explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2467: Wikipedia Caltrops

2021-05-24T18:00:24Z

141.101.98.216: /* Transcript */ corrected the last item to link to the talk page

{{comic
| number = 2467
| date = May 24, 2021
| title = Wikipedia Caltrops
| image = wikipedia_caltrops.png
| titletext = Oh no, they set up a roadblock which is just a sign with the entire 'Czech hedgehog' article printed on it.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by A WIKIPEDIA CRAWL INEVITABLY REACHING "PHILOSOPHY". Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
Wikipedia is a website that is notorious for having many links to other pages, which may result in a "wiki walk", a dilemma what has been discussed previously in [[214|214: The Problem with Wikipedia]] (and separately with TV Tropes in [[609|609: Tab Explosion]]).

A '{{w|Czech hedgehog}}' is an anti-tank obstacle made of metal, and would be an effective roadblock however a sign describing it would not impede most traffic.

Cueball's car has a collection of Wikipedia links spilling out of the trunk. They include:

* {{w|1808 mystery eruption}}: A conjectured volcanic eruption
* {{w|1916 Cumberland vs. Georgia Tech football game}}: The most uneven college football game in history
* {{w|1994 Caribbean Cup#Anomaly}}: A soccer game where group stage qualification rules had unintended consequences
* {{w|American death triangle}}: An unsafe type of rock climbing anchor
* {{w|AVE Mizar}}: A 1970s flying car
* {{w|Bald-hairy}}: A Russian political theory about state leaders' hairstyles
* {{w|Boeing YAL-1}}: A laser weapon mounted on a military aircraft
* {{w|Bubbly Creek}}: A stretch of river in Chicago featured in The Jungle
* {{w|Burned house horizon}}: An area where Neolithic people burned their settlements
* {{w|Defence Scheme No. 1}}: A 1920s plan for Canada to attack the USA
* {{w|Ebright Azimuth}}: The highest point in Delaware
* {{w|Elsagate}}: A YouTube controversy involving inappropriate videos being categorised as child-friendly
* {{w|Fastest animals#Invertebrates}}: Very fast insects, and some squid
* {{w|Flying ice cube}}: An effect in molecular dynamics simulations
* {{w|Future of Earth#Introversion}}: A theory that the continents will all drift back together
* {{w|Hairy Hands}}: A ghost story in Dartmoor, England
* {{w|January 0}}: December 31st in some software programs
* {{w|List of fictional colors}}: Impossible colours in fiction
* {{w|List of unexplained sounds}}: Mostly detected by NOAA, includes the Bloop
* {{w|Talk:List of U.S. states and territories by area}}: A very long talk page where people dispute the order of the list
* {{w|Mosquito laser}}: A proposed device for killing mosquitoes
* {{w|Pheasant Island}}: An island shared equally between France and Spain
* {{w|Time in Australia#Anomalies}}: Places in Australia which do not use the expected time zone
* {{w|Timeline of the far future}}: Scientific speculation
* {{w|Walkalong glider}}: A type of unpowered model aircraft

The idea is that by dropping a series of interesting links, one could stop someone else's movement (provided that they are also easily distracted) as they take the time to go through them all. This is analogous to the caltrops mentioned in the title.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Cueball drives a car, followed by another car. A number of paper slips with wikipedia links are distributed from the back of the car:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubbly_Creek
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elsagate
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheasant_Island
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_death_triangle
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1808_mystery_eruption
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Caribbean_Cup#Anomaly
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walkalong_glider
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fastest_animals#Invertebrates
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_ice_cube
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairy_Hands
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosquito_laser
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1916_Cumberland_vs._Georgia_Tech_football_game
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_far_future
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_0
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Scheme_No._1
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_of_Earth#Introversion
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fictional_colors
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burned_house_horizon
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unexplained_sounds
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_elevation#Delaware_-_Ebright_Azimuth

Caption: I have a collection of wikipedia links to throw behind my car if I'm ever being chased by someone as easily distracted as me.

{{comic discussion}}

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-11-27T16:04:41Z

141.101.98.216: /* Free refills at Gas Stations */ Some relevent interpretation.

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it, which is born out by the rest of their discussion, as none of the activities they list were ever popular in any capacity. After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===SCUBA diving without a mask===
SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mask which allows the diver to breath underwater. The mask is a fundamental part of SCUBA diving. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, became common around the and are recommended precaution when going into public. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where SCUBA diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are SCUBA diving.

===Free refills at Gas Stations===
Gas Stations are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common, and is the joke of this section. However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which may happen in gas stations, but is mostly associated with restaurants and diners who allow free top-ups of inexpensive soft drinks (or tea/coffee), as a possible loss-leader, for those that potentially paying more for a substantive meal. The hospitality sector has been curtailed to various degrees, depending on local responses to the pandemic, and it's possible no outlets that offered fres top-ups can continue to do so, or even operate an eat-in service at all.

===Grilling in the Library===
Grilling general poses a significant fire hazard and is thus typically not allowed in doors, especially in libraries.

===Tennis without a "safety" net===

{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus.

===Indoor Fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. Fireworks are explosives shot into the air for entertainment, they are not suitable for use indoors.

Setting off fireworks indoors is not safe, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}} However, there are specially designed indoor fireworks.

===Arcade Claw Machines===

{{w|Claw crane|Arcade claw machines}} have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are used for handling dangerous items, but the arcade claw machine was not implemented for the purpose of safety.

===Title Text: Riding a Horse through the Mall===

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the Pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going SCUBA diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the Library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[Return to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

2391: Life Before the Pandemic

2020-11-27T15:53:36Z

141.101.98.216: /* SCUBA diving without a mask */ Logical word insertion

{{comic
| number = 2391
| date = November 27, 2020
| title = Life Before the Pandemic
| image = life_before_the_pandemic.png
| titletext = I can't wait until this is all over and I can go back to riding my horse through the mall.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a STUPID CLAW. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This is another comic in xkcd's [[:Category:COVID-19|series of comics]] about the COVID-19 pandemic. [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] are having a conversation about life before the pandemic, which was declared as such on the 11th of March, 2020 by the World Health Organization. They talk about what they miss about life before the pandemic, but Cueball says that he can barely remember it, which is born out by the rest of their discussion, as none of the activities they listed were ever popular in any capacity. After they finish reminiscing, Megan says that she can't wait for a vaccine, further implying that she she can't wait to have all of these things "back." Both Pfizer and Moderna are making vaccines, with Pfizer making their application for emergency use on November 20th, 2020, 7 days before this comic's release. It is expected to be approved for use by the end of the year.

===SCUBA diving without a mask===
SCUBA stands for Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus. It consists of a tank of compressed air, which is conducted through a tube to a mask which allows the diver to breath underwater. The mask is a fundamental part of SCUBA diving. Cloth masks, to help lower the spread of the virus between people, became common around the and are recommended precaution when going into public. Megan is conflating these two different types of masks, misremembering a world where SCUBA diving did not have masks involved. You do not need to wear a cloth mask if you are SCUBA diving.

===Free refills at Gas Stations===
Gas Stations are locations where you can buy gasoline, which powers internal combustion engines, especially those in cars. A "free refill," in this context, likely refers to getting the gas tank of your car filled for free, which was not a business practice that was ever common, and is the joke of this section. However, many gas stations also have a small convenience shop that accompanies them, where you can buy food, drinks, and can use the restroom. "Free refills" could refer to getting a free refill of a type of soft drink, which has happened in gas stations, but is not consistent with the theme of the comic.

===Grilling in the Library===
Grilling general poses a significant fire hazard and is thus typically not allowed in doors, especially in libraries.

===Tennis without a "safety" net===

{{w|Tennis}} is a sport where two players use racquets to hit a ball at each other. The game is played on a court divided in half by a low net. The net is not used for anyone's safety; it's to ensure that the ball must be volleyed to the other player with some minimum height. Megan seems to believe that the net is there to ensure that the players stay on opposite sides of the net, in order to lower the spread of the virus.

===Indoor Fireworks===
Many indoor activities were moved outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, as poorly-ventilated indoor spaces vastly increase the chance of the virus spreading. Fireworks are explosives shot into the air for entertainment, they are not suitable for use indoors.

Setting off fireworks indoors is not safe, even before the pandemic.{{Citation needed}}

===Arcade Claw Machines===

Arcade claw machines have a bin of prizes (often stuffed animals) with a claw mechanism hanging overhead. The player pays a few coins into the machine and maneuvers the claw over a desired prize. The claw will descend and "attempt" to grab the prize for retrieval, but to ensure a favorable revenue for the machine operator, there is often a hidden percentage chance that the claw will not fully close. This is a frustrating experience for the player (e.g. Cueball). Remote manipulator arms are used for handling dangerous items, but the arcade claw machine was not implemented for the purpose of safety.

===Title Text: Riding a Horse through the Mall===

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Megan and Cueball are having a conversation]
:Megan: What do you miss most about life before the Pandemic?
:Cueball: I can barely remember it.

:Megan: I miss going SCUBA diving without having to wear a mask.
:Cueball: I miss free refills at gas stations.
:Megan: I miss grilling in the Library.

:[Close-up on Megan, Cueball's voice comes from off-panel, to the right.]
:Megan: I miss when tennis players didn't have to have that safety net between them.
:Cueball: I miss indoor fireworks.

:[Return to seeing them both, they are now walking to the right while talking]
:Megan: I miss when arcades let you take toys from the bin with your hand instead of using that stupid claw.
:Cueball: Ugh, I hate that thing.
:Megan: I can't wait for a vaccine.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:COVID-19]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]

2390: Linguists

2020-11-27T15:50:37Z

141.101.98.216: /* Explanation */ I thought I better have had had this additional addition added.

{{comic
| number = 2390
| date = November 25, 2020
| title = Linguists
| image = linguists.png
| titletext = "Do you feel like the answer depends on whether you're currently in the hole, versus when you refer to the events later after you get out? Assuming you get out."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by A LINGUIST IN A HOLE (OR IS IT A PIT?). As a non native English speaker, I do not at all understand the differences between what Ponytail perceives and what should have actually been said. And I did not get any the more wiser from the current explanation. What is it that Ponytail thinks is being said, and what should have been said to avoid misunderstanding? Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Ponytail hears the cries of an unidentified person who has become trapped in a hole. She rushes over and asks whether the trapped person's chosen phrasing for their predicament - "fell down a hole" - is equivalent to "fell in a hole."

For the case "fell down a hole", most people would likely understand "fell" (action) "down" (direction) "a hole" (place), while it could also be understood as "fell" (action) "down a hole" (place). Since "down a hole" is about the same as "in a hole" (barring being completely inside or not), Ponytail would like to know if "fell down a hole" is meant as "fell in a hole" or not. This phrase, on the other hand, has the same problem of being ambiguous, but with the additional problem that it is not clear what the majority of people would understand {{Citation needed}}. "Fell down into a hole" would likely solve the problem, but isn't mentioned in the comic.

In the caption, Randall comments on the stereotype that linguists are obnoxious elitists who only love telling people how wrong they are ("{{w|Linguistic prescription|Grammar Nazi}}s"). He claims the truth is much worse, that linguists' desire to extract exact meaning from phrases is done with the best of intentions. He also claims that this is worse than if they were pedants browbeating their audience, possibly because a pedant could prioritize the elements of a situation better than Ponytail is doing here.

This is similar to the viewpoint dedicated to scientists in comic [[877: Beauty]], as in studying that field seems to be a cold and sad way to analyze the thing, but instead is an extreme form of child-like awe and inspiration.

The title text goes further on this quest of understanding by trying to see whether the different usages are tied to the current situation or not. Perhaps "I fell down a hole" means "I ''just'' fell down a hole" (one has currently fallen down this hole, explaining the situation as seen) or else "I ''once'' fell down a hole" (one had previously fallen down a(nother?) hole, retelling of a prior unseen occurance). It may even be an explanation: Having discovered the joys of being down a hole, after a prior inadvertant fall, this is why the voice has (re)descended into this hole despite having had temporarily gotten out of that original depression.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Ponytail is walking to the left. A voice calls out from behind her (at the right of the panel):]
:Off-panel voice: Help!
:Off-panel voice: I fell down a hole!

:[Ponytail runs to the right, toward the hole.]

:[Ponytail, kneeling down next to the hole, calls out:]
:Ponytail: Hey!
:Ponytail: Is "fell down a hole" exactly equivalent to "fell in a hole," in your usage? Or do they have slightly different implications?

:[Caption below the panel]
:There's a myth that linguists are pedants who love correcting people, but they're actually just enthusiastic about understanding language in all its infinite varieties, which is much worse.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Language]]

Talk:1807: Listening

2020-11-27T12:03:28Z

141.101.98.216:

I think it's important to note that, at least with Alexa, the device isn't transmitting to the cloud 24/7 - the "wake word" detection happens locally, and then it starts streaming to the Amazon servers. [[User:Okofish|Okofish]] ([[User talk:Okofish|talk]]) 13:18, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

I think [[I Know You're Listening]] should be mentioned as a related comic. [[User:Effy|Effy]] ([[User talk:Effy|talk]]) 13:33, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
:That comic is about surveillance.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:59, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
::I agree with Effy as this comic here is also about knowing if anything you say might be overheard. Will add it in. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

That's a recent variant of an old joke. https://www.google.fr/search?q=voice+command+format+c+colon
Perhaps Randall got triggered by this news: [https://teleread.org/2017/01/10/when-voice-command-listens-to-anyone/ “Alexa, buy me a dollhouse.”]
--[[User:MGitsfullofsheep|MGitsfullofsheep]] ([[User talk:MGitsfullofsheep|talk]]) 15:31, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

It's worth noting that Amazon Echo was recently criticized because the host of a television show was filmed using his to make an order, which, when watched, was recognized as valid on devices which didn't use a pin. This caused many unanticipated purchases for viewers. I'm not sure wether it was an urban myth, but I heard lots of discussion on the topic a few months ago. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.95|108.162.246.95]] 17:08, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
:A quick google shows it's related to the dollhouse story: https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/08/amazon-echo-attempted-spending-spree/ --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.11|108.162.238.11]] 18:20, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

Don't read this comic out loud. [[User:13thehappykid|13thehappykid]] ([[User talk:13thehappykid|talk]]) 20:42, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
:Ha could be a problem for those who some to use this site to read the transcript with a reader because of problems with their sight... They would not read this warning first ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

This device reminds me on Star Trek (TNG):
Captain Piccard: Computer, initiate self destruction.
...
Nowhere else people are talking so often in a human form to a computer. And I'm sure that will be the future -- not only at home or in a car.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:07, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

Anyone still waiting for a whatif or comic about Trappist-1?[[User:XFez|XFez]] ([[User talk:XFez|talk]]) 13:51, 7 March 2017 (UTC)
:Would be nice, but I'm no longer specially optimistic about it. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

I am impressed that someone took the time to calculate (at least roughly), how much two tons of creamed corn would cost. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.75|162.158.62.75]] 16:28, 7 March 2017 (UTC)
:That is what we do here on explain xkcd ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)
::If two tons of creamed corn costs $10000 (USD?), according to the explanation editor, that works out to $4.61 per 14.75oz can. Where I live, national brands cost less than $1.50 a can.[[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:15, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

FWIW, the current version of Google Now only responds to "OK, Google" when spoken by the device owner (or someone with closely matching vocal qualities); my wife's phone won't respond to my voice, nor mine to hers, for the initial hotword detection. (Any voice is accepted for the actual query after a successful hotword match, or following a tap on a voice-command icon. [[User:Dansiman|Dansiman]] ([[User talk:Dansiman|talk]]) 05:47, 9 March 2017 (UTC)

For fun I tested this today with my Echo Dot and someone has fixed this security hole. When told "Alexa, order two tons of creamed corn" the reply was "hmmm... I think I'm going to save you from yourself and skip that particular order." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.65|162.158.79.65]] 02:28, 27 March 2017 (UTC)

Burger King recently took advantage of this. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/google-burger-king-feud-over-control-of-the-google-assistant/ [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.202|108.162.210.202]] 22:16, 15 April 2017 (UTC)

Why exactly did [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]] invite [[Black hat]] and [[Danish]] to their house? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.216|141.101.98.216]] 12:02, 27 November 2020 (UTC)

Talk:1807: Listening

2020-11-27T12:02:49Z

141.101.98.216:

I think it's important to note that, at least with Alexa, the device isn't transmitting to the cloud 24/7 - the "wake word" detection happens locally, and then it starts streaming to the Amazon servers. [[User:Okofish|Okofish]] ([[User talk:Okofish|talk]]) 13:18, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

I think [[I Know You're Listening]] should be mentioned as a related comic. [[User:Effy|Effy]] ([[User talk:Effy|talk]]) 13:33, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
:That comic is about surveillance.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 20:59, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
::I agree with Effy as this comic here is also about knowing if anything you say might be overheard. Will add it in. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

That's a recent variant of an old joke. https://www.google.fr/search?q=voice+command+format+c+colon
Perhaps Randall got triggered by this news: [https://teleread.org/2017/01/10/when-voice-command-listens-to-anyone/ “Alexa, buy me a dollhouse.”]
--[[User:MGitsfullofsheep|MGitsfullofsheep]] ([[User talk:MGitsfullofsheep|talk]]) 15:31, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

It's worth noting that Amazon Echo was recently criticized because the host of a television show was filmed using his to make an order, which, when watched, was recognized as valid on devices which didn't use a pin. This caused many unanticipated purchases for viewers. I'm not sure wether it was an urban myth, but I heard lots of discussion on the topic a few months ago. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.95|108.162.246.95]] 17:08, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
:A quick google shows it's related to the dollhouse story: https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/08/amazon-echo-attempted-spending-spree/ --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.11|108.162.238.11]] 18:20, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

Don't read this comic out loud. [[User:13thehappykid|13thehappykid]] ([[User talk:13thehappykid|talk]]) 20:42, 6 March 2017 (UTC)
:Ha could be a problem for those who some to use this site to read the transcript with a reader because of problems with their sight... They would not read this warning first ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

This device reminds me on Star Trek (TNG):
Captain Piccard: Computer, initiate self destruction.
...
Nowhere else people are talking so often in a human form to a computer. And I'm sure that will be the future -- not only at home or in a car.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:07, 6 March 2017 (UTC)

Anyone still waiting for a whatif or comic about Trappist-1?[[User:XFez|XFez]] ([[User talk:XFez|talk]]) 13:51, 7 March 2017 (UTC)
:Would be nice, but I'm no longer specially optimistic about it. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

I am impressed that someone took the time to calculate (at least roughly), how much two tons of creamed corn would cost. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.75|162.158.62.75]] 16:28, 7 March 2017 (UTC)
:That is what we do here on explain xkcd ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:19, 7 March 2017 (UTC)
::If two tons of creamed corn costs $10000 (USD?), according to the explanation editor, that works out to $4.61 per 14.75oz can. Where I live, national brands cost less than $1.50 a can.[[User:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For]] ([[User talk:These Are Not The Comments You Are Looking For|talk]]) 03:15, 12 March 2017 (UTC)

FWIW, the current version of Google Now only responds to "OK, Google" when spoken by the device owner (or someone with closely matching vocal qualities); my wife's phone won't respond to my voice, nor mine to hers, for the initial hotword detection. (Any voice is accepted for the actual query after a successful hotword match, or following a tap on a voice-command icon. [[User:Dansiman|Dansiman]] ([[User talk:Dansiman|talk]]) 05:47, 9 March 2017 (UTC)

For fun I tested this today with my Echo Dot and someone has fixed this security hole. When told "Alexa, order two tons of creamed corn" the reply was "hmmm... I think I'm going to save you from yourself and skip that particular order." [[Special:Contributions/162.158.79.65|162.158.79.65]] 02:28, 27 March 2017 (UTC)

Burger King recently took advantage of this. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/04/google-burger-king-feud-over-control-of-the-google-assistant/ [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.202|108.162.210.202]] 22:16, 15 April 2017 (UTC)

Why exactly did [[cueball]] and [[ponytail]] invite [[Black hat]] and [[Danish]] to their house? [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.216|141.101.98.216]] 12:02, 27 November 2020 (UTC)

Talk:781: Ahead Stop

2020-11-27T11:44:50Z

141.101.98.216:

Reminds me of something I saw in San Diego on a pedestrian/bike path: PED TO YIELD. At first I thought it meant that pedestrians are to yield to bicyclists. But then I remembered my highway grammar.

--[[Special:Contributions/98.203.241.55|98.203.241.55]] 21:49, 1 May 2013 (UTC)
:"highway grammar" that's a good one! [[User:Saibot84|Saibot84]] ([[User talk:Saibot84|talk]]) 05:25, 19 May 2013 (UTC)
::"grammar highway" [[Special:Contributions/173.245.53.166|173.245.53.166]] 19:50, 10 March 2014 (UTC)
:Pedestrians should yield to cyclists, surely. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.216|141.101.98.216]] 11:44, 27 November 2020 (UTC)

The phrase suffers from parallax. Being near the first words you can't read the phrase in the correct order but the words further away make more sense, so you read:
"HIGHWAY ENGINEERS THINK BACKWARD I READ".

[[User:Weatherlawyer| I used Google News BEFORE it was clickbait]] ([[User talk:Weatherlawyer|talk]]) 17:23, 26 January 2015 (UTC)

In Idaho you can see signs which say:
GUBERIF
BE A
DONT

So theyre not only downside-up and backside-front, there ungrammaticle. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.36|173.245.54.36]] 22:18, 13 May 2016 (UTC)

Please do not reenact the title text. {{unsigned ip|108.162.237.44}}

To save you the bother, I googled guberif and found it is firebug spelt backwards, which I should have realised for myself, and comes from a 70+ year old marketing campaign. So now you know. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.70|108.162.245.70]] 22:55, 22 June 2017 (UTC)

Sometimes the result is poetic. Last weekend I saw "BRIDGE LOW TRUCKS NO" on a highway. [[User:Gmcgath|Gmcgath]] ([[User talk:Gmcgath|talk]]) 00:00, 29 June 2017 (UTC)

How can someone say there is not many periods on the highway, has anyone done a study of how many woman are not menstruating while in a vehicle compared to those that are? I would think that at any one time there is a significant amount of periods on any given roadway. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.166}}

What Americans call periods were represented by STOP in telegrams [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=124683 StraightDope] or in British English: a full stop [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_stop wikipedia]. [[User:Elvenivle|Elvenivle]] ([[User talk:Elvenivle|talk]]) 03:06, 27 September 2017 (UTC)

2390: Linguists

2020-11-26T09:15:07Z

141.101.98.216: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 2390
| date = November 25, 2020
| title = Linguists
| image = linguists.png
| titletext = "Do you feel like the answer depends on whether you're currently in the hole, versus when you refer to the events later after you get out? Assuming you get out."
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by A LINGUIST IN A HOLE. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

Ponytail hears the cries of an unidentified person who has become trapped in a hole. She rushes over and asks whether the trapped person's chosen phrasing for their predicament - "fell down a hole" - is equivalent to "fell in a hole."

For the case "fell down a hole", most people would likely understand "fell" (action) "down" (direction) "a hole" (place), while it could also be understood as "fell" (action) "down a hole" (place). Since "down a hole" is about the same as "in a hole" (barring being completely inside or not), Ponytail would like to know of "fell down a hole" is meant as "fell in a hole" or not. This phrase, on the other hand, has the same problem of being ambiguous, but with the additional problem that it is not clear what the majority of people would understand [citation needed]. "Fell down into a hole" would likely solve the problem, but isn't mentioned in the comic.

In the caption, Randall comments that linguists' desire to extract exact meaning from phrases is, in fact, done with the best of intentions. He also claims that this is worse than if they were pedants browbeating their audience, possibly because a pedant could prioritize the elements a situation better than Ponytail is doing here.

This is somwhow similar to the viewpoint dedicated to scientists in comic [[877]], as in studying that field seems to be a cold and sad way to analyze the thing, but instead is an extreme form of child-like awe and inspiration.

The title text goes further on this quest of understanding by trying to see whether the different usages is tied to the current situation or not.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:[Ponytail is walking to the left. A voice calls out from behind her (at the right of the panel):]
:Off-panel voice: Help!
:Off-panel voice: I fell down a hole!

:[Ponytail runs to the right, toward the hole.]

:[Ponytail, kneeling down next to the hole, calls out:]
:Ponytail: Hey!
:Ponytail: Is "fell down a hole" exactly equivalent to "fell in a hole," in your usage? Or do they have slightly different implications?

:[Caption below the panel]
:There's a myth that linguists are pedants who love correcting people, but they're actually just enthusiastic about understanding language in all its infinite varieties, which is much worse.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Language]]

Talk:2390: Linguists

2020-11-26T02:21:43Z

141.101.98.216:

"Fell in a hole" sounds wrong, from a (possibly) Rightpondian perspective. If it was "...into...", then that'd be better. (Falling down a hole would probably imply total inholation, while into one might mean no more than a foot getting snagged. Though the former also separately implies starting from partial or imminent holedness, the latter indicates the hole was not previously a problem but then became a novel issue to deal with. Falling 'in' a hole could mean "I was already at the bottom of a hole, minding my own business, and then I tripped on something/lost my balance and fell over..." ''Edit: as it might also be for "Fell down a hole", thinking more about it. A comma after "Fell" would make that more definite.'') I also have problems with "Lit on fire", for something that is set fire to, but I know that's definitely a transatlantic issue. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.216|162.158.155.216]] 02:01, 26 November 2020 (UTC)

Talk:2390: Linguists

2020-11-26T02:20:11Z

141.101.98.216:

"Fell in a hole" sounds wrong, from a (possibly) Rightpondian perspective. If it was "...into...", then that'd be better. (Falling down a hole would probably imply total inholation, while into one might mean no more than a foot getting snagged. Though the former also separately implies starting from partial or imminent holedness, the latter indicates the hole was not previously a problem but then became a novel issue to deal with. Falling 'in' a hole could mean "I was already at the bottom of a hole, minding my own business, and then I tripped on something/lost my balance and fell over..." ''Edit, as it might also be for "Fell down a hole", thinking more about it. A comma after "Fell" would make that more definite.'') I also have problems with "Lit on fire", for something that is set fire to, but I know that's definitely a transatlantic issue. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.216|162.158.155.216]] 02:01, 26 November 2020 (UTC)

Talk:2383: Electoral Precedent 2020

2020-11-10T23:52:25Z

141.101.98.216: /* Table */

Can anyone identify the faded background text in the 2016 panel?

Is there some shadow text behind the main text in the 2016 square? I can barely make it out.
It looks like "No nominee whose first name contains a "k" has lost", which would be the same from the 1122 comic.
[[User:ChunyangD|ChunyangD]] ([[User talk:ChunyangD|talk]]) 00:54, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

It's the alternative text from the 2016 one: "No nominee whose first name contains a "K" has lost." [[Special:Contributions/172.69.235.143|172.69.235.143]] 00:58, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

I'm quite sure that Obama did in fact have a campaign website in 2008 when he was a challenger. See http://www.4president.us/websites/2008/barackobama2008website.htm [[User:Bobjr|Bobjr]] ([[User talk:Bobjr|talk]]) 01:15, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:I think "challenger" means that they're going against the incumbent. Obama was up against McCain, who wasn't an incumbent. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 01:31, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

How much do we want the explanation for this one to repeat what is in that of 1122?--[[User:Troy0|Troy0]] ([[User talk:Troy0|talk]]) 01:19, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:We shouldn't. If the explanation of 1122 is missing something it should be added there. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:21, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Didn't Clinton win after being impeached? [[User:Alcatraz ii|Alcatraz ii]] ([[User talk:Alcatraz ii|talk]]) 01:21, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:Yes, he was impeached during his first term. [[User:Barmar|Barmar]] ([[User talk:Barmar|talk]]) 01:31, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:: No, this is not true, Clinton was impeached during his 2nd term, in 1998, and he was not eligible for a 3rd term. George W. Bush won the following presidential election in 2000. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.34.42|172.69.34.42]] 01:35, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

You could also say Joe was the first President with a rescue dog [[User:Squire80513|Squire80513]] ([[User talk:Squire80513|talk]]) 01:57, 10 November 2020 (UTC)Squire80513
:Does not Lyndon B Johnson's dog, Yuki, count? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.128|162.158.159.128]] 02:30, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
::LBJ's Yuki was a "rescue" (found wandering aimlessly around a gas station) but not a "shelter" dog. Joe's dog is the first first canine from a shelter. It's subtle distinction that many repeating the statistic miss [[User:MAP|MAP]] ([[User talk:MAP|talk]]) 03:08, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Point of order, why is Biden being referred to as president elect? I was under the impression that the term shouldn't be used until the dispute is resolved. With several pending legal cases and the votes uncertified by the states. -172.69.170.142 3:45 11/10/20 {{template:unsigned IP|172.69.170.142|03:45, 10 November 2020}}
: All major media sources have called the race for Biden as of Saturday, November 8th. XKCD, and this wiki, will follow the lead of the Associated Press or New York Times, both of whom say the race has concluded and Joe Biden is the president elect. -162.158.62.93 4:38 11/10/20 {{template:unsigned IP|162.158.62.93|04:38, 10 November 2020}}
:: Except for one of the most trusted- RealClearPolitics.com still has Pennsylvania up for grabs due to lawsuits and is about to move Michigan back into play after a poll worker claimed that a delivery of Biden-only votes came into a Detroit counting room at 3:30 am on November 4.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:26, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
::: Your assertion of trust without reason comes across as fake news; however, I checked the web.archive.org history for realclearpolitics.com, and it has over a decade of history. I also visited the site and at a cursor glance it might have rational articles from both political sides, which seems commendable. If it is actually trustworthy, why didn't you explain that it is and why it is, given the current news environment? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.77|162.158.62.77]] 14:53, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:::: My bad, I had assumed that the trio of sites covering the electoral college, 270toWin, RealClearPolitics, and 538 were all well known and respected sites by now, after having played a big role in the last 4 elections. [[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 15:25, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:: Not only that, but A) while "the votes uncertified by the states" may influence the exact total, they can't make Trump win, B) a Trump victory would require that ALL legal cases are resolved in Trump's favor (depending on uncertified votes) and C) the Republican party asked to Trump to concede victory, meaning that nobody with political experience believes those legal cases have a chance of success. The only unknown point is the result of the EC election, but it is naturally assumed they will vote for the elected candidate.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.55.104|172.69.55.104]] 08:29, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
: "Presumptive president elect" would be more accurate (and I say this as someone that voted for Biden). --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.72|108.162.219.72]] 10:06, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

I don't understand how the statement for 1876 could have been true: if J.Q. Adams won in 1824 without a popular majority, then his opponent won the majority and still lost, so Tilden couldn't have been the first in 1876 to win the majority and lose?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.38|141.101.98.38]] 08:54, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
: Simple: there were more than two candidates. In 1824, there were four candidates who each got over 10% of the vote. That's how Adams could win without the majority, without one of his opponents then having the majority. (In fact, Jackson had the plurality of the votes, but not the majority, but Adams was elected by the House.) --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.74|141.101.98.74]] 11:30, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
::Thanks![[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.96|162.158.159.96]] 16:57, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Bad with formatting here, but I updated the bit about precedent to include that Trump's raw vote total (approx 71.5 million, also not yet certified) is ''also'' breaking the precedent set by Obama in 2008. Love them or hate them, in this high-turnout election, both major party candidates had record numbers for their raw vote totals. Trump doesn't make it to first place above Obama because Biden makes it to first place above Trump. I didn't look into whether the percentage of eligible population numbers are different, but higher turnout combined with higher population makes breaking that barrier a little easier.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.238.5|108.162.238.5]] 13:02, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:Especially since poll workers were caught on camera in Wisconsin putting Trump Votes upside-down into the scanner, but scanning Biden votes correctly.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 14:26, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
::How was this discovered? How can we hunt down more occurrences? Did the machine reject the ballots and the people fix the error? (and what are the ramifications of a camera recording vote ballots?) There is no reason to not suspect the opposite happens too: that anybody's votes could be put in upside down. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.62.77|162.158.62.77]] 14:55, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
:::It's part of the lawsuit based on a complaint from an observer. But there is an easy way to track down and correct this problem on both sides- hold a recount.[[User:Seebert|Seebert]] ([[User talk:Seebert|talk]]) 15:25, 10 November 2020 (UTC)
::::I have not found a reference to any current Wisconsin lawsuit. Seems like you should either document the claims or delete them.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.174.126|172.68.174.126]] 23:13, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

Honestly, the outcome's still not 100%, so, if, by some stroke of (bad?) luck, Trump becomes president again, then the precedents might change.- another user

== Table ==

If you really feel the need to explain every item in a table then please do so in comic 1122 as this is the original. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 18:25, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

I removed the redundant options, sorry - user who made table (...Unsigned)
: When I changed the word from "Redundant" (I know what you meant, just that's not quite right) I was hoping to #anchor the link to the prior comic exactly upon the new(?) section someone set up with the previously-relevent lines of table. But it turns out there's only two href="#..."s on that page, and no section titles are given that honour (unlike, say, wikipedia's Table Of Contents entries) I don't want to try to mess with the expkcd wiki at that level of things, but I think it'd be slightly more useful to set that up than it would cost in effort (i.e. a slightly larger version of 'barely'). That's my suggestion, anyway. Just putting it out there. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.216|141.101.98.216]] 23:52, 10 November 2020 (UTC)

2383: Electoral Precedent 2020

2020-11-10T23:36:08Z

141.101.98.216: /* Table of New Broken Precedents */ Not redundant, just slightly more historic.

{{comic
| number = 2383
| date = November 9, 2020
| title = Electoral Precedent 2020
| image = electoral_precedent_2020.png
| titletext = He also broke the streak that incumbents with websites are unbeatable and Delawareans can't win, creating a new precedent: Only someone from Delaware can defeat an incumbent with a website.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by an UNBEATABLE DELAWAREAN WITH A WEBSITE. Please explain how. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

This comic is an update to [[1122: Electoral Precedent]], adding "broken precedents" for the US presidential elections in 2016 and 2020. The majority of the comic's panels are duplicates from 1122, with the exception of the 2012 panel (modified to show that Obama did in fact break the streak), the 2016 panel (added to reflect the election of Donald Trump), and the two 2020 panels.

The final two panels again show how the 'precedent' have side conditions that influenced these precedents:
* No sitting president who was impeached was nominated for the office again... until Donald Trump. (Bill Clinton was the last president who was impeached, but he was not eligible for re-election due to term limits; before that, Nixon wasn't impeached but resigned from office; before that, Johnson was seeking re-election but lost in the primaries against Seymour) 
* The last time a challenger beat an incumbent was in 1992 when websites weren't nearly as predominant as now and Randall assumes the 1992 Clinton campaign not to have a website. By 1996 that had changed and both the incumbent [http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/websites/cg96/ Bill Clinton campaign] and the challenger [http://www.dolekemp96.org/main.htm Bob Dole campaign] had websites that look very simple by today's standards. There is no 'curse' on using websites. 

The 2020 election is also precedent-breaking in a few ways that Randall didn't mention:
* Biden received over 76 million votes, the highest ever, beating Obama 2008's previous record of just under 69.5 million votes. The second highest raw vote total was for Trump, with approximately 71.5 million votes, ''also'' beating Obama 2008. Turnout as a percentage of the eligible population was the highest in over a century. Consequently (especially as total population has also been rising), both major parties' raw vote totals smash previous precedents.
* At 78, Joe Biden will be the oldest president ever on the day of his inauguration.
* Biden's running mate Kamala Harris will be the first-ever female vice president, first Black vice president, and first vice president of Indian descent. A Californian, she'll also be the first Democratic president or vice president from the West.

The title text continues the theme of websites, by stating that no incumbent with a website had ever lost. Also, Biden is the first president from the state of Delaware, thus he broke the "precedent" that Delawareans can't win. Randall then proceeds to combine these 2 facts to create a new precedent: Only Delawareans can defeat incumbents with a website.

==Table of New Broken Precedents==

All original options can be found at [[1122: Electoral Precedent]]

{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Broken Precedent !! Validity !! Explanation

|-
|2012
|Democratic incumbents never beat taller challengers. ... Until Obama did. (Updated)
|
|
|-
|2016
|No one has become president without government or military experience. ... Until Trump did.
|
|
|-
|2020?
|No one has won after being impeached. ✓
|
|
|-
|2020?
| No challenger with a website has won. X
|
|
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:The problem with statements like
:"No <party> candidate has won the election without <state>"
:Or
:"No president has been reelected under <circumstances>"

:<font color="red"><nowiki>★</nowiki> Updated for 2020 ★</font>

:1788... No one has been elected president before. ...But Washington was.
:1792... No incumbent has ever been reelected. ...Until Washington.
:1796... No one without false teeth has become president. ...But Adams did.
:1800... No challenger has beaten an incumbent. ...But Jefferson did.
:1804... No incumbent has beaten a challenger. ...Until Jefferson.
:1808... No congressman has ever become president. ...Until Madison.
:1812... No one can win without New York. ...But Madison did.
:1816... No candidate who doesn't wear a wig can get elected. ...Until Monroe was.
:1820... No one who wears pants instead of breeches can be reelected. ...But Monroe was.
:1824... No one has ever won without a popular majority. ...J.Q. Adams did.
:1828... Only people from Massachusetts and Virginia can win. ...Until Jackson did.
:1832... The only presidents who get reelected are Virginians. ...Until Jackson.
:1836... New Yorkers always lose. ...Until Van Buren.
:1840... No one over 65 has won the presidency. ...Until Harrison did.
:1844... No one who's lost his home state has won. ...But Polk did.
:1848... The Democrats don't lose when they win Pennsylvania. ...But they did in 1848.
:1852... New England Democrats can't win. ...Until Pierce did.
:1856... No one can become president without getting married. ...Until Buchanan did.
:1860... No one over 6'3" can get elected. ...Until Lincoln.
:1864... No one with a beard has been reelected. ...But Lincoln was.
:1868... No one can be president if their parent are alive. ...Until Grant.
:1872... No one with a beard has been reelected in peacetime. ...Until Grant was.
:1876... No one can win a majority of the popular vote and still lose. ...Tilden did.
:1880... As goes California, so goes the nation. ...Until it went Hancock.
:1884... Candidates named "James" can't lose. ...Until James Blaine.
:1888... No sitting president has been beaten since the Civil War. ...Cleveland was.
:1892... No former president has been elected. ...Until Cleveland.
:1896... Tall midwesterners are unbeatable. ...Bryan wasn't.
:1900... No Republican shorter than 5'8" has been reelected. ...Until McKinley was.
:1904... No one under 45 has become president. ...Roosevelt did.
:1908... No Republican who hasn't served in the military has won. ...Until Taft.
:1912... After Lincoln beat the Democrats while sporting a beard with no mustache, the only Democrats who can win have a mustache with no beard. ...Wilson had neither.
:1916... No Democrat has won without Indiana. ...Wilson did.
:1920... No incumbent senator has won. ...Until Harding.
:1924... No one with two Cs in their name has become president. ...Until Calvin Coolidge.
:1928... No one who got ten million votes has lost. ...Until Al Smith.
:1932... No Democrat has won since women secured the right to vote. ...Until FDR did.
:1936... No President's been reelected with double-digit unemployment. ...Until FDR was.
:1940... No one has won a third term. ...Until FDR did.
:1944... No Democrat has won during wartime. ...Until FDR did.
:1948... Democrats can't win without Alabama. ...Truman did.
:1952... No Republican has won without winning the House or Senate. ...Eisenhower did.
:1956... No Republican has won without Missouri. ...Until Eisenhower.
:1960... Republicans without facial hair are unbeatable. ...Kennedy beat Nixon.
:1964... No Democrat has won without Georgia. ...Johnson did.
:1968... No Republican vice president has risen to the Presidency through an election. ...Until Nixon.
:1972... No wartime candidate has won without Massachusetts. ...Until Nixon did.
:1976... No one who lost New Mexico has won. ...But Carter did.
:1980... No one has been elected President after a divorce. ...Until Reagan was.
:1984... No left-handed president has been reelected. ...Until Reagan was.
:1988... No Democrat who has won Wisconsin (without being from there) has lost. ...Until Dukakis did.
:1992... No Democrat has won without a majority of the Catholic vote. ...Until Clinton did.
:1996... No Dem. incumbent without combat experience has beaten someone whose first name is worth more in Scrabble. ...Until Bill beat Bob.
:2000... No Republican has won without Vermont. ...Until Bush did.
:2004... No Republican without combat experience has beaten someone two inches taller. ...Until Bush did.
:2008... No Democrat can win without Missouri. ...Until Obama did.
:2012... Democratic incumbents never beat taller challengers. ... Until Obama did.
:2016... No one has become president without government or military experience. ... Until Trump did.
:2020? No one has won after being impeached. <big><font color="green">✓</font></big>
:2020? No challenger with a website has won. <big><font color="red">X</font></big>

:[Caption below the comic]
:Congratulations to President-Elect Joe Biden for breaking the website curse!

==Errors==
*This comic seems to have used the same image as [[1122: Electoral Precedent]], and so under the 2016 panel there is the ghost image of the original 2012 2nd "streak": "No nominee whose first name contains a "K" has lost."

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Statistics]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Comics featuring politicians]]
[[Category:Comics featuring John F. Kennedy]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

Talk:1507: Metaball

2015-04-04T10:04:51Z

141.101.98.216: Metagame

This... looks amazing! I wonder if this is going to be a case of xkcd influencing real life, like geohashing, the "citation needed" on speeches or cory doctorow cosplaying... cory doctorow. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.48.29|173.245.48.29]] 08:26, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Over here in Rightpondia (UK), "Hockey" means "Field Hockey" (I'm sure I've never actually heard "ball hockey" as a term before, ''ever'', although must be the same)... although it's mostly popularised as a (often very vicious!) girl's sport; see the St. Trinians cartoons/films. Although we understand Leftpondians (and especially Upper-Leftpondians) mean Ice Hockey when they miss off the qualifier. Just as vicious, of course (except now that everyone wears armour... also c.f. usual comments regarding Rugby League/Union vs 'American Football'/Gridiron). But none of these have anything on the near-variant of these games (mainly in Ireland) that is Hurling..! (As to Field Hockey as Aussie Rules Football is to Association Football?)[[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.192|141.101.98.192]] 16:25, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

Suspiciously similar to Calvinball. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.100|108.162.221.100]] 21:18, 3 April 2015 (UTC)A Martin
: I agree, but there seem to be preset rules (the sheet that Ponytail is holding), suggesting that it isn't made up as they go along [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.33|141.101.98.33]] 09:01, 4 April 2015 (UTC)

I see influences of Hofstadter's ''Godel,Escher,Bach'', which has
1) the idea of how the play-by-play of a football game would be altered if it were baseball (among other counterfactuals), and
2) the idea of a boardgame whose rules change according to where pieces are on the board. [[User:Fewmet|Fewmet]] ([[User talk:Fewmet|talk]]) 22:26, 3 April 2015 (UTC)

I wonder how the concept of 'out' (as opposed to 'in') would be dealt with as the ball passes into (and eventually out of) the volleyball zone.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.216|173.245.54.216]] 05:58, 4 April 2015 (UTC)

OK I guess this is not a complaint since the explanation seems to make sense. But I'm still confused about something. In the third panel the invocation of the infield fly rule is entirely wrong, The infielder must either catch and drop the ball or appear to deliberately refuse to catch the ball. The panel shows the ball still in the air when the call is made. As an athletophobe I just spent 20 minutes of my life researching the infield fly rule (http://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5322&context=penn_law_review) (!!!) so... well... I get it but how do you make the leap?[[User:ExternalMonolog|ExternalMonolog]] ([[User talk:ExternalMonolog|talk]]) 09:01, 4 April 2015 (UTC)

A quick comment about hockey: there a variation, hockey cosom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoor_field_hockey). It is played normally indoor and with a ball. But it is also a cheap variant that school in Quebec use in winter in PE, as skating equipment with proper gears for rink hockey is both expensive and require skill that kids might not have. It would better fit with the Metaball title.--[[User:Labreck|Labreck]] ([[User talk:Labreck|talk]]) 10:03, 4 April 2015 (UTC)

The title reminds me of J H Conway's paradoxical "Metagame", whose rules are: the first player (L) names a finite game (e.g. Nim), and then the two players (L and R) play that game. Is Metagame a finite game? If it is, then each player in turn can name Metagame, and the process never ends, so it isn't finite. But if it isn't finite, L must name another finite game, so the game does end. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.216|141.101.98.216]] 10:04, 4 April 2015 (UTC)

1497: New Products

2015-03-12T05:54:42Z

141.101.98.216: small spelling correction

{{comic
| number = 1497
| date = March 11, 2015
| title = New Products
| image = new products.png
| titletext = If you ever hear "Wait, is that Kim Dotcom's new project? I'm really excited about it and already signed up, although I'm a little nervous about whether everyone should hand over control of their medical...", it's time to dig a bunker in your backyard.
}}

== Explanation ==
This comic points out an apparent paradox in product performance: Many products that are [https://www.google.com/search?q=No+wireless+Less+space+than+a+nomad+Lame criticized by techies when first announced] go on to great success, and many that are heavily hyped are total flops. The product in question may be a reference to the {{w|Apple Watch}}, which was announced around the time of this comic's release.

{| class="wikitable"
! If they say...
! Explanation
! Example
|-
|"It doesn't do anything new"
|A product that "doesn't do anything new" may still be successful for a variety of reasons. It may in fact do something new that the engineers and programmers are overlooking, or it may simply be a better presentation of an older idea. This latter category is the completion of the life-cycle mentioned later in the comic, those products whose "ideas will show up in something successful."
|{{w|iPod}}
|-
|"Why would anyone want that?"
|If engineers and programmers can't figure out why anyone would want a product, that may actually be because the applications are highly avant-garde or niche. Although then it would never become a big success! Engineers and programmers themselves may be in a niche that doesn't share the tastes and priorities of non-technical people, and are therefore unable to understand and accurately assess the appeal that a product will have to the masses.
|{{w|iPad}}, {{w|Twitter}}
|-
|"Really exciting"
|rowspan="2"|Products that are "really exciting" to engineers and programmers, so much so that they have already pre-ordered them, may fail to succeed for two reasons.

First, the product may have flaws that techies consider unimportant, but matter to the general public. These may include bad marketing (the masses don't hear about or "get" how good the product is), an unintuitive design or implementation (which more technical users may be able to "live with", but regular people may not be able or willing), or something as simple as a lack of aesthetics (which decreases appeal for use by owners and may temper the fervor which might otherwise encourage further sales).

Alternately, the product could turn out to be "nerd bait," so to speak. The developers promise a cool, groundbreaking new gadget or service, and people get so excited by the idea that they ignore whether or not it's actually feasible. When the developers can't follow through, unsurprisingly, the product flops. The ideas that it proposed, which were so intriguing to the programmers and the developers, will be worth billions once someone can figure out how to realize them.
|{{w|NeXT}}
|-
|"I've already preordered one"
|[http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/07/how-one-kickstarter-project-squandered-3-5-million/ myIDkey]
|-
|"Wait, are you talking about <unfamiliar person's name>'s new project?"
|If a product's developer's name is well-known among engineers and programmers, but not among the general public, that's usually not a good sign. Quite likely, the developer is someone who goes a step farther than those in the previous category, not just announcing something cool and exciting they can't follow through on, but doing so ''knowing'' that they can't follow through yet still taking people's money. The state may press criminal charges against them (for fraud or such), or the angry investors may sue to get their money back.
|{{w|Shawn Fanning}}
|-
|"I would never put <company> in charge of managing my <whatever>"
|If engineers' and programmers' only objection is that they don't like the company behind the product, that's basically a tacit admission that there's nothing else wrong with it. For the average consumer, the perks of a groundbreaking new product outweigh whatever problems they may have with the company behind it. This category also relates to the numerous privacy concerns raised about the devices and software of certain companies, and the way people tend to get riled up about these issues and then forget about them once it becomes too inconvenient. For instance, a few months ago, in the aftermath of Facebook releasing its Messenger app, it would not be uncommon to hear people say "I would never put Facebook in charge of managing my network connectivity/phone calls/camera". However, 6 months later and barely anyone is complaining anymore, and within another year or so even the most hardline of privacy advocates will probably give in.
|[https://www.google.com/search?q=apple+OR+google+OR+microsoft+OR+amazon+"is+evil" take your pick]
|}

The title text imagines a product that fits into the second and third category and makes reference to the fourth category: "Wait, is that Kim Dotcom's new project? [= third category]. I'm really excited about it and already signed up. [= both options from the second category]. Although I'm a little nervous about whether everyone should hand over control of their medical... [= fourth category reference]."

{{w|Kim Dotcom}} is a controversial entrepreneur and convicted fraud. He even {{w|Kim_Dotcom#Personal_life|changed his surname}} to Dotcom because of the {{w|Dot-com bubble|dot.com stock market bubble}} that made him a millionaire. He fits perfectly into the mould of someone well-known to programmers and engineers, but perhaps not so much to your average Joe.

Taken together, these imply that an untrustworthy and potentially malicious company has an exciting new idea that may eventually come out in successful form, but ultimately result in law suits not just from investors but from misled consumers (category 3). Because the initial release will be a flop (category 2), there is some time to prepare before the successful use of this idea becomes a reality (also category 2). Once this happens you could expect dramatic repercussions and this is why the title text suggests to dig a bunker while there is still time.

==Transcript==
:'''Predicting the success or'''
:'''failure of a new product'''
:based on what engineers and
:programmers are saying about it

:[A two-column table illustrating this. The headings are actually standing above the table.]
:{| class="wikitable alternance"
! If they say...
! It means...
|-
| "It doesn't do anything new"
|rowspan="2"|The product will be<div>
a gigantic success.
|-
| "Why would anyone want that?"
|-
| "Really exciting"
|rowspan="2"| The product will be a flop.<div>
Years later, its ideas will<div>
show up in something successful.
|-
|"I've already preorded one"
|-
| "Wait, are you talking about<div>
<unfamiliar person's name>'s<div>
new project?"
| The product could be<div>
a scam and may result<div>
in arrests or lawsuits.
|-
| "I would never put<div>
<company> in charge of<div>
managing my <whatever>."
| Within five years, they will.
|}

== Trivia ==
* There is a typo in the comic: "Preorded" should have been "preordered".

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Charts]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people‏‎]]

428: Starwatching

2014-07-27T01:35:04Z

141.101.98.216: /* Explanation */ Grammatical and editorial changes and corrections

{{comic
| number = 428
| date = May 26, 2008
| title = Starwatching
| image = starwatching.png
| titletext = I always figured the word 'blog' would sound *less* silly as the years went by.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Edit for accuracy and grammar. Add other references for making fun of the word blog in comics}}
It's night and [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] lie down on the earth while looking into the sky. Cueball tells a story. Cueball says all dead bloggers are in the sky watching them, and above them all there is the master blogger, Cory Doctorow. The story is interrupted when Cueball goes on to say that the {{w|Tag cloud}} opens, and {{w|Cory Doctorow}} speaks. Megan interrupts, telling Cueball that he needs to "get out more or less. I cant decide". This means he should be away from the computer more, so he doesn't connect everything to Cory Doctorow, but Megan is afraid that if he does, he will creep people out.

Cueball is referencing the movie {{w|The Lion King}}. The first two panels reference a scene where the protagonist, Simba, remembers how his father, Mufasa, explained the night sky by saying, 'the great kings of the past are up there'. The last panel is from a scene near the climax of the movie, where a the spirit of Mufasa appears to Simba in the clouds, and speaks to him.

In the title text, Randall mentions that he feels that the word {{w|blog}}, a {{w|portmanteau}} and an {{w|Elision}} of 'web log', sounds silly, and has not become any less silly over the years, despite entering common usage. This is a common theme in Randall's writings and comics. For example xkcd's blog is called "[http://blag.xkcd.com/ The blag of the webcomic]", in mockery of the word blog.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Curbar and Megan are lying on the ground stargazing]
:Cueball: Just look at those stars.

:Cueball: My father once told me that the great bloggers of the past are up there, watching over us.

:[Cueball sits up, and then stands up, stretching his arms in the air as if to encompass the whole night sky]
:Cueball: High above the blogosphere, a gap opens in the tag clouds. Cory Doctorow's voice booms forth...
:Megan: You need to get out either more or less. I can't decide.

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

428: Starwatching

2014-07-27T01:19:08Z

141.101.98.216: /* Transcript */ Added panel descriptions

{{comic
| number = 428
| date = May 26, 2008
| title = Starwatching
| image = starwatching.png
| titletext = I always figured the word 'blog' would sound *less* silly as the years went by.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Edit for accuracy and grammar, possibly other references of making fun of the word blog in comics}}
It's night and [[Megan]] and [[Cueball]] lie down on the earth while looking into the sky. Cueball tells a story. Cueball says all dead bloggers are in the sky and watching them, and above of them all there is the master blogger Cory Doctorow. The story is interrupted when Cueball goes on to say that the {{w|Tag cloud}} opens and {{w|Cory Doctorow}} speaks. Megan interrupts, telling Cueball that he needs to "get out more or less, I cant decide". This means he should be away from the computer more so he doesn't connect everything to Cory Doctorow, but she is afraid that if he gets out more he would creep people out.

Cueball is referencing the movie {{w|The Lion King}}. The first two panels reference a scene where the protagonist, Simba, remember how his father, Mufasa, explained the night sky by saying, 'the great kings of the past are up there'. The last panel is from a scene near the climax of the movie where a the spirit of Mufasa appears to Simba in the clouds and speaks to him.

In the title text, Randall mentions that he feels that the word {{w|blog}}, a {{w|portmanteau}} and an {{w|Elision}} of 'web log', is a silly word, and does not sound less silly despite becoming common in usage. This is a common theme in Randall writing and comics. xkcd's blog is called "[http://blag.xkcd.com/ The blag of the webcomic]" in mockery of the word blog.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Curbar and Megan are lying on the ground stargazing]
:Cueball: Just look at those stars.

:Cueball: My father once told me that the great bloggers of the past are up there, watching over us.

:[Cueball sits up, and then stands up, stretching his arms in the air as if to encompass the whole night sky]
:Cueball: High above the blogosphere, a gap opens in the tag clouds. Cory Doctorow's voice booms forth...
:Megan: You need to get out either more or less. I can't decide.

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