https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=173.245.63.174&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-19T13:52:26ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1358:_NRO&diff=65946Talk:1358: NRO2014-04-23T18:59:09Z<p>173.245.63.174: </p>
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<div>Could what if #32 be valid here? https://what-if.xkcd.com/32/ --[[User:Mralext20|Mralext20]] ([[User talk:Mralext20|talk]]) 07:30, 21 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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: Nah. Spy satellites are usually on geosynced orbits, so they always hover over the same area of the ground, meaning no blur. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.56|108.162.219.56]] 14:17, 21 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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:: Spy satellites are not usually in geosynchronous orbits, as this would be much too far away from earth to be of much use, Spy satelites are normally in very low polar orbits to maximize the areas they can spy on. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.65|108.162.216.65]] 22:52, 21 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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Not only he is using the satellites, he is also using the software - probably something which will highlight recognized target on photo. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:28, 21 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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I always thought this was a reference to the Governments Facial Recognition software they're working on. Combine that with the NSA's spy satellites and you can locate anyone anywhere. Maybe the NRO is a combination of such organizations and technologies (very very deadly) and they're testing it out using a Where's Waldo book. Not only testing the cameras on the satellite's resolution but the facial recognition software's ability to pick out a specific person in a crowd. [[User:Glitch|Glitch]] ([[User talk:Glitch|talk]]) 14:08, 21 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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The sentence "He usually is quite hard to find, which makes it challenging." is really bothering me. I'm not sure what to do with it. I considered deleting it or shortening it, but none of those feel right. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.218|108.162.237.218]] 18:02, 21 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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What was bothering you about it? It was a quick and dirty explanation at the time, so it doesn't matter. [[User:Fizzle|Fizzle]] ([[User talk:Fizzle|talk]]) 21:36, 22 April 2014 (UTC) <br />
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Would "Government Facial Recognition" work at all via satellite? Wouldn't they do better with Governments Scalp Recognition? {{unsigned ip|108.162.245.117}}<br />
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Possible reference to xkcd.com/970? -CyanLights [[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.223|108.162.238.223]] 17:46, 23 April 2014 (UTC)<br />
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similar to http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=3222#comic but SMBC goes much deeper and darker.</div>173.245.63.174https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=926:_Time_Vulture&diff=54332926: Time Vulture2013-12-04T23:32:12Z<p>173.245.63.174: /* Explanation */</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 926<br />
| date = July 18, 2011<br />
| title = Time Vulture<br />
| image = time vulture.png<br />
| titletext = In a way, all vultures are Time Vultures; some just have more patience than others.<br />
}}<br />
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==Explanation==<br />
This comic is about the time vulture, a fictional creature made up by Randall. A Time Vulture as explained in the 3rd frame is a type of vulture that can live for millennia and wait long enough for someone to die of natural causes. The primary food source for Vultures is carrion, or rotting meat.<br />
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Because the Time Vulture lives for so long, in its point of view, everyone says "But, I'm not about to die" right before they do. In our point of view it could be several years, but since the Time Vulture lives for so long, years are mere moments in its view.<br />
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In the image text, since all vultures wait for their prey to die, all vultures are Time Vultures, but time vultures are able to wait decades for their prey, whereas regular vultures do not have that kind of time.<br />
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==Transcript==<br />
:[A bird with apparently fractal wings hovers above Cueball, standing with a friend.]<br />
:Friend: Dude, you've got a Time Vulture.<br />
:Cueball: Holy crap! What is it?<br />
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:Friend: They're predators that use aging to kill prey.<br />
:Cueball: Huh? What do you mean?<br />
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:[The panel zooms in on the Friend's face. Cueball comments from off-panel.]<br />
:Friend: They live for millenia and use little energy. They can slow down their internal clocks so time speeds past. To hunt, they lock on to some prey, and when it stops moving, they eat it.<br />
:Cueball (off-panel): But what if the prey doesn't die?<br />
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:Friend: I don't think you quite understand.<br />
:Cueball: I mean, ''I'm'' not about to die...<br />
:Friend: From the vulture's viewpoint, everyone says that moments before they do.<br />
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{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>173.245.63.174