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| title    = Externalities
 
| title    = Externalities
 
| image    = externalities.png
 
| image    = externalities.png
| titletext = Mouse over words and things to see where they come from.<br><br><span style="color:grey">Different title text:</span> This comic went up on April 1st, and the panels changed throughout the day in response to readers doing things like breaking hashes, edited a rapidly-shuffling set of target Wikipedia articles, and donating to Wikimedia Foundation. (The vandalism is over now and CMU won the hashing contest.)<br><br><span style="color:grey">Different title text:</span> Happy April 1st, Everyone!<br><br><span style="color:grey">Different title text:</span> uic has the third best hash. See the full standings at http://almamater.xkcd.com/best.csv<br><br><span style="color:grey">Different title text:</span> The dog gains a pound for every $10 donated to the Wikimedia Foundation via this link. Currently at $51135.33
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| titletext = Mouse over words and things to see where they come from.
 
}}
 
}}
{{TOC}}
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==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
This was the fourth [[:Category:April fools' comics|April fools' comic]] released by [[Randall]]. This comic isn't a static image - even the title text changes depending on which part of the image you're hovering over. It presented a competition for students to see who could come closest to breaking a {{w|Skein (hash function)|Skein hash}} but also an aid appeal for the Wikimedia Foundation.
+
{{incomplete}}
 
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This comic isn't a static image - even the title text changes depending on which part of the image you're hovering over. The blank regions in the above image are dynamically generated from various sources.
The comic references multiple times {{w|Baidu}}, a large Chinese Internet services company. Baidu controls the predominant Internet search provider of China and is sometimes called the "Google of China" for the similar services it provides. Baidu Search results follow the censorship dictates of the Chinese authorities, causing it to return censored responses to searches for politically sensitive terms when executed by web browsers in China. Megan's reply "But nothing about Tiananmen Square." in the first panel is a reference to the {{w|1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre}} that killed hundreds of civillians. "It takes great minds to stifle other great minds." and "Let's block Canada" in the second panel are also references to the arbitrary government censorship of Baidu and other Chinese companies
 
  
The blank regions in the above image are dynamically generated from various sources.
 
 
*The university that is being recruited changes depending on which university is winning the hash finding competition in the fifth panel.
 
*The university that is being recruited changes depending on which university is winning the hash finding competition in the fifth panel.
 
*The company doing the recruiting is randomly selected from a pool of companies. It was formerly the first NASDAQ-100 company mentioned on a varying Wikipedia page.
 
*The company doing the recruiting is randomly selected from a pool of companies. It was formerly the first NASDAQ-100 company mentioned on a varying Wikipedia page.
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===Hashing Competition===
 
===Hashing Competition===
For the two days until comic 1194 appeared, a competition was underway to see who could come closest to breaking a {{w|Skein (hash function)|Skein hash}}.  The first text line of the first panel contains a link to http://almamater.xkcd.com. This page contained the text:
+
For the two days until comic 1194 appeared, a competition was underway to see who could come closest to breaking a [[wikipedia:Skein_%28hash_function%29|Skein hash]].  The first text line of the first panel contains a link to http://almamater.xkcd.com. This page contained the text:
  
:Currently looking for Skein 1024 1024 input matching
+
:Currently looking for Skein 1024 1024 input matching 5b4da95f5fa08280fc9879df44f418c8f9f12ba424b7757de02bbdfbae0d4c4fdf9317c80cc5fe04c6429073466cf29706b8c25999ddd2f6540d4475cc977b87f4757be023f19b8f4035d7722886b78869826de916a79cf9c94cc79cd4347d24b567aa3e2390a573a373a48a5e676640c79cc70197e1c5e7f902fb53ca1858b6
<pre>5b4da95f5fa08280fc9879df44f418c8f9f12ba424b7757de02bbdfbae0d4c4fdf9317c80cc5fe04c6429073466cf29706b8c25999ddd2f6540d4475cc977b87f4757be023f19b8f4035d7722886b78869826de916a79cf9c94cc79cd4347d24b567aa3e2390a573a373a48a5e676640c79cc70197e1c5e7f902fb53ca1858b6</pre>
 
  
On this page, users were invited to enter "Your school's domain name" presumably intended to be their college alma mater. (At least in the beginning, only a few top-level domains were accepted.) If the user entered an acceptable domain (by xkcd's rules, which apparently changed during the 48 hours of the competition), they could then enter data values one at a time. For each data value entered, xkcd returned a hash value and the number of bits by which it differed from the target value. The object was to achieve the lowest possible number of differing bits, ideally zero.
+
On this page, users were invited to enter "Your school's domain name"&mdash;presumably intended to be their college alma mater. (At least in the beginning, only a few top-level domains were accepted.) If the user entered an acceptable domain (by xkcd's rules, which apparently changed during the 48 hours of the competition), he could then enter data values one at a time. For each data value entered, xkcd returned a hash value and the number of bits by which it differed from the target value. The object was to achieve the lowest possible number of differing bits, ideally zero.
  
A ranking page showed the lowest value achieved for each domain name entered, but not the data that achieved it. The first name on the list was substituted in various panels, and the third-place school showed in panel five. No data values were reported by xkcd, but various results were posted by users of the xkcd forums and on other websites, leading to copycat submissions, so that occasionally large numbers of institutions would show the same moderately low value.
+
A ranking page showed the lowest value achieved for each domain name entered, but not the data that achieved it. The first name on the list was substituted in various panels, and the third-place school showed in panel five. No data values were reported by xkcd, but various results were posted by users of the xkcd forums and on other websites, leading to copycat submissions, so that occasionally large numbers of institutions would show the same moderately low value.
  
 
After the end of the contest, the data submission page vanished, replaced by the final list of rankings, which shows that Carnegie Mellon University achieved the best score with 384 bits incorrect out of 1024.  The rankings only show a few hundred out of the several thousand domains submitted&mdash;presumably Randall chose to chop the copycat submissions off the end of the list, retaining only honestly obtained results.
 
After the end of the contest, the data submission page vanished, replaced by the final list of rankings, which shows that Carnegie Mellon University achieved the best score with 384 bits incorrect out of 1024.  The rankings only show a few hundred out of the several thousand domains submitted&mdash;presumably Randall chose to chop the copycat submissions off the end of the list, retaining only honestly obtained results.
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|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
:Hey, [university] students! <nowiki>|</nowiki> Ahoy. Carnegie Melonites!
+
:Hey, [university] students!
 
:Come find your future at Baidu!
 
:Come find your future at Baidu!
 
:Megan: But nothing about Tiananmen Square.
 
:Megan: But nothing about Tiananmen Square.
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{| class="wikitable table-padding"
 
{| class="wikitable table-padding"
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|We're a convenient four hour drive from New York City (15,000 hours by roomba)
:We're a convenient four hour drive from New York City (15,000 hours by Roomba)
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Only a short commuter flight away!
:Only a short commuter flight away!
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Travel to us by roomba, we're *that* close!
:Travel to us by Roomba, we're *that* close!
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|We're so close you can get to us by roomba.
:We're so close you can get to us by Roomba.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Free roomba rides every morning while you have coffee.
:Free Roomba rides every morning while you have coffee.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Your roomba comes in black & slate, or white & silver
:Your Roomba comes in black & slate, or white & silver
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Just a short roomba ride up the coast, try not to fall off.
:Just a short Roomba ride up the coast, try not to fall off.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|We know what everyday life is like for your generation:
:We know what everyday life is like for your generation:
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="wikitable sortable plainlinks table-padding"
 
{| class="wikitable sortable plainlinks table-padding"
 
|-
 
|-
|
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|Our recruiting team is on the lookup for promising young [university] graduates.
:Our recruiting team is on the lookup for promising young [university] graduates.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
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|We hired a new recruiting startup to help us hire [university] students.
:We hired a new recruiting startup to help us hire [university] students.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
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|We borrowed the botanical gardens' net to catch promising recruits.
:We borrowed the botanical gardens' net to catch promising recruits.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|We prefer to recruit from [university] students, of course.
:We prefer to recruit from [university] students, of course.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Our recruiters are on the hunt for unaware [university] graduates.
:Our recruiters are on the hunt for unaware [university] graduates.
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="wikitable table-padding"
 
{| class="wikitable table-padding"
 
|-
 
|-
|
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|Or students from [university], if they're clever with their applications
:Or students from [university], if they're clever with their applications
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
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|Possibly [university] grads, if their form-filling startup works out.
:Possibly [university] grads, if their form-filling startup works out.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
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|Or [university] graduates, provided any of them manage to fill out the application correctly.
:Or [university] graduates, provided any of them manage to fill out the application correctly.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Or [university] graduates, if they manage to fill out the application correctly.
:Or [university] graduates, if they manage to fill out the application correctly.
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
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!Email
 
!Email
 
!Education
 
!Education
!(Explanation)
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|MIT
 
|MIT
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|pgp encrypted
 
|pgp encrypted
 
|have you ever really looked at the fourier
 
|have you ever really looked at the fourier
|As an undergrad at MIT in 1948, Smoot was used to measure the Harvard Bridge during a fraternity prank. This led to the introduction of "{{w|smoot}}" as an unusual unit of length.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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|me@car
 
|me@car
 
|I can cut up melons
 
|I can cut up melons
| Le(e)roy Jenkins is an internet meme originating from a 2006 'Let's Play' video of World of Warcraft
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|CMU
 
|CMU
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|I would like to work at you
 
|I would like to work at you
 
|-
 
|-
|St.Olaf
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|
 
|Me olaf
 
|Me olaf
 
|You Helga
 
|You Helga
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|IO
 
|IO
 
|O HAI O
 
|O HAI O
| A joke on the pronunciation of Ohio.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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|TOTALLY.EDU.US
 
|TOTALLY.EDU.US
 
|CONVENIENT US DOMAIN REDIRECTS
 
|CONVENIENT US DOMAIN REDIRECTS
| .edu is a website suffix mostly used for (American) university websites.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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|SOUTH DETROIT
 
|SOUTH DETROIT
 
|HUNT LIKE A WOLVERINE
 
|HUNT LIKE A WOLVERINE
|University of Michigan is in Ann Arbor; the mascot is the Wolverine. "South Detroit" is referenced in the song {{w|Don't Stop Believin'}}, which is notable because there is actually no such city or neighborhood; rather, Detroit is one of the only places in the contiguous United States where you can drive south and wind up in Canada, namely in the city of {{w|Windsor, Ontario}}. Michiganders therefore often object to the bad geography in the song.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
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|POBox 12532
 
|POBox 12532
 
|p.s. ill find my frog
 
|p.s. ill find my frog
|PO Box 12532 is located at Pyramid Lake in Nevada.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|Oxford
 
|Oxford
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|Riding the L all night long
 
|Riding the L all night long
 
|-
 
|-
|Kit
+
|
 
|Kat
 
|Kat
 
|Oh dear
 
|Oh dear
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|Any
 
|Any
 
|I'm feeling lucky
 
|I'm feeling lucky
|G+ stands for Google+, Googles social network. I'm feeling lucky is the second option under the searchbar on Google.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|UIC
 
|UIC
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|Forget it
 
|Forget it
 
|Riding the L all night long
 
|Riding the L all night long
|Presumably University of Illinois at Chicago. "Which one" could be a reference to other institutions with the same initials, or people who confuse "UIC" with "U of C" (University of Chicago, a different institution altogether). The rapid transit system in Chicago is called the 'L'.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 +
|
 
|MY JOB NOW
 
|MY JOB NOW
 
|@
 
|@
 
|SAVE DOCUMENT AND SEND
 
|SAVE DOCUMENT AND SEND
| Could be Randall saying most jobs are just sending e-mails (@).
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
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{| class="wikitable table-padding"
 
{| class="wikitable table-padding"
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|At [company], you'll work at a scale you won't find anywhere else
:At [company], you'll work at a scale you won't find anywhere else
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Explore the depths of expensive and undocumented tools!
:Explore the depths of expensive and undocumented tools!
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|At Apple, we believe in pushing the boundary of perfection.
:At Apple, we believe in pushing the boundary of perfection.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|At Microsoft, you just need to relax and embrace the machine <!-- no period -->
:At Microsoft, you just need to relax and embrace the machine
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Yahoo management aren't just suits. We code too!
:Yahoo management aren't just suits. We code too!
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|At [company], you'll have the opportinity to work on cutting-edge projects.
:At [company], you'll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|At Amazon, you'll be shaving the most cutting-edge of yaks.
:At Amazon, you'll be shaving the most cutting-edge of yaks.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|You get to bid first on any auction, and use other experimental tools!
:You get to bid first on any auction, and use other experimental tools!
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|At QUALCOMM, Device driver code quality is job #1
:At QUALCOMM, Device driver code quality is job #1
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|Make use of our powerful in-house game creation tools.
:Make use of our powerful in-house game creation tools.
 
 
|-
 
|-
|
+
|We're even working on some experimental biotechnology
:We're even working on some experimental biotechnology
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
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|-
 
|-
 
|[[File:externality-dog2.png]]
 
|[[File:externality-dog2.png]]
|-
 
|[[File:externality-dog2A.png]]
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[File:externality-dog3.png]]
 
|[[File:externality-dog3.png]]
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|-
 
|-
 
|[[File:externality-dog10.png]]
 
|[[File:externality-dog10.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog11.png]]
 
|-
 
|-
 
|[[File:externality-dog12.png]]
 
|[[File:externality-dog12.png]]
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|-
 
|-
 
|[[File:externality-dog14.png]]
 
|[[File:externality-dog14.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog15.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog16.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog17.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog18.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog19.png]]
 +
|-
 +
|[[File:externality-dog20.png]]
 
|}
 
|}
  
===Title Text===
+
==Title Text==
 
The title text documents the different sources of data in the comic. The different title texts are:
 
The title text documents the different sources of data in the comic. The different title texts are:
  
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|Most of the comic, after the competition ended||This comic went up on April 1st, and the panels changed throughout the day in response to readers doing things like breaking hashes, edited a rapidly-shuffling set of target Wikipedia articles, and donating to Wikimedia Foundation. (The vandalism is over now and CMU won the hashing contest.)
 
|Most of the comic, after the competition ended||This comic went up on April 1st, and the panels changed throughout the day in response to readers doing things like breaking hashes, edited a rapidly-shuffling set of target Wikipedia articles, and donating to Wikimedia Foundation. (The vandalism is over now and CMU won the hashing contest.)
 
|-
 
|-
|The part of the first panel (text and drawing) which is not a link. There is no title text at all over the part where the link is active||Happy April 1st, Everyone!
+
|Most of the text in the first panel.||Happy April 1st, Everyone!
 
|-
 
|-
|Fifth panel.||[University] has the third best hash. See the full standings at http://almamater.xkcd.com/best.csv (University = uic after competition)
+
|Fifth panel.||[University] has the third best hash. See the full standings at http://almamater.xkcd.com/best.csv
 
|-
 
|-
|Last three panels (only within a frame that would just fit around all three of them).||The dog gains a pound for every $10 donated to the wikimedia foundation via this link. Currently at [amount donated] (Amount = $51135.33 after competition).
+
|Last panel.||The dog gains a pound for every $10 donated to the wikimedia foundation via this link. Currently at [amount donated]
 
|}
 
|}
 
===Current Version===
 
Now that the competition is over, the comic is currently frozen. As such, what follows is the explanation of the comic in its final state.
 
  
 
==Transcript==
 
==Transcript==
:[This was a dynamic image where the text changed during April 1st. The main title text also changed after the dynamic part was finished, and there are even different title text for different part of the comic. This transcript is of the final version of the comic, (no longer dynamic or changing), as displayed at present on xkcd, there are still four different title texts for specific panels. These four title text are for that reason included here in the transcript.]
+
:[The comic is dynamically generated from multiple sources.]
  
:[The basic title text for the entire comic is: "This comic went up on April 1st, and the panels changed throughout the day in response to readers doing things like breaking hashes, edited a rapidly-shuffling set of target Wikipedia articles, and donating to Wikimedia Foundation. (The vandalism is over now and CMU won the hashing contest.)" The other three title text are only active over certain panels.]  
+
:[First panel [[1193: Externalities#First Panel|transcript varies.]]]
  
:[The first panel with the caption and Megan below has its own title text. A part of that panel is a link, and in the section where this link is active there is no title text at all. The title text for the rest of the first panel is: "Happy April 1st, everyone!"]
+
:[Second panel [[1193: Externalities#Second Panel|transcript varies.]]]
  
:[A panel with only text is above the first drawing. There is a link on the top part of the text to <nowiki>http://almamater.xkcd.com/</nowiki> (the link is now broken).]
+
:[Third panel [[1193: Externalities#Third Panel|transcript varies.]]]
:Ahoy, carnegie melonites!
+
:[Ponytail riding on a roomba.]
:
 
:Come find your future at Baidu.
 
  
:[Below, not in a frame, is Megan.]
+
:[Fourth panel [[1193: Externalities#Fourth Panel|transcript varies.]]]
:Megan: But nothing about Tiananmen Square.
+
:[A group of people waiting outside a door. One of them is holding a large net.]
  
:[Caption floating above the frame of the next panel:]
+
:Or [university] graduates, provided any of them manage to fill out the application correctly.
:It takes great minds to stifle other great minds.
+
:Name: [random]
:[Ponytail sits at a desk, hand to her chin, with two Cueball-like guys with their hands on the table.]
+
:Email: [Third place university]
:Ponytail: Let's block Canada
 
:Cueball-like guys: Sounds good.
 
 
 
:[Ponytail crouches on a moving Roomba (labeled) with a steaming mug of coffee in one hand and a smartphone in the other. Above her is a caption. The Roomba makes a noice]
 
:We're a convenient four hour drive from New York City (15,000 hours by Roomba.)
 
:''Whirrrrrrr''
 
:Roomba
 
 
 
:[Ponytail and Hairy corners Cueball as he walks out of a door, and a black haired ponytailed girl is moving towards him wielding a giant butterfly net. There is a caption above them:]
 
:Our recruiters are on the hunt for unaware CMU graduates
 
 
 
:[The fifth panel has its own title text only active within (or very close to) the frame. It is: "uic has the third best hash. See the full standings at <nowiki>http://almamater.xkcd.com/best.csv</nowiki>" (The link is now broken)]
 
 
 
:[There is a caption above a website application. There is three fields to be filled, with each their caption and text:]
 
:or uic graduates, provied any of them manage to fill out the application correctly.
 
::Name which one
 
::Email forget it
 
::Education Riding the L all night long
 
  
:[Caption floating above the frame of the next panel:]
+
:[Sixth panel [[1193: Externalities#Sixth Panel|transcript varies.]]]
:At Baidu, Inc., you'll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects.
 
:[Cueball sits at a computer.]
 
 
:Cueball: What does "make dog" do?
 
:Cueball: What does "make dog" do?
:Off-screen voice: Experimental dog generator. Don't click on it; the default size isn't set, so-
+
:Off-panel: Experimental dog generator. Don't click on it; the default size isn't set, so-
 
:'''*click*'''
 
:'''*click*'''
  
:[The last three panels has their own title text, only active within a frame that could contain all three panel. Outside that "frame" (all the way around) is the other title text. Within the title text is: "The dog gains a pound for every $10 donated to the Wikimedia Foundation via this link. Currently at $51135.33."]
+
:''KZZZT''
 
+
:BIP
:[Small insert panel, going in above the next larger panel: Cueball stares at the screen.]
+
:Off-screen: Uh-oh.
:''Kzzzt''  
 
:''*bip*''
 
:Off-screen voice: Uh oh.
 
 
 
:[A giant dog looks down at the desk where the computer once was, now only the wires are left. Cueball, leaning way back in his office chair, holding his hand to his mouth, stares up at it.]
 
 
 
:[Again a smaller insert panel above the large one with the dog. A graphic showing two sliders and a dog (similar to the one in the previous panel). Next to the dog with arrows pointing to it are a thermometer graphic and an equation. Below is an e-mail type text and finally a caption. There are arrows over and under "God" and "dogs" between the g and d's.]
 
:d(x)=R
 
:careers@baidu, Inc.
 
:'''Play God with dogs.'''<sup>TM</sup>
 
  
 +
:[Last panel's [[1193: Externalities#Seventh Panel|transcript varies.]]]
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
[[Category:April fools' comics]]
 
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
 
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
+
[[Category:Dynamic comics]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]
 
[[Category:Science]]
 
[[Category:Animals]]
 
[[Category:Dogs]]
 
[[Category:Roomba]]
 
[[Category:Butterfly net]]
 
[[Category:Singularity]]
 

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