explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T13:46:04Z

192.136.15.149: Undo revision 16911 by 192.136.15.149 (talk)

{{comic
| number = 1133
| date = November 12, 2012
| title = Up Goer Five
| image = up goer five.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Another thing that is a bad problem is if you're flying up to space and the parts start to fall off your space car in the wrong order. If that happens, it means you won't go to space today, or maybe ever.
}}

==Explanation==
Most of the jargon used in rocket science is not among the most commonly used words in everyday life. This comic is a commentary on the absurdity of boiling down technical explanations for lay people.

==Transcript==
:Title: US Space Team's Up Goer Five
:Subtitle: The only flying space car that's taken anyone to another world (explained using only the ten hundred words people use the most often)
:''A list of Saturn 5 parts, top to bottom, with their "Up Goer" description follows''
:Launch Escape System (LES): Thing to help people escape really fast if there's a problem and everthing is on fire so they decide not to go to space
::LES side nozzle: Thing to control which direction the escaping people go
::LES fuel: Stuff to burn to make the box with the people in it escape ''really fast''
::LES bottom nozzles: Place where fire comes out to help them escape
:Apollo spacecraft
::Command Module (CM): Part that flies around the other world and comes back home with the people in it and fall in the water.
:::CM capsule parts: People box, door, chairs
::Service Module (SM): Part that goes along to give people air, water, computer and stuff. It comes back home with them but burns up without landing.
:::SM oxygen tanks: Cold air for burning (and breathing). This part had a ''very'' big problem once [reference to the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight].
::Lunar Module (LM): Part that flies down to the other world with two people inside
:::LM descent stage: Part that stays on the other world (it's still there)
:::LM feet: Feet that go on the ground of the other world
:Instrument Unit: Ring holding most of the computers
:S-IVB third stage: Part that falls of third (this part flew away from our world into space and hit the world we were going toward)
::Fuel tanks: Wet and ''very'' cold
:::Liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank: The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag [Hindenberg zeppelin disaster] and people died and someone said "Oh, the [humans]!" (used for burning)
:::Liquid oxygen (LOX) tank: The part of air you need to breathe, but not the other stuff (used for burning]
:::Helium pressurizing tanks: Things holding that kind of air that makes your voice funny (it's for filling up the space left when they take the cold air out to burn it.)
::J-2 engine nozzle: Fire comes out here
:S-II second stage: Part that falls off second
::LH2 tank: More sky bag air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Tank-to-engine fuel lines: Thing that brings in cold wet air to burn
::J-2 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Fire comes out here
:S-IC first stage: Part that falls off first
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Helium pressurizing tank: More funny voice air (for filling up space)
::LOX fill line: Opening for putting in cold wet air
::RP-1 fuel [similar to kerosene] tank: This is full of that stuff they burning in lights before houses had power. It goes together with the cold air when it's time to start going up.
::F-1 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Lots of fire comes out here.
:Bottom of spacecraft: This end should point toward the ground if you want to go to space. If it starts pointing toward space you are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with charts]]
[[Category:Language]]

1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T13:45:36Z

192.136.15.149: /* Transcript */ Formatting (BigMal27)

{{comic
| number = 1133
| date = November 12, 2012
| title = Up Goer Five
| image = up goer five.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Another thing that is a bad problem is if you're flying up to space and the parts start to fall off your space car in the wrong order. If that happens, it means you won't go to space today, or maybe ever.
}}

==Explanation==
Most of the jargon used in rocket science is not among the most commonly used words in everyday life. This comic is a commentary on the absurdity of boiling down technical explanations for lay people.

==Transcript==
Title: US Space Team's Up Goer Five
Subtitle: The only flying space car that's taken anyone to another world (explained using only the ten hundred words people use the most often)
[''A list of Saturn 5 parts, top to bottom, with their "Up Goer" description follows'']
:Launch Escape System (LES): Thing to help people escape really fast if there's a problem and everthing is on fire so they decide not to go to space
::LES side nozzle: Thing to control which direction the escaping people go
::LES fuel: Stuff to burn to make the box with the people in it escape ''really fast''
::LES bottom nozzles: Place where fire comes out to help them escape
:Apollo spacecraft
::Command Module (CM): Part that flies around the other world and comes back home with the people in it and fall in the water.
:::CM capsule parts: People box, door, chairs
::Service Module (SM): Part that goes along to give people air, water, computer and stuff. It comes back home with them but burns up without landing.
:::SM oxygen tanks: Cold air for burning (and breathing). This part had a ''very'' big problem once [reference to the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight].
::Lunar Module (LM): Part that flies down to the other world with two people inside
:::LM descent stage: Part that stays on the other world (it's still there)
:::LM feet: Feet that go on the ground of the other world
:Instrument Unit: Ring holding most of the computers
:S-IVB third stage: Part that falls of third (this part flew away from our world into space and hit the world we were going toward)
::Fuel tanks: Wet and ''very'' cold
:::Liquid hydrogen (LH2) tank: The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag [Hindenberg zeppelin disaster] and people died and someone said "Oh, the [humans]!" (used for burning)
:::Liquid oxygen (LOX) tank: The part of air you need to breathe, but not the other stuff (used for burning]
:::Helium pressurizing tanks: Things holding that kind of air that makes your voice funny (it's for filling up the space left when they take the cold air out to burn it.)
::J-2 engine nozzle: Fire comes out here
:S-II second stage: Part that falls off second
::LH2 tank: More sky bag air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Tank-to-engine fuel lines: Thing that brings in cold wet air to burn
::J-2 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Fire comes out here
:S-IC first stage: Part that falls off first
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Helium pressurizing tank: More funny voice air (for filling up space)
::LOX fill line: Opening for putting in cold wet air
::RP-1 fuel [similar to kerosene] tank: This is full of that stuff they burning in lights before houses had power. It goes together with the cold air when it's time to start going up.
::F-1 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Lots of fire comes out here.
:Bottom of spacecraft: This end should point toward the ground if you want to go to space. If it starts pointing toward space you are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with charts]]
[[Category:Language]]

1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T13:44:08Z

192.136.15.149: /* Transcript */ Added a couple of acronym explanations (BigMal27 again)

1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T13:42:07Z

192.136.15.149: /* Transcript */ Added list of Saturn 5 parts (real names) along with the "Up Goer" descriptions (by BigMal27, unregistered)

{{comic
| number = 1133
| date = November 12, 2012
| title = Up Goer Five
| image = up goer five.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Another thing that is a bad problem is if you're flying up to space and the parts start to fall off your space car in the wrong order. If that happens, it means you won't go to space today, or maybe ever.
}}

==Explanation==
Most of the jargon used in rocket science is not among the most commonly used words in everyday life. This comic is a commentary on the absurdity of boiling down technical explanations for lay people.

==Transcript==
:Title: US Space Team's Up Goer Five
:Subtitle: The only flying space car that's taken anyone to another world (explained using only the ten hundred words people use the most often)
:''A list of Saturn 5 parts, top to bottom, with their "Up Goer" description follows''
:Launch Escape System: Thing to help people escape really fast if there's a problem and everthing is on fire so they decide not to go to space
::LES side nozzle: Thing to control which direction the escaping people go
::LES fuel: Stuff to burn to make the box with the people in it escape ''really fast''
::LES bottom nozzles: Place where fire comes out to help them escape
:Apollo spacecraft
::Command Module (CM): Part that flies around the other world and comes back home with the people in it and fall in the water.
:::CM capsule parts: People box, door, chairs
::Service Module (SM): Part that goes along to give people air, water, computer and stuff. It comes back home with them but burns up without landing.
:::SM oxygen tanks: Cold air for burning (and breathing). This part had a ''very'' big problem once [reference to the ill-fated Apollo 13 flight].
::Lunar Module (LM): Part that flies down to the other world with two people inside
:::LM descent stage: Part that stays on the other world (it's still there)
:::LM feet: Feet that go on the ground of the other world
:Instrument Unit: Ring holding most of the computers
:S-IVB third stage: Part that falls of third (this part flew away from our world into space and hit the world we were going toward)
::Fuel tanks: Wet and ''very'' cold
:::LH2 tank: The kind of air that once burned a big sky bag [Hindenberg zeppelin disaster] and people died and someone said "Oh, the [humans]!" (used for burning)
:::LOX tank: The part of air you need to breathe, but not the other stuff (used for burning]
:::Helium pressurizing tanks: Things holding that kind of air that makes your voice funny (it's for filling up the space left when they take the cold air out to burn it.)
::J-2 engine nozzle: Fire comes out here
:S-II second stage: Part that falls off second
::LH2 tank: More sky bag air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Tank-to-engine fuel lines: Thing that brings in cold wet air to burn
::J-2 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Fire comes out here
:S-IC first stage: Part that falls off first
::LOX tank: More breathing-type air (for burning) (''cold'' + wet)
::Helium pressurizing tank: More funny voice air (for filling up space)
::LOX fill line: Opening for putting in cold wet air
::RP-1 fuel [similar to kerosene] tank: This is full of that stuff they burning in lights before houses had power. It goes together with the cold air when it's time to start going up.
::F-1 engine nozzles (qty. 5): Lots of fire comes out here.
:Bottom of spacecraft: This end should point toward the ground if you want to go to space. If it starts pointing toward space you are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Comics with charts]]
[[Category:Language]]

Talk:1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T13:13:32Z

192.136.15.149:

This comic is also a celebration of what many people, presumably including former NASA employee Randall, consider the greatest technological achievement ever. {{unsigned|158.169.131.14}}

I'm surprised "ship" isn't among the most commonly used words in English. Where do these statistics come from? [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>(talk)</tt>]] 12:35, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

:It makes sense that "capsule" and "spaceship" (as one word) are not in the "ten hundred" most-common words (Really, "thousand" isn't on this list either?), but not "fuel" and/or "tank"? People (context: US Midwesterner) talk about filling up their cars all the time! I'd like to see the original 1,000-word list. (Also: "Up Goer"? Well, it goes up -- that's about ALL it does. Makes sense, I guess.) --BigMal27 // [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 13:13, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

1133: Up Goer Five

2012-11-12T13:09:14Z

192.136.15.149: Fixed typo in title text ("mayber" --> "maybe")

1131: Math

2012-11-07T12:23:37Z

192.136.15.149: Added basic explanation relating to current US presidential election (by BigMal27, unregistered)

{{comic
| number = 1131
| date = November 7, 2012
| title = Math
| image = xkcdmath.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = As of this writing, the only thing that's 'razor-thin' or 'too close to call' is the gap between the consensus poll forecast and the result.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic shows a bar graph representing expected (see note below) electoral college votes in the 2012 United States presidential election, including a dotted bar indicating the 270 votes needed to win, a span of media & exit poll projections ("Forecast"), and the actual result. Such a visual -- and the true result of the election -- can only be based on the actual data available, proving the comic's point that the numbers matter more than any rhetoric.

Note: The electoral college votes are expectations until the official voting in early December.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Politics]]

Talk:1129: Cell Number

2012-11-02T18:14:56Z

192.136.15.149: fixed own typo

: I guess this has something to do with keeping your phone number even when switching providers? We got a law in Norway around that time, which says you're able to keep your phone number while switching. Only difference is that here you can only tell, from the first two of eight digits, which ''provider'' you had in 2005 (or whenever it took effect). --[[User:Buggz|Buggz]] ([[User talk:Buggz|talk]]) 08:31, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

::It probably does. There is no mention of 2005 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Numbering_Plan North American Numbering Plan wikipedia article] ... seems it's the part needing explanation the most. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:38, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

: According to wikipedia, mobile number portability was implemented in the USA in 2003.11.24. The comic would make sense with 2003, but why 2005? Maybe it only caught on enough in 2005: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/pa_may26_mnp.htm

: One reason for switching to a new "local" number would be so that those who have land lines aren't making "long-distance" phone calls to your cell phone. My brother just recently moved back from the east coast and is keeping his same cell phone number, which doesn't affect my other siblings and myself because we only use cell phones (which only count the number of minutes used). But my mom still uses land lines most of the time and so she's being billed for a long-distance call whenever she calls him, even though he lives about a mile away from her. But since most people are ditching the land lines, I think it'll be a moot point in about 5-10 years. --[[User:Joehammer79|Joehammer79]] ([[User talk:Joehammer79|talk]]) 13:45, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

It has to do with cell phones versus land lines. Back in the day (before the early 2000s), many people still had a land line as their primary or only phone. Your phone number's area code would be based on the area in which you lived. If you moved to a new area, you would get a new phone number, and if you moved out of the previous area code, a new area code. But with a cell phone, when you moved you kept the same number, including the area code. This was especially true after the 2003 law made it so you could keep the same number even if you switch your provider. The year 2005 has to do with when many people made their cell phone their primary or only phone. As [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-03-24-cell-phones_x.htm this USA TODAY]article mentions, in 2003 18% of Americans with cell phones considered their cell phone their primary phone. Given the rapid growth of the industry, it is possible that 2005 is when more than half of cell phone owners in America considered their cell phone their primary phone.

:The details differ, of course ("your mileage may vary"). There are so many possible reasons why this occurs. My parent's cell phones (612) don't match their home land-line (763) due to area code splits -- they didn't move or cause the disconnect themselves. As for me, my first cell phone matched theirs, but in 2005 I moved to Michigan (586 area), creating a disconnect. Then to make things worse, early next year (2006) I got a second line (and new phone) on my new girlfriend's account, and she lived on the other side of the city (734). We married and moved near where I was living & working, but both still have "734" cell phones for family purposes. So Randall's "living" can also be "dating / where significant other is living". --BigMal27 / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 15:54, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

For anyone from outside the US, the key fact here is that in the US, your mobile phone has an area code the same as a landline. I used to live in the US, and it blew my mind to learn that mobile phones had area codes there. I was like, but.... Huh? That's like saying your car has a postal address.[[User:Carlisle|Carlisle]] ([[User talk:Carlisle|talk]]) 15:06, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

:In the US, our cars kind of do have a postal address -- the state they are titled & registered in, the same state emblazoned on the license plate in the back (and sometimes the front also). However, the states don't like it when you operate an "out-of-state" car in their territory for too long. Specifically, you are using public roads that you are not paying for. Then, when you transfer title and are assigned a new plate, you get a new letter/number combination. License plates -- and specifically the random ID (or "vanity plate" custom ID) they hold -- are not portable between states. --BigMal27 / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 15:47, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

::In the past, in Italy you had to do the same when you moved from one province to another. Now, if you move, you pay car taxes to a different province, but your license plate stays the same. At the time, the province code was part of the license number, now it isn't anymore. If you have an old plate with a province code, you keep it even if you move.
::If you have an out-of-country car, and move to Italy for more than a year, then you have to get Italian license plates.
::--[[Special:Contributions/85.159.196.90|85.159.196.90]] 17:51, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

Talk:1129: Cell Number

2012-11-02T15:54:43Z

192.136.15.149:

: I guess this has something to do with keeping your phone number even when switching providers? We got a law in Norway around that time, which says you're able to keep your phone number while switching. Only difference is that here you can only tell, from the first two of eight digits, which ''provider'' you had in 2005 (or whenever it took effect). --[[User:Buggz|Buggz]] ([[User talk:Buggz|talk]]) 08:31, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

::It probably does. There is no mention of 2005 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Numbering_Plan North American Numbering Plan wikipedia article] ... seems it's the part needing explanation the most. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:38, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

: According to wikipedia, mobile number portability was implemented in the USA in 2003.11.24. The comic would make sense with 2003, but why 2005? Maybe it only caught on enough in 2005: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/pa_may26_mnp.htm

: One reason for switching to a new "local" number would be so that those who have land lines aren't making "long-distance" phone calls to your cell phone. My brother just recently moved back from the east coast and is keeping his same cell phone number, which doesn't affect my other siblings and myself because we only use cell phones (which only count the number of minutes used). But my mom still uses land lines most of the time and so she's being billed for a long-distance call whenever she calls him, even though he lives about a mile away from her. But since most people are ditching the land lines, I think it'll be a moot point in about 5-10 years. --[[User:Joehammer79|Joehammer79]] ([[User talk:Joehammer79|talk]]) 13:45, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

It has to do with cell phones versus land lines. Back in the day (before the early 2000s), many people still had a land line as their primary or only phone. Your phone number's area code would be based on the area in which you lived. If you moved to a new area, you would get a new phone number, and if you moved out of the previous area code, a new area code. But with a cell phone, when you moved you kept the same number, including the area code. This was especially true after the 2003 law made it so you could keep the same number even if you switch your provider. The year 2005 has to do with when many people made their cell phone their primary or only phone. As [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-03-24-cell-phones_x.htm this USA TODAY]article mentions, in 2003 18% of Americans with cell phones considered their cell phone their primary phone. Given the rapid growth of the industry, it is possible that 2005 is when more than half of cell phone owners in America considered their cell phone their primary phone.

:The details differ, of course ("your mileage may vary"). There are so many possibile reasons why this occurs. My parent's cell phones (612) don't match their home land-line (763) due to area code splits -- they didn't move or cause the disconnect themselves. As for me, my first cell phone matched theirs, but in 2005 I moved to Michigan (586 area), creating a disconnect. Then to make things worse, early next year (2006) I got a second line (and new phone) on my new girlfriend's account, and she lived on the other side of the city (734). We married and moved near where I was living & working, but both still have "734" cell phones for family purposes. So Randall's "living" can also be "dating / where significant other is living". --BigMal27 / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 15:54, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

For anyone from outside the US, the key fact here is that in the US, your mobile phone has an area code the same as a landline. I used to live in the US, and it blew my mind to learn that mobile phones had area codes there. I was like, but.... Huh? That's like saying your car has a postal address.[[User:Carlisle|Carlisle]] ([[User talk:Carlisle|talk]]) 15:06, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

:In the US, our cars kind of do have a postal address -- the state they are titled & registered in, the same state emblazoned on the license plate in the back (and sometimes the front also). However, the states don't like it when you operate an "out-of-state" car in their territory for too long. Specifically, you are using public roads that you are not paying for. Then, when you transfer title and are assigned a new plate, you get a new letter/number combination. License plates -- and specifically the random ID (or "vanity plate" custom ID) they hold -- are not portable between states. --BigMal27 / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 15:47, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

Talk:1129: Cell Number

2012-11-02T15:47:52Z

192.136.15.149:

: I guess this has something to do with keeping your phone number even when switching providers? We got a law in Norway around that time, which says you're able to keep your phone number while switching. Only difference is that here you can only tell, from the first two of eight digits, which ''provider'' you had in 2005 (or whenever it took effect). --[[User:Buggz|Buggz]] ([[User talk:Buggz|talk]]) 08:31, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

::It probably does. There is no mention of 2005 in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Numbering_Plan North American Numbering Plan wikipedia article] ... seems it's the part needing explanation the most. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 08:38, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

: According to wikipedia, mobile number portability was implemented in the USA in 2003.11.24. The comic would make sense with 2003, but why 2005? Maybe it only caught on enough in 2005: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/pa_may26_mnp.htm

: One reason for switching to a new "local" number would be so that those who have land lines aren't making "long-distance" phone calls to your cell phone. My brother just recently moved back from the east coast and is keeping his same cell phone number, which doesn't affect my other siblings and myself because we only use cell phones (which only count the number of minutes used). But my mom still uses land lines most of the time and so she's being billed for a long-distance call whenever she calls him, even though he lives about a mile away from her. But since most people are ditching the land lines, I think it'll be a moot point in about 5-10 years. --[[User:Joehammer79|Joehammer79]] ([[User talk:Joehammer79|talk]]) 13:45, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

It has to do with cell phones versus land lines. Back in the day (before the early 2000s), many people still had a land line as their primary or only phone. Your phone number's area code would be based on the area in which you lived. If you moved to a new area, you would get a new phone number, and if you moved out of the previous area code, a new area code. But with a cell phone, when you moved you kept the same number, including the area code. This was especially true after the 2003 law made it so you could keep the same number even if you switch your provider. The year 2005 has to do with when many people made their cell phone their primary or only phone. As [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/news/2003-03-24-cell-phones_x.htm this USA TODAY]article mentions, in 2003 18% of Americans with cell phones considered their cell phone their primary phone. Given the rapid growth of the industry, it is possible that 2005 is when more than half of cell phone owners in America considered their cell phone their primary phone.

For anyone from outside the US, the key fact here is that in the US, your mobile phone has an area code the same as a landline. I used to live in the US, and it blew my mind to learn that mobile phones had area codes there. I was like, but.... Huh? That's like saying your car has a postal address.[[User:Carlisle|Carlisle]] ([[User talk:Carlisle|talk]]) 15:06, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

:In the US, our cars kind of do have a postal address -- the state they are titled & registered in, the same state emblazoned on the license plate in the back (and sometimes the front also). However, the states don't like it when you operate an "out-of-state" car in their territory for too long. Specifically, you are using public roads that you are not paying for. Then, when you transfer title and are assigned a new plate, you get a new letter/number combination. License plates -- and specifically the random ID (or "vanity plate" custom ID) they hold -- are not portable between states. --BigMal27 / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 15:47, 2 November 2012 (UTC)

Talk:1124: Law of Drama

2012-10-22T17:44:24Z

192.136.15.149:

Regarding the transcript: I don't think you have enough data to characterize this short curve as exponential. What does "slightly exponential" mean, anyway? In any case, it looks like it becomes linear as the x values increase. --[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 11:21, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

::It could be a shallow power function curve . . .--[[User:Joehammer79|Joehammer79]] ([[User talk:Joehammer79|talk]]) 13:57, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

:I took 26 data points, assumed the axes defined a (0-1,0-1) window, and tried an extrapolation (using Microsoft Excel; someone with a different tool can surely do better). An exponential model fits fairly well: y = 0.0782 * e^(2.7035*x) with R^2 = 0.9928. However, I agree about the linear end section -- the exponential trendline clearly starts to pull high. --BigMal27 // [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 13:57, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

I think Randall thought about the shape of this curve. You see how it becomes linear as both drama and anti-drama declaration increase? At low values, there is a residual amount of drama even when there is little anti-drama declaration, but the marginal increase eventually becomes constant. --[[User:Prooffreader|Prooffreader]] ([[User talk:Prooffreader|talk]]) 11:28, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

:I think that may be it. Care to add it to the page? [[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]] ([[User talk:Davidy22|talk]]) 11:31, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

:I think that the upper limit for drama statements does indeed have an end-point, beyond which those declarations can't increase. At that point, I suppose, the drama-ridden person experiences a split state-change, either dropping to the original non-drama state by disavowing all the causers-of-drama in their lives, or by becoming a causer-of-drama.--[[User:Noni Mausa|Noni Mausa]] ([[User talk:Noni Mausa|talk]]) 13:11, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

:: At this point in the discourse, I'm reminded of a real-scientist friend who admonished me once for reading too much into some data, and it seems applicable here, too. To wit: the axes are not labeled with units -- no tick marks to be seen anywhere -- nor is it clear what sort of axes are in use: log, {{w|logit}}, {{w|probit}}? Randall, not being the naïve sort, likely understands this, and merely shows us a graph that suggest a slightly accelerating direct relationship between the two axes. If the axes are linear, the curve has the characteristic upward swing of an exponential, but we don't ''know'' that, and any conjecture beyond observable facts is inappropriate. To leap to application of, say {{w|Levenberg-Marquardt}}, seems folly. (As an aside, I'm reminded of the old Benny Hill skit, where he's a movie director being interviewed on some talking-heads show; says the interviewer: "I particularly enjoyed the poignancy of suddenly switching to black and white film right as..." Benny Hill: "Rubbish, we just ran out of film, and black and white was all we had left.") -- [[User:IronyChef|IronyChef]] ([[User talk:IronyChef|talk]]) 14:23, 22 October 2012 (UTC)

Talk:1124: Law of Drama

2012-10-22T13:57:29Z

192.136.15.149:

1119: Undoing

2012-10-10T11:39:32Z

192.136.15.149: /* Explanation */ Added ref to comic 556 (re: windmills)

{{comic
| number = 1119
| date = October 10, 2012
| title = Undoing
| image = undoing.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = I've been sneaking out at night and installing lamps on the underside of every photovoltaic panel I can find. Sure, there are upwards of 80% losses, but I prefer to think of them as nearly 20% gains.
}}

==Explanation==
The comic is a play on regenerative energies and the way they transform the natural resources (wind, sun, water) into electricity. It may also be a continuation of Randall's mistrust of modern electric windmills (see [[556|comic #556: Alternative Energy Revolution]]).

The alt text is a reference to the very bad efficiency of solar panels (roughly 20-25%) and light bulbs (20-30%). Thus instead of only 80% loss of energy, which is either not converted to electricity or converted into heat) it's actually far more.

Thus the undoing done by the character is quite less effective than the common "Undo" function known from computers.

==Transcript==


{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:My Hobby]]

Talk:1107: Sports Cheat Sheet

2012-09-13T12:18:24Z

192.136.15.149:

Thanks to whoever added the hockey mention ("no love" in the comic, for sure). Maybe the comic needs another column for Canada, where hockey can be argued about year-round. (Yes, it's an exaggeration for comic effect.) As for the rest of the world, or at least ex-Commonwealth and neighboring countries (e.g. Australia, India, New Zealand), what about rugby and cricket? --'''BigMal27''' (no account) / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.177|192.136.15.177]] 15:29, 12 September 2012 (UTC)
:Forgot to mention that these sports don't have to be professional in nature. I know of plenty US collegiate arguments in both football (e.g. Michigan vs. Notre Dame or Michigan State or Ohio State) and basketball (everyone vs. everyone during the NCAA tournament a.k.a. "March Madness" (TM)). --'''BigMal27''' / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.177|192.136.15.177]] 17:33, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

The problem with the suggestion in the mouse over text is that everyone would have the same opinion on the same day! A better idea would be to have an App which selects from two or more oposing opinions and feed you a random one each day. (Personally being 'European' I'd prefer it to be more like the US! Sooo fed up with football discussions.) Steve B
:Then you run into the problem of two people who rely in that app falling into a sports discussion with each other rather than something else. If I were to find someone expressing the same canned opinion that I have from the twitter feed, at least I can say "who cares about sports, let's talk about something important: vi or emacs?". The twitter feed is best for someone who wants to fake sports knowledge to fit in. [[User:Blaisepascal|Blaisepascal]] ([[User talk:Blaisepascal|talk]]) 16:12, 12 September 2012 (UTC)
:The idea behind the twitter feed is to give people who really isn't interested in sport (aka. nerds) the opportunity to interact with so called normal people. It is just a variation on the http://bluffball.co.uk/ site refered to by [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKHyqjHqQLU#t=32s an The IT Crowd episode]. Two users of the twitter feed would have more important subjects to discuss (like for example vi vs. emacs) [[User:Pmakholm|Pmakholm]] ([[User talk:Pmakholm|talk]]) 18:12, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

What is with the sports bent that Randall is on? Two sports comics in three weeks? Has this happened before? [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 15:36, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

:He was on a Wikipedia kick about a year ago . . . 4 comics in about 5 weeks or so.--[[User:Joehammer79|Joehammer79]] ([[User talk:Joehammer79|talk]]) 22:07, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

Would that opinion even fit into a Twitter post? [[Special:Contributions/76.122.5.96|76.122.5.96]] 20:55, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

:You are right. The sample tweet in the title text is 164 characters long. [[User:Lcarsos|lcarsos]] ([[User talk:Lcarsos|talk]]) 21:18, 12 September 2012 (UTC)

::It would fit if the parenthetical explanations were removed though. [[Special:Contributions/76.127.162.20|76.127.162.20]] 12:03, 13 September 2012 (UTC)

:::Kind of need those if you don't understand the sport to begin with. They provide necessary context. For example, disambiguation between teams: I could mention "Minnesota" and without context it could mean either the Twins (MLB), Vikings (NFL), Timberwolves (NBA), Wild (NHL), Lynx (WNBA), other various professional teams ("lesser" sports, womens teams, minor leagues), or any of the University of Minnesota (NCAA Div. I) teams: football, basketball (mens & womens), hockey (mens & womens), baseball & softball, wrestling, gymnastics, swimming & diving, golf... --'''BigMal27''' / [[Special:Contributions/192.136.15.149|192.136.15.149]] 12:18, 13 September 2012 (UTC)