https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Garik 2026-04-09T15:33:06Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1820:_Security_Advice&diff=138374 2017-04-05T16:14:27Z

<p>Garik: /* Security Tip Explanations */ spelling</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1820<br /> | date = April 5, 2017<br /> | title = Security Advice<br /> | image = security_advice.png<br /> | titletext = Never give your password or bank account number to anyone who doesn't have a blue check mark next to their name.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Incomplete. TBD:Complete tip explanations Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> The comic depicts a conversation between [[Cueball]] and [[Ponytail]], discussing the fact that giving people security advice has failed to improve their internet security, and in some cases even made things worse (such as requiring complicated passwords leading to people leaving post-it notes with their passwords on their screen, leading to huge security risks). As a result Cueball suggests {{w|reverse psychology|giving bad advice instead}}, in hopes of a positive effect. The last panel contains a list these security tips, which are parodies of actual security tips.<br /> <br /> The issue of passwords and computer security was covered in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/936:_Password_Strength 936: Password Strength].<br /> <br /> The last tip on the image is most likely a reference to Ingmar Bergman's film [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seventh_Seal#Synopsis The Seventh Seal].<br /> <br /> ===Security Tip Explanations===<br /> {| class=&quot;wikitable&quot;<br /> !Security Tip<br /> !Explanation<br /> |-<br /> |Don't click links to websites<br /> |The usual tip is &quot;Don't click on ''suspicious'' website links.&quot; The comic's variation instead implies don't click on any links to any websites, or don't use the internet.<br /> |-<br /> |Use prime numbers in your password<br /> |Long prime numbers are an essential part of modern cryptography and security systems, but don't have any effect when being used in passwords, except for maybe being harder to remember. In addition, if people were to regularly use prime numbers in their passwords, it would actually make passwords ''easier'' to guess, as it would substantially shrink the search space.<br /> |-<br /> |Change your password manager monthly<br /> |It is often recommended to change passwords on a regular basis. However, changing password managers monthly would be quite impractical.<br /> |-<br /> |Hold your breath while crossing the border<br /> |This in itself wouldn't do anything, but if you hold your breath for too long you could pass out when crossing, or look stressed/suspicious. Overall, this would not help you.<br /> |-<br /> |Install a secure font<br /> |A real tip might be &quot;Install a secure browser&quot; especially when many people used [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Explorer_6 Internet Explorer 6]. Using a different font on a computer would not help one's internet security.<br /> |-<br /> |Use a 2-factor smoke detector<br /> |A new way to keep accounts secure is 2-factor authentication, which usually means you enter your password, and then look for an email (or go into a mobile app) with a code which you then enter into the website. A 2-factor smoke detector would be useless, because it would require you to verify that there is actually a fire with a code, when the purpose of smoke detectors are to warn you about fires you ''don't'' know about.<br /> |-<br /> |Change your maiden name regularly<br /> |The usual tip is to change your passwords regularly. Some password recovery procedures ask for a security question, like &quot;what is you maiden name&quot; (which is the family name that you were born with). Since it acts as a second password, it should also be changed regularly. Changing it, however, would be very difficult or even impossible, even more so on a regular basis. Also, maiden names and other trivia typically asked by security questions are not secret, so they are inherently not secure.<br /> A real tip for dealing with security questions would be to enter false data.<br /> |-<br /> |Put strange USB drives in a bag of rice overnight<br /> |The usual security tip is &quot;Don't plug strange USB drives into your computer,&quot; because sometimes attackers put viruses that infect your system when plugged in. This tip implies that you should &quot;put USB drives in a bag of rice overnight&quot; which is a common technique for drying out water damaged devices, due to rice's absorbent qualities. This would not clean the drive of viruses, and unless the drive was wet (perhaps because you found it outside due to it being called &quot;strange&quot;) it would not do anything.<br /> |-<br /> |Use special characters like &amp; and %<br /> |You can use special characters to increase the entropy/strength of your password, though as describe in [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/936:_Password_Strength xkcd 936], that often leads to passwords that are hard to remember but not particularly strong. The password context is missing here, and in everyday situations the characters &amp; and % are not special.<br /> |-<br /> |Only read content published through Tor.com<br /> |[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network) Tor] is a software solution to provide anonymity on the web for its users. The website [https://tor.com Tor.com] is the website of fantasy and sci-fi book publisher Tor, which has no relation to the Tor-network.<br /> |-<br /> |Use a burner's phone<br /> |A play on using a burner phone (a cheap/disposable cell phone like those purchased at 7-11, often used for drug deals or other activity one might not want traced), and using the cell phone of a burner, i.e. a person who goes to the the Burning Man festival.<br /> |-<br /> |Get an SSL certificate and store it in a safe place<br /> |SSL/TLS is a protocol for securing connections on the internet. To check if someone is who he claims to be you can check the individuals certificate. Such a certificate has to be public, storing it in a safe place makes the certificate useless. You have to store the private key that matches the certificate in a safe place, else someone could steal the identity.<br /> |-<br /> |If a border guard asks to examine your laptop, you have a legal right to challenge them to a chess game for your soul.<br /> |This tip is likely a reference to Ingmar Bergman's film [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seventh_Seal#Synopsis The Seventh Seal]<br /> |-<br /> |Never give your password or bank account number to anyone who doesn't have a blue check mark next to their name. (Title Text)<br /> |The usual security tip here is ''&quot;only trust accounts claiming to be legitimate if they have a blue check mark next to their name&quot;'', which means that the account is verified as legitimate. This tip suggests only giving your ''password'' to verified accounts, although you shouldn't give your password to ''any'' account. <br /> |}<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> :Ponytail: We've been trying for decades to give people good security advice.<br /> :Ponytail: But in retrospect, lots of the tips actually made things worse.<br /> <br /> :Cueball: Maybe we should try to give ''bad'' advice?<br /> :Ponytail: I guess it's worth a shot.<br /> <br /> :Security tips<br /> :(Print out this list and keep it in your bank safe deposit box.)<br /> * Don't click links to websites<br /> * Use prime numbers in your password<br /> * Change your password manager monthly<br /> * Hold your breath while crossing the border<br /> * Install a secure font<br /> * User a 2-factor smoke detector<br /> * Change your maiden name regularly<br /> * Put strange USB drives in a bag of rice overnight<br /> * Use special characters like &amp; and %<br /> * Only read content published through Tor.com<br /> * Use a burner's phone<br /> * Get an SSL certificate and store it in a safe place<br /> * If a border guard asks to examine your laptop, you have a legal right to challenge them to a chess game for your soul.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1724:_Proofs&diff=125728 2016-08-24T16:16:55Z

<p>Garik: /* Explanation */ rewording</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1724<br /> | date = August 24, 2016<br /> | title = Proofs<br /> | image = proofs.png<br /> | titletext = Next, let's assume the decision of whether to take the Axiom of Choice is made by a deterministic process ...<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|More on the match, especially the title text.}}<br /> [[Miss Lenhart]] is back teaching a math class. She begins a proof when one of her students ([[Cueball]]) interrupts her asking if this is one of those {{w|Magic_(programming)#Variants|Dark Magic}} proofs. She says no, but it soon turns out that it is; Cueball exclaims that he just knew it would be.<br /> <br /> If this actually refers to the proof being magical, or just to the fact that many students often feel like the resulting proof just appeared without any reason, i.e. either the teacher did not do it clearly, or the student is not up to the task of understanding proofs of that complexity, is not clear.<br /> <br /> The proof she starts setting up resembles a {{w|proof by contradiction}}. These often involve making an assumption that there exists some formula or figure that fulfills the requirements given and plucking that answer out of abstract mathematics, much like summoning of demons is associated with black magic. This is usually done by relying on knowledge of the constraints of the form (for example, having the square root of 2 be a/b where a and b are both integers and have no common factors when proving that the square root of 2 is irrational). This common usage is then shown to be not the case in the comic as the proof then goes to claim that the answer will be written in a specific place (though this could be taken as indicating that the result is finite or has a simple algorithm for continuing it).<br /> <br /> In the title text the decision of whether to take the {{w|axiom of choice}} is made by a deterministic process. The {{w|axiom of determinacy}} is {{w|Axiom_of_determinacy#Incompatibility_of_the_axiom_of_determinacy_with_the_axiom_of_choice|incompatible}} with the {{w|axiom of choice}}, which is the continuation of the joke of these dark magic proofs. The axiom of choice was mentioned earlier in [[804: Pumpkin Carving]].<br /> <br /> Although Miss Lenhart did retire a year ago after [[1519: Venus]], she seems to have returned here for a math course at university level, but continues the trend she finished with in the her undergraduate class...<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[Miss Lenhart is standing facing left in front of a whiteboard writing on it. Eleven left aligned lines of writing is shown as unreadable scribbles. A voice interrupts her from off-panel right.]<br /> :Miss Lenhart: ... Let's assume there exists some function ''F''(a,b,c...) which produces the correct answer-<br /> :Cueball (off-panel): Hang on.<br /> <br /> :[In a frame-less panel Cueball is sitting on a chair at a desk with a pen in his hand taking notes.]<br /> :Cueball: This is going to be one of those weird, dark magic proofs, isn't it? I can tell.<br /> <br /> :[Miss Lenhart has turned right towards Cueball, who is again speaking off-panel. The white board is also off-panel.]<br /> :Miss Lenhart: What? No, no, it's a perfectly sensible chain of reasoning.<br /> :Cueball (off-panel): All right...<br /> <br /> :[Miss Lenhart is facing the whiteboard again writing more scribbles behind some of the lines from before (the first line has disappeared). The lines that have more text added are now number three and five (four and six before). Cueball again speaks off-panel.]<br /> :Miss Lenhart: Now, let's assume that the correct answer will eventually be written on the board at the coordinates (x, y). If we-<br /> :Cueball (off-panel): I ''knew'' it!<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Miss Lenhart]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Math]]</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1703:_Juno&diff=122921 2016-07-06T16:53:45Z

<p>Garik: /* Explanation */ Added parentheses. Please see talk page for discussion of who says what in the title text</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1703<br /> | date = July 6, 2016<br /> | title = Juno<br /> | image = juno.png<br /> | titletext = &quot;The name wasn't a tip-off?&quot; &quot;Honestly, at first I thought you were saying 'Juneau'. A gravity assist seemed like a weird way to get to Alaska, but I figured it must be more efficient or something.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Just a first draft.}}<br /> <br /> This comic was written in honor of the {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno space probe}}, which made headlines the day before this comic aired.<br /> <br /> Speaking at a {{w|NASA}} press conference a blonde woman standing behind a lectern announces that the {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno space probe}} has arrived at {{w|Jupiter}} within one second of its scheduled arrival. After traveling 1.7 billion miles such a precision is very impressive which is acknowledged by someone from the press.<br /> <br /> The joke is that Juno was meant to arrive at {{w|Saturn}}, but the timing is still apparently the same.<br /> <br /> In the title text someone, likely a member of the NASA team, asks if the name of the space probe, ''{{w|Juno (mythology)|Juno}}'', wasn't a tip off. In {{w|Roman mythology}} the goddess Juno was the daughter of {{w|Saturn (mythology)|Saturn}} (though also the wife of {{w|Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter}}). However, instead of mentioning this, someone (presumably a member of the press) replies that at first they had thought the probe was named for {{w|Juneau, Alaska|Juneau}}, the capital of {{w|Alaska}}. They had wondered why NASA wanted to use {{w|gravity assist}} to get there, but had guessed that it must be more efficient.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[At a NASA press conference stands a blonde woman behind a lectern with the NASA logo. To the left stands Megan to the right Cueball, both looking towards the blonde woman.] <br /> :Blonde woman: After traveling 1.7 billion miles, the ''Juno'' spacecraft reached Jupiter within one ''second'' of its scheduled arrival time.<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> :[A person off-panel to the left comments and all three turns towards the speaker.] <br /> :Off-panel voice: Very impressive!<br /> :Blonde woman: Thank you.<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> :[All three look straight out as Megan comments on the praise.] <br /> :Megan: I mean, we were ''aiming'' for Saturn. Still, nailed the time.<br /> :Blonde woman: ''Shhhh.''<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Space probes]]</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=User_talk:Kynde&diff=122920 2016-07-06T16:52:30Z

<p>Garik: /* NASA versus the press */ new section</p> <hr /> <div>== Cueball references ==<br /> Hi, please do not remove the Cueball references here. He is a standard character. The category [[:Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] gives just an overview about all comics showing this stick figure. And just one is him, not defined by Randall but by us. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:10, 8 May 2014 (UTC)<br /> :But who should define who Cueball is? You? I could see him as both here. And somebody did. You have just corrected back so that the Cueball in the explain is switched to the other charachter in the transcript. At least one of these should then be changed to match the other. It is thus also clear that people have different views of what Cueball stands for. Is he the one trolling, or is he the one who knows which movie Blade Runner is? [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:35, 10 May 2014 (UTC)<br /> :By the way - I did not remove the reference to the chategory - but only in the text as described above. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 07:38, 10 May 2014 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Minor tags on edits ==<br /> Also, a minor concern, but please be more sparing in your use of &quot;minor&quot; tags on edits. Addition of 1200 characters (e.g. . . m Talk:1496: Art Project‎; 20:04 . . (+1,240)‎ . . ‎Kynde, or . . m 1497: New Products‎; 19:12 . . (-419)‎ . . ‎Kynde →‎Explanation: It does not fit into category four! See new test. I also deleted a lot of text, that already was written below, and was basically the same as the one stille) is NOT minor. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 21:22, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> ::When adding a new comment to the talk page I newer see this as a major change. This i a discussion not a change to the explanation!. I do not believe it was a big change removing the text you wrote, when all of it basically was written below. Try and read your version, and see that it was more or less double. Also I had already once removed the reference to the fourth category. If the guy has signed up he have no problems with this company. Also it is mentioned that the fourth category is not a company he is afraid off, but just someone they do not like. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:42, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Thank you ==<br /> <br /> I like what you did at [[1402: Harpoons]]. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.153|173.245.54.153]]<br /> :You're welcome - I did it based on your comment [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 03:41, 2 August 2014 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ==[[980: Money]]==<br /> Hey, you've done an amazing job on the money comic's transcript, but the explanation page is still marked as incomplete. Is there actually anything left to be done on it? Thanks! [[User:Davak72|Davak72]] ([[User talk:Davak72|talk]]) 03:04, 3 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> :Thanks allot. I have replied on the Money page where you repeated the above. I can even remember the number although it was some time since I did the transcript. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:44, 3 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Merge Cueball &amp; Rob ==<br /> <br /> You seem to have changed some comics in which formerly more than one cueball appeared to make it such that none were called cueball (e.g. Orb Hammer). But many persist, see transcripts in:<br /> http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/1405:_Meteor<br /> http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/192:_Working_for_Google<br /> http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/525:_I_Know_You%27re_Listening<br /> http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/187:_The_Familiar<br /> http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/79:_Iambic_Pentameter<br /> http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/65:_Banter<br /> <br /> We should probably seek broader consensus before rewriting all these transcripts. There seems to me to be a general trend to name one &quot;Cueball&quot; and call the others &quot;Friend&quot; or somesuch in these cases and I'm concerned that you seem to want to singlehandedly rewrite all that convention. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 21:07, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :It is typically the first who writes the transcript who decides who of the Cueballs (or Megans) he feel represents the real Cueball. However, there is no real behavior of Cueball. So who should decide. I could also change these transcripts so it becomes the other character who becomes Cueball, because I think the first transcripter did it wrong. This was exactly what happened with the two Megan-like comics. First it was Megan and Danish. Then unidentified girl and Megan. Then Megan and unidentified girl, then two Megan like girls with short and long hair and finally you reverted it to my first ide: Unidentified girl and Megan. So thanks for showing me these six double Cueball comics. I will change asap. And as I answered your comment on [[1496: Art Project]] Rob is already listed as part of the category for Comics featuring Cueball: http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Comics_featuring_Rob and this is listed as the first entry when going to the page for Category:Comics featuring Cueball: http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Comics_featuring_Cueball Thus he should not be merged--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:21, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :: Can you please add this discussion here [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob]. I have refrained from making these sort of substantial changes and want to seek a broader consensus. Please use the community forum to seek such consensus before making major unilateral changes like that. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 21:24, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :::Done with interests --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:02, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :: there are dozens of multiple-Cueball comments. Please don't change them to &quot;man 1&quot;, &quot;man 2&quot; until we can reach a braoder consensus. I will not be changing them to &quot;Rob&quot; without consensus. This is not something to be done all at once and making that many changes will prompt me to request that an admin freeze your account. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 21:27, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :::I was about to write this before your comment no. two. So this was a reply to your previous comment: &quot;I can post it there, but these changes has been underway a long time for almost a year. But it is hard to find these comics as I do not go through them just to find incidences. How long have you been active in xkcd. I can see your page has been created today, but maybe you were active long before that?&quot;--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:42, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> ::::This is a comment to your next comment: &quot;It is very hard to threaten someone like that already. I have been making these changes before, and by the way never to man 1 or man 2. I have been one of the top contributers for more than a year. I hope this is not just because I reverted one of your contributions to Mondays comic? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]21:42, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :::::I didn't want to threaten. I think consistent style is important, and general style I see is in multi-Cueball comics, one is ID'd as Cueball and others are &quot;Friend&quot;, etc. Anyone unilaterally changing an established style should seek consensus first.<br /> :::::Additionally, I think your undo on my edit actually improved the explanation.<br /> :::::Finally, if you know how to solicit more opinions on the matter at hand, please let me know (or do it). Thanks! [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 23:53, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> ::::::Thanks on the edit appraisal. As I wrote on the talk page, yours was also much better phrased the second time. I do not know how to get anyone to go read your comment except by giving them the message like you did with me. Or putting a link to it from the talk page of the double Megan comic, and maybe on some of the double Cueball comics too. I did not understand the &quot;solicit more opinions&quot; at first (why I wrote that last part in my comment below &quot;how many will read&quot;). So you do realize, I can see now, that not many will. By the way I'm [[Danish]]... That is, I'm neither a mean girl or a pastry cake, but from Denmark. And although I'm, really good at English for everyday use, it is not by far a language I can understand everything. But suddenly I got your message.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:10, 12 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> My only point is we need to wait until consensus is reached before undoing years of precedent in Cueball naming. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 22:38, 11 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :Well as I have made fairly clear there is no consensus. Because it is up to the first one who writes the transcript to decide who is the friend. And this often leads to discussion or changes forth and back (like we just saw with two Megans) since people have different opinion on how Cueball should behave, since they do not know that Cueball can behave anyway Randall needs him to. Often he reflects Randall's intelligence, but just as often he is a prick behaving horribly towards girls etc. So if there are two, one good and one bad, you cannot say the good one is Cueball. And how many do you think reads your post? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 19:43, 12 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> I have had a look at the comics you have listed. Here are my comments:<br /> *[[1405:_Meteor]]<br /> **Here I would have changed - since it is believed that Cueball often represents Randall's version of himself - especially when it is his hobby. Of course it is then Randall who is pedantic, and thus Cueball. So I would change the Cueball reference. So here we could have a stupid editing war, instead of writing something else.<br /> *[[525:_I_Know_You%27re_Listening]]<br /> **Here there is only one Cueball speaking. And the other is listening in. So here I would no object so much. Maybe I would mention that the other looks like Cueball.<br /> *[[192:_Working_for_Google]]<br /> **Here I would have changed - since I would think that Cueball should have the most interesting story, and also that this Cueball is Randall as it is known that Randall has an interest in Google and has also been cheated by their aptitude test (so much that he did the famous [[356: Nerd Sniping]]). So also here I would change the Cueball reference. So again stupid editing war, instead of writing something else.<br /> *[[187:_The_Familiar]]<br /> **Here I would have changed - since I would thing that Cueball should be the one always interested in computers. Not the other way. I know there are other comics where he enjoys nature. But Also a lot where he enjoys computers out of hand and math etc. So again I would have changed the Cueball reference. So again stupid editing war, instead of writing something else.<br /> *[[79:_Iambic_Pentameter]]<br /> **Here I agree with the Cueball = Randall - it's Randall my hobby and thus the one with the Hobby is Cueball. But I would still prefer they are not named. some might argue against me on the hobby, saying the Cueball with the hobby is &quot;Randall&quot; so the other Cueball is &quot;Cueball&quot;. Thus once more editing war. But I would not start it. But still probably mention that the Cueball with a hobby is Randall.<br /> *[[65:_Banter]]<br /> **What can I say. The first is called Cueball the other is not. They have the same amount of text, and they are obviously both gay and missing out. I would definitely loose the Cueball reference here. <br /> That is my ten cents about these six examples. Maybe we should create a category called multiple Cueballs. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:02, 12 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :Note that I have not changed any of these... yet. But maybe I should revert those three I think is plain wrong, so the Cueball and friend is changed. Then we can see if anyone changes back? ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:02, 12 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :::I advise waiting. If you want to enact 4, go for it, but then put in the discussion a [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob link] to our discussion for '''all''' the changes you make so hopefully someone besides you and me goes to that page and weighs in.<br /> <br /> To answer your question, I've read xkcd for years (I started reading regularly around the time there were ~500 total comics), lurked on explainxkcd and made anonymous minor edits for most of that time. I set up an account in July 2013, when I began making more regular edits.<br /> <br /> I recognize that the issue has a large amount of inertia. My point is precisely that there are 9 &quot;Rob&quot; comics and countless Cueball. But, as I stated on the page, there is ample evidence that the same character (Black Hat's friend/roommate, Megan's boyfriend) '''is''' named Rob. I haven't done a count, but I suspect that &quot;Megan&quot; is named in the comic fewer than 9 times, but characters of her appearance are '''all''' called &quot;Megan&quot;.<br /> <br /> Yes, multiple Megans triggered the idea that's been brewing in my mind since someone (not me) made an anonymous comment on a relatively recent Rob comic [1168: tar]. Since I read that it's been sitting in my mind, but I haven't wanted to make an issue. However, the asymmetry between Megan/Cutie and Rob/Cueball grates for me and I want to urge the community here to evaluate critically whether it is the right thing or an inappropriate historical artifact. Years ago, [Cutie] was abolished (redirects now to [Megan]), I think it's objectively appropriate to make a symmetrical arrangement for Rob/Cueball (hence my options 2 &amp; 3 in the public discussion thread).<br /> <br /> For now, if you want to go changing all those comics go ahead. I won't argue or revert, but I request that you put the following (or something close to it) in the discussion of all the comics you change &quot;I've removed the name 'Cueball' from this and several other comics that have multiple Cueball's in them as per my position on the issue currently under discussion at http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob if you support this change or disagree with it, please weigh in on that discussion thread.&quot;<br /> <br /> Thank you and I look forward to hearing from more users. [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 00:04, 13 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::::Dear Djbrasier<br /> :(By the way my name is Kynde - that is both my nick and my middle name).<br /> :Thanks for this very open talk. I like you much better now ;-)<br /> :If I do change any of these I will do as you ask. It is not like I have forever to do these changes, although I for sure use too much time already on explain... I think I will add the category:Comics with multiple Cueballs. What do you think of the name if I do (and if I do then maybe also make one with Category:Comics where Megan is named Megan. Please tell me you can think of a better name for that one ;-) I only know of the three now mentioned on [[Megan]]s page.<br /> :As you can see om my page, I have only used explain xkcd since late 2013. So you have been member longer than me by some months. I did not read xkcd before that - became fascinated with the What if section on xkcd and when I finished with those I turned to the comic. But found that I failed to understand quite a few, and thus searched and found this page. I have read them as they come out since then, and then also began reading from no. 1. But since I always look in this page for the explanation and like to contribute I only progress very slowly. Recently I have reached [[540: Base System]] where I have made several improvements additions and corrections. And that is as far as I have reached reading straight fro no. 1. But I have of course used the cross referencing and thus read many in between that and those from October 2013. <br /> :Regards Kynde --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:02, 13 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::Happy to have the discussion and to get to wiki-know you. I definitely see your points. I added a few comments and links to our public discussion in the hopes that, over time, it will attract more users to the community portal discussion. I suspect it will take some months for enough users to weigh in that we have a reasonable consensus. I think that if you remove &quot;Cueball&quot; from some of the comics you mentioned above and put a link to the portal page in the discussion block of those comments, that will prompt community input.<br /> ::Cheers,<br /> ::DJ [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 13:40, 13 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> I also added incomplete tags to a few comics in which I think a strong argument can be made that &quot;Cueball&quot; is really Rob, despite his name not showing up (Boombox &amp; Cover-up) [[User:Djbrasier|Djbrasier]] ([[User talk:Djbrasier|talk]]) 13:49, 13 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> :Well I disagree again. See the talk pages. But then it is out for discussion.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:19, 15 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> I have changed several of the Multiple Cueballs comics as you said was OK with you. See the new caregory. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:41, 16 March 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == xkcloud permalink usernames ==<br /> <br /> You said &quot;The user name and user picture stay the same though.&quot;, [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1506:_xkcloud&amp;diff=prev&amp;oldid=88207 An Anon] had mentioned that [http://xkcd.com/1506/#post/3c34fb48-1a07-51d2-a81d-5257a3681024 3c34fb48-1a07-51d2-a81d-5257a3681024] had the name &quot;Lauren Ibsen Dolores Amit&quot; and changed to &quot;Margaret5&quot;, then by the time I looked at it, it had &quot;Virginia2006&quot;. It still has &quot;Virginia2006&quot; now, but since it has changed twice I wouldn't assume it is now permanent. Due to this, I [[1506:_xkcloud/Table of Permalinks|haven't been saving the usernames]]. Could you confirm that you see Virginia2006? Perhaps it's different for each user. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 21:09, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> :Yes I did see Virginia2006. I think it may change some times, but then suddenly it could become stable? The permalink used on the main page of the explain, was mine. I noted it was Mark Zuckerberg. But this has changed. But now I think it is stuck on: Destiny1983 and always with the skating &quot;Megan&quot;. Can you confirm this: http://xkcd.com/1506/#post/50b47c70-3a7c-504d-bcc0-60597338e999 . Cool that you have collected all these images. Can we put the link under the permalink section. As you can see I'm trying to completely revise the page so it is easier to find the explain and then only see the detail if you are interested. Hope you like these changes --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:27, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> ::Yeah, I see Destiny1983 on that one too. I like the changes, they make everything much clearer. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 21:30, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> :::Thanks. I was trying to make it easier to write some extra info on your permalink page, and deleted most of them. Luckily they are not deleted permanently. But the page is so big I have trouble loading it. I try to repair my mistake, but else please do so for me, and sorry in advance. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:45, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::::NP, &lt;tt&gt;&amp;action=history&lt;/tt&gt; is a life-saver. I was going to suggest using &lt;tt&gt;&amp;action=edit&amp;section=0&lt;/tt&gt;, but I see you've already added a description heading. It also lags pretty badly for me so I expect I'll have to stop at 10000, and I'm already up to 8444 since my last edit to the page. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 22:20, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> :::::Yes I think I fixed it but I had to split it in three uploads. How many different pictures do you think there are. I guess some off them are the same? (And same for text). Maybe the last part can be seen by sorting the table. But does the image also have the same name when used more than once? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:33, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::::::Well, I know of 1419 unique images so far. Yes, both images and text are reused for different permalinks, some come up a lot more frequently than others. If you click the heading, you can sort by either image or text, which will group them together. It's kind of interesting to see different captions for the same image. If you mean the same username, I haven't checked. I also haven't checked whether the same pair of image and text ever appear together as different permalinks, I'll check that &lt;s&gt;eventually&lt;/s&gt;, &lt;s&gt;later&lt;/s&gt;, ''right now''... nope. I imagine the prompt never even ''suggests'' a caption which is already associated with an image. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 23:27, 6 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::::::I hit the 2mb page limit at 10217 permalinks, out of the 15000+ I have found, so I've reduced the table to only show each image and text once. As in, ''either'' the image or text once, so there will be a couple of duplicate images and text. So what I said previously about sorting to see different captions for the same image no longer applies, but the page will be more manageable this way. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 13:53, 7 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::::::: So you think that it will not be possible for anyone to add the same image to the same caption, because this caption will never again come up with this image or the other way around? I can see yo have removed the ? where they where something else like turtles... Nice. What about all the links below? Are they just the other 10.000 links not associated with a new image or caption, just a different combination? If so maybe this should be made clear. You could make a new section heading for them. Would it be possible to list them in any other way, or is this to save space? Alternatively you could make a new subpage with extra permalinks for further study. We of course both know that no one will ever read these again ;-) But nice work anyway. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:17, 7 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :::::::: So far, I've never found the same image and same caption, but I'll keep checking, as I'm still storing all of the information, just not posting the full list to the wiki now. The other links at the bottom are all 15000+ permalinks I've found, good point about making that more clear. It might also be a good idea to list them on another separate page to save space, but they're not for further study, as I have all the images and captions associated with them, there just isn't room to display all of the information, because it would currently take 3mb+. Regarding the symbols, I was previously pasting my javascript output into my text editor to format them, but now I have my script format them for me, so the symbols are preserved. - and it's also a lot easier for me. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 14:29, 7 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :::::::: Well, I've hit the 2 megabyte limit again, so it looks like we'll have to put the table on one page and the list of links on another. Any suggestions for the page titles? -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 15:25, 23 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> ::::::::: You are crazy :-) My suggestion is that you create a new page called Table of Permalink (with the explanation at the top the same, but now linking to the old page, and vice versa for the old page to the new). Then let the list of permalink stay on the old page. And move the table to the new page. Finally, look at what pages direct to the old page, and redirect them to the new, only leaving link to the old page from the new one. The table is most important. The problem with your table is that it is too big for anyone to load... Maybe there should even be another page in between. Which is called - a selection of permalink. And then with link to the full table and links, with a fair warning about huge amount of data (Big data.). My explorer just went down trying to load the page (or maybe I'm just too impatient?) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:36, 24 April 2015 (UTC) (Ah, now it is finished loading...)<br /> :::::::::: Thanks. I haven't tried it in internet explorer, but the table loads okay with Chrome on my laptop I bought 7 years ago. Now that the pages are split, it might load faster for you. -[[User:452|452]] ([[User talk:452|talk]]) 18:58, 24 April 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ==[[1608: Hoverboard/Transcript|Hoverboard Transcript]]==<br /> <br /> Sorry to ask about such a minor thing, just curious about why the man on the raised plateau can't be a woman. Elsewhere in the comic Darth Vader is seen explaining Steven Universe to someone. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.43|108.162.221.43]] 13:46, 3 December 2015 (UTC)<br /> :Hi - it cold be. But to me it looks like a family. But to be honest I had not expected anyone to change it, and did not notice before I had copy pasted some text in from the document I write the transcript in. But hopefully at some time this family (or whatever) becomes part of the effort to explain the entire comic. My guess is that someone will know who it is - that they are from some TV series or movie. In that case it will become clear if it is (as I assumed) a family with mom and dad and two children or if it is a lesbian couple or something entirely different... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:02, 3 December 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::The family resembles the main characters of Steven Universe, a cartoon(the characters being three women and a child) The explanation page also lists them as such(Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems - (x: 551664, y: -567383). [[Special:Contributions/173.245.55.64|173.245.55.64]] 21:03, 3 December 2015 (UTC)<br /> :::Perfect thanks. Then is makes sense with the Vader reference. Is it the boy who is Steven? And is the low girl also a grown woman? I will look it up but thanks for answering. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:07, 3 December 2015 (UTC)<br /> ::::Fixed the transcript. Some of the link I put in, is not supposed to be there, but may be moved once they are explained in the main article.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 22:20, 3 December 2015 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Hair Bun &quot;Girl&quot; ==<br /> <br /> Hi Kynde, I noticed you created the character page for &quot;Hair Bun Girl&quot;. This naming convention is inconsistent with most of the other characters named here, e.g. Cueball, Ponytail, Hairy, et al. Beret Guy is a potential counterexample, but the words &quot;guy&quot; and &quot;man&quot; don't have the same relationship as &quot;girl&quot; and &quot;woman&quot;. Partly for consistency, and partly for simple feminism, I'd like to open a conversation about changing the character's name please. [[User:Jkshapiro|Jkshapiro]] ([[User talk:Jkshapiro|talk]]) 04:08, 4 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> :I think it is exactly the same as guy vs. girl. Hair Bun Woman is just too cumbersome. But if you can find a name like Ponytail that fits then by all means. Hairbun just doesn't do it for me. But I do not have any specific feelings for this name, I just found that she was used too often to not have a character page. So I will not take offence against you trying to find a better name through a conversation. Contraty to for instance Megan, which once was Cuetie (sexistick I think), it will not be so hard to change Hair Bun Girl's name to something else, but still she has just reached comic no. 20 so it is not easy to find all the references. Are you ready to do that job if you do get a new name for her? Because else it is just semantics --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:20, 4 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::Thanks, appreciate it. Yes I am ready to do the job. What would you recommend for next steps? Should I raise the issue at http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Coordination? [[User:Jkshapiro|Jkshapiro]] ([[User talk:Jkshapiro|talk]]) 04:06, 7 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> :::Your welcome, and good luck. Try to see [[explain_xkcd:Community_portal/Proposals#Merge_Cueball_.26_Rob|this post]] regarding the naming convention of [[Cueball]] and [[Megan]] which much to my joy did not end up in altering anything, but they were &quot;old&quot; names, Hair Bun Girl is new. You could post you suggestion there. And maybe make a note at the top of [[Hair Bun Girl]]'s page? (You can write Notice as a template just like the incomplete. Check out this [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Cueball&amp;oldid=92611 old version of Cueball page history]). Now that I think about it '''Hairbun''' is probably as good a name as [[Ponytail]]. So I would think that would be a decent proposal for a change. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:08, 7 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::::Okay, process started. Thank you for the good wishes and guidance. [[User:Jkshapiro|Jkshapiro]] ([[User talk:Jkshapiro|talk]]) 04:31, 9 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> === Girl With Hairbun? ===<br /> <br /> I have identified several comics that have a girl (clearly a child) similar in appearance to Hairbun. <br /> Examples include [[1104: Feathers]], [[1352: Cosmologist on a Tire Swing]] and [[1370: President]]. Would these people be included under Hairbun? Most of them are not marked as such. And what are the requirments to make a new character? I think this girl has appeared rather often. {{unsigned ip|173.245.54.42}}<br /> :Hi. If you look at the description for [[Hairbun]] it clearly states that she is an adult as are Ponytail and Cueball etc. So no, these examples should not be included in Hairbun category. If you look at the last entry on the talk page of President I suggested a children category. But I would agree that a category with curious girl or science girl could be relevant. She is also in [[1611: Baking Soda and Vinegar]] for instance. If there are about five comics that could go in a new category it is just to create it. The naming is important though. See othere categories for what to write on the category page. I have made several including Hairbun --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:12, 27 May 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::Thanks for your input. I think I will be creating this category soon. Since most of the names seem to refer to the hairstyles (they are recognizable) I think I'll be going with the name &quot;Double Bun Girl&quot;.<br /> <br /> == Marking edits as minor edits ==<br /> Hey, I noticed that you mark lot of your edits as minor edits while most of them aren't. For example, [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1645%3A_Toasts&amp;diff=112997&amp;oldid=112996 this]] and probably [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1645:_Toasts&amp;diff=next&amp;oldid=113008 this]] too constitute as a minor edit, but these - [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1645:_Toasts&amp;diff=next&amp;oldid=112997 [1]]], [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1645:_Toasts&amp;diff=next&amp;oldid=113003 [2]]], [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1645:_Toasts&amp;diff=next&amp;oldid=113009 [3]]], etc. aren't minor edits. Refer to the wikipedia guidelines for minor edits - {{w|Help:Minor_edit}}.<br /> ::Examples include typographical corrections, formatting and presentational changes, and rearrangements of text without modification of its content. A minor edit is one that the editor believes requires no review and could never be the subject of a dispute.<br /> Basically, if you are adding/removing even a little bit of content, it is not minor. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.130.216|199.27.130.216]] 23:31, 21 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Oh, and how in the world is [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Thing_Explainer&amp;curid=16286&amp;diff=113034&amp;oldid=113033 this ]] and [[http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1608:_Hoverboard&amp;curid=16986&amp;diff=113019&amp;oldid=113013 this ]] minor !! [[Special:Contributions/199.27.130.216|199.27.130.216]] 23:47, 21 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> :Sorry about that. I just updated my settings where it had been set to default: &quot;Mark all edits minor by default&quot;. If I by mistake click OK to an update before clicking that off it was to late. But now it will be the other way instead. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:19, 22 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::Cool, no worries. It happens. I was just surprised that everything was marked minor. Anyway, keep up the good work. I see that you're finishing up all the incomplete explanations and improving comics in general. Great work ! :) [[Special:Contributions/199.27.130.216|199.27.130.216]] 01:04, 23 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> :::Thanks for the support, nice to get some feedback. Also great that someone mentions when you are doing something the wrong way. I had only limited experience with wiki pages before signing up here, and I had not read the wiki page on minor edits, but now I have. How come you have chosen not to have an account? Seems like you also make several comments and changes... which is great ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:11, 23 February 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Please create the discussion page for today's comic. ==<br /> Thanks. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.13|108.162.221.13]] 15:02, 7 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :Well just did that (for [[1652: Conditionals]]) but not because I saw this comment, just before. I guess it is not possible for no registered users to create pages? Well I fulfilled your wish before I knew about it ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:05, 7 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Moving comments around ==<br /> Please do not move people's comments into unrelated discussions without asking them, and if you do, make sure the timestamps in the reply chain aren't out of order. [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 20:36, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :I expect you were referring to [[Talk:1659: Tire Swing]]? Well all comments I moved were regarding the same question of who the girls looked like, and they should have been posted as replies to the first. There were no time stamp on the first comment and your post asking if they were children were posted straight under a post about if they were Megan and Hair Bun girl or Thelma and Louise. So I do believe your comment belong under that statement. But fine by my that it just stand beneath instead of being indented. The time stamp of all comments seem to be in time order as I see it. It would get really confusing or I would have to make the same reply three times if they were not together. The comments in between were not at all related and there should be no confusion. So I think it made the discussion page much more useful what I did.--[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 20:52, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::Well I don't know about the other users, but I know for a fact that mine wasn't in response to the first one. I don't even know what the first one said, I just moved it from the explanation to comment page. And mine was posted immediately after it because I was chronologically the second comment made. I had no reason to wait (interestingly, you moved someone else's comment so that I was replying to it, even though it didn't exist when I posted.) [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 00:41, 24 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :::I cannot see that what you say is true about moving your comment. I just checked the history and here is what I found:&lt;br&gt;<br /> '''This was what it looked like before my changes:''' &lt;br&gt;<br /> --- &lt;br&gt;<br /> the women do not look like Megan and Hair Bun Girl to me, are they new?<br /> sorry for commenting here, but I do not have rights to create a new page, which seems to be necessary for posting the fire comment. Will move once the comment section is created.<br /> <br /> I think they are Thelma and Louise (from the movie) given the looks of their hair {{unsigned|Chichak|March 23, 2016}}<br /> <br /> I think they're children [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:33, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Maybe they got the truck from Black Hat's garage? [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:34, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> I have yet to use a tire swing that was made from a worn tire (worn by the road not by swinging). From my experience, expired tires used by automobiles typically have sharp metal protruding from the rubber. This would make a dangerous tire swing. I thought landscaping (rubber mulch) and playgrounds was the preferred recycling method for used tires?--[[User:R0hrshach|R0hrshach]] ([[User talk:R0hrshach|talk]]) 15:35, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> The first one certainly looks like Hair Bun, but the second one (which in in the explanation is presented as Megan) has a somewhat curly hair. Could she be another character, perhaps? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.166|108.162.218.166]] 17:05, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> &lt;br&gt;--- &lt;br&gt;<br /> '''This what it looked like after:'''&lt;br&gt;<br /> --- &lt;br&gt;<br /> the women do not look like Megan and Hair Bun Girl to me, are they new?<br /> sorry for commenting here, but I do not have rights to create a new page, which seems to be necessary for posting the fire comment. Will move once the comment section is created.<br /> :I think they are Thelma and Louise (from the movie) given the looks of their hair {{unsigned|Chichak|March 23, 2016}}<br /> ::I think they're children [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:33, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :::The first one certainly looks like Hair Bun, but the second one (which in in the explanation is presented as Megan) has a somewhat curly hair. Could she be another character, perhaps? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.166|108.162.218.166]] 17:05, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::::As the tire comes from a truck and it's diameter is more than half the height of these small girls they are definitely kids (not that Randall could not have made adults make a swing as like in [[150]]). Also this makes it much more funny that they both stole a car and beat up an angry adult. And now they are going all environmental after wards. So they are not Megan (which looks nothing like a curly haired girl) and also not Hair Bun Girl as it is defined that these characters are adults. There are many stories using kids and they will never represent Cueball, Megan or Ponytail etc. Those with hats are for instance never drawn small! Have thus corrected the explanation. But it still seems to miss much more on the environmental issue which is the subject/point of the comic if not the joke --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:19, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Maybe they got the truck from Black Hat's garage? [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 15:34, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :Then they would have lost the fight: [[433: Journal 5]]! --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:22, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> I have yet to use a tire swing that was made from a worn tire (worn by the road not by swinging). From my experience, expired tires used by automobiles typically have sharp metal protruding from the rubber. This would make a dangerous tire swing. I thought landscaping (rubber mulch) and playgrounds was the preferred recycling method for used tires?--[[User:R0hrshach|R0hrshach]] ([[User talk:R0hrshach|talk]]) 15:35, 23 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :I think you are correct. We have one for our kids (though it sucked and we took it down again) and that was a brand new tire, but not one I think would be suitable for any car though. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 17:22, 23 March 2016 (UTC)&lt;br&gt;<br /> ---&lt;br&gt;<br /> '''As can be seen''' <br /> :::I have only moved one comment up, and that was not yours! That you did not check that there already seemed to be two comments above yours, about the appearance of the girls, doesn't mean that it would not make sense to pool all these questions and comments regarding exactly this topic together to give just one answer. And as you can see from the above '''I did NOT move your comments''', but I moved someone else's comment, in between the first and second of your comments, to be able to reply to all four things already written about the girls (ie. 1) The women do not look like Megan and Hair Bun Girl to me, are they new? 2) I think they are Thelma and Louise (from the movie) 3) I think they're children and 4) ... a somewhat curly hair. Could she be another character?) All that was what I replied to, now possible to do in one go right beneath all four remarks. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 09:47, 25 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> ::::There was only one comment before mine, and it was 2 paragraphs. You moving the second half into a reply of the first half caused some of the confusion here [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 06:54, 26 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> :::::OK now I understand, so it was not your comment I moved, but the previous comment that I split in two (that was a mistake). That you did not answer to the comment above was of course not clear since it was on the same subject. Again this, as I understand it, was caused by someone posting a comment in the explanation, and you moving it into the comments section (which was fine, but made it hard to find out who posted what.) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 12:58, 26 March 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == Gardening ==<br /> <br /> You mention &quot;three links to images that did not work&quot; in my &quot;garden store for deer&quot; entry. [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:UploadStash/thumb/13xmd97bimg0.n2wbws.5455.png/739px-13xmd97bimg0.n2wbws.5455.png These]<br /> [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:UploadStash/thumb/13xn667h2jlw.jonmk1.5455.png/739px-13xn667h2jlw.jonmk1.5455.png three]<br /> [http://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/Special:UploadStash/thumb/13xod68rb29s.7fj65u.5455.png/739px-13xod68rb29s.7fj65u.5455.png links]<br /> all work for me; they are images I tried to upload, scaled as large as the server would allow (739x461). Somehow I can upload images but not create image pages (also the spam protection is still triggered, so creating this account seems to accomplish nothing). It's very strange that the server has stored them but won't allow anyone else to view them (after logging out, it tells me I &quot;must be logged in to upload files&quot; instead of displaying the images). Someone should rescue the images from wherever they reside on the server.<br /> <br /> The &quot;face&quot; I referred to (the second image) is really a cluster of leaves and branches: the bottom cluster of the rightmost tree looks like a head in profile, with curly hair, an eye, a grinning mouth, and a prominent nose. The two rightmost trees started with no branches (first image), but grew several when I placed a light above them. I moved the light so the face wouldn't be destroyed and tried to grow branches on the lower trunks. The third image is essentially the same as what you uploaded today.<br /> <br /> Regarding Megan's office furniture: I'd actually pruned her second wand whenever it appeared, and then the bird took its place. [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 15:29, 8 April 2016 (UTC)<br /> :Hi .42 First I think it take a few days (three) before you are allowed to create new pages to fight off spam boots that we have had problems with. I cannot see you images I get the following message:<br /> :'''Internal Server Error'''<br /> :'''This file (13xmd97bimg0.n2wbws.5455.png) doesn't belong to the current user.'''<br /> :Cool that you have logged in as a user, although poor name ;-) On the other hand if you are a fan of Hitchhikers Guide then I guess it would be cool enough by the way. I'm happy to see that I finally get a chance to prune some of my gardens after several upsets since the comic came out. If I can help you with the images let me know. Maybe you can post them somewhere else and I can find upload them for you? [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 15:34, 8 April 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> ::I'll try to upload tomorrow, then. I don't know where the server found the .42 IP address &amp;mdash; that isn't my address! It's ''really weird'' that it chose this number. [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 16:18, 8 April 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Have you seen libra's [http://forums.xkcd.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&amp;t=114415&amp;start=480#p3954408 purple light] gardens? [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 22:58, 11 April 2016 (UTC)<br /> :No I had not. I like the stilt on platform up in tree. I did not know this could happen. [[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:24, 12 April 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> == NASA versus the press ==<br /> <br /> Hi Kynde. I'm afraid I disagree. It seems pretty clear to me that the question about the tip-off comes from NASA. I've added a topic to the talk page, where I explain my reasoning, and where this should be discussed if you still disagree. Thanks! [[User:Garik|Garik]] ([[User talk:Garik|talk]]) 16:52, 6 July 2016 (UTC)</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1703:_Juno&diff=122919 2016-07-06T16:51:36Z

<p>Garik: /* Who says what in the title text? */ new section</p> <hr /> <div>&lt;!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~--&gt;<br /> According to http://www.space.com/18383-how-far-away-is-jupiter.html it is about 600 million miles to Jupiter, and according to http://www.space.com/18477-how-far-away-is-saturn.html it is about 1.7 billion miles to Saturn. So they went the distance to Saturn but ended up in Jupiter. They must have gone i pretty long circles to go 1.7 billion miles to get 600 million miles away. [[User:Aquaplanet|Aquaplanet]] ([[User talk:Aquaplanet|talk]]) 14:46, 6 July 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> : That's 1.7 billion ''kilometers''. They lost the {{w|Mars Climate Orbiter}} that way. [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 15:38, 6 July 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> : Actually, the space.com website does say Saturn is 1.7 billion miles away ''at its furthest'', just as Jupiter is 600 million miles at its furthest. In either case, interplanetary travel isn't a matter of taking the shortest route. Yes, Juno went 1.7 billion miles to go to Jupiter (anywhere from 365 million to 600 million miles away, currently 370 million according to Google), because it was the easiest / most cost effective (in terms of fuel) way to get there. --[[User:Mr. I|Mr. I]] ([[User talk:Mr. I|talk]]) 15:47, 6 July 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> :: Jupiter is actually 872 million km away right now, which just happens to be roughly the current distance to Saturn if kilometers are confused with miles. [[User:.42|.42]] ([[User talk:.42|talk]]) 16:18, 6 July 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Of course anyone who has bought a used car off Autotrader will know that how far away something is doesn't necessarily correlate particularly well to how far you have to go to get there [[Special:Contributions/141.101.98.59|141.101.98.59]] 14:57, 6 July 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> Several sources have reported that Juno arrived at its Jupiter orbit 1 second off schedule http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/nation-now/2016/07/06/how-juno-arrived-jupiter-one-second-off-schedule/86745128/. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.13|108.162.221.13]] 15:33, 6 July 2016 (UTC)<br /> <br /> : I was going to come here to ask &quot;Did they really make it within one second? And how do they decide when it is 'in orbit'?&quot;, but in that article is a quote &quot;We hit our burn targets within one second&quot; which makes sense - 'in orbit' starts when the engines turn off after the last course correction.<br /> <br /> == Who says what in the title text? ==<br /> <br /> Given that Juno was connected to both Jupiter and Saturn, the point of the title text is a little obscure. However, it seems fairly clear to me that the first question (&quot;The name wasn't a tip-off?&quot;) is supposed to come from the NASA team (i.e., &quot;it didn't tip you off that we were aiming for Saturn?&quot;) and that the reply is supposed to come from the press. NASA named the probe. NASA decided where to send it. It makes no sense for the press to ask that first question, or for NASA to assume it was named after Juneau or guess that gravity assist &quot;must be more efficient or something&quot;. Kynde appears to disagree with me, however, so perhaps some other people could weigh in and give their views. [[User:Garik|Garik]] ([[User talk:Garik|talk]]) 16:51, 6 July 2016 (UTC)</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1703:_Juno&diff=122917 2016-07-06T16:46:45Z

<p>Garik: It makes no sense for the press to ask that. NASA named the probe and chose where to send it; they wouldn't assume it was named for Juneau. The point, surely, is: &quot;The name wasn't a tip-off [that we were aiming for Saturn]?&quot;</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1703<br /> | date = July 6, 2016<br /> | title = Juno<br /> | image = juno.png<br /> | titletext = &quot;The name wasn't a tip-off?&quot; &quot;Honestly, at first I thought you were saying 'Juneau'. A gravity assist seemed like a weird way to get to Alaska, but I figured it must be more efficient or something.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Just a first draft.}}<br /> <br /> This comic was written in honor of the {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno space probe}}, which made headlines the day before this comic aired.<br /> <br /> Speaking at a {{w|NASA}} press conference a blonde woman standing behind a lectern announces that the {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno space probe}} has arrived at {{w|Jupiter}} within one second of its scheduled arrival. After traveling 1.7 billion miles such a precision is very impressive which is acknowledged by someone from the press.<br /> <br /> The joke is that Juno was meant to arrive at {{w|Saturn}}, but the timing is still apparently the same.<br /> <br /> In the title text someone, likely a member of the NASA team, asks if the name of the space probe, ''{{w|Juno (mythology)|Juno}}'', wasn't a tip off. In {{w|Roman mythology}} the goddess Juno was the daughter of {{w|Saturn (mythology)|Saturn}}, though also the wife of {{w|Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter}}. However, instead of mentioning this, someone (presumably a member of the press) replies that at first they had thought the probe was named for {{w|Juneau, Alaska|Juneau}}, the capital of {{w|Alaska}}. They had wondered why NASA wanted to use {{w|gravity assist}} to get there, but had guessed that it must be more efficient.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[At a NASA press conference stands a blonde woman behind a lectern with the NASA logo. To the left stands Megan to the right Cueball, both looking towards the blonde woman.] <br /> :Blonde woman: After traveling 1.7 billion miles, the ''Juno'' spacecraft reached Jupiter within one ''second'' of its scheduled arrival time.<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> :[A person off-panel to the left comments and all three turns towards the speaker.] <br /> :Off-panel voice: Very impressive!<br /> :Blonde woman: Thank you.<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> :[All three look straight out as Megan comments on the praise.] <br /> :Megan: I mean, we were ''aiming'' for Saturn. Still, nailed the time.<br /> :Blonde woman: ''Shhhh.''<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Space probes]]</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1703:_Juno&diff=122909 2016-07-06T16:27:22Z

<p>Garik: /* Explanation */ I think the question comes from the NASA team and the reply from the press. Also some rewording</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1703<br /> | date = July 6, 2016<br /> | title = Juno<br /> | image = juno.png<br /> | titletext = &quot;The name wasn't a tip-off?&quot; &quot;Honestly, at first I thought you were saying 'Juneau'. A gravity assist seemed like a weird way to get to Alaska, but I figured it must be more efficient or something.&quot;<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Just a first draft.}}<br /> <br /> Speaking at a {{w|NASA}} press conference a blonde woman standing behind a lectern announces that the {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno space probe}} has arrived at {{w|Jupiter}} within one second of its scheduled arrival. After traveling 1.7 billion miles such a precision is very impressive which is acknowledged by someone from the press.<br /> <br /> The joke is that Juno was meant to arrive at {{w|Saturn}}, but the timing is still apparently the same.<br /> <br /> In the title text someone, likely a member of the NASA team, asks if the name of the space probe, Juno, wasn't a tip off (presumably because the mythological Juno was Saturn's daughter &amp;mdash; although she was also Jupiter's wife and sister). Someone, likely a member of the press, replies that they had assumed the probe was named for {{w|Juneau, Alaska|Juneau}}, the capital of {{w|Alaska}}. They had wondered why a {{w|gravity assist}} was needed to get there, but had guessed it might be more efficient.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[At a NASA press conference stands a blonde woman behind a lectern with the NASA logo. To the left stands Megan to the right Cueball, both looking towards the blonde woman.] <br /> :Blonde woman: After traveling 1.7 billion miles, the ''Juno'' spacecraft reached Jupiter within one ''second'' of its scheduled arrival time.<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> :[A person off-panel to the left comments and all three turns towards the speaker.] <br /> :Off-panel voice: Very impressive!<br /> :Blonde woman: Thank you.<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> :[All three look straight out as Megan comments on the praise.] <br /> :Megan: I mean, we were ''aiming'' for Saturn. Still, nailed the time.<br /> :Blonde woman: ''Shhhh.''<br /> :Logo: NASA<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Space probes]]</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1521:_Sword_in_the_Stone&diff=120877 2016-05-26T15:02:00Z

<p>Garik: /* Explanation */ Adjustment for clarity</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1521<br /> | date = May 6, 2015<br /> | title = Sword in the Stone<br /> | image = sword in the stone.png<br /> | titletext = That seems like an awful lot of hassle when all I wanted was a cool sword.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> In this comic, [[Megan]] pulls a sword out of a stone. A flash of light comes down and music plays, and a heavenly voice tells her she has ascended to the {{w|throne of England}}. Megan then pulls out her phone and searches on Wikipedia for {{w|England}} (proving the comic takes place in a time period with Wikipedia). After having read for a while she begins, while reading on, to replace the sword into the rock.<br /> <br /> The comic references the fables of {{w|King Arthur}} and the {{w|Knights of the Round Table}}. In Arthurian legend, whoever can remove {{w|Excalibur#Excalibur_and_the_Sword_in_the_Stone|The Sword in the Stone}} is the lawful king of Britain (although this comic, like some versions of the legend, refers only to England). Arthur is an orphan being raised in secret; he notices the sword, removes it, and is proclaimed king. The sword is sometimes identified as {{w|Excalibur}}, although in other versions Excalibur was acquired by King Arthur from the {{w|Lady of the Lake}}. The most familiar version of this story is {{w|The Sword in the Stone}} by {{w|T. H. White}} which is based on {{w|Le Morte d'Arthur}} by {{w|Sir Thomas Malory}}. The animated {{w|The_Sword_in_the_Stone_(film)|musical}} by Walt Disney is a well known version of this fairytale based on White's book.<br /> <br /> A key element in the joke is that as Megan begins to read about England, especially information concerning being an English ruler, she quickly thinks better of this and begins to put the sword back in its place. The punchline that Megan puts the sword back after reading about England suggests that the &quot;gift&quot; of being the leader of England is not worth the risk and/or work associated. British history is rife with monarchic strife, and a brief inquiry into their {{w|List of monarchs of the British Isles by cause of death|causes of death}} will show that almost one in three {{w|British rulers}} have died either in battle or from murder, etc. This would quickly lead most sane people to conclude that the risks associated with ruling England far outweigh the benefits.<br /> <br /> The title text furthers this plot, having Megan comment on the hassle when the only thing she was interested in was the cool sword. Apparently Megan is not enthusiastic about power, and her choice is made when she sees how problematic it could be to reign over the country of England. There is also a subtle play on the fact that in the T. H. White version, Arthur likewise is unaware of the significance of pulling the sword from the stone; he is simply looking for a sword to replace the one belonging to his step-brother Kay that was stolen under his watch, to avoid embarrassment and reproach.<br /> <br /> From the time of the {{w|Roman Empire}} all the way up to {{w|Charles II of England|Charles II's}} reclamation of the throne, the area now known as England has seen {{w|Invasions of the British Isles|several migration waves, Viking raids, invasions}} and fierce power struggles among aristocratic families. Besides the constant threat of usurpation, as evidenced by the numerous wars for the crown, such as the {{w|Norman_conquest_of_England|Norman conquest}} and the {{w|War of the Roses}}, there were also constant difficulties in managing the frontier regions. This can be seen from {{w|Hadrian's Wall}}, a creation of the titular Roman Emperor designed to keep the ever difficult Scots out of the areas of Roman control (the Scots would be a {{w|Anglo-Scottish Wars|constant problem}} for England up until the reign of {{w|James VI and I|King James VI and I}}; think of the movie {{w|Braveheart}} for a good example of the regular headaches they caused, seen from the English point of view), as well as the {{w|List_of_Anglo-Welsh_Wars|Welsh uprisings}} that occurred with such consistency that you could set your watch by them.<br /> <br /> It is worth emphasizing that the term &quot;England&quot; is anachronistic in this context. At the time Arthur supposedly existed, there was no England — England was formed by Germanic tribes who {{w|Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|settled in Britain between the fifth and seventh centuries}}. In many of the stories, including the earliest, Arthur was in fact was depicted as a leader of the native Romano-Britons in their attempts to repel these invaders. England would not exist had Arthur succeeded. The anachronism is not new; it entered Arthurian legend in the Middle Ages. (Thomas Malory's ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', for example, refers to Arthur as King of England.) In Arthurian legend it was stated that Arthur would return when needed (in some versions he was explicitly associated with the {{w|Mab Darogan}}, a Welsh Messianic figure who would finally drive the English out of Britain and reclaim it for the native Britons). It is possible that Megan in this comic is a 21st-century reincarnation of Arthur.<br /> <br /> The timing of this comic might relate to the birth of princess {{w|Princess Charlotte of Cambridge|Charlotte Elizabeth Diana}} on May 2, 2015 just four days before this comic, and the burden of a royal of having a whole life in public shaking hands of strangers. Since {{w|Succession to the Throne Act, 2013|2013}} the {{w|Line of succession to the British throne|line of succession}} was changed to {{w|Primogeniture#Absolute primogeniture|absolute primogeniture}}, meaning that she will keep her current position in the line (4th after her {{w|Prince George of Cambridge|older brother}}) even if she later gets baby brothers. Before this year, that would not have been the case, as the male gender took rank over birth order.<br /> <br /> It is also probably not a coincidence that this comic was published the day before the {{w|United Kingdom general election, 2015|UK General Election}}, occurring on May 7, 2015. This election decides the modern day leader Britain (including England). And the problems they face today, may even be more likely to cause Megan to give away the throne, than the risk of untimely death she would have faced in Arthur's days.<br /> <br /> A similar Wikipedia gag appears in [[911: Magic School Bus]].<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[Megan walks up to a sword in a stone.]<br /> <br /> :[Megan attempts to pull the sword out of the stone.]<br /> <br /> :[A beam of light and music plays as she removes the sword.]<br /> <br /> :[While standing with the swords a voice from the sky speaks in gray shaky letters:]<br /> :Celestial voice: ''The Throne of England is yours''<br /> <br /> :[Megan takes out her smart phone and searches:]<br /> :Wikipedia<br /> :England<br /> <br /> :[Megan reads on her phone.]<br /> <br /> :[Megan starts to replace the sword back into the stone.]<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Wikipedia]]</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1521:_Sword_in_the_Stone&diff=120876 2016-05-26T14:57:32Z

<p>Garik: /* Explanation */ copy editing</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1521<br /> | date = May 6, 2015<br /> | title = Sword in the Stone<br /> | image = sword in the stone.png<br /> | titletext = That seems like an awful lot of hassle when all I wanted was a cool sword.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> In this comic, [[Megan]] pulls a sword out of a stone. A flash of light comes down and music plays, and a heavenly voice tells her she has ascended to the {{w|throne of England}}. Megan then pulls out her phone and searches on Wikipedia for {{w|England}} (proving the comic takes place in a time period with Wikipedia). After having read for a while she begins, while reading on, to replace the sword into the rock.<br /> <br /> The comic references the fables of {{w|King Arthur}} and the {{w|Knights of the Round Table}}. In Arthurian legend, whoever can remove {{w|Excalibur#Excalibur_and_the_Sword_in_the_Stone|The Sword in the Stone}} is the lawful king of Britain (although this comic, like some versions of the legend, refers only to England). Arthur is an orphan being raised in secret; he notices the sword, removes it, and is proclaimed king. The sword is sometimes identified as {{w|Excalibur}}, although in other versions Excalibur was acquired by King Arthur from the {{w|Lady of the Lake}}. The most familiar version of this story is {{w|The Sword in the Stone}} by {{w|T. H. White}} which is based on {{w|Le Morte d'Arthur}} by {{w|Sir Thomas Malory}}. The animated {{w|The_Sword_in_the_Stone_(film)|musical}} by Walt Disney is a well known version of this fairytale based on White's book.<br /> <br /> A key element in the joke is that as Megan begins to read about England, especially information concerning being an English ruler, she quickly thinks better of this and begins to put the sword back in its place. The punchline that Megan puts the sword back after reading about England suggests that the &quot;gift&quot; of being the leader of England is not worth the risk and/or work associated. British history is rife with monarchic strife, and a brief inquiry into their {{w|List of monarchs of the British Isles by cause of death|causes of death}} will show that almost one in three {{w|British rulers}} have died either in battle or from murder, etc. This would quickly lead most sane people to conclude that the risks associated with ruling England far outweigh the benefits.<br /> <br /> The title text furthers this plot, having Megan comment on the hassle when the only thing she was interested in was the cool sword. Apparently Megan is not enthusiastic about power, and her choice is made when she sees how problematic it could be to reign over the country of England. There is also a subtle play on the fact that in the T. H. White version, Arthur likewise is unaware of the significance of pulling the sword from the stone; he is simply looking for a sword to replace the one belonging to his step-brother Kay that was stolen under his watch, to avoid embarrassment and reproach.<br /> <br /> From the time of the {{w|Roman Empire}} all the way up to {{w|Charles II of England|Charles II's}} reclamation of the throne, the area now known as England has seen {{w|Invasions of the British Isles|several migration waves, Viking raids, invasions}} and fierce power struggles among aristocratic families. Besides the constant threat of usurpation, as evidenced by the numerous wars for the crown, such as the {{w|Norman_conquest_of_England|Norman conquest}} and the {{w|War of the Roses}}, there were also constant difficulties in managing the frontier regions. This can be seen from {{w|Hadrian's Wall}}, a creation of the titular Roman Emperor designed to keep the ever difficult Scots out of the areas of Roman control (the Scots would be a {{w|Anglo-Scottish Wars|constant problem}} for England up until the reign of {{w|James VI and I|King James VI and I}}; think of the movie {{w|Braveheart}} for a good example of the regular headaches they caused, seen from the English point of view), as well as the {{w|List_of_Anglo-Welsh_Wars|Welsh uprisings}} that occurred with such consistency that you could set your watch by them.<br /> <br /> It is worth emphasizing that the term &quot;England&quot; is anachronistic in this context. At the time Arthur supposedly existed, there was no England — England was formed by Germanic tribes who {{w|Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|settled in Britain between the fifth and seventh centuries}}. Arthur, in fact, was depicted as a leader of the native Romano-Britons in their attempts to repel these invaders. England would not exist had Arthur succeeded. The anachronism is not new; it entered Arthurian legend in the Middle Ages. (Thomas Malory's ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', for example, refers to Arthur as King of England.) In Arthurian legend it was stated that Arthur would return when needed (in some versions he was explicitly associated with the {{w|Mab Darogan}}, a Welsh Messianic figure who would finally drive the English out of Britain and reclaim it for the native Britons). It is possible that Megan in this comic is a 21st-century reincarnation of Arthur.<br /> <br /> The timing of this comic might relate to the birth of princess {{w|Princess Charlotte of Cambridge|Charlotte Elizabeth Diana}} on May 2, 2015 just four days before this comic, and the burden of a royal of having a whole life in public shaking hands of strangers. Since {{w|Succession to the Throne Act, 2013|2013}} the {{w|Line of succession to the British throne|line of succession}} was changed to {{w|Primogeniture#Absolute primogeniture|absolute primogeniture}}, meaning that she will keep her current position in the line (4th after her {{w|Prince George of Cambridge|older brother}}) even if she later gets baby brothers. Before this year, that would not have been the case, as the male gender took rank over birth order.<br /> <br /> It is also probably not a coincidence that this comic was published the day before the {{w|United Kingdom general election, 2015|UK General Election}}, occurring on May 7, 2015. This election decides the modern day leader Britain (including England). And the problems they face today, may even be more likely to cause Megan to give away the throne, than the risk of untimely death she would have faced in Arthur's days.<br /> <br /> A similar Wikipedia gag appears in [[911: Magic School Bus]].<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[Megan walks up to a sword in a stone.]<br /> <br /> :[Megan attempts to pull the sword out of the stone.]<br /> <br /> :[A beam of light and music plays as she removes the sword.]<br /> <br /> :[While standing with the swords a voice from the sky speaks in gray shaky letters:]<br /> :Celestial voice: ''The Throne of England is yours''<br /> <br /> :[Megan takes out her smart phone and searches:]<br /> :Wikipedia<br /> :England<br /> <br /> :[Megan reads on her phone.]<br /> <br /> :[Megan starts to replace the sword back into the stone.]<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Wikipedia]]</div>

Garik https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1521:_Sword_in_the_Stone&diff=120875 2016-05-26T14:56:14Z

<p>Garik: /* Explanation */ Changes concerning England vs. Britain</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 1521<br /> | date = May 6, 2015<br /> | title = Sword in the Stone<br /> | image = sword in the stone.png<br /> | titletext = That seems like an awful lot of hassle when all I wanted was a cool sword.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> In this comic, [[Megan]] pulls a sword out of a stone. A flash of light comes down and music plays, and a heavenly voice tells her she has ascended to the {{w|throne of England}}. Megan then pulls out her phone and searches on Wikipedia for {{w|England}} (proving the comic takes place in a time period with Wikipedia). After having read for a while she begins, while reading on, to replace the sword into the rock.<br /> <br /> The comic references the fables of {{w|King Arthur}} and the {{w|Knights of the Round Table}}. In Arthurian legend, whoever can remove {{w|Excalibur#Excalibur_and_the_Sword_in_the_Stone|The Sword in the Stone}} is the lawful king of Britain (although this comic, like some versions of the legend, refers only to England). Arthur is an orphan being raised in secret; he notices the sword, removes it, and is proclaimed king. The sword is sometimes identified as {{w|Excalibur}}, although in other versions Excalibur was acquired by King Arthur from the {{w|Lady of the Lake}}. The most familiar version of this story is {{w|The Sword in the Stone}} by {{w|T. H. White}} which is based on {{w|Le Morte d'Arthur}} by {{w|Sir Thomas Malory}}. The animated {{w|The_Sword_in_the_Stone_(film)|musical}} by Walt Disney is a well known version of this fairytale based on White's book.<br /> <br /> A key element in the joke is that as Megan begins to read about England, especially information concerning being an English ruler, she quickly thinks better of this and begins to put the sword back in its place. The punchline that Megan puts the sword back after reading about England suggests that the &quot;gift&quot; of being the leader of England is not worth the risk and/or work associated. British history is rife with monarchic strife, and a brief inquiry into their {{w|List of monarchs of the British Isles by cause of death|causes of death}} will show that almost one in three {{w|British rulers}} have died either in battle or from murder, etc. This would quickly lead most sane people to conclude that the risks associated with ruling England far outweigh the benefits.<br /> <br /> The title text furthers this plot, having Megan comment on the hassle when the only thing she was interested in was the cool sword. Apparently Megan is not enthusiastic about power, and her choice is made when she sees how problematic it could be to reign over the country of England. There is also a subtle play on the fact that in the T. H. White version, Arthur likewise is unaware of the significance of pulling the sword from the stone; he is simply looking for a sword to replace the one belonging to his step-brother Kay that was stolen under his watch, to avoid embarrassment and reproach.<br /> <br /> From the time of the {{w|Roman Empire}} all the way up to {{w|Charles II of England|Charles II's}} reclamation of the throne, the area now known as England has seen {{w|Invasions of the British Isles|several migration waves, Viking raids, invasions}} and fierce power struggles among aristocratic families. Besides the constant threat of usurpation, as evidenced by the numerous wars for the crown, such as the {{w|Norman_conquest_of_England|Norman conquest}} and the {{w|War of the Roses}}, there were also constant difficulties in managing the frontier regions. This can be seen from {{w|Hadrian's Wall}}, a creation of the titular Roman Emperor designed to keep the ever difficult Scots out of the areas of Roman control (the Scots would be a {{w|Anglo-Scottish Wars|constant problem}} for England up until the reign of {{w|James VI and I|King James VI and I}}; think of the movie {{w|Braveheart}} for a good example of the regular headaches they caused, seen from the English point of view), as well as the {{w|List_of_Anglo-Welsh_Wars|Welsh uprisings}} that occurred with such consistency that you could set your watch by them.<br /> <br /> It is worth emphasizing that the term &quot;England&quot; is anachronistic in this context. At the time Arthur supposedly existed, there was no England -- England was formed by Germanic tribes who {{w|Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain|settled in Britain between the fifth and seventh centuries}}. Arthur, in fact, was depicted as a leader of the native Romano-Britons in their attempts to repel these invaders. England would not exist had Arthur succeeded. The anachronism is not new; it entered Arthurian legend in the Middle Ages. (Thomas Malory's ''Le Morte d'Arthur'', for example, refers to Arthur as King of England.) In Arthurian legend it was stated that Arthur would return when needed (in some versions he was explicitly associated with the {{w|Mab Darogan}}, a Welsh Messianic figure who would finally drive the English out of Britain and reclaim it for the native Britons). It is possible that Megan in this comic is a 21st-century reincarnation Arthur.<br /> <br /> The timing of this comic might relate to the birth of princess {{w|Princess Charlotte of Cambridge|Charlotte Elizabeth Diana}} on May 2, 2015 just four days before this comic, and the burden of a royal of having a whole life in public shaking hands of strangers. Since {{w|Succession to the Throne Act, 2013|2013}} the {{w|Line of succession to the British throne|line of succession}} was changed to {{w|Primogeniture#Absolute primogeniture|absolute primogeniture}}, meaning that she will keep her current position in the line (4th after her {{w|Prince George of Cambridge|older brother}}) even if she later gets baby brothers. Before this year, that would not have been the case, as the male gender took rank over birth order.<br /> <br /> It is also probably not a coincidence that this comic was published the day before the {{w|United Kingdom general election, 2015|UK General Election}}, occurring on May 7, 2015. This election decides the modern day leader Britain (including England). And the problems they face today, may even be more likely to cause Megan to give away the throne, than the risk of untimely death she would have faced in Arthur's days.<br /> <br /> A similar Wikipedia gag appears in [[911: Magic School Bus]].<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> :[Megan walks up to a sword in a stone.]<br /> <br /> :[Megan attempts to pull the sword out of the stone.]<br /> <br /> :[A beam of light and music plays as she removes the sword.]<br /> <br /> :[While standing with the swords a voice from the sky speaks in gray shaky letters:]<br /> :Celestial voice: ''The Throne of England is yours''<br /> <br /> :[Megan takes out her smart phone and searches:]<br /> :Wikipedia<br /> :England<br /> <br /> :[Megan reads on her phone.]<br /> <br /> :[Megan starts to replace the sword back into the stone.]<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br /> [[Category:Wikipedia]]</div>

Garik