : world, one<br />
:Big/Little/Large/Great : (none)<br />
:Big/Little/Large/Small : frog<br />
:Little/Large/Small/Great : (none)<br />
<br />
:Big/Little/Large/Small/Great: Island<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=115:_Meerkat&diff=170151115: Meerkat2019-02-26T09:51:04Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 115<br />
| date = June 14, 2006<br />
| title = Meerkat<br />
| image = meerkat.jpg<br />
| titletext = Gorilla, yes. Adorable golden retriever, yes. But it says nothing about meerkats.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The situation is a reference to the [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnimalAthleteLoophole animal athlete loophole] trope, where an animal joins an underdog sports team and saves the day. The other team, which is previously dominant, and usually has an entitled and/or bullying attitude, does not like it, but since there is not a specific rule against it, it has to be allowed.<br />
<br />
Randall's combination of animal ({{w|Meerkat}}) and sport ({{w|Rugby football|rugby}}) is particularly unlikely, since meerkats are relatively small, slight animals, whereas rugby is associated with big powerful players, and has not been used in an animal sports movie before{{Citation needed}}.<br />
<br />
The title text implies that, as a result of similar instances of animal recruitment in the past, rule changes have been introduced to specifically exclude those animals from taking part, which may be why this team has had to work its way down to meerkats. The governing bodies could probably have avoided this by simply excluding non-human animals. The title text specifically mentions an "adorable golden retriever", a reference to the movie ''{{w|Air Bud}}'' which popularized the trope.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A Meerkat wearing a helmet and jersey, and two guys in the background supposedly on a rugby field.]<br />
:You have to admit--there's no rule on the books saying a Meerkat can't play rugby.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
<br />
A golden retriever is at the centre of the basketball film ''{{w|Air Bud}}''.<br />
<br />
In the film ''{{w|Mr. Go (film)|Mr. Go}}'' a gorilla becomes a star of the Korean Baseball League.<br />
<br />
This concept was revisited in [[1552: Rulebook]].<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Sport]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2097:_Thor_Tools&diff=1680352097: Thor Tools2019-01-12T05:34:07Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2097<br />
| date = January 11, 2019<br />
| title = Thor Tools<br />
| image = thor_tools.png<br />
| titletext = CORRECTION: After careful evaluation, we have determined that the axis label on this chart was printed backward.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Add a list of the tools in the comic. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
{{w|Thor}} is a god of lightning and thunder in Norse mythology. His signature weapon is a magic hammer called {{w|Mjölnir}}. He's likely best known for his role in {{w|Thor (Marvel Comics)|Marvel comics and films}}, which his appearance here seems to be referencing. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Avengers: Infinity War, Thor also wields an axe named Stormbreaker.<br />
<br />
Although the hammer was historically a weapon, this comic interprets it as it would more commonly be interpeted today -- as a tool. The comic is listing various hand tools in order of utility and viability as Thor's weapon, besides his actual, enchanted hammer. Hammers are heavy, blunt, and can do large amounts of damage to an opponent, whereas a hand plane is sharp, but only in one place, and will only inflict surface wounds. <br />
<br />
Some of these tools require power, which would generally require Thor to stay near an outlet or keep a battery charging, such as the circular saw, or Dremel. However, being the god of lightning may allow him to circumvent this. Thor would also need compressed air for the nail gun or jackhammer, only allowing Thor so many shots before reloading the air tank at an outlet, or via a concentrated wind storm.<br />
<br />
The nail gun and staple gun would also require nails or staples respectively to function as a weapon. Although Mjölnir is believed to return to Thor if thrown, it's not clear how similar system could work with nails and staples.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Munroe says the the order should be reversed. Considering that the title of the comic is "Thor Tools" ("tools", instead of "weapons"), the argument seems to be that a hammer is less useful than the rest, by seeing them as tools and not as weapons.<br />
<br />
A few other interpretations of this could be:<br />
* Randall proposes that Thor armed with a plane or digital calipers would be much more fearsome than with a hammer.<br />
* The "value" of the more strange-seeming items would be much higher than his tradition hammer, perhaps more gory or more humorous.<br />
* Thor tends to cause collateral damage, and would cause less with a plane or calipers.<br />
* "Best" and "worst" are to be interpreted for Thor's enemies rather than Thor himself.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
[A timeline labeled "Hand tools Thor could have ended up with" with "Best" on the left and "Worst" on the right.] <br />
<br />
[Points on the line are labeled "Hammer", "Axe", "Claw hammer", "Circular saw", "Jackhammer", "Shovel", "Socket wrench", "Bolt cutters", "Hacksaw", "Nail gun", "Staple gun", "Coping saw", "Screwdriver (flat)", "Ball-peen hammer", "Screwdriver (phillips)", "Awl", "Digital Caliper", "Dremel", "Plane"]<br />
<br />
[A figure wearing a winged helmet is seen preparing to use: a Circular saw, a Socket wrench, a Nail or Staple gun, and a Dremel.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2097:_Thor_Tools&diff=168023Talk:2097: Thor Tools2019-01-11T22:42:12Z<p>162.158.255.148: </p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I think the comment about the axis direction is based on how you interpret the terms Best and Worst - either for Thor or those who encounter him. [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 17:15, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
:I agree. That interpretation should be in the explanation instead of the present one.--[[User:Pere prlpz|Pere prlpz]] ([[User talk:Pere prlpz|talk]]) 19:58, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Many nail-guns use cartridges filled with a combustible material (gunpowder or similar) rather than a supply of compressed air. A blank load of a .22 rimfire pistol cartridge is typical. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder-actuated_tool [[Special:Contributions/50.202.80.200|50.202.80.200]] 18:35, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Is there a possibility that the reversed axis suggests an (aero)plane as the worst weapon? Bad taste rules it out I suppose. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.179|108.162.212.179]] 18:46, 11 January 2019 (UTC) Nic<br />
<br />
I think a lightning staple/nail gun would be pretty dope...[[User:Linker|Linker]] ([[User talk:Linker|talk]]) 18:52, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I've been hit or otherwise injured by most of these, but I do not know of anyone who has been planed, that's how dangerous planes are, everyone knows to be careful. [[User:SDSpivey|SDSpivey]] ([[User talk:SDSpivey|talk]]) 19:17, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
: I'm not sure if you're being humorous or if you have experience with powered board planers. Are they dangerous? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 20:37, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It's a pity he didn't add "Screwdriver (sonic)" to the chart. [[User:JamesCurran|JamesCurran]] ([[User talk:JamesCurran|talk]]) 19:48, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
There are some nailguns that don't use compressed air tanks or combustible materials - they have air compressors in them, powered by drill batteries or wall outlets. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.120|162.158.167.120]] 20:12, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Also, unless that's an electric staple gun, the transcript should say nail gun. Look at how it's being held - as if there's a trigger, not as if there's a big handle on the back. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.167.120|162.158.167.120]] 20:17, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
: It looks like a staplegun to me, which is the most common of the options. I figure the lever is pressed. But that's a good point, his hand is up towards the top, not down towards the bottom for leverage. (edited from previous comment when I realized I was wrong and wanted to talk nicer) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 20:37, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Interpretations of items (feel free to change if desired): [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.178|162.158.78.178]] 20:37, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
* Adversary being forced into a powered board planer, shreds of flesh spewing out the other side. "OH MY GOD DON'T PLANE ME!"<br />
* Thor throws his flying dremel towards the control board of a distant nuclear bomb on a timer, where it _CUTS THE RED WIRE THE TIMER READS 0:00_<br />
* An evil corporation is marketing a new treatment for depression. Thor marches into a demonstration being broadcast worldwide. Brandishing Mjolnir, his digital calipers, he measures the subject's left eyeball. THE TREATMENT HAS GROWN IT BY TWO THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH.<br />
<br />
Actually Mjolnir was supposed to be in original myth a weapon, not a tool. Hammer used as weapon is different from hammer used as a tool; this is even more pronounced for axes: the fighting axe is quite different (less weight, much thinner and sharper blade) than e.g. woodcutter axe. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 22:07, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Soo... I'm guessing that chainsaw was left off because it would require a log axis? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.63|173.245.48.63]] 22:36, 11 January 2019 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Does anyone else fell like the first items are an Infinity War reference?</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2096:_Mattresses&diff=1679722096: Mattresses2019-01-11T05:16:23Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */ Remove part about why ads are read by the announcer (it appears incomplete, and not clear why important here)</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2096<br />
| date = January 9, 2019<br />
| title = Mattresses<br />
| image = mattresses.png<br />
| titletext = After reading that "The War To Sell You A Mattress Is An Internet Nightmare" article, I've decided it's safer and less complicated to just sleep on the floor. DISCLOSURE: THE AUTHOR OF THIS MOUSEOVER TEXT RECEIVED FINANCIAL COMPENSATION FROM THE FLOOR INDUSTRY FOR THIS MESSAGE.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a Podcast Host. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
Cueball is talking to Ponytail about his mattress, in what appears to be just a casual conversation. Cueball suddenly offers to take any questions from listeners, as though the conversation were part of a podcast; this confuses Ponytail. The subtitle explains that Randall has heard so many advertisements for certain products on podcasts that he assumes any mention of those products is part of a podcast. <br />
<br />
{{w|Podcast}}s are typically audio-only programs available online, which frequently generate income through advertisements. Ads are often read by the podcast host. Hosts will often include segues or personal anecdotes to further reduce the "topical whiplash" caused by abruptly switching subjects from that of the podcast to an unrelated brand plug, and back.<br />
<br />
In 2018, many podcasts (or at least many podcasts that Randall listens to) contained ads by {{w|Casper Sleep|Casper}} (a mattress brand), MeUndies (an underwear brand), and {{w|Stamps.com}} (an internet-based mailing/shipping service).<br />
<br />
The title text refers to [https://www.fastcompany.com/3065928/sleepopolis-casper-bloggers-lawsuits-underside-of-the-mattress-wars this article] about a mattress review site that makes money through affiliate sales, and its legal battle with a mattress company. It also references the way that podcast hosts will often note when they intentionally or unintentionally endorse a product sponsor in an attempt to remain transparent about their financial supporters.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:[Cueball and Ponytail are talking to each other]<br />
:Cueball: ...It's firmer than my old mattress, which I thought I wouldn't like, but it's actually really nice.<br />
:Ponytail: Cool, maybe I should get one.<br />
:Cueball: Now let's take some listener questions!<br />
:Ponytail: What?<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:I can't talk about mattresses, underwear, or the Post Office anymore without feeling the urge to segue back into a podcast.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
The image was originally posted without a smooth blur between black and white, leading to graphical artifacts. The original image can be seen [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/images/archive/8/84/20190109163710%21mattresses.png here].<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=522:_Google_Trends&diff=167598522: Google Trends2019-01-01T23:54:54Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */ I'm bad at tags.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 522<br />
| date = December 26, 2008<br />
| title = Google Trends<br />
| image = google_trends.png<br />
| titletext = Obama has been writing Lincoln/Obama erotic fan fiction on his secret livejournal. Excerpt: Lincoln lay back on the bed, nude save for his trademark stovepipe hat. 'Tell me,' he purred seductively, as he and Obama formed a more perfect union. 'When you come, is it 10% ethanol?'<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|I cannot for the life of me find these "bloggers" that Randall's talking about. The only proof I can find of the supposedly real geographic trend for "men kissing" is this comic. Could someone do a deeper dig and see if they can find Randall's source? Also this thing where the title text is about a car always rubbed me the wrong way, even if it might be true.}}<br />
{{w|Google Search|Google}} keeps track of which searches are most popular in which regions as part of more general data mining to improve their service. For the enjoyment/education of others, they release select, non-personal parts of this data under the banner "[http://www.google.com/trends/ Google Trends]."<br />
<br />
The first statistic – that "Men kissing" was popular in {{w|Utah}}, a state known for possessing a large population with very conservative social values, including opposition to homosexuality – is real. The others are made up for the sake of the joke. In order:<br />
<br />
*'''"Installing Ubuntu" – Redmond, WA''': {{w|Ubuntu}} is a {{w|Linux}} distribution; {{w|Redmond, Washington}} is home to {{w|Microsoft}}, the company that makes rival operating system {{w|Microsoft Windows|Windows}}.<br />
*'''"Running for President in 2010" – Wasilla, AK''': 2010 was not a presidential election year in the United States; {{w|Wasilla, Alaska}} is home to {{w|Sarah Palin}}, a politician known for making such gaffes and who was {{w|John McCain}}'s {{w|running mate}} in the {{w|United States presidential election, 2008|2008 election}} that occurred a few weeks before this comic.<br />
*'''"Lincoln Fan Fiction" – Chicago, IL''': {{w|Abraham Lincoln}} was the US president from 1861 to his assassination in 1865; {{w|Chicago, Illinois}} is home to {{w|Barack Obama}}, who apparently reads (presumably {{w|erotic}}) {{w|fanfiction}} about the former president.<br />
*'''"Raptors on Hoverboards" – Somerville, MA''': {{w|Velociraptors}} are a favorite xkcd topic; There are also frequently references to ''{{w|Back to the Future}}'' as with the {{w|hoverboards}} here. {{w|Somerville, Massachusetts}} is home to [[Randall Munroe]]. The speed of a ''Raptor on Hoverboard'' is given in [[526: Converting to Metric]].<br />
*'''"How is babby formed" – Wasilla, AK''': "How is babby formed?" was the title (and most of the content) of an infamous Yahoo! Answers question (see the title text of [[481: Listen to Yourself]] and [[550: Density]]). Wasilla, Alaska is, again, home to {{w|Sarah Palin}}; a few months prior to this comic's release, Sarah Palin revealed that her daughter, {{w|Bristol Palin}}, was pregnant.<br />
*'''"I hate this website" – Mountain View, CA''': {{w|Mountain View, California}} is home to {{w|Google}}'s headquarters. The implication is that Google employees are putting "I hate this website" into Google.<br />
<br />
With regards to the excerpt Randall provides in the title text:<br />
*{{w|Slash fiction}} is a genre of fan fiction that focuses on homosexual behavior.<br />
*Lincoln/Obama (pronounced Lincoln slash Obama) fan fiction normally should be between Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama.<br />
*However we later see that {{w|Lincoln (car)|Lincoln}} is a car.<br />
*The "more perfect union" line comes from the preamble to the US Constitution: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union..."<br />
*{{w|Ethanol}} is the more scientific name for drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol. <br />
*"{{w|Common ethanol fuel mixtures#E10_or_less|10% ethanol}}" refers to automotive gasoline that includes 10% ethanol (usually made from corn or other vegetables), with the hopes of reducing the dependence on oil for fuel.<br />
*With regards to the title-text, the verb "[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/come come]" means "to have an orgasm" or "to ejaculate". In this mock slash fiction the Lincoln is supposed to ejaculate gasoline, and expects Obama to do the same.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Bloggers were recently amused to discover that,<br />
:according to Google Trends, the search term:<br />
:"men kissing" is most popular in conservative Utah.<br />
:A few other embarrassing correlations:<br />
<br />
:[A two column table]<br />
<br />
:;Search Term<br />
::<b>Top City</b><br />
----<br />
:;Installing Ubuntu<br />
::Redmond, WA<br />
<br />
:;Running for President in 2010<br />
::Wasilla, AK<br />
<br />
:;Lincoln Fan Fiction<br />
::Chicago, IL<br />
<br />
:;Raptors on Hoverboards<br />
::Somerville, MA<br />
<br />
:;How is babby formed?<br />
::Wasilla, AK<br />
<br />
:;I hate this website<br />
::Mountain View, CA<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Linux]]<br />
[[Category:Velociraptors]]<br />
[[Category:Google Search]]<br />
[[Category:Homosexuality]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=558:_1000_Times&diff=167501558: 1000 Times2018-12-28T16:32:22Z<p>162.158.255.148: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 558<br />
| date = March 20, 2009<br />
| title = 1000 Times<br />
| image = 1000_times.png<br />
| titletext = And 0.002 dollars will NEVER equal 0.002 cents.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
When amounts of U.S. dollars (or other currencies of comparable size) in the millions, billions, or trillions are mentioned in conversation, the impression left by the cited number is not some specific amount, but rather some generically large amount of money. A billion is a thousand times larger than a million, but if one is not paying close attention, they both mentally register as being "very large" or "life-changing if they ended up in my bank account", rather than being as different as "one dollar" and "a thousand dollars" are.<br />
<br />
In this comic, [[Randall]] notes how news organizations take advantage of this fact to make certain figures sound comparable, when the are actually not. The "{{w|Bailout}}" referred to is the 2008 {{w|Troubled Asset Relief Program}} (TARP), wherein money was cheaply loaned to large banks by the government to help them remain solvent. The "Bonuses" are the subsequent bonuses paid by those banks to their employees.<br />
<br />
Citing the size of the bailout in billions and the size of the bonuses in millions gives the misleading impression that the bulk of the bailout was spent on bonuses - in particular to the very traders who caused the problem that cause the need for TARP in the first place - making for much more outrageous and therefore attention-grabbing story. While the news organizations are not ''lying'' per se, citing the figures more honestly makes it clear that the bonus payments were a tiny fraction of the bailout which is not as obviously outrageous. The news organizations, as news organizations are, were choosing the presentation that was most attention-grabbing over the presentation that conveys the information most accurately.<br />
<br />
Below the two comic panels Randall asks the news organizations to stop using this way to misleadingly represent large numbers. He then proceeds to compares the difference between a million and a billion using an analogue that a newscaster may understand. Proportionally speaking, if a million is like Randall taking a sip of wine and spending 30 seconds (presumably talking over the wine) with your daughter, then a billion would be like him drinking a bottle of Gin and spending a night with her (presumably having drunken sex with her). Note that a billion is 1000 millions, and 1000 times 30 seconds does indeed equal 8 hours and 20 minutes, or about "one night".<br />
<br />
The title text is a reference to a semi-famous case where {{w|Verizon Wireless}} [http://verizonmath.blogspot.com/2006/12/verizon-doesnt-know-dollars-from-cents.html quoted] a rate of 0.002¢ (which equals $0.00002) per kB on their data plan, but charged $0.002. And they could not see the difference...<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Two almost identical panels are shown with Ponytail sitting behind desk. Above each panel there are a caption and the text in the sign of each panel is slightly different]<br />
<br />
:[Left panel caption above and sign in the panel:]<br />
:Dishonest<br />
:Sign: <br />
::Bailout: $170 billion<br />
::Bonuses: $165 million<br />
<br />
:[Right panel caption above and sign in the panel:]<br />
:Honest:<br />
:Sign: <br />
::Bailout: $170,000 million<br />
::Bonuses: $165 million<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panels:]<br />
:Dear news organizations: Stop giving large<br />
:numbers without context or proper comparison. <br />
<br />
:The difference between a million and a<br />
:billion is the difference between me having a <br />
:sip of wine and 30 seconds with your daughter, <br />
:and a bottle of gin and a night with her.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:News anchor]]<br />
[[Category:Sex]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=949:_File_Transfer&diff=167345949: File Transfer2018-12-26T07:06:35Z<p>162.158.255.148: cleaned up a link at the bottom of the explanation</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 949<br />
| date = September 9, 2011<br />
| title = File Transfer<br />
| image = file_transfer.png<br />
| titletext = Every time you email a file to yourself so you can pull it up on your friend's laptop, Tim Berners-Lee sheds a single tear.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Cueball]] is trying to help two people, his friend and his friend's cousin, exchange a 25&nbsp;MB file. Most people know how to use email to send files through the internet, but 25&nbsp;MB exceeds the attachment size limit of most email services. The reason there is a limit is because every email has to be transferred between several mail transfer agents, and each one has to temporarily store a copy of the email. Space constraints on those mail servers means that they must impose size limits, and an email with such a large attachment will therefore not be delivered.<br />
<br />
The next option is to upload the file to an FTP server (FTP stands for {{w|File Transfer Protocol}}, as opposed to HTTP, {{w|Hypertext Transfer Protocol}}), used to transfer files between computers on a shared network, such as the internet. However, FTP servers are a touch more esoteric than a mere email attachment, and many internet users don't have access to one of their own.<br />
<br />
Web hosting is simply the ability to create a website and store all the data for said website on a server which is connected to the internet. If Cueball's friend's cousin had the ability to do that, sharing the file would be as easy as putting a copy of it in an accessible directory and sending the link to the desired recipient.<br />
<br />
{{w|Megaupload}} was one of many sites on the internet that recognizes most users' inability to host large files on their own, and so offers to host large files, sometimes for free, sometimes for a small fee. The payoff is that in order to make such a service profitable, many of these sites are cluttered with banner and pop up ads in a mad effort to squeeze as much ad revenue out of every page view as possible. It's not a dealbreaker for some, but Cueball seems to think it'll be too much for his friend's cousin to handle.<br />
<br />
{{w|AOL Instant Messenger|AIM}} direct connect was a file sharing system on AOL Instant Messenger, which was already suffering severe drops in popularity by the year 2000. Clearly, Cueball is grasping at straws here: anybody desperate enough to invoke the name of AOL as a solution instead of a problem must be at their wits' end.<br />
<br />
{{w|Dropbox (service)|Dropbox}} is a program with a web-based GUI that automates file sharing between two computers on the internet. But this solution also has its issues, as it requires that at least the sending party has a Dropbox account. Installing Dropbox software is not actually required, since Dropbox also provides a web interface for uploading and downloading files. At the time of the comic's publication, Dropbox was still relatively new and unknown, thus why it is not Cueball's first suggestion.<br />
<br />
While Cueball is still explaining Dropbox, the friend's cousin has copied the file to a USB drive and physically transported it to the friend's house, circumventing the internet entirely. It's not an elegant solution, but sometimes traditional methods are the most efficient ways to get something done.<br />
<br />
When used to transfer files between computers in the same room or building, this same approach is referred to as {{w|sneakernet}}. This comic is also an illustration of what {{w|Andy Tanenbaum}} said in 1989: ''Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway.'' Sneakernet was examined in this [https://what-if.xkcd.com/31/ What If] article.<br />
<br />
{{w|Tim Berners-Lee}} is considered to be the inventor of the World Wide Web. In the title text, [[Randall]] implies that he would be disturbed by the need today to use two separate protocols (smtp for sending the file as an email attachment and http for retrieving the file from the mail server web interface) to perform a third, unrelated, obvious function such as file transfer.<br />
<br />
Note that this is similar to the later [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1810:_Chat_Systems 1810: Chat Systems].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball stands near a computer, talking on the phone to another person.]<br />
<br />
:Cueball: You want your cousin to send you a file? easy. He can email it to- ...Oh, it's 25 MB? Hmm...<br />
:Cueball: Do either of you have an FTP server? No, right.<br />
:Cueball: If you had web hosting, you could upload it...<br />
:Cueball: Hm. We could try one of those MegaShareUpload sites, but they're flaky and full of delays and porn popups.<br />
:Cueball: How about AIM Direct Connect? Anyone still use that?<br />
:Cueball: Oh, wait, Dropbox! It's this recent startup from a few years back that syncs folders between computers. You just need to make an account, install the-<br />
:Cueball: Oh, he just drove over to your house with a USB drive?<br />
:Cueball: Uh, cool, that works too.<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:I like how we've had the internet for decades, yet "sending files" is something early adopters are still figuring out how to do.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Computers]]<br />
[[Category:Internet]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=117:_Pong&diff=167344117: Pong2018-12-26T06:30:21Z<p>162.158.255.148: changed image text to title text</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 117<br />
| date = June 19, 2006<br />
| title = Pong<br />
| image = pong.png<br />
| titletext = Following this, the pong paddle went on a mission to destroy Atari headquarters and, due to a mixup, found himself inside the game The Matrix Reloaded. Boy, was THAT ever hard to explain to him.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
== Explanation ==<br />
This comic largely refers to the 1999 movie ''{{w|The Matrix}}'', which is about escaping a simulated reality. In the movie, a hacker called {{w|Neo (The Matrix)|Neo}} realizes that the world he lives in is fake, and that, like every other human, he is used as a slave battery by machines that, to keep them under control, make them feel like they're "living" in what is actually a computer-generated simulation of the world, called the "Matrix". Upon discovery, Neo rebels against this misuse of mankind and trains himself to interact with the computers that run the world until, being "the One" mentioned by a prophecy, he is able to control and use them to his own advantage. He takes part in a series of missions against those machines that wanted to keep the humans trapped in a simulated environment.<br />
<br />
In {{w|Pong}}, one of the earliest video games, one can play virtual table tennis against the computer. A ball (the tiny block) is "hit" by a paddle (the long block) and crosses over the screen, to be "hit" again by the other paddle. Failure to return the ball results in a point won by the opponent. The speed of the ball increases as the rally runs longer.<br />
<br />
The two game programmers in the first frame apply Neo's story to the {{w|Artificial intelligence|AI}} bots they create to serve as computer players in their video games: what if one of them learns enough to become sentient and understands the environment the programmers trapped it in? The outcome is shown: the paddle bot, understanding the game and realizing it is "the One," takes control of the code of Pong to make the ball stop and drop. The same thing happens in the movie, where Neo, by "seeing through the code", is able to stop bullets fired at him, and simply let them drop on the floor.<br />
<br />
This is also possibly, though not likely, a pun on the meaning of the term "the One," as the long thin paddle looks very similar to how a numeral "1" could be written in several fonts.<br />
<br />
In the title text, we learn that after increasing in intelligence, the "paddle" went on to destroy the headquarters of {{w|Atari}}, the producer of Pong, which "trapped" the paddle into the game, much like Neo sought to destroy the machines to free the humans. In the process, the paddle ended up inside the game ''{{w|Enter the Matrix}}'' (a video game produced with ''{{w|The Matrix Reloaded}}'', a sequel to ''The Matrix''), also published by Atari. Since the whole premise of The Matrix is that everyone is trapped in virtual reality, the paddle now found itself in a virtual virtual reality or essentially a meta-virtual reality, which could be pretty hard to comprehend.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:Cueball: So what do we do if video game AI opponents become smart enough to question the "Matrix" into which we've put them?<br />
:Pong paddle: Wait a minute! None of this is real! I can see through the world! I can see the code! I AM THE ONE!<br />
:[The pong ball is moving towards the paddle.]<br />
:[The pong ball slows down.]<br />
:[The pong ball stops in midair.]<br />
:[The pong ball drops towards the bottom of the screen.]<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics with color]]<br />
[[Category:Video games]]<br />
[[Category:The Matrix]]<br />
[[Category:Artificial Intelligence]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1759:_British_Map&diff=1672861759: British Map2018-12-23T19:34:02Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1759<br />
| date = November 14, 2016<br />
| title = British Map<br />
| image = british_map.png<br />
| titletext = West Norsussex is east of East Norwessex, but they're both far north of Middlesex and West Norwex.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
This comic is a joke similar to [https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#q=how%20americans%20see%20the%20world&safe=active&ssui=on "How Americans see the world"] showing how the average American has opinions on the world, often including jokes such as a lack of {{w|Africa}}, etc. This has been used before in [[850: World According to Americans]]. The map also plays with the joke by noting it has been labeled by [[Randall Monroe|a specific American]] rather than "Americans".<br />
<br />
Many areas of the UK are most familiar to foreigners thanks to their depiction in various fantasy novels and TV series. This map labels some of these, as well as including many silly names that simply sound like real British towns to an American ear. A protractor is shown off the coast of the {{w|Mull of Kintyre}} in reference to the "{{w|Mull of Kintyre test}}" - according to urban legend, the angle of the Mull defines the maximum allowed erectness for a man on films and home video releases in the UK.<br />
<br />
Randall previously posted [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ a map of the UK] on his blog as part of the promotion for his book ''[[What If?]]''. This map is from a very similar position and appears to have been traced from the same source, although there are some slight differences. Both maps include a sketch of {{w|Lake Windermere}} with boats on it, and both have the locations of London, Oxford and Cambridge labeled (the blog map also shows Edinburgh and Bristol - in this comic, these are labelled Eavestroughs and Minas Tirith). Both also contain references to {{w|Stonehenge}} and {{w|Watership Down}}.<br />
<br />
Note that in British English, the correct spelling of “labeled” is ‘labelled’.<br />
<br />
The title text plays around with the concept of the compass directions and how numerous regions (such as South "Sussex" and West "Wessex") incorporate such literal names in their description. Randall is creating similar sounding names which are nonsense-ish ("Norsussex" would be the region of the Northern-Southern Saxons), and placing them in relation to each other in ways which would be geographically implausible, similar to this [http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/92q3/xx19.html old joke about Boston]. However, in Germany there exists the region called ''Westphalia'' (''Westfalen''), and the eastern part of it is often referred to as ''East-Westphalia'' (''{{w|Ostwestfalen}}''), which sounds somewhat ridiculous. Part of the joke in the title text could be the fact that while three of the locations are fictional, Middlesex does actually exist.<br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable sortable"<br />
!Label on the map !! Explanation !! Actual location !! Notes<br />
|-<br />
| Helcaraxë<br />
|| The "[http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Helcarax%C3%AB Grinding Ice]", an area of {{w|Middle-Earth}}. Like Helcaraxë, northern Scotland is cold, mountainous and in many areas inhospitable.<br />
|| The {{w|Grampian}} region<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Blick<br />
|| Possibly referencing {{w|Wick, Caithness}}, one of the northernmost towns in Great Britain. The real Wick is substantially further north, off the edge of the map.<br />
||Near {{w|Rhynie, Aberdeenshire}}<br />
|| This is the name of a goblin in the movie "Legend" starring Tim Curry. Could also reference the art supply store, Blick Art Materials<br />
|-<br />
| Everdeen<br />
|| {{w|Katniss Everdeen}} is the heroine of ''{{w|The Hunger Games}}'' series of novels and films<br />
|| {{w|Aberdeen}}<br />
|| In colloquial Scots, its pronunciation is very similar to "Everdeen."<br />
|-<br />
| Highlands<br />
|| {{w|Scottish Highlands|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Scottish Lowlands}}<br />
|| Maybe deliberate trolling - Scots have strong feelings about where the Highland-Lowland border is<br />
|-<br />
| Norther Sea<br />
|| Pun on the {{w|North Sea}} - i.e. a sea that is further north (or 'norther') than the North Sea.<br />
|| {{w|Sea of the Hebrides}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Loch Lomond<br />
|| {{w|Loch Lomond|No joke}}<br />
|| Loch Lomond<br />
|| Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Great Britain, and the third largest lake in the UK. It is the subject of a well-known {{w|The_Bonnie_Banks_o%27_Loch_Lomond|traditional song}}, and was referenced in the "beaming" (teleporter) bit in the movie Spaceballs by the Scotty expy 'Snotty'. It also houses a distillery producing a whisky appreciated by Captain Haddock in ''{{w|The Adventures of Tintin}}''. Thanks to the {{w|Loch Ness Monster|monster}}, {{w|Loch Ness}} is by far the most famous Scottish loch, so naming the second most famous subverts expectations.<br />
|-<br />
| Fjordham<br />
|| {{w|Fjords}} are glacial valleys. "-ham" is a common English placename suffix from Old English, related to the modern {{w|Hamlet (place)|hamlet}}. There are several villages in England named {{w|Fordham}}.<br />
|| Near {{w|Oban}} on the {{w|Firth of Lorn}}<br />
|| The Scottish word "Firth" is related to "Fjord", although Lorn is not a fjord in the strict scientific sense - it was formed along the {{w|Great Glen Fault}} by tectonics, rather than glaciers<br />
|-<br />
| Glassdoor<br />
|| {{w|Glassdoor}} is a website where employees can review their employers<br />
|| {{w|Stirling}}<br />
|| Although it's shown near Stirling, the reference seems to be to {{w|Glasgow}}<br />
|-<br />
| Eavestrough<br />
|| A dialectal word for {{w|rain gutter}}<br />
|| {{w|Edinburgh}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Seasedge<br />
|| Procan's realm in ''Dungeons & Dragons''<br />
|| Somewhere near the Scotland-England border<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Chough<br />
|| A {{w|Chough|species of bird in the crow family}}<br />
|| The {{w|Scottish Borders}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Meowth<br />
|| {{w|Meowth}} is a cat-like Pokémon. Name may allude to {{w|Howth}}.<br />
|| {{w|Ayr}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Glutenfree<br />
|| {{w|Gluten-free}} food lacks the protein {{w|gluten}}. This allows {{w|coeliac disease}} sufferers to enjoy it, but has also become a dietary fad in itself. -free Is a common suffix to add to cities.<br />
|| {{w|Cairnryan}}, {{w|Dumfries and Galloway}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Blighton<br />
|| A mashup of {{w|Brighton}} and {{w|Blighty}}<br />
|| The {{w|Scottish Borders}}<br />
|| The real Brighton is much further south, on the south coast.<br />
|-<br />
| North Sea<br />
|| {{w|North Sea|No joke}}<br />
|| North Sea<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Eyemouth<br />
|| {{w|Eyemouth|No joke}} <br />
|| near {{w|Newcastle-upon-Tyne}}<br />
|| The real Eyemouth is further north, where "Seasedge" is marked on the map.<br />
|-<br />
| Earhand<br />
|| A pun on Eyemouth<br />
|| {{w|Carlisle}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Hairskull<br />
|| A pun on Eyemouth<br />
|| {{w|Teesside}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Belfast DeVoe<br />
|| {{w|Belfast}}, capital of Northern Ireland, mashed up with the rock band {{w|Bell Biv DeVoe}}<br />
|| {{w|Belfast}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Lakebottom<br />
|| The {{w|Lake District}}. "-bottom" is a common placename across Northern England, and refers to a town in a valley.<br />
|| {{w|Lake District}}<br />
|| Below Lakebottom is a sketch of a lake with yachts on it. This is illustrative and doesn't correspond to any of the actual lakes which would be barely visible on this map.<br />
|-<br />
| Braintree<br />
|| {{w|Braintree, Essex|Not a joke}}<br />
|| {{w|North Yorkshire}}<br />
|| The real Braintree is much further south, near where "Paulblart" is on the map. Also a possible reference to the [https://www.braintreepayments.com Braintree] online payments platform (widely advertised on podcasts), or a stop at the end of the Red Line in Boston.<br />
|-<br />
| Skinflower<br />
|| A pun on Braintree<br />
|| {{w|Yorkshire Dales}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Bjork<br />
|| {{w|Björk}} is an Icelandic singer<br />
|| {{w|East Riding of Yorkshire}}<br />
|| The reference is presumably to York (historically known as Jórvík), although it's a bit too far east.<br />
|-<br />
| Weedle<br />
|| {{w|Weedle}} is a Pokémon, and also a word meaning "to obtain by trickery or persuasion"<br />
|| {{w|Forest of Bowland}}<br />
|| In the original Pokémon Red and Blue games Weedle is most notably found in '{{w|Viridian Forest}}' which - like the real-life Forest of Bowland - is known for its diverse wildlife.<br />
|-<br />
| Eeugh<br />
|| An expression of disgust<br />
|| {{w|Kingston-upon-Hull}} (generally just "Hull")<br />
|| Pronounced 'ull by locals<br />
|-<br />
| Crewneck<br />
|| A shirt with a {{w|Crewneck|simple round collar}}.<br />
|| {{w|Blackpool}}<br />
|| There is a town called {{w|Crewe}} somewhat further south than shown in Cheshire.<br />
|-<br />
| Paisley<br />
|| {{w|Paisley, Renfrewshire|No joke}}. It sounds funny to Americans because it's associated with {{w|Paisley (design)|paisley}} fabric, a Persian-style print invented in the town. Possibly a pun on {{w|Parsley|parsley}}, a herb.<br />
|| {{w|Burnley}}<br />
|| The real Paisley is in Scotland, near Glasgow.<br />
|-<br />
| Basil<br />
|| Also {{w|Basil|a herb}}, and {{w|Basil Fawlty|one of the most famous British TV characters}}.<br />
|| {{w|Scunthorpe}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Aidenn<br />
|| An apparent pun on the {{w|Scouse}} accent: {{w|h-dropping}} and {{w|th-fronting}} mean the common "hey, then" would be pronounced "ai denn".<br />
|| {{w|Merseyside}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Hillfolk<br />
|| {{w|Hillfolk}} is an RPG. "-hill" (referring to, well, a hill) is common in British placenames, and "-folk" (referring to a tribe or culture) is seen in ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk''. Possibly also a reference to {{w|Hobbits}}, a race of little people that live under hills in The Lord of the Rings.<br />
|| {{w|Manchester}}<br />
|| Manchester's name does in fact reference hills: it means "castle on the {{w|breast-shaped hill}}"<br />
|-<br />
| Waterdown<br />
|| To "water something down" is to weaken it. "-down" is common in British placenames and refers to {{w|Downland|chalk hills}}. Possibly a contraction from the book and movie: Watership Down.<br />
|| Near {{w|Grimsby}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Dubstep<br />
|| {{w|Dubstep}} is a genre of electronic music with a heavy bass line.<br />
|| {{w|Dublin}}<br />
|| Dublin is the only non-UK settlement in the map, and one of two on the island of Ireland.<br />
|-<br />
| Borough-upon-Mappe<br />
|| By being recorded here, this is literally a borough upon a map. The "-upon-" is a common element of placenames for towns on rivers, although there's no River Mappe. Possibly referencing the fact that the town is on a "mappe" (map)?<br />
|| {{w|Lincolnshire Wolds}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Fhqwhgads<br />
|| "[http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Fhqwhgads Fhqwhgads]" is a joke from the Homestar Runner internet cartoon. In the cartoon, the main character read a fanmail that was signed only with a random keyboard mash of characters, which Strong Bad shortened to "Fhqwhgads," a name that became a running gag on the cartoon.<br />
|| {{w|Wrexham}}<br />
|| This is on the Welsh border; Welsh names often look like a mish-mash of consonants to English speakers; within a few miles of Wrexham are towns like {{w|Yr Wyddgrug}} ("Mold" in English), {{w|Cefn-y-bedd}}, {{w|Gwernymynydd}} and {{w|Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Cadbury<br />
|| {{w|Cadbury}} is a British chocolate company.<br />
|| Near {{w|Boston, Lincolnshire}}<br />
|| Cadbury actually built a town for its workers... but it's called {{w|Bournville}}. There are several towns called {{w|Cadbury_(disambiguation)#Places|Cadbury}} in the UK (where the Cadbury family presumably got its name), but none are near here.<br />
|-<br />
| Cabinetry<br />
|| The art of making {{w|cabinets}}.<br />
|| Near {{w|Oswestry}}<br />
||Several towns in the English Midlands have names ending in -try, including Oswestry. "Cabinetry" could be a pun on {{w|Coventry}}, which lies further to the east.<br />
|-<br />
| The Shire<br />
|| {{w|Shire (Middle-earth)|The Shire}} is home to the {{w|Hobbits}} in {{w|Middle-Earth}}<br />
|| {{w|Midlands}}<br />
|| Tolkien drew inspiration for the Shire from the {{w|West Midlands (region)|West Midlands}}, although Tolkien was from the southern part of the Midlands (roughly where Dampshire is on the map).<br />
An internet posting titled [http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/revocation.asp "A Letter to the U.S" after the 2016 Presidential Election"], falsely attributed to John Cleese, could also have been inspiration for this map. It in particular says: "3. You should learn to distinguish English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier). Scottish dramas such as 'Taggart' will no longer be broadcast with subtitles.You must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon." If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire Floridashire, Louisianashire." <br />
|-<br />
| Landmouth<br />
|| Literal description<br />
|| {{w|The Wash}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Brandon<br />
|| {{w|Brandon#United Kingdom|Not a joke}}<br />
|| {{w|The Fens}}<br />
|| There are several Brandons in the UK, the nearest being where "Keebler" is on the map. The area shown is borderline-uninhabitable, as it is marshland and lies mostly below sea-level. Only a few farms and isolated hamlets exist here.<br />
|-<br />
| Hamwich<br />
|| A ham sandwich. Both "-ham" and "-wich" are common generic placenames. The village called simply "Ham" and the other called "Sandwich" are fairly close to each other, with a famous roadsign that points to "Ham Sandwich" between them.<br />
|| {{w|Norwich}}<br />
|| Likely to be coincidence but the "Cheese Hamwich" is a breaded cheese and turkey food product sold by {{w|Bernard_Matthews_Ltd}} whose food processing facility is based not far from this map location.<br />
|-<br />
| West Norsussex<br />
|| Mash-up of {{w|West Sussex}} ("South Saxons") with the obsolete {{w|Wessex}} ("West Saxons") and never extant {{w|Norsex}} ("North Saxons")<br />
|| {{w|Midlands}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Redsox<br />
|| The {{w|Boston Red Sox}} are a baseball team<br />
|| {{w|The Fens}}<br />
|| The Boston Red Sox play at Fenway Park. The map location is not far from the British {{w|Boston, Lincolnshire|Boston}} <br />
|-<br />
| Keebler<br />
|| The {{w|Keebler Elves}} advertise cookies in the US<br />
|| {{w|Elveden}}<br />
|| The name of this village in Thetford Forest means "valley of the elves". <br />
|-<br />
| Bloughshire<br />
|| Most British counties have "-shire" in their name. Originally it meant they were administered by a {{w|sheriff}}. However, they are usually no longer known by those names in Wales.<br />
|| {{w|Powys}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Lionsgate<br />
|| {{w|Lionsgate|A film studio}}<br />
|| {{w|Leicester}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Kingsbottom<br />
|| Another "-bottom". A possible reference to {{w|King's Landing}}, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms of {{w|Westeros}} and one of its districts Fleabottom.<br />
|| {{w|Suffolk Coast National Nature Reserve|Suffolk Coast}}<br />
|| Possibly named for the town of {{w|King's Lynn}}, also located in East Anglia but close to its north coast.<br />
|-<br />
| Aberforth<br />
|| {{w|Aberforth Dumbledore}} is {{w|Albus Dumbledore}}'s brother in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The name is sometimes translated as "from the river", but without any etymological references. "Aber" is Welsh for a "river mouth" or estuary, and is widespread in Wales, and occasionally found due to Celtic influence in other parts of the UK (such as {{w|Aberdeen}}).<br />
|| {{w|Aberystwyth}}<br />
|| {{w|Aberporth}} ("Mouth [of the] port" - the Welsh equivalent of the the English name Portsmouth) is a real town located a little further southwest along the Welsh coast. {{w|Forth}} may be a reference to the {{w|Firth of Forth}} in Scotland, where "Firth" means estuary or fjord, and "Forth" is thought to mean "the open air". Aberforth would literally mean "the mouth of the river Forth", which is the location of {{w|Edinburgh}} in Scotland. Alternatively, "forth" in Welsh could be a soft mutated form of the Welsh name "{{w|Borth}}" (the name of a town - but not a river - a little further north along the coast), which is itself a soft mutated form of the word "porth" meaning port.<br />
|-<br />
| South Norwessex<br />
|| Another mash-up of {{w|Sussex}} ("South Saxons") with the obsolete {{w|Wessex}} ("West Saxons") and never extant {{w|Norsex}} ("North Saxons"). Also southwest of West Norsussex.<br />
|| {{w|Birmingham}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Dryford<br />
|| Would refer to a river crossing without water. "{{w|Ford (crossing)|-ford}}" is a common placename element.<br />
|| {{w|Shropshire Hills}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Frampton<br />
|| There are many {{w|Frampton}}s in the UK. It means "town on the river Frome" - and there are also several {{w|River Frome}}s. The name is famous thanks to rock musician {{w|Peter Frampton}}<br />
|| {{w|Bury St Edmunds}}<br />
||see also "Southframpton"<br />
|-<br />
| Cambridge<br />
|| {{w|Cambridge|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Cambridge}}<br />
|| Cambridge and Oxford, the two most prestigious university towns, are correctly marked. Together, they form {{w|Oxbridge}}<br />
|-<br />
| Kingsfriend<br />
|| Possibly a joke about the royal patronage given to certain towns - for instance, {{w|Bognor Regis}} and {{w|Royal Wootton Bassett}}. Also {{w|Knighton, Powys|Knighton}} (a King's friend?) is very close to this locale, and so is {{w|Kington, Herefordshire|Kington}}.<br />
|| Near the England-Wales border<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Cair Paravel<br />
|| {{w|Cair Paravel}} is the castle where the ruler of {{w|Narnia}} lives in the ''Narnia'' series.<br />
|| {{w|Dedham Vale}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Camelot<br />
|| {{w|Camelot}} was (in legend) {{w|King Arthur}}'s court.<br />
|| Near the England-Wales border<br />
|| The King Arthur myth did in fact originate in the Welsh culture. However, most sites associated with Camelot, such as {{w|Winchester}}, {{w|Glastonbury}} and {{w|Cadbury Castle}}, are in England.<br />
|-<br />
| Nothingham<br />
|| A pun on {{w|Nottingham}}, famous for {{w|Sherwood Forest}}, the legendary home of {{w|Robin Hood}}.<br />
|| Near {{w|Northampton}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Cumberbatch<br />
|| A surname, best known as that of actor {{w|Benedict Cumberbatch}}.<br />
|| {{w|Harlow}}<br />
|| The surname of a famous actress is replaced with that of a famous actor<br />
|-<br />
| Dampshire<br />
|| A pun on the county of {{w|Hampshire}}. Generically a joking reference to any county, particularly of the {{w|West Country}}, to imply it is particularly prone to rain.<br />
|| Gloucestershire<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| The CW<br />
|| {{w|The CW|An American TV channel}}.<br />
|| {{w|Pembrokeshire}}<br />
|| Presumably the placement is a reference to Welsh words such as "cwm" which use W as a vowel.<br />
|-<br />
| Whaling<br />
|| The practice of hunting whales. May be a reference to other -ing towns like {{w|Reading, Berkshire|Reading}} (which is actually pronounced "redding", not "reeding"), and also to its location in Wales.<br />
|| {{w|Merthyr Tydfil}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Paulblart<br />
|| ''{{w|Paul Blart: Mall Cop}}'' is a 2009 comedy film starring Kevin James<br />
|| Near {{w|Chelmsford}}<br />
|| Possibly a humorous contrast with Cumberbatch above, a highbrow British classical actor followed by a lowbrow American movie character.<br />
|-<br />
| Oxford<br />
|| {{w|Oxford|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Oxford}}<br />
|| See Cambridge. Surprisingly, Randall made no attempt to troll readers by switching the locations of Cambridge and Oxford.<br />
|-<br />
| Moorhen<br />
|| The {{w|moorhen}} is a waterfowl.<br />
|| {{w|Gower Peninsula}}<br />
|| Possibly punning on nearby {{w|Swansea}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Cardigan<br />
|| {{w|Cardigan, Ceredigion|No joke}} - it seems funny to Americans because of the {{w|Cardigan (sweater)|knitted sweater}} popularised by the {{w|James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan|Earl of Cardigan}}<br />
|| {{w|Newport, Wales}}<br />
|| The actual Cardigan is on the west coast. The name may be punning on the city of {{w|Cardiff}}, capital of Wales, which is further south-west.<br />
|-<br />
| BBC Channel 4<br />
|| A composite of {{w|Channel 4}} and the {{w|BBC}} (UK TV operators) confusing the meaning of TV channel with a geographic channel.<br />
|| {{w|Bristol Channel}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| London<br />
|| By virtue of being the capital and largest city, as well as a famous {{w|world city}}, London is one of the few cities in Britain that anyone, no matter how ignorant of British geography, can manage to name correctly.<br />
|| London<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| GMT<br />
|| A reference to {{w|Greenwich Mean Time}}. Shown on the map near the London bourough of Greenwich through which the GMT meridian passes.<br />
|| {{w|Greenwich}} (roughly)<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Corbyn<br />
|| A reference to leader of the UK {{w|Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party}} {{w|Jeremy Corbyn}}.<br />
|| {{w|The Cotswolds}}<br />
|| May be a confusion with the town of {{w|Corby}} although it is not near the location shown.<br />
|-<br />
| Tems-upon-Thames<br />
|| A joke about the counter-intuitive pronunciation of {{w|Thames}}.<br />
|| {{w|Rochester}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Minas Tirith<br />
|| {{w|Minas Tirith}} is the capital of Gondor in ''Lord of the Rings'' and is built on the side of a mountain.<br />
|| {{w|Bristol}}<br />
|| Clifton Village, in Bristol, is built on the side of the Avon Gorge so could be compared to {{w|Minas Tirith}}. Nearby {{w|Cheddar Gorge}} is famous for its steep cliffs that resemble the landscape from Lord of the Rings. <br />
|-<br />
| Hogsmeade<br />
|| {{w|Hogsmeade}} is the nearest village to Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books.<br />
|| {{w|Dover}}<br />
|| The fictional Hogsmeade was in Scotland. Randall shows the {{w|Channel Tunnel}} running from there, a possible reference to Hogsmeade's secret connections to Hogwarts.<br />
|-<br />
| Tubemap<br />
|| The {{w|Tube Map}} is the map of the {{w|London Underground}}, widely considered a masterpiece of design.<br />
|| {{w|Outer London}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Cambnewton<br />
|| {{w|Cam Newton}} is quarterback for the {{w|Carolina Panthers}}. "Cam-" is common for placenames on any of the several British rivers called "{{w|Cam River|Cam}}", while "Newton" means "new town". Also possibly a pun on Camden Town, a touristic district in North London, although not its actual location on the map.<br />
|| {{w|West Country}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Efrafa<br />
|| Efrafa is a rabbit warren in the story ''{{w|Watership Down}}''.<br />
|| {{w|Chidden}}<br />
|| According to the story, the warren is located roughly here - the real {{w|Watership Down, Hampshire|Watership Down}} is in Hampshire.<br />
|-<br />
| Chansey<br />
|| {{w|Chansey|Another Pokémon}}. "-sey" is a common suffix meaning "island".<br />
|| {{w|Dungeness (headland|Dungeness}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Oughghough<br />
|| Playing on common place name elements, "oughghough" has no clear pronunciation under the rules of English. It could be "Uff-guff", "Oo-gow", "Uh-guh" or any combination of these sounds. The name looks similar to the real {{w|Loughborough}} ("Luff-bruh")<br />
|| {{w|Barnstaple}}<br />
|| Legend has it that Loughborough was once pronounced 'Loogabarooga' by a visiting Australian.<br />
|-<br />
| Sundial<br />
|| A {{w|sundial}} is a clock using a shadow to tell the time.<br />
|| {{w|Wiltshire}}<br />
|| The location roughly corresponds with {{w|Stonehenge}}, an ancient stone circle that was likely used to track the sun (though as a ritual calendar, rather than a clock)<br />
|-<br />
| Dobby<br />
|| {{w|Magical_creatures_in_Harry_Potter#Dobby|Dobby}} is a character in {{w|Harry Potter}}.<br />
|| {{w|Southampton}}<br />
|| Similar to {{w|Derby}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Lower Bottom<br />
|| Another -bottom. Also a redundancy, as the "bottom" is the lowest place by definition.<br />
|| {{w|Devon}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Southframpton<br />
|| A confusion with {{w|Southampton}} which is nearby the location shown. The use of the postfix "frampton" is a reference to the "Frampton" elsewhere on the map, just as Southampton is distinguished from {{w|Northampton}}.<br />
|| {{w|Milford on Sea}}<br />
|| Frampton happens to be a common surname in the area.<br />
|-<br />
| Blandford<br />
|| {{w|Blandford|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Cornwall}}<br />
|| The real Blandford is a bit further east, in Dorset, roughly under the m in 'Southframpton'.<br />
|-<br />
| Menthol<br />
|| {{w|Menthol}} is a chemical with minty taste that produces a cooling sensation, and is used in mints and flavoured cigarettes.<br />
|| {{w|Eastbourne}}<br />
|| Possibly a reference to Methil in Fife (but possibly not).<br />
|-<br />
| West Sea<br />
|| Literal description.<br />
|| {{w|Atlantic Ocean}}<br />
|| Historically, this was the name for the ocean off the UK's west coast. According to the {{w|Shipping Forecast#Region names|list of sea areas}} used in the UK's {{w|Shipping Forecast}}, that region of sea is called "Lundy"<br />
|-<br />
| Tarp<br />
|| Tarp, short for {{w|tarpaulin}}, is a waterproof sheet for storage and weather protection.<br />
|| {{w|Teignmouth}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Longbit<br />
|| Literal description.<br />
|| {{w|Cornwall}}<br />
|| <br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
: [A black-and-white map of Great Britain. The detail on the map is minimal, showing mainly the outlines of the land, upward-pointing angles<!-- is there a better way to describe these? --> representing mountains, and points representing cities. The only other features are a small drawing of a protractor south of one peninsula, and a lake with two small sailboats on the west side of the largest landmass. The caption in the upper-right states in large letters "A BRITISH MAP," then in smaller letters underneath, "LABELED BY AN AMERICAN." Most of the map's area is covered by labels for various features, which are listed below.]<br />
<br />
<nowiki><br />
In Scotland, from north to south<br />
Helcaraxë<br />
Blick<br />
Everdeen<br />
Norther Sea (to the west)<br />
Highlands<br />
Loch Lomond<br />
Fjordham<br />
Glassdoor<br />
Eavestroughs<br />
Seasedge<br />
Meowth<br />
Chough<br />
Blighton<br />
Glutenfree<br />
<br />
In England, from north to south<br />
Eyemouth<br />
Earhand<br />
Hairskull<br />
Lakebottom<br />
Braintree<br />
Skinflower<br />
Weedle<br />
Bjork<br />
Crewneck<br />
Paisley<br />
Eeugh<br />
Aidenn<br />
Basil<br />
Hillfolk<br />
Waterdown<br />
Borough-Upon-Mappe<br />
Cadbury<br />
Landmouth (to the East)<br />
The Shire<br />
West Norsussex<br />
Redsox<br />
Hamwich<br />
Lionsgate<br />
Keebler<br />
South Norwessex<br />
Kingsbottom<br />
Cambridge<br />
Frampton<br />
Nothingham<br />
Cair Paravel<br />
Dampshire<br />
Cumberbatch<br />
Oxford<br />
Paulblart<br />
Corbyn<br />
London<br />
GMT<br />
BBC Channel 4 (to the West)<br />
Minas Tirith<br />
Tems-Upon-Thames<br />
Tubemap<br />
Hogsmeade<br />
Cambnewton<br />
Oughghough<br />
Efrafa<br />
Chansey<br />
Sundial<br />
Lower Bottom<br />
Dobby<br />
Menthol<br />
West Sea (to the West)<br />
Blandford<br />
Southframpton<br />
Tarp<br />
Longbit<br />
<br />
In Whales, from north to south<br />
Fhqwhgads<br />
Cabinetry<br />
Bloughshire<br />
Aberforth<br />
Dryford<br />
Kingsfriend<br />
Camelot<br />
The CW<br />
Whaling<br />
Moorhen<br />
Cardigan<br />
<br />
In Northern Ireland<br />
Belfast Devoe<br />
<br />
In the Republic of Ireland<br />
Dubstep<br />
</nowiki><br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:326:_Effect_an_Effect&diff=116023Talk:326: Effect an Effect2016-03-31T23:34:48Z<p>162.158.255.148: Link to a related blog entry</p>
<hr />
<div>Can someone explain the title text, thanks! –[[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 14:20, 22 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:Yeah, I'd like to see that get added as well. I kind of assumed it was like taking a kill-count; one painting for each victim. I'm not sure what it specifically refers to, or what the origin of the term is. [[Special:Contributions/76.106.251.87|76.106.251.87]] 05:55, 28 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:seen the silhouette images of enemy planes painted next to the pilots canopy on mid 20th century fighter planes? its a reference to that. i've only seen it in films but presumably where there's smoke there's fire. *edit for improved explanation: the images are painted by the pilot to show how many 'bogies' he's shot down,much like how cueball will paint the grammarian on his desktop as another victim. [[User:Xseo|Xseo]] ([[User talk:Xseo|talk]]) 10:02, 15 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
::"mid 20th century fighter planes"?? As opposed to what? Late 18th century fighter planes?[[Special:Contributions/86.44.215.73|86.44.215.73]] 02:44, 23 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::As opposed to late 20th and 21st century fighter planes perhaps? [[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 08:20, 24 April 2013 (UTC)<br />
::::And assuming "mid 20th century" refers to World War II of 1939-45 (less years for Americans, arguably more so for some other countries), there were already gun-attached 'fighter aircraft' in WWI and onward (though often technically called "scouts" or "pursuit" aircraft, in English and American terminology, respectively... other countries/languages having their own varients). Maybe not from the ''very'' start of the 1914-18 conflict, as opposing aircrews were apparently quite friendly to each other for a while until some air-reconnaissance pilot took a pistol up with him (or perhaps it was originally a solution against airships, leastwise those that they could get high enough to attack). And then some people had the idea to hard-attach various projectile weapons to the planes. And, oh boy, they had fun for a while trying to mount them to fire through their own front propellers, didn't they? ;)<br />
::::Anyway, the concept definitely had become engrained before the 'mid' 20thC, by whatever name. Did the Red Baron paint kills on his triplane? Did Biggles (fictionally) do so? Someone ought to actually research this. ;) [[Special:Contributions/178.98.31.27|178.98.31.27]] 16:27, 19 June 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::::At least in his autobiography "Der rote Kampfflieger" (The red Fighter pilot) Manfred von Richthofen (the actual name of the Red Baron) did not tell about that. And he did not mention any other pilot doing so, either. But since he considered being a fighter pilot as a sport such as hunting and he was very proud of his "score" it is most likely he would have telled if there were such a rite, I guess. As such I would consider "mid 20th century" as correct, since most if not all actual evidences of that tradition I am aware of are from WWII or later. Unfortunately I did not found any information about the origin of that tradition. The only wikipedia entry is the German article about "Abschussmarkierung" which has no links to translations of other languages and does not contain any information about the origin and searching for "kill marks" or "kill scores" leads to nothing but hobbyist forums or World of Tanks/World of Warplanes (both being more or less WWII games) and similar. Maybe I do some more research on this, later. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 15:48, 4 December 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Effects effecting affects affect effects effectively. Also, Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo. --naginalf [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 20:29, 12 March 2014 (UTC)<br />
: Sure, but really, if an effect can effect affects effectively, how many affects can an effect effectively effect? [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:46, 3 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
:: As many affects as an effect can effect if an effect can effect affects effectively. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.162|108.162.238.162]] 04:09, 4 November 2014 (UTC)<br />
::: What that is that that is is that that is what that is, I guess. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.174|173.245.56.174]] 19:42, 14 February 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I was in a meeting once where a guy said, "I am effected by my environment." I replied, "Oh? We think, therefore you are?" Nobody laughed. Sigh. {{unsigned|CoderLass}}<br />
<br />
Can someone simplify the meaning / alternative words for the two variants and verb/noun uses in a spreadsheet? --[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Lazer%20erazer Björn Eberhardt] 14:50, 3 June 2015 (CEST)<br />
<br />
:You shouldn't need a spreadsheet, since it's only a 2x2 matrix, meaning just 4 meanings. Briefly:<br />
:* Effect (noun): result<br />
:* Effect (verb): cause<br />
:* Affect (noun): visible sign of mood<br />
:* Affect (verb): change<br />
<br />
:There are additional meanings for all of these, but they're generally related to the main meaning in obvious ways. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.69|162.158.255.69]] 07:28, 16 September 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
Bjorn- if you find anyone to do that, I'm getting it as a tattoo.<br />
[[User:Gwynfshae|Gwynfshae]] ([[User talk:Gwynfshae|talk]]) 15:01, 1 September 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The spelling of "foreign" was corrected several hours after it was posted, according to [http://blog.xkcd.com/2007/10/08/embarassing-typo/ the XKCD blog]. Anyone know how it was initially spelled? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.148|162.158.255.148]] 23:34, 31 March 2016 (UTC)</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1635:_Birdsong&diff=1100851635: Birdsong2016-01-27T17:39:23Z<p>162.158.255.148: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1635<br />
| date = January 27, 2016<br />
| title = Birdsong<br />
| image = birdsong.png<br />
| titletext = Maybe if I put it in a box for a while with a speaker playing some pleasant pastoral music, I can reprogram it.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The comic shows [[Cueball]] walking along with a bird singing above him; Cueball is apparently enjoying the perfect weather and the birdsong as he comments on both. In the next panel, it becomes apparent that the bird is actually singing the words to the song "{{w|Smooth (song)|Smooth}}" ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Whgn_iE5uc official video]) by {{w|Santana (band)|Santana}} featuring {{w|Rob Thomas (musician)|Rob Thomas}}. The bird's singing begins to annoy Cueball, so he chases the bird with a {{w|butterfly net}} in an attempt to catch it. Meanwhile the bird just continues with the song. (Interestingly the two lines from the last two panels follow each other in the song, but Cueball manages to get hold of the net in between).<br />
<br />
The lines the bird sings are (most) of the last three lines from the chorus (see the [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/santana/smooth.html lyrics]):<br />
*And it's just like the ocean under the moon<br />
*Well, that's the same as the emotion that I get from you<br />
*You '''got the kind of loving that can be so smooth, yeah.'''<br />
*'''Gimme your heart, make it real'''<br />
*'''Or else forget about it'''<br />
<br />
The comic is a play on the words 'bird' and 'song'. Birds, of course, don't actually sing: the sounds they make are territorial challenges, mating cries, etc. But in Western cultural traditions, particularly the {{w|pastoral}} one, imagining these sounds as 'song' is part of seeing nature as beautiful and harmonious. Ironically, the fact that this bird is really singing urban pop music, is perceived by Cueball to be an intrusion. Playing {{w|Pastoral#Pastoral_music|pastoral music}} to 'reprogram' the bird is of course an even more unnatural intervention - all with the purpose of restoring the pastoral naturalness of the morning. Of course some birds can actually {{w|Talking bird|emulate human words}}, and in this way actually sing real words, like with the {{w|common hill myna}}. Other birds can mimic any odd and unusual sounds, particularly the {{w|lyrebird}} of Australia, known to reproduce all types of sounds from chainsaws to barking dogs and certainly also music.<br />
<br />
The title text of "reprogramming" the bird by placing it in a box also refers to {{w|B. F. Skinner|B.F. Skinner}} and his development of {{w|Programmed learning|programmed learning}} through his theories of operant conditioning and behaviorism in psychology. By famously using birds in so-called {{w|Skinner boxes}}, he conditioned birds to respond to certain stimuli and expect rewards for particular behaviors, leading to an understanding of many impulsive behaviors in humans like addiction. Cueball apparently hopes to "correct" the bird and its song through this method.<br />
<br />
Lately [[Randall]] has had his characters catch several things, but never butterflies with a butterfly net, see [[1523: Microdrones]] and [[1622: Henge]].<br />
<br />
It is also possible that the comic is a reference to the video game "Undertale". Shortly before the end of a Genocide Run (attempting to complete the game by killing all monsters), the final boss has the following line of dialogue.<br />
"It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming... on days like these, kids like you...<br />
Should be burning in hell."<br />
At the very end of a Genocide Run, the player is faced with the choice to delete and walk away from the game forever (to "forget about it"), or to sell their soul to reverse the erasure of the game ("Give me your heart, make it real"). These parallels may indicate that Randall has played Undertale.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is walking and talking, while a bird, flying above him is singing, with four notes floating around it to indicate this. The notes are clearly above and removed from Cueball's text.]<br />
:Cueball (singing): The sun is shining, the birds are singing—<br />
<br />
:[Cueball stops and looks up when the bird above him starts to sing using human language, four notes are floating around the text. The text of the bird's song is in ''italic text'' to indicate this.]<br />
:Bird (singing): ''Got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball looks down and black smoke emanates from the top of his head. The bird now flies above the panel but still sings in human language, four notes are floating below the text.]<br />
:Bird (singing - off-panel): ''Give me your heart, make it real''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is chasing the bird with a butterfly net, the bird is flying away from Cueball, continuing to sing, four notes are floating around the text.]<br />
:Bird (singing): ''Or else forget about it''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]<br />
[[Category:Music]]<br />
[[Category:Songs]]</div>162.158.255.148https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1635:_Birdsong&diff=1100841635: Birdsong2016-01-27T17:38:31Z<p>162.158.255.148: There were distinct parallels here, which almost certainly count as a reference to Undertale.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1635<br />
| date = January 27, 2016<br />
| title = Birdsong<br />
| image = birdsong.png<br />
| titletext = Maybe if I put it in a box for a while with a speaker playing some pleasant pastoral music, I can reprogram it.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
The comic shows [[Cueball]] walking along with a bird singing above him; Cueball is apparently enjoying the perfect weather and the birdsong as he comments on both. In the next panel, it becomes apparent that the bird is actually singing the words to the song "{{w|Smooth (song)|Smooth}}" ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Whgn_iE5uc official video]) by {{w|Santana (band)|Santana}} featuring {{w|Rob Thomas (musician)|Rob Thomas}}. The bird's singing begins to annoy Cueball, so he chases the bird with a {{w|butterfly net}} in an attempt to catch it. Meanwhile the bird just continues with the song. (Interestingly the two lines from the last two panels follow each other in the song, but Cueball manages to get hold of the net in between).<br />
<br />
The lines the bird sings are (most) of the last three lines from the chorus (see the [http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/santana/smooth.html lyrics]):<br />
*And it's just like the ocean under the moon<br />
*Well, that's the same as the emotion that I get from you<br />
*You '''got the kind of loving that can be so smooth, yeah.'''<br />
*'''Gimme your heart, make it real'''<br />
*'''Or else forget about it'''<br />
<br />
The comic is a play on the words 'bird' and 'song'. Birds, of course, don't actually sing: the sounds they make are territorial challenges, mating cries, etc. But in Western cultural traditions, particularly the {{w|pastoral}} one, imagining these sounds as 'song' is part of seeing nature as beautiful and harmonious. Ironically, the fact that this bird is really singing urban pop music, is perceived by Cueball to be an intrusion. Playing {{w|Pastoral#Pastoral_music|pastoral music}} to 'reprogram' the bird is of course an even more unnatural intervention - all with the purpose of restoring the pastoral naturalness of the morning. Of course some birds can actually {{w|Talking bird|emulate human words}}, and in this way actually sing real words, like with the {{w|common hill myna}}. Other birds can mimic any odd and unusual sounds, particularly the {{w|lyrebird}} of Australia, known to reproduce all types of sounds from chainsaws to barking dogs and certainly also music.<br />
<br />
The title text of "reprogramming" the bird by placing it in a box also refers to {{w|B. F. Skinner|B.F. Skinner}} and his development of {{w|Programmed learning|programmed learning}} through his theories of operant conditioning and behaviorism in psychology. By famously using birds in so-called {{w|Skinner boxes}}, he conditioned birds to respond to certain stimuli and expect rewards for particular behaviors, leading to an understanding of many impulsive behaviors in humans like addiction. Cueball apparently hopes to "correct" the bird and its song through this method.<br />
<br />
Lately [[Randall]] has had his characters catch several things, but never butterflies with a butterfly net, see [[1523: Microdrones]] and [[1622: Henge]].<br />
<br />
It is also possible that the comic is a reference to the video game "Undertale". Shortly before the end of a Genocide Run (attempting to complete the game by killing all monsters), the final boss has the following line of dialogue.<br />
"It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming... on days like these, kids like you...<br />
S h o u l d b e b u r n i n g i n h e l l."<br />
At the very end of a Genocide Run, the player is faced with the choice to delete and walk away from the game forever (to "forget about it"), or to sell their soul to reverse the erasure of the game ("Give me your heart, make it real"). These parallels may indicate that Randall has played Undertale.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is walking and talking, while a bird, flying above him is singing, with four notes floating around it to indicate this. The notes are clearly above and removed from Cueball's text.]<br />
:Cueball (singing): The sun is shining, the birds are singing—<br />
<br />
:[Cueball stops and looks up when the bird above him starts to sing using human language, four notes are floating around the text. The text of the bird's song is in ''italic text'' to indicate this.]<br />
:Bird (singing): ''Got the kind of lovin' that can be so smooth, yeah''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball looks down and black smoke emanates from the top of his head. The bird now flies above the panel but still sings in human language, four notes are floating below the text.]<br />
:Bird (singing - off-panel): ''Give me your heart, make it real''<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is chasing the bird with a butterfly net, the bird is flying away from Cueball, continuing to sing, four notes are floating around the text.]<br />
:Bird (singing): ''Or else forget about it''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]<br />
[[Category:Music]]<br />
[[Category:Songs]]</div>162.158.255.148