explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1391: Darkness

2014-07-10T05:27:51Z

108.162.249.215: /* Explanation */ typo and grammar

{{comic
| number = 1391
| date = July 7, 2014
| title = Darkness
| image = darkness.png
| titletext = This was actually wish #406. Wish #2 was for him to lose the ability to remember that each new wish wasn't my first.
}}

==Explanation==
In the comic the news anchor [[Ponytail]] describes the {{w|sunset}} as though it were an unprecedented, newsworthy event, rather than [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MundaneMadeAwesome something mundane] that happens every day. They even have a reporter ([[Cueball]]) on the spot reporting from where the ''darkness'' has spread so far.

The sunset is a common event. {{w|Isaac Asimov}} based his short story {{w|Nightfall_(Asimov_short_story_and_novel)|Nightfall}} on a fictional civilization that doesn't know darkness because the planet is always illuminated by the six stars surrounding it. The story describes how people would react (mass insanity, fall of civilization) when the orbital motion of the planet eventually leads to all of the suns setting.

Describing mundane occurrences in unusual detail, to show off how odd they really are, is something [[Randall]] has done before (for instance about dreaming in [[203: Hallucinations]]). But the caption below the main panel adds another twist to the joke by showing that the news report wasn't a mere imagine spot, but something actually happening due to the interference of Randall's final wish to his {{w|genie}}, which caused all news reporters to forget the day-night cycle.

Another possible meaning is that this comic is a reference to the way the media often talk about {{w|global warming}} as if each weather occurrence had meaning outside of its context (like in [[1321: Cold]]). That take on the weather and the day/night cycle being denied because of a skewed point of view was also used on the {{w|Daily Show}}. The segment "[http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos/18l8gy/unusually-large-snowstorm Unusually Large Snowstorm]" from February 10, 2010 used the same trope. Several Daily Show correspondents have different views on the weather based on where they are, ending with a correspondent who equates nighttime with everlasting darkness.

The caption references the fact that there is a limit to the number of wishes. It is a common rule, often used in fiction, that you get [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThreeWishes three wishes] from a [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GenieInABottle genie in a bottle]. There usually is an added stipulation that no wish may be used to acquire more wishes. In the title text, however, it is stated that Randall has managed to bypass the three wish limit rule. This was accomplished by using his second (#2) wish to simply make the genie unable to remember granting the speaker any wishes. He have thus used the same trick on the genie as he used here on the media. The media wish turns out '''not''' to have been his last (i.e. #3), but rather #406. This shows just how far, "make someone forget something", can go by applying it to the genie.

It is interesting that it was his second wish that gave him unlimited wishes. What did he wish for on wish #1? Maybe he wasted the first wish, because he did not believe the genie was able to grant wishes - a common error. On the other hand, he may have used the first wish to learn a way where his second wish could circumvent the three rule limit. He did not wish for more wishes (a clear rule), but since the genie now always think the next wish is his first, it is not Randall who asks for more wishes, but the genie that forgets to stop at the limit...

There seem to be a conflict with the title text, and where the caption says ''Genie, for my last wish...'' Because if the genie thinks it is his first wish, he would be confused. It could, however, be to shock the reader, that he makes a point of him wasting a final wish on something this silly. Then in the title text, he makes it clear that it was only a wish he used, because he had an unlimited number of wishes at hand. And to the genie he would simply have said, ''...for my first wish...''

*To have three wishes from a genie, but really only need one, was the joke in [[152: Hamster Ball]]. Perhaps this genie is the same, and the first wish was for a human-sized hamster ball... And then much later - inspired by the hamster ball? - he breaks the code to free, not only three, genie wishes.
*The concept of having unlimited wishes has previously been explored in [[1086: Eyelash Wish Log]] - one of the wishes is also related to news anchors - the wish is to control the direction they are looking.
*Genies are also part of [[532: Piano]] and [[879: Lamp]], although these two jokes are of a more juvenile character...

==Transcript==
:[Ponytail is a news anchor at a media desk and she reports:]
:Ponytail: ...getting reports that the darkness has spread as far west as Texas. Let's go live to our reporter in Houston.
:[From a breaking news window in the bottom right corner of the panel, a Cueball as a newscaster stands in darkness with two people walking behind him:]
:Cueball: It's been thirty minutes since the sun vanished...
:[There is a caption below the panel]:
:Caption: ”Genie, for my last wish, make everyone in the media forget about the day-night cycle.“

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

Talk:1385: Throwing Rocks

2014-06-26T04:26:29Z

108.162.249.215:

Current explanation says the rock in the second panel is seen "possibly sinking the boat." Whoever typed this apparently didn't notice the undisturbed leaf boat, floating approximately 2 feet away from the splash. - [[Special:Contributions/108.162.240.36|108.162.240.36]] 04:38, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

My boat sunk! THANKS, OBAMA! - [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.153|173.245.56.153]] 05:32, 23 June 2014 (UTC)
:SURE... BLAME OBAMA WHEN IT WAS BUSH WHO STARTED IT. ''(Sorry! Couldn't resist.)'' [[Special:Contributions/103.22.201.239|103.22.201.239]] 11:15, 23 June 2014 (UTC)
:: Heh. Thanks. That started the day with a laugh. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.39|199.27.133.39]] 16:48, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

Did we already know both Beret Guy and Megan are left handed? [[User:Wrybred|Wrybred]] ([[User talk:Wrybred|talk]]) 12:20, 23 June 2014 (UTC)wrybred
: They could be ambidextrous. Seriously I suspect that was easier to draw with them facing that way. And them facing the other way is just wrong.[[User:Halfhat|Halfhat]] ([[User talk:Halfhat|talk]]) 18:14, 23 June 2014 (UTC)
: I agree with halfhat - it is a tool to give the drawing the correct flow. They need to throw that way for the story to progress in the reading direction. And then it is easier to throw that way. Also remember that although we think of Megan as one person, this does not apply to Randal! Megan is just a stand-in for any girl (as are Cueball for any guy). Not so sure about Beret Guy though... I think it is a nice observation by the way. I did not see that. But to say that they are always left handed is not correct. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 19:33, 23 June 2014 (UTC)
:I don't know about you, but when I look at the image it could go either way in terms of which hand they are using. They are stick figures so you can't see shoulders, chests, or backs. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.161|108.162.237.161]] 23:19, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
:No, it's pretty clear from the angle of the water's edge which way round we're looking. For those to be right hands, Megan and Beret Guy would have to be standing at a very strange angle to the water. Also the swoosh from Megan's stone goes behind her head.--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.215|108.162.249.215]] 04:22, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

Vinland != America
: "Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by Norse Vikings..." per Wikipedia. (Providing actual info rather than just yelling "NO!" is always more helpful. But I'll take your comment (and you posting it anonymously) was intended as being in the spirit of the comments Randall's poking fun at.) [[Special:Contributions/199.27.133.39|199.27.133.39]] 16:52, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

Since "Leaf" Ericson is a pun on Leif, I think Vinland is a pun for Finland, but with the prefix "Vin" from "Vine". All of these puns make sense since the boat is made from a leaf. {{unsigned ip|199.27.130.228}}
:Try reading the wikipedia entry for Vinland. That makes a lot more sense. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.240.30|108.162.240.30]] 15:18, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

Is it just me or does this sound a lot like the game discordian game "Sink"? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.240.30|108.162.240.30]] 15:15, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

The explanation says Megan's comment is in contrast, I felt it was more of a comparison or a parallel. News articles go away once they're a week old in some places, various comments could be seen as thrown rocks or stones. Am I the only one who read it this way? [[Special:Contributions/173.245.55.63|173.245.55.63]] 15:27, 23 June 2014 (UTC)
:I really feel that it would be more in line with my interpretation if the "In contrast, " was simply removed... I don't think it's in contrast to anything. She contemplates, then decides to join in. As for the metaphor of thrown stones, I'm not sure I really see it, except possibly as a meta-meta-reference... (if such a thing is a thing?) -- [[User:Brettpeirce|Brettpeirce]] ([[User talk:Brettpeirce|talk]]) 12:47, 24 June 2014 (UTC)
: Come to think of it, I agree - it's a little loose, 'cuz while Beret Guy is throwing stones at the boat himself, Megan is just reading the comments (stones) that eventually sink the article (boat), but I see a metaphor, for sure! {{unsigned|Brettpeirce}}

Happy Leif Erikson day, everyone! Jinga-hinga-durga! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.171|141.101.98.171]] 17:15, 23 June 2014 (UTC)
:141.101, wɘnt to gɘt morɘ giant papEr. Uhhhh... [[User:MrGameZone|MᴙGam]][[User talk:MrGameZone|ɘZonɘ]] 18:19, 23 June 2014 (UTC)

Every day, I read the discussion on an explainxkcd page ;) [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.73|173.245.50.73]] 14:26, 24 June 2014 (UTC)

Ha! Great pun in the title text, though he could have had another had he said "Vineland". [[User:Jevicci|Jevicci]] ([[User talk:Jevicci|talk]]) 15:12, 24 June 2014 (UTC)

Somewhat off-topic, but for me, by definition a rock is something too big to throw (or throw easily). They must be throwing stones. (Or pebbles, but the objects look too large for that.) Is this one of those national/regional vocabulary things?--[[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.215|108.162.249.215]] 04:26, 26 June 2014 (UTC)

Talk:1385: Throwing Rocks

2014-06-26T04:22:49Z

108.162.249.215:

586: Mission to Culture

2014-05-30T16:23:49Z

108.162.249.215: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 586
| date = May 20, 2009
| title = Mission to Culture
| image = mission to culture.png
| titletext = It can't be very MUCH money... they apparently can't even afford a sampler. I mean, with a little remixing, some of this could be kinda good!
}}

==Explanation==
[[Cueball]] wants to take [[Megan]] out for his idea of a cultural experience. The inference is that Megan's culturally impoverished because 'all she ever listens to is techno'. After much griping on various levels, she starts to get into the experience — sort of. The big 'cultural lesson' she [mis-]gleans from the experience is similar to what a sporting aficionado would gain from watching a sports event.

Her observation regards the seating configuration of a typical modern orchestra, in which the violinists all sit audience-left, while the viole, celli and bassi are on the right. The title text basically just ices the cake. A {{w|sampler (musical instrument)|sampler}} is an instrument frequently used in techo music that samples other sounds and plays them back, usually electronically altered. {{w|Remix|Remixing}} is a process, also often used in techno, of editing recorded music to get a different sound.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball is pulling Megan by the legs. She is holding onto the ground.]
:Cueball: We're getting some culture in you if it ''kills'' you.
:Megan: Don't wanna.

:[Cueball is pushing Megan through a door.]
:Cueball: All you listen to is techno.
:Megan: But... the ''symphony?''

:[The couple stand in line between other people.]
:Megan: I think we're the only people here under 60.
:Cueball: Shhh.

:[The couple sit in the audience just before the concert.]
:Megan: The right side is definitely better.
:Cueball: Better?
:Megan: They've all got bigger instruments. I bet they make more money.
:Cueball: *Sigh*

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Music]]

Talk:832: Tic-Tac-Toe

2014-05-09T22:08:27Z

108.162.249.215:

This is all wrong. The second move for X, unless O blocked it already, or started off in the centre should be the lower right corner. That way, O will use the centre to block, and then X goes in a third corner, thus sealing the game.[[Special:Contributions/76.29.225.28|76.29.225.28]] 04:59, 23 July 2013 (UTC)
:Can you tell which situation you mean? If X starts at 7 and O does not go to 5, then X forces a win with the described tactic. There might be other ways to win, but I don't think that matters. --[[User:Chtz|Chtz]] ([[User talk:Chtz|talk]]) 09:11, 23 July 2013 (UTC)
::Playing as X, you start in the upper left corner. O plays in any square other than the lower right corner (They ''might'' be able to block if they play the centre, depending on whether they anticipate this move). Then, when O blocks the centre, you play the upper right or lower left corner, depending on where O has played before, thus making it impossible to block because they only get one move. The only time this ''ever'' fails is when O knows what X is doing after the ''first'' move.[[Special:Contributions/76.29.225.28|76.29.225.28]] 19:57, 23 July 2013 (UTC)
:::If it goes X7, O5, X3, then O must play anywhere but in a corner next (result is symmetric) X has to block and O can hold a draw. Just see the ''Map for O'' part. --[[User:Chtz|Chtz]] ([[User talk:Chtz|talk]]) 21:40, 23 July 2013 (UTC)
::::I don't know the numbers for the squares. There are only nine of them. Could we just refer to them by their positions relative to the rest of the board?[[Special:Contributions/76.29.225.28|76.29.225.28]] 21:44, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

There is an error in the drawing when starting with (numpad coordinates) X7, O9, X1, O4, X3: Both O5 and O6 have the same picture. --[[User:Chtz|Chtz]] ([[User talk:Chtz|talk]]) 09:11, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

'''Tic-Tac-Toe''' is just a stupid simple game, Randall jokes about '''that'''. As the title text says "...waiting for your opponent to make a mistake". And the picture is just a part of this joke.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:04, 23 July 2013 (UTC)

I just don't want to analyze both maps, but I had a college assignment that made me look into Tic Tac Toe strategy, and I think that the explanation should start with "Each map shows every possible combination of moves which will result in that side not losing.". [[Special:Contributions/108.162.212.206|108.162.212.206]] 23:40, 14 January 2014 (UTC)

The quote from War Games is "The only way to win is not to play", and it refers to the game Global Thermonuclear War, not Tic-Tac-Toe (although that was played earlier in the movie). I don't think the title text was based on this quote, but is only coincidentally similar.

Talk:1341: Types of Editors

2014-03-13T01:53:45Z

108.162.249.215:

Title text and last frame are a reference to the book [http://machineofdeath.net/ "Machine of Death"], a collection of short stories in which a machine can tell a person a word, that is in some way related to how they will die. {{unsigned ip|173.245.53.198}}

Incidentally, Munroe himself wrote a story in that anthology. Apparently, it was titled "?" Has anyone read it?[[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.108|199.27.128.108]] 08:14, 12 March 2014 (UTC)

SPOILER ALERT In the machine of death story from Randal the protagonist struggles with the fact the machine can predict death, it does not fit his world picture. He decides the only way to win is not to play so he never reads his slip of paper and goes to work starting fires to form an huge question mark. In the end he decides to stay in one place to ether die there from hunger and thirst or any other way. He hopes the slip of paper says "murder" instead of anything else as in the machine murdered him. /SPOILER ALERT
{{unsigned ip|62.177.168.231}}

There are also {{w|WYSIWYM}} editors: "what you see is what you mean", where editor marks the content according to its meaning (e.g. section title), but not necessarily exactly as it would appear in presentation. The main advantage of this system is the total separation of presentation and content. Examples include LyX, FrameMaker, WYMeditor, CodeMirror. --[[User:JakubNarebski|JakubNarebski]] ([[User talk:JakubNarebski|talk]]) 08:44, 12 March 2014 (UTC)

And let's not forget WYGIWYG (wiggywig), "What you get is what you get" A joking reference to the imperfection of certain well-known word processors. At this moment, someone out there is writing a machineofdeath-mode for Emacs. [[User:Jim E|Jim E]] ([[User talk:Jim E|talk]]) 16:07, 12 March 2014 (UTC)

Anyone know that "horse" reference? It sounds familiar but I can't place it. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.9|108.162.216.9]] 16:34, 12 March 2014 (UTC)
: I don't know if it's relevant, but there's a sculpture titled "The Horse is a Noble Animal". [http://www.marciafarquhar.com/the-horse-is-a-noble-animal-tatton-park/][http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/8605076.stm] [[User:Wwoods|Wwoods]] ([[User talk:Wwoods|talk]]) 19:18, 12 March 2014 (UTC)

What about Death Note? Sounds a bit like WYSIHYD is a nerfed version of the Death Note. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.8|108.162.215.8]] 17:12, 12 March 2014 (UTC)
:It's just a correlation. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.237.64|108.162.237.64]] 17:16, 12 March 2014 (UTC)
::Are you Randall? If not, you do not know that. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.215|108.162.249.215]] 01:53, 13 March 2014 (UTC)

I think this needs an incomplete flag. It doesn't make a clear distinction between the comic and the real-world context, and the latter isn't sufficiently explained. --[[User:Mynotoar|Mynotoar]] ([[User talk:Mynotoar|talk]]) 18:15, 12 March 2014 (UTC)