explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2049: Unfulfilling Toys

2025-12-31T10:16:19Z

Israbelle: Second link goes to a dead website, so I just cut it

{{comic
| number = 2049
| date = September 21, 2018
| title = Unfulfilling Toys
| image = unfulfilling_toys.png
| titletext = We were going to do a falling-apart Rubik's cube that was just 27 independent blocks stuck together with magnets, but then we realized it was actually really cool and even kind of worked, so we cut that one.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic lists and illustrates six different classic toys that are missing a key piece or attribute that makes them work and/or that makes them unique or fun.

====Rigid Slap Bracelet====
{{w|Slap bracelet}}s are flexible curved strips of spring steel that roll up and become a bracelet when you slap them against your wrist. This function operates on the same principle and basic design as the rolled band of metal inside a tape measure. A rigid one would not twist and would be deeply frustrating and potentially painful.

====Sealed Stomp Rocket====
A {{w|stomp rocket}} has a rubber pouch full of air, connected via a hose to a vertical cylinder contained snugly within the base of an air-propelled rocket. By stomping on the pouch, the air is forced out the top end of the cylinder, launching the rocket into the air. By sealing the air channel, the rocket would stay on the cylinder and the person would just be bounced into the air by the pouch — acting like the world's smallest bouncy house — or the pouch will burst, rendering the toy even more useless.

====Pump-only Supersoaker====
A {{w|Super Soaker}}™ is a brand of water gun that works by first pumping air into the gun, thereby introducing pressurized air above the water, then releasing the water using the gun's trigger – the extra pressure from the pumped air makes the water go much further than a traditional water gun which relies upon the pressure generated from a single pump of the trigger itself. In [[Randall]]'s version, the water cannot be released, so the fun part of the water gun – getting to spray your friends{{citation needed}} – isn't available.

====Glass Glow Stick====

In a classic {{w|glow stick}}, made of flexible plastic, one must first bend it enough to break the glass cylinder inside. This allows the chemicals inside to mix and begin glowing within the plastic tube. If the entire tube were made of actual glass, however, it would not only shatter into many sharp glass pieces but would also cover the hands of the unfortunate user with a mixture of mild but not harmless chemicals. Also, depending on this contraption's construction and/or luck, the chemicals either won't mix and not glow at all, defeating the purpose of the glow stick, or stain your hands, clothes, and surroundings with a glowing liquid, which would be rather unfortunate.

====Wingless Sky Dancer====

In the {{w|Sky Dancers|original toy}}, a doll or figure with folded-up wings sits on top of a hand-held device with a wrapped string or other mechanism that lets it spin the doll very fast. As the doll spins, [[123|centrifugal]] force causes the wings to unfold and provide lift, and the doll rises up in the air and flies, spinning, sometimes going quite high. Without the wings, the doll will spin but otherwise remain flightless.

====No-strings-attached Yo-yo====
In a traditional {{w|yo-yo}}, one attaches a string to their finger and the other end of the string is looped around the shaft of the yo-yo, in such a way that it will hold the yo-yo but the yo-yo can still spin. In this case, the string is presumably included but not attached to the yo-yo, so when the yo-yo reaches the end of its string it will fall off, instead of coming back to the person or spinning at the end of the string.

Nonetheless {{w|Yo-yo#Off-string (4A)|off-string}} yo-yoing technique exists that has been a division of the {{w|World Yo-Yo Contest}} since 2003. The division specifies that the string is tied to one finger but not the yo-yo. It was popularized by yo-yo player Jon Gates. It differs from the manipulation of a {{w|Diabolo}} because the string is tied to one finger instead of being tied to two sticks. The return is accomplished with a twist of the string called a bind. Diabolos don't return. A good example is here at [https://youtube.com/watch?v=tVpuh5aMhTQ this video titled "Crazy Stringless Yoyo Tricks!"].

Note that the phrase "no strings attached" is an {{w|idiom}} and usually refers to something being available without special conditions or restrictions, a favor being done with nothing expected in return, or a relationship intended to be very casual. In this case, it is literal rather than an idiom, in that the string that is normally attached to the yo-yo is literally not attached.

====Title-text: Falling-Apart Rubik's cube====
In order to build the magnetic {{w|Rubik's Cube}}, you would need to embed magnets in the inward-facing sides of each cube. This actually can be achieved by using a checkered pattern for the polarity of each piece, a single piece uses the same polarity at all its connecting sides while the immediate neighbor is configured in the opposite. This [https://youtube.com/watch?v=Xb8ENlS-5Go video] shows the principle and even a working 5x5x5 magnetic cube.

Because such a cube doesn't fall apart Randall had to remove it from his "deeply unfulfilling versions of classic toys."

It is also worth noting that although Randall said that there were 27 small magnetic cubes, only 26 small 'cubes' (or 'cubelets') appear in a traditional Rubik's cube, of three main types. There is no center block in a traditional Rubik's cube, instead there is a pivoting armature connecting the six face-centers (with just a single flat face) together while allowing their individual rotation, each of which can keep the 12 edge-centers (two externally-flat faces) rotatably-anchored to at least one face at a time by a form of dovetailed tab on those edge pieces and, similarly, those hold the eight corners (with three outer faces) in place even as they follow a single face's rotation primarily held by the two most currently relevant of the adjacent edges.

It might also refer to various square-shaped neodymium magnet-based toys, like [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j0KRK2MZic this one], which although they can be taken easily apart, they are successful and very fulfilling products on their own.

==Transcript==
:[The comic presents toys in six different frames.]

:[Cueball slaps his wrist with a strap-like item in his hand.]
:''Smack''
:Rigid slap bracelet

:[Cueball jumps on top of a pouch full of air connected via a hose to an air propelled rocket. The pouch does not budge and the rocket remains connected to its base.]
:Sealed stomp rocket

:[Ponytail holds a water gun and makes use of its hand-operated pump system.]
:''Pump pump pump''
:''Pump''
:''Click''
:Pump-only SuperSoaker

:[Megan pulls an item apart between her hands. The middle section breaks into many pieces on the ground and liquid is falling from the end parts.]
:''Pop''
:Glass glow stick

:[Cueball holds a figurine sitting on top of a hand-held device and pulls a string connected to it.]
:''Spin''
:Wingless sky dancer

:[Megan holds a yo-yo until the yo-yo falls from the string and starts rolling on the ground.]
:''Roll''
:No-strings-attached yo-yo

:[Caption below the frames:]
:My least successful product line was probably "deeply unfulfilling versions of classic toys."

{{comic discussion}}

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

1412: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

2025-11-15T04:36:12Z

Israbelle: Updated all the notes for deleted/renamed pages in the style that was already used. There are a LOT of them, maybe there's a better way to format this now, but I'm just keeping the info up-to-date how it is.

{{comic
| number = 1412
| date = August 25, 2014
| title = Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
| image = teenage_mutant_ninja_turtles.png
| titletext = My upcoming album, 'Linked List', has covers of 'The Purple People Eater', the Ninja Turtles theme, 'Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini', and the Power Rangers theme, with every song played to the tune of the next.
}}

==Explanation==

This comic is a reference to the recently released {{w|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014 film)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie}}. It is a list of Wikipedia article titles that are in the same syllable-stress pattern as the first line of the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS-qFdw-v_o theme song] of the {{w|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987 TV series)|1987 cartoon series}}.

The list is compiled in alphabetical order from top to bottom, without respect to the left or right column. Some of the items on this list (e.g. ''{{w|Ace Ventura: Pet Detective}}'') are drawn as headlines in the same style as the logo from that series. These articles are not in alphabetical order with the surrounding small face text, but these headlines are in alphabetical order with the other headlines from top to bottom, without respect to the left or right column. Some of these phrases are not actually the titles of Wikipedia articles, but are redirects. For instance, the article on {{w|Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie}} redirects to {{w|Woody Guthrie}}, and {{w|Former Arctic Monkeys members}} at one time redirected to {{w|Andy Nicholson}}.

The syllable-stress pattern of this line is long-short-long-short-long-short-long-short, known in poetry as {{w|trochaic tetrameter}}. Randall has previously authored comics dealing with {{w|trochees}}, namely [[856: Trochee Fixation]] and [[1383: Magic Words]].

A similar idea was performed by {{w|Jimmy Fallon}} in 2001 at a [https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jimmy+fallon+80s+medley concert for New York city] where he demonstrated singing "any 80's song" over the tune of {{w|MC Hammer}}'s song "{{w|U Can't Touch This}}".

The title text suggests an album of songs (''{{w|The Purple People Eater}}'', the aforementioned ''Ninja Turtles'' theme, ''{{w|Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini}}'' and the ''{{w|Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers}}'' theme), the title or primary refrain of which have a large number of verses in {{w|trochee|trochaic}} {{w|meter (poetry)|meter}}. Randall suggests that these refrains are so interchangeable that the lyrics of each could be sung to the melody of the song following it in the tracklist. Randall would title the album ''{{w|Linked List}}'' as each song would melodically reference the next song. The refrains of the songs, respectively are:
*"One-eyed, one-horned flying purple people eater"
*"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"
*"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"
*"Go go Power Rangers"

In 2019 a [https://twitter.com/wiki_tmnt Twitter feed was created] which identifies Wikipedia articles with this stress pattern and creates a matching graphic.

==The Wikipedia links==

There are 6 headlines and 9 other article links in each block next to a headline for a total of 60 wiki links:

:;{{w|Ace Ventura: Pet Detective}}
:{{w|Biggest Loser: Second Chances}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Cayman Island blue iguana}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Central Texas pocket gopher}}
:{{w|Church of Jesus Christ Creator}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Climate change and meat production}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon}}
:{{w|Daylight saving time in China}} (renamed, but still works)
:{{w|Denver Airport People Mover}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Easter Island spiny lobster}} (now renamed)

:;{{w|Asian Human Rights Commission}}
:{{w|Edgar Allan Poe Museum}}
:{{w|Engine failure after take-off}} (now renamed)
:{{w|English as a second language}} (now renamed)
:<s>{{w|Former Arctic Monkeys members}}</s> (deleted)
:{{w|Fowler's Modern English Usage}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Georgia Game and Fish Department}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Golden-mantled howler monkey}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Greater Cleveland Film Commission}}
:{{w|Hairy flower chafer beetle}} (now renamed)

:;{{w|San Diego City Council}}
:{{w|Harland David "Colonel" Sanders}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Human Tissue Resource Network}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Klondike-class destroyer tender|Klondike class destroyer tender}}
:{{w|Legal code of North Dakota}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Lesser knapweed flower weevil}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Maple syrup urine syndrome}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Mighty Morphin Power Rangers|Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers}}
:{{w|Nablus mask-like facial syndrome}}

:;{{w|Single payer health insurance}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Neo Geo Pocket Color}} (now renamed)
:{{w|New Year's Eve with Carson Daly}} (merged under new name)
:{{w|Newton's second law of motion}} (merged under new name)
:{{w|North Korean Workers Party}} (now renamed)
:<s>{{w|Orange County Business Council}}</s> (deleted)
:{{w|Over/under cable coiling}} (merged under new name)
:{{w|Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater}}
:{{w|Places named for Adolf Hitler}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Proton-proton chain reaction}} (now renamed)

:;{{w|Spotted giant flying squirrel}}
:{{w|Puerto Rican lizard-cuckoo}}
:{{w|Quantum vacuum plasma thruster}}<ref>See also [[1404: Quantum Vacuum Virtual Plasma]].</ref> (rendered as "Quantuum", in the comic) (now renamed, anyway)
:{{w|Rocky Mountain spotted fever}}
:{{w|Royal Flying Doctor Service}}
:{{w|Russian Women's Fascist Movement}}
:{{w|Semi-active laser guidance}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Seven Brides for Seven Brothers}}
:{{w|Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows}}
:{{w|Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon}}

:;{{w|Women science fiction authors}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Trailing suction hopper dredger}}
:{{w|Vector graphics markup language}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Viti Levu giant pigeon}}
:{{w|Voting rights in Puerto Rico}} (now renamed)
:{{w|William Henry, Duke of Gloucester}}<ref>Gloucester is pronounced /ˈglɒstər/ (gloster).</ref> (now renamed)
:{{w|Windows Vista startup process}} (now renamed)
:{{w|Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie}}
:{{w|Yaba monkey tumor virus}}
:{{w|Zack and Miri Make a Porno}}

===Notes===

<references/>

==Transcript==

:[Caption above comic]
:;WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE TITLES
::With the right syllable stress pattern to be sung to the tune of the original ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' theme song

:[Six groups of Wikipedia article titles are written out. Each group contains ten titles. The first title of each group is drawn in the style of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles logo, where the final word of each title is drawn in bulbous green text in the shape of an arch, with the remaining words in white text on a red banner above the green text. The remainder of the titles in each group are arranged as a list in standard font next to the larger titles, alternating from right to left hand side going down the comic.]

:;''Ace Ventura: Pet Detective''
::''Biggest Loser: Second Chances''
::Cayman Island blue iguana
::Central Texas pocket gopher
::Church of Jesus Christ Creator
::Climate change and meat production
::''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon''
::Daylight saving time in China
::Denver Airport People Mover
::Easter Island spiny lobster

:;''Asian Human Rights Commission''
::Edgar Allan Poe Museum
::Engine failure after take-off
::English as a second language
::Former ''Arctic Monkeys'' members
::''Fowler's Modern English Usage''
::Georgia Game and Fish Department
::Golden-mantled howler monkey
::Greater Cleveland Film Commission
::Hairy flower chafer beetle

:;''San Diego City Council''
::Harland David "Colonel" Sanders
::Human Tissue Resource Network
::''Klondike''-class destroyer tender
::Legal code of North Dakota
::Lesser knapweed flower weevil
::Lockheed Martin Atlas rocket
::Maple syrup urine syndrome
::''Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers''
::Nablus mask-like facial syndrome

:;''Single payer health insurance''
::Neo Geo Pocket Color
::''New Year's Eve with Carson Daly''
::Newton's second law of motion
::North Korean Workers Party
::Orange County Business Council
::Over/under cable coiling
::Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
::Places named for Adolf Hitler
::Proton-proton chain reaction

:;''Spotted giant flying squirrel''
::Puerto Rican lizard-cuckoo
::Quantuum [sic] vacuum plasma thruster
::Rocky Mountain spotted fever
::Royal Flying Doctor Service
::Russian Women's Fascist Movement
::Semi-active laser guidance
::''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''
::''Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows''
::Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon

:;''Women science fiction authors''
::Trailing suction hopper dredger
::Vector graphics markup language
::Viti Levu giant pigeon
::Voting rights in Puerto Rico
::William Henry, Duke of Gloucester
::Windows Vista startup process
::Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie
::Yaba monkey tumor virus
::''Zack and Miri Make a Porno''

==Trivia==
*Randall mistyped the word "album" as "alubm" in the original title text but it was fixed later.
*He did not correct the word Quantum, which is mistyped Quantuum in the comic.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Wikipedia]]
[[Category:Language]]
[[Category:Songs]]
[[Category:Daylight saving time]]
[[Category:Climate change]]

1215: Insight

2025-11-02T07:01:46Z

Israbelle: /* Explanation */ added 880 + fixed order of list

{{comic
| number = 1215
| date = May 22, 2013
| title = Insight
| image = insight.png
| titletext = The great thing is, the sentence is really just a reminder to the listener to worry about whatever aspects of the technology they're already feeling alarmist about, which in their mind gives you credit for addressing their biggest anxieties.
}}

==Explanation==
[[White Hat]] is giving a profound insight into <Google Glass>. This insight, however, can be given, sounding just as profound, for any other new technology that comes around—hence the angled brackets around ''Google Glass'', indicating that "Google Glass" is a placeholder. This, of course, means it is not profound at all, as it has no actual insight into {{w|Google Glass}} (or any other technology).

The title text highlights a common trait of human listeners. The above sentence is constructed in such a way as to trigger the listener's reservations about the new technology. The sentence sounds profound, not because it has any actual insights, but because it causes the listener to fill in the missing insights with their own pre-existing thoughts on the matter. This is a typical effect of {{w|Confirmation bias}}. Not only does this cause [[Cueball]] to regard White Hat as insightful, but it also causes Cueball to think that White Hat agrees with whatever it is that Cueball fears <Google Glass> for.

It seems no coincidence that [[Randall]] chose ''Google Glass'' as the placeholder. It seems generally that he is no fan of these, which was shown soon after in [[1251: Anti-Glass]] and later again in [[1304: Glass Trolling]]. This was the first time Google Glass was directly mentioned but since this comic Google Glass has become a [[:Category:Google Glass|recurring theme]] in xkcd.

The caption is reminiscent of Randall's [[:Category:Tips|tips]], but since the word tip is left out, it is not itself a tip comic.

Other comics which advocate using catch-all phrases as standard responses for any comment:
*[[174: That's What SHE Said]]
*[[178: Not Really Into Pokemon]]
*[[559: No Pun Intended]]
*[[880: Headache]]
*[[1022: So It Has Come To This]]
*[[1627: Woosh]]
*[[1656: It Begins]]

==Transcript==
:[White Hat is holding a finger up while talking to Cueball.]
:White Hat:
::Maybe before we rush to adopt
::::<'''Google Glass'''>
::we should stop to consider the consequences of blithely giving this technology such a central position in our lives.

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Don't have any insights about a new technology? Just use this sentence!
:It makes you sound wise and you can say it about virtually anything.

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Google Glass]]

178: Not Really Into Pokemon

2025-11-02T07:00:58Z

Israbelle: /* Explanation */ added 880 to list of universal responses

{{comic
| number = 178
| date = November 1, 2006
| title = Not Really Into Pokemon
| image = not_really_into_pokemon.png
| titletext = As of this writing, Ubuntu 6.10 and Firefox 2.0 have left my computer a complete mess.
}}

==Explanation==
''{{w|Pokémon}}'' is a popular franchise that includes 5 children's animated television shows, a {{w|collectible card game}}, and a whole series of video games. The premise is that a young "trainer" goes out to explore the world and catch Pokémon: fanciful wild creatures that come in many varieties, ranging from [https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Rhydon_(Pok%C3%A9mon) armoured dinosaurs that have drills for horns] to [https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Genesect_(Pok%C3%A9mon) robotic bugs that change their type depending on the items they are holding]. When the trainer comes across wild Pokémon or other trainers, they use their Pokémon to fight each other.

In this comic, [[Randall]] claims that "I'm not really into Pokémon" can serve as an all-purpose phrase of condescending dismissal. The implied insult to the thing being dismissed can include:
* Childishness. Although it does have a significant adult following, the ''Pokémon'' franchise was and is mainly targeted at children.
* Frivolousness. The essential goal of ''Pokémon'' games, summed up in the slogan "Gotta Catch 'Em All," is to catch Pokémon for the sake of having them.
* Commercialism. ''Pokémon'' is a sprawling franchise that periodically releases new iterations, which (at least to a non-fan) can seem much like more of the same, only existing to make money. At present, the ''Pokémon'' universe contains {{w|List of Pokémon|over 1,000}} different types of Pokémon.
* Absurdity. As mentioned, the names and designs of individual Pokémon can be quite fanciful; "absurd" would be a more unkind way to put it.

The example in the comic is [[Black Hat]] dismissing {{w|Ubuntu}}, an open-source computer operating system. Ubuntu may have been particularly chosen as ''specifically'' suitable for the "Pokémon dismissal" for reasons such as:
* The name "Ubuntu," which (like the names of Pokémon) can sound strange or silly. Individual Ubuntu releases also have animal-themed names (like "Hoary Hedgehog" and "Saucy Salamander").
* The name "Ubuntu" sounds like a Pokemon [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Region region.]
* Its release schedule; new Ubuntu releases come out every six months, which might (like ''Pokémon'') be unfavourably described as putting out more of the same in new packaging.
* A notion that people try Ubuntu (and other {{w|Linux distribution}}s) just for the sake of doing so, like catching all the Pokémon.

The title text refers to the complications that new software releases can have on computers, especially if either the release is an alpha or beta release, or if the computer is rather old. Randall specifically mentions {{w|Ubuntu 6.10}} and {{w|Firefox 2.0}}, both of which were officially released around two weeks ''after'' this comic was posted, so the versions causing problems were certainly pre-release editions. While Randall does not detail any specific issues, the title text may paint a picture of two computer programs fighting each other inside the computer and making a mess in the process, as if they were Pokémon.

Other comics which advocate using catch-all phrases as standard responses for any comment:
*[[174: That's What SHE Said]]
*[[559: No Pun Intended]]
*[[880: Headache]]
*[[1022: So It Has Come To This]]
*[[1215: Insight]]
*[[1627: Woosh]]
*[[1656: It Begins]]

==Transcript==
:I have found the perfect phrase for condescendingly dismissing anything:
:Cueball: Have you seen the new Ubuntu release?
:Black Hat: Nah, I'm not really into Pokémon.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Linux]]
[[Category:Pokémon]]

1656: It Begins

2025-11-02T06:59:54Z

Israbelle: /* Explanation */ added to list

{{comic
| number = 1656
| date = March 16, 2016
| title = It Begins
| image = it_begins.png
| titletext = You can also try 'Yikes.'
}}

==Explanation==
This comic encourages the reader to post random news stories on the Internet, under the line "It begins." This creates a sense of impending doom, as well as making people wonder what, exactly, is being referred to. This could also encourage people to theorize about what, exactly, is beginning. It could also just confuse the intended audience, as they try to comprehend what the author is saying.

This could in the worst case speedily lead to several people making repost of such a non-news story that would not have gotten any attention otherwise. This may lead to speculation, and other curious theories, going out the tangent it could create fear or mass hysteria.

Some stories that might benefit especially from this are those relating to machine autonomy, animal attacks, disease, and so forth. This would call to mind various popular culture and/or scientific hypothetical scenarios.

Perhaps the comic's choice of article refers to {{w|Alfred Hitchcock}}'s thriller {{w|The Birds (film)|The Birds}}, in which birds (especially {{w|Seagull|seagulls}}) begin attacking humans for no apparent reason, or the broader idea of an animal revolution, or just that even animals get sick of us always looking at our smart phones.

The title text instructs readers to try the line "[[wikt:yikes|Yikes]]" instead. The idea is the same, but it would imply a critical moral stance.

Other comics which advocate using catch-all phrases as standard responses for any comment:
*[[174: That's What SHE Said]]
*[[178: Not Really Into Pokemon]]
*[[559: No Pun Intended]]
*[[880: Headache]]
*[[1022: So It Has Come To This]]
*[[1215: Insight]]
*[[1627: Woosh]]

==Transcript==
:[A post in Megan's news feed on some social network platform is shown. Megan's head-shot profile image is shown in a frame to the left with two lines of unreadable text below. Her comment is to the right of this image, also with unreadable text above both in a black and gray font. This comment is above the news story she has posted below in a frame. Inside the frame there is another smaller frame to the left with a picture of Cueball on a beach, holding his hand out towards a seagull that flies away with his phone. Two other seagulls can be seen in the air above the sea. There is a small heading at the top, and then a larger one below this. Below that again there is two lines of unreadable text:]
:It Begins
::''Local News''
::Seagull Steals Phone, Drops it in Ocean

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Protip: To make your day more dramatic, post a random minor news story with the comment "it begins."

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Protip]]
[[Category:Social networking]]
[[Category:Animals]]

1022: So It Has Come To This

2025-11-02T06:58:52Z

Israbelle: /* Explanation */ It suggests using the phrase "I hate 3D stuff; it gives me a headache" as a response to any request. Technically not every COMMENT, I'll give, but it's close enough to count (especially when compared to "not into pokemon")

{{comic
| number = 1022
| date = February 27, 2012
| title = So It Has Come To This
| image = so_it_has_come_to_this.png
| titletext = 'Come to what?' 'You. Me. This moment.'
}}

==Explanation==
The line "it has come to this" is usually seen on the verge of the climactic confrontation between the {{w|villain}} and their arch rival, or when one character has to unleash their utmost ability, etc. Despite its dramatic tone, however, the statement is a content-free tautology, true in all possible scenarios in which time progresses in a forward direction. Accordingly, [[Cueball]] is saying it when [[Megan]] tells him that they have run out of cat food, a relatively trivial problem that could be solved with a quick trip to the grocery store.

The title text is a follow-up on the comic dialogue. When Megan replies in confusion, "Come to what?" Cueball then uses another instantly-dramatic phrase that keeps his words ambiguous, only leaving her in the dark.

Other comics which advocate using catch-all phrases as standard responses for any comment:
*[[174: That's What SHE Said]]
*[[178: Not Really Into Pokemon]]
*[[559: No Pun Intended]]
*[[880: Headache]]
*[[1215: Insight]]
*[[1627: Woosh]]
*[[1656: It Begins]]

==Transcript==
:[Megan holds up an open and empty bag with the white silhouette of a cat's face on it. Cueball looks down at the bag.]
:Megan: We ran out of cat food.
:Cueball: ''So''
:Cueball: ''It has come to this.''

:[Caption below the panel:]
:Protip: If you're not sure what to say, try "So it has come to this" – it creates instant dramatic tension and is a valid observation in literally any situation.

==Trivia==
The phrase "So it has come to this" is also said in: [[225: Open Source]].

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Protip]]
[[Category:Cats]]

Talk:897: Elevator Inspection

2025-11-01T22:17:46Z

Israbelle:

I wonder, how fast does elevator technology advance? Is there like a Moore's law for the speed and safety of elevators or something? '''[[User:Davidy22|{{Color|#707|David}}y²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 02:05, 17 April 2013 (UTC)

This comic has my doubts. If you placed the certificate in the actual elevator, it might be vandalized, stolen, or otherwise destroyed. Of course, you could just put a photocopy of the original certificate in the elevator, but not very many pointy-haired bosses are that clever. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.245.217|108.162.245.217]] 03:41, 7 June 2014 (UTC)
:That's why the certificate goes behind shatterproof clear plastic in a tamper-resistant frame. Casual vandals seldom carry the right kind of screwdriver. At one job, I used to hear people complain on a regular basis about expired certificates in the cars. Even with the building's management keeping up a diligent and ongoing maintenance program (be foolish not to. Who needs that kind of exposure?) an underfunded and overworked inspection bureaucracy can take their own sweet time making the rounds.
:Elevator manufacturers, like submarine sailors, do not like change for its own sake. They don't get very effusive about innovation, so no Moore's law need apply. [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.153|173.245.54.153]] 14:31, 26 August 2014 (UTC)

I did add the incomplete tag because all elevators should be registered in the US. A regular inspection is mandatory. This comic is more about people trust in that devices or not. They are joking while they are frightened. Many people don't like to be inside of an elevator because they suffer on claustrophobia. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:33, 26 August 2014 (UTC)
:I do not think so. Ponytail is clearly elated about the prospect to go and see this certificate. The idea is that this would never happen, and thus there are no reason to actually have any certificate. That the law states something else, is beside the point of the comic. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:50, 10 February 2016 (UTC)

Does the bottom button look different? like someone might have taped '[[288: Elevator |zeppelin]]' over it?
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.216.41|108.162.216.41]] 20:48, 11 December 2015 (UTC)
:That would be funny, but I think that is the emergency buttons for stop and alarm. Not so funny but probably the reason they are different... --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:50, 10 February 2016 (UTC)

I actually do make a hobby of searching for certificates. I'm hunting for one that actually isn't expired; I don't think I've seen any yet that weren't a good few years out of date. [[User:Israbelle|Israbelle]] ([[User talk:Israbelle|talk]]) 22:17, 1 November 2025 (UTC)