explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:706: Freedom

2016-09-19T03:39:52Z

173.245.50.79:

The last sentence "But you couldn't", is probably also a reference to the fact that even though we and other people have many possibilities, we never expect anyone to actually use them. {{unsigned ip|173.245.49.128}}

More like we didn't expect other people to utilize the possibilities that they did. Or Didn't. [[User:Jakee308|Jakee308]] ([[User talk:Jakee308|talk]]) 19:40, 8 June 2015 (UTC)

Sometimes I'm terrified to realize how many options I have [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.79|173.245.50.79]] 03:39, 19 September 2016 (UTC)

1726: Unicode

2016-08-29T17:04:32Z

173.245.50.79:

{{comic
| number = 1726
| date = August 29, 2016
| title = Unicode
| image = unicode.png
| titletext = I'm excited about the proposal to add a "brontosaurus" emoji codepoint because it has the potential to bring together a half-dozen different groups of pedantic people into a single glorious internet argument.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|first time making page. Needs much more work including links, sources and the Brontosaurus reference.}}

Cueball, along with two other figures, is placing traffic signs in a river. As rivers flow according to the landscape, this plan will not work and the river will continue on its course. Cueball is very frustrated by this and is still trying to make the river obey traffic laws. The caption compares this useless approach with attempting to define the diverse and ever-changing human language with strict technical standards, much like Cueball is attempting to divert a flowing, moving river with fixed signs that do nothing.

The title text refers to a proposal to add three dinosaur heads to the official list of emoji. This is likely to stir debate between the following opposing camps:
*those who favor the inclusion of more emoji vs. those who oppose emoji on principle
*those who accept the existence of ''Brontosaurus'' vs. those who deny its status as a species unique from ''Apatosaurus''
*those who favor a traditional, scaly image of dinosaurs vs. those who have accepted the feathered-dinosaur paradigm

===See also===
[[636: Brontosaurus]]

[http://unicode.org/L2/L2016/16072-jurassic-emoji.pdf Jurassic Emoji proposal]

==Transcript==
[Single panel scene: [[Cueball]] is standing waist-deep in a river. With one arm he is holding on to a traffic sign that says "Detour" with an arrow pointing to the right. The other arm is pointing horizontally. Further up the river is another street sign apparently in around 0.5 metres of water; this sign has an exclamation mark inside a triangle. In the distance on one bank of the river, two people are standing and making gestures, with a sign lying on the ground next to them. Behind them is a parked car on a road that crosses a bridge over the river.]

Cueball: No, go ''this'' way, not —

Are you even ''listening''!?

… ''Hey! That's not what this area is for!''

[Caption]

Watching the Unicode people try to govern the infinite chaos of human language with consistent technical standards is like watching highway engineers try to steer a river using traffic signs.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

1387: Clumsy Foreshadowing

2014-06-27T16:49:07Z

173.245.50.79: Expanded on title text

{{comic
| number = 1387
| date = June 27, 2014
| title = Clumsy Foreshadowing
| image = clumsy_foreshadowing.png
| titletext = '... hosts were unexpectedly fired from ABC's 'The View' today. ABC will likely announce new ...'
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Just outline}}
Many action/thriller movies, during the first few minutes, have a background [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChekhovsNews news] [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CoincidentalBroadcast report] that foreshadows the onset of some kind of danger, such as shark attacks, nuclear warfare etc.

Randall suggests taking the same approach to random news articles from real life, in order to make them more ominous.

The title text references ABC's ''The View'' where two of the co-hosts, Sherri Shepherd and Jenny McCarthy, were simultaneously fired (or resigned -- sources vary), the day before this cartoon appeared. The humorous suggestion is that the movie will go on to feature the protagonist starring on The View, a comical premise for an action/thriller movie.

Also, North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency recently threatened the US over the Seth Rogen movie [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Interview_%282014_film%29 The Interview], promising "stern" and "merciless" retaliation if the film is released. The threat has generated some hype for the yet unreleased movie.

==Transcript==
:'''Today's News'''
:North Korea threatens U.S. over upcoming movie
:Shark populations booming off east coast
:SpaceX to attempt new rocket launch today
:[Arrow pointing down towards next pane.]

:[Cueball, holding a towel, walks past a TV with a news report shown onscreen.]
:Cueball: Bye! See you tonight!
:Offscreen: Have a good day!
:TV: ''Researchers are reporting record numbers of sharks...''

:To make news stories seem way more ominous, imagine you're hearing them from a background TV in a movie as the main character leaves.
{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Sharks]]