Editing 856: Trochee Fixation
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| title = Trochee Fixation | | title = Trochee Fixation | ||
| image = trochee fixation.png | | image = trochee fixation.png | ||
+ | | imagesize = | ||
| titletext = If you Huffman-coded all the 'random' things everyone on the internet has said over the years, you'd wind up with, like, 30 or 40 bytes *tops*. | | titletext = If you Huffman-coded all the 'random' things everyone on the internet has said over the years, you'd wind up with, like, 30 or 40 bytes *tops*. | ||
}} | }} | ||
==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{w|Trochees}} are two {{w|syllable}} words with an accent on the first like the comic says. [[Megan]] proposes a "radical trocheeotomy". [[Cueball]] misinterprets Megan's intent as a "{{w|tracheotomy}}", but agreeing with the idea. | |
− | + | There are references to "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "Power Rangers", both of which are examples of actual, trochaic TV show titles. Additionally, there is a reference to sci/fi author {{w|Neal Stephenson}} who has written {{w|Snow Crash}}, {{w|Anathem}} and many other books. | |
− | + | {{w|Huffman coding}} is a lossless data compression algorithm that works by recording a specific string and then only recording that the string is repeated a certain number of characters later on until eventually it only contains a "dictionary" of unique substrings and then mentions of where those substrings repeat. In highly repetitive data this can cut down the file size immensely, which is what Randall is implying by saying you would only end up with 30–40 bytes. Most of the "random" stuff said on the Internet has been said before. | |
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− | {{w|Huffman coding}} is a lossless data compression algorithm that works by | ||
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==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | : | + | :Girl: Robot ninja! Pirate doctor laser monkey! Narwhal zombie badger hobo bacon kitty captain penguin raptor jesus! |
:Megan: We'd been seeing this brain damage for years, but only recently did our linguists identify the pattern behind it. | :Megan: We'd been seeing this brain damage for years, but only recently did our linguists identify the pattern behind it. | ||
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:Megan: The patients fixate on animals and types of people whose names are trochees (two syllables, with the accent on the first). | :Megan: The patients fixate on animals and types of people whose names are trochees (two syllables, with the accent on the first). | ||
− | :The malfunction causes a rush of dopamine whenever these | + | :The malfunction causes a rush of dopamine whenever these trocheese are heard or spoken. |
:[Chart shows "internet" and "brain," with arrows marked "trochees" traveling both ways between them. An arrow marked "dopamine" loops from the brain back to the brain.] | :[Chart shows "internet" and "brain," with arrows marked "trochees" traveling both ways between them. An arrow marked "dopamine" loops from the brain back to the brain.] | ||
:The warning signs appear in childhood: | :The warning signs appear in childhood: | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Child sits in front of TV.] |
− | : | + | :Child: Yeah! Mighty teenage morphin' ninja power mutant turtle rangers! |
:Social reinforcement focuses the fixation on a few dozen words. | :Social reinforcement focuses the fixation on a few dozen words. | ||
:Cueball (off-panel): Is there a cure? | :Cueball (off-panel): Is there a cure? | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Girl is reclining under a big machine pointed at her face.] |
:Megan: We're about to try a radical trocheeotomy. | :Megan: We're about to try a radical trocheeotomy. | ||
:Cueball: Rip out her vocal chords? I'm in favor. | :Cueball: Rip out her vocal chords? I'm in favor. | ||
:Megan: No, we're modifying her vocabulary* to erase the words she's fixated on. | :Megan: No, we're modifying her vocabulary* to erase the words she's fixated on. | ||
− | : | + | :*Digitoneurolinguistic hacking! It's totally real! Ask Neal Stephenson. |
:Megan: Either the gap will be filled by normal words, or she'll just generate a new set of trochees. | :Megan: Either the gap will be filled by normal words, or she'll just generate a new set of trochees. | ||
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:''kachunk bzzzZZZZZZ'' | :''kachunk bzzzZZZZZZ'' | ||
− | :[ | + | :[Girl is waking up.] |
− | : | + | :Girl: ... GzZhRmPh ... |
− | : | + | :Girl ... banjo turtle! |
− | : | + | :Girl: Jetpack ferret pizza lawyer! Dentist hamster wombat plumber turkey jester hindu cowboy hooker bobcat scrapple! |
:Megan (off-panel): Sigh. | :Megan (off-panel): Sigh. | ||
:Megan: Time for plan B. | :Megan: Time for plan B. | ||
− | : | + | :Megan: Someone get a brick. |
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+ | {{comic discussion}} | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
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[[Category:Language]] | [[Category:Language]] | ||
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