https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Ahecht&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T01:04:34ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2868:_Label_the_States&diff=3309112868: Label the States2023-12-15T21:32:11Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ force thumbnail regeneration</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2868<br />
| date = December 15, 2023<br />
| title = Label the States<br />
| image = label_the_states_2x.png<br />
| imagesize = 740x500px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Even with a blank map, a lot of people can only name 45-50 of the 64 states.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a LEONIDA MAN - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
[[File:label the states 2x highlighted.png|thumb|301px|The map with the extra states highlighted.]]<br />
[[File:Blank US Map (white on gray and black).svg|thumb|301px|A real blank map of the United States for comparison.]]<br />
This is a blank map of the United States. At first glance, it looks correct, because all the large states with distinct shapes are correctly represented, but some states have been added. For example:<br />
<br />
* On the west coast, Washington, Oregon, and California all have their normal shapes, but there is a new rectangular state south of Oregon and north of California.<br />
* Ohio and Indiana have been narrowed with a new state being created between them.<br />
* A new, Tennessee-shaped state has been added between Tennessee and Kentucky.<br />
* Additionally, a new, North Carolina-shaped state has been added between Virginia and North Carolina.<br />
* A square-shaped state has been added between Arizona and New Mexico.<br />
* Another rectangular state has been added between North and South Dakota (Middle Dakota?).<br />
* An Arkansas-esque state has been added between Arkansas and Missouri.<br />
* New Hampshire now has a state that looks like its reflection between itself and Maine.<br />
* Four rectangular states have been added between Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado and the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Kansas.<br />
* Another rectangular state has been added between Colorado and Wyoming.<br />
* Lastly, another rectangular state has been added between Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.<br />
<br />
In summary, a whole row and a whole column of states have been added, and two new states have been added between Indiana and Ohio and between New Hampshire and Vermont. The external shape of the United States has also been slightly modified to accommodate the new states. As the title text says, there are now 64 states on Randall's map, not 50.<br />
<br />
In comic [[2394]], this has also been done, but with 41 states instead of 64.<br />
<br />
The title text comments on the fact that Americans are bad at geography, parodying comments that Americans cannot name all 50 of the US states.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:Geography Challenge:<br />
:Can you label all the states?<br />
<br />
:[An unlabeled map of the United States, but instead of 50 states, there are borders for 64.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:US maps]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2868:_Label_the_States&diff=3309092868: Label the States2023-12-15T20:59:20Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ fix map</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2868<br />
| date = December 15, 2023<br />
| title = Label the States<br />
| image = label_the_states_2x.png<br />
| imagesize = 740x500px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Even with a blank map, a lot of people can only name 45-50 of the 64 states.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a LEONIDA MAN - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
[[File:label the states 2x highlighted.png|thumb|300xp|The map with the extra states highlighted.]]<br />
[[File:Blank map of states.png|thumb|300xp|A real blank map of the United States for comparison.]]<br />
This is a blank map of the United States. At first glance, it looks correct, because all the large states with distinct shapes are correctly represented, but some states have been added. For example:<br />
<br />
* On the west coast, Washington, Oregon, and California all have their normal shapes, but there is a new rectangular state south of Oregon and north of California.<br />
* Ohio and Indiana have been narrowed with a new state being created between them.<br />
* A new, Tennessee-shaped state has been added between Tennessee and Kentucky.<br />
* Additionally, a new, North Carolina-shaped state has been added between Virginia and North Carolina.<br />
* A square-shaped state has been added between Arizona and New Mexico.<br />
* Another rectangular state has been added between North and South Dakota (Middle Dakota?).<br />
* An Arkansas-esque state has been added between Arkansas and Missouri.<br />
* New Hampshire now has a state that looks like its reflection between itself and Maine.<br />
* Four rectangular states have been added between Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado and the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Kansas.<br />
* Another rectangular state has been added between Colorado and Wyoming.<br />
* Lastly, another rectangular state has been added between Idaho, Utah, and Nevada.<br />
<br />
In summary, a whole row and a whole column of states have been added, and two new states have been added between Indiana and Ohio and between New Hampshire and Vermont. The external shape of the United States has also been slightly modified to accommodate the new states. As the title text says, there are now 64 states on Randall's map, not 50.<br />
<br />
In comic [[2394]], this has also been done, but with 41 states instead of 64.<br />
<br />
The title text comments on the fact that Americans are bad at geography, parodying comments that Americans cannot name all 50 of the US states.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
:Geography Challenge:<br />
:Can you label all the states?<br />
<br />
:[An unlabeled map of the United States, but instead of 50 states, there are borders for 64.]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:US maps]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=File:label_the_states_2x_highlighted.png&diff=330908File:label the states 2x highlighted.png2023-12-15T20:58:10Z<p>Ahecht: Ahecht uploaded a new version of File:label the states 2x highlighted.png</p>
<hr />
<div>== Summary ==<br />
Derivative of [[:File:label_the_states_2x.png]] with added states highlighted.<br />
== Licensing ==<br />
{{XKCD file derived}}</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=316219Talk:2793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-26T19:19:03Z<p>Ahecht: re</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
The bot didn't upload the most recent comic so I tried to do it myself, but I think I screwed it up :([[User:Szeth Pancakes|Szeth Pancakes]] ([[User talk:Szeth Pancakes|talk]]) 18:31, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think the term "bird strikes" should be interpreted as a plural noun, given the two Xs on the map. Something like "After bird strikes, judge ... overturned but rights and lands safely" [[Special:Contributions/172.69.59.8|172.69.59.8]] 20:30, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
: Or it could be the bird strikes judge... You know, the one who was the judge in an important and well-known "bird strikes" case, possibly environmental, possibly an insurance scam case or something.[[User:Thisfox|Thisfox]] ([[User talk:Thisfox|talk]]) 21:46, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I don't think the current interpretation is wrong, but "olive garden" could be the lower-case-when-not-a-comics-headline descriptor for, you know, an actual garden of olive trees. That makes more sense when referring to green walkways. [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 20:33, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Can someone also parse the alt-text? I still can't figure it out. -[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.176|162.158.154.176]] 20:39, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
:I think it's saying the arboretum owner (who is appealing the case) is himself appealing. I'm still having trouble with the grounds grounds portion though. :([[User:*anonymouse*|*anonymouse*]] ([[User talk:*anonymouse*|talk]]) 20:48, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
::He was ''appealing'' the lawsuit on the ''grounds'' that the ''grounds'' were ''appealing'' [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 22:06, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Going by the picture I think the "bird" that struck the judge may be the plane.<br />
:Disagree, "{{w|bird strike}}" is a term used for an incident where a bird strikes a vehicle, usually a plane. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.155|172.70.211.155]] 20:50, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
:But all these conflicting interpretations proves Randall's point that this is a garden path sentence :) [[User:Natg19|Natg19]] ([[User talk:Natg19|talk]]) 20:52, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
[[User:*anonymouse*|*anonymouse*]] please reconsider your edits; before them, I think I understood the meaning, but your supposed clarification messed it up :( the paragraph you removed seemed more plausible to me, and it also contained some useful wiki links to {{w|bird strike}} and {{w|vacated judgement}}. [[User:Torzsmokus|Torzsmokus]] ([[User talk:Torzsmokus|talk]]) 20:47, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
As I understood it, birds hit the plane piloted by the judge that gave the Olive Garden path sentence, overturning it (!!!), but he righted it and managed to land. [[User:J Petry|J Petry]] ([[User talk:J Petry|talk]]) 20:49, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
A [[wikipedia:bird strike]] is an aviation thing. Given the airplane in the photo and the path to what appears to be runways, I think that these are the bird strikes it's referring to. "Rights and lands safely" also would refer to the judge piloting an airplane. "Overturned" thus should also refer to the flight, but I would expect it to be something like "overturns", not "overturned", given "rights and lands". Thus: "After bird strikes, the judge who ordered the sentence overturned in the olive garden path case, his plane overturned, but rights the aircraft and lands it safely." [[User:SheeEttin|SheeEttin]] ([[User talk:SheeEttin|talk]]) 20:53, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I see what you're saying, and I think you're right. After (multiple) bird strikes the (plane being flown by the judge) overturned but was able to right itself. :([[User:*anonymouse*|*anonymouse*]] ([[User talk:*anonymouse*|talk]]) 20:57, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I feel certain that "olive" refers to the shade of green, because otherwise why specify "green" walkways? This makes "Olive Garden" a red herring, which seems likely. -- [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.244|108.162.245.244]] 21:01, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:I disagree. I read "olive garden" as a literal garden of olive trees. Randall is exploiting our familiarity with the Olive Garden restaurant to construct the sentence. The path would be a footpath or something through this garden. What makes the walkways green? No idea, maybe they're the kind that are actually solar panels. [[User:SheeEttin|SheeEttin]] ([[User talk:SheeEttin|talk]]) 22:10, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:: I would interpret "green walkway" as meaning a picturesque walkway going through a forest, public gardens, or similar, which fits in with the olive trees. Searching for the term on Wikipedia suggests this expression is more commonly used in England than in the US. [[User:Hmj|Hmj]] ([[User talk:Hmj|talk]]) 05:29, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::: As an American, I assumed exactly the same meaning for "green walkway". I see no reason to interpret "olive" as a color in this comic. The primary meaning of "olive garden path" is definitely a path within a garden where olives are grown. The idea of "olive" referring to the color green could be mentioned as a possible alternative explanation but should not be the primary one. [[User:CarLuva|CarLuva]] ([[User talk:CarLuva|talk]]) 13:43, 26 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::::You wouldn't grow olives in a garden, they'd be in an orchard or a grove. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 19:19, 26 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I still don't like "overturned but rights and lands" - why would the first verb be in the past tense and the others present tense, if they are describing events that happened within a very short time of each other? Wouldn't a headline be entirely in the present tense? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.102|162.158.159.102]] 05:10, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
: Because it had to overturn first (in the past) before it could right and land. It's a valid use of tense, using the past tense helps establish the sequence of events. Simpler sentences only use 3 tenses: past, present, and future, so in such a sentence, since none of the three events are in the future, two must share a tense. It could also have been "overturned, righted, and lands safely.", with two being past tense and the last being present. Getting less simple would be "had overturned, then righted so it lands safely", to give each term its own tense. Alternatively, because they're separate parts of the sentence: "Overturned" is that a court case sentence was overturned, which was further in the past, before this flight, but the most current event - that the judge rights the plane and lands the plane - is being listed in present tense, as the most current thing to happen. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 07:13, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: This bothers me as well, but I don't see a way around it. It's possible that the case was "the case of the green walkways vacated," but then we need a valid parsing of "After bird strikes judge who ordered sentence overturned but rights and lands safely." Failing that, I'm prepared to conclude that the mixed case is either an error or a deliberate fudging of the norm for the sake of making it more confusing. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.147.140|172.71.147.140]] 18:52, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: I am convinced that "overturned" is referring to the case, and "vacated" is referring to the walkways. That keeps the verb tense for the pilot/judge consistent: "rights" and "lands". The judge ordered the "olive garden path" sentence be overturned in the "case of green walkways vacated". In other words, the walkways were vacated, which led to an "olive garden path sentence", and that sentence was overturned, and the judge/pilot "rights and lands" the plane safely. Verb tense is one of the few hints on how to parse something so convoluted, and there's no better argument I can see for the current interpretation above that applies "overturned" to the plane itself. So, the plane was not overturned, but did need to be righted. [[User:DanShock|DanShock]] ([[User talk:DanShock|talk]]) 15:15, 26 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
This also suggests the plane was overturned by some external factor, rather than just overturning by itself. <br />
<br />
I had understood that an actual flying animal - a bird - bounced off the judge's head - in present tense, the bird strikes the judge - which made it flip over, but it managed to right itself and properly land, as if that's important. I honestly feel like this interpretation of "bird" makes more sense than an airplane being involved. Also that it adds humour, since how is the bird important enough to care that it recovered, and care ENOUGH that it should be mentioned in the headline. :) (I hadn't gotten around to trying to figure out the rest, felt too difficult until I read the concept of a garden path sentence) [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 07:03, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
: Check that, JUST noticed the PICTURE of a judge standing in front of a plane, LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 15:29, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I can't help but feel a better (worse?) sentence would be "After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of emergency exits vacated overturned but rights and lands safely", playing off familiarity with the phrase "in case of emergency" and the fact that "exit" is both a verb and a noun. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.223|172.71.242.223]] 13:39, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I'm usually the one seeking explanation here. All the discussion above is actually the funny part because Garden Path sentences can't be properly parsed!<br />
<br />
I think a useful addition to all the "the whole sentence could be" ideas, which could subsume all the "this bit could be rea as...", would be to do a table or header-list of how each sequential chain of words might be interpreted. Such as:<br />
:... '''bird''': a dinosaur; '''bird strikes''': multiple {{w|Bird strike|aviation icidents}}; '''strikes''': something or someone impacting a target; '''strikes''': where an idea suddenly occured to a person; '''strikes judge''': a justice of the peace who a) adjudicated, or b) took part in, {{w|industrial action}}; '''Judge Who''': a person's name/honorific; '''who ordered olive garden path''': a possible question; '''ordered Olive''': commanded someone called Olive to do something; '''olive garden''': an area for growing {{w|Olive|Olea Europaea}} shrubs; '''garden path''': a trail or access through an aesthetically-designed space of cultivation; '''garden path sentence''': <ibid>; '''sentence in case''': a ruling made following a legal hearing; '''in case of''': indicates a conditional statement''; ...<br />
Here squashed together (and many omissions made, even within that sub-chain), just to get the idea together. Perhaps, in table form, indexed by "(OPTIONAL)FOO <one or more adjacent words> (OPTIONAL)BAR" with something like "the FOO <undergoes an action of> some BAR", and add a reference to each (<placing of start-word>.<number of words>(<optional alpabetic index to distinguish exact overlaps of different distinctions>?), then a valid complete sentence (or composite partial section) can be described like "1.1 2.1 3.2b 5.2 7.1 8.1 9.3c 12...", or any another variation that a reader might want to then summarise/expand with a "plain English"/unambiguous 'translation'. And all existing work/exposition can be folded into this in a more structured and less randomly-conversational manner. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.47|162.158.74.47]] 19:50, 24 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
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Newspaper headlines like that are fun. Best one so far: "Police stops speeding car with unsecured baby" [[Special:Contributions/172.68.50.161|172.68.50.161]] 07:29, 26 June 2023 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=316007Talk:2793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T22:06:48Z<p>Ahecht: re</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
The bot didn't upload the most recent comic so I tried to do it myself, but I think I screwed it up :([[User:Szeth Pancakes|Szeth Pancakes]] ([[User talk:Szeth Pancakes|talk]]) 18:31, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think the term "bird strikes" should be interpreted as a plural noun, given the two Xs on the map. Something like "After bird strikes, judge ... overturned but rights and lands safely" [[Special:Contributions/172.69.59.8|172.69.59.8]] 20:30, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
: Or it could be the bird strikes judge... You know, the one who was the judge in an important and well-known "bird strikes" case, possibly environmental, possibly an insurance scam case or something.[[User:Thisfox|Thisfox]] ([[User talk:Thisfox|talk]]) 21:46, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I don't think the current interpretation is wrong, but "olive garden" could be the lower-case-when-not-a-comics-headline descriptor for, you know, an actual garden of olive trees. That makes more sense when referring to green walkways. [[User:Nitpicking|Nitpicking]] ([[User talk:Nitpicking|talk]]) 20:33, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Can someone also parse the alt-text? I still can't figure it out. -[[Special:Contributions/162.158.154.176|162.158.154.176]] 20:39, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
:I think it's saying the arboretum owner (who is appealing the case) is himself appealing. I'm still having trouble with the grounds grounds portion though. :([[User:*anonymouse*|*anonymouse*]] ([[User talk:*anonymouse*|talk]]) 20:48, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
::He was ''appealing'' the lawsuit on the ''grounds'' that the ''grounds'' were ''appealing'' [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 22:06, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
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Going by the picture I think the "bird" that struck the judge may be the plane.<br />
:Disagree, "{{w|bird strike}}" is a term used for an incident where a bird strikes a vehicle, usually a plane. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.211.155|172.70.211.155]] 20:50, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
:But all these conflicting interpretations proves Randall's point that this is a garden path sentence :) [[User:Natg19|Natg19]] ([[User talk:Natg19|talk]]) 20:52, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
[[User:*anonymouse*|*anonymouse*]] please reconsider your edits; before them, I think I understood the meaning, but your supposed clarification messed it up :( the paragraph you removed seemed more plausible to me, and it also contained some useful wiki links to {{w|bird strike}} and {{w|vacated judgement}}. [[User:Torzsmokus|Torzsmokus]] ([[User talk:Torzsmokus|talk]]) 20:47, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
As I understood it, birds hit the plane piloted by the judge that gave the Olive Garden path sentence, overturning it (!!!), but he righted it and managed to land. [[User:J Petry|J Petry]] ([[User talk:J Petry|talk]]) 20:49, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
A [[wikipedia:bird strike]] is an aviation thing. Given the airplane in the photo and the path to what appears to be runways, I think that these are the bird strikes it's referring to. "Rights and lands safely" also would refer to the judge piloting an airplane. "Overturned" thus should also refer to the flight, but I would expect it to be something like "overturns", not "overturned", given "rights and lands". Thus: "After bird strikes, the judge who ordered the sentence overturned in the olive garden path case, his plane overturned, but rights the aircraft and lands it safely." [[User:SheeEttin|SheeEttin]] ([[User talk:SheeEttin|talk]]) 20:53, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I see what you're saying, and I think you're right. After (multiple) bird strikes the (plane being flown by the judge) overturned but was able to right itself. :([[User:*anonymouse*|*anonymouse*]] ([[User talk:*anonymouse*|talk]]) 20:57, 23 June 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I feel certain that "olive" refers to the shade of green, because otherwise why specify "green" walkways? This makes "Olive Garden" a red herring, which seems likely. -- [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.244|108.162.245.244]] 21:01, 23 June 2023 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=3160062793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T22:03:49Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ wikilinks</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2793<br />
| date = June 23, 2023<br />
| title = Garden Path Sentence<br />
| image = garden_path_sentence.png<br />
| imagesize = 273x273px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Arboretum Owner Denied Standing in Garden Path Suit on Grounds Grounds Appealing Appealing<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by THE OLD WHO MAN THE BOAT.}}<br />
<br />
A {{w|garden-path sentence}} is one in which the first or most obvious attempt at parsing a sentence leads to bad grammar or the wrong meaning. A classic example of a garden path sentence is "the old man the boat", leading to an initial incorrect parsing of "the old man" ??? "the boat". The actual way to parse this sentence is to treat "man" as a verb, meaning "take one's place at", so thus the sentence means (old people are captaining the boat).<br />
<br />
Possible grammatically correct interpretations of the sentences in this comic are:<br />
<br />
There was a court case regarding green walkways. Said court case was resolved with a sentence relating to an olive garden path. That sentence was vacated (cancelled) by a judge. That judge was flying an airplane. The airplane struck multiple birds. The plane overturned, but righted (turned right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
After (bird strikes)<sup>1</sup>, (judge)<sup>2</sup>, (who ordered)<sup>3</sup> (olive garden-path sentence)<sup>4</sup> in (case of green walkways)<sup>5</sup> (vacated)<sup>3</sup>, (overturned but rights and lands safely.)<sup>2</sup><br />
<br />
# "[[wikipedia:bird strike|bird strike]]s": Airplane colliding with birds in flight<br />
# "judge ... overturned but rights and lands safely": The judge (and presumably the plane they were in) flipped over but was able to get right-side up again and land safely<br />
# "who [[wikipedia:Court order|ordered]] ... [[:wikipedia:Vacated judgment|vacated]]": The same judge had previously issued a ruling cancelling something<br />
# "[[wikipedia:Olive (color)|olive]] garden-path [[:wikipedia:Sentence (law)|sentence]]": The thing that was cancelled was a punishment related to olive-colored garden paths<br />
# "[[wikipedia:Legal case|case]] of [[wikipedia:Green|green]] walkways": The punishment was in a court case about green-colored walkways (likely the same garden paths listed above, which may have supposed to have been an olive shade of that color)<br />
<br />
Another way to break it down is, "After [the] bird strikes, [the] judge... [is] overturned, but [she] rights and lands safely." And she was "[the] judge who ordered [that the] olive garden-path sentence (the legal sentence concerning an olive-colored path) in (what is known as) [the] Case of [the] Green Walkways [to be] vacated."<br />
<br />
This comic also pokes fun at newspaper headlines, which typically do not have punctuation or articles, leading to such ambiguities.<br />
<br />
For another valid parsing of the sentence, here are some explanatory notes that aid in understanding:<br />
* A criminal court case occurred involving green-colored walkways.<br />
* The sentence handed down in the case involved a specific walkway (a garden path) and a specific shade of green (olive).<br />
* A certain judge had ordered that the sentence be vacated (a legal term of art: undone, expunged).<br />
* That judge was recently piloting a plane which, due to being struck by birds, overturned. <br />
* The judge righted the plane (turned it right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
Certain combinations of words in the sentence are particularly easy to parse incorrectly. For example: <br />
* "bird strikes judge" can be interpreted to mean the a bird deliberately hit the judge with an appendage or weapon<br />
* "Olive Garden" is the name of a restaurant chain, and "ordered Olive Garden" could mean "placed an order for food from Olive Garden"<br />
* "Garden path sentence" is a type of (written language) sentence<br />
* "in case of" can mean "in the event of" (e.g. "in case of emergency, break glass")<br />
* "vacated" and "overturned" can both mean "undone" in a legal context, and "rights" can refer to legal or constitutional rights<br />
<br />
<br />
The title text is also an example of a garden path sentence. The meaning is probably the following: Arboretum owner, [who was] denied [legal] standing in [the] garden-path [law]suit on grounds (the reason) [that the garden] grounds [are] appealing, [is] appealing [the ruling]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[Newspaper, with a picture of a plane next a judge, and a picture of a map with the path of an airplane, with the following headline]<br />
:After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of green walkways vacated overturned but rights and lands safely<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]<br />
[[Category:Aviation]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=3160042793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T21:55:55Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ correction</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2793<br />
| date = June 23, 2023<br />
| title = Garden Path Sentence<br />
| image = garden_path_sentence.png<br />
| imagesize = 273x273px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Arboretum Owner Denied Standing in Garden Path Suit on Grounds Grounds Appealing Appealing<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by THE OLD WHO MAN THE BOAT.}}<br />
<br />
A {{w|garden-path sentence}} is one in which the first or most obvious attempt at parsing a sentence leads to bad grammar or the wrong meaning. A classic example of a garden path sentence is "the old man the boat", leading to an initial incorrect parsing of "the old man" ??? "the boat". The actual way to parse this sentence is to treat "man" as a verb, meaning "take one's place at", so thus the sentence means (old people are captaining the boat).<br />
<br />
Possible grammatically correct interpretations of the sentences in this comic are:<br />
<br />
There was a court case regarding green walkways. Said court case was resolved with a sentence relating to an olive garden path. That sentence was vacated (cancelled) by a judge. That judge was flying an airplane. The airplane struck multiple birds. The plane overturned, but righted (turned right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
After (bird strikes)<sup>1</sup>, (judge)<sup>2</sup>, (who ordered)<sup>3</sup> (olive garden-path sentence)<sup>4</sup> in (case of green walkways)<sup>5</sup> (vacated)<sup>3</sup>, (overturned but rights and lands safely.)<sup>2</sup><br />
<br />
I have grouped the noun phrases in the sentence together to make it more readable. <br />
# Airplane colliding with birds in flight<br />
# The judge (and presumably the plane they were in) flipped over but was able to get right-side up again and land safely<br />
# The same judge had previously issued a ruling cancelling something<br />
# The thing that was cancelled was a judicial sentence related to olive-colored garden paths<br />
# The judicial sentence was in a court case about green-colored walkways (likely the same garden paths listed above, which may have supposed to have been an olive shade of that color)<br />
<br />
Another way to break it down is, "After [the] bird strikes, [the] judge... [is] overturned, but [she] rights and lands safely." And she was "[the] judge who ordered [that the] olive garden-path sentence (the legal sentence concerning an olive-colored path) in (what is known as) [the] Case of [the] Green Walkways [to be] vacated."<br />
<br />
This comic also pokes fun at newspaper headlines, which typically do not have punctuation or articles, leading to such ambiguities.<br />
<br />
For another valid parsing of the sentence, here are some explanatory notes that aid in understanding:<br />
* A criminal court case occurred involving green-colored walkways.<br />
* The sentence handed down in the case involved a specific walkway (a garden path) and a specific shade of green (olive).<br />
* A certain judge had ordered that the sentence be vacated (a legal term of art: undone, expunged).<br />
* That judge was recently piloting a plane which, due to being struck by birds, overturned. <br />
* The judge righted the plane (turned it right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
Certain combinations of words in the sentence are particularly easy to parse incorrectly. For example: <br />
* "bird strikes judge" can be interpreted to mean the a bird deliberately hit the judge with an appendage or weapon<br />
* "Olive Garden" is the name of a restaurant chain, and "ordered Olive Garden" could mean "placed an order for food from Olive Garden"<br />
* "Garden path sentence" is a type of (written language) sentence<br />
* "in case of" can mean "in the event of" (e.g. "in case of emergency, break glass")<br />
* "vacated" and "overturned" can both mean "undone" in a legal context, and "rights" can refer to legal or constitutional rights<br />
<br />
<br />
The title text is also an example of a garden path sentence. The meaning is probably the following: Arboretum owner, [who was] denied [legal] standing in [the] garden-path [law]suit on grounds (the reason) [that the garden] grounds [are] appealing, [is] appealing [the ruling]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[Newspaper, with a picture of a plane next a judge, and a picture of a map with the path of an airplane, with the following headline]<br />
:After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of green walkways vacated overturned but rights and lands safely<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=3160032793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T21:54:36Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ commas</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2793<br />
| date = June 23, 2023<br />
| title = Garden Path Sentence<br />
| image = garden_path_sentence.png<br />
| imagesize = 273x273px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Arboretum Owner Denied Standing in Garden Path Suit on Grounds Grounds Appealing Appealing<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by THE OLD WHO MAN THE BOAT.}}<br />
<br />
A {{w|garden-path sentence}} is one in which the first or most obvious attempt at parsing a sentence leads to bad grammar or the wrong meaning. A classic example of a garden path sentence is "the old man the boat", leading to an initial incorrect parsing of "the old man" ??? "the boat". The actual way to parse this sentence is to treat "man" as a verb, meaning "take one's place at", so thus the sentence means (old people are captaining the boat).<br />
<br />
Possible grammatically correct interpretations of the sentences in this comic are:<br />
<br />
There was a court case regarding green walkways. Said court case was resolved with a sentence relating to an olive garden path. That sentence was vacated (cancelled) by a judge. That judge was flying an airplane. The airplane struck multiple birds. The plane overturned, but righted (turned right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
After (bird strikes)<sup>1</sup>, (judge)<sup>2</sup>, (who ordered)<sup>3</sup> (olive garden-path sentence)<sup>4</sup> in (case of green walkways)<sup>5</sup> (vacated)<sup>3</sup>, (overturned but rights and lands safely.)<sup>2</sup><br />
<br />
I have grouped the noun phrases in the sentence together to make it more readable. <br />
# Airplane colliding with birds in flight<br />
# The judge (and presumably the plane they were in) flipped over but was able to get right-side up again and land safely<br />
# The same judge had previously issued a ruling cancelling something<br />
# The thing that was cancelled was a judicial sentence related to olive-colored garden paths<br />
# The judicial sentence was in a court case about green-colored walkways (likely the same garden paths listed above, which may have supposed to have been an olive shade of that color)<br />
<br />
Another way to break it down is, "After [the] bird strikes, [the] judge... [is] overturned, but [she] rights and lands safely." And she was "[the] judge who ordered [that the] Olive Garden path sentence (the legal sentence concerning a path named after Olive Garden) in (what is known as) [the] Case of [the] Green Walkways [to be] vacated."<br />
<br />
This comic also pokes fun at newspaper headlines, which typically do not have punctuation or articles, leading to such ambiguities.<br />
<br />
For another valid parsing of the sentence, here are some explanatory notes that aid in understanding:<br />
* A criminal court case occurred involving green-colored walkways.<br />
* The sentence handed down in the case involved a specific walkway (a garden path) and a specific shade of green (olive).<br />
* A certain judge had ordered that the sentence be vacated (a legal term of art: undone, expunged).<br />
* That judge was recently piloting a plane which, due to being struck by birds, overturned. <br />
* The judge righted the plane (turned it right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
Certain combinations of words in the sentence are particularly easy to parse incorrectly. For example: <br />
* "bird strikes judge" can be interpreted to mean the a bird deliberately hit the judge with an appendage or weapon<br />
* "Olive Garden" is the name of a restaurant chain, and "ordered Olive Garden" could mean "placed an order for food from Olive Garden"<br />
* "Garden path sentence" is a type of (written language) sentence<br />
* "in case of" can mean "in the event of" (e.g. "in case of emergency, break glass")<br />
* "vacated" and "overturned" can both mean "undone" in a legal context, and "rights" can refer to legal or constitutional rights<br />
<br />
<br />
The title text is also an example of a garden path sentence. The meaning is probably the following: Arboretum owner, [who was] denied [legal] standing in [the] garden-path [law]suit on grounds (the reason) [that the garden] grounds [are] appealing, [is] appealing [the ruling]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[Newspaper, with a picture of a plane next a judge, and a picture of a map with the path of an airplane, with the following headline]<br />
:After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of green walkways vacated overturned but rights and lands safely<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=3160012793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T21:53:50Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ I think this explanation is mostly wrong, and have attempted to correct it.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2793<br />
| date = June 23, 2023<br />
| title = Garden Path Sentence<br />
| image = garden_path_sentence.png<br />
| imagesize = 273x273px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Arboretum Owner Denied Standing in Garden Path Suit on Grounds Grounds Appealing Appealing<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by THE OLD WHO MAN THE BOAT.}}<br />
<br />
A {{w|garden-path sentence}} is one in which the first or most obvious attempt at parsing a sentence leads to bad grammar or the wrong meaning. A classic example of a garden path sentence is "the old man the boat", leading to an initial incorrect parsing of "the old man" ??? "the boat". The actual way to parse this sentence is to treat "man" as a verb, meaning "take one's place at", so thus the sentence means (old people are captaining the boat).<br />
<br />
Possible grammatically correct interpretations of the sentences in this comic are:<br />
<br />
There was a court case regarding green walkways. Said court case was resolved with a sentence relating to an olive garden path. That sentence was vacated (cancelled) by a judge. That judge was flying an airplane. The airplane struck multiple birds. The plane overturned, but righted (turned right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
After (bird strikes)<sup>1</sup>, (judge)<sup>2</sup> (who ordered)<sup>3</sup> (olive garden-path sentence)<sup>4</sup> in (case of green walkways)<sup>5</sup> (vacated)<sup>3</sup> (overturned but rights and lands safely.)<sup>2</sup><br />
<br />
I have grouped the noun phrases in the sentence together to make it more readable. <br />
# Airplane colliding with birds in flight<br />
# The judge (and presumably the plane they were in) flipped over but was able to get right-side up again and land safely<br />
# The same judge had previously issued a ruling cancelling something<br />
# The thing that was cancelled was a judicial sentence related to olive-colored garden paths<br />
# The judicial sentence was in a court case about green-colored walkways (likely the same garden paths listed above, which may have supposed to have been an olive shade of that color)<br />
<br />
Another way to break it down is, "After [the] bird strikes, [the] judge... [is] overturned, but [she] rights and lands safely." And she was "[the] judge who ordered [that the] Olive Garden path sentence (the legal sentence concerning a path named after Olive Garden) in (what is known as) [the] Case of [the] Green Walkways [to be] vacated."<br />
<br />
This comic also pokes fun at newspaper headlines, which typically do not have punctuation or articles, leading to such ambiguities.<br />
<br />
For another valid parsing of the sentence, here are some explanatory notes that aid in understanding:<br />
* A criminal court case occurred involving green-colored walkways.<br />
* The sentence handed down in the case involved a specific walkway (a garden path) and a specific shade of green (olive).<br />
* A certain judge had ordered that the sentence be vacated (a legal term of art: undone, expunged).<br />
* That judge was recently piloting a plane which, due to being struck by birds, overturned. <br />
* The judge righted the plane (turned it right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
Certain combinations of words in the sentence are particularly easy to parse incorrectly. For example: <br />
* "bird strikes judge" can be interpreted to mean the a bird deliberately hit the judge with an appendage or weapon<br />
* "Olive Garden" is the name of a restaurant chain, and "ordered Olive Garden" could mean "placed an order for food from Olive Garden"<br />
* "Garden path sentence" is a type of (written language) sentence<br />
* "in case of" can mean "in the event of" (e.g. "in case of emergency, break glass")<br />
* "vacated" and "overturned" can both mean "undone" in a legal context, and "rights" can refer to legal or constitutional rights<br />
<br />
<br />
The title text is also an example of a garden path sentence. The meaning is probably the following: Arboretum owner, [who was] denied [legal] standing in [the] garden-path [law]suit on grounds (the reason) [that the garden] grounds [are] appealing, [is] appealing [the ruling]<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[Newspaper, with a picture of a plane next a judge, and a picture of a map with the path of an airplane, with the following headline]<br />
:After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of green walkways vacated overturned but rights and lands safely<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=3159992793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T21:36:01Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ add</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2793<br />
| date = June 23, 2023<br />
| title = Garden Path Sentence<br />
| image = garden_path_sentence.png<br />
| imagesize = 273x273px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Arboretum Owner Denied Standing in Garden Path Suit on Grounds Grounds Appealing Appealing<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by THE OLD WHO MAN THE BOAT.}}<br />
<br />
A {{w|garden-path sentence}} is one in which the first or most obvious attempt at parsing a sentence leads to bad grammar or the wrong meaning. A classic example of a garden path sentence is "the old man the boat", leading to an initial incorrect parsing of "the old man" ??? "the boat". The actual way to parse this sentence is to treat "man" as a verb, meaning "take one's place at", so thus the sentence means (old people are captaining the boat).<br />
<br />
Possible grammatically correct interpretations of the sentences in this comic are:<br />
<br />
There was a court case regarding green walkways. Said court case was resolved with a sentence relating to an olive garden path. That sentence was vacated (cancelled) by a judge. That judge was flying an airplane. The airplane struck multiple birds. The plane overturned, but righted (turned right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
After (bird)1 strikes (judge who ordered)2 (olive garden path sentence)3 in (case of green walkways vacated)4 (overturned but rights and lands safely.)5<br />
<br />
I have grouped the noun phrases in the sentence together to make it more readable. <br />
1 The bird crashed into the judge.<br />
2 3 The judge had ordered a judicial sentence in the case of a path related to an olive garden (the restaurant?).<br />
4 The path (green walkways) was vacated.<br />
5 The bird flipped over in mid air but was able to right itself and land safely.<br />
The last phrase is a verb phrase but I have included it to show how it is connected to the first noun phrase (the bird) because its position at the end of the sentence adds to the ambiguity.<br />
<br />
Another way to break it down is, "After [the] bird strikes, [the] judge... [is] overturned, but [she] rights and lands safely." And she was "[the] judge who ordered [that the] Olive Garden path sentence (the legal sentence concerning a path named after Olive Garden) in (what is known as) [the] Case of [the] Green Walkways [to be] vacated."<br />
<br />
This comic also pokes fun at newspaper headlines, which typically do not have punctuation or articles, leading to such ambiguities.<br />
<br />
For another valid parsing of the sentence, here are some explanatory notes that aid in understanding:<br />
* A criminal court case occurred involving green-colored walkways.<br />
* The sentence handed down in the case involved a specific walkway (a garden path) and a specific shade of green (olive).<br />
* A certain judge had ordered that the sentence be vacated (a legal term of art: undone, expunged).<br />
* That judge was recently piloting a plane which, due to being struck by birds, overturned. <br />
* The judge righted the plane (turned it right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
Certain combinations of words in the sentence are particularly easy to parse incorrectly. For example: <br />
* "bird strikes judge" can be interpreted to mean the a bird deliberately hit the judge with an appendage or weapon<br />
* "Olive Garden" is the name of a restaurant chain, and "ordered Olive Garden" could mean "placed an order for food from Olive Garden"<br />
* "Garden path sentence" is a type of (written language) sentence<br />
* "in case of" can mean "in the event of" (e.g. "in case of emergency, break glass")<br />
* "vacated" and "overturned" can both mean "undone" in a legal context, and "rights" can refer to legal or constitutional rights<br />
<br />
<br />
The title text is also an example of a garden path sentence. The meaning is probably the following: Arboretum owner, (who was) denied (legal) standing in garden path (law)suit on (reason) grounds (that the garden) grounds (are) appealing, (is) appealing (the ruling)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[Newspaper, with a picture of a plane next a judge, and a picture of a map with the path of an airplane, with the following headline]<br />
:After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of green walkways vacated overturned but rights and lands safely<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2793:_Garden_Path_Sentence&diff=3159982793: Garden Path Sentence2023-06-23T21:32:56Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ Given the relative speeds, the airplane struck the birds, not the other way around.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2793<br />
| date = June 23, 2023<br />
| title = Garden Path Sentence<br />
| image = garden_path_sentence.png<br />
| imagesize = 273x273px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Arboretum Owner Denied Standing in Garden Path Suit on Grounds Grounds Appealing Appealing<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by THE OLD WHO MAN THE BOAT.}}<br />
<br />
A {{w|garden-path sentence}} is one in which the first or most obvious attempt at parsing a sentence leads to bad grammar or the wrong meaning. A classic example of a garden path sentence is "the old man the boat", leading to an initial incorrect parsing of "the old man" ??? "the boat". The actual way to parse this sentence is to treat "man" as a verb, meaning "take one's place at", so thus the sentence means (old people are captaining the boat).<br />
<br />
Possible grammatically correct interpretations of the sentences in this comic are:<br />
<br />
There was a court case regarding green walkways. Said court case was resolved with a sentence relating to an olive garden path. That sentence was vacated (cancelled) by a judge. That judge was flying an airplane. The airplane struck multiple birds. The plane overturned, but righted (turned right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
After (bird)1 strikes (judge who ordered)2 (olive garden path sentence)3 in (case of green walkways vacated)4 (overturned but rights and lands safely.)5<br />
<br />
I have grouped the noun phrases in the sentence together to make it more readable. <br />
1 The bird crashed into the judge.<br />
2 3 The judge had ordered a judicial sentence in the case of a path related to an olive garden (the restaurant?).<br />
4 The path (green walkways) was vacated.<br />
5 The bird flipped over in mid air but was able to right itself and land safely.<br />
The last phrase is a verb phrase but I have included it to show how it is connected to the first noun phrase (the bird) because its position at the end of the sentence adds to the ambiguity.<br />
<br />
Another way to break it down is, "After [the] bird strikes, [the] judge... [is] overturned, but [she] rights and lands safely." And she was "[the] judge who ordered [that the] Olive Garden path sentence (the legal sentence concerning a path named after Olive Garden) in (what is known as) [the] Case of [the] Green Walkways [to be] vacated."<br />
<br />
This comic also pokes fun at newspaper headlines, which typically do not have punctuation or articles, leading to such ambiguities.<br />
<br />
For another valid parsing of the sentence, here are some explanatory notes that aid in understanding:<br />
* A criminal court case occurred involving green-colored walkways.<br />
* The sentence handed down in the case involved a specific walkway (a garden path) and a specific shade of green (olive).<br />
* A certain judge had ordered that the sentence be vacated (a legal term of art: undone, expunged).<br />
* That judge was recently piloting a plane which, due to being struck by birds, overturned. <br />
* The judge righted the plane (turned it right-side-up) and landed safely.<br />
<br />
Certain combinations of words in the sentence are particularly easy to parse incorrectly. For example: <br />
* Olive Garden is the name of a restaurant chain, and "ordered Olive Garden" could mean "placed an order for food from Olive Garden"<br />
* "Garden path sentence" is a type of (written language) sentence<br />
* "in case of" can mean "in the event of" (e.g. "in case of emergency, break glass")<br />
* "vacated" and "overturned" can both mean "undone" in a legal context, and "rights" can refer to legal or constitutional rights<br />
<br />
<br />
The title text is also an example of a garden path sentence. The meaning is probably the following: Arboretum owner, (who was) denied (legal) standing in garden path (law)suit on (reason) grounds (that the garden) grounds (are) appealing, (is) appealing (the ruling)<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[Newspaper, with a picture of a plane next a judge, and a picture of a map with the path of an airplane, with the following headline]<br />
:After bird strikes judge who ordered olive garden path sentence in case of green walkways vacated overturned but rights and lands safely<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Language]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2749:_Lymphocytes&diff=308542Talk:2749: Lymphocytes2023-03-14T16:16:27Z<p>Ahecht: re</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
Battery cells have nothing to do with cell phones. The "cell" in cell phone is short for "cellular" and refers to the communication cells around each tower. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 03:09, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: And that's short for "sell you our phone" where the contract lets you buy it over an extended time that ends about the same time the spiffier replacement model is available. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.209|172.69.70.209]] 10:42, 14 March 2023 (UTC) <br />
<br />
I was originally thinking the CD4+ would be a reference to ''Call of Duty 4'' and onwards, in which players scream (insults?) at each other while playing. But the feeling has subsided, after considering it. Mentioning it here, though, in leiu of adding it as 'factual'. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.47|172.70.162.47]] 06:06, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It should have bee Natural Born Killer Cells, but some opportunities were always going to be missed... --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.187|172.71.178.187]] 07:16, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
"Gamma-Delta T cells" being "unknown/unclassified" could be a reference to Star Trek, which has the galaxy divided into 4 quadrants: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. The Delta Quadrant (setting of Start Trek Voyager) and the Gamma Quadrant (seen in Start Trek Deep Space Nine) are unexplored and uncharted from the Federation's point of view. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.129.51|162.158.129.51]] 09:23, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
:I had in mind just general "above Top Secret" classifications (or reputed ones) like "Omega Level, Burn before reading" or somesuch. Either that or perhaps 'Greek system' fraternities/sororities and secret societies in general (perhaps there's a Gamma-Delta-Tau, or similar, out there) which seem to be a US cultural thing that seems ripe for Randall to spoof about.<br />
:Bear in mind that he's taking (mostly) real naming conventions and just explaining them funnily (hence why not "Natural Born Killer" cells, mentioned above, which was my first thoughts on reading as well), so shoehorning a Trek reference in without making it more explicitly Trekkie in the 'free description' bit seems a bit like it wasn't even the point.<br />
:My money's on the security level, as an intention. At least until someone comes up with a better cultural reference that fits better but that I hadn't known/remembered on the initial reading. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.57|172.70.85.57]] 13:33, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
So who is/are "the world's coolest immunologist(s)," who got to name Natural Killer cells (NK cells)? Doctoral student Rolf Kiessling and postdoctoral fellow Hugh Pross may have found them, but did they get to name them?<br />
Likewise, who is/are the "significantly less cool immunologist(s)" who named ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3 cells? [[User:TCMits|TCMits]] ([[User talk:TCMits|talk]]) 15:20, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
:Their original paper describing them referred to them as "natural" killer cells, so their use of quotes implies that it was a new title they had come up with. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 16:13, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Definitely the "coolness" factor is in the naming, not in the discovering. All the discoverers are equally "cool". But coming up with the name "Natural Killer Cells" is orders of magnitude cooler than ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3 (blaaah). [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 16:11, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Regarding the Gamma-Delta cells being "unknown/unclassified" seems to be a reference to US Army Delta force commandos who are tasked with top-secret highly classified missions that would be unknown or "unclassified" even to other military or political officials. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 16:11, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
:The comic says "unknown/classified", not "unknown/unclassified". [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 16:16, 14 March 2023 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2749:_Lymphocytes&diff=308541Talk:2749: Lymphocytes2023-03-14T16:13:12Z<p>Ahecht: re</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
Battery cells have nothing to do with cell phones. The "cell" in cell phone is short for "cellular" and refers to the communication cells around each tower. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 03:09, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
: And that's short for "sell you our phone" where the contract lets you buy it over an extended time that ends about the same time the spiffier replacement model is available. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.209|172.69.70.209]] 10:42, 14 March 2023 (UTC) <br />
<br />
I was originally thinking the CD4+ would be a reference to ''Call of Duty 4'' and onwards, in which players scream (insults?) at each other while playing. But the feeling has subsided, after considering it. Mentioning it here, though, in leiu of adding it as 'factual'. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.162.47|172.70.162.47]] 06:06, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It should have bee Natural Born Killer Cells, but some opportunities were always going to be missed... --[[Special:Contributions/172.71.178.187|172.71.178.187]] 07:16, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
"Gamma-Delta T cells" being "unknown/unclassified" could be a reference to Star Trek, which has the galaxy divided into 4 quadrants: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. The Delta Quadrant (setting of Start Trek Voyager) and the Gamma Quadrant (seen in Start Trek Deep Space Nine) are unexplored and uncharted from the Federation's point of view. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.129.51|162.158.129.51]] 09:23, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
:I had in mind just general "above Top Secret" classifications (or reputed ones) like "Omega Level, Burn before reading" or somesuch. Either that or perhaps 'Greek system' fraternities/sororities and secret societies in general (perhaps there's a Gamma-Delta-Tau, or similar, out there) which seem to be a US cultural thing that seems ripe for Randall to spoof about.<br />
:Bear in mind that he's taking (mostly) real naming conventions and just explaining them funnily (hence why not "Natural Born Killer" cells, mentioned above, which was my first thoughts on reading as well), so shoehorning a Trek reference in without making it more explicitly Trekkie in the 'free description' bit seems a bit like it wasn't even the point.<br />
:My money's on the security level, as an intention. At least until someone comes up with a better cultural reference that fits better but that I hadn't known/remembered on the initial reading. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.85.57|172.70.85.57]] 13:33, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
So who is/are "the world's coolest immunologist(s)," who got to name Natural Killer cells (NK cells)? Doctoral student Rolf Kiessling and postdoctoral fellow Hugh Pross may have found them, but did they get to name them?<br />
Likewise, who is/are the "significantly less cool immunologist(s)" who named ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3 cells? [[User:TCMits|TCMits]] ([[User talk:TCMits|talk]]) 15:20, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
:Their original paper describing them referred to them as "natural" killer cells, so their use of quotes implies that it was a new title they had come up with. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 16:13, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Definitely the "coolness" factor is in the naming, not in the discovering. All the discoverers are equally "cool". But coming up with the name "Natural Killer Cells" is orders of magnitude cooler than ILC1, ILC2, and ILC3 (blaaah). [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 16:11, 14 March 2023 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Regarding the Gamma-Delta cells being "unknown/unclassified" seems to be a reference to US Army Delta force commandos who are tasked with top-secret highly classified missions that would be unknown or "unclassified" even to other military or political officials. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 16:11, 14 March 2023 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1122:_Electoral_Precedent&diff=2192051122: Electoral Precedent2021-10-13T17:55:27Z<p>Ahecht: /* Table of Broken Precedents */ It says "or", not "xor"</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1122<br />
| date = October 17, 2012<br />
| title = Electoral Precedent<br />
| image = electoral_precedent.png<br />
| titletext = No white guy who's been mentioned on Twitter has gone on to win.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
During election season in U.S. presidential elections — and especially in election night coverage — it is common for the media to make comments like the ones set out in the first panel of this comic. [[Randall Munroe|Randall]] is demonstrating the problem with making such statements, many of which simply come down to coincidence.<br />
<br />
After the first panel the next 56 panels in this comic refer to each one of the {{w|United States presidential election#Electoral college results|56 presidential elections}} in U.S. history before {{w|Barack Obama|Obama's}} re-election in 2012. The panels depict a pre-election commentator noting a quality or condition that has never occurred to a candidate until one of the candidates in that election broke the streak. In other words, one can always find at least one unique thing about a candidate who has gone on to win (or in some cases, lose) or the circumstances under which they won (or lost) that is unique from all previous winners (or losers). It's worth noting that some of these 'firsts' were truly precedent-setting (such as the first incumbent losing, the first president to win a third term, the first Catholic president, etc.), but the fact that they hadn't happened was no assurance that there wouldn't be a first time. As the years pass on, these 'streaks' become more and more nested and complicated, and then brought by Randall to the point of absurdity by pointing out very trivial things, such as "No Democratic {{w|incumbent}} without combat experience has ever beaten someone whose first name is worth more in {{w|Scrabble}}" (1996).<br />
<br />
The flaw made by pundits while reporting such streaks is that there will always be ''something'' that has never happened before in an election, and they purport to suggest that these things are related to the candidate's win or loss. Randall considers this a logical flaw. A common one is, as noted in several panels, candidates can't win without winning certain states. The question, however, is one of {{w|Correlation does not imply causation|cause or effect}}.<br />
<br />
Given that there have only been 56 elections, there are always going to be things that haven't happened before. If you go out looking for them, you're sure to find some. There is no magic about why these events haven't happened. In most cases, it is merely a coincidence.<br />
<br />
In the last two panels, two more statements like the previous are given. They were both true before the {{w|United States presidential election, 2012|election in 2012}} on November the 6th. The comic came out in the middle of the campaign on October the 17th. The statements were constructed so that the first predicts that Obama can't win over {{w|Mitt Romney}}, and the second that he cannot lose. As Obama won the election he thus ended the streak ''Democratic incumbents never beat taller challengers'' whereas the other streak is still valid.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the fact that {{w|Twitter}} was founded in 2006. Obama won in 2008, so at the time of the comic it was true that no white male person mentioned on Twitter had ever gone on to win the presidency; although certainly some former presidents, all of whom were white males, have subsequently been mentioned on Twitter. This streak was broken in the next election year when Donald Trump won the 2016 election.<br />
<br />
During these last four weeks before the election, Randall posted no fewer than four comics related to this election. The others are: [[1127: Congress]], [[1130: Poll Watching]] and [[1131: Math]].<br />
<br />
In 2020, Randall posted an update to this comic: [[2383: Electoral Precedent 2020]].<br />
<br />
<br />
===Table of Broken Precedents===<br />
<br />
''<font color="red">Please have someone else validate your row, as to make sure the table is accurate</font>'' <br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"<br />
|-<br />
! Year !! Broken Precedent !! Explanation !! Validity<br />
|-<br />
| 1788 <br />
| No one has been elected president before. ...But Washington was.<br />
| Discounting the Articles of Confederation and its {{w|President of the Continental Congress|president}}, Washington is the first president of the US.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1792 <br />
| No incumbent has ever been reelected. ...Until Washington. <br />
| Washington is the first person who had a second term. He was unopposed so there was no challenger.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1796 <br />
| No one without false teeth has become president. ...But Adams did.<br />
| Washington had false teeth, made of human teeth and other materials. His successor Adams, despite having tooth decay, refused to wear false teeth.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1800<br />
| No challenger has beaten an incumbent. ...But Jefferson did.<br />
| Adams is the first president not to have a second term, due to signing the unpopular {{w|Alien and Sedition Acts}}. He was defeated by the challenger, Jefferson.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1804<br />
| No incumbent has beaten a challenger. ...Until Jefferson.<br />
| The 2 previous incumbents were Washington, who was unopposed, and Adams, who lost as an incumbent (to Jefferson).<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1808<br />
| No congressman has ever become president. ...Until Madison.<br />
| While George Washington served in the House of Burgesses, Madison served as congressman for Virginia's 5th district from 1789 to 1793 and the 15th District from 1793 to 1797 in the U. S. Congress.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1812<br />
| No one can win without New York. ...But Madison did.<br />
| While it is true New York voted against Madison but he still won, New York did not vote for Washington due to an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1788%E2%80%9389_United_States_presidential_election#New_York's_lack_of_Electors internal dispute].<br />
| False<br />
|-<br />
| 1816<br />
| No candidate who doesn't wear a wig can get elected. ...Until Monroe was.<br />
| Despite popular misconception, Washington did not wear a wig, but in fact powdered his hair white.<br />
| False<br />
|-<br />
| 1820<br />
| No one who wears pants instead of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culottes breeches] can be reelected. ...But Monroe was.<br />
| The first 5 presidents, including Monroe, all wore breeches.<br />
| False<br />
|-<br />
| 1824<br />
| No one has ever won without a popular majority. ...J.Q. Adams did.<br />
| Jackson won the plurality of the popular vote and Electoral College. But as it was a four way election, he did not achieve a majority - so the vote went to Congress, who elected John Quincy Adams. <br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1828<br />
| Only people from Massachusetts and Virginia can win. ...Until Jackson did.<br />
| Jackson was from South Carolina, while all previous presidents were from Massachusetts or Virginia.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1832<br />
| The only presidents who get reelected are Virginians. ...Until Jackson.<br />
| Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe were the only re-elected presidents at that time, and they were all Virginians.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
| 1836<br />
| New Yorkers always lose. ...Until Van Buren.<br />
| Martin Van Buren is the first president from the state of New York.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1840<br />
| No one over 65 has won the presidency. ...Until Harrison did.<br />
| He was 68 and the first over 65, and died of pneumonia 31 days after giving the longest inauguration to date.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1844<br />
| No one who's lost his home state has won. ...But Polk did.<br />
| Assuming "home state" refers to the state of residence, Polk is the first, losing Tennessee to Clay but took 15 of the 26 states including New York. However, if you count it as state of birth, Jackson and Harrison already did.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1848<br />
| As goes Mississippi, so goes the nation. ...Until 1848. <br />
| Prior to 1848, every candidate who had won the state of Mississippi had won the election, with the only exception being the 1824 election, where John Quincy Adams was elected by Congress, due to no one winning the Electoral College. In 1848, Lewis Cass won the state of Mississippi, but lost the election to Zachary Taylor.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1852<br />
|New England Democrats can't win. ...Until Pierce did.<br />
|Pierce is the first candidate from the Democratic Party from New England, specifically New Hampshire, and he won the election of 1852.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1856<br />
| No one can become president without getting married. ...Until Buchanan did.<br />
| While other presidents were widowers, Buchanan was the first unmarried president, being a life long bachelor.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1860<br />
| No one over 6'3" can get elected. ...Until Lincoln.<br />
| Lincoln was the first president over 6'3" president, at 6'4" tall, making him the tallest president to date.<br />
| True<br />
|-<br />
|1864<br />
|No one with a beard has been reelected. ...But Lincoln was.<br />
|Lincoln was the first U.S. president to have a beard.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1868<br />
|No one can be president if their parents are alive. ...Until Grant.<br />
|The veracity depends on if BOTH parents have to be alive, or if any parents are alive. If either parent can be alive, then Washington's mother, Mary Ball Washington, died four months after he became president. If both have to be alive, Grant was indeed the first president to have both parents alive when assuming office.<br />
|Maybe <br />
|-<br />
|1872<br />
|No one with a beard has been reelected in peacetime. ...Until Grant was.<br />
|Grant was the second U.S. president (behind Lincoln) to be reelected with a beard, but only Grant was reelected during peacetime.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1876<br />
|No one can win a majority of the popular vote and still lose. ...Tilden did.<br />
|Samuel Tilden won a majority of the popular vote, with 51%, but lost in the electoral college in a {{w|1876 United States presidential election|contested election}}, resolved by the {{w|Compromise of 1877}}. (During the election of 1824, Jackson won the popular vote but did not win more than half of it, a majority)<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1880<br />
|As goes California, so goes the nation. ...Until it went Hancock.<br />
|Since being a state in 1850, the winner of California had won the election - until 1880 when Winfield Hancock won California but lost the election to James Garfield.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1884<br />
|Candidates named "James" can't lose. ...Until James Blaine.<br />
|James Blaine was the first major candidate with the first name "James" to lose an election, losing to Grover Cleveland.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1888<br />
|No sitting president has been beaten since the Civil War. ...Cleveland was.<br />
|Grover Cleveland was the first president since the end of the Civil War to be defeated by a challenger, losing to Benjamin Harrison. Andrew Johnson was not chosen as the Democratic candidate in 1868. Ulysses S. Grant served 2 terms and did not run for a 3rd term. Rutherford B. Hayes and Chester A. Arthur (who became president after the assassination of James Garfield) did not seek reelection after their first term.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1892<br />
|No former president has been elected. ...Until Cleveland.<br />
|Cleveland was the first (and thus far only) president to serve 2 non-consecutive terms, winning the presidential election in 1884, losing in 1888, and winning in 1892.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1896<br />
|Tall Midwesterners are unbeatable. ...Bryan wasn't.<br />
|William Jennings Bryan lost the 1896 election to William McKinley. Bryan's measurements have been lost to history, but contemporary historians described him as "a tall, slender, handsome fellow".<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1900<br />
|No Republican shorter than 5'8" has been reelected. ...Until McKinley was.<br />
|At the time, McKinley was only the 3rd Republican who was reelected (behind Lincoln and Grant). And he was the shortest of them all, at 5'7" tall.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1904<br />
|No one under 45 has been elected. ...Roosevelt was.<br />
|At the start of his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt was the youngest president, taking office at the age of 42 when McKinley died in 1901. However, he was not elected President until 1904, by which time he was no longer under 45. The precedent was broken in 1960 when Kennedy was elected at age 43.<br />
|False<br />
|-<br />
|1908<br />
|No Republican who hasn't served in the military has won. ...Until Taft.<br />
|Taft was the first Republican to win an election and not serve in the military - Lincoln served during the Black Hawk War; Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, and McKinley served in the Civil War; and Theodore Roosevelt served in the Spanish-American War. <br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1912<br />
|After Lincoln beat the Democrats while sporting a beard with no mustache, the only Democrats who can win have a mustache with no beard. ...Wilson had neither.<br />
|From Lincoln's presidency to Wilson's, only one Democrat won- Grover Cleveland, who had a mustache but no beard.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1916<br />
|No Democrat has won while losing West Virginia. ...Wilson did.<br />
|Since its statehood in 1863, Wilson is the first Democrat to lose West Virginia, but win the national election.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1920<br />
|No incumbent senator has won. ...Until Harding.<br />
|Harding was the first sitting Senator to become President - he resigned his position as Senator to become President.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1924<br />
|No one with two Cs in their name has become president. ...Until Calvin Coolidge.<br />
|'''C'''alvin '''C'''oolidge was the first with "two C's in his name". Presidents with "one C" in their names prior to Coolidge were John Quin'''c'''y Adams, Andrew Ja'''c'''kson, Za'''c'''hary Taylor, Franklin Pier'''c'''e, James Bu'''c'''hanan, Abraham Lin'''c'''oln, '''C'''hester A. Arthur, Grover '''C'''leveland and William M'''c'''kinley.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1928<br />
|No one who got ten million votes has lost. ...Until Al Smith.<br />
|Smith was the first candidate to get more than 10 million votes and lose. He received over 15 million votes, but lost to Herbert Hoover, who received 21.4 million votes, and won the electoral college, 444-87.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1932<br />
|No Democrat has won since women secured the right to vote. ...Until FDR did.<br />
|FDR was the first Democrat to win since 1919 when women secured the right to vote. <br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1936<br />
|No President's been reelected with double-digit unemployment. ...Until FDR was.<br />
|FDR was reelected during the Great Depression when unemployment peaked at 22-25%.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1940<br />
|No one has won a third term. ...Until FDR did.<br />
|FDR is the first and only president to be elected for 4 terms due to his popularity/policies. This is now made impossible by the {{w|Twenty-second Amendment to the United States Constitution|22nd amendment}}, which limits a president to 2 elected terms.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1944<br />
|No Democrat has won during wartime. ...Until FDR did.<br />
|The United States has engaged in many minor wars near-constantly since its formation, although it being "wartime" in the country for many of these is debatable. Martin Van Buren won during the Second Seminole War, Franklin Pierce won during the Cayuse war and Apache war, James Buchanan won during Bleeding Kansas, the Third Seminole War, the Yakima War, and the Second Opium War, Grover Cleveland won during the Garza Revolution, and Woodrow Wilson won during the Border War, the Occupation of Nicaragua, the Occupation of Haiti, and the Occupation of the Dominican Republic.<br />
|False<br />
|-<br />
|1948<br />
|Democrats can't win without Alabama. ...Truman did.<br />
|Although technically true, the Democrat party did not appear on the ballot in Alabama in 1948, making it impossible for them to have won under any circumstances. It's also worth noting that Alabama had consistently voted Democrat in every election since Alabama's formation as a state except for 1864, when it was in the confederate states, and in 1868 and 1872, where Ulysses S. Grant would win both times. A democrat would not lose a popular vote in Alabama while appearing on the ballot until 1968, and would not win an election while losing the vote in Alabama until 1992.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1952<br />
|No Republican has won without winning the House or Senate. ...Eisenhower did.<br />
|Republicans won control of ''both'' the {{w|1952 United States House of Representatives elections|House}} and {{w|1952 United States Senate elections|Senate}} in 1952. This precedent would be broken in 1956 after Democrats flipped both chambers in 1954.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1956<br />
|No one can beat the same nominee a second time in a leap year rematch. ...Until Eisenhower.<br />
|The phrase "leap year" excludes the elections of 1800 and 1900, which were not leap years in the U.S. or most other countries (although they were leap years in Russia, which was still using the Julian calendar).<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1960<br />
|Catholics can't win. ...Kennedy beat Nixon.<br />
|The only other Catholic to be nominated until 1960 was Democrat Alfred E. Smith in 1928.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1964<br />
|Every Republican who's taken Louisiana has won. ...Until Goldwater.<br />
|Prior to 1964, only two Republicans had won Louisiana: Rutherford Hayes in 1876 and Dwight Eisenhower in 1956. Both won, however in 1876 the election in Louisiana was contested until the Compromise of 1877 resolved it in favor of Hayes.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|1968<br />
|No Republican vice president has risen to the Presidency through an election. ...Until Nixon.<br />
|Theodore Roosevelt, the winner of the 1904 election, was a Republican former Vice President, but he had already risen to the Presidency in 1901 when McKinley died in office.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1972<br />
|Quakers can't win twice. ...Until Nixon did.<br />
|The only Quaker president before Nixon was Herbert Hoover. Hoover only served one term.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1976<br />
|No one who lost New Mexico has won. ...But Carter did.<br />
|From its statehood in 1912 to 1972, New Mexico had been a reliable bellwether state.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|1980<br />
|No one has been elected President after a divorce. ...Until Reagan was.<br />
|Reagan was the first divorced President.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1984<br />
|No left-handed president has been reelected. ...Until Reagan was.<br />
|Reagan is one of 8 left-handed presidents (as of 2020). None of the 4 left-handed presidents prior to Reagan was reelected (James Garfield was assassinated in his first year in office and Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford only served one full term each).<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1988<br />
|No one with two middle names has become president. ...Until "Herbert Walker".<br />
|George H. W. Bush is the first and to date only president with 2 middle names.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|1992<br />
|No Democrat has won without a majority of the Catholic vote. ...Until Clinton did.<br />
|The exact breakdown of the Catholic vote in each individual election is unknown until the advent of demographic-based exit polling, however Catholics have historically been strongly Democratic until 1968. In 1976, Carter won an estimated 54-57% of the Catholic vote, while in 1992 Bill Clinton only won 44% due to the independent campaign of Ross Perot.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|1996<br />
|No Dem. incumbent without combat experience has beaten someone whose first name is worth more in Scrabble. ...Until Bill beat Bob.<br />
|This refers to {{w|Bill Clinton}} and {{w|Bob Dole}}. However, their legal names are William Jefferson Clinton and Robert Joseph Dole. Their first names are William and Robert, not Bill and Bob.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|2000<br />
|No Republican has won without Vermont. ...Until Bush did.<br />
|Vermont had voted for Republicans in every presidential election from 1856 (the first contested by the Republicans) to 1988, with the exception of 1964. George W. Bush was indeed the first Republican to win the presidency while losing Vermont.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|2004<br />
|No Republican without combat experience has beaten someone two inches taller. ...Until Bush did.<br />
|John Kerry served for 4 months in the Vietnam war, while George Bush has no combat experience; and yes John kerry is 11cm taller than George Bush (which is actually about 4 inches, not 2).<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|2008<br />
|No Democrat can win without Missouri. ...Until Obama did.<br />
|Missouri had been a Democratic stronghold for the later half of the 19th century and was a {{w|Missouri bellwether|key bellwether state}} from 1904 to 2004. Obama is the first Democrat to win without Missouri, and 2008 was considered the year when Missouri ceased being a bellwether.<br />
|<br />
|-<br />
|2012?<br />
|Democratic incumbents never beat taller challengers.<br />
|Barack Obama is 6' 1" (185 cm), and Mitt Romney is 6' 2" (188 cm). When Obama won, it broke the streak.<br />
|...Until Obama did.<br />
|-<br />
|2012?<br />
|No nominee whose first name contains a "K" has lost.<br />
|This apparently refers only to major party nominees, as many third party and other nominees with a first name containing "K" have lost, such as {{w|Frank T. Johns}} of the Socialist Labor Party of America. Major party nominees with a "K" have won, such as Democrats Franklin Pierce, Franklin Roosevelt, and Barack Obama. If Romney had won, it would have broken the streak with respect to major party nominees, although not the streak as stated, which had already been broken with respect to all nominees.<br />
|True<br />
|-<br />
|Title text<br />
|No white guy who's been mentioned on Twitter has gone on to win.<br />
|Twitter was founded in 2006; Barack Obama was the first president elected since its founding, and although he had been mentioned on Twitter prior to his election, he is not a white male and so did not break the streak. The streak was broken in 2016 when Donald Trump was elected.<br />
|...Until Trump did.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:The problem with statements like<br />
:"No <party> candidate has won the election without <state>"<br />
:Or<br />
:"No president has been reelected under <circumstances>"<br />
<br />
:[Each statement below has its own panel. The year is in a caption, the precedent is stated by a standing Cueball in the main panel, and the president who broke it is below the panel.]<br />
:1788... No one has been elected president before. ...But Washington was.<br />
:1792... No incumbent has ever been reelected. ...Until Washington.<br />
:1796... No one without false teeth has become president. ...But Adams did.<br />
:1800... No challenger has beaten an incumbent. ...But Jefferson did.<br />
:1804... No incumbent has beaten a challenger. ...Until Jefferson.<br />
:1808... No congressman has ever become president. ...Until Madison.<br />
:1812... No one can win without New York. ...But Madison did.<br />
:1816... No candidate who doesn't wear a wig can get elected. ...Until Monroe was.<br />
:1820... No one who wears pants instead of breeches can be reelected. ...But Monroe was.<br />
:1824... No one has ever won without a popular majority. ...J.Q. Adams did.<br />
:1828... Only people from Massachusetts and Virginia can win. ...Until Jackson did.<br />
:1832... The only presidents who get reelected are Virginians. ...Until Jackson.<br />
:1836... New Yorkers always lose. ...Until Van Buren.<br />
:1840... No one over 65 has won the presidency. ...Until Harrison did.<br />
:1844... No one who's lost his home state has won. ...But Polk did.<br />
:1848... As goes Mississippi, so goes the nation. ...Until 1848.<br />
:1852... New England Democrats can't win. ...Until Pierce did.<br />
:1856... No one can become president without getting married. ...Until Buchanan did.<br />
:1860... No one over 6'3" can get elected. ...Until Lincoln.<br />
:1864... No one with a beard has been reelected. ...But Lincoln was.<br />
:1868... No one can be president if their parents are alive. ...Until Grant.<br />
:1872... No one with a beard has been reelected in peacetime. ...Until Grant was.<br />
:1876... No one can win a majority of the popular vote and still lose. ...Tilden did.<br />
:1880... As goes California, so goes the nation. ...Until it went Hancock.<br />
:1884... Candidates named "James" can't lose. ...Until James Blaine.<br />
:1888... No sitting president has been beaten since the Civil War. ...Cleveland was.<br />
:1892... No former president has been elected. ...Until Cleveland.<br />
:1896... Tall Midwesterners are unbeatable. ...Bryan wasn't.<br />
:1900... No Republican shorter than 5'8" has been reelected. ...Until McKinley was.<br />
:1904... No one under 45 has been elected. ...Roosevelt did.<br />
:1908... No Republican who hasn't served in the military has won. ...Until Taft.<br />
:[The precedent takes up the entire panel this year. Consequently, there is no Cueball.] 1912... After Lincoln beat the Democrats while sporting a beard with no mustache, the only Democrats who can win have a mustache with no beard. ...Wilson had neither.<br />
:1916... No Democrat has won while losing West Virginia. ...Wilson did.<br />
:1920... No incumbent senator has won. ...Until Harding.<br />
:1924... No one with two Cs in their name has become president. ...Until Calvin Coolidge.<br />
:1928... No one who got ten million votes has lost. ...Until Al Smith.<br />
:1932... No Democrat has won since women secured the right to vote. ...Until FDR did.<br />
:1936... No president's been reelected with double-digit unemployment. ...Until FDR was.<br />
:1940... No one has won a third term. ...Until FDR did.<br />
:1944... No Democrat has won during wartime. ...Until FDR did.<br />
:1948... Democrats can't win without Alabama. ...Truman did.<br />
:1952... No Republican has won without winning the House or Senate. ...Eisenhower did.<br />
:1956... No one can beat the same nominee a second time in a leap year rematch. ...Until Eisenhower.<br />
:1960... Catholics can't win. ...Until Kennedy.<br />
:1964... Every Republican who's taken Louisiana has won. ...Until Goldwater.<br />
:[The panel is zoomed in on Cueball's head in this frame.] 1968... No Republican vice president has risen to the Presidency through an election. ...Until Nixon.<br />
:[The panel is zoomed in on Cueball's head in this frame.] 1972... Quakers can't win twice. ...Until Nixon did.<br />
:1976... No one who lost New Mexico has won. ...But Carter did.<br />
:1980... No one has been elected president after a divorce. ...Until Reagan was.<br />
:1984... No left-handed president has been reelected. ...Until Reagan was.<br />
:[The panel is zoomed in on Cueball's head in this frame.] 1988... No one with two middle names has become president. ...Until "Herbert Walker".<br />
:[The panel is zoomed in on Cueball's head in this frame.] 1992... No Democrat has won without a majority of the Catholic vote. ...Until Clinton did.<br />
:[The precedent takes up the entire panel this year. Consequently, there is no Cueball.] 1996... No Dem. incumbent without combat experience has beaten someone whose first name is worth more in Scrabble. ...Until Bill beat Bob.<br />
:2000... No Republican has won without Vermont. ...Until Bush did.<br />
:[The panel is zoomed in on Cueball's head in this frame.] 2004... No Republican without combat experience has beaten someone two inches taller ...Until Bush did.<br />
:2008... No Democrat can win without Missouri. ...Until Obama did.<br />
:[This year has two panels.] 2012... [Panel one] Democratic incumbents never beat taller challengers. [Panel two] No nominee whose first name contains a "K" has lost. [Text under panels] Which streak will break?<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ronald Reagan]]<br />
<br />
==Trivia/Errors==<br />
* There was an error in the original 1800 panel of the comic, as Jefferson (not Adams) was the first challenger to beat an incumbent, when Jefferson beat then-president Adams in 1800. This was later corrected.<br />
<br />
* The first president with a wig was technically Washington, who did not wear a wig, but in fact powdered his hair white. <br />
<br />
* Although Theodore Roosevelt became the first president under age 45 and was later elected president, he was not elected before the age of 45.<br />
<br />
* Also, one of the statements of a streak for the 2012 elections can be considered wrong: in 1952, the Republican candidate/running mate Eisenhower/Nixon defeated the Democratic alliterative ticket Stevenson/Sparkman (in what can only be described as a landslide). The comic has been changed, and now reads "Democratic incumbents never beat taller challengers" as the streak which would have the Republican ticket as the winners.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Statistics]]<br />
[[Category:Politics]]<br />
[[Category:Elections]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring John F. Kennedy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Comics_featuring_Dr._Adams&diff=219204Category:Comics featuring Dr. Adams2021-10-13T17:36:46Z<p>Ahecht: Adams</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail|Adams]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Comics_featuring_Dr._Adams&diff=219202Category:Comics featuring Dr. Adams2021-10-13T17:34:47Z<p>Ahecht: Adams</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category:Comics by featured characters|Adams]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1954:_Impostor_Syndrome&diff=2192011954: Impostor Syndrome2021-10-13T17:34:19Z<p>Ahecht: Category:Comics featuring Dr. Adams</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1954<br />
| date = February 12, 2018<br />
| title = Impostor Syndrome<br />
| image = impostor_syndrome.png<br />
| titletext = It's actually worst in people who study the Dunning–Kruger effect. We tried to organize a conference on it, but the only people who would agree to give the keynote were random undergrads.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Impostor_syndrome|Impostor syndrome}} is a common psychological phenomenon where successful individuals are unable to internalize their success and fear being exposed as a "fraud" or "impostor." Events and accomplishments that would seem to be evidence of competence, skill, intelligence, and so forth, are instead viewed (by the person) as luck, timing, and the ability to appear more confident/competent than they actually are.<br />
<br />
[[Ponytail]], representing Dr. Adams, is introduced by Megan as "the world's top expert on impostor syndrome." Dr. Adams then demonstrates that she herself (like a relatively large number of women according to some reports [http://www.paulineroseclance.com/pdf/ip_high_achieving_women.pdf]) is afflicted by this syndrome. She realizes this after she reacts to the flattering introduction by starting about "other scholars" whom she deems to be superior to her. <br />
<br />
The {{w|Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect|Dunning–Kruger effect}}, mentioned in the title text, is a cognitive bias wherein people who possess comparatively little direct expertise in a given field may unrealistically inflate their estimation of their own level of expertise in that field; while those who actually are highly competent (and especially experts on the topic at hand) are likely to downplay their level of expertise. This cognitive bias arises when people of low relevant ability lack the practical knowledge to validly assess their competence: The criteria for good or poor performance in a given field may not be weighed accurately by someone lacking direct expertise and formal training in that specific field. For instance, a commuter experienced in filtering through traffic quickly may consider themselves to be excellent at driving, while a professional evaluating driving habits may observe adherence to regulations and best-practices for safety to be the primary criteria for being a "good" driver.<br />
<br />
Conversely, people with extensive knowledge of a given field may develop an acute awareness of the necessarily limited scope of their (or any one person's) expertise. While this effect primarily refers to cognitive ability, it is also sometimes used to refer to people who are competent in one area (and thus not lacking {{w|Metacognition|metacognitive}} skills) believing that their abilities grant them unusually-high aptitude in a different but seemingly related area.<br />
<br />
In practice, more expertise still largely correlates to a higher confidence in one's expertise (that is to say that competence remains positively correlated with an individual's perception of their own competence), but a lack of the appropriate cognitive skills can result in that perception of competence starting at a high level yet increasing at a slower rate. However, in popular usage, the Dunning–Kruger effect is used to claim that a ''negative'' correlation exists, and that non-experts will claim expertise and confidence at a higher overall level than actual experts.<br />
<br />
In the title text, a conference for the Dunning–Kruger effect was having trouble, presumably because the actual researchers were downplaying their knowledge and expertise to the point where they refused to be the keynote speaker, while the random undergrads (who lack experience in the topic) felt sufficiently confident in their knowledge of it to give the keynote. This more closely matches both the secondary usage (as undergrads are unlikely to lack metacognitive skills, but may inflate their understanding) and the popular usage (as the confidence is inverse to the actual competence) than the primary and in-practice observance made in the original research.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan points at Ponytail and introduces her to Cueball.]<br />
:Megan: This is Dr. Adams. She's a social psychologist and the world's top expert on impostor syndrome.<br />
:Dr. Adams: Haha, don't be silly! There are lots of scholars who have made more significant…<br />
:Dr. Adams: …Oh my God.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Dr. Adams]]<br />
[[category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2527:_New_Nobel_Prizes&diff=2192002527: New Nobel Prizes2021-10-13T17:34:07Z<p>Ahecht: Category:Comics featuring Dr. Adams</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2527<br />
| date = October 11, 2021<br />
| title = New Nobel Prizes<br />
| image = new_nobel_prizes.png<br />
| titletext = They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE OR STOPPING DOCTOR ADAMS - This explanation may be incomplete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
The {{w|Nobel Prize}} is a set of prizes awarded in memory of Alfred Nobel to, "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind."<br />
<br />
In this comic a Nobel prize is being awarded for the discovery of two new Nobel prizes. This parallels [[2214:_Chemistry_Nobel|Nobel Prizes awarded for the discovery of new elements]]. However, unlike elements, Nobel Prizes cannot be discovered.{{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The comic suggests that the doctor, presumably a [[1954: Impostor Syndrome|social scientist and the world's top expert on Imposter Synrome]], being awarded the prize came up with the idea of "discovering" Nobel Prizes, and no one can figure out how to stop awarding them to her.<br />
In reality, the categories were established by Alfred Nobel's will for contributions or discoveries in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. In 1968, Sweden's central bank funded an award for economics in honor of its 300th anniversary that is also colloquially called the Nobel Prize in Economics. While there is currently a petition to add a Nobel prize for contributions to environmental conservation, it would presumably also need external funding, although the decision process is unclear. <br />
<br />
The title text is a play on the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}}, insinuating that the {{w|Nobel Assembly}} (the group in charge of awarding Nobel Prizes) has become so desperate to stop Doctor Adams that they have decided to award a Nobel Prize to anyone who can stop them. The joke also plays on the name of the said prize, because as of the writing of this comic the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}} is the only Nobel Prize with two subjects (i.e. with "or" in the title). This may also be a jab by Randall at the fields of Physiology and Medicine, as poking fun at other disciplines is a recurring theme on xkcd. {{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
This comic was published on the Monday the week following the announcements of the 2021 Nobel Prize recipients.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Megan stands at a podium on a stage, facing right. Behind her is a screen showing eight Nobel Prizes. Ponytail is approaching the front of the stage while waving.]<br />
:Megan: And all eight Nobel Prizes for the Discovery of New Nobel Prizes have been awarded to...<br />
:Megan: ''*sigh*''<br />
:Megan: ...Doctor Adams, '''''again''''', for the discovery of two new Prizes.<br />
:Dr. Adams: Thank you, thank you!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below frame:]<br />
:We don't know how she started this and now we can't figure out how to stop her.<br />
<br />
:[Title text:]<br />
:They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Dr. Adams]]<br />
[[Category:Science]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2527:_New_Nobel_Prizes&diff=2191992527: New Nobel Prizes2021-10-13T17:33:34Z<p>Ahecht: /* Transcript */ use Dr. to match title text</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2527<br />
| date = October 11, 2021<br />
| title = New Nobel Prizes<br />
| image = new_nobel_prizes.png<br />
| titletext = They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE OR STOPPING DOCTOR ADAMS - This explanation may be incomplete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
The {{w|Nobel Prize}} is a set of prizes awarded in memory of Alfred Nobel to, "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind."<br />
<br />
In this comic a Nobel prize is being awarded for the discovery of two new Nobel prizes. This parallels [[2214:_Chemistry_Nobel|Nobel Prizes awarded for the discovery of new elements]]. However, unlike elements, Nobel Prizes cannot be discovered.{{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The comic suggests that the doctor, presumably a [[1954: Impostor Syndrome|social scientist and the world's top expert on Imposter Synrome]], being awarded the prize came up with the idea of "discovering" Nobel Prizes, and no one can figure out how to stop awarding them to her.<br />
In reality, the categories were established by Alfred Nobel's will for contributions or discoveries in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. In 1968, Sweden's central bank funded an award for economics in honor of its 300th anniversary that is also colloquially called the Nobel Prize in Economics. While there is currently a petition to add a Nobel prize for contributions to environmental conservation, it would presumably also need external funding, although the decision process is unclear. <br />
<br />
The title text is a play on the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}}, insinuating that the {{w|Nobel Assembly}} (the group in charge of awarding Nobel Prizes) has become so desperate to stop Doctor Adams that they have decided to award a Nobel Prize to anyone who can stop them. The joke also plays on the name of the said prize, because as of the writing of this comic the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}} is the only Nobel Prize with two subjects (i.e. with "or" in the title). This may also be a jab by Randall at the fields of Physiology and Medicine, as poking fun at other disciplines is a recurring theme on xkcd. {{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
This comic was published on the Monday the week following the announcements of the 2021 Nobel Prize recipients.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Megan stands at a podium on a stage, facing right. Behind her is a screen showing eight Nobel Prizes. Ponytail is approaching the front of the stage while waving.]<br />
:Megan: And all eight Nobel Prizes for the Discovery of New Nobel Prizes have been awarded to...<br />
:Megan: ''*sigh*''<br />
:Megan: ...Doctor Adams, '''''again''''', for the discovery of two new Prizes.<br />
:Dr. Adams: Thank you, thank you!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below frame:]<br />
:We don't know how she started this and now we can't figure out how to stop her.<br />
<br />
:[Title text:]<br />
:They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Science]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2527:_New_Nobel_Prizes&diff=2191982527: New Nobel Prizes2021-10-13T17:31:53Z<p>Ahecht: /* Transcript */ :Doctor Adams:</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2527<br />
| date = October 11, 2021<br />
| title = New Nobel Prizes<br />
| image = new_nobel_prizes.png<br />
| titletext = They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE OR STOPPING DOCTOR ADAMS - This explanation may be incomplete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
The {{w|Nobel Prize}} is a set of prizes awarded in memory of Alfred Nobel to, "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind."<br />
<br />
In this comic a Nobel prize is being awarded for the discovery of two new Nobel prizes. This parallels [[2214:_Chemistry_Nobel|Nobel Prizes awarded for the discovery of new elements]]. However, unlike elements, Nobel Prizes cannot be discovered.{{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The comic suggests that the doctor, presumably a [[1954: Impostor Syndrome|social scientist and the world's top expert on Imposter Synrome]], being awarded the prize came up with the idea of "discovering" Nobel Prizes, and no one can figure out how to stop awarding them to her.<br />
In reality, the categories were established by Alfred Nobel's will for contributions or discoveries in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. In 1968, Sweden's central bank funded an award for economics in honor of its 300th anniversary that is also colloquially called the Nobel Prize in Economics. While there is currently a petition to add a Nobel prize for contributions to environmental conservation, it would presumably also need external funding, although the decision process is unclear. <br />
<br />
The title text is a play on the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}}, insinuating that the {{w|Nobel Assembly}} (the group in charge of awarding Nobel Prizes) has become so desperate to stop Doctor Adams that they have decided to award a Nobel Prize to anyone who can stop them. The joke also plays on the name of the said prize, because as of the writing of this comic the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}} is the only Nobel Prize with two subjects (i.e. with "or" in the title). This may also be a jab by Randall at the fields of Physiology and Medicine, as poking fun at other disciplines is a recurring theme on xkcd. {{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
This comic was published on the Monday the week following the announcements of the 2021 Nobel Prize recipients.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Megan stands at a podium on a stage, facing right. Behind her is a screen showing eight Nobel Prizes. Ponytail is approaching the front of the stage while waving.]<br />
:Megan: And all eight Nobel Prizes for the Discovery of New Nobel Prizes have been awarded to...<br />
:Megan: ''*sigh*''<br />
:Megan: ...Doctor Adams, '''''again''''', for the discovery of two new Prizes.<br />
:Doctor Adams: Thank you, thank you!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below frame:]<br />
:We don't know how she started this and now we can't figure out how to stop her.<br />
<br />
:[Title text:]<br />
:They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Science]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2527:_New_Nobel_Prizes&diff=2191972527: New Nobel Prizes2021-10-13T17:31:14Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ presumably a social scientist and the world's top expert on Imposter Synrome,</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2527<br />
| date = October 11, 2021<br />
| title = New Nobel Prizes<br />
| image = new_nobel_prizes.png<br />
| titletext = They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a WINNER OF THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE OR STOPPING DOCTOR ADAMS - This explanation may be incomplete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
The {{w|Nobel Prize}} is a set of prizes awarded in memory of Alfred Nobel to, "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind."<br />
<br />
In this comic a Nobel prize is being awarded for the discovery of two new Nobel prizes. This parallels [[2214:_Chemistry_Nobel|Nobel Prizes awarded for the discovery of new elements]]. However, unlike elements, Nobel Prizes cannot be discovered.{{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
The comic suggests that the doctor, presumably a [[1954: Impostor Syndrome|social scientist and the world's top expert on Imposter Synrome]], being awarded the prize came up with the idea of "discovering" Nobel Prizes, and no one can figure out how to stop awarding them to her.<br />
In reality, the categories were established by Alfred Nobel's will for contributions or discoveries in the fields of Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace. In 1968, Sweden's central bank funded an award for economics in honor of its 300th anniversary that is also colloquially called the Nobel Prize in Economics. While there is currently a petition to add a Nobel prize for contributions to environmental conservation, it would presumably also need external funding, although the decision process is unclear. <br />
<br />
The title text is a play on the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}}, insinuating that the {{w|Nobel Assembly}} (the group in charge of awarding Nobel Prizes) has become so desperate to stop Doctor Adams that they have decided to award a Nobel Prize to anyone who can stop them. The joke also plays on the name of the said prize, because as of the writing of this comic the {{w|Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine}} is the only Nobel Prize with two subjects (i.e. with "or" in the title). This may also be a jab by Randall at the fields of Physiology and Medicine, as poking fun at other disciplines is a recurring theme on xkcd. {{citation needed}}<br />
<br />
This comic was published on the Monday the week following the announcements of the 2021 Nobel Prize recipients.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Megan stands at a podium on a stage, facing right. Behind her is a screen showing eight Nobel Prizes. Ponytail is approaching the front of the stage while waving.]<br />
:Megan: And all eight Nobel Prizes for the Discovery of New Nobel Prizes have been awarded to...<br />
:Megan: ''*sigh*''<br />
:Megan: ...Doctor Adams, '''''again''''', for the discovery of two new Prizes.<br />
:Ponytail: Thank you, thank you!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below frame:]<br />
:We don't know how she started this and now we can't figure out how to stop her.<br />
<br />
:[Title text:]<br />
:They've endowed a separate prize in Physiology or Medicine or Stopping Dr. Adams.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Science]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2527:_New_Nobel_Prizes&diff=219196Talk:2527: New Nobel Prizes2021-10-13T17:28:19Z<p>Ahecht: not really unrelated</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
I can't understand the title text --[[User:GcGYSF(asterisk)P(vertical line)e|GcGYSF(asterisk)P(vertical line)e]] ([[User talk:GcGYSF(asterisk)P(vertical line)e|talk]]) 02:33, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I think it's implying that they're so desperate to stop Dr. Adams that they're offering a Nobel Prize to whoever gets her to stop. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.21|162.158.63.21]] 03:09, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
I think the comic is riffing on the gender imbalance. We're led to expect the dialogue to say all this year's Nobel prizes went to men (which in 2021 they did - which was newsworthy). ---- {{unsigned|141.101.107.229 who didn't use tildes}}<br />
: Indeed, because there is no Nobel Prize for Mathematics laureate to tell them that the odds of this happening are 1/64, which isn't *that* surprising, especially given that the gender imbalance, (for whatever reason(s), good or bad) mean that the odds are actually higher because it's not an even 50/50 chance to pick a specific gender per 'coin flip.' For instance if the split were 75:25 in favor of women, then the odds of an all-female prize winning year would be ~18%, which means that at least every 6th year random chance should deliver a all-female-winner year if genders really do have no role in awarding winners. Ergo, it's only newsworthy if you have a political angle.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.235|172.69.68.235]] 16:40, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
::You're assuming that there are only 6 winners, when in fact there were 13. Assuming a 75:25 split, that's only a 2% chance. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 17:22, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Not all of them went to men. The Peace prize was shared by Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 17:22, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think it's more like discovering new particles, than elements, with some sort of Enhanced Standard Model of Nobel Prizes probably being added to by the likes of supersymmetric partners, Higgses, etc. (But might be worth a mention that (pure) Mathematicians conspicuously miss out Nobel glory due to a deliberate oversight/snub? Not that I have skin in that game, but it's a known fact.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.53|162.158.159.53]] 08:29, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
This is probably also a jab at the "Nobel prize for Economics", which was awarded yesterday. That prize exists since the 1970s, but is often not regarded as a "real" Nobel prize because it was not specified in Alfred Nobel's will, but is rather the result of an outside donation. One could say it is a unrelated prize that is just cleverly marketed by smuggling Alfred Nobel's name into it and by awarding it one day after the "real" Nobel prizes. In that way, one could thoretically create a near infinite number of new "Nobel prizes" for irrelevant stuff, as the comic suggests. -[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.90|162.158.91.90]] 09:05, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:The Economics prize isn't unrelated. It's administered by the Nobel Foundation, and winners are chosen by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (which also chooses the winners for Physics and Chemistry). It's only the funding source that is different. Incidentally, the Nobel Foundation has decided that they will not allow any new exernally-funded prizes to be added after Economics. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 17:28, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Could this be a riff on the AAAI Squirrel AI award given recently, which people are calling a "new Nobel"? https://pratt.duke.edu/about/news/rudin-squirrel-award --[[User:Sophira|Sophira]] ([[User talk:Sophira|talk]]) 10:49, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:It's pretty cmomon for the most prestigious award in some other field of study to be figuratively called the "Nobel of X". For instance, the Turing Award could be considered the Nobel Prize of computing. So I doubt this is a riff on any particular industry award, especially since it was published just after all the Nobel Awards were announced. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 18:13, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Swede here, on a little minor issue. As far as I know, Alfred Nobel was never knighted, so he should not be called Sir, which he currently is in the text.<br />
<br />
I added an explanation for the title text as there was none previously. I feel like someone else could've explained it much better that I could, however.[[User:MrYellow04|MrYellow04]] ([[User talk:MrYellow04|talk]]) 17:33, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Today is the 42nd anniversary of Douglas Adams's ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'', so it is possible Randall is referencing him with the name of Dr. Adams. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.3|172.70.114.3]] 18:48, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It may be worth noting that Dr. Adams [[1954: Impostor Syndrome|is a social psychologist and the world's top expert on impostor syndrome]]. [[Special:Random|Kpalion]] 10:59, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
: Oh man, you're right. [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Doctor_Ponytail And she's also frequently depicted wearing a lab coat in the role of a medical doctor.] I know there's a lot of precedent in this wiki for calling her Ponytail, but I'm wondering if "Dr. Adams" could theoretically be used ''whenever'' she appears, as we do with Megan. --mezimm [[Special:Contributions/172.69.71.167|172.69.71.167]] 13:29, 13 October 2021 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2527:_New_Nobel_Prizes&diff=219195Talk:2527: New Nobel Prizes2021-10-13T17:22:56Z<p>Ahecht: More than 6 winners, and one was a woman</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
I can't understand the title text --[[User:GcGYSF(asterisk)P(vertical line)e|GcGYSF(asterisk)P(vertical line)e]] ([[User talk:GcGYSF(asterisk)P(vertical line)e|talk]]) 02:33, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I think it's implying that they're so desperate to stop Dr. Adams that they're offering a Nobel Prize to whoever gets her to stop. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.21|162.158.63.21]] 03:09, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
I think the comic is riffing on the gender imbalance. We're led to expect the dialogue to say all this year's Nobel prizes went to men (which in 2021 they did - which was newsworthy). ---- {{unsigned|141.101.107.229 who didn't use tildes}}<br />
: Indeed, because there is no Nobel Prize for Mathematics laureate to tell them that the odds of this happening are 1/64, which isn't *that* surprising, especially given that the gender imbalance, (for whatever reason(s), good or bad) mean that the odds are actually higher because it's not an even 50/50 chance to pick a specific gender per 'coin flip.' For instance if the split were 75:25 in favor of women, then the odds of an all-female prize winning year would be ~18%, which means that at least every 6th year random chance should deliver a all-female-winner year if genders really do have no role in awarding winners. Ergo, it's only newsworthy if you have a political angle.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.68.235|172.69.68.235]] 16:40, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
::You're assuming that there are only 6 winners, when in fact there were 13. Assuming a 75:25 split, that's only a 2% chance. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 17:22, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Not all of them went to men. The Peace prize was shared by Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 17:22, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think it's more like discovering new particles, than elements, with some sort of Enhanced Standard Model of Nobel Prizes probably being added to by the likes of supersymmetric partners, Higgses, etc. (But might be worth a mention that (pure) Mathematicians conspicuously miss out Nobel glory due to a deliberate oversight/snub? Not that I have skin in that game, but it's a known fact.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.53|162.158.159.53]] 08:29, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
This is probably also a jab at the "Nobel prize for Economics", which was awarded yesterday. That prize exists since the 1970s, but is often not regarded as a "real" Nobel prize because it was not specified in Alfred Nobel's will, but is rather the result of an outside donation. One could say it is a unrelated prize that is just cleverly marketed by smuggling Alfred Nobel's name into it and by awarding it one day after the "real" Nobel prizes. In that way, one could thoretically create a near infinite number of new "Nobel prizes" for irrelevant stuff, as the comic suggests. -[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.90|162.158.91.90]] 09:05, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Could this be a riff on the AAAI Squirrel AI award given recently, which people are calling a "new Nobel"? https://pratt.duke.edu/about/news/rudin-squirrel-award --[[User:Sophira|Sophira]] ([[User talk:Sophira|talk]]) 10:49, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
:It's pretty cmomon for the most prestigious award in some other field of study to be figuratively called the "Nobel of X". For instance, the Turing Award could be considered the Nobel Prize of computing. So I doubt this is a riff on any particular industry award, especially since it was published just after all the Nobel Awards were announced. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 18:13, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Swede here, on a little minor issue. As far as I know, Alfred Nobel was never knighted, so he should not be called Sir, which he currently is in the text.<br />
<br />
I added an explanation for the title text as there was none previously. I feel like someone else could've explained it much better that I could, however.[[User:MrYellow04|MrYellow04]] ([[User talk:MrYellow04|talk]]) 17:33, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Today is the 42nd anniversary of Douglas Adams's ''The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'', so it is possible Randall is referencing him with the name of Dr. Adams. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.114.3|172.70.114.3]] 18:48, 12 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It may be worth noting that Dr. Adams [[1954: Impostor Syndrome|is a social psychologist and the world's top expert on impostor syndrome]]. [[Special:Random|Kpalion]] 10:59, 13 October 2021 (UTC)<br />
: Oh man, you're right. [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Doctor_Ponytail And she's also frequently depicted wearing a lab coat in the role of a medical doctor.] I know there's a lot of precedent in this wiki for calling her Ponytail, but I'm wondering if "Dr. Adams" could theoretically be used ''whenever'' she appears, as we do with Megan. --mezimm [[Special:Contributions/172.69.71.167|172.69.71.167]] 13:29, 13 October 2021 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2447:_Hammer_Incident&diff=2100302447: Hammer Incident2021-04-08T16:47:21Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ The atoms-thick layer of gold is insignificant to the cost of the mirror or the telescope as a whole.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2447<br />
| date = April 7, 2021<br />
| title = Hammer Incident<br />
| image = hammer incident normal.png<br />
| titletext = I still think the Cold Stone Creamery partnership was a good idea, but I should have asked before doing the first market trials during the cryogenic mirror tests.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by: a WAFFLE CONE MIRROR. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
The {{w|James Webb Space Telescope}} (JWST) is a {{w|space telescope}} created to be the successor of the {{w|Hubble Space Telescope}} under construction at time of publishing and expected to launch in October 2021, though in [[2014: JWST Delays]], xkcd predicted its launch would actually occur during late 2026.<br />
<br />
It's implied that Cueball dropped a hammer on the mirror of the JWST, and breaking mirrors in superstition causes seven years of bad luck. But since the mirror panel is not made of glass it is likely that a dropped hammer would dent and distort the panel rather than shatter it.<br />
<br />
NASA is quite angry as the telescope was very expensive (current estimate US$10 billion). While Cueball appears to only damaged or destroyed one mirror panel (The mirror is made of eighteen separate panels, so if he had destroyed the entire telescope, he would have been facing 7×18=126 years of bad luck.), even breaking a single panel would likely be very expensive because it would have required extremely accurate machinery to make and extensive calibration tests. Another factor making the mirror panels more expensive and time consuming to replace is the fact that they are made out of {{w|beryllium}}, due to the light weight, stiffness, and various other mechanical properties of the metal. Beryllium is expensive to purchase, since it is relatively scarse, is very hard and abrasive, so making things out of it is difficult, and is potentially hazardous, as it produces a carcinogenic dust when machined or polished (or hit with a dropped hammer). However, Cueball is more concerned about the fact that he has 7 years of bad luck. Cueball seems be on trial for breaking a very expensive piece of equipment. The trial seems to be conducted by NASA, given the caption below.<br />
<br />
The title text refers to the ice cream chain {{w|Cold Stone Creamery}}. Since the cryocooler of the JWST cools things down to 7.00K (-266.15°C, or -447.07°F), it would be a bit of an overkill. Cold Stone Creamery mixes ice cream with various other ingredients, such as fruit or candy, in front of the customer before serving it to the customer. The usual surface for mixing is a piece of metal or marble which is kept quite cold (about -10 C), but nowhere as cold as components of the JWST. If Cueball had tried mixing his ice cream and flavourings in the style of Cold Stone Creamery on the JWST, it would have messed up the surfaces on the telescope and perhaps have gotten into the instrumentation. If it was the finely polished reflective surfaces, he may end up scratching and/or staining them beyond usability. Possibly, due to the localised temperature differential from ice-cream hundreds of degrees ''warmer'' than the material, promoted damaging distortions/fractures. If Cueball was mixing ice cream within a 7K cryo chamber, it also raises the question of how he could have survived. Also, if such an irresponsible person was able to enter the cryo chamber where the expensive telescope was being kept, it raises the question of whether NASA has any sort of security.<br />
<br />
The JWST has previously been mentioned in [[2014: JWST Delays]], [[1730: Starshade]], and [[1461: Payloads]]<br />
<br />
For some reason, the original version of this comic was very large (4332×4838px). This was probably a mistake, as the double-resolution version [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hammer_incident_2x.png] is significantly smaller at 578×645px. It has since been fixed.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Cueball stands before a seated panel of four people (Ponytail, Hairy, a second Cueball and Hairbun).]<br />
:Cueball: Yes, I know you're mad that I dropped that hammer.<br />
:Cueball: But think about me—<br />
:Cueball: '''''Seven years of bad luck!'''''<br />
:[Caption below the panel]:<br />
:Man, NASA is really on my case about the James Webb Space Telescope.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]<br />
[[Category:Telescopes]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2447:_Hammer_Incident&diff=210028Talk:2447: Hammer Incident2021-04-08T16:37:38Z<p>Ahecht: /* Amount of gold */ re</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
big --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.187.153|162.158.187.153]] 02:04, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I added a basic explanation. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.212.224|162.158.212.224]] 02:28, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Do we really need a huge paragraph explaining all the reasons why any damage to a space telescope is a big, expensive deal? And I'm not sure this is a trial, it's probably more like an administrative panel hearing (like the hearings after the Challenger disaster). [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 14:26, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Giant comic ==<br />
<br />
Is it meant to be that size? Does the bad luck apply to trying to upload comics at reasonable sizes? <br />
: It's fixed now<br />
[[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.19|172.69.33.19]] 02:09, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Oooh boy, indeed... "Error creating thumbnail: File with dimensions greater than 12.5 MP" is the Wiki's assessment of the auto-uploaded image. I haven't checked the resolution, but the https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/hammer_incident.png one is apparently 4332x4838 (scales to 8% on my device), and I don't care to test the _2x version right now. I'm not sure that was the native res of it on creation, looks to be an accidental up-scaling prior to posting to xkcd itself. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.6|141.101.98.6]] 02:20, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:<br />
::The _2x version is actually the proper size for a normal comic - 578x645 pixels. [[User:Noëlle|Noëlle]] ([[User talk:Noëlle|talk]]) 02:21, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::Still seems larger than normal to me, even the 2x seems larger than I would expect. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.78|172.69.34.78]] 04:02, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Maybe the extra-large image is what the original looks like using the James Webb telescope? Maybe over-thinking. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.145|172.68.132.145]] 04:19, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Or perhaps its an resolution/aspect ratio/zoom factor difference between it and the old telescope. Implying all other comics have secretly been placed in front of the other telescope [[Special:Contributions/172.69.170.50|172.69.170.50]] 04:56, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Perhaps overthinking, if the main reflecting mirror was actually destroyed, the light entering the telescope would never be focused into the secondary mirror and the image would be "light size" so you would only be able to see a small portion of what you expect<br />
<br />
:It looks to me that, while most of the text is rendered smoothly in full resolution, the caption below the panel ("Man, NASA is really on my case about the James Webb Space Telescope.") is very jaggy on a pixel level, but only on the Y-axis. There could be quite a bit of information in there. No idea what it means, though. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.77.36|141.101.77.36]] 07:29, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
::It could be floating-point errors that indicate the code flow of the renderer Randall used. Or it could mean anything else. Curious to compare it to a correct rendering of that text with the same font, but wouldn't know what to do with the vector of edge differences myself. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.140|162.158.63.140]] 09:03, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
:It seems to be fixed now so I am sure it was an accident<br />
<br />
== inspiration ==<br />
<br />
When I read this comic I was worried it might have been inspired by recent news of something breaking during the final assembly process. Fortunately this seems not to be the case. Among the many delays of the telescope, were any of them caused by mirror and/or cryo failures that might have inspired this comic? [[User:Quantum7|Quantum7]] ([[User talk:Quantum7|talk]]) 05:53, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:What caused the most recent delay? It seems it's been pushed forward more as Randall predicted in the other comic. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.140|162.158.63.140]] 09:03, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Cryogenic? ==<br />
<br />
I get the sense that the title text is inspired by liquid nitrogen ice cream. -- [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.252|108.162.237.252]] 13:14, 8 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
== Actual hammering applied to JWST ==<br />
<br />
As Quantum7, I was worried too and googled "JWST hammer" only to find this actual contributor to the project…<br />
The Hammers Company, Inc. Greenbelt, MD in this list:<br />
: https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/content/meetTheTeam/team.html<br />
Not all JWST-engineering seams to be that delicate – should we be worried?<br />
<br />
== Amount of gold ==<br />
The James Webb Telescope only has <$2000 of gold. [[https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2017/04/05/how-much-gold-is-in-the-james-webb-space-telescope/?sh=4f80bc9d69e5]]<br />
:Yeah, I'm going to remove the gold thing. It's a complete red herring. The materials represent such a tiny fraction of the cost of coating a mirror that it's not even worth mentioning. Coating a mirror with aluminum or protected silver costs virtually the same as coating it in gold. The fact that the mirrors are made from beryllium is a much larger factor in the cost. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 16:37, 8 April 2021 (UTC)</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2443:_Immune_Response&diff=2099042443: Immune Response2021-04-07T20:05:39Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ pluralize</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2443<br />
| date = March 29, 2021<br />
| title = Immune Response<br />
| image = immune_response.png<br />
| titletext = I don't care whether you win or lose, as long as you have-- ...okay, sorry, I'm being reminded I very much care whether you win or lose. I need you to win, that's very important.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a HEROIC IMMUNE CELL. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.<br />
<br />
As with a [[2287: Pathogen Resistance|number of previous strips]], [[Randall]] has a tendency to anthropomorphize both pathogens and the immune system, [[2425: mRNA Vaccine|envisioning the process of infection and immune response as an epic battle]].<br />
<br />
The [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccine]]s (like all viral inoculations) work by introducing viral proteins into the body, causing the immune system to react as if the actual virus were present, creating the antibodies to fight it. As a result, if the actual virus is introduced, the immune system will have the capacity to quickly eliminate it. <br />
<br />
In this comic, [[Cueball]] has just received the COVID-19 vaccine and anthropomorphizes this process. He worries that his immune system is "freaking out", as the vaccine causes the body to 'think' it's under attack and respond as it would to a deadly threat. Cueball accordingly tries to reassure his immune system that the threat isn't real. However, [[Megan]] reminds him that the "panic" is the entire point, as that's what causes the body to build defenses, which will allow it to handle the real virus. Cueball then switches tactics, melodramatically announcing that the virus is about to kill him, and encouraging his "heroic immune cells" to save the day. The joke is that the basic elements of their response is accurate: the vaccine is essentially a ruse intended to "trick" the immune system into developing antibodies. However, the immune system obviously lacks a separate consciousness, and can neither hear nor understand their comments,{{Citation needed}} making both reassurance and encouragement entirely moot. <br />
<br />
In the title text, Cueball continues to treat his immune system like a conscious entity, giving it a pep talk about how he doesn't care if it wins or loses as long as it has fun. This is a common refrain when parents or other adults try to reassure children playing sports and other games, where victory has few real-world effects. Cueball then remembers that this particular event is much more consequential. If his immune system were to 'lose' to the vaccine, that would presumably mean it was incapable of responding properly to the viral threat, meaning he'd be in serious risk of death if he contracted the actual virus. As a result, he corrects himself and states that winning, in this case, is "very important".<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan is walking toward Cueball, who is holding his arm.]<br />
:Megan: How you feeling?<br />
:Cueball: Not bad. Tired. A little sore.<br />
<br />
:[Zoom in on Cueball. He looks down at his arms, which are held out.]<br />
:Cueball: I feel bad for my immune system. It doesn't know this isn't a real virus. It must be freaking out. <br />
:Cueball: Hey buddy, don't worry! We're going to be fine. This is just practice!<br />
<br />
:[Zoom out. Megan gestures at Cueball, as he holds his arm.]<br />
:Megan: No, don't tell it ''that''. You '''''want''''' it to panic and build defenses that will be able to handle the real thing.<br />
:Cueball: I guess. <br />
:Cueball: Okay, let me try that again. <br />
:Cueball: *ahem*<br />
<br />
:[Cueball dramatically clutches at his chest.]<br />
:Cueball: Woe! My arm is stricken by a dreadful plague! <br />
:Cueball: I feel death draw near! My only hope is those heroic immune cells!<br />
:Megan: Perfect.<br />
:Cueball: <small>''Psst - you're doing great! I'm so proud of you.''</small><br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2406:_Viral_Vector_Immunity&diff=2099032406: Viral Vector Immunity2021-04-07T20:04:21Z<p>Ahecht: Category:COVID-19 vaccine</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2406<br />
| date = January 1, 2021<br />
| title = Viral Vector Immunity<br />
| image = viral_vector_immunity.png<br />
| titletext = We've secretly replaced this customer's instant coffee with our patented substitute. Let's see what she ... uh oh, I think she spotted us through the window. Now she's getting something from the closet ... oh jeez, she has a sword! Run!!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. This comic is the third of five releases, following [[2402: Into My Veins]] and [[2404: First Thing]], which reference the new {{w|COVID-19 vaccine}}.<br />
<br />
The comic attempts to explain a virus vector vaccine and one way it can fail, using the story of the {{w|Trojan Horse}} as an analogy. Note that neither the Pfizer/BioNTech nor Moderna vaccines are virus vector vaccines, using lipid nanoparticles for delivery rather than viruses.<br />
<br />
A vaccine is a way to familiarize a host's immune system with a pathogen without actually causing the host to fall ill. There are many types of vaccines that have been developed, all of which are ways to present a significant segment of a pathogen's molecular structure to the host body, so that the immune system recognizes the pathogen and mounts an immune response faster when a real infection happens.<br />
<br />
A {{w|viral vector}} is a tool used by molecular biologists to deliver genetic materials into cells.<br />
<br />
A viral vector vaccine, also known as a live vector vaccine, uses a modified virus, different from the pathogen being immunized against, as a carrier to deliver a molecular payload into the host body. This modified virus is called the vector because it is the method of delivery of a piece of the pathogen's genetic code. If the recipient has a strong immune response to the vector itself (i.e., the proteins making up the surface of the vector virus), the immunization may be less effective because the vector virus, and hence its payload of viral genetic material, will be destroyed before they can enter the host's cells. It is to some degree a dice roll, with regard to whether some recipients will already be immune to a vector.<br />
<br />
For example, a modified (to be harmless) cold virus can be used to deliver genetic material (RNA or DNA) of another virus into the patient's cells. The cells are induced to manufacture protein found in the pathogenic protein, which the patient's immune system detects and reacts to. That way the immune system recognizes the pathogenic virus without actually being infected with it, which decreases the time needed to react to a real infection. Any patients whose immune systems recognize the modified cold virus (the vector), and destroy it rapidly, won't get the full intended benefit of creating a strong immune response to the second virus (the payload inside).<br />
<br />
The comic represents this idea with the Trojan horse being the vector, carrying a payload of Greek soldiers into the cell, as represented by the City of Troy. In the original Trojan Horse story, Greek soldiers hid inside a statue of a horse which the Trojans were told was a gift to Athena; the Trojans brought it within their walls (which the Greek army had failed to penetrate in an extended siege), allowing the soldiers in the horse to undermine the city's defenses and let in the rest of their army to take the city. Note: In a viral vector vaccine, the payload inside the vector works to the benefit of the person receiving the vaccine - opposite to the soldiers inside the Trojan horse, who had only malice in mind for the city receiving the "gift" horse.<br />
<br />
In the comic the warriors, rather than finding the wooden horse a benign object, recognize the shape of the delivery vehicle (the Trojan horse) as being similar to an animal that trampled one of their own earlier and therefore refuse it entry. An amusing point here is that they are not as such surprised at the arrival of a wooden vehicle at their doorstep, rather that its shape resembling an animal they have found threatening before, which is similar to how simple in its judgements the immune system can be. (In addition, although the warriors suggest pushing the wooden horse into a gorge, there are no gorges very close to Troy, which is situated close to the sea on the [https://www.livius.org/articles/place/troy/troy-5/ Plain of Troy].)<br />
<br />
The title text is a further riff on this theme, playing on an advertising campaign for freeze dried coffee. In the advertisements a narrator would claim to have secretly replaced fresh brewed coffee with that made from freeze dried to see if subjects could tell the difference, the contents of the coffee cup being the payload and the narrator the virus vector. The test subject's use of a sword relates the situation back to the Trojan scenario of the panel.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A large wooden horse statue on wheels stands before a city wall, upon which are standing several warriors who are shouting and brandishing spears.]<br />
:Warrior 1: Look! It's a statue of that horrible animal that trampled Steve!<br />
:Warrior 2: Burn it!<br />
:Warrior 3: Smash it!<br />
:Warrior 4: Push it into the gorge!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:How vaccine failure due to viral vector immunity works<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Biology]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2446:_Spike_Proteins&diff=2099022446: Spike Proteins2021-04-07T19:59:49Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ clarify</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2446<br />
| date = April 5, 2021<br />
| title = Spike Proteins<br />
| image = spike_proteins.png<br />
| titletext = Ugh, it's stuck to my laptop. It must have bound to the ACER-2 receptor.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a RIBOSOME from HTmL codes. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This is another comic in the [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19 series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}}, caused by the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}<br />
<br />
This is also another comic about the current [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|vaccine against COVID-19]]. A vaccine is designed to provoke an immune response from the body of the recipient, which "trains" the immune system to attack actual viruses (or bacteria). For COVID-19, the {{w|spike protein}}, necessary for the virus to bind a receptor on human cells and invade them, is the key protein for an immune response. Almost all vaccines approved for human use pre-COVID actually contain either inactivated pathogen (e.g., flu vaccine), live but safe pathogen variants (e.g., measles), or some protein from the pathogen that the immune system can respond to (e.g., pertussis). The four COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States or the European Union as of the date of this comic, however, are all a relatively new type of vaccine that instead cause human cells to temporarily produce spike proteins, which the immune system then "learns" to attack. The Oxford-AstraZeneca and {{w|Johnson & Johnson}}’s {{w|Janssen Vaccines|Janssen}} vaccine use a technique first approved for the July 2020 Ebola vaccine, in which a genetically modified {{w|adenovirus}} is used to deliver DNA to the nuclei of the vaccine recipients' cells, which convert the DNA to {{w|Messenger RNA}} (mRNA). The recipients' cells then use the mRNA as instructions to produce spike proteins. The {{w|Pfizer}} {{w|BioNTech}} and {{w|Moderna}} vaccines are of an even newer type: m{{w|RNA vaccine}}s, which directly inject the mRNA into the body for the cells to use, and never have to enter the cell nuclei.<br />
<br />
[[Beret Guy]], in his [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|usual fashion]], misunderstands how reality works, then reality alters to fit his view of it. <br />
<br />
After receiving the vaccine, as he informs [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]], he claims he will now go away to make spike proteins. For him, this literally means that he (not his cells) will build them, by unexplained means. When he returns he is carrying his constructed protein, which is ''many'' orders of magnitude larger than the normal version.{{Citation needed}} He then drops it on the desk, where a laptop is being used. Cueball part-closes his screen to try to prevent the mass from landing on it - though he's only partially successful.<br />
<br />
When a normal living body is coerced into making a spike protein, they are microscopic particles that distribute internally around the body to provoke an immune response. Beret Guy's macroscopic version provokes an understandable response of both disgust and confusion from both Cueball and Megan, who choose to ask why it is so wet. Proteins are [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2271157/ highly hydrated molecules] where water — through the moderation of its presence and absence in specific locations — plays a central role in shaping the structure and function of the protein (although it is not clear how Beret Guy knows that the spike protein should be hydrated since this is his first try). Though, of the many questions that might have been asked, it is not an entirely unreasonable snap reaction.<br />
<br />
Beret Guy remains typically oblivious to the fuss he causes. His enthusiastic intention, apparently, is to leave his first proud creation there as he departs to construct further examples. They will likely be no less unwelcome.<br />
<br />
Anything damp and squidgy (as ''this'' creation seems to be) would not be welcome around a laptop, for a number of reasons, and Beret Guy seems to have made a particularly messy contact with the part of the case where most such devices are likely to have clusters of unruggedised ports/connections that may not react well to the ingress of liquids.<br />
<br />
The title text is a pun on Acer, ACER2, and ACE2. {{w|Acer Inc.|Acer}} is a brand of computers including laptops. The {{w|Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2|ACE2 receptor}}, is an [https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-ace2-receptor-how-is-it-connected-to-coronavirus-and-why-might-it-be-key-to-treating-covid-19-the-experts-explain-136928 entry point on a cell] to which the SARS-COV-2 virus attaches during the process of entering the cell. {{w|ACER2}} is a real enzyme in humans which, although unrelated to ACE2 or SARS-COV-2, may also help bind the pun together.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a desk with an open laptop in front of him. Megan stands behind him looking over his shoulder. Beret Guy is in front of the desk, walking away and looking back at the two while holding a hand to his shoulder, where he got the vaccine shot.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Got the vaccine!<br />
:Megan: Congrats!<br />
:Beret Guy: Time to go make spike proteins.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball continues to work on his laptop while Megan is looking on.]<br />
<br />
:[In a frameless, narrow panel, Beret Guy walks back carrying a large object in his arms that looks like a spike protein. But it is about half as long as he is tall, fluffy and dripping wet, flexing slightly along its length, with the Y-shaped head pointed forwards, away from Beret Guy]<br />
:Beret Guy: OK! <br />
:Beret Guy: Here's my first try.<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy drops the spike protein onto Cueball's desk with the Y-shaped end on the desk up against the back of Cueball's laptop. The movement is shown with several lines and a sound follows when it hits the desk. The head of it takes up the entire desk area not covered by the laptop, while the tail overhangs the desk. Cueball is grabbing the lid and base of his laptop with both hands, pulling it partially closed and away from the spike protein, and Megan reflexively leans away.]<br />
:Spike Protein: Plop<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy turns to leave, with an outstretched finger pointing skyward. The overhanging part of the spike protein has sagged, and it is dripping some wet material over both the floor and desk. Cueball is sitting with his hands on the partially closed laptop, Megan stands normally again.]<br />
:Beret Guy: ''More!''<br />
:Cueball: Ewww.<br />
:Megan: Why is it so ''wet??''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2404:_First_Thing&diff=2099012404: First Thing2021-04-07T19:55:55Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ {{w|Janssen Vaccines}},</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2404<br />
| date = December 28, 2020<br />
| title = First Thing<br />
| image = first_thing.png<br />
| titletext = Then I'm going to go on a weeks-long somatic hypermutation bender, producing ever-more targeted antibodies, while I continue to remain distanced and follow guidance from public health authorities.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This comic is another in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] related to the {{w|2019–20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}, specifically regarding the [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|COVID-19 vaccine]]. <br />
<br />
This comic, somewhat like [[2402: Into My Veins]], references both the {{w|COVID-19 vaccine}} and a common Internet trend. Two comics later in [[2406: Viral Vector Immunity]], the vaccine is again referenced.<br />
<br />
The {{w|COVID-19 pandemic}} has been one of the most consequential and broadly unpleasant events in living memory{{Citation needed}}. As of the publication of this strip, it is estimated to have caused over 1.5 million deaths worldwide and over 300,000 deaths in the United States. Many more cases that have not resulted in fatality often need serious medical support and/or have lasting implications. Even for those who have been spared infection, measures to slow the spread of the virus have been highly impactful and have been ongoing for nearly a year.<br />
<br />
In consequence of all of this, many people are excited for the vaccine (which will hopefully end the pandemic). Many people online have been sharing plans for what they'll do after getting the vaccine, like "see my friends" or "travel the world." In this comic, Ponytail takes the trend literally, listing not what she will voluntarily choose to do but what low-level involuntary systems in her body will do immediately after getting the vaccine:<br />
<br />
* First she will make some {{w|peplomer|spike proteins}}. This implies that she took an {{w|COVID-19 vaccine#Technology platforms|mRNA vaccine}} (e.g. from {{w|BioNTech}} or {{w|Moderna}}) or a viral-vector vaccine like the ones from {{w|AstraZeneca}}, {{w|Janssen Vaccines}}, or {{w|CanSino Biologics|CanSino}}. mRNA vaccines contain RNA encoding for the viral proteins, which is then used by Ponytail's cell to make the spike protein. Viral-vector vaccines contain DNA, which the viral "shell" introduces into human cells, which then manufacture spike proteins. (In contrast, subunit-containing vaccines like the ones from {{w|Novavax}} contain actual duplicates of viral proteins to sensitize the immune systems, and inactivated/weakened virus-based vaccines contain the actual virus in question, but modified to not cause disease, e. g. the vaccines from {{w|Sinovac Biotech|Sinovac}} and {{w|China National Pharmaceutical Group|Sinopharm}}.)<br />
* The spike protein made by Ponytail will then be recognized by her immune system as foreign (as would the proteins of the real coronavirus) and subsequently engulfed by the {{w|dendritic cell|dendritic cells}} in a process called {{w|phagocytosis}}.<br />
* The dendritic cells then chop the spike proteins into small pieces (called {{w|antigen|antigens}}) and present them on their surface using {{w|MHC class II|MHCII proteins}}.<br />
* This will then allow {{w|T cell|T-cells}} to recognize these pieces and become activated if they have a matching T-cell receptor.<br />
<br />
The next step is mentioned in the title text:<br />
<br />
* The T-cells will activate {{w|B cell|B-cells}}, who will then try to make antibodies to bind the spike protein. Since the B-cells don't know what a good antibody looks like, they just randomly generate antibodies through a process of {{w|somatic hypermutation}}. Then they check if the antibody binds the antigen presented by the dendritic cells. If it doesn't the antibody is discarded, if it does, it is kept and improved on by another round of somatic hypermutation, to create an antibody which binds even better.<br />
* Finally Ponytail mentions the one thing she herself (as opposed to her immune system) has to do: continue to use {{w|Social_distancing|social distancing}}, hand washing, wearing a mask, etc. Adding somewhat to the surreality of her answer to the question, since it defies the involuntary-action theme her answer had been following.<br />
<br />
The last point, which are the only things that Ponytail will ''choose'' to do is important, for a number of reasons. The vaccines currently available offer a great deal of protection to an individual patient, but that protection takes several days to even begin in a significant way. Full immunity will likely require several weeks and an additional dose. In addition, while highly effective, the current crop of vaccines are not 100% effective. And even those who develop immunity can become contaminated with the virus on their person and then transmit it to others. <br />
<br />
For all of these reasons, there is a very real fear of people who receive vaccinations immediately abandoning all other precautions and continuing to spread the virus. Genuinely ending the pandemic will require precautions to remain in place until enough of the population is vaccinated that a combination of high levels of population immunity and other distancing precautions lower the infection rate to a controllable level. Abandoning safety precautions before this occurs could extend the pandemic and cost lives. Accordingly, Ponytail's intent is to be responsible and maintain all appropriate precautions until such time as it's safe to change them.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Ponytail and Cueball are walking toward the right side of a single panel. Ponytail is gesturing with one arm.]<br />
<br />
:Ponytail: The ''first'' thing I'm going to do after I get the vaccine?<br />
:Ponytail: Definitely make a bunch of spike proteins and engulf them with dendritic cells.<br />
:Ponytail: Then I'll probably display the antigens to my T-cells...<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Biology]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2446:_Spike_Proteins&diff=2099002446: Spike Proteins2021-04-07T19:55:10Z<p>Ahecht: links</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2446<br />
| date = April 5, 2021<br />
| title = Spike Proteins<br />
| image = spike_proteins.png<br />
| titletext = Ugh, it's stuck to my laptop. It must have bound to the ACER-2 receptor.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a RIBOSOME from HTmL codes. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This is another comic in the [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19 series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}}, caused by the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}<br />
<br />
This is also another comic about the current [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|vaccine against COVID-19]]. A vaccine is designed to provoke an immune response from the body of the recipient, which "trains" the immune system to attack actual viruses (or bacteria). For COVID-19, the {{w|spike protein}}, necessary for the virus to bind a receptor on human cells and invade them, is the key protein for an immune response. Almost all vaccines approved for human use pre-COVID actually contain either inactivated pathogen (e.g., flu vaccine), live but safe pathogen variants (e.g., measles), or some protein from the pathogen that the immune system can respond to (e.g., pertussis). The COVID-19 vaccines, however, are a relatively new type of vaccine that instead cause human cells to temporarily produce spike proteins, which the immune system then "learns" to attack. The Oxford-AstraZeneca and {{w|Johnson & Johnson}}’s {{w|Janssen Vaccines|Janssen}} vaccine use a technique first approved for the July 2020 Ebola vaccine, in which a genetically modified {{w|adenovirus}} is used to deliver DNA to the nuclei of the vaccine recipients' cells, which convert the DNA to {{w|Messenger RNA}} (mRNA). The recipients' cells then use the mRNA as instructions to produce spike proteins. The {{w|Pfizer}} and {{w|Moderna}} vaccines are of an even newer type: m{{w|RNA vaccine}}s, which directly inject the mRNA into the body for the cells to use, and never have to enter the cell nuclei.<br />
<br />
[[Beret Guy]], in his [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|usual fashion]], misunderstands how reality works, then reality alters to fit his view of it. <br />
<br />
After receiving the vaccine, as he informs [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]], he claims he will now go away to make spike proteins. For him, this literally means that he (not his cells) will build them, by unexplained means. When he returns he is carrying his constructed protein, which is ''many'' orders of magnitude larger than the normal version.{{Citation needed}} He then drops it on the desk, where a laptop is being used. Cueball part-closes his screen to try to prevent the mass from landing on it - though he's only partially successful.<br />
<br />
When a normal living body is coerced into making a spike protein, they are microscopic particles that distribute internally around the body to provoke an immune response. Beret Guy's macroscopic version provokes an understandable response of both disgust and confusion from both Cueball and Megan, who choose to ask why it is so wet. Proteins are [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2271157/ highly hydrated molecules] where water — through the moderation of its presence and absence in specific locations — plays a central role in shaping the structure and function of the protein (although it is not clear how Beret Guy knows that the spike protein should be hydrated since this is his first try). Though, of the many questions that might have been asked, it is not an entirely unreasonable snap reaction.<br />
<br />
Beret Guy remains typically oblivious to the fuss he causes. His enthusiastic intention, apparently, is to leave his first proud creation there as he departs to construct further examples. They will likely be no less unwelcome.<br />
<br />
Anything damp and squidgy (as ''this'' creation seems to be) would not be welcome around a laptop, for a number of reasons, and Beret Guy seems to have made a particularly messy contact with the part of the case where most such devices are likely to have clusters of unruggedised ports/connections that may not react well to the ingress of liquids.<br />
<br />
The title text is a pun on Acer, ACER2, and ACE2. {{w|Acer Inc.|Acer}} is a brand of computers including laptops. The {{w|Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2|ACE2 receptor}}, is an [https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-ace2-receptor-how-is-it-connected-to-coronavirus-and-why-might-it-be-key-to-treating-covid-19-the-experts-explain-136928 entry point on a cell] to which the SARS-COV-2 virus attaches during the process of entering the cell. {{w|ACER2}} is a real enzyme in humans which, although unrelated to ACE2 or SARS-COV-2, may also help bind the pun together.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a desk with an open laptop in front of him. Megan stands behind him looking over his shoulder. Beret Guy is in front of the desk, walking away and looking back at the two while holding a hand to his shoulder, where he got the vaccine shot.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Got the vaccine!<br />
:Megan: Congrats!<br />
:Beret Guy: Time to go make spike proteins.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball continues to work on his laptop while Megan is looking on.]<br />
<br />
:[In a frameless, narrow panel, Beret Guy walks back carrying a large object in his arms that looks like a spike protein. But it is about half as long as he is tall, fluffy and dripping wet, flexing slightly along its length, with the Y-shaped head pointed forwards, away from Beret Guy]<br />
:Beret Guy: OK! <br />
:Beret Guy: Here's my first try.<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy drops the spike protein onto Cueball's desk with the Y-shaped end on the desk up against the back of Cueball's laptop. The movement is shown with several lines and a sound follows when it hits the desk. The head of it takes up the entire desk area not covered by the laptop, while the tail overhangs the desk. Cueball is grabbing the lid and base of his laptop with both hands, pulling it partially closed and away from the spike protein, and Megan reflexively leans away.]<br />
:Spike Protein: Plop<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy turns to leave, with an outstretched finger pointing skyward. The overhanging part of the spike protein has sagged, and it is dripping some wet material over both the floor and desk. Cueball is sitting with his hands on the partially closed laptop, Megan stands normally again.]<br />
:Beret Guy: ''More!''<br />
:Cueball: Ewww.<br />
:Megan: Why is it so ''wet??''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2446:_Spike_Proteins&diff=2098992446: Spike Proteins2021-04-07T19:50:01Z<p>Ahecht: /* Explanation */ clarify that all the vaccines contain code for building the spike protein, not inactivated pathogen</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2446<br />
| date = April 5, 2021<br />
| title = Spike Proteins<br />
| image = spike_proteins.png<br />
| titletext = Ugh, it's stuck to my laptop. It must have bound to the ACER-2 receptor.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a RIBOSOME from HTmL codes. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This is another comic in the [[:Category:COVID-19|COVID-19 series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}}, caused by the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}<br />
<br />
This is also another comic about the current [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine|vaccine against COVID-19]]. A vaccine is designed to provoke an immune response from the body of the recipient, which "trains" the immune system to attack actual viruses (or bacteria). For COVID-19, the {{w|spike protein}}, necessary for the virus to bind a receptor on human cells and invade them, is the key protein for an immune response. Almost all vaccines approved for human use pre-COVID actually contain either inactivated pathogen (e.g., flu vaccine), live but safe pathogen variants (e.g., measles), or some protein from the pathogen that the immune system can respond to (e.g., pertussis). The COVID-19 vaccines, however, are a relatively new type of vaccine that instead cause human cells to temporarily produce spike proteins, which the immune system then "learns" to attack. The Oxford-AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine use a technique first approved for the July 2020 Ebola vaccine, in which a genetically modified {{w|adenovirus}} is used to deliver DNA to the nuclei of the vaccine recipients' cells, which convert the DNA to {{w|Messenger RNA}} (mRNA). The recipients' cells then use the mRNA as instructions to produce spike proteins. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are of an even newer type: m{{w|RNA vaccine}}s, which directly inject the mRNA into the body for the cells to use, and never have to enter the cell nuclei.<br />
<br />
[[Beret Guy]], in his [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy|usual fashion]], misunderstands how reality works, then reality alters to fit his view of it. <br />
<br />
After receiving the vaccine, as he informs [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]], he claims he will now go away to make spike proteins. For him, this literally means that he (not his cells) will build them, by unexplained means. When he returns he is carrying his constructed protein, which is ''many'' orders of magnitude larger than the normal version.{{Citation needed}} He then drops it on the desk, where a laptop is being used. Cueball part-closes his screen to try to prevent the mass from landing on it - though he's only partially successful.<br />
<br />
When a normal living body is coerced into making a spike protein, they are microscopic particles that distribute internally around the body to provoke an immune response. Beret Guy's macroscopic version provokes an understandable response of both disgust and confusion from both Cueball and Megan, who choose to ask why it is so wet. Proteins are [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2271157/ highly hydrated molecules] where water — through the moderation of its presence and absence in specific locations — plays a central role in shaping the structure and function of the protein (although it is not clear how Beret Guy knows that the spike protein should be hydrated since this is his first try). Though, of the many questions that might have been asked, it is not an entirely unreasonable snap reaction.<br />
<br />
Beret Guy remains typically oblivious to the fuss he causes. His enthusiastic intention, apparently, is to leave his first proud creation there as he departs to construct further examples. They will likely be no less unwelcome.<br />
<br />
Anything damp and squidgy (as ''this'' creation seems to be) would not be welcome around a laptop, for a number of reasons, and Beret Guy seems to have made a particularly messy contact with the part of the case where most such devices are likely to have clusters of unruggedised ports/connections that may not react well to the ingress of liquids.<br />
<br />
The title text is a pun on Acer, ACER2, and ACE2. {{w|Acer Inc.|Acer}} is a brand of computers including laptops. The {{w|Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2|ACE2 receptor}}, is an [https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-ace2-receptor-how-is-it-connected-to-coronavirus-and-why-might-it-be-key-to-treating-covid-19-the-experts-explain-136928 entry point on a cell] to which the SARS-COV-2 virus attaches during the process of entering the cell. {{w|ACER2}} is a real enzyme in humans which, although unrelated to ACE2 or SARS-COV-2, may also help bind the pun together.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball is sitting in an office chair at a desk with an open laptop in front of him. Megan stands behind him looking over his shoulder. Beret Guy is in front of the desk, walking away and looking back at the two while holding a hand to his shoulder, where he got the vaccine shot.]<br />
:Beret Guy: Got the vaccine!<br />
:Megan: Congrats!<br />
:Beret Guy: Time to go make spike proteins.<br />
<br />
:[Cueball continues to work on his laptop while Megan is looking on.]<br />
<br />
:[In a frameless, narrow panel, Beret Guy walks back carrying a large object in his arms that looks like a spike protein. But it is about half as long as he is tall, fluffy and dripping wet, flexing slightly along its length, with the Y-shaped head pointed forwards, away from Beret Guy]<br />
:Beret Guy: OK! <br />
:Beret Guy: Here's my first try.<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy drops the spike protein onto Cueball's desk with the Y-shaped end on the desk up against the back of Cueball's laptop. The movement is shown with several lines and a sound follows when it hits the desk. The head of it takes up the entire desk area not covered by the laptop, while the tail overhangs the desk. Cueball is grabbing the lid and base of his laptop with both hands, pulling it partially closed and away from the spike protein, and Megan reflexively leans away.]<br />
:Spike Protein: Plop<br />
<br />
:[Beret Guy turns to leave, with an outstretched finger pointing skyward. The overhanging part of the spike protein has sagged, and it is dripping some wet material over both the floor and desk. Cueball is sitting with his hands on the partially closed laptop, Megan stands normally again.]<br />
:Beret Guy: ''More!''<br />
:Cueball: Ewww.<br />
:Megan: Why is it so ''wet??''<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy]]</div>Ahechthttps://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2446:_Spike_Proteins&diff=209898Talk:2446: Spike Proteins2021-04-07T19:29:38Z<p>Ahecht: J&J gives your cells instructions on how to make spike proteins as well</p>
<hr />
<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
I got my 1st dose today. My apartment is swarming with spike proteins. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 01:17, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:My Dad got his second dose on Thursday & got allll the usual symptoms. He's not on antibiotics, but his breath smells like the taste of antibiotics to me. I swear, dogs aren't the only ones that can smell a body's reaction to coronavirus (and also, for reference, cancer ''stinks''). <br />
:[[User:ProphetZarquon|ProphetZarquon]] ([[User talk:ProphetZarquon|talk]]) 16:39, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Can someone here create a "COVID-19 vaccine" category (as a subcategory of COVID-19)? Randall has been posting a lot of vaccine-related comics recently. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.35.113|172.69.35.113]] 02:11, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Done [[:Category:COVID-19 vaccine]]. Please add more if I missed some earlier ones. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:23, 7 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
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I don't think the description as it is right now is very accurate. It seems to be stating that the spike protein is a normal protein normally produced by humans, rather than a protein used by SARS-CoV-2 (and likely other similar viruses (virii?) to aid in their infection. In this case, beret guy has gotten an MRNA vaccine (either Moderna or Pfizer), so has given his cells the recipe to make this spike protein for themselves, until the immune system realizes it shouldn't be there. [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 07:08, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:[[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]], The J&J vaccine also would've given his cells the recipe to make the spike protein. It just uses an adenovirus to deliver DNA into your cells, where the cells convert it into mRNA and then use that to make the spike proteins. [[User:Ahecht|Ahecht]] ([[User talk:Ahecht|talk]]) 19:29, 7 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
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I'm a bit suprised there was no Ever Given comic... [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.161|162.158.111.161]] 13:45, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:It's been delayed by two weeks, by having been sent round Africa...<br />
:(Srsly, though, if the sufficient dose of inspiration hasn't happened - and it's not his usual geek-out topic - then it's no more likely to be mentioned than (say) Brexit issues seriously messing with exports, especially of foodstuffs. And I think the US is largely proof from Suez (or Channel) cargo movements, so may not be on the radar. Chip shortages, etc, are likely from C19 disruptions, not from the otherwise unaffected trans-Pacific shipping.) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.108|162.158.159.108]] 22:28, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
::Just thought that the event itself is big and interesting enough to warrant a comic, even if it doesn't influence US as much as Europe. (Good joke, though!) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.81|141.101.104.81]] 10:48, 7 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
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As a new 'image' of the Corona virus has recently been used in a scientific publication (as discussed in https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/moist-coronavirus-image/ ), showing a 'moist' Corona virus, I got the impression that the "Why is it so wet?" part of the comic refers to this. (Otherwise it seems like a remark coming out of nowhere.) Of course, at the normal scale of a virus, 'wet' and 'dry' don't really mean anything, but as 'images' of the virus are mostly artistic representations anyway, there's no reason not to show them as 'moist'. (Unsigned addition by 162.158.92.102)<br />
:That article has the odd assertion that "it’s important to remember that art is objective." I think they mean "subjective". [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 17:25, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I subject to such a misuse of terms! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.218|141.101.98.218]] 22:31, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
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EDIT: Removed annoying tag. Sorry! [[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|<sup>{)|(}</sup>]][[User:Quillathe_Siannodel|Quill]][[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|<sub>{)|(}</sub>]] 18:15, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:It's marked as "incomplete" because it's new and still under active revision. I don't know if there's a formal criterion set down anywhere, but I don't think it would be appropriate to remove that tag from any page that's been repeatedly edited in the previous ten days or so. [[User:BunsenH|BunsenH]] ([[User talk:BunsenH|talk]]) 18:33, 6 April 2021 (UTC) EDIT: I find it especially eyebrow-raising when someone edits a page ''and'' removes that tag at the same time. If I edit a page, I ''want'' at least one more pair of eyeballs to check what I've done. As opposed to the implied "Now that I have made my changes, the page is in its final form."<br />
::Agree with the above user. This text is always placed when a comic is new and is not usually removed for a few days (or even longer). Also, although you say that "this is not spamming", it feels like spamming if you place this exact same text on multiple comics, without even having a real discussion on why a comic is incomplete. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.33.249|172.69.33.249]] 22:59, 6 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::Yes please do not use that [[User_talk:Quillathe_Siannodel#IncompleteIncomplete|template]] you have made! It is a very bad idea! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:04, 7 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
::::Sorry. I will delete the template and topics. [[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|<sup>{)|(}</sup>]][[User:Quillathe_Siannodel|Quill]][[User talk:Quillathe Siannodel|<sub>{)|(}</sub>]] {{Date}}<br />
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;Beret Guy superpowers?<br />
Sorry, I don't know if this is the right format for this, but it seems that not only does Beret Guy often misunderstand, he also has superpowers. Making a life-sized spike protein would classify as that to me. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 01:28, 7 April 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Yes I have added this already. I made this category long time ago: [[:Category:Strange powers of Beret Guy]]. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:53, 7 April 2021 (UTC)</div>Ahecht