Static
by Mike
Image Text: I firmly believe that nothing can go wrong on a project if you're wearing one of those wrist things.
This comic is making of the fact that the male geek here thinks the anti-static bracelet will work as a contraceptive technique. Anti-static bracelets are used by computer technicians to prevent an accidental static discharge that can damage sensitive electronic equipment.
UPDATE: From the comments it looks like there's some confusion over who is talking in each panel. In my opinion, the girl is always the speech bubble the originates on top (the ones that have the arrows pointing down) and the guy is the one with the arrows pointing up. They are currently trying to have sex and the guy is wearing an anti-static bracelet (where on his body he's wearing it is unclear). Earlier in the week he was replacing RAM and wearing a condom (again, where on his body is unclear).
October 14th, 2009
So, can you explain to me the last frame, please. It’s ’cause I’m dumb.
October 14th, 2009
The first couple times I read this, I was confused who was talking at each time.
In the last panel, I think the person is implying that they wore the anti-static strap on their penis to replace RAM. I think.
October 14th, 2009
The last panel suggest the girl was wearing a condom as anti-static protection when replacing ram. It is up to you imagine where she wore it.
Now reread the comic. Are they actually replacing RAM in the dark?
October 14th, 2009
no, i think it’s just confusing the baloon tails, but it’s the male who suggest he was using a condom to replace RAM last week.
girl: wait, do you have a condom?
boy: don’t worry I have this wrist thing
girl: you have what? (fumbles) It’s a anti-static strap!
boy: So you mean it doesn’t… [work as a contraceptive]
girl: no, why would you even think that?
boy: I guess I mixed up
girl:…
boy: So last week when I was replacing that RAM … [I should be using this, and not wearing a condom?]
girl: Yeah I thought it was weird..
boy: but explains why Geek squad fired me.
bonus explainer: geek squad got in some legal trouble many times because of technician looking for porn in customers computers.
October 14th, 2009
The last frame makes no sense…
October 14th, 2009
Sigh…
For the engineer, the static strap and condom are both methods of protection.
The joke is that he mixed the two up. In the first three frames, he tries to use the anti-static strap to protect against STDs.
In the last panel, he realizes his error, and also realizes that earlier, when he replaced the RAM at work, he used a condom (on his penis, where it belongs) to protect against static. His girlfriend thought it was odd that he put a condom on when replacing RAM, and Geek Squad thought it was inappropriate, and summarily fired him.
Now I’ve fully explained, and also totally killed, the joke. Congratulations.
People talking (top to bottom):
Panel 1: Girl, Boy
Panel 2: Girl, Girl
Panel 3: Boy, Girl, Boy
Panel 4: Boy, Girl, Boy
October 14th, 2009
Ok this is a hard one…
One of the thing that makes it hard is that the boy & girl are switching places in panel 3.
So basically the boy is using a wrist band when he should be using a condom and was using a condom when he was replacing ram.
October 16th, 2009
Oh, Joel *sigh*
Killed the joke for you, maybe. But, opened it up to being hilarious for hundreds – nay, thousands – of other readers. I thank you most sincerely, you darling, self-sacrificing sweetheart.
October 16th, 2009
Um…why do you assume this is a guy and a girl?
October 16th, 2009
Because the notion of it being two guys is abhorrent! It turns the stomach! It cannot be allowed, countenanced, written about, implied, alluded to, considered etc, etc…
ummm, because the main characters of xkcd usually are a guy and a girl?
October 17th, 2009
I’m not entirely sure there are any main characters, but mostly I hate unquestioned assumptions.
October 19th, 2009
Sure, there is. Just look at yesterday’s (Fall Foliage), and tomorrow’s (Nowhere) – see, it’s the same girl with the cute dark hair. I think her name is Megan. So, I’m reckoning the guy is the same guy, as well.
October 16th, 2009
You can take your pick of the following:
1) In discussion, it’s clearer to refer to “the guy” and “the girl” than “the guy” and “the other guy,” or “the girl” and “the other girl,” or “the person of indeterminate gender” and “the other person of indeterminate gender.”
2) In previous XKCD strips, couple are depicted almost entirely as male-female. It is reasonable to assume that other strips follow this pattern.
3) The population of the US, at least, is somewhere around 95% heterosexual (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States “Other Subgroups” section). I’m too lazy to look up world statistics or go into potential inaccuracies of the data, but even with a wide margin of error it seems to safe to assume that a random couple will end up heterosexual.
4) Everyone leaving comments are clearly homophobes.
5) It doesn’t matter. Label them as you will, and allow others to do the same.