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{{comic
 
{{comic
 
| number    = 190
 
| number    = 190
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| date      = November 29, 2006
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| date      = November 29, 2011
 
| title    = IPoD
 
| title    = IPoD
 
| image    = ipod.png
 
| image    = ipod.png
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| titletext = For smaller numbers he has to SAVE lives. The birthrate channel is even more of a mixed bag.
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| titletext = For smaller numbers he has to SAVE lives. The birthrate channel is even more of a mixed bag.
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
==Explanation==
 
==Explanation==
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{{w|Internet Protocol|IP}} is one of the main protocols of the Internet. It is used to route data packets from one computer to another, using other computers or even complete networks in between if needed. It is designed to use the fastest (not necessarily the shortest) route to the target, automatically using another route if a connection or a transmitting host fails.
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{{w|Internet Protocol|IP}} is one of the two main protocols of the Internet - the other being {{w|Transmission Control Protocol|TCP}}.
  
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Every participant of the network has to have a so-called {{w|IP address}}. The data is divided into ''packets'', each consisting of a header and the payload. The header tells the transmitting parties where the packet comes from and where it should go (together with some other details). The payload is the data to be transmitted.
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[[Black Hat]] (and other statisticians) are using demographics as IP packets to send data. In order to adjust the death rate to encode the header, Black Hat plans to travel to New Jersey and go on a killing spree with a crossbow, instead of merely hacking the census bureau's computers. Such antics could only be used to ''increase''
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the death rate, decreasing it would require saving lives instead as mentioned in the title text. Also as mentioned, birth rates would be trickier to maanipulate.
  
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IP packets can be carried by a variety of transport networks. Such methods are often referred to as "IP over X" (or "IPoX" for short). Examples include {{w|IP over DVB}}, [http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/ATM-Linux-HOWTO/ip-over-atm.html IP over ATM], and the humorous [http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc2549.html IP over Avian Carriers].
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Crossbows were also mentioned in [[564: Crossbows]].
  
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[[Black Hat]] (and other statisticians) is using demographics as IP packets to send data. In order to adjust the death rate to encode the header, Black Hat plans to travel to New Jersey and go on a killing spree with a crossbow, instead of merely hacking the census bureau's computers. Such antics could only be used to ''increase'' the death rate; decreasing it would require saving lives instead, as mentioned in the title text. Also as mentioned, birth rates would be trickier to manipulate, as doing so would require encouraging or discouraging women to have children (or as one user pointed out, either conceiving children himself, or causing abortions or miscarriages, respectively) and would require an approximately nine-month delay, which is a great deal more difficult than taking a crossbow to a heavily populated area.{{Citation needed}}
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==Transcript==
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:[Character 1 - wearing a black hat - sits at a computer. Character 2 stands behind Character 1]
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:Character 1: You see, statisticians communicate using IPoD -- IP over Demographics. For example, the header of the next packet I send will be encoded into the New Jersey death rate.
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:Character 2: So you're going to hack the census bureau and change the number of reported deaths?
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:Character 1: Guess again.
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:Character 1: Hey, have you seen my crossbow?
  
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Crossbows were also mentioned in [[564: Crossbows]]. Black Hat is also seen using his crossbow in [[929: Speculation]].
 
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==Transcript==
 
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:[Black Hat sits at a computer. Cueball stands behind him.]
 
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:Black Hat: You see, statisticians communicate using IPoD -- IP over Demographics. For example, the header of the next packet I send will be encoded into the New Jersey death rate.
 
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:Cueball: So you're going to hack the census bureau and change the number of reported deaths?
 
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:Black Hat: Guess again.
 
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:Black Hat: Hey, have you seen my crossbow?
 
  
 
{{comic discussion}}
 
{{comic discussion}}
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<!-- Include any categories below this line-->
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
 
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
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[[Category:Crossbows]]
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<!-- [[Category:Crossbows]] uncomment when created -->

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