explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1259: Bee Orchid

2013-09-03T07:41:23Z

115.70.105.180:

[[First]]! The act of telling someone not to jinx something causes the jinx you're trying to prevent. [[User:gijobarts|gijobarts]] ([[User Talk:gijobarts|talk]]) 07:02, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

I had thought all the worker bees were female, and all the male "drones" stayed in the hives. The Wikipedia says that isn't true for all species. [[User:gijobarts|gijobarts]] ([[User Talk:gijobarts|talk]]) 07:15, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ophrys_apifera&oldid=571187022#Reproduction Wikipedia on the reproduction of Ophrys apifera]:
:It is the only species of the genus Ophrys which preferentially practice self-pollination. The flowers are almost exclusively self-pollinating in the northern ranges of the plant's distribution, but pollination by the solitary bee Eucera occurs in the Mediterranean area. In this case the plant attracts these insects by producing a scent that mimics the scent of the female bee. In addition, the lip acts as a decoy as the male bee confuses it with a female. Pollen transfer occurs during the ensuing pseudocopulation.
:Bees in the past have promoted the evolution of bee orchids. Male bees, over many generations of cumulative orchid evolution, have built up the bee-like shape through trying to copulate with flowers, and hence carrying pollen.
[[User:gijobarts|gijobarts]] ([[User Talk:gijobarts|talk]]) 07:36, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

:A colony of ophrys apifera was discovered a few months ago.[http://www.elperiodic.com/torrent/noticias/254352_serra-perenxisa-disfruta-categoria-microrreserva-flora.html (Spanish)]. Probably not related.
:[http://www.nguoiduatin.vn/nhung-ky-hoa-di-thao-quai-la-nhat-the-gioi-a98176.html This page (Vietnamese)] has an excellent photo of an ophrys apifera, along with other strange-looking plants. You can see how it looks like bees in that photo. [[User:gijobarts|gijobarts]] ([[User Talk:gijobarts|talk]]) 07:50, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

Was there once another bee that pollinated it in more areas, or did the eucera once populate more of the world, or has the flower expanded where the bee has not followed? [[User:gijobarts|gijobarts]] ([[User Talk:gijobarts|talk]]) 08:47, 2 September 2013 (UTC)
:Eucera is common all over Europe. But only the Southern bees recognize the plant. It may be the northern plants started selecting for a different bee that went extinct, or Eucera got ahead of the arms race in Europe or that self-pollination is more effective for now or some other reason entirely. [[Special:Contributions/96.251.85.48|96.251.85.48]] 15:41, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

The Axe body spray gag is particularly relevant, since the ad's depiction of a woman, like the flower, is another imitation of real females of a species meant to draw males of the species through deception. [[User:Nick Douglas|Nick Douglas]] ([[User talk:Nick Douglas|talk]]) 17:50, 2 September 2013 (UTC)
:You are right, and the title text is still too descriptive. Give us a try.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 18:29, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

Note that (as doubtless mentioned in the linked-to Wikipedia article, "Axe" is known as "Lynx" in the UK (at least). The same style of marketing campaign, however, with the partially homogonised Anglo-American (or even Worldwide) cultural references fighting it out with local variations in sensibilities and advertising law/regulation. Meaning that besides alternate product-shots and (sometimes) voiceovers, they do tend to have similar/identical action composition in their ads.

Also, self-pollination is being described as "a form of in-breeding". I think making that "the ultimate form of in-breeding", or similar, would be more accurate. In-breeding generally is used to describe more marginal or "just beyond the limit" forms of incests (e.g. close cousins, in human cultures), up until sibling or parent/child genetic re-mixing, but only full parthenogenisis seems to be more 'extreme' (although arguably less dangerous, through its long-time 'practice', rather than being a step ''back'' from the more beneficial sexual reproduction methods that the self-fertilising organism generally will have had to make, like in this case). [[Special:Contributions/178.106.190.241|178.106.190.241]] 23:29, 2 September 2013 (UTC)

This is the most touching cartoon he's ever done. [[Special:Contributions/72.10.216.205|72.10.216.205]] 02:35, 3 September 2013 (UTC)
I have to agree with you there. [[Special:Contributions/115.70.105.180|115.70.105.180]] 07:41, 3 September 2013 (UTC)

Talk:1251: Anti-Glass

2013-08-14T11:37:27Z

115.70.105.180: Created page with "Could someone explain the title text, please? I'm afraid I don't understand the irony mentioned. ~~~~"

Could someone explain the title text, please? I'm afraid I don't understand the irony mentioned. [[Special:Contributions/115.70.105.180|115.70.105.180]] 11:37, 14 August 2013 (UTC)

Talk:300: Facebook

2013-07-16T01:16:29Z

115.70.105.180: Created page with "I interpreted the title text as Megan putting her number in Cueball's phone, not the other way around. As she is the one being 'stalked', that seemed to make more sense than t..."

I interpreted the title text as Megan putting her number in Cueball's phone, not the other way around. As she is the one being 'stalked', that seemed to make more sense than the given explanation.[[Special:Contributions/115.70.105.180|115.70.105.180]] 01:16, 16 July 2013 (UTC)

Talk:822: Guest Week: Jeph Jacques (Questionable Content)

2013-07-09T07:15:26Z

115.70.105.180: Created page with "I [I]thought[/I] that handwriting looked familiar. :) ~~~~"

I [I]thought[/I] that handwriting looked familiar. :) [[Special:Contributions/115.70.105.180|115.70.105.180]] 07:15, 9 July 2013 (UTC)

427: Bad Timing

2013-07-09T06:02:52Z

115.70.105.180: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 427
| date = May 23, 2008
| title = Bad Timing
| image = bad_timing.png
| titletext = Protip: Even without the red spiders, never have that conversation halfway through a balloon ride.
}}

==Explanation==
In the comic, Cueball breaks up with Megan in the middle of a {{w|hot air balloon}} ride. Then {{w|Non sequitur (literary device)|the red spiders attack}}.

The red spiders are among the earliest XKCD characters, first appearing in [[8: Red spiders]].

As the [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/protip Protip] in the title text states, a break-up conversation while you are stranded in an inaccessible location is very poor manners.
Also, the suggestion may be interpreted that breaking up in a hot air balloon is a very dangerous way to do it...the reaction may result in one or both parties being ejected from the capsule.

==Transcript==
:[Cueball and Megan, flying in a hot air balloon.]
:Cueball: I like you. I'm just not feeling the relationship.
:Cueball: I'm sorry.
:Cueball: It's just bad timing. Me with my classes, you with your work, the spiders...
:Megan: The what?
:[Red Spiders crowd onto balloon, causing it to fall.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Red Spiders]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Romance]]
[[Category:Protip]]

Talk:789: Showdown

2013-07-08T11:16:22Z

115.70.105.180:

That's some killer weed, man! 8)_[[Special:Contributions/50.29.196.15|50.29.196.15]] 12:58, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
: haha, hilarious! --[[User:Jeff|<b><font color="orange">Jeff</font></b>]] ([[User talk:Jeff|talk]]) 15:56, 28 March 2013 (UTC)
Someone should explain the title text... but not me, as I don't fully get it myself. [[Special:Contributions/115.70.105.180|115.70.105.180]] 11:16, 8 July 2013 (UTC)

Talk:242: The Difference

2013-07-02T11:06:03Z

115.70.105.180: Created page with "After reading this, I was just waiting for Hatguy to lure various animals over to the lever in order to test it without being harmed in the process... ~~~~"

After reading this, I was just waiting for Hatguy to lure various animals over to the lever in order to test it without being harmed in the process... [[Special:Contributions/115.70.105.180|115.70.105.180]] 11:06, 2 July 2013 (UTC)