explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2930: Google Solar Cycle

2024-05-09T13:46:30Z

172.68.58.143:

When I opened the page I found a bunch of vague misspelled content (maybe spammers or bots? I don't know) so I updated the explanation. Not very knowledgeable about most things, though, so it probably still is not good enough. [[User:DNA Diva|DNA diva]] ([[User talk:DNA Diva|talk]]) 01:10, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
:Looking at the first couple of user-edits ("first" Explanation and subsequent Transcript edit), I think they were 'rushed' in order to establish the whole "first"ness and/or escape possible Edit Conflicts (probably needlessly, looking at timings). Not precise enough to be 'AI bot' text (accuracy being different, of course), and no obvious spam-intent.
:Could have done with more care to be taken, so as not needing to be ''entirely'' revamped by the likes of yourself, somewhat diluting the 'kudos' and making the little effort taken almost entirely pointless. But I like eagerness. Next time, perhaps, a bit of care will go into the mix and we'll be on the way to another useful contributor. [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.4|172.71.242.4]] 04:58, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

This comic got me to search about [[User:Danger Kitty|Danger Kitty]] ([[User talk:Danger Kitty|talk]]) solar flares too.

Contrary to the current explanation, it appears you can search for [https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=now%207-d&geo=US&q=Cocktail%20recipe,Hangover%20cure&hl=en cocktail recipe searches vs hangover cure searches] at a sub-daily resolution. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.210.103|108.162.210.103]] 07:51, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
:As of my check, just now, I find it very funny that the (current) state-map attached to that result seems to indicate that every state trend predominantly is for searching for cocktails, between the two options. Except for Wyoming, which is solidly the one and only "hangover" state. [[Special:Contributions/172.70.90.115|172.70.90.115]] 10:35, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

Google solar cycle? Ok. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.143|172.68.58.143]] 13:46, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

==Spike of March 8, 2012==
As far as [https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=2012-03-01%202012-03-31&geo=US&q=%2Fm%2F0f81b&hl=en-US the spike about 12 years ago], there was [https://www.space.com/14842-biggest-solar-storm-earth-effects.html this]. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.175.149|162.158.175.149]] 00:54, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
:Speaking of spikes, [[what if? (blog)|what if]] the internet and Google Trends had existed in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrington_Event 1859]? [[Special:Contributions/172.71.166.135|172.71.166.135]] 00:59, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
::...we'd still be repairing the infrastructure damage in 1860? ;) [[Special:Contributions/172.71.242.4|172.71.242.4]] 04:58, 9 May 2024 (UTC)
:::...our entire society as we know it would've collapsed long ago. [[User:Psychoticpotato|Psychoticpotato]] ([[User talk:Psychoticpotato|talk]]) 12:36, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

==Correct URL?==
Is this the correct URL for the query? It's a lot more jagged than I was expecting. https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=%2Fm%2F0f81b&hl=en Thanks~
:I second this comment, and wish to ask what exactly Randall's settings were on, because "worldwide" and "2004-present" don't match the comic.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.114.63|162.158.114.63]] 13:45, 9 May 2024 (UTC)

993: Brand Identity

2019-05-08T03:54:32Z

172.68.58.143: /* Explanation */ Old link went defunct due to the host's site changing. I found the modern version.

{{comic
| number = 993
| date = December 21, 2011
| title = Brand Identity
| image = brand_identity.png
| titletext = Legally-mandated information would be printed on the back or discreetly along the bottom. In small letters under the nutrition information it would say 'Like our products? Visit our website!' There would be no URL.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic presents [[Randall]]'s idea for a line of food products all with clear black font on a white background. The products with black block lettering and white background stand out from the other items in this comic. The irony is that even though the branding isn't terribly creative, the ''lack'' of complexity is what causes the products to stand out. These product packaging styles resemble {{w|no-frills}} products and {{w|generic brands}}. For example, in Canada, the "{{w|No Name (brand)|No Name}}" generic brand of low-cost products sold by {{w|Loblaw Companies Limited|Loblaws}} general features a plain yellow label with the description of the product in bold black text, and occasionally an image of the product. The brand name is minimalized as are other legally-required elements (e.g. the weight of the product). Another of Loblaws' generic brands, {{w|President's Choice}} (PC) currently has a plain white background with black bold text for the labels on most of its products (usually with an image of the product as well as the brand name), although more recently, text in accent colours has been introduced.

The style of packaging might be a reference to ''{{w|The Prisoner}}'' TV series from the '60s, a dystopia set in a village (actually, "the village") locked out from the outside world. The shops here only sell "village food". [https://www.wemadethis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Village-foods.jpg See this photo] for an example.
It might also be a reference to Portal’s bean cans.

In the title text, the lack of a listed URL relates to the lack of branding on the package. It is possible that omitting the URL the consumer's curiosity will be aroused, and they will spend time on the internet hunting for the actual site.

===List of all products in the shelves===
[[File:993_numbering.png]]

*[1] Rainbow
*[2] Ruffles
*[3] [unreadable]
*[4] '''Potato Chips''' [new brand]
*[5] [unreadable]
*[6] cheese crackers [Flavor 1]
*[7] cheese crackers [Flavor 2]
*[8] - [12] [unreadable]
*[13] [?] Beets
*[14] - [16] [unreadable]
*[17] '''tissues''' [new brand]
*[18] cervical caps [what product is this? see comments]
*[19] [unreadable]
*[20] blue stripe shells
*[21] ear tonic
*[22] - [24] [unreadable]
*[25] - [26] [unreadable]
*[27] '''crackers''' [new brand]
*[28] - [29] [unreadable]
*[30] '''matches''' [new brand]
*[31] - [32] [unreadable]
*[33] '''peanuts''' [new brand]
*[34] hot sauce [probably not the new brand, see comments]
*[35] - [40] [unreadable]
*[41] sugar [probably not the new brand, see comments]
*[42] - [45] [unreadable]
*[46] '''milk''' [new brand]
*[47] - [48] [unreadable]
*[49] '''pasta''' [new brand]
*[50] caccalion [there is no pasta named like this says the {{w|List of pasta}}]
*[51] free
*[52] [unreadable]
*[53] coffee
*[54] [unreadable]
*[55] '''coffee''' [new brand]
*[56] - [61] [unreadable]
*[62] white beans
*[63] - [66] [unreadable]
*[67] sanfra beans [there are no beans named like this says the {{w|Bean#Types}}]
*[68] pinto beans
*[69] bean
*[70] pinto beans
*[71] '''black beans''' [new brand]
*[72] [unreadable]
*[73] do beans [there are no beans named like this says the {{w|Bean#Types}}]
*[74] black beans
*[75] [unreadable]
*[76] lima beans
*[77] '''lima beans''' [new brand]
*[78] fort cotbean [partially unreadable, there are no beans named like this says the {{w|Bean#Types}}]
*[79] three [unreadable] can
*[80] [unreadable]
*[81] pine + giant bean
*[82] beans with [unreadable]
*[83] refrie[d beans; unfinished due to bowing of can]
*[84 top] [unreadable]
*[84 middle] [unlabeled]
*[84 bottom] Bees
*[85] [unreadable]
*[86] mayonnaise
*[87] roo's simple mayo
*[88] simp[le] mayo [unfinished word due to bowing of can]
*[89] '''mayo''' [new brand]
*[90] [unreadable]
*[91] red meat sauce
*[92] [unreadable]
*[93] oil
*[94] [unreadable]
*[95] oil
*[96] '''ketchup''' [new brand]
*[97] - [98] [unreadable]
*[99] maple syrup
*[100] - [101] [unreadable]
*[102] eye sand
*[103] tea [yellow package with clear black font]
*[104] tea
*[105] - [106] [unreadable]
*[107] tea
*[108] country loaf
*[109] '''bread''' [new brand]
*[110] white bread

==Transcript==
:[The incredibly varied shelf of a supermarket aisle. There are many different types of products on this shelf. Each type has numerous different brands, all surrounding a very plain brand that has, as its only label, the type of product. A plain bag, labeled in plain black letters, says "Potato Chips" and is surrounded by all the other various brands of potato chips. The same exists for tissues, crackers, matches, peanuts, hot sauce, sugar, milk, pasta, coffee, black beans, lima beans, mayo, ketchup, tea, and bread. There is a stark contrast between the incredibly noisy and complex labeling of every other brand and this simple one.]

:[Caption below:]
:If I ever sold a line of supermarket goods,
:this is how I'd build a brand identity overnight.

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

1441: Turnabout

2018-10-15T14:08:22Z

172.68.58.143:

{{comic
| number = 1441
| date = October 31, 2014
| title = Turnabout
| image = turnabout.png
| titletext = Whenever I miss a shot with a sci-fi weapon, I say 'Apollo retroreflector' really fast, just in case.
}}

==Explanation==
In the comic, two people are engaging in a battle with laser guns. One appears to gain the upper hand as he jumps on an obstacle, as the other's shot goes wide. He delivers the classic line [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AnyLastWords "Any last words?"] and is answered with the confusing phrase "Apollo retroreflectors". The earlier wild shot, reflected off the Moon, promptly lances down from space and hits him in the back.

A {{w|retroreflector}} is a device or surface that reflects light back towards its source. Several such devices {{w|List of retroreflectors on the Moon|were placed on the Moon}} and have been used ever since by scientists on Earth to {{w|Lunar Laser Ranging experiment|measure the distance between the two bodies using laser ranging}}.

The title text may be a reference to the common practice of "calling bank" in the game of basketball. In basketball, the backboard may be used to deflect the ball into the hoop. This is called a "bank shot." In casual games, if the player using the backboard in this way does not indicate that it was intentional by "calling bank" before releasing the ball, the basket may not be counted in order to not give the player credit for a wild shot that happened to go in. When a player releases a shot that they realize is off the mark they sometimes quickly say "bank" to try and fool the other players into thinking that they were intentionally trying to "bank" the ball off the backboard into the hoop. In the title text scenario, "Apollo retroreflector" is used the same way "bank" is in basketball, i.e., the shooter meant to hit the target by reflection rather than directly.

[[Randall]] discussed the effect of hitting the Moon with lasers in [http://what-if.xkcd.com/13/ What If: Laser Pointer] and the likelihood of hitting a celestial object with a laser in [http://what-if.xkcd.com/109/ What If: Into the Blue].

Retroreflectors were placed by the American {{w|Apollo 11}}, {{w|Apollo 14|14}}, and {{w|Apollo 15|15}} missions. The Soviet {{w|Lunokhod 1}} and {{w|Lunokhod 2|2}} rovers also carried such reflectors; attempts to use them for laser ranging were unsuccessful from 1971 to 2010, but were successfully renewed after the rovers' positions were photographed by the {{w|Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter}}.

The likelihood of the wild shot being aimed at the Moon is fairly low in itself, and the probability of accidentally hitting a retroreflector on the Moon is lower still. Even if it did, it is highly unlikely that a pistol-sized generator could produce a beam coherent enough to inflict damage after traveling to the Moon and back, as lasers built for the purpose of hitting retroreflectors on the Moon typically get a return around one quadrillionth of the original beam, and a visible light laser would need a very large lens or mirror in order to still be relatively concentrated upon hitting the reflectors.

==Transcript==
:[A guy and Cueball are engaged in a fight with laser pistols. The guy is standing behind a small box, firing his gun at Cueball.]
:[Cueball is kneeling behind a larger box, returning fire.]
:[The guy leaps on top of the larger box, knocking Cueball backwards and off balance. Cueball fires wildly into the air.]
:[Now the guy is standing on the box. Cueball is sprawled on the ground, laser pistol out of reach, at gunpoint.]

:Guy: Any last words?
:Cueball: "Apollo retroreflectors."
:Guy: What?

:[The guy gets shot in the back by the returning beam of Cueball's wild shot.]

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Space]]

Talk:1922: Interferometry

2017-12-01T22:42:12Z

172.68.58.143:

Newbie here just added the explanition and transcript, so will need editing.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 16:25, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:I think we both added it at the same time; when I submitted mine it showed normally in the edit box with the captcha, but when I pressed save it spliced your explanation and mine together. Think yours is probably better researched (I was typing off the top of my head), so I reverted it again. -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.25|162.158.89.25]] 16:43, 29 November 2017 (UTC)

:Seriously! A comic explanation about interferometry was created by two people at the same time, some large distance apart, resulting in interference![[Special:Contributions/162.158.178.4|162.158.178.4]] 04:57, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Why is there a period after Interferometry in the first panel?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 19:04, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:It has to be a mistake. Otherwise, Beret Guy sounds like he has a weird speech cadence. [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 10:17, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
::Could it have something to do with the fact that it's a "period"?--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.226|162.158.63.226]] 02:41, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

I really like the [citation needed] on whether dogs can interfere with each other. I want it to stay! --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.61|162.158.89.61]] 20:05, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:Dogs certainly can interfere with each other - in fact, they often have to be restrained from doing so...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I agree, but feel like it would be better if the statement had more certainty. "it PROBABLY won't work on dogs". Probably? Someone is uncertain on this point??!?!? LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
::If you poll a large number of theoretical physicists I'm pretty sure you'll find some who are certain it WOULD work on dogs -- It's just an engineering problem. Afterall interference has been demonstrated with molecules of over 800 atoms, which is just a few Daltons short of a yorkie.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 08:25, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Beret guy is back ! I like it... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.51|172.69.23.51]] 00:05, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I feel it should be noted that these are good dogs, Brent. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.17|108.162.246.17]] 04:49, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I think the good dog part in the title text is related to the [https://topatoco.com/collections/jeph-jacques/products/dogs-are-good-shirt new t-shirt from Questionable Content]. I think there has been guest comics one way or the other before. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.220|162.158.134.220]] 06:25, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

It's different and probably unrelated, but the comic made me think of the science fiction classic _A Fire Upon The Deep_ in which there are intelligent hive mind dog packs. One dog isn't intelligent, but put 4-6 together and the pack forms a single person with human-level intelligence. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.155|141.101.104.155]] 07:52, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

: The latest research shows you'd need about 30 dogs to equate to one human in terms of neuron quantity (https://newatlas.com/dogs-smarter-cats-neuron-density-study/52416/), but I wouldn't expect human-level intelligence with just 30 dogs because that ignores the amount of overhead needed to control the 30 dog bodies. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.238.40|198.41.238.40]] 11:20, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

::Note that while Tines are similar to dogs, they are not actual earth dogs and are likely more intelligent or at least having more mental capacity even separately. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

A large bark does not prove a large dog - dog size and bark size are not proportionately related. The fact that the bark is apparently emanating from mid-air would be more of an indication (though this could be an auditory illusion caused by the combination of barks from the two dogs).[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

:Well, barks can make interference much easier than dogs themselves ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

While I get the gist of the comic, my borderline completionism won't let me completely enjoy it unless I can understand the logical connection between astronomy and dogs. How are dogs and telescopes isomorphic in the realm of interferometry? Just another random brilliant leap that only makes sense to Beret Guy (i.e., not logical to any other being on Earth)? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.136|108.162.221.136]] 14:53, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I get the sense that this is it, there's no connection between dogs and astronomy except the one Beret Guy just created. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:: Have you never heard of the Dog Star?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 10:16, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:Here's the connection: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_Major [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.76|108.162.249.76]] 10:52, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

:Srs answer - interferometers have other uses besides astronomy, including quantum physics, radio antennas, direction-finding, and precision measurement. They function by measuring a signal (radio wave, laser beam, w/ever) at two distant points simultaneously, or else by splitting a signal so it travels two different paths to reach a detector. If the difference between the points/paths is such that the wavefronts reach the detector(s) at exactly the same moment, you get "constructive" interference - the waves' peaks and troughs add together and produce a signal of twice the strength. In the context of the comic, the dogs are the signal*, and Beret Guy the detector. Note that if the wavefronts do not arrive in sync you will get partial addition, and/or partial cancellation, or may even produce a perfect cancellation, and get no signal at all. So, presumably if Beret Guy were to move one of the small dogs a little to the left or right, all the dogs would disappear completely.

(*We may assume that both dogs are at the same frequency and therefore constitute one signal for our purposes. It is unclear to me if the dogs are more properly thought of as signal emitters or are simply the measured output of a single wavefront at two different points, but if I think too much harder about this metaphor I may lose my mind.)
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.143|172.68.58.143]] 22:29, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Does anyone else notice how in the third panel, HYAH seems to be coming from BG's beret button? What if the beret is controlling him?[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 15:03, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I love the observational skills of the XKCD fandom, makes me feel right at home. LOL! You're right, I don't see how there can be any question that it seems like the button is doing the talking. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1922: Interferometry

2017-12-01T22:40:28Z

172.68.58.143:

Newbie here just added the explanition and transcript, so will need editing.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 16:25, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:I think we both added it at the same time; when I submitted mine it showed normally in the edit box with the captcha, but when I pressed save it spliced your explanation and mine together. Think yours is probably better researched (I was typing off the top of my head), so I reverted it again. -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.25|162.158.89.25]] 16:43, 29 November 2017 (UTC)

:Seriously! A comic explanation about interferometry was created by two people at the same time, some large distance apart, resulting in interference![[Special:Contributions/162.158.178.4|162.158.178.4]] 04:57, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Why is there a period after Interferometry in the first panel?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 19:04, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:It has to be a mistake. Otherwise, Beret Guy sounds like he has a weird speech cadence. [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 10:17, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
::Could it have something to do with the fact that it's a "period"?--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.226|162.158.63.226]] 02:41, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

I really like the [citation needed] on whether dogs can interfere with each other. I want it to stay! --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.61|162.158.89.61]] 20:05, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:Dogs certainly can interfere with each other - in fact, they often have to be restrained from doing so...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I agree, but feel like it would be better if the statement had more certainty. "it PROBABLY won't work on dogs". Probably? Someone is uncertain on this point??!?!? LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
::If you poll a large number of theoretical physicists I'm pretty sure you'll find some who are certain it WOULD work on dogs -- It's just an engineering problem. Afterall interference has been demonstrated with molecules of over 800 atoms, which is just a few Daltons short of a yorkie.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 08:25, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Beret guy is back ! I like it... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.51|172.69.23.51]] 00:05, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I feel it should be noted that these are good dogs, Brent. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.17|108.162.246.17]] 04:49, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I think the good dog part in the title text is related to the [https://topatoco.com/collections/jeph-jacques/products/dogs-are-good-shirt new t-shirt from Questionable Content]. I think there has been guest comics one way or the other before. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.220|162.158.134.220]] 06:25, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

It's different and probably unrelated, but the comic made me think of the science fiction classic _A Fire Upon The Deep_ in which there are intelligent hive mind dog packs. One dog isn't intelligent, but put 4-6 together and the pack forms a single person with human-level intelligence. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.155|141.101.104.155]] 07:52, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

: The latest research shows you'd need about 30 dogs to equate to one human in terms of neuron quantity (https://newatlas.com/dogs-smarter-cats-neuron-density-study/52416/), but I wouldn't expect human-level intelligence with just 30 dogs because that ignores the amount of overhead needed to control the 30 dog bodies. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.238.40|198.41.238.40]] 11:20, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

::Note that while Tines are similar to dogs, they are not actual earth dogs and are likely more intelligent or at least having more mental capacity even separately. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

A large bark does not prove a large dog - dog size and bark size are not proportionately related. The fact that the bark is apparently emanating from mid-air would be more of an indication (though this could be an auditory illusion caused by the combination of barks from the two dogs).[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

:Well, barks can make interference much easier than dogs themselves ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

While I get the gist of the comic, my borderline completionism won't let me completely enjoy it unless I can understand the logical connection between astronomy and dogs. How are dogs and telescopes isomorphic in the realm of interferometry? Just another random brilliant leap that only makes sense to Beret Guy (i.e., not logical to any other being on Earth)? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.136|108.162.221.136]] 14:53, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I get the sense that this is it, there's no connection between dogs and astronomy except the one Beret Guy just created. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:: Have you never heard of the Dog Star?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 10:16, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:Here's the connection: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_Major [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.76|108.162.249.76]] 10:52, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

:Srs answer - interferometers have other uses besides astronomy, including quantum physics, radio antennas, direction-finding, and precision measurement. They function by measuring a signal (radio wave, laser beam, w/ever) at two distant points simultaneously, or else by splitting a signal so it travels two different paths to reach a detector. If the difference between the points/paths is such that the wavefronts reach the detector(s) at exactly the same moment, you get "constructive" interference - the waves' peaks and troughs add together and produce a signal of twice the strength. In the context of the comic, the dogs are the signal*, and Beret Guy the detector. Note that if the wavefronts do not arrive in sync you will get partial addition, and/or partial cancellation, or may even produce a perfect cancellation, and get no signal at all. So, presumably if Beret Guy were to move one of the small dogs a little to the left or right, all the dogs would disappear completely.

*We may assume that both dogs are at the same frequency and therefore constitute one signal for our purposes. It is unclear to me if the dogs are more properly thought of as signal emitters or are simply the measured output of a single wavefront at two different points, but if I think too much harder about this metaphor I may lose my mind.
[[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.143|172.68.58.143]] 22:29, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Does anyone else notice how in the third panel, HYAH seems to be coming from BG's beret button? What if the beret is controlling him?[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 15:03, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I love the observational skills of the XKCD fandom, makes me feel right at home. LOL! You're right, I don't see how there can be any question that it seems like the button is doing the talking. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1922: Interferometry

2017-12-01T22:30:00Z

172.68.58.143:

Newbie here just added the explanition and transcript, so will need editing.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 16:25, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:I think we both added it at the same time; when I submitted mine it showed normally in the edit box with the captcha, but when I pressed save it spliced your explanation and mine together. Think yours is probably better researched (I was typing off the top of my head), so I reverted it again. -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.25|162.158.89.25]] 16:43, 29 November 2017 (UTC)

:Seriously! A comic explanation about interferometry was created by two people at the same time, some large distance apart, resulting in interference![[Special:Contributions/162.158.178.4|162.158.178.4]] 04:57, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Why is there a period after Interferometry in the first panel?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 19:04, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:It has to be a mistake. Otherwise, Beret Guy sounds like he has a weird speech cadence. [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 10:17, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
::Could it have something to do with the fact that it's a "period"?--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.226|162.158.63.226]] 02:41, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

I really like the [citation needed] on whether dogs can interfere with each other. I want it to stay! --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.61|162.158.89.61]] 20:05, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:Dogs certainly can interfere with each other - in fact, they often have to be restrained from doing so...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I agree, but feel like it would be better if the statement had more certainty. "it PROBABLY won't work on dogs". Probably? Someone is uncertain on this point??!?!? LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
::If you poll a large number of theoretical physicists I'm pretty sure you'll find some who are certain it WOULD work on dogs -- It's just an engineering problem. Afterall interference has been demonstrated with molecules of over 800 atoms, which is just a few Daltons short of a yorkie.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 08:25, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Beret guy is back ! I like it... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.51|172.69.23.51]] 00:05, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I feel it should be noted that these are good dogs, Brent. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.17|108.162.246.17]] 04:49, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I think the good dog part in the title text is related to the [https://topatoco.com/collections/jeph-jacques/products/dogs-are-good-shirt new t-shirt from Questionable Content]. I think there has been guest comics one way or the other before. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.220|162.158.134.220]] 06:25, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

It's different and probably unrelated, but the comic made me think of the science fiction classic _A Fire Upon The Deep_ in which there are intelligent hive mind dog packs. One dog isn't intelligent, but put 4-6 together and the pack forms a single person with human-level intelligence. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.155|141.101.104.155]] 07:52, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

: The latest research shows you'd need about 30 dogs to equate to one human in terms of neuron quantity (https://newatlas.com/dogs-smarter-cats-neuron-density-study/52416/), but I wouldn't expect human-level intelligence with just 30 dogs because that ignores the amount of overhead needed to control the 30 dog bodies. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.238.40|198.41.238.40]] 11:20, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

::Note that while Tines are similar to dogs, they are not actual earth dogs and are likely more intelligent or at least having more mental capacity even separately. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

A large bark does not prove a large dog - dog size and bark size are not proportionately related. The fact that the bark is apparently emanating from mid-air would be more of an indication (though this could be an auditory illusion caused by the combination of barks from the two dogs).[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

:Well, barks can make interference much easier than dogs themselves ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

While I get the gist of the comic, my borderline completionism won't let me completely enjoy it unless I can understand the logical connection between astronomy and dogs. How are dogs and telescopes isomorphic in the realm of interferometry? Just another random brilliant leap that only makes sense to Beret Guy (i.e., not logical to any other being on Earth)? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.136|108.162.221.136]] 14:53, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I get the sense that this is it, there's no connection between dogs and astronomy except the one Beret Guy just created. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:: Have you never heard of the Dog Star?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 10:16, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:Here's the connection: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_Major [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.76|108.162.249.76]] 10:52, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

:Srs answer - interferometers have other uses besides astronomy, including quantum physics, radio antennas, direction-finding, and precision measurement. They function by measuring a signal (radio wave, laser beam, w/ever) at two distant points simultaneously, or else by splitting a signal so it travels two different paths to reach a detector. If the difference between the points/paths is such that the wavefronts reach the detector(s) at exactly the same moment, you get "constructive" interference - the waves' peaks and troughs add together and produce a signal of twice the strength. Presumably in the comic, the dogs are the waves, and Beret Guy the detector. Note that if the wavefronts do not arrive in sync you will get partial addition, and/or partial cancellation, or may even produce a perfect cancellation, and get no signal at all. So, presumably if Beret Guy were to move one of the small dogs a little to the left or right, all the dogs would disappear completely. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.143|172.68.58.143]] 22:29, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Does anyone else notice how in the third panel, HYAH seems to be coming from BG's beret button? What if the beret is controlling him?[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 15:03, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I love the observational skills of the XKCD fandom, makes me feel right at home. LOL! You're right, I don't see how there can be any question that it seems like the button is doing the talking. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Talk:1922: Interferometry

2017-12-01T22:29:10Z

172.68.58.143:

Newbie here just added the explanition and transcript, so will need editing.[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 16:25, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:I think we both added it at the same time; when I submitted mine it showed normally in the edit box with the captcha, but when I pressed save it spliced your explanation and mine together. Think yours is probably better researched (I was typing off the top of my head), so I reverted it again. -- [[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.25|162.158.89.25]] 16:43, 29 November 2017 (UTC)

:Seriously! A comic explanation about interferometry was created by two people at the same time, some large distance apart, resulting in interference![[Special:Contributions/162.158.178.4|162.158.178.4]] 04:57, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Why is there a period after Interferometry in the first panel?[[Special:Contributions/172.68.34.106|172.68.34.106]] 19:04, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:It has to be a mistake. Otherwise, Beret Guy sounds like he has a weird speech cadence. [[User:Dogman15|Dogman15]] ([[User talk:Dogman15|talk]]) 10:17, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
::Could it have something to do with the fact that it's a "period"?--[[Special:Contributions/162.158.63.226|162.158.63.226]] 02:41, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

I really like the [citation needed] on whether dogs can interfere with each other. I want it to stay! --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.89.61|162.158.89.61]] 20:05, 29 November 2017 (UTC)
:Dogs certainly can interfere with each other - in fact, they often have to be restrained from doing so...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I agree, but feel like it would be better if the statement had more certainty. "it PROBABLY won't work on dogs". Probably? Someone is uncertain on this point??!?!? LOL! [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
::If you poll a large number of theoretical physicists I'm pretty sure you'll find some who are certain it WOULD work on dogs -- It's just an engineering problem. Afterall interference has been demonstrated with molecules of over 800 atoms, which is just a few Daltons short of a yorkie.[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.40|108.162.216.40]] 08:25, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Beret guy is back ! I like it... [[Special:Contributions/172.69.23.51|172.69.23.51]] 00:05, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I feel it should be noted that these are good dogs, Brent. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.246.17|108.162.246.17]] 04:49, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

I think the good dog part in the title text is related to the [https://topatoco.com/collections/jeph-jacques/products/dogs-are-good-shirt new t-shirt from Questionable Content]. I think there has been guest comics one way or the other before. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.220|162.158.134.220]] 06:25, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

It's different and probably unrelated, but the comic made me think of the science fiction classic _A Fire Upon The Deep_ in which there are intelligent hive mind dog packs. One dog isn't intelligent, but put 4-6 together and the pack forms a single person with human-level intelligence. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.155|141.101.104.155]] 07:52, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

: The latest research shows you'd need about 30 dogs to equate to one human in terms of neuron quantity (https://newatlas.com/dogs-smarter-cats-neuron-density-study/52416/), but I wouldn't expect human-level intelligence with just 30 dogs because that ignores the amount of overhead needed to control the 30 dog bodies. [[Special:Contributions/198.41.238.40|198.41.238.40]] 11:20, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

::Note that while Tines are similar to dogs, they are not actual earth dogs and are likely more intelligent or at least having more mental capacity even separately. -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

A large bark does not prove a large dog - dog size and bark size are not proportionately related. The fact that the bark is apparently emanating from mid-air would be more of an indication (though this could be an auditory illusion caused by the combination of barks from the two dogs).[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 09:37, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

:Well, barks can make interference much easier than dogs themselves ... -- [[User:Hkmaly|Hkmaly]] ([[User talk:Hkmaly|talk]]) 23:42, 30 November 2017 (UTC)

While I get the gist of the comic, my borderline completionism won't let me completely enjoy it unless I can understand the logical connection between astronomy and dogs. How are dogs and telescopes isomorphic in the realm of interferometry? Just another random brilliant leap that only makes sense to Beret Guy (i.e., not logical to any other being on Earth)? --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.136|108.162.221.136]] 14:53, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I get the sense that this is it, there's no connection between dogs and astronomy except the one Beret Guy just created. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:: Have you never heard of the Dog Star?[[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.239|141.101.104.239]] 10:16, 1 December 2017 (UTC)
:Here's the connection: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canis_Major [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.76|108.162.249.76]] 10:52, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

:Srs answer - interferometers have other uses besides astronomy, including quantum physics, radio antennas, direction-finding, and precision measurement. They function by measuring a signal (radio wave, laser beam, w/ever) from two distant points simultaneously, or else by splitting a signal so it travels two different paths to reach a detector. If the difference between the points/paths is such that the wavefronts reach the detector(s) at exactly the same moment, you get "constructive" interference - the waves' peaks and troughs add together and produce a signal of twice the strength. Presumably in the comic, the dogs are the waves, and Beret Guy the detector. Note that if the wavefronts do not arrive in sync you will get partial addition, and/or partial cancellation, or may even produce a perfect cancellation, and get no signal at all. So, presumably if Beret Guy were to move one of the small dogs a little to the left or right, all the dogs would disappear completely. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.143|172.68.58.143]] 22:29, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Does anyone else notice how in the third panel, HYAH seems to be coming from BG's beret button? What if the beret is controlling him?[[User:MrBookBoy|MrBookBoy]] ([[User talk:MrBookBoy|talk]]) 15:03, 30 November 2017 (UTC)
:I love the observational skills of the XKCD fandom, makes me feel right at home. LOL! You're right, I don't see how there can be any question that it seems like the button is doing the talking. [[User:NiceGuy1|NiceGuy1]] ([[User talk:NiceGuy1|talk]]) 04:19, 1 December 2017 (UTC)

Talk:86: Digital Rights Management

2017-08-10T17:36:26Z

172.68.58.143:

And cue global warming...
[[User:Krev|Semicolon here]] ([[User talk:Krev|talk]]) 14:50, 27 August 2012 (UTC)

i might sound daft here, but is the wall of ice explained in any way? it feels like the humour here derives from it, and i'm not sure what to make of it. the explanation focusing on the details of the antipiracy laws and regulations feels a tad superfluous while i feel it doesn't really add anything that explains the joke. again, i'm a romanian, so my grasp of the english language (and the american culture) is below par, so this might be a silly question. feel free to remove my comment here if that's the case. {{unsigned ip|108.162.254.88}}
:The idea is that a glacier is impossible to stop if it starts moving simply because it is so massive. This can be compared to the demands of people for DRM-free content, which is equally unstoppable no matter how many politicians the DRM companies bribe. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.53|141.101.99.53]] 05:00, 9 March 2014 (UTC)
I agree; I think the "ice-wall" is a metaphor for the mass of the consumers. The companies are trying to go against the flow, and it's either bend or break. It's an ice-wall/glacier,, because there are few things in the world more powerful and unstoppable as a glacier. A glacier is also very slow, so it's also saying that although he might not be able to crush them <i>immediately</i>, he will eventually, and they'd better not forget it (no saying how far away he's starting from, either. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.118|108.162.218.118]] 01:50, 12 May 2016 (UTC)

First thing that came to my mind: ICE == Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics, e.g. in ''Burning Chrome'' (by William Gibson); see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrusion_Countermeasures_Electronics]. IIRC, the book describes ICE as walls closing in on the protagonist's avatar in the virtual (cyber) world. --[[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.231|199.27.128.231]] 09:36, 31 January 2015 (UTC)

This may be a stretch but I associated this with "Now is the winter of our discontent" from Richard III. Discontent can both be applied to the general dislike and therefore discontent on the users, but also discontent in terms on the dis, meaning negativity and content relating to the digital content. The wall of ice represents the approaching Winter which will continue until the end of the discontent. --[[User:Igwarrender|Igwarrender]] ([[User talk:Igwarrender|talk]]) 15:53, 5 November 2015 (UTC)

This could also be a joke that the ice wall isn't actually stoppable by him, or is it?[[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.83|108.162.218.83]]

Game of Thrones / ASoIaF ice wall, anyone? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.58.143|172.68.58.143]] 17:36, 10 August 2017 (UTC)

1864: City Nicknames

2017-07-17T18:48:56Z

172.68.58.143:

{{comic
| number = 1864
| date = July 17, 2017
| title = City Nicknames
| image = city_nicknames.png
| titletext = This place has so many demonyms. Northlanders. Fair Folk. Honey Barons. Lake Dwellers. Treasurers. Swamp Watchers. Dream Farmers. Wellfolk. Rockeaters. Forgotten Royals. Remote Clients. Barrow-Clerks. The People of Land and Sky.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|stub}}

Cities often have official or unofficial nicknames. For instance, [[wikipedia:St._Louis|St. Louis, Missouri]], is known as "Gateway to the West" among several other nicknames. The nicknames typically invoke some historical or geographic feature of the city, but can sometime be opaque to those not familiar with the city. [https://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/introduction/fullname.php The full, formal name of Bangkok] includes a long list of superlatives translating as "The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn."

[[Black Hat]] appears to believe they are near [[wikipedia:New York City|New York City]], despite the skyline being clearly recognizable as St. Louis due to the [[wikipedia:Gateway Arch|Gateway Arch]]. However, the nickname he gives is neither a common New York nickname (such as "[[wikipedia: List of nicknames of New York City|The Big Apple]]") nor a St. Louis nickname. [[Megan]] tries to correct him, but it becomes clear that Black Hat is making up nicknames. Many of his suggestions are puns for real nicknames of other places.

The title text contains made up [[wikipedia:Demonym|demonyms]] in the same pattern. A demonym is a word for the people who live in a particular place. They are typically derived from the name of the place (e.g. "St. Louisan" for people from St. Louis), but some regions have an [[wikipedia:Demonym#Informal|informal demonym]] that can be used colloquially by those familiar with the place to refer to its residents.

===Nicknames and Demonyms===

{| class=wikitable
! City nickname in comic
! Reference
! Explanation

|-
| The Hot Tamale
| {{w|Hot Tamales}}
| Possibly a reference to the term [https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=big%20enchilada/ The big enchilada.]

|-
| The Winged City
| The Windy City
| Chicago. Possibly also [http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/incheon-international-airport/ Incheon International Airport (ICA/RKSI), South Korea]

|-
| The Gold Trombone
|
| Possibly a reference to the gold standard.

|-
| Castleopolis
| {{w|Cassopolis}}
| {{w|Polis}} (from the Greek πόλις for city) is commonly used as a suffix for city names, like {{w|Minneapolis}} or {{w|Alexandroupolis}}; {{w|Metropolis}} can either be a type of city, or one of the real or fictional cities bearing the name. Appended to the base word "Castle", this would be the "Castle city".

|-
| The Kissing Kingdom
|
|

|-
| Sandland
|
| {{w|Sandland}} is a village in northern Norway, most likely coincidentally.

|-
| The High Place
|Denver
|Denver is known as the Mile High City

|-
| Ol' Ironhook
| {{w|Old Ironsides}}
| A nickname for the USS Constitution (docked in Charlestown, MA). Possibly a conflation of Old Kinderhook (a nickname for US President Martin Van Buren) with Old Ironsides (a nickname for English Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell).
|-
| The Thousand Spires || The City of a Hundred Spires / City of Dreaming Spires|| Prague / Oxford
|-
| The Graveyard of Kings || The Graveyard of Champions || Court 2 at Wimbledon, where former champions are often defeated (the playing environment is very different from Centre Court and Court One, which are larger and where games involving highly-ranked players are preferentially located). The comic was released one day after the 2017 Wimbledon Championships were finished.
|-
| Bloomtown || [[wikipedia: Boomtown|Boomtown]] || Generic term for a town undergoing rapid growth. Used in the 2002 TV series of the same name as a nickname for Los Angeles. Might also be referring to [[wikipedia:Bloom County|Bloom County]], a comic by [[wikipedia:Berkeley Breathed|Berkeley Breathed]], or Dublin, as the setting for Ulysses by James Joyce.
|-
| Lantern City USA || {{w|Tree City USA}} || A designation supporting municipalities that showcase urban forestry, in connection with Arbor Day.
|-
| The City of Many Daughters || ||
|-
| Big Mauve || [[wikipedia: Big_Red_(drink)|Big Red Soda]] || Big Red Soda. The Dartmouth football team is the Big Green.
|-
| The Glass Cradle || [[wikipedia:The Glass Menagerie|The Glass Menagerie]] || A play by Tennessee Williams
|-
| The Road Source ||{{w|Rome}} || From the saying that {{w|All Roads Lead to Rome}} ||
|-
| London Prime || London || In the DC comics, to incorporate multiple continuties, there were multiple universes. London Prime would be "real London" on Earth Prime. Various cities named {{w|New London}} in the United States and elsewhere are imagined as London in alternate continuities.
|-
| Hamtown || {{w|Hamburg}} {{w|Toronto}} || A burg is another name for a city or town, sometimes more specifically a fortified town. Toronto sometimes nicknamed Hogtown.
|-
| The Salad Bowl || || A theory of cultural integration in the US, one that stands in contrast to the older 'Melting Pot' theory. Could also refer to the [[wikipedia: Dust Bowl|Dust Bowl]]
|-
| God's Boudoir || || Humorous reference similar to "God's Waiting Room" used for the state of Florida, where many elderly retire then expire.
|-
| The Glittering Swamp || [[wikipedia:Great Dismal Swamp|The Great Dismal Swamp ]] || A large swamp in Virginia and North Carolina.
|-
| The Steel Forest || The Concrete Jungle || The Concrete Jungle is a name often given to New York's Manhattan area. There was also a book and movie entitled The Petrified Forest.
|-
| The Mobius Strip || The Strip || The Strip is a shortened and commonly used name for the Las Vegas Strip, the main area of hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada. A {{w|Mobius strip}} is a one-sided piece of paper created by rotating the short edge of the strip 180 degrees and attaching it to the other short edge. The Vegas strip has more or less only one side as well.
|-
| The Land of Trains and Fog || || In the webcomic [[wikipedia:Homestuck | Homestuck]] many events take place on various planets named in the format "The Land of X and Y", e.g. "The Land of Light and Rain". The novel by George R.R. Martin, which was made into ''Game of Thrones'', was called ''A Song of Ice and Fire''.
|-
| The Meeting Place || ||
|-
| The Dark Star || || Dark Star is a 1974 science fiction comedy film.
|-
| The Walled Garden || {{w|Walled garden (technology)}} || A walled garden is a virtual environment where the user can only view content that is published or permitted by the proprietor, e.g. AOL or Facebook. This could also be a reference to walled cities, e.g. from the Middle Ages, or the {{w|Kowloon Walled City}} in the modern era. The Secret Garden was a book.
|-
| Skin City || [[wikipedia:Sin City (description)|Sin City]] || Generic term for a city well known for gambling, drugs, or other vices. Also Las Vegas.
|-
| The Horse Rotary || ||
|-
| Turkeytown || Turkeytown || A town in Lincoln County, Kentucky
|-
| The Naked Towers || || The Naked City was a television series. The Two Towers is a book by Tolkien, and Naked Lunch is a book by Burroughs
|-
| The Meta-City || Metacity || A term for a heterogenous, sprawling urban center with multiple dense centers, such as Tokyo or New York City. Metacity was also the window manager in the Linux GNOME 2 desktop.
|-
| The Urban Orb || || The screenname of a Let's Player on Youtube and Twitch.
|-
| The City of Angles || City of Angels || Los Angeles. Also, the titular City of Angles in the web novel [http://stefangagne.com/cityofangles/ City of Angles].
|-
| The Big Wheel || [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041179/ The Big Wheel] || A 1949 movie about a race car driver. Alternatively, a child's plastic tricycle with an oversized front wheel.
|-
| Bird City USA || || A program started by the Audubon Society.
|-
| The City of Seven Crowns || City of Seven Hills || Rome
|-
| Hilltopia ||The Hilltop || May be reference to The Hilltop in AMC's The Walking Dead
|-
| Bug City || || A nickname for the bug-infested Chicago in the roleplaying game Shadowrun. Also, a sourcebook for the game.
|-
| The Bottomless Cup || || There are many mentions of Bottomless Pits in stories.
|-
| Lorde's Fen || Lord's Fen || [[wikipedia:Lorde| Lorde]] is a musical artist from Herne Bay, New Zealand - an area near Waitemata Harbour. A [[wikipedia:Fen| Fen]] is a type of wetland, which could loosely connect to Herne Bay.
|-
| The Last Town || || The third book in the Wayward Pines series.
|-
| The Empty Set || || The concert hall in the video game Transistor. In mathematics, the {{w|empty set}} refers to an unique set with no elements, often notated as "{}" or "∅".
|-
| Ghost Harbor || || The name for a brewing company in North Carolina.
|}

{| class=wikitable
! Demonym in comic
! Reference
! Explanation
|-
| Northlanders || Highlanders || Maybe a reference to the people of the {{w|Scottish Highlands}}, with a similar demonym. The "High" in "Highlands" is a reference to the mountainous landscape, not the geographical position.
|-
| Fair Folk || || The elves in ''The Lord of the Rings'' are referred to as the 'fair folk'. The fair folk is also more generally used as a name for fairies in folklore.
|-
| Honey Barons || [[wikipedia: Robber_baron_(industrialist) | Robber Barons]] || Possibly a reference to The Robber Barons, a group of powerful industrialists in the late 1800's known for questionable business ethics.
|-
| Lake Dwellers || ||
|-
| Treasurers || || A {{w|treasurer}} is a person in charge of running the treasury of an organization, for example a governmental department. The Auditors were characters in the Pratchett Discworld books who wanted to simplify the universe by destroying it.
|-
| Swamp Watchers || ||
|-
| Dream Farmers || ||
|-
| Wellfolk || Werefolk || The were folk were people who could change into animals: e.g. werewolves.
|-
| Rockeaters || [[Wikipedia:List_of_The_Neverending_Story_characters#Pyornkrachzark_and_the_other_messengers| Rockbiter]] || In the Never Ending Story, Pyornkrachzark, more commonly known as "Rock Biter" is a large creature made completely of stone, named due to their diet of rocks.
|-
| Forgotten Royals || [[wikipedia:Forgotten Realms | Forgotten Realms]] || Royalty from D&D campaign setting
|-
| Remote Clients || [[wikipedia:Remote_computer|Remote computer client]] || In computing, a remote client is a program used to access a computer or service over the internet.
|-
| Barrow-Clerks || [http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Barrow-wights Barrow-wights] || Creatures in "The Lord of the Rings" that resemble wraiths. The Hobbits come across them in the [http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Barrow-downs Barrow-downs].
|-
| The People of Land and Sky || [[wikipedia:Sea_Peoples|Sea Peoples]] ||
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
:[Black Hat, Megan, and Ponytail are standing on a hill overlooking a city. The Gateway Arch is visible, as well as a number of skyscrapers in the skyline.]
:Black Hat: Ah, New York. The Hot Tamale.
:Megan: This is St. Louis. Also, that's not–
:Black Hat: The Winged City. The Gold Trombone. Castleopolis.
:Megan: It's none of those.

:[Close-up of Black Hat]
:Black Hat: The Kissing Kingdom. Sandland. The High Place. Ol' Ironhook.
:Megan (off-panel): Still wrong.
:Black Hat: The Thousand Spires. The Graveyard of Kings. Bloomtown. Lantern City USA.
:Megan (off-panel): Please stop.

:[Black Hat, Megan, and Ponytail are walking]
:Black Hat: The City of Many Daughters. Big Mauve. The Glass Cradle. The Road Source. London Prime. Hamtown. The Salad Bowl. God's Boudoir. The Glittering Swamp. The Steel Forest. The Mobius Strip. The Land of Trains and Fog. The Meeting Place. The Dark Star. The Walled Garden. Skin City. The Horse Rotary. Turkeytown. The Naked Towers. The Meta-City. The Urban Orb. The City of Angles. The Big Wheel. Bird City USA. The City of Seven Crowns. Hilltopia. Bug City. The Bottomless Cup. [Text size getting smaller] Lorde's Fen. The Last Town. The Empty Set. Ghost Harbor.
:Megan: How long does this last?
:Ponytail: No city has ever let him stay long enough to find out.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]