https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Viperzer0&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T00:31:13ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:334:_Wasteland&diff=156107Talk:334: Wasteland2018-04-20T18:02:43Z<p>Viperzer0: I think I broke something?</p>
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<div>Isn't the meaning of the title text that it's so difficult to forget her that forgetting anything else is easy in comparison? {{unsigned|Bonob}}<br />
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Possibly? Or maybe she is the one who forgot that he existed in a heartbeat, making forgetting someone "look so easy"[[User:Viperzer0|Viperzer0]] ([[User talk:Viperzer0|talk]]) 18:02, 20 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
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The headline "Wasteland" may also refer to the state of the life of the speaker, wasting away. [[User:Danshoham|Mountain Hikes]] ([[User talk:Danshoham|talk]]) 04:30, 7 October 2015 (UTC)</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:334:_Wasteland&diff=156106Talk:334: Wasteland2018-04-20T18:02:07Z<p>Viperzer0: Added a comment</p>
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<div>Isn't the meaning of the title text that it's so difficult to forget her that forgetting anything else is easy in comparison? {{unsigned|Bonob}}<br />
Possibly? Or maybe she is the one who forgot that he existed in a heartbeat, making forgetting someone "look so easy"[[User:Viperzer0|Viperzer0]] ([[User talk:Viperzer0|talk]]) 18:02, 20 April 2018 (UTC)<br />
The headline "Wasteland" may also refer to the state of the life of the speaker, wasting away. [[User:Danshoham|Mountain Hikes]] ([[User talk:Danshoham|talk]]) 04:30, 7 October 2015 (UTC)</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1866:_Russell%27s_Teapot&diff=1513641866: Russell's Teapot2018-01-21T08:05:10Z<p>Viperzer0: /* Explanation */ I felt like adding that a set IS a thing was worth adding.</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1866<br />
| date = July 21, 2017<br />
| title = Russell's Teapot<br />
| image = russells_teapot.png<br />
| titletext = Unfortunately, NASA regulations state that Bertrand Russell-related payloads can only be launched within launch vehicles which do not launch themselves.<br />
}}<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{w|Russell's teapot|Russell's Teapot}} is a philosophical argument that reflects on the difficulty of trying to prove a negative. It involves a hypothetical teapot orbiting a heavenly body, whose existence hasn't been proven, and states that it cannot be disproven (Somebody put it there secretly?). While an instrument could be theoretically engineered to pick out a teapot-sized object of any luminosity, the teapot would be very easy to confuse for other pieces of space debris, and the space to search is extremely large; the task is thus akin to the proverbial search for a needle in a haystack.<br />
<br />
{{w|Bertrand Russell}} devised this analogy "to illustrate that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making unfalsifiable claims, rather than shifting the burden of disproof to others." As such, it is very often used in atheistic arguments.<br />
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<blockquote>"He wrote that if he were to assert, without offering proof, that a teapot orbits the Sun somewhere in space between the Earth and Mars, he could not expect anyone to believe him solely because his assertion could not be proven wrong." (Wikipedia)</blockquote><br />
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[[Cueball]] is trying to settle the teapot argument by actually launching a teapot into space via a {{w|crowdfunding}} campaign. This misses the point of Russell's argument, which is about unfalsifiable claims in rhetoric and not a literal teapot. <br />
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"{{w|CubeSat}}-based design" refers to a type of miniaturized satellites that is made up of 10-centimeter cube units (here seemingly consisting of 3 units) and enables cost-effective means for getting a payload into orbit.<br />
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The title-text refers to {{w|Russell's paradox}}, also formulated by Bertrand Russell. Russell's paradox was a flaw found in {{w|naïve set theory}} where one could consider "the set of all sets that do not contain themselves" (a "set" is a mathematical term for a "group of things" -- "things" in this case including a set itself). The paradox arises with whether this set, in turn, contains itself: if it does, then it cannot; if it doesn't, then it must. Similarly, like in the {{w|barber paradox}}, the vehicle which launches only vehicles which do not launch themselves is impossible: if the vehicle takes off, it must launch itself as well as the teapot, and thus can never be launched (without violating alleged NASA regulations, at least).<br />
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The barber paradox can be stated as follows: "Consider a town in which a man, the barber, shaves precisely those men who do not shave themselves. Does the barber shave himself?" Either answer, yes or no, leads to a contradiction. Sometimes the paradox is incorrectly stated, replacing "precisely those" with "only". Under that scenario, there is no paradox; the barber is merely unkempt.<br />
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A launch vehicle that does not launch itself is a contradiction in terms in a way that a barber who does not shave himself or a set that does not contain itself is not. NASA's regulation is not so much a paradox in itself as a ban on launching Bertrand Russell-related payloads.<br />
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==Potential List of Labeled Items==<br />
From the top right, clockwise. <br />
{| class="wikitable" | Starting at Top Right<br />
! scope="col" | Item #<br />
! scope="col" | Possible Label<br />
! scope="col" | Possible Description<br />
|-<br />
| 1 || Teapot || Classic teapot, the point of the satellite. <br />
|-<br />
| 2 || Base || Holds Teapot in Place<br />
|-<br />
| 3 || Vehicle Equipment Bay || With foldable antenna and stabilizers<br />
|-<br />
| 4 || Fuel || <br />
|-<br />
| 5 || || <br />
|-<br />
| 6 || Combustion Chamber ||<br />
|-<br />
| 7 || Nozzle || <br />
|-<br />
| 8 || || <br />
|-<br />
| 9 || || <br />
|-<br />
| 10 || || <br />
|-<br />
| 11 || || <br />
|-<br />
| 12 || Heater Unit || To keep the tea from freezing<br />
|-<br />
| 13 || Display Cabinet || Protects the teapot from micrometeorites<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
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:[Cueball is standing in front of a blueprint labeled "CubeSat-Based Design", containing a satellite with a teapot in the top.]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:I'm crowdfunding a project to launch a teapot into orbit around the sun to settle the Russell thing once and for all.<br />
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{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1907:_Immune_System&diff=1470841907: Immune System2017-10-25T19:23:42Z<p>Viperzer0: Tried to do an explanation, hopefully I succeeded.</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1907<br />
| date = October 25, 2017<br />
| title = Immune System<br />
| image = immune_system.png<br />
| titletext = It also helps with negotiation. "Look, if it were up to me, *I'd* accept your offer, but my swarm of autonomous killer cells literally can't be reasoned with. It's out of my hands!"<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
In this comic, Ponytail is delivering an informative report to a group of listeners, likely important managers of some large company. She begins her lecture by stating she is the host of a microscopic autonomous swarm that will do anything to protect her. She is referring to the immune system, which could technically be defined as a "microscopic autonomous swarm" that will do anything to protect her -- i.e destroy pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, both of which cause multitudinous diseases in humans. Like many of the systems of the body, the immune system cannot be controlled by conscious thought, and should not be taken as unordinary. <br />
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The caption below reveals the method behind her madness. Randall claims that beginning any business presentation with a surreal description of one's own immune system is guaranteed to strengthen your case. Whether or not this is actually the case is irrelevant, the point of the comic is about "how cool the immune system is", and explains its coolness through an unconventional description of how the process works.<br />
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The title text elaborates further on this, stating that similar arguments can be used in negotiation. It is correct that your immune cells cannot be reasoned with, but there is no reason that should have any effect on the negotiations, as your brain is an independent organ unaffected by the actions of your immune system (at least, it should be).<br />
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==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Ponytail is standing in front of a boardroom, holding a stick up to the board. Cueball, Megan and Hairbun are in the audience, sitting at a long table; an extra, unoccupied chair is in the front.]<br />
:Ponytail: My body hosts an autonomous microscopic defensive swarm that will do anything to protect me.<br />
:Ponytail: I have no ability to restrain it and I don't know my own power.<br />
:Ponytail: So listen up.<br />
:Ponytail: Sales grew by 4% this quarter...<br />
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:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Business protip: You can strengthen any presentation by opening with a reminder about how cool immune systems are.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
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[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]]</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1790:_Sad&diff=144470Talk:1790: Sad2017-08-23T22:20:21Z<p>Viperzer0: </p>
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<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~--><br />
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My first instinct is that Ponytail is feeling despondent about politics. I am reading too much of myself into it? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.72|172.68.65.72]] 17:25, 25 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
: The title ("Sad" - a common interjection in King Cheeto's tweets) strengthens this argument. {{unsigned ip|162.158.58.129}}<br />
:: As does this being a problem that's been going on for the past few months. Contrary to what the explanation says, a programmer creating functions that don't do anything but return the same data back is not 'semi-common in regular life'. That and the title clearly indicate that this is about more than a programmer subverting complaints about their work. Something very bad is going on that has Ponytail, who also just happens to be a woman, depressed and angry. The election seems like the obvious thing. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.28}}<br />
::: My reaction was based on the "Fact Check" reference, which is largely used in politics. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.72|172.68.65.72]] 18:01, 25 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
Could "sad" could also refer to the medical term "[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder Seasonal Affective Disorder]", a condition where people feel depressed during the winter as a result of getting too little sunlight? [[User:Mr. I|Mr. I]] ([[User talk:Mr. I|talk]]) 20:05, 25 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
: I would have expected it to be in all caps if that were the case [[Special:Contributions/172.68.65.72|172.68.65.72]] 20:42, 25 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
::Well in principle it is written in all caps on xkcd, but that is because of the font. If you copy paste the title it does come out Sad. But if you read it on xkcd you would see it as SAD. That is why we have this site to clarify. She (or rather Randall) is really sad, and with the way King Cheeto is going to ruin the US for over half the population many will be really sad. Horrible what he has already started within a week of his inauguration, and with Randall obviously feeling like this too, and even living under him (not like us foreigners) then he is very likely sad. :-( --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:56, 26 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
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It is not really true that "side effects" in this context are "unexpected, unintended, and typically unwanted..." A side effect in functional terms is simply an effect other than on the output of the function. As the linked wikipedia article explains, these are very common and typically (but not always) how a program interacts with the outside world. In a pure functional language functions do not have side effects. Ponytail's job may or may not be (but probably isn't) to avoid side effects at all costs. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.107.24|141.101.107.24]] 21:23, 25 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Having just been through a break up recently (and the resulting sadness that eventuates) I identified with the "No, you deal with this" as a classic response to "If you have a problem with what I did, deal with it." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.178.27|162.158.178.27]] 02:00, 26 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
: Even without suffering a break up I came to the same connection and interpret the whole comic in that way. Tbh I don't see any connection to King Cheeto's inauguration at all. But I'm not from the USA, and I understand the arguments leading to this conclusion. Yet I think it could be inserted as an alternative interpretation. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 09:09, 26 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
::For sure it is that which caused this. See my comment above, and the other Sad after King Cheetos election comic in the trivia. (And his [[I'm With Her]] comic). But a break-up also makes you sad, so if that is easier to relate to then this comic could also be for such a person. I do not live in the states but I'm sad because now we end up in a worse than current path scenario from the very bottom of the [[1732: Earth Temperature Timeline]] comic. I would not be surprised if this election result will cause all ice to melt on Greenland very soon with devastating effect for Europe (because the Gulf stream may stop, so the "heat up" could case ice winters in Europe and cold summers) and many other places due to higher sea levels and wilder weather to boot. Sad? maybe, scared? for sure. We are not talking centuries, and maybe not even many decades the way things are going already and now King Cheeto will make it worse by trying to stop scientist talking about their results and making oil lines through protected/fragile nature areas. ( Not to talk about the wall or women's rights etc. etc. etc.) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:56, 26 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
::: I recommend reading this http://waitbutwhy.com/2016/11/its-going-to-be-okay.html and this http://waitbutwhy.com/2016/11/its-going-to-be-okay-follow-up.html Those articles were written right after the vote, but they're still valid, I think. Yes, I agree with you that King Cheeto might wreck havoc. But I object that he can do as much damage in (at most) 8 years as you worry about. He's no totalitarian dictator who can do whatever he wants (and if he can do, the US American system is seriously flawed. I know another democratic system which was seriously flawed and yes, the result was the worst catastrophe in the 20th century which indeed did influence the whole world in a very bad way). However, I don't want to argue about politics. And I don't want to say that the current explanation is wrong. I just want to say that there might be a (plausible) alternative interpretation. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:40, 27 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
::::I entirely agree with Elektrizikekswerk. The election was bad, but it isn't the source of all sadness these days. There's no indication that this is about the election, so I don't understand why everyone is automatically accepting that as truth. [[User:HisHighestMinion|HisHighestMinion]] ([[User talk:HisHighestMinion|talk]]) 11:18, 27 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
:::::Because this is the fourth since the election that is sad and is released in relation to events related to King Cheeto - see [[1790:_Sad#Sad_comics|Sad Comics]] section above. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:25, 28 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
When people talk about virtual farms, I assume that they're talking about Farmville, so I was a little surprised for them to mention Stardew Valley instead. Oh well. I guess it's just me. (#waiting-for-the-nintendo-switch-port) --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|'''JayRules''XKCD''' ]]<sup>[[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|what's up?]]</sup> 12:02, 27 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
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I vote we remove anything about King Cheeto and speculation on Ponytail's depression other than the fact that she's obviously depressed and the initial correlation to King Cheeto. i.e. lines 2 through 5 ("Of course, such sadness..." through "a clear relation to this comic!"). The comic doesn't dwell on it and it just seems like a ton of word cruft. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.215|172.68.132.215]] 21:27, 28 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Why is like half of the explanation info about King Cheeto? I came here to have XKCD explained, not the current political situation. I can go to other sites for that. If the King Cheeto correlation is really that relevant, I think mentioning just once should be enough. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.112|108.162.210.112]] 21:35, 31 January 2017 (UTC)<br />
:I'm with this guy. I'm commenting out the four King Cheeto paragraphs as a test, seeing as every fact has been repeated a second time in the much more relevant Trivia section. If it turns out we need it the admins can just delete the comment markers.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.132.215|172.68.132.215]] 18:59, 1 February 2017 (UTC)<br />
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I come on here to fix a few spell check errors, until I realize I accidentally left my Firefox extension on and any mention of Trump is replaced with "King Cheeto", even here in the explanations. xD --[[User:JayRulesXKCD|'''JayRules''XKCD''' ]]<sup>[[User talk:JayRulesXKCD|what's up?]]</sup> 18:29, 10 February 2017 (UTC)<br />
:Can someone please fix this? I don't think I can undo edits, but if a mod or something would please revert back to before all the "King Cheeto" stuff, that'd be greatly appreciated [[User:Viperzer0|Viperzer0]] ([[User talk:Viperzer0|talk]]) 22:20, 23 August 2017 (UTC)</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1182:_Rembrandt_Photo&diff=144466Talk:1182: Rembrandt Photo2017-08-23T20:20:13Z<p>Viperzer0: </p>
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<div>I don't get it. [[Special:Contributions/184.66.160.91|184.66.160.91]] 07:57, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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It is a pun. Artist's conception can either mean an artist's description of an event where no real photo is available; or the artist's biological conception, meaning the sex that led to his birth. [[Special:Contributions/84.199.78.189|84.199.78.189]] 08:02, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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:Ohhh an Artist's conception, I get it! [[Special:Contributions/184.66.160.91|184.66.160.91]] 08:15, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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::Example of an 'Incredibly Lame Pun' actually being hilarious. --[[User:Dangerkeith3000|Dangerkeith3000]] ([[User talk:Dangerkeith3000|talk]]) 17:07, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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I don't get the "whistler" reference in the title text... anyone? [[Special:Contributions/84.197.94.196|84.197.94.196]] 09:21, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:[[wikipedia:Whistler's Mother|"Whistler's Mother"]] is a famous American painting by [[wikipedia:James McNeill Whistler|James McNeill Whistler]] of his own mother. --[[User:Aaron of Mpls|Aaron of Mpls]] ([[User talk:Aaron of Mpls|talk]]) 11:39, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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Insert heartfelt groan here: -----> [. Groan! ][[Special:Contributions/24.79.11.46|24.79.11.46]] 12:15, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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I was too busy being grossed out by the prospect that it was the artist who conceived the image of his own conception. Be it Rembrandt or Whistler. Unresolved Oedipus complex, anyone? [[Special:Contributions/220.224.246.97|220.224.246.97]] 13:05, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
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Incidentally there is a great reference to Whistler's Mother in the movie "Sneakers". Dan Akroyd's character makes the reference regarding his blind colleage ("Whistler"). Great movie.<br />
:In which scene? --[[User:DaB.|DaB.]] ([[User talk:DaB.|talk]]) 18:06, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Dan Akroyd's character is called "Mother"; I don't think there is any more reference than that: two characters, Whistler and Mother. "Whistler", incidentally, is a reference to being able to whistle the tone needed on old pay phones to get it to give you a free call -- Whistler is a phreaker. {{unsigned|72.68.11.22}}<br />
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Anyone know what "click" refers to in the title text? [[User:Trek7553|Trek7553]] ([[User talk:Trek7553|talk]]) 15:15, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
: the "click" because of Cueball working on the PC and not listening to Megan any more. [[Special:Contributions/80.76.68.155|80.76.68.155]] 15:38, 6 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: That does not make sense...[[User:Trek7553|Trek7553]] ([[User talk:Trek7553|talk]]) 17:42, 7 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: Actually it's Megan switching to the next picture (that of Whistler's mother) on her laptop. {{unsigned|212.149.48.43}}<br />
::: This is the best answer so far, I think you're right. [[User:Trek7553|Trek7553]] ([[User talk:Trek7553|talk]]) 17:42, 7 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: It's Cueball closing the door as he leaves the room. [[User:Schmammel|Schmammel]] ([[User talk:Schmammel|talk]]) 14:40, 7 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
::: I think you're right - otherwise "come back" doesn't make sense. [[User:MR|MR]] ([[User talk:MR|talk]]) 01:17, 5 April 2013 (UTC)MR<br />
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Does that mean that a painting of an artist painting a picture of Rembrandt's parents having sex would be an artist's conception of an artist's conception of an artist's conception? [[User:MrBigDog2U|MrBigDog2U]] ([[User talk:MrBigDog2U|talk]]) 15:30, 7 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
: Whoa, that sounds like it would be an artist's Inception! [[User:Mr. I|Mr. I]] ([[User talk:Mr. I|talk]]) 01:41, 14 March 2013 (UTC)<br />
:: But if he only claimed that he was painting it, but it turned out that he wasn't, that would be an artist's deception. [[User:Nyperold|Nyperold]] ([[User talk:Nyperold|talk]]) 20:41, 20 September 2016 (UTC)<br />
:::Of course, that's really all just your artist's perception. [[User:Viperzer0|Viperzer0]] ([[User talk:Viperzer0|talk]]) 20:20, 23 August 2017 (UTC)</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=379:_Forgetting&diff=140238379: Forgetting2017-05-25T21:06:21Z<p>Viperzer0: /* Explanation */ Further clarified the emotional impact of Cueball's coding.</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 379<br />
| date = February 4, 2008<br />
| title = Forgetting<br />
| image = forgetting.png<br />
| titletext = Of course, the assert doesn't work.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
[[Cueball]] is writing a piece of code (probably in the programming language {{w|C++}}) which removes an item from a data structure called a {{w|Linked list}} (the first two lines of the text). Then, he writes a {{w|Comment (computer programming)|comment}} (which is delimited by the double slashes) relating the code to his personal life. Finally, he adds an {{w|Assertion (computing)|assertion}}, which is normally a formal specification of a condition which should always be true (with which the programmer ensures that e.g. mass is not negative). But in this case, instead of asserting a software-related predicate, he asserts that "it's going to be okay" - and because of how {{w|String literal|string literals}} are treated by the interpreter, the assertion will be true.<br />
<br />
An "assert" is a programming statement that allows you to insert sanity checks into your code. For example, if you were writing a program to calculate the speed of a neutrino, then at the end of the calculation you could say: <br />
:<code>assert ( velocity_of_neutrino <= speed_of_light );</code><br />
<br />
If the assertion fails, then the program will stop with an error. This would be much better than publishing an embarrassing paper, for example. <br />
<br />
As stated previously, Cueball is removing an item from a linked list. This will essentially delete, or make the computer "forget" about the item. Cueball realizes that he cannot forget this emotional event through the use of two commands as he can with a computer, which only makes him feel depressed about an unsaid event, the item -- in a sense -- which cannot be removed. <br />
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He writes two comments further clarifying his sense of hopelessness over this event, followed by an assertion that "it will be okay", something which has nothing to do with the code he is writing.<br />
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The title text explains that assertion in question fails: we cannot be sure that things are going to be ok.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Cueball sits at computer, coding.]<br />
prev->next = toDelete->next;<br />
delete toDelete;<br />
<br />
//if only forgetting were <br />
//this easy for me.<br />
<br />
:Cueball: <sniff><br />
<br />
:[Cueball lowers his head into his hands and cries.]<br />
<br />
:[Cueball types again.]<br />
assert "It's going to be okay.";<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Programming]]</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:925:_Cell_Phones&diff=137516Talk:925: Cell Phones2017-03-18T07:41:31Z<p>Viperzer0: Thoughts on "just to be safe"</p>
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<div>On first read I thought the joke is that the cell phone graph shape (somewhat) closely mimics the shape of the cancer graph, including the part where it begins to level off - implying that one linearly correlates with the other, with a 20 year delay (a typical time it takes for cancer to manifest, except in this case it's backwards). ultramage 14:17, 22 December 2012 (UTC)<br />
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That and the fact the graph is out by a scale factor of 1000 is always a fun way to screw over how the statistics look.{{unsigned ip|82.16.27.115}}<br />
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Nah b', it's 2000.{{unsigned ip|76.67.97.246}}<br />
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::The real problem with the graph is that it makes it look like cancer rates have increased from near-zero levels to way higher since 1970, until you actually read the Y axis and see that it's gone from about 400 (per 100,000) to about 475. This is an increase of only 18.75%, as opposed to the visual appearance of a 300% increase. Hats off to Black Hat!! [[Special:Contributions/108.28.72.186|108.28.72.186]] 01:18, 7 August 2013 (UTC)<br />
:::Among the many things wrong with the graph is the lack of context. Much of the increase in cancer incidence in the 80s was the availability of pre-clinical testing for prostate cancer[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12081758]. The other is the improvements in control of infectious disease, and more recently heart disease, resulting in an enlarged elderly population who are more at risk of cancer. {{unsigned ip|141.101.98.99}}<br />
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I thought the laptop joke was that some people believe not to put it on your lap because it messes with your reproductive organs! ~JFreund<br />
:But you know now you are wrong, correct? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.223|108.162.219.223]] 06:59, 21 January 2014 (UTC)<br />
:If your laptop starts messing with your reproductive organs, you may want to either tell an adult, or stop taking drugs (or possibly take more drugs). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.218|108.162.237.218]] 06:45, 3 May 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I originally thought that the graph was supposed to show that an increase in cellphone use caused a decrease in cancer. I'm not sure why Randell didn't go with that conclusion, as it seems way more obvious to make when you look at tha graph, and it's humorously the opposite of what people are saying. Still very silly, of course :p [[User:Maplestrip|Maplestrip]] ([[User talk:Maplestrip|talk]]) 08:37, 31 October 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
::For all the fun publicity this gets, I agree -- the graph doesn't really make it look like cancer causes cell phones, but rather that the leveling off in the growth in cancer rates causes an increase in cell phone use. Not as funny stated that way, for sure, so I get why XKCD didn't go that way. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.133|173.245.54.133]] 13:27, 24 July 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
Why does the title text explanation refer to panel 2? From what I can see the title text either refers to a) you should not hold your laptop by its screen as it may damage it (in panel 2) or b) you should not not rest your laptop on your lap as it may overheat and damage you (in panel 4). I think a) makes more sense since the comic refers to how black hat "holds" the laptop, but I can also see that b) references the subject of the comic. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.177|141.101.98.177]] 10:19, 22 November 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
*Seconded. I'm changing it. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.17|141.101.104.17]] 19:05, 16 December 2014 (UTC)<br />
<br />
When brash well educated young men from good homes start using dolls as good luck fetishes the sergeants in charge of their ground crew should have a word with their squadron leaders about such people suffering stress.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately there was a shortage of pilots and there was no medical help for anyone who Lacked Moral Fibre. Plus the Air Ministry was, in a large measure, responsible for the aggressive attack of the disease initially.<br />
<br />
OTOH of course, it was all a long time ago and most of them are dead by now.<br />
<br />
(Might have stopped some using IFF over enemy territory though. (Pity, that.))<br />
<br />
[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 17:10, 23 January 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
Whoever included the socks comment in the explanation, I just laughed harder at that than at the actual comment. Props [[User:Bbruzzo|Bbruzzo]] ([[User talk:Bbruzzo|talk]]) 00:30, 15 August 2015 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think it's worth noting that Black Hat says "Just to be safe, until I see more data, I'm going to assume cancer causes cell phones." When I first read the strip, I thought it was a play on how empirically, one wants to assume that there is zero correlation whatsoever. Instead of being safe by assuming there is no correlation, Black Hat assumes that the correlation is there (albeit backwards compared to the norm). However, in retrospect, Black Hat may consider cell phones to be an ailment and wishes to prevent or avoid them, just as someone who believed cell phones cause cancer might stay away from cell phones, "Just to be safe". Makes sense to anyone? [[User:Viperzer0|Viperzer0]] ([[User talk:Viperzer0|talk]]) 07:41, 18 March 2017 (UTC)</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1812:_Onboarding&diff=1374261812: Onboarding2017-03-17T05:35:28Z<p>Viperzer0: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1812<br />
| date = March 17, 2017<br />
| title = Onboarding<br />
| image = onboarding.png<br />
| titletext = 'So we just have a steady flow of metal piling up in our server room? Isn't that a problem?' 'Yeah, you should bring that up at our next bismuth meeting.'<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|}}<br />
<br />
<br />
This is another in the series of Beret's mysterious business in which Beret shows Ponytail around the building in which the company resides after she is hired. <br />
<br />
The first panel starts out as a typical welcome to a small indie business might start (often referred to as "Onboarding" -- hence the title of this comic). Very quickly, however, his explanation quickly jumps to an existential viewpoint. Very rarely do conversations or introductions involve discussing the eventual fate of our bodies, and certainly not in a professional light as in this comic. Beret, however, has no problem with discussing death and decay as just part of his business. <br />
<br />
In the second panel, Beret shows Ponytail the free bikeshare system this business apparently has in place. Bikesharing is a system in which many users share one or more bikes amongst themselves. Typically the bikes belong to some of the members of the group who are allowing them to be used by other members who may not have one, but Beret calmly remarks that this system will only exist "until whoever owns those bikes finds out", implying that they were not donated or shared by any member of the group, but are being used without permission or the knowledge of the true owner of the bikes. <br />
<br />
In the third panel, Beret explains the LaserJet and the printer. However, the printer is not available, as it's been printing an infinite-scroll web page since 2013. An infinite-scrolling web page is a web page that, as the name implies, seems to have no end. This style of webpage typically has no definite pages or sections, but instead continues to feed data to the screen as the user scrolls. In reality, trying to print one of these would only print the current section the user was viewing, and even if it was somehow able to infinitely print, the operation could easily cancel the operation at any time.<br />
<br />
In the next panel, Beret makes a few more remarks. He claims that the restrooms are "all-digital -- no pipes." While many technology standards nowadays are entirely digital, one's restroom is one of the things that most definitely should not be. A restroom without pipes would have no way to transfer bodily waste, and would most certainly be at the very least an unpleasant encounter. The Wi-Fi is "very fast, but cursed." Fast Wi-Fi is certainly desirable, but in this case, Beret claims it is also cursed. Whether the curse is a side-effect of the fast Wi-Fi or totally unrelated is left unsaid, as well as what the curse is. This could possibly be a joke relating to some of the quirks of Wi-Fi. While all technology can behave inexplicably from time to time, Wi-Fi is notorious for randomly losing connection, which might be seen as a curse.<br />
<br />
He explains that the server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly (More explanation needed)<br />
<br />
In the last two panels, Beret explains that Ponytail will be working on the infrastructure, which is apparently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin-Manuel Miranda, among other things, is a songwriter, but certainly not an engineer or anyone qualified to be responsible for an entire infrastructure. Ponytail clearly knows this and is surprised by this fact. <br />
<br />
It is worth noting that Beret actually acknowledges the mistake here, claiming the mistake "cost a fortune." This is unusual for Beret, as he has of yet failed to acknowledge or recognize the oddity of every other aspect of his mysterious business, many of which are certainly stranger than this. However, he doesn't seem to mind this at all, as he quickly explains the bright side of having Lin-Manuel Miranda in his business, which is apparently that Lin-Manuel is nice and makes karaoke nights fun, referencing his songwriting ability.<br />
<br />
Off screen, Lin-Manuel is heard singing "How Far I'll Go", which is a song that he composed for the recent Disney movie, Moana.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Beret shakes hands with Ponytail in front of building.]<br />
:Beret: Hi! Welcome to the team! We do business here and we'll turn into dirt later.<br />
:[Beret and Pigtail walk by a set of bikes]<br />
:Beret: This is our main campus. We have a free bikeshare system, at least until whoever owns those bikes finds out.<br />
:Beret: The LaserJet is over there, and the printer is over there. You can't use it right now; it's been printing an infinite-scroll webpage since 2013. <br />
:Beret: Restrooms are all-digital -- no pipes. The wifi is very fast, but cursed. Our server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly.<br />
:Beret: You'll be working on our infrastructure, which is currently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda.<br />
:Ponytail: ...The songwriter? Is he also an engineer?<br />
:Beret: Nope, huge misunderstanding on our part. Cost a fortune. But he's really nice and it makes karaoke nights fun.<br />
:[Off screen, (presumably) Lin-Manuel Miranda sings.]<br />
:Lin-Manuel Miranda (singing): How far I'll gooo<br />
<br />
[[Category:Beret Guy's Business]]</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1812:_Onboarding&diff=1374251812: Onboarding2017-03-17T05:34:02Z<p>Viperzer0: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1812<br />
| date = March 17, 2017<br />
| title = Onboarding<br />
| image = onboarding.png<br />
| titletext = 'So we just have a steady flow of metal piling up in our server room? Isn't that a problem?' 'Yeah, you should bring that up at our next bismuth meeting.'<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|}}<br />
<br />
<br />
This is another in the series of Beret's mysterious business in which Beret shows Ponytail around the building in which the company resides after she is hired. <br />
<br />
The first panel starts out as a typical welcome to a small indie business might start (often referred to as "Onboarding" -- hence the title of this comic). Very quickly, however, his explanation quickly jumps to an existential viewpoint. Very rarely do conversations or introductions involve discussing the eventual fate of our bodies, and certainly not in a professional light as in this comic. Beret, however, has no problem with discussing death and decay as just part of his business. <br />
<br />
In the second panel, Beret shows Ponytail the free bikeshare system this business apparently has in place. Bikesharing is a system in which many users share one or more bikes amongst themselves. Typically the bikes belong to some of the members of the group who are allowing them to be used by other members who may not have one, but Beret calmly remarks that this system will only exist "until whoever owns those bikes finds out", implying that they were not donated or shared by any member of the group, but are being used without permission or the knowledge of the true owner of the bikes. <br />
<br />
In the third panel, Beret explains the LaserJet and the printer. However, the printer is not available, as it's been printing an infinite-scroll web page since 2013. An infinite-scrolling web page is a web page that, as the name implies, seems to have no end. This style of webpage typically has no definite pages or sections, but instead continues to feed data to the screen as the user scrolls. In reality, trying to print one of these would only print the current section the user was viewing, and even if it was somehow able to infinitely print, the operation could easily cancel the operation at any time.<br />
<br />
In the next panel, Beret makes a few more remarks. He claims that the restrooms are "all-digital -- no pipes." While many technology standards nowadays are entirely digital, one's restroom is one of the things that most definitely should not be. A restroom without pipes would have no way to transfer bodily waste, and would most certainly be at the very least an unpleasant encounter. The Wi-Fi is "very fast, but cursed." Fast Wi-Fi is certainly desirable, but in this case, Beret claims it is also cursed. Whether the curse is a side-effect of the fast Wi-Fi or totally unrelated is left unsaid, as well as what the curse is. This could possibly be a joke relating to some of the quirks of Wi-Fi. While all technology can behave inexplicably from time to time, Wi-Fi is notorious for randomly losing connection, which might be seen as a curse.<br />
<br />
He explains that the server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly (More explanation needed)<br />
<br />
In the last two panels, Beret explains that Ponytail will be working on the infrastructure, which is apparently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin-Manuel Miranda, among other things, is a songwriter, but certainly not an engineer or anyone qualified to be responsible for an entire infrastructure. Ponytail clearly knows this and is surprised by this fact. <br />
<br />
It is worth noting that Beret actually acknowledges the mistake here, claiming the mistake "cost a fortune." This is unusual for Beret, as he has of yet failed to acknowledge or recognize the oddity of every other aspect of his mysterious business, many of which are certainly stranger than this. However, he doesn't seem to mind this at all, as he quickly explains the bright side of having Lin-Manuel Miranda in his business, which is apparently that Lin-Manuel is nice and makes karaoke nights fun, referencing his songwriting ability.<br />
<br />
Off screen, Lin-Manuel is heard singing "How Far I'll Go", which is a song that he composed for the recent Disney movie, Moana.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Beret shakes hands with Ponytail in front of building.]<br />
:Beret: Hi! Welcome to the team! We do business here and we'll turn into dirt later.<br />
:[Beret and Pigtail walk by a set of bikes]<br />
:Beret: This is our main campus. We have a free bikeshare system, at least until whoever owns those bikes finds out.<br />
:Beret: The LaserJet is over there, and the printer is over there. You can't use it right now; it's been printing an infinite-scroll webpage since 2013. <br />
:Beret: Restrooms are all-digital -- no pipes. The wifi is very fast, but cursed. Our server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly.<br />
:Beret: You'll be working on our infrastructure, which is currently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda.<br />
:Ponytail: ...The songwriter? Is he also an engineer?<br />
:Beret: Nope, huge misunderstanding on our part. Cost a fortune. But he's really nice and it makes karaoke nights fun.<br />
:[Off screen, (presumably) Lin-Manuel Miranda sings.]<br />
:Lin-Manuel Miranda: How far I'll gooo<br />
<br />
[[Category:Beret Guy's Business]]</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1812:_Onboarding&diff=1374241812: Onboarding2017-03-17T05:31:48Z<p>Viperzer0: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1812<br />
| date = March 17, 2017<br />
| title = Onboarding<br />
| image = onboarding.png<br />
| titletext = 'So we just have a steady flow of metal piling up in our server room? Isn't that a problem?' 'Yeah, you should bring that up at our next bismuth meeting.'<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|}}<br />
<br />
<br />
This is another in the series of Beret's mysterious business in which Beret shows Ponytail around the building in which the company resides after she is hired. <br />
<br />
The first panel starts out as a typical welcome to a small indie business might start (often referred to as "Onboarding" -- hence the title of this comic). Very quickly, however, his explanation quickly jumps to an existential viewpoint. Very rarely do conversations or introductions involve discussing the eventual fate of our bodies, and certainly not in a professional light as in this comic. Beret, however, has no problem with discussing death and decay as just part of his business. <br />
<br />
In the second panel, Beret shows Ponytail the free bikeshare system this business apparently has in place. Bikesharing is a system in which many users share one or more bikes amongst themselves. Typically the bikes belong to some of the members of the group who are allowing them to be used by other members who may not have one, but Beret calmly remarks that this system will only exist "until whoever owns those bikes finds out", implying that they were not donated or shared by any member of the group, but are being used without permission or the knowledge of the true owner of the bikes. <br />
<br />
In the third panel, Beret explains the LaserJet and the printer. However, the printer is not available, as it's been printing an infinite-scroll web page since 2013. An infinite-scrolling web page is a web page that, as the name implies, seems to have no end. This style of webpage typically has no definite pages or sections, but instead continues to feed data to the screen as the user scrolls. In reality, trying to print one of these would only print the current section the user was viewing, and even if it was somehow able to infinitely print, the operation could easily cancel the operation at any time.<br />
<br />
In the next panel, Beret makes a few more remarks. He claims that the restrooms are "all-digital -- no pipes." While many technology standards nowadays are entirely digital, one's restroom is one of the things that most definitely should not be. A restroom without pipes would have no way to transfer bodily waste, and would most certainly be at the very least an unpleasant encounter. The Wi-Fi is "very fast, but cursed." Fast Wi-Fi is certainly desirable, but in this case, Beret claims it is also cursed. Whether the curse is a side-effect of the fast Wi-Fi or totally unrelated is left unsaid, as well as what the curse is. This could possibly be a joke relating to some of the quirks of Wi-Fi. While all technology can behave inexplicably from time to time, Wi-Fi is notorious for randomly losing connection, which might be seen as a curse.<br />
<br />
He explains that the server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly (More explanation needed)<br />
<br />
In the last two panels, Beret explains that Ponytail will be working on the infrastructure, which is apparently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lin-Manuel Miranda, among other things, is a songwriter, but certainly not an engineer or anyone qualified to be responsible for an entire infrastructure. Ponytail clearly knows this and is surprised by this fact. <br />
<br />
It is worth noting that Beret actually acknowledges the mistake here, claiming the mistake "cost a fortune." This is unusual for Beret, as he has of yet failed to acknowledge or recognize the oddity of every other aspect of his mysterious business, many of which are certainly stranger than this. However, he doesn't seem to mind this at all, as he quickly explains the bright side of having Lin-Manuel Miranda in his business, which is apparently that Lin-Manuel is nice and makes karaoke nights fun, referencing his songwriting ability.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Beret shakes hands with Ponytail in front of building.]<br />
:Beret: Hi! Welcome to the team! We do business here and we'll turn into dirt later.<br />
:[Beret and Pigtail walk by a set of bikes]<br />
:Beret: This is our main campus. We have a free bikeshare system, at least until whoever owns those bikes finds out.<br />
:Beret: The LaserJet is over there, and the printer is over there. You can't use it right now; it's been printing an infinite-scroll webpage since 2013. <br />
:Beret: Restrooms are all-digital -- no pipes. The wifi is very fast, but cursed. Our server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly.<br />
:Beret: You'll be working on our infrastructure, which is currently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda.<br />
:Ponytail: ...The songwriter? Is he also an engineer?<br />
:Beret: Nope, huge misunderstanding on our part. Cost a fortune. But he's really nice and it makes karaoke nights fun.<br />
:[Off screen, (presumably) Lin-Manuel Miranda sings.]<br />
:Lin-Manuel Miranda: How far I'll gooo<br />
<br />
[[Category:Beret Guy's Business]]</div>Viperzer0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1812:_Onboarding&diff=1374231812: Onboarding2017-03-17T05:06:13Z<p>Viperzer0: /* Transcript */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1812<br />
| date = March 17, 2017<br />
| title = Onboarding<br />
| image = onboarding.png<br />
| titletext = 'So we just have a steady flow of metal piling up in our server room? Isn't that a problem?' 'Yeah, you should bring that up at our next bismuth meeting.'<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|}}<br />
<br />
<br />
This is another in the series of Beret's mysterious business in which Beret shows ponytail around the building in which the company resides after she is hired. <br />
<br />
In the first panel he shows her the building and acknowledges that the world will eventually crumble into the soil in the classic strangeness of science. Beret guy continues by showing Ponytail the free bike share which isn't owned by the company and is just some guy's bikes being used.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Beret shakes hands with Ponytail in front of building.]<br />
:Beret: Hi! Welcome to the team! We do business here and we'll turn into dirt later.<br />
:[Beret and Pigtail walk by a set of bikes]<br />
:Beret: This is our main campus. We have a free bikeshare system, at least until whoever owns those bikes finds out.<br />
:Beret: The LaserJet is over there, and the printer is over there. You can't use it right now; it's been printing an infinite-scroll webpage since 2013. <br />
:Beret: Restrooms are all-digital -- no pipes. The wifi is very fast, but cursed. Our server room is carbon-neutral but produces bismuth constantly.<br />
:Beret: You'll be working on our infrastructure, which is currently maintained by Lin-Manuel Miranda.<br />
:Ponytail: ...The songwriter? Is he also an engineer?<br />
:Beret: Nope, huge misunderstanding on our part. Cost a fortune. But he's really nice and it makes karaoke nights fun.<br />
:[Off screen, (presumably) Lin-Manuel Miranda sings.]<br />
:Lin-Manuel Miranda: How far I'll gooo<br />
<br />
[[Category:Beret Guy's Business]]</div>Viperzer0