explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

53: Hobby

2015-10-19T18:22:17Z

173.245.56.165: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 53
| date = January 23, 2006 
| title = Hobby
| image = hobby.jpg
| titletext = The only one of these games I really played was Area 51
}}

==Explanation==
This is the second in the "[[My Hobby]]" series of ''[[xkcd]]'' comics.

This comic humorously compares the rules of light gun cabinet arcade video games with real life.

[[Randall]] suggests that his hobby is going to drug busts with the expressed purpose of getting shot as an innocent bystander, thereby causing the police to lose 100 points. Since the comic represents Randall's "hobby", and the person does not look like any of the main characters, the person lying lifeless in a pool of blood must represent him.

Drug busts are events where police attempt to catch drug dealers, suppliers, and financiers in situations with enough evidence to convict them. In the style of arcade video games being examined, drug busts are usually depicted as chaotic events with villains, innocent bystanders, captives, and allies popping up like spring loaded targets at a shooting range in a setting with lots of places to hide. If you don't shoot a target sufficiently quick, you will be shot, so it is common to shoot the wrong targets. To compensate for this these games often deduct points. This is often frustrating, as it requires a number of points to get more ammo or complete the level.

Often the games deliberately encourage you to shoot the innocent making the act seem suicidal. The comic image suggests the police would lose 100 points for such an act in the real world. Obviously, doing this in real life would be a really bad idea, as the hobbyist would quickly be killed.

The title text refers to the game "{{w|Area 51 (1995 video game)|Area 51}}" which was a popular shooter arcade game from 1995 (although a console/PC game {{w|Area 51 (2005 video game)|of the same name}} was released in 2005). Area 51 was one of many cabinet arcade games which featured a light gun that allowed players to aim at the screen and shoot in a realistic control mechanic. The title text confirms that the comic is referring to these light gun cabinet games specifically.

The title text of [[188: Reload]] references this strip.

==Transcript==
:[A person with hair lies on the ground in a pool of red blood. At the top of the panel there is a caption. Then a text. And above the person there is a score with small lines around to indicate that it has just appeared over the body.]
:My hobby:
:When the police bust drug hideouts, I sneak in and hide. Then I jump out and startle them into shooting me so they lose points.
:-100

==Trivia==
*This was the 51st comic originally posted to [[LiveJournal]].
**The previous was [[52: Secret Worlds]].
**The next was [[55: Useless]].
*Original title: "My Hobby"
**As is also the caption in the comic, but the "My" was lost in the xkcd title.
**It is part of the last six comics on LiveJournal which all had a title without the word "Drawing" in it.
**The five other comics had the exact same title on both sites.
**Apart from the [[:Category:First day on LiveJournal|thirteen first comics]] posted to LiveJournal, there were only three other comics without the word "Drawing" in the title before these last six.
*There were no original [[Randall]] quote for this comic.
**However, Randall did reply to this comment by "SpEnSe" on LiveJournal:
:::"I'm reminded of Area 51 where you accidently kept shooting the cops in the back...over and over again.
:::Brilliant."
:*Randall made the following reply:
:::"That was actually precisely the game I was thinking of. I remember my brother playing that game all day at the arcade when we were little.
:::Fuckin' innocents."
:*This comment is reflected in the title text on xkcd.
*This comic was one of the last 11 comics posted on LiveJournal.
**These 11 comics were [[:Category:Posted on LiveJournal after xkcd|posted both on LiveJournal and xkcd]] after the [[xkcd]] site opened on the 1st of January 2006.
**The first six comics were posted on both sites on the same day. But not this one.
*For some reason [[54: Science]] was posted before this one on LiveJournal on the 18th of January 2006
**It first came out a week later on xkcd on the 25th of January 2006.
**This was the day that [[53: Hobby]] were released on LiveJournal.
**But [[53: Hobby]] had already been released on xkcd two days earlier, the same day as [[52: Secret Worlds]] came out on LiveJournal, on Monday the 23rd of January 2006 .
**The release date here on explain xkcd uses the first release date, so that is the one on xkcd.
*After the mishap with [[54: Science]] the next three comics up to this one came out on LiveJournal a release day later.
**First with the next (and last) comic released on LiveJournal, [[55: Useless]], did the two sites release the same comic on the same day again.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics posted on livejournal| 51]]
[[Category:Posted on LiveJournal after xkcd]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Video games]]
[[Category:My Hobby]]

Talk:811: Starlight

2015-09-11T18:16:29Z

173.245.56.165:

I thought that was a picture frame, a mirror makes more sense. [[Special:Contributions/184.66.160.91|184.66.160.91]] 08:40, 17 July 2013 (UTC)

From the light's point of view, EVERYTHING is in the same place. The whole universe in one point. {{unsigned
ip|108.162.238.114}}
:Actually, I think that the universe would be a solitary plane. Since light moves only in one straight line. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.204|173.245.54.204]] 02:14, 5 March 2015 (UTC)

I still think it's a picture frame. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.215.118|108.162.215.118]] 00:50, 6 August 2014 (UTC)

It's a mirror, you can see the reflection of his arms. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.75.77|141.101.75.77]] 18:35, 27 March 2015 (UTC)

I am still of the opinion, sort of, that it is a picture frame. It seems like beret guy to make art of things we consider simple, because of the actually extraordinary circumstances that happened to make it so. [[User:YourLifeisaLie|The Goyim]] ([[User talk:YourLifeisaLie|talk]]) 23:35, 11 March 2015 (UTC)

It's a mirror. Picture frame makes no sense. It's a mirror. -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.162|108.162.250.162]] 06:41, 10 August 2015 (UTC)

This is pushing into areas beyond my expertise, but I question the validity of the assertion that the light particle will experience no time between departing the star and arriving at the planet. From what I understand, One of the pillars of relativity is that from ALL reference frames the speed of light is constant. So when we discuss things "from the point of view of a light particle" most of what we say is basically conjecture. It is impossible to have a valid reference frame moving along with a photon. To say that from the photon's point of view no time passes is to assume a reference point where the speed of light is no longer constant, but instead photons have the ability to be stationary. A stationary photon can never be observed in any valid reference frame. It is fair to say that a particle traveling at a speed infinitesimally less than the speed of light will experience almost no time between locations, but time dilation follows a curve that is only valid for speeds approaching but not including the speed of light.

---I'm not a physicist, but I'm fairly certain you can have a valid light-speed frame of reference. As I recall, that's part of the explanation for how the weak force can distinguish left-handed particles from right-handed ones. This makes no sense at first blush, because whether a particle is spinning left or right depends upon the position of the viewer. You could have one person observe a left handed particle decay while an observer at a different angle observes a right handed particle do nothing. The answer is that if the particle has no intrinsic mass, all observers would agree that it is traveling at the speed of light, and that there is a well-defined left and right (with respect to the direction of the particle's motion). This becomes immensely more complicated because it applies to particles that have no intrinsic mass, but nonetheless obtain effective mass through the Higgs mechanism (for instance, leptons). [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.165|173.245.56.165]] 18:16, 11 September 2015 (UTC) - NotaphysicistbutIplayoneontheinternet

Talk:1555: Exoplanet Names 2

2015-07-31T15:09:52Z

173.245.56.165: nova

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znxFrgql5dc "This Land"] is a ''Firefly'' reference. [[User:Keavon|Keavon]] ([[User talk:Keavon|talk]]) 05:11, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
: This land is also track n6 of The Lion King, I think Randall is also a fan of this.--[[User:NeoRaist|NeoRaist]] ([[User talk:NeoRaist|talk]]) 14:54, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

.. I almost feel like that titletext gives enough reason for there to be (some) pages about the [[what_if?|''What If?'']] series, but ehhhh... [[User:Pixali|Pixali]] ([[User talk:Pixali|talk]]|[[Special:Contributions/Pixali|contribs]]) 05:02, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

What is with Kepler-283? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.214.137|108.162.214.137]] 05:09, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
:283b is the phonetic spelling for Uranus (your-a-nus) and 283c is the phonetic spelling for Uranus (your-ay-nus) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.104.77|141.101.104.77]] 05:33, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

;Kostner
Is there a pun I'm missing by spelling Kevin Costner as "Kostner"? [[Special:Contributions/198.41.241.7|198.41.241.7]]
:[http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/exoplanet_names_2.png Randall fixed it.] I don't know how to update the file here, though. [[User:P1h3r1e3d13|P1h3r1e3d13]] ([[User talk:P1h3r1e3d13|talk]]) 20:15, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
::I got it - the file's been updated, but I had to go all the way to the image and force a refresh on my browser for it to appear correctly. :P [[User:KieferSkunk|KieferSkunk]] ([[User talk:KieferSkunk|talk]]) 00:34, 25 July 2015 (UTC)

;Novella

I'm not 100% sure what "Novella" refers to, aside from the dictionary definition of the word (and if that's the case I'm unsure of the context), but in case it's not widely-known on this wiki, I want to suggest the possibility that it's a tribute to the Novella brothers, who are among the co-hosts of the popular science podcast The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe. - [[Special:Contributions/108.162.241.175|108.162.241.175]] 04:43, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

:Seems like a cool podcast, sadly I don't have time to listen to 10 years Witt of podcasts. Any specific ones I should listen to and where should I start for new ones? {{unsigned ip|173.245.55.63}}
:: The podcast is very topical, often talking about current news items. It is OK to start with new ones, and back-fill as desired. [[User:Blaisepascal|Blaisepascal]] ([[User talk:Blaisepascal|talk]]) 18:57, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
: Considering the sex-themed names Novella it is grouped with. I will assume it is a joke on 60/70's exploitation/B-movies, some of which had names or leadcharacters named something..-ella. In this case the prefix is just particularly confusing ;) [[Special:Contributions/188.114.110.47|188.114.110.47]] 08:51, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
::I assumed this was a reference to the SGU, perhaps because I was primed by the Phil Plait reference (who has been a guest on that podcast a few times), and because of their enthusiasm for space news. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.57|141.101.99.57]] 20:04, 28 July 2015 (UTC)
: It could also be interpreted in this context as the diminutive form of "nova," like a stellar nova. - [[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.165|173.245.56.165]] 15:09, 31 July 2015 (UTC)

;A$aplanet

Is a pun on the rap group {{w|A$AP Mob}} and their most prominient member {{w|A$AP Rocky}}.
: Included that possibility. Thanks. Didn't know of A$AP, before. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 13:21, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

Somehow I just read this as "a dollar a planet", maybe refering to a donating scheme ("a dollar donated for every planet found" or even more along the lines of "a dollar a day", meaning: donate 1 dollar to save this planet) or a sale advertisement ("just $1 to buy a planet", which is very likely to be a scam as it would not be possible with current technology to visit another planet outside of our solar system) [[Special:Contributions/198.41.242.253|198.41.242.253]] 15:15, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

;Planet of the Apes (disambiguation)
I think the suggestion here is to actually put the "(disambiguation)" in the name of the planet, thereby creating a problem in the wikipedia entry, since [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_of_the_Apes_%28disambiguation%29 there's already a wikipedia page with that title]. They would have to create a meta-disambiguation page, which is why this is funny. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.235|141.101.98.235]] 13:39, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

;Kepler-438b
In the previous comic, Kepler-438 was named Kepler-1686 (which does not seem to exist...) and was updated to the current [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kepler-438b Kepler-438b]. It even is colored red to show the update. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.23.198|162.158.23.198]] 16:34, 24 July 2015 (UTC)

;Hot Mess

Why is Hot Mess an Arrested Development thing? The phrase is in general use, not just limited to viewers of that show. {{unsigned ip|108.162.237.189}}

;Air Bud Pluto #9 Reference
A few strips back, in ''Rulebook'', we were debating whether the "9" on the dog's jersey may have been a subtle jab at the Pluto debate. I argued that there was a strong possibility of that, given the timing of that comic immediately after the New Horizons flyby, the strong relationship between dogs and the name Pluto, and Pluto's former status as the 9th planet. There was no way to prove that that was what Randall had in mind (short of him personally confirming it), but I think this strip could lend some credence to it. What do you think? [[User:KieferSkunk|KieferSkunk]] ([[User talk:KieferSkunk|talk]]) 17:50, 24 July 2015 (UTC)
;Definition of Planet
What about the fact that the new definition of planet made by the IAU says it has to be around the sun. None of these would fit the definition of planet then and the answer to "is Pluto a planet" would still be no.[[User:Agent0013|Agent0013]]
: Here's a link to the IAU resolution which defines a planet (and confirms Agent0013's comment): [http://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/iau0603/ IAU 2006 General Assembly Results]. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.50.150|173.245.50.150]] 19:35, 25 July 2015 (UTC)

;Planet with Arms
(I just added this to the 1253 talk. Adding it here too.) I think Planet With Arms refers to both Hitchhiker's and to Galileo describing Saturn as a 'planet with ears' when he discovered. it. --[[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.26|173.245.54.26]] 13:12, 25 July 2015 (UTC)

A few more possibilities for you:
*"Skydot" - a reference to Carl Sagan's famous "Pale Blue Dot" of Earth.
*"Seas of Toothpaste" - possibly referencing the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" with its various peculiar "Seas" (e.g., "Sea of Phrenology", "Sea of Holes")
*"Moonchild" is a generic hippy name, and also the title of a 1917 novel by Aleister Crowley and songs by King Crimson and Iron Maiden. The King Crimson song, perhaps importantly, is the fourth song (i.e., "song d") on their debut album.
* "Planet With Arms" also follows on directly after "LEGoland" as a pun, as well as referencing Galileo's description of Saturn as a planet with ears.
[[User:Grutness|Grutness]] ([[User talk:Grutness|talk]]) 01:48, 26 July 2015 (UTC)

Planet with arms could also probably be a reference to the 'birds with arms' meme. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.169|108.162.249.169]] 09:12, 26 July 2015 (UTC)

It's probably not intentional, but '''Spherical Discworld''' reminded me of an aspect of the Pratchett novel, ''Strata'' (pre-Discworld-series, i.e. ''very'' early work, and arguably a bit rough around the edges, but you still might want to peruse it some time). Although I'm not wanting to go into any more detail lest I spoiler the very interesting thing that I'm talking about. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.168|141.101.98.168]] 21:18, 26 July 2015 (UTC)

I am vaguely disappointed that none of the Eridani planets got named "Planet of the Fish Assholes"... -Pennpenn [[Special:Contributions/108.162.250.162|108.162.250.162]] 23:46, 26 July 2015 (UTC)

Can we talk about how this comic is the fourth time the island {{w|Sulawesi}} was mentioned without any reason? Sulawesi appeared in [[273: Electromagnetic Spectrum|comic 273]] as part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and physically in both Online Communities maps [[256: Online Communities|I]] and [[802: Online Communities 2|II]]? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.225.133|108.162.225.133]] 09:55, 27 July 2015 (UTC)

542: Cover-Up

2015-04-16T14:57:56Z

173.245.56.165: /* Explanation */ Minor spelling fix ("nows" -> "knows")

{{comic
| number = 542
| date = February 11, 2009
| title = Cover-Up
| image = cover_up.png
| titletext = Man, this trick has saved me so many times.
}}

==Explanation==

[[Black Hat]] and [[Danish]] are trying to clean up the mess that their bloody murder has left. This story may thus be a continuation of [[515: No One Must Know]].

Another guy, [[Cueball]], is on his way home and is about to arrive just when are finishing the clean up. But then Black Hat realizes that the ceiling has also been stained (by the violent murder...) And now they do not have time to fix it in time.

But Black Hat knows how to deal with the situation, and when Cueball comes home, he says ''Did you know "gullible" is written on your ceiling''.

{{w|Gullible}} means easily deceived or naive. This is a game many people play with each other "Whoa, someone wrote 'gullible' in the sky!" "Did you know when you look at the Microsoft logo upside-down it looks like the word 'gullible'?" Those that are gullible check. Those that aren't, don't. In fact they will pointedly not do the thing that the first person has suggested as a show of how non-gullible they are. Black Hat uses this to his advantage to cover up the copious bloodstains on the ceiling and as expected Cueball just says ''Hah. Yeah, right'' and refuses to even gaze at the ceiling.

The title text is hinting that Black Hat has had to cover up killing people several times as this trick has saved him many times. Of course there could also be other things than blood that he had to hide (the money he just stole etc.)

==Transcript==
:[Black Hat is holding blood stained rags while Danish is holding an equally bloody mop.]
:Black Hat: Okay, got the blood off the walls.
:Danish: I finished the floor.

:Black Hat: Good; he'll be home any-
:Black Hat: Oh crap! We forgot to clean the ceiling!

:Danish: There's no time!
:Black Hat: Wait, I'll handle it.

:[Cueball with briefcase enters the house.]
:Black Hat: Hi. Did you know "gullible" is written on your ceiling?
:Cueball: Hah. Yeah, right.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Danish]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

1496: Art Project

2015-03-09T11:23:48Z

173.245.56.165: It's not making fun of modern art, it's making fun of flipbook/time lapse movies.

{{comic
| number = 1496
| date = March 9, 2015
| title = Art Project
| image = art project.png
| titletext = It's my most ambitious project yet, judging by the amount of guacamole.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic appears to be satirizing art in two different ways. From one perspective, the author Randall is describing various art forms in unusual ways (e.g. a portrait for the first character, a video for the second, and perhaps live action in the third). From another perspective, Randall might be making fun of time-lapse movies and photography. YouTube has a robust collection of videos taken from stitching together pictures or short video clips taken every day, or every week; in the 2015 Academy Awards, one of the Best Picture nominees used precisely this method, filming short sequences annually over the course of a decade and a half. In each case the art described would be useless. A picture of oneself "every hundred years" will only happen once; a "picture every 1/24th of a second" is the standard framerate for most small cameras for video, and "watching my face age in real time" is simply conducting a discussion, interview, or observation with, and of, someone.

The final character, Danish, pokes fun at all of them by simply watching their attempts at "art" while she eats a burrito. Randall may also be referencing the many perspectives on art by leaving this comic open to several interpretations. The title text is just more snark, claiming that it's Danish's most ambitions project ever if the sole criterion for ambition is the amount of guacamole used.

==Transcript==

:Cueball:I'm doing an art project where I take a picture of myself every hundred years.

:Megan:I'm doing an art project where I take a picture of myself every 1/24th of a second.

:Ponytail:I'm doing an art project where you can come to my house and watch my actual face age in real time.

:Danish:I'm doing an art project where you all do those things while I eat a burrito.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Danish]]

1441: Turnabout

2014-11-04T12:28:06Z

173.245.56.165: /* Trivia */

{{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 (usually 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].

===Trivia===
Retroreflectors where 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.

The title text claims you would need to say "Apollo retroreflector" really fast; this is an ambiguous reference (possibly on purpose) between 'calling bank' (which would have to be done quickly before the shot lands, since from Earth you would only have about [http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2+*+moon+distance+from+earth+%2F+speed+of+light 2.5 seconds] before the light is reflected back to its source) and giving a signal to aim the reflector in time to properly return the shot. In reality, in the latter case no instructors are possible; the reflector would need to be prepositioned, because the laser, at ''c'' can outrun any signal sent after firing, let alone comparatively slow sound waves that can't escape Earth's atmosphere at all.

- This last phrase (starting at "in reality") needs further elaboration to be meaningful. Why does one need to signal the photoreflector for any purpose? Why would an information-carrier need to be sent/received? There is an unstated assumption here.
- I've reworded it to make clear that contributor's intent: signaling the reflector to aim.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.56.165|173.245.56.165]] 12:28, 4 November 2014 (UTC)

==Transcript==
[Two people engage in battle using handheld laser guns.]

[The first shot by each person misses. Person 2 is ducking behind a block.]

[Person 1 jumps on top of the block. Person 2 fires upward and misses again.]

[Person 2 falls over backward as Person 1 aims his laser pistol.]
Person 1: Any last words?
Person 2: "Apollo retroreflectors".
Person 1: What?

[A laser shot comes down from the sky and hits Person 1 in the back, knocking the pistol out of his hands.]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Space]]

1438: Houston

2014-10-28T00:35:38Z

173.245.56.165: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1438
| date = October 24, 2014
| title = Houston
| image = houston.png
| titletext = 'Oh, hey Mom. No, nothing important, just at work.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|Incomplete. Why is NASA unengaged in the issue? What is the relevance of prioritizing a call from mom over an exploding manned space ship? Why is the anachronistic spaceship?}}
NASA mission {{w|Apollo 13}} was intended to be the third manned landing on the moon. On its way there, however, during a routine stirring of the hydrogen and oxygen tanks, an explosion occurred that damaged the craft. Frantic efforts by {{w|Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center}} (located in Houston) resulted in the safe return of all three astronauts to Earth. Immediately following the explosion, astronaut James A. Lovell calmly reported to Mission Control: "Houston, we've had a problem" - a notable understatement which was famously misquoted in the {{w|Apollo 13 (film)|1995 film adaptation of the mission}} as "Houston, we have a problem".

A similar situation is depicted in the this strip (including the design of the spacecraft, the nature of the problem and the famous misquote), except with much less help from Mission Control. Although it's not clear if [[Cueball]] is only one person at mission control, or if he is only one of many, but upon receiving the message from the spacecraft, he seems fairly indifferent. Instead of attempting to resolve the issue, he mocks the crew for not knowing how to stir. He then blows the crew off in favor of a call from his mother.

In reality, Mission Control worked diligently and tirelessly to solve numerous problems such as if and how to adjust the spacecraft's trajectory, how to have the astronauts jerry-rig CO2 removal equipment intended for the command module to work with the lunar module (to which the astronauts had evacuated) using just the equipment on board. and how to power equipment back up within strict limitations.

At first glance, this comic appears to be an "alternate reality" view at what could happen today, given technical customer service lines are notoriously un-helpful and/or staffed by people not well versed in the products they supposedly support. It is meant to contrast history with Cueball's (lack of) action. It leaves implicit the consequences of this inaction, for greater shock. 

The modern type of monitor ({{w|Liquid-crystal display|flat panel LCD}}) in front of which Cueball sits suggests that the author is describing what would happen today. The comic can be read as a commentary about one's favorite objection to how the world has gotten worse:
* Call centers which blithely ignore critical calls
* NASA's quality issues in recent decades (and/or the funding cuts or direction shift contributing to same)
* the perception view that {{w|millennials}} are less committed to work
* the lack of national commitment to grand projects
* the idea that we are "falling behind" in technical skills, causing Cueball to fail to recognize the seriousness of the problem
* the objections by some to lack of governmental support for those in need
* the objections by others to the lack of individual commitment for the same
* the increase in communication distractions while at work (email, video chat, instant messaging, SMS, etc.)
* relaxed oversight of a distributed workforce (if Cueball is working from home)

Similarly, it can be read as a parody of the idea that you are responsible for fixing your own problems, an old idea that is being used in many contentious contexts today. One way to interpret it is as a {{w|thought experiment}}. Could Apollo 13 have landed on Earth without Misson Control's help? Although in real life Mission Control and their team provided massive help (figuring out the CO2 problem, determining how to separate the Command Module from the Lunar Module, etc.), in theory (but probably not in practice) the astronauts may have solved these on their own if forced.

In short, it seems a comic designed to provoke legitimate conversation and enjoyable whining.

==Transcript==
:[The Apollo 13 space capsule is next to the Earth. The capsule has just exploded.]
:Lovell: Houston, we have a problem
:[Cueball sitting In front of two monitors wearing a headset.]
:Cueball: Cool.
:Lovell: ...What? Houston, we stirred our O2 tank and it exploded!
:Cueball: Sounds like you suck at stirring.
:[Capsule shown from a greater distance, with Earth beside it.]
:Lovell: ...Houston? Are you-
:Cueball: Listen, I've got another call.
:Cueball: Good luck landing your airplane or whatever.
: *click*

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

1438: Houston

2014-10-28T00:31:16Z

173.245.56.165: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1438
| date = October 24, 2014
| title = Houston
| image = houston.png
| titletext = 'Oh, hey Mom. No, nothing important, just at work.'
}}

==Explanation==
{{Incomplete|Incomplete. Why is NASA unengaged in the issue? What is the relevance of prioritizing a call from mom over an exploding manned space ship? Why is the anachronistic spaceship?}}
NASA mission {{w|Apollo 13}} was intended to be the third manned landing on the moon. On its way there, however, during a routine stirring of the hydrogen and oxygen tanks, an explosion occurred that damaged the craft. Frantic efforts by {{w|Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center}} (located in Houston) resulted in the safe return of all three astronauts to Earth. Immediately following the explosion, astronaut James A. Lovell calmly reported to Mission Control: "Houston, we've had a problem" - a notable understatement which was famously misquoted in the {{w|Apollo 13 (film)|1995 film adaptation of the mission}} as "Houston, we have a problem".

A similar situation is depicted in the this strip (including the design of the spacecraft, the nature of the problem and the famous misquote), except with much less help from Mission Control. Although it's not clear if [[Cueball]] is only one person at mission control, or if he is only one of many, but upon receiving the message from the spacecraft, he seems fairly indifferent. Instead of attempting to resolve the issue, he mocks the crew for not knowing how to stir. He then blows the crew off in favor of a call from his mother.

In reality, Mission Control worked diligently and tirelessly to solve numerous problems such as if and how to adjust the spacecraft's trajectory, how to have the astronauts jerry-rig CO2 removal equipment intended for the command module to work with the lunar module (to which the astronauts had evacuated) using just the equipment on board. and how to power equipment back up within strict limitations.

At first glance, this comic appears to be an "alternate reality" view at what could happen today, given technical customer service lines are notoriously un-helpful and/or staffed by people not well versed in the products they supposedly support. It is meant to contrast history with Cueball's (lack of) action. It leaves implicit the consequences of this inaction, for greater shock. 

The modern type of monitor ({{w|Liquid-crystal display|flat panel LCD}}) in front of which Cueball sits suggests that the author is describing what would happen today. The comic can be read as a commentary about one's favorite objection to how the world has gotten worse:
* Call centers which blithely ignore critical calls
* NASA's quality issues in recent decades (and/or the funding cuts or direction shift contributing to same)
* the perception view that {{w|millennials}} are less committed to work
* the lack of national commitment to grand projects
* the idea that we are "falling behind" in technical skills, causing Cueball to fail to recognize the seriousness of the problem
* the objections by some to lack of governmental support for those in need
* the objections by others to the lack of individual commitment for the same

Similarly, it can be read as a parody of the idea that you are responsible for fixing your own problems, an old idea that is being used in many contentious contexts today. One way to interpret it is as a {{w|thought experiment}}. Could Apollo 13 have landed on Earth without Misson Control's help? Although in real life Mission Control and their team provided massive help (figuring out the CO2 problem, determining how to separate the Command Module from the Lunar Module, etc.), in theory (but probably not in practice) the astronauts may have solved these on their own if forced.

In short, it seems a comic designed to provoke legitimate conversation and enjoyable whining.

==Transcript==
:[The Apollo 13 space capsule is next to the Earth. The capsule has just exploded.]
:Lovell: Houston, we have a problem
:[Cueball sitting In front of two monitors wearing a headset.]
:Cueball: Cool.
:Lovell: ...What? Houston, we stirred our O2 tank and it exploded!
:Cueball: Sounds like you suck at stirring.
:[Capsule shown from a greater distance, with Earth beside it.]
:Lovell: ...Houston? Are you-
:Cueball: Listen, I've got another call.
:Cueball: Good luck landing your airplane or whatever.
: *click*

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]