explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

128: dPain over dt

2012-09-13T15:00:02Z

136.159.160.76: Would it be worth pointing out that the correct notation to describe how to make the pain vanish would only make sense if this was pain as a function of time (as dPain/dt approaching zero just means you're at a local extreme)

{{comic
| number = 128
| date = July 14, 2006
| title = dPain over dt
| image = dPain_over_dt.png‎
| imagesize =
| titletext = You laugh to keep from crying, you do math to keep from crying...
}}

==Explanation==
Another one of the math-love relationship comics, a mathematical depiction of pain as a derivative of time is shown. It is hoped that the dt, or length of time is short.

If k1 was positive or if k2 was a large value, the value of dPain/dt would approach zero. Ideally, k1 would be "How much she's in my live"/Pain (which, if we assume both these values are positive, would mean the ideal k1 would be positive), while k2 would ideally be extremely large. Either of these scenarios approach what would be a situation where the value of dPain/dt is zero.

==Transcript==
dPain/dt = (-k_1 Pain + [Image of girl]) (1/(1 + e ^ -(t-k_2)/d))

k_1=?

k_2=?

[Image of girl]=How much she's still in my life

Please let d only be a few days... or weeks

I guess there's some kind of a cutoff after years, where it stops mattering and we can be friends. Do I _want_ that?

Is k_1 positive? Is k_2 large?

Will I ever stop feeling like this?

{{comic discussion}}

574: Swine Flu

2012-09-13T14:37:58Z

136.159.160.76: Created page with "{{comic | number = 574 | date = April 4, 2009 | title = Swine Flu | image = swine_flu.png | imagesize = | titletext = Bad flu epidemics can hit young adults h..."

{{comic
| number = 574
| date = April 4, 2009
| title = Swine Flu
| image = swine_flu.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = Bad flu epidemics can hit young adults hardest because they provoke their powerful immune systems into overreaction, so to stay healthy spend the next few weeks drunk and sleep-deprived to keep yours suppressed.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Swine flu}} is a strain of the flu which can be transmitted from pigs to humans. In 2009, it was the origin of the {{w|Pandemic H1N1/09 virus}}, which most new stations called either "H1N1" (the subtype name) or "swine flu". Because of the ambiguous name given to it and the somewhat hazy description of the transmittal process and dangers to humans, many people were concerned about the virus in ways that weren't going to be threats. This comic pokes a bit of fun at the overreaction by users on {{w|Twitter}}.

The last comment by 2011SENIORSRULE references a medical paper published by the journal The Lancet, in which it is proposed that autism is caused by vaccination. This Since then, the paper was partially retracted in 2004, and fully retracted in 2010 because of conflicts of interest. The entire incident has been defined as the {{w|MMR vaccine controversy}} and more details can be found on the Wikipedia page. This stance has still been seen since the retraction of the paper, and still holds some popularity. The most famous figure in support of it is {{w|Jenny McCarthy}}.

The title text refers to the common notion that young adults a hard drinking individuals who get limited sleep.

==Transcript==

{{comic discussion}}

1034: Share Buttons

2012-09-13T14:11:57Z

136.159.160.76:

{{comic
| number = 1034
| date = March 26, 2012
| title = Share Buttons
| image = share_buttons.png
| imagesize =
| titletext = The only post to achieve perfect balance between the four was a hilarious joke about Mark Zuckerberg getting caught using a pseudonym to sneak past the TSA.
}}

==Explanation==
From left to right the share buttons are: {{w|Facebook}}, {{w|Twitter}}, {{w|Reddit}}, and {{w|Google Plus}}.

This comic is a commentary on what sort of articles work best on different social networks. The comedy article is shared most on Twitter because everyone on Twitter considers themselves some sort of 140-character comedian. (140 characters is the limit of a single tweet.)

Conspiracy theory articles that are against the Christian Right and for Wikipedia play well on Reddit as those type of articles get the most votes up and the most comments.

Boycott Facebook articles (or other Facebook "is changing their terms of services to...") are very popular on Facebook, which is always obviously ironic. Also, this is the highest number of shares on Google plus, Google's fledgling social network. One of the punchlines, of course, is that Google Plus is struggling and not popular overall.

And the last article gets very few shares, because who wants to admit they are reading an article about a Realdoll, which has been referenced twice previously in xkcd comics. As is said in the [[Flying Cars]] explanation, Realdoll is known as "the world's finest lovedoll". You can probably figure it out from there.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics with color]]