explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1464: Santa

2014-12-28T07:24:46Z

108.162.221.169:

Merry Christmas! --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 06:29, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

I think I have done the transcript... [[User:17jiangz1|17jiangz1]] ([[User talk:17jiangz1|talk]]) 06:38, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

And I did the explanation and put everything in there, I think. Looks like we're already pretty much done! [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.174|173.245.56.174]] 06:44, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

It should maybe be mentioned that this comic is a turn of the screw on the many "The physics of Santa" joke articles - The usual chain e-mail or satire web page calculations that take it seriously the logistical calculations for Santa and end up concluding that he should beat the speed of light to deliver the presents. Randall doesn't settle on calculating the logistics for reindeer performance or route planning, he goes a step further and makes the calculations for the refuse. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.49.106|173.245.49.106]] 08:31, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

Well maybe all those calories are what allows him to move at the insane relativistic speeds needed to visit every house on Christmas eve. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.56|108.162.216.56]] 08:47, 24 December 2014 (UTC)
: Exactly. And even if it wasn't, there'd still be a Mr Fusion for the poop. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.214|108.162.250.214]] 22:18, 24 December 2014 (UTC)
:There's no need to move at relativistic or trans-light speeds when you can appear in multiple places simultaneously [https://comicdomwrecks.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/countdown-to-fables-100-jiminy-christmas/]. - Equinox [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.117|199.27.128.117]] 17:41, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

We have video proof of how Santa handles this! http://youtu.be/b9TTz3R5SmI --[[User:Elipongo|Elipongo]] ([[User talk:Elipongo|talk]]) 09:03, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

No Christmas cat.? [[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 12:12, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

Santa's metabolic system is perfectly efficient at converting cookies to CO2 hang H2O which is exhaled. He needs to be efficient at converting cookie energy if he plans on being so active. He is also the main source of global warming. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.185|173.245.56.185]] 13:11, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

As a third option, what if Santa doesn't eat the cookies at all, but just redistributes them to other hungry children? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.217.131|108.162.217.131]] 18:41, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

Perhaps understandably, I first read the line in the explanation as " ... butt off the side of his sleigh." [[User:Miamiclay|Miamiclay]] ([[User talk:Miamiclay|talk]]) 22:27, 24 December 2014 (UTC)

As a native English speaker, I'd like to say that "few" is relative, and defies any hard limits. A "few" transistors, for me, might mean dozens (as opposed to hundreds or more). A "few"lightyears might be 10 or so. The use of the word "few" can't be analyzed with such hard limits as 2 to 5. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.169|108.162.221.169]] 17:47, 25 December 2014 (UTC)

There are only a few countries where kids leave cookies for Santa (I'm guessing North America and some European countries). That would mean fewer than 100 million kids. [[Special:Contributions/103.22.200.195|103.22.200.195]] 05:36, 26 December 2014 (UTC)

: 32% of the world population are christians, and even some non-christians celebrate Christmas. [[User:17jiangz1|17jiangz1]] ([[User talk:17jiangz1|talk]]) 09:56, 26 December 2014 (UTC)

:: Yes, but leaving cookies for Santa is not integral part of christian Christmas celebration, not speaking about non-christian. There are more children who believe Santa is bringing them gifts than children who are leaving cookies for Santa. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 13:53, 27 December 2014 (UTC)

::: Some children may be leaving cookies "for Santa", but suspect that their parents (or older siblings) are actually consuming them. It may be possible that Santa is not consuming as many cookies as this comic estimates.

:::: Maybe, but he's gotta be eating most of them. There's no way parents can eat all those cookies in one night! [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.169|108.162.221.169]] 07:24, 28 December 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1464: Santa

2014-12-25T17:47:20Z

108.162.221.169:

Talk:1463: Altitude

2014-12-23T04:39:22Z

108.162.221.169:

Ok, Is everyone on vacation today? or is this explanation that hard? [[User:Edo|Edo]] ([[User talk:Edo|talk]]) 19:27, 22 December 2014 (UTC)

: The comic was uploaded just minutes before you commented at 19:23. [[User:ThePurpleK|ThePurpleK]] ([[User talk:ThePurpleK|talk]]) 19:36, 22 December 2014 (UTC)

: "Ok, Is everyone on vacation today?" Randall was ... --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 20:01, 22 December 2014 (UTC)

Transcript right now assumes two Astronomers. It looks to me like three. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.52.142|173.245.52.142]] 21:03, 22 December 2014 (UTC)
:I changed it to 3. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.201|108.162.221.201]] 22:36, 22 December 2014 (UTC)

A [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_guide_star laser guide star] is a device for focussing telescopes. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcjB2qN0TxM Cats go crazy chasing lasers]. I can only imagine what havoc a star cat might wreck chasing a laser guide star. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 21:07, 22 December 2014 (UTC)
: The source of the laser is only moving at 1000 miles an hour, but it's going in a huge circle. That's a lot of leverage for our particular lighthouse. {{unsigned|Seebert}}

I may be wrong, but I think all high-altitude observatories are built on mountaintops. So the drawings indicating the astronomers are driving up a hill, at least for the last stretch, is wrong - they'd be driving up a very steep mountain road with lots of zig-zags. --[[User:RenniePet|RenniePet]] ([[User talk:RenniePet|talk]]) 23:49, 22 December 2014 (UTC)

True story: Stephan James O'Meara's eyeballs are close to where it'd become statistically unlikely for there to be humans with a more perfectly shaped eyeball. He probably sees that 3 of the sky's planets are bigger than a point without an instrument. So from natural ability, being born after '55, and a bit from practice, SJO had about the best night vision of anyone alive in 1985. The guy wanted to be the first human to see Halley's Comet come back. So he traveled from Boston to a 14,000 foot volcano in the middle of the Pacific and brought a telescope so wide that Yao Ming could barely hug it. And bottled oxygen. Even people who can grow enough blood cells and heart-lung athleticism to acclimate completely still have trouble seeing in the dark. Besides some of the best observing conditions on the planet, it was also only 7.5 degrees from the latitude where Halley's Comet passed overhead so there was very little extra air to look through. Also, you have to use peripheral vision. But not too far to the side. And not the ear side, that's the blind spot. And tap the telescope and look for motion. That's the technique. It must've been freezing (it was midwinter and convection of even a human under the opening affects the view) but here is a guy staring through a telescope Yao Ming could barely get his arms around with an oxygen mask to his face. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.87|199.27.128.87]] 00:17, 23 December 2014 (UTC)

Am I the only one who's bothered by this? It was funny right up until the "let's make out" comment at the end. Astronomy has a pretty serious [http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/fed-up-with-sexual-harassment-defining.html sexual harassment problem], and as a woman working in astronomy I'd rather that wasn't made light of. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.221|108.162.250.221]] 03:08, 23 December 2014 (UTC)
: I don't think Randall would consciously make light of such an issue. Sadly, it does make a kind of sense that it would be an astronomical problem, so to speak. [[User:Taibhse|Taibhse]] ([[User talk:Taibhse|talk]]) 04:17, 23 December 2014 (UTC)

Oxygen concentration is constant regardless of altitude? So there is the same quantity of oxygen per cubic meter of atmosphere at sea level as at the edge of the atmosphere? And halfway to the moon? That doesn't sound right... [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.169|108.162.221.169]] 04:39, 23 December 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1452: Jurassic World

2014-11-26T18:26:34Z

108.162.221.169:

I'd think that Dinosaur Comic's T-Rex is actually quite intelligent for a dinosaur. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.169|108.162.221.169]] 18:26, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

Uh ... maybe, just maybe, is Megan referring to the ACTUAL tyrannosaurus, the animal which lived several millions years ago? -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 11:47, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

Any reason why "white hat" is not wearing his hat in the final panel? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.194|173.245.54.194]] 12:20, 26 November 2014 (UTC)
: Good catch. [[User:Jarod997|Jarod997]] ([[User talk:Jarod997|talk]]) 14:31, 26 November 2014 (UTC)
: none that I feel confident about - perhaps the T-Rex ate it or blew it off swinging his tail around? -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:35, 26 November 2014 (UTC)
: Logical reason: Randall forgot.
: Fun reason: the surprise blew away the hat! [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 16:07, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

Is it just me, or does this particular episode of xkcd just not come off as funny? [[User:Jarod997|Jarod997]] ([[User talk:Jarod997|talk]]) 14:31, 26 November 2014 (UTC)
: I suppose not particularly, but that happens regularly - it's not always supposed to be funny... -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 14:35, 26 November 2014 (UTC)
::I really enjoyed this comic. It's probably because I did not see the punchline coming on my small smartphone screen. [[User:RecentlyChanged|RecentlyChanged]] ([[User talk:RecentlyChanged|talk]])
:::It's funny if you've read Dinosaur Comics [[User:Smperron|Smperron]] ([[User talk:Smperron|talk]]) 16:20, 26 November 2014 (UTC)

I believe that Rex from ''We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story'' would be even more 'improved'! [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 16:07, 26 November 2014 (UTC)
: Barney would have been more logical as it (he?) already appears on a TV in JP III :-)

Talk:1422: My Phone is Dying

2014-09-18T15:53:00Z

108.162.221.169: Keep the unnecessary [citation needed] because it's funny

The dying of Beret's phone is similar to the dying of the sun.

The Sun does not have enough mass to explode as a supernova. Instead it will exit the main sequence in approximately 5.4 billion years and start to turn into a red giant. It is calculated that the Sun will become sufficiently large to engulf the current orbits of the solar system's inner planets, possibly including Earth. (via http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun) [[User:Oicebot|Oicebot]] ([[User talk:Oicebot|talk]]) 04:43, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

I thought, this might be a TARDIS reference. --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.93.210|141.101.93.210]] 07:03, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

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The main page of this explanation mentions White Hat... he's not even in this comic, only Beret Guy and Cueball. Not sure about editing policies/things here yet, so figured I'd mention this on the talk page :P Hope this helps! [[User:Tanos|Tanos]] ([[User talk:Tanos|talk]]) 06:43, 17 September 2014 (UTC)
:Fixed. --[[User:DaB.|DaB.]] ([[User talk:DaB.|talk]]) 10:55, 17 September 2014 (UTC)
::And anyone is welcome to edit the comic. Thanks for the input! [[User:Nealmcb|Nealmcb]] ([[User talk:Nealmcb|talk]]) 16:06, 17 September 2014 (UTC)
:::Sorry - t'was me. Note to self: Do not edit in the morning[[User:Tier666|Tier666]] ([[User talk:Tier666|talk]]) 16:27, 17 September 2014 (UTC)
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Reference to the iPhone (and may be other smartphones) which becomes bigger and bigger with every release. At the same time iPhone becomes less popular and it is 'dying' this way. So - the bigger iPhone becomes the closer it is to 'death'. And it was like a star among other smartphones.
In the title text it may be a jesting prophesy - one on future generation of iPhone will be like a set of some separate devices.

[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.229|108.162.246.229]] 07:42, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

:: I had a similar interpretation of a symbolic equivalency between the iPhone and a star (playing on the double meaning of "star" — the celestial body, and that of someone or something that has great fame). Though, not with it getting bigger with each version, but rather within the lifespan of each version (each version grows in fame until it dies with the release of the next version).
:: [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.242|108.162.221.242]] 05:31, 18 September 2014 (UTC)

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The first paragraph assumes that the phone is going to become a white dwarf and the supernova is not mentioned until lower down. Personally, I read the "collapse in a violent explosion" comment from the fourth panel as implying that it was already on its way to becoming a supernova(-analog) and the charger would speed it up. Unless red dwarfs actually explode and leave white dwarfs (which I didn't think they did, but maybe I'm wrong there) concluding that it's analogous to the white dwarf doesn't make sense to me, at least. Thoughts? [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.86|199.27.128.86]] 08:42, 17 September 2014 (UTC)
:A red giant will have its outer layers blown away (though not in anything like the violent way of a supernova) and the core that remains is a white dwarf. A much larger star that goes supernova will often leave behind a neutron star or, if the star was really massive, a black hole. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.190|141.101.98.190]] 12:57, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

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There is a conspiracy theory that Apple allegedly kills iPhones just before the release of a new model. This comic seems to make a play on that. {{unsigned ip|141.101.104.193}}
-Unusual conspiracy. Presumably it's to make sure old customers buy the new iPhone, but wouldn't most Apple fans do that anyways? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.109|108.162.216.109]] 12:37, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

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Lol, I didn't even notice the phone was getting bigger until the last panel. Derp. [[User:Zowayix|Zowayix]] ([[User talk:Zowayix|talk]]) 14:20, 17 September 2014 (UTC)
: I have an old iPhone3 which have popped open by an enlarged battery after having been sitting in a box unused for a few years -- but it would be great if somebody could provide a scientific reference to whether this is normal and expected [[User:Spongebog|Spongebog]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 18:55, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

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The two way pager in title text might be a reference to black holes, under the assumption that they act as worm holes to other regions in spacetime. It could explode and leave behind a slowly fading PalmPilot
(netron star), Calculator(brown dwarf), Two way pager (blackhole). [[Special:Contributions/108.162.217.125|108.162.217.125]] 15:14, 17 September 2014 (UTC)BK

Somewhat relevant, but mostly just funny, link: http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/140820 [[User:Smperron|Smperron]] ([[User talk:Smperron|talk]]) 20:43, 17 September 2014 (UTC)

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"However, this is something phones usually don't do.[citation needed]" Do we really need a citation that normal phones don't consume their battery, grow in size and explode, leaving a white dwarf behind? There was the story a while back about iPhones exploding in peoples pockets, and I know that Li-ion batteries can expand and burst, but rarely do they leave white dwarf stars behind. [[User:Andyd273|Andyd273]] ([[User talk:Andyd273|talk]]) 15:48, 18 September 2014 (UTC)

Personally, I found this [citation needed] hilarious, and urge you to keep it.--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.169|108.162.221.169]] 15:52, 18 September 2014 (UTC)