Editing 1037: Umwelt
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| title = Umwelt | | title = Umwelt | ||
| image = umwelt_the_void.jpg | | image = umwelt_the_void.jpg | ||
− | | titletext = Umwelt is the idea that because their senses pick up on different things, different animals in the same ecosystem actually live in very different worlds. Everything about you shapes the world you inhabit--from your ideology to your glasses prescription to your web browser. | + | | titletext = Umwelt is the idea that because their senses pick up on different things, different animals in the same ecosystem actually live in very different worlds. Everything about you shapes the world you inhabit--from your ideology to your glasses prescription to your web browser. |
− | + | }} | |
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{Incomplete|Many of the strips are not explained}} | |
− | + | An {{w|Umwelt}}, as the title text explains, is the idea that ones entire way of thinking is dependent on their surroundings. Thus, this {{w|April Fools}} comic changes based on the browser, location, or referrer. Thus, what the viewer is viewing the comic on, where they live, or where they came from determines which comic they actually see. As a result, there are actually multiple comics that went up on April Fools' Day, although only one is seen. | |
− | An {{w|Umwelt}}, as the title text explains, is the idea that | ||
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− | Information about how the wide variety of data was collected and credit for the viewers who contributed can be found [ | + | Information about how the wide variety of data was collected and credit for the viewers who contributed can be found [http://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/rnst4/april_fools_xkcd_changing_comic/ here]. |
===The Void=== | ===The Void=== | ||
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If the device or browser you are using does not support Javascript, you will simply see a static image of a white swirl on a dark background. | If the device or browser you are using does not support Javascript, you will simply see a static image of a white swirl on a dark background. | ||
− | Possible reference to The Ring ( | + | Possible reference to The Ring (http://imgur.com/wlGmm), as though to suggest that using an alternative browser is dismal and horrific. |
Davean (xkcd's sysadmin): "[This] comic isn't available everywhere and it can come up i[n] some situation[s] only for recognized browsers." | Davean (xkcd's sysadmin): "[This] comic isn't available everywhere and it can come up i[n] some situation[s] only for recognized browsers." | ||
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===Aurora=== | ===Aurora=== | ||
− | [[File:umwelt aurora.png | + | [[File:umwelt aurora.png]] |
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− | + | One could interpret that since Megan didn't go out and therefore missed seeing the Aurora, the main character lied. That way, she wouldn't have felt sad that she missed out. | |
− | + | One might also believe that since xkcd is normally a black and white comic, Cueball is colorblind and didn't see anything of interest to him. | |
This image changed based on the size of the browser window including different panels at different sizes. | This image changed based on the size of the browser window including different panels at different sizes. | ||
− | Locations: Canada, Boston | + | Locations: Canada, Boston, Maine, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Minnesota, Norway, Denmark |
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===Snake=== | ===Snake=== | ||
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[[:File:umwelt snake composite.png|Full size]] | [[:File:umwelt snake composite.png|Full size]] | ||
− | The joke here is the extreme length of snakes. The world's longest | + | The joke here is the extreme length of snakes. The world's longest snake is the python, the longest ever being 33 feet or approx. 10 meters. The red and blue circles refer to the hit game {{w|Portal}}. |
− | There is also a reference to the book "The Little Prince" in the second panel | + | There is also a reference to the book "The Little Prince" in the second panel. |
Also, the number and content of the panels changes depending on the size of your browser window. | Also, the number and content of the panels changes depending on the size of your browser window. | ||
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Specific AltText for this image: Umwelt is the idea that because their senses pick up on different things, different animals in the same ecosystem actually live in very different worlds. Everything about you shapes the world you inhabit -from your ideology to your glasses prescription to your browser window size. | Specific AltText for this image: Umwelt is the idea that because their senses pick up on different things, different animals in the same ecosystem actually live in very different worlds. Everything about you shapes the world you inhabit -from your ideology to your glasses prescription to your browser window size. | ||
− | Location: Texas (on Chrome Version 33.0.1750.154 m), New Jersey, | + | Location: Texas (on Chrome Version 33.0.1750.154 m), New Jersey, |
===Black Hat=== | ===Black Hat=== | ||
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[[:File:umwelt tortoise.png|Full size]] | [[:File:umwelt tortoise.png|Full size]] | ||
− | + | An analyst attempts to psychoanalyze [[Black Hat|Black Hat's]] [[72: Classhole|classhole]] tendencies. The joke here is that the turtle has actually been turned over and neither sees helping it as a priority. It's a reference to the Voight-Kampff test used in the movie Blade Runner (1982) to identify replicants. | |
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Location: Seems to appear mostly in "other countries" — those without location-specific comics. | Location: Seems to appear mostly in "other countries" — those without location-specific comics. | ||
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Also referencing the film {{w|2 Fast 2 Furious|2 Fast 2 Furious}}, an entertaining, yet intellectually unprovoking sequel in a popular film franchise, which is aimed at teenagers and young adults, prompting the blunt response from the stickman. The fact that Steve would use such a cliché {{w|2000s (decade)|noughties}} movie term in such an intense moment, and the subsequent curse, is the joke in this comic. | Also referencing the film {{w|2 Fast 2 Furious|2 Fast 2 Furious}}, an entertaining, yet intellectually unprovoking sequel in a popular film franchise, which is aimed at teenagers and young adults, prompting the blunt response from the stickman. The fact that Steve would use such a cliché {{w|2000s (decade)|noughties}} movie term in such an intense moment, and the subsequent curse, is the joke in this comic. | ||
− | Location: short version — iPhone 5c Safari browser in Texas, | + | Location: short version — iPhone 5c Safari browser in Texas, |
===Pond=== | ===Pond=== | ||
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Two different versions showed, the narrower version for mobile devices. | Two different versions showed, the narrower version for mobile devices. | ||
− | Location: | + | Location: unknown |
===Galaxies=== | ===Galaxies=== | ||
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[[:File:umwelt galaxies.jpg|Full size]] | [[:File:umwelt galaxies.jpg|Full size]] | ||
− | Megan is distracted from her conversation with [[Cueball]] by realizing that the space behind his head, from her vantage point, contains millions of galaxies. This is similar to an [ | + | Megan is distracted from her conversation with [[Cueball]] by realizing that the space behind his head, from her vantage point, contains millions of galaxies. This is similar to an [http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/image/astro/hst_deep_field.jpg incredible photograph] taken by the Hubble Telescope, in which a tiny dark area of space in fact contained numerous galaxies. |
The title text is an imaginative leap from this scenario: that the galaxies would be up to no good once Cueball is turned away from them. | The title text is an imaginative leap from this scenario: that the galaxies would be up to no good once Cueball is turned away from them. | ||
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Possible reference to Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s "{{w|Harrison Bergeron}}." | Possible reference to Kurt Vonnegut Jr.'s "{{w|Harrison Bergeron}}." | ||
− | + | Possibly a veiled criticism of Facebook. This could be slightly rewritten as: "This comic takes place in a dystopian future where the government is afraid of dissent, so it tracks everyone at all times, and some people privately doubt the government, but not enough to stop submitting information to Facebook. But that dystopian future is now." | |
− | + | Referrer: Facebook | |
===Reddit=== | ===Reddit=== | ||
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Reference to referencing, because Reddit, as a referring site, likes references to its referencing in its references. | Reference to referencing, because Reddit, as a referring site, likes references to its referencing in its references. | ||
− | This comic also features recursive imagery similar to [[688: Self-Description]] where the second panel embeds the entire comic within itself | + | This comic also features recursive imagery similar to [[688: Self-Description|Self Description]] where the second panel embeds the entire comic within itself. |
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Referrer: Reddit | Referrer: Reddit | ||
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[[File:umwelt somethingawful.jpg]] | [[File:umwelt somethingawful.jpg]] | ||
− | This is a reference to the question "Why do hot dogs come in packages of 6 while buns come in packages of 8?" | + | This is a reference to the question "Why do hot dogs come in packages of 6 while buns come in packages of 8?" |
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Referrer: SomethingAwful, Questionable Content, & MetaFilter | Referrer: SomethingAwful, Questionable Content, & MetaFilter | ||
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[[File:umwelt twitter.jpg]] | [[File:umwelt twitter.jpg]] | ||
− | A summary of the | + | A summary of the content "typically" found on Twitter. |
− | In the tweet feed, there are three tweets about some podcast on the top, followed by the tweet containing link they clicked on to get to the comic, tweets about Rob Delaney, unspecified passive-aggressive tweets, and a tweet from | + | In the tweet feed, there are three tweets about some podcast on the top, followed by the tweet containing link they clicked on to get to the comic, tweets about Rob Delaney, unspecified passive-aggressive tweets, and a tweet from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_ebooks Horse Ebooks] retweeted by one of the users the reader follows. |
On the left, the topmost dialog, with profile information, shows that the user has posted 1,302 tweets, but only follows 171 people and has even fewer followers, at a measly 48. This is marked with a sad face, implying that the user wants more followers. | On the left, the topmost dialog, with profile information, shows that the user has posted 1,302 tweets, but only follows 171 people and has even fewer followers, at a measly 48. This is marked with a sad face, implying that the user wants more followers. | ||
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Below that is the "trending tags" dialog for the United States. It is full of tags about word games, tags about misogyny, and tags about Justin Bieber. | Below that is the "trending tags" dialog for the United States. It is full of tags about word games, tags about misogyny, and tags about Justin Bieber. | ||
− | Below that is an unidentified dialog full of "stuff your eyes automatically ignore". And finally, on the bottom is the background | + | Below that is an unidentified dialog full of "stuff your eyes automatically ignore". And finally, on the bottom is the background colour, which is "a really pleasant blue". |
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Referrer: Twitter | Referrer: Twitter | ||
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[[File:umwelt wikipedia mobile.png]] | [[File:umwelt wikipedia mobile.png]] | ||
− | The term {{w|Mile High Club}} (or MHC) is a slang term applied collectively to individuals who have | + | The term {{w|Mile High Club}} (or MHC) is a slang term applied collectively to individuals who have sexual intercourse while on board an aircraft. Randall says that reading the news articles on it has distracted him from making that comic. |
− | Two different versions | + | Two different versions showed, the narrower version for mobile devices. |
Referrer: Wikipedia | Referrer: Wikipedia | ||
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[[File:umwelt chrome2.png]] | [[File:umwelt chrome2.png]] | ||
− | Mozilla {{w|Firefox}} is a free and open-source web browser developed for Windows, OS X and Linux, with a mobile version for Android | + | Mozilla {{w|Firefox}} is a free and open-source web browser developed for Windows, OS X, and Linux, with a mobile version for Android, by the Mozilla Foundation and its subsidiary, the Mozilla Corporation. Cueball is complaining about {{w|Google Chrome}}, to which [[Ponytail]] replies that there is an {{w|add-on}} that fixes what he is complaining about. When questioned, she replies that the add-on is Firefox, which isn't an add-on at all and is instead a different browser. |
Browser: Chrome | Browser: Chrome | ||
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[[File:umwelt chrome3.png]] | [[File:umwelt chrome3.png]] | ||
− | This panel references Google Chrome's error screen, which shows a puzzle piece. The comic humorously implies that Chrome is looking for that piece. | + | This panel references Google Chrome's error screen, which shows a puzzle piece. The comic humorously implies that Chrome is looking for that piece. However, the piece in question cannot possibly line up with any corner. |
− | Browser: Chrome | + | Browser: Chrome |
===Mozilla Firefox Private Browsing=== | ===Mozilla Firefox Private Browsing=== | ||
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Another reference to crashing web browsers. | Another reference to crashing web browsers. | ||
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Browser: Firefox (Incognito only?) | Browser: Firefox (Incognito only?) | ||
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[[File:umwelt ie.png]] | [[File:umwelt ie.png]] | ||
− | + | Yet another reference to crashing web browsers | |
Browser: Internet Explorer | Browser: Internet Explorer | ||
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[[File:umwelt maxthon.png]] | [[File:umwelt maxthon.png]] | ||
− | Browser: | + | Browser: Maxthon |
===Netscape Navigator=== | ===Netscape Navigator=== | ||
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When the Google Chrome web browser does not have the required software (called a plug-in) to display a web page's content, it displays a puzzle piece icon and an error message. In this case, Chrome informs the user that the content is impossible to display. | When the Google Chrome web browser does not have the required software (called a plug-in) to display a web page's content, it displays a puzzle piece icon and an error message. In this case, Chrome informs the user that the content is impossible to display. | ||
− | Browser: Plugin (?) Disabled | + | Browser: Plugin (?) Disabled |
===Corporate Networks=== | ===Corporate Networks=== | ||
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[[File:umwelt corporate nytimes chrome.png]] | [[File:umwelt corporate nytimes chrome.png]] | ||
[[File:umwelt corporate nytimes other.png]] | [[File:umwelt corporate nytimes other.png]] | ||
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ISP: Corporate networks of Amazon, Google, Microsoft, NY Times | ISP: Corporate networks of Amazon, Google, Microsoft, NY Times | ||
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===Military=== | ===Military=== | ||
[[File:umwelt military.png]] | [[File:umwelt military.png]] | ||
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ISP: Military networks | ISP: Military networks | ||
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[[File:umwelt tmobile.png]] | [[File:umwelt tmobile.png]] | ||
− | Reference to T-Mobile's distinguishing feature | + | Reference to T-Mobile's distinguishing feature of weaker coverage, in relation to other major providers. |
ISP: T-Mobile | ISP: T-Mobile | ||
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[[File:umwelt france.jpg]] | [[File:umwelt france.jpg]] | ||
− | A | + | A Google search of "French Military Victories" + 'I'm feeling lucky' used to direct to "did you mean: french military defeats" (due to a {{w|Google bomb}}), referencing a stereotype of the French:[http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/text/victories.html][http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blpic-frenchmilitaryvictories.htm][http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/jokes/bljokefrenchmilitaryhistory.htm] |
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Locations: France & Quebec | Locations: France & Quebec | ||
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[[File:umwelt israel.png]] | [[File:umwelt israel.png]] | ||
− | Translation | + | (Translation from Hebrew) |
− | + | Person: Mom, I met a great guy! But he's not Jewish. ...Wait, what do you mean "neither are we"? I'm completely confused. | |
− | A | + | A reference to the multiple use of the word Jewish to denote both a religious group and a nationality. |
Location: Israel | Location: Israel | ||
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[[File:umwelt japan.png]] | [[File:umwelt japan.png]] | ||
− | A pun on "cycle"; a "{{w|Carnot cycle}}" is a thermodynamic cycle (e.g. refrigeration). Its efficiency depends on the temperature of the hot and cold 'reservoirs' in which it is operating. | + | A pun on "cycle"; a "{{w|Carnot cycle}}" is a thermodynamic cycle (e.g. refrigeration). Its efficiency depends on the temperature of the hot and cold 'reservoirs' in which it is operating. |
Location: Japan | Location: Japan | ||
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[[File:umwelt disasters blizzard.png]] | [[File:umwelt disasters blizzard.png]] | ||
− | + | For each location this displayed in, the state name was substituted in the third panel. | |
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− | For each | ||
Locations: Alabama, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Georgia, Halifax, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, the Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ottawa, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Texas, Toronto, Tennessee, New York, Wisconsin | Locations: Alabama, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Georgia, Halifax, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, the Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ottawa, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Texas, Toronto, Tennessee, New York, Wisconsin | ||
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===Tornado=== | ===Tornado=== | ||
[[File:umwelt disasters tornado.png]] | [[File:umwelt disasters tornado.png]] | ||
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For each location this displayed in the state name was substituted in the third panel. | For each location this displayed in the state name was substituted in the third panel. | ||
− | Locations: Alabama, Dallas, Illinois, Georgia, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ottawa, Tennessee, Texas | + | Locations: Alabama, Dallas, Illinois, Georgia, The Midwest, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ottawa, Tennessee, Texas |
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===Hurricane=== | ===Hurricane=== | ||
[[File:umwelt disasters hurricane.png]] | [[File:umwelt disasters hurricane.png]] | ||
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For each location this displayed in the state name was substituted in the third panel. | For each location this displayed in the state name was substituted in the third panel. | ||
− | Locations: D.C, Florida | + | Locations: D.C, Florida, Houston, Miami, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virgina |
===Lake Diver Killer=== | ===Lake Diver Killer=== | ||
[[File:umwelt lake diver.png]] | [[File:umwelt lake diver.png]] | ||
− | + | Locations: Bay Areas | |
− | Location: | + | Location: Vermont showed an image specifically referencing Lake Champlain |
===Lincoln Memorial=== | ===Lincoln Memorial=== | ||
[[File:umwelt lincoln memorial.png]] | [[File:umwelt lincoln memorial.png]] | ||
− | + | Locations: Illinois & Washington D.C. | |
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− | Locations: Illinois & Washington | ||
===Helicopter Hunting=== | ===Helicopter Hunting=== | ||
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In Alaska, governments and individuals have {{w|Wolf hunting#North America 2|shot wolves en masse from helicopters}} in an attempt to artificially inflate populations of game, such as moose and caribou, to make hunting them easier. This is opposed by many, as the game populations are not endangered (thus, this threatens ecological balance); wolves are a small threat to livestock in North America; most of the wolf body —including meat and bones— goes wasted as they are sought mainly for their pelts. | In Alaska, governments and individuals have {{w|Wolf hunting#North America 2|shot wolves en masse from helicopters}} in an attempt to artificially inflate populations of game, such as moose and caribou, to make hunting them easier. This is opposed by many, as the game populations are not endangered (thus, this threatens ecological balance); wolves are a small threat to livestock in North America; most of the wolf body —including meat and bones— goes wasted as they are sought mainly for their pelts. | ||
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Location: Alaska | Location: Alaska | ||
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Creating new life has long been a well understood process, in a lab or otherwise. | Creating new life has long been a well understood process, in a lab or otherwise. | ||
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Location: Various | Location: Various | ||
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[[File:umwelt paul revere.png]] | [[File:umwelt paul revere.png]] | ||
− | Combination of the legend of {{w|Paul Revere#"Midnight Ride"|Paul Revere}} and | + | Combination of the legend of {{w|Paul Revere#"Midnight Ride"|Paul Revere}} and computer binary. |
Location: Boston | Location: Boston | ||
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===Counting Cards=== | ===Counting Cards=== | ||
<!-- card counting explanation needed. --> | <!-- card counting explanation needed. --> | ||
− | All four colleges in this series are in Massachusetts and, being similar, in pairs, rival each other to some extent (Harvard-MIT and Smith-Wellesley). The comic contains a reference to the {{w|MIT Blackjack Team}}, which entered popular culture via the {{w|21 (2008 film)|film 21}}, and a possible reference to Orwell's book '1984' and/or {{w|Chain of Command (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|popular homage to it via Star Trek}}: "There are four lights."[ | + | All four colleges in this series are in Massachusetts and, being similar, in pairs, rival each other to some extent (Harvard-MIT, and Smith-Wellesley). The comic contains a reference to the {{w|MIT Blackjack Team}}, which entered popular culture via the {{w|21 (2008 film)|film 21}}, and a possible reference to Orwell's book '1984' and/or {{w|Chain of Command (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|popular homage to it via Star Trek}}: "There are four lights."[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChYIm6MW39k] |
Bonus: The thought-gears in panel 3 are spinning against each other. | Bonus: The thought-gears in panel 3 are spinning against each other. | ||
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[[File:umwelt counting cards mit.png]] | [[File:umwelt counting cards mit.png]] | ||
− | "Course 15s" at MIT are the business major students, often mocked for taking a less-rigorous program | + | "Course 15s" at MIT are the business major students, often mocked for taking a less-rigorous program. |
Location: Smith | Location: Smith | ||
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[[File:umwelt counting cards wellesley.png]] | [[File:umwelt counting cards wellesley.png]] | ||
− | + | Wellesley is an all-girls college. | |
===Giant Box Trap=== | ===Giant Box Trap=== | ||
[[File:umwelt box trap.png]] | [[File:umwelt box trap.png]] | ||
− | Randall got his undergrad in Physics at the {{w|Christopher Newport University}}, and was scheduled to return shortly to give a talk | + | Randall got his undergrad in Physics at the {{w|Christopher Newport University}}, and was scheduled to return shortly to give a talk. |
Location: Christopher Newport University | Location: Christopher Newport University | ||
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===Chemo Support=== | ===Chemo Support=== | ||
[[File:umwelt chemo.jpg]] | [[File:umwelt chemo.jpg]] | ||
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Randall's now-wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and apparently DFCI is where they've been spending much of their time. | Randall's now-wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and apparently DFCI is where they've been spending much of their time. | ||
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[[File:reviews.png]] | [[File:reviews.png]] | ||
− | The previous strip appears twice when using [[wikipedia:Tor (anonymity network)| | + | The previous strip appears twice when using [[wikipedia:Tor (anonymity network)|TOR]]. |
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− | + | Browser: Any using TOR, and reports of seeing it on a Kindle Fire HD | |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | : | + | :[Note to courageous readers- The transcript has been reordered in the order in which the comics appear in the picture and appropriate names have been given.] |
− | + | :'''The Void''' | |
:[An epic void with a bright light shining right on you.] | :[An epic void with a bright light shining right on you.] | ||
− | + | :'''Aurora''' | |
:[Cueball heading out past Megan comfortably sitting in front of a desk.] | :[Cueball heading out past Megan comfortably sitting in front of a desk.] | ||
:Cueball: Apparently there's a solar flare that's causing some Great Aurorae. CBC says they may even be visible here! Wanna drive out to see? | :Cueball: Apparently there's a solar flare that's causing some Great Aurorae. CBC says they may even be visible here! Wanna drive out to see? | ||
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:Megan: Not surprised. | :Megan: Not surprised. | ||
− | + | :'''Aurora-US''' | |
:[Cueball heading out past Megan comfortably sitting in front of a desk.] | :[Cueball heading out past Megan comfortably sitting in front of a desk.] | ||
:Cueball: Apparently there's a solar storm causing northern lights over Canada. CNN say they might even be visible {Options: "As Far South As Us", "Here in Boston", "Maine", "Ohio", "Oregon", "New York"}! Wanna drive out to see? | :Cueball: Apparently there's a solar storm causing northern lights over Canada. CNN say they might even be visible {Options: "As Far South As Us", "Here in Boston", "Maine", "Ohio", "Oregon", "New York"}! Wanna drive out to see? | ||
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:Megan: Not surprised. | :Megan: Not surprised. | ||
− | + | :'''Snake''' | |
:[Two people standing next to each other. Megan is holding the head end of a snake. Depending on the width of your browser, the snake is: three frames, the third of which has a little bit of a bump; the first frame has a human-size bump, the second has a third person looking at the snake, and the third has the snake going though two Portals; a squirrel and the human-size bump in the first frame, a ring next to the third person in the second frame, and Beret Guy riding the snake in front of the portal; or The squirrel, a fourth person within the snake being coiled, and the human bump in the first frame, the ring, a fifth person in love, and the third person in the second frame, Beret Guy and the portal in the third frame, and the same two people in the fourth frame.] | :[Two people standing next to each other. Megan is holding the head end of a snake. Depending on the width of your browser, the snake is: three frames, the third of which has a little bit of a bump; the first frame has a human-size bump, the second has a third person looking at the snake, and the third has the snake going though two Portals; a squirrel and the human-size bump in the first frame, a ring next to the third person in the second frame, and Beret Guy riding the snake in front of the portal; or The squirrel, a fourth person within the snake being coiled, and the human bump in the first frame, the ring, a fifth person in love, and the third person in the second frame, Beret Guy and the portal in the third frame, and the same two people in the fourth frame.] | ||
:Megan: I found a snake, but then I forgot to stop. | :Megan: I found a snake, but then I forgot to stop. | ||
− | :'''[ | + | :'''Black hat''' |
+ | :[Two people sitting at a desk. One is Black Hat. The other is an analyst. Black Hat has a number of terminals attached to his head.] | ||
+ | :Analyst: You come across a tortoise in the desert. You flip it over. It struggles to right itself. You watch. You're not helping. Why is that? | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Black Hat: It '''knows''' what it did. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[View of the entire scene, with said turtle off in the distance on its back and trying to right itself.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Too quiet''' | ||
+ | :[A group of four scale down a wall into a field in the middle of the night. They walk off single-file.] | ||
+ | :Person 1: It's quiet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Person 3: Yeah - *Too* quiet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[A Velociraptor is off in the distance, following the group.] | ||
+ | :Person 4: Yeah - too *too* quiet. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Person 2: Yeah - 2quiet2furious. | ||
+ | :Person 1: Fuck off, Steve. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Pond''' | ||
+ | :[A landscape showing a pond, some reeds, and a set of mountains off in the distance.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Galaxies''' | ||
+ | :[A trio of galaxies.] | ||
+ | :Galaxy 1: He's not looking! | ||
+ | :Galaxy 3: Let's get him! | ||
+ | :[Lines draw in illustrating the eye-line of one of a pair of people.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: So he said he didn't get the text, but c'mon, he *never* misses texts. Right? ..hello? | ||
+ | :Megan: I'm just staring at your head freaked out by the fact that there are millions of galaxies *directly behind it*. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''xkcd Gold''' | ||
+ | :[Cueball holding bat.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: Sorry, but this comic | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Cueball starts to wind up.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: requires | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Cueball prepares to strike with bat.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: XKCD | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Cueball swings at a beehive.] | ||
+ | :GOLD | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Penis Bees fly out of the beehive.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Yo mamma''' | ||
+ | :[Cueball yells at a friend.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Oh yeah? Well you mama's so ''cynical'', her only dog ballast is a ''leash''! | ||
+ | :(This comic takes place in a dystopian future where the government is afraid dogs can hover, so it requires them to wear weights at all times, and some people privately doubt the government, but not enough to stop buying dog weights.) | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Reddit''' | ||
+ | :Five seconds ago: | ||
+ | :[You sitting in front of a desk, reading a reddit thread.] | ||
+ | :You: Oh, hey, reddit has a link to some XKCD april fools comic. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Now: [An image of the xkcd comic page.] | ||
+ | :Five seconds from now: | ||
+ | |||
+ | :You: ..hey | ||
+ | |||
+ | :30 seconds from now: | ||
+ | :[DANCE PARTY!] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Buns and Hot dogs''' | ||
+ | :Cueball: What I wanna know is why do hot dogs come in packages of six while buns come in these huge sacks of ash and blood from which "Ave Maria" is faintly audible? | ||
+ | :[Chanting sacks of gore in the background.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Twitter''' | ||
+ | :[A Twitter account page with the following: Many tweets, fewer following, even fewer followers, A bunch of assholes in the suggested follow box, trending topics partitioned into: Word Games, Misogyny, and Bieber, stuff your eyes automatically ignore, A really pleasant blue. and the timeline: Something about a podcast, Someone confused because the description doesn't match the link, The link you clicked on to get to this comic, Rob Delaney, Passive Aggression, and horse ebooks.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Wikipedia''' | ||
+ | :[There's no comic here because instead of drawing one, I spent the last hour reading every news story cited in the Wikipedia article on The Mile High Club.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Google Chrome''' | ||
+ | :[A Chrome plugin error page.] | ||
+ | :Chrome: This plugin requires Sergey Brin's permission to run. Please wait while he is woken. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Chrome/Firefox''' | ||
+ | :[Two people; Cueball is sitting at a desk in front of a laptop.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Man, chrome's hardware acceleration really sucks. | ||
+ | :Ponytail: Oh - Theres' a great add-on that fixes it. | ||
+ | :Cueball: Oh? What's it called? | ||
+ | :Ponytail: "Firefox". | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Google Chrome-2''' | ||
+ | :[A Chrome plugin error page with the characteristic jigsaw piece.] | ||
+ | :Chrome: Chrome is looking for this piece. Have you seen it? Chrome thinks it links up with a corner. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Mozilla Firefox Private Browsing''' | ||
+ | :[Firefox error page.] | ||
+ | :Firefox: Well, this is embarrassing. You know how I'm not supposed to peek at your browsing in private mode? Firefox.. is sorry. Firefox will not blame you if you | ||
+ | :[Button with text.] | ||
+ | :Click here to report this incident. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Internet Explorer''' | ||
+ | :[IE error page.] | ||
+ | :IE: Error: Internet Explorer has given up. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Maxthon''' | ||
+ | :Cueball: Maxthon? Hey, 2005 called. Didn't say anything. All I could hear was sobbing. This is getting harder. Anyway, yeah, Maxthon's still cool! Didn't know it was still around! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Netscape Navigator''' | ||
+ | :[Two different versions exist: one with Cueball talking and one with Megan with tentacle arms talking.] | ||
+ | :Person: Netscape Navigator? Hey, the nineties called - drunk as usual. I hung up without saying anything. This is getting harder. Anyway - it's cool that you'e got netscape running. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Rockmelt''' | ||
+ | :[Cueball running to laptop.] | ||
+ | :I ran to Rockmelt to hide my face | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Cueball sitting at laptop.] | ||
+ | :But Rockmelt cried out - | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Laptop shouting.] | ||
+ | :NO HIDING PLACE | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[zoom out.] | ||
+ | :NO HIDING PLACE DOWN HERE | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Google Chrome-3''' | ||
+ | :[A chrome plugin error page.] | ||
+ | :Chrome: There does not exist --nor could there '''ever''' exist-- a plugin capable of displaying this content. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Microsoft/Amazon/The Times/Google - Chrome''' | ||
+ | :[Chrome error page.] | ||
+ | :Chrome: This plugin requires clearance from the corporate press office in order to run. Remember, Microsoft/Amazon/The Times/Google is a team; individual employees should ''never'' speak for the company without authorization. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Microsoft/Amazon - Firefox''' | ||
+ | :[Firefox error page.] | ||
+ | :Error: This plugin requires clearance from the corporate press office in order to run. Remember, Microsoft/Amazon is a team; individual employees should ''never'' speak for the company without authorization. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Microsoft/The Times''' | ||
+ | :[Error page.] | ||
+ | :Error: This plugin requires clearance from the corporate press office in order to run. Remember, Microsoft/The Times is a team; individual employees should ''never'' speak for the company without authorization. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Corporate - Generic''' | ||
+ | :[Error page.] | ||
+ | :Error: This plugin requires clearance from the corporate press office in order to run. Remember, we work as a team; individual employees should ''never'' speak for the company without authorization. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Military''' | ||
+ | :[Person looking at two browser windows.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: I know y'all know what you're doing. But if you're on a military machine and you're supposed to be watching for missiles or something, I hope you're keeping an eye on that in the background while you're reading comics. Also: Thanks. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''T-Mobile''' | ||
+ | :[Error page.] | ||
+ | :Data Error: T-Mobile was unable to establish a connection | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Verizon''' | ||
+ | :[Error page] | ||
+ | :Error: You have exceeded your Verizon monthly bandwidth cap. Mobile web browsing has been disabled. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''France''' | ||
+ | :[Two people; one of which is browsing using a laptop.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Hey, you're French, right? Ever see what happens when you type "French Military Victories" into Google? | ||
+ | :French person: Does it take you to an article on Napoleon? | ||
+ | |||
+ | :French person: ..no? Strange, given how he kicked everyone's asses up and down Europe for over a decade. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Beat frame.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: Touche. | ||
+ | :French person: You know, that'd sound smarter if you didn't pronounce it like it rhymes with "douche". | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Germany''' | ||
+ | :[Cueball dropping food from an unorthodox high perch.] | ||
+ | :June 1948: In response to the Soviet blockade of East Germany, the western allies construct the Berlin Chairlift. | ||
+ | :Cueball on chairlift: Food! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Israel''' | ||
+ | :[Person on phone.] | ||
+ | :Person (Translation from Hebrew): Mom, I met a great guy! But he's not Jewish. ...Wait, what do you mean "neither are we"? I'm completely confused. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Carnot Cycle''' | ||
+ | :[Ponytail on a motorcycle with a heat-entropy graph on the side.] | ||
+ | :Ponytail: Check out my new Carnot Cycle! | ||
+ | :Cueball: Neat - how fast does it go? | ||
+ | :Ponytail: Depends how cold it is outside. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Great Britain''' | ||
+ | :[Illustration of the Atlantic ocean.] | ||
+ | :American person: Sorry I don't have a comic poking fun at the UK here. I only had time to get to the most ''important'' US states. | ||
+ | :British person: Hey - At least we have free health care and real ale. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Earthquake-Blizzard''' | ||
+ | :[Two people sitting at a desk, facing each other. The desk rattles.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Stop jiggling your leg. | ||
+ | :Danish: I'm not ji-.. oh! | ||
+ | :Cueball: What! | ||
+ | :Danish: You'll get it.. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[EVERYTHING RUMBLES.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: ..HOLY CRAP IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE! | ||
+ | :Danish: Just a little one. Happens all the time back in San Francisco. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: But this is {Options: "Alabama", "Boston", "Chicago", "Dallas", "Georgia", "Halifax", "Illinois", "Michigan", "Minnesota", "Missouri", "the Northeast", "Ohio", "Oklahoma", "Ottawa", 'Pennsylvania", "Philadelphia", "Texas", "Toronto", "Tennessee", "New York", "Wisconsin"}! That was huge! | ||
+ | :Danish: Seriously? That's the worst this place can do? Wow. I guess we grow up tougher in California. | ||
+ | :Cueball: Oh ''really''... | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Six Months Later.. | ||
+ | :[Both people are trudging through a massive blizzard.] | ||
+ | :Danish: In pictures, snow always looked so nice and sof - ''AAAA! MY NECK! How do people live here?!'' | ||
+ | :Cueball: Come on - it's only three more miles. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Earthquake-Tornado''' | ||
+ | :[Two people sitting at a desk, facing each other. The desk rattles.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Stop jiggling your leg. | ||
+ | :Danish: I'm not ji-.. oh! | ||
+ | :Cueball: What! | ||
+ | :Danish: You'll get it.. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[EVERYTHING RUMBLES.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: ..HOLY CRAP IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE! | ||
+ | :Danish: Just a little one. Happens all the time back in San Francisco. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: But this is {Options: "Alabama", "Dallas", "Illinois", "The Midwest", "Missouri", "Ohio", "Oklahoma", "Ottawa", "Tennessee", "Texas"}! | ||
+ | :Cueball: That was huge! | ||
+ | :Danish: Seriously? That's the worst this place can do? Wow. I guess we grow up tougher in California. | ||
+ | :Cueball: Oh ''really''... | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Six Months Later.. | ||
+ | :[Both people are in a shelter in a prairie with a rapidly-approaching tornado.] | ||
+ | :Danish: AAAA CLOSE THE SHELTER DOOR! | ||
+ | :Cueball: Say the magic words... | ||
+ | :Danish: THIS PLACE IS THE WORST! | ||
+ | :Cueball: Thank you. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Earthquake-Hurricane''' | ||
+ | :[Two people sitting at a desk, facing each other. The desk rattles.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Stop jiggling your leg. | ||
+ | :Danish: I'm not ji-.. oh! | ||
+ | :Cueball: What! | ||
+ | :Danish: You'll get it.. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[EVERYTHING RUMBLES.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: ..HOLY CRAP IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE! | ||
+ | :Danish: Just a little one. Happens all the time back in San Francisco. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Cueball: But this is {Options: "D.C", "Florida", "Houston", "Miami", "New Jersey", "North Carolina", "South Carolina", "Virgina"}! That was huge! | ||
+ | :Cueball: That was huge! | ||
+ | :Danish: Seriously? That's the worst this place can do? Wow. I guess we grow up tougher in California. | ||
+ | :Cueball: Oh ''really''... | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Six Months Later.. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Both are in the middle of a hurricane. Danish is grabbing onto a signpost to avoid being swept away.] | ||
+ | :Danish: AAAAA WHAT THE SHIIIIT! | ||
+ | :Cueball: Calm down - this is barely a category 2. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Lake Diver Killer''' | ||
+ | :[TV Field Reporter in front of a cordoned-off lake.] | ||
+ | :Reporter: Police divers searching the bay say they have recovered the body of another victim of the "Lake Diver Killer." | ||
+ | :Reporter: During the search, three more divers were reported missing. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Washington''' | ||
+ | :[The statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial.] | ||
+ | :In this Marble Prison As in the nightmares of the nation they tried to devour | ||
+ | :The nanobots that constituted Abraham Lincoln | ||
+ | :Are entombed forever. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Alaska''' | ||
+ | :[A person with a gun chasing a helicopter on the back of a wolf in a snowy Alaskan field.] | ||
+ | :Some people hunt wolves from helicopters. I hunt helicopters from a wolf. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Life in lab''' | ||
+ | :[Newspaper headline.] | ||
+ | :Scientists/UMass Amherst students/RIT students create life in lab | ||
+ | :[Caption under picture of scientists.] | ||
+ | :"The trick was fuckin'" | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''American Revolution''' | ||
+ | :Robot Paul Revere: Remember: Zero if by land, One if by sea. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''MIT''' | ||
+ | :[Two people in front of a group of students.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: I've hired a team of MIT students to count cards for us. | ||
+ | :Hairy: We'll be rich! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Hairy deals some cards while the students watch.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[The gears turn..] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Student: Five. There are five cards. | ||
+ | :Cueball: I see their admission standards have been slipping. | ||
+ | :Hairy: Yeah - there are actually four. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''MIT Course 15c''' | ||
+ | :[Two people in front of a group of students.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: I've hired a team of MIT students to count cards for us. | ||
+ | :Hairy: We'll be rich! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Hairy deals some cards while the students watch.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[The gears turn..] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Student: Five. There are five cards. | ||
+ | :Cueball: I *knew* we shouldn't have picked course 15s. | ||
+ | :Hairy: Yeah - there are actually four. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Smith/Wellesley''' | ||
+ | :[Two people in front of a group of students.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: I've hired a team of Smith/Wellesley students to count cards for us. | ||
+ | :Hairy: We'll be rich! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Hairy deals some cards while the students watch.] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[The gears turn..] | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Student: Five. There are five cards. | ||
+ | :Cueball: We should've gone with Wellesley/Smith. | ||
+ | :Hairy: Yeah - there are actually four. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''CNU''' | ||
+ | :[Person unsuspectingly strolls under a giant box trap controlled by a Trible.] | ||
+ | :I worry that CNU only invited me back as a ruse because they realized I never turned in my final paper and want my diploma back. But if it turns out it's for real, I'll see you Wednesday at the Ferguson! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Dana Farber''' | ||
+ | :[Cueball, pointing towards head.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Check it out - In support of people going through chemo, I shaved my head. | ||
+ | :Lots of love to everyone reading this at Dana Farber. Cancer sucks. If you are new to DCFI, there's a great little garden on the third floor of the yawkey if you need somewhere quiet to just sit for a little bit and breathe. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :'''Reviews''' | ||
+ | :Shopping before online reviews: | ||
+ | :[Cueball and Megan stand in a store. Cueball points at a lamp on the table in front of him. There is another lamp on the table behind them.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: This lamp is pretty. | ||
+ | :Megan: And affordable. | ||
+ | :Cueball: Let's get it. | ||
+ | :Megan Ok! | ||
+ | |||
+ | :Shopping now: | ||
+ | :[Cueball points at a lamp on the table in front of him. Megan looks at her phone.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: This lamp is pretty. | ||
+ | :Megan: It's got 1 1/2 stars on Amazon. Reviews all say to avoid that brand. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Cueball and Megan are now both looking at their phones.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: This one has good reviews. | ||
+ | :Megan: Wait, one guy says when he plugged it in, he got a metallic taste in his mouth and his cats went deaf. | ||
+ | :Cueball: Eek. What about- ...no, review points out it resembles a uterus. | ||
+ | |||
+ | :[Cueball is still looking at his phone, Megan has hers at her side.] | ||
+ | :Cueball: Ok, I found a Swiss lampmaker with perfect reviews. Her lamps start at 1,300 Francs and she's only reachable by ski lift. | ||
+ | :Megan: You know, our room looks fine in the dark. | ||
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
− | * | + | *Reddit user [http://www.reddit.com/user/SomePostMan SomePostMan] created a [http://www.reddit.com/r/xkcd/comments/t6wmh/all_umwelt_1037_comics_in_two_imgur_albums/ post] that collected all of the Umwelt comics and added explanations. Much of his information is now included in this wiki. |
− | * | + | |
− | : | + | *The transcript section for this comic also included a note alluding to its extreme length: |
− | + | : [ [Two people...] ] ((..wait.. <scrolls through a listing of everything> oh goddammit Randall. Thanks a bunch, dude. I better get a raise for typing out all this)) | |
− | + | : [Two people standing next to each other. One is holding the head end of a snake... | |
− | |||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]] | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Danish]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Danish]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Dynamic comics]] | ||
+ | [[Category:April fool's comics]] | ||
[[Category:Philosophy]] | [[Category:Philosophy]] | ||
[[Category:Penis]] | [[Category:Penis]] | ||
[[Category:Video games]] | [[Category:Video games]] | ||
[[Category:Velociraptors]] | [[Category:Velociraptors]] | ||
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