explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

2751: March Madness

2025-11-25T17:41:58Z

L333A333: typo

{{comic
| number = 2751
| date = March 17, 2023
| title = March Madness
| image = march_madness_2x.png
| imagesize = 593x333px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = My bracket has 76 trombones led by John Philip Sousa facing off against thousands of emperor penguins led by Morgan Freeman.
}}

==Explanation==
[[Randall]] has created [[:Category:Tournament bracket|yet another]] {{w|Tournament bracket|single-elimination tournament bracket}}. This time, everything in the bracket relates to the word March.

Upper Left:
This section has things that are named after March.

* {{w|NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|March Madness}} is the (trademarked!) colloquial name given to the {{w|NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament}}, the season-culminating college basketball tournament played each spring in the US. It's common for college basketball fans—and even people who pay no attention to the sport for 11 months of the year—to make guesses as to how the tournament will play out by filling out brackets similar to the one shown here. They often compete against each other to see who in a group has the most accurate predictions.

* {{w|Mad as a March hare|March Hare}} refers to the observed chaotic behavior of the European hare said to occur during its breeding season, which peaks in March in Europe. {{w|Lewis Carroll}} comically used the phrase as the name of a {{w|March Hare|'mad' character}} in ''{{w|Alice's Adventures in Wonderland}}'' as though it referred to a type of hare rather than a seasonal behavior.

* {{w|Middlemarch|''Middlemarch''}}, ''A Study of Provincial Life'' is a novel by the English author George Eliot, based around the eponymous (but fictional) central English town. The name was a rather tongue-in-cheek constructed British placename, given that a {{w|March (territory)|-march}} is associated with borderlands (such as the {{w|Welsh Marches|Welsh}} and {{w|Scottish Marches}}) and yet depicted as being set in the rather unremarkable heartlands of the {{w|Midlands|middle-England}} of the age.
** Or, more simply, it could just refer to the middle of the month of March, when March Madness takes place, as well as the Ides (see below), in a way that is rather self-referential for this particular branch of the bracket.

* {{w|Ides of March|The Ides of March}}, is the 74th day of the Roman Calendar, corresponding to March 15th, and is notorious for being the date {{w|Assassination of Julius Caesar|Julius Caesar was assassinated}}.

Lower Left:

* All entries in this quadrant refer to the song "{{w|Seventy-Six Trombones}}" from the 1957 musical ''The Music Man''. The song describes an imagined parade, particularly the large marching band leading it. ("March" can be a synonym for "parade", in this context.) The [https://genius.com/Meredith-willson-seventy-six-trombones-lyrics opening line] of that song states that "76 trombones led the big parade, with 110 cornets close behind." The song also includes the lyrics "there were more than a thousand reeds springing up like weeds" and "there were fifty mounted cannons in the battery".

Upper Right:
All entries in this section have the words "march of" in their full names.

* {{w|March of Dimes}} is a charity program advocating for mothers and babies.

* "March of the Toy Soldiers" is a musical piece from {{w|Tchaikovsky}}'s ''{{w|The Nutcracker}}'' Suite.

* The Last March of the Ents is from the ''{{w|The Two Towers|Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers}}'', where the {{w|ent}}s, fictional{{citation needed}} treelike creatures, march against the fortress of Isengard.

* ''{{w|March of the Penguins}}'' is a 2005 nature documentary directed by {{w|Luc Jacquet}}. Originally produced in French and available in several translations, the English version has narration by actor {{w|Morgan Freeman}}. It is also mentioned in comic [[1408: March of the Penguins]].

Lower Right:
All entries in this section end with the word "march".

* Wedding March refers to {{w|Wedding March (Mendelssohn)|Felix Mendelssohn's musical composition in C Major}}, as it's the more commonly used name. At the same time it can also be a more general description of a bridal chorus as the bride enters a wedding.

* {{w|Funeral March|Funeral March}} is a musical genre, usually in a minor key, in a slow "simple duple" metre, imitating the solemn pace of a funeral procession. An example of this is the "Funeral March of a Marionette" by {{w|Charles Gounod}} and {{w|Lyn Murray}}, used as the theme for "{{w|Alfred Hitchcock Presents}}."

* {{w|The Imperial March|"The Imperial March"}} is a theme from ''{{w|Star Wars}}'' which often plays when characters from the Empire, particularly large batches of storm troopers, are on screen.

* The {{w|Nissan Micra|Nissan March}} is a supermini car produced in Japan.

In the title text, Randall claims his bracket has 76 trombones being led by {{w|John Philip Sousa}} (a famous bandleader and composer who also wrote the national march of the United States; the lead character in ''The Music Man'' claims that he led the supposed parade) against the ''March of the Penguins'', led by Morgan Freeman (who narrated the English release of the film).

==Transcript==
:[A tournament bracket with 16 entries, divided in four quadrants, two to the left and two to the right, is shown. The 16 are paired in 8 matches, which then pair in four new matches, which further pair in two. And then those two meet in the center where there is an empty rectangle for the winner. Above the bracket there is a title:]
:<big>March Madness</big>

:[Upper left quadrant:]
:Madness
:Hare

:Middle
:Ides

:[Lower left quadrant:]
:76 Trombones
:110 Cornets

:1000+ Reeds
:50 Mounted Cannon

:[Upper right quadrant:]
:Dimes
:Toy Soldiers

:Ents
:Penguins

:[Lower right quadrant:]
:Wedding
:Funeral

:Imperial
:Nissan

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Tournament bracket]]
[[Category:Basketball]]
[[Category:Music]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Fiction]]
[[Category:Star Wars]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

3159: Continents

2025-11-25T17:24:45Z

L333A333: /* Transcript */ is complete

{{comic
| number = 3159
| date = October 24, 2025
| title = Continents
| image = continents_2x.png
| imagesize = 276x430px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = The inflection point was probably in late 1966 or 1967, so when Neil Armstrong flew to space on Gemini 8, plate tectonics was not widely accepted, but when he landed on the Moon three years later it was the mainstream consensus.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created by a TECTONIC PLATE-SIZED CONVEYOR BELT. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
{{w|Plate tectonics}} is the theory that the Earth's crust consists of a number of large land masses that have been slowly moving for billions of years. The theory is built on the earlier idea of {{w|Plate_tectonics#Continental_drift|continental drift}}, which was first proposed in the early 20th century. It was controversial until the mid-1960s, when advances in technology such as {{w|Geophysical_imaging#Seismic_Methods|seismic imaging}} made the mechanism clear.

In this comic, [[Randall]] observes that it is very strange how people could go to space before understanding plate tectonics on Earth, due to space being thought of usually as a mysterious frontier, while humans have been on Earth for a very long time. (Exactly how long depends on how you define "human".)

Spaceflight has existed in some form since WWII, with the first orbital flight occurring in 1957 and the first manned spaceflight in 1961, (when the {{w|Soviet Union}} launched {{w|Yuri Gagarin}} into space, with the United States responding in kind a few months later). The timeline is noteworthy because one of the most fundamental processes of the planet we live on had not been accepted by the scientific community yet by that time. There are good reasons for this, because in fact spaceflight provides important evidence of plate tectonics, but it still ''feels'' strange. The first satellite launches, {{w|Sputnik}} and {{w|Explorer 1}}, took place during (and participated in) the {{w|International Geophysical Year}}, a focused international effort in 1957-58 to collaborate across political lines to study the Earth. In the present day, much of plate tectonics research depends on {{w|Satellite navigation|satellite tracking and navigation}}, such as {{w|GPS}} (initiated 1973, launched starting in 1978, operational since 1993), to monitor plate motions in ways that a human on the ground cannot sense. Other critical technologies include {{w|laser rangefinder|laser ranging}} (invented in 1960) and improvements in {{w|gravimetry|gravimetrics}}, all in advancement around the same time and in the same context of the {{w|Space Race}}.

The spacecraft depicted in the comic appear to be a stylized {{w|Project Gemini|Gemini}} re-entry module and {{w|Agena target vehicle}}. "Houston" is the call sign of mission control at the {{w|Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center}} (known as the Manned Space Center prior to 1973) in Houston, Texas, the center that NASA astronauts typically communicate with. The dialogue is imagined, but entirely plausible.

The title text points out that plate tectonics was finally validated between the first and last space missions of {{w|Neil Armstrong}}, the first person to walk on the Moon. His first spaceflight was in 1966 on {{w|Gemini 8}}, and his second and last was in 1969 on {{w|Apollo 11}}, the first mission to land people on the Moon.

==Transcript==
:[Two spacecraft, a Gemini capsule and an Agena Target Vehicle with a loose tether connecting them, are in space over the Mediterranean with Italy and other parts of southern Western Europe in the background and Tunisia in the foreground. A voice is emanating from the spacecraft]
:Spacecraft: Houston, the view is superb. We can see the continents spread out below us, right where they've been since the Earth formed.
:[Caption below the panel:]
:I still can't believe we developed spaceflight before we figured out that the continents moved.

==Trivia==
The comic may be intended to show Gemini 8's mission, with Armstrong on board, to dock with the previously launched {{w|Agena target vehicle|target vehicle}}. However, severe control issues with that mission precluded many of the planned aims (including the experiments that involved a tethered connection). The mission that might at some point have looked most like this depiction was perhaps {{w|Gemini 11}}, also launched in 1966 but without Armstrong being on board.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Space]]
[[Category:Geology]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]

3152: Skateboard

2025-11-25T17:20:14Z

L333A333: /* Transcript */ is complete

{{comic
| number = 3152
| date = October 8, 2025
| title = Skateboard
| image = skateboard_2x.png
| imagesize = 740x267px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = I understand it's hard to do more than 300 feet on these 90-second rush jobs, but with a smaller ramp I'm worried the gee forces will be too high for me to do any tricks.
}}

==Explanation==
In this comic, [[Cueball]] appears to have gone {{w|skydiving}}. In mid-fall, he opens what he thought was his parachute, only to discover the bag in fact contains {{w|skateboarding}} gear. This may be a reference to [https://www.ladbible.com/news/us-news/skydiver-final-words-forgot-parachute-ivan-mcguire-367933-20250409 an incident] where a skydiver switched his skydiving equipment for his camera equipment backpack and died. Cueball blames himself for the error, pointing out that having something that is not a parachute in a bag that looks a lot like a parachute bag is practically inviting disaster.

After a {{tvtropes|BeatPanel|beat panel}}, Cueball (still in mid-fall) takes out his phone and makes a call to a company responsible for {{w|skatepark}}s, hoping to place an order for a {{w|half-pipe}}. A half-pipe is a skating ramp consisting of a semi-cylindrical surface that forms 180 degrees of a tube, allowing skaters to ascend vertically to perform tricks and then descend onto the same ramp. It seems Cueball's intention is to have a very large half-pipe transported to (or constructed at) his landing zone, then use his skateboard to land on the ramp. From there, he could either transfer his downward velocity into much more survivable horizontal velocity, or continue onto the opposing side of the ramp to transfer into upward velocity, which would be counteracted by gravity and ultimately allow him to survive.

Obviously, this idea is absurd; half-pipes are very large structures, and it would be difficult to move such a structure ''any'' meaningful distance in the time it would take Cueball to hit the ground, and still more time to build one ''in situ''. Furthermore, it would have to be built or positioned to align closely with Cueball's line of descent, and ascertaining this would significantly delay the operation. The title text plays this for laughs, suggesting that the skatepark representative takes issue only with the ''size'' of the ramp that Cueball is requesting (600 feet), with the implication that a smaller half-pipe (300 feet) would be perfectly within their capabilities. Cueball tries to convince the rep to accept his original request due to his falling speed; making a high-speed turn inflicts significantly more {{w|g-force}} (unusually rendered as 'gee' in the comic) on the turner the tighter the turn is and the faster the turner is going, and because of his dilemma (falling without a parachute), he doesn't have the option to slow down to make a tighter turn more manageable. One would think that Cueball's concern is the human tendency to black out under extreme g-force, and the additional danger that would result from the consequent loss of control. However, his actual concern is that the high g-force would prevent him from doing tricks. Half-pipes are commonly used in skateboarding and other sports for performing a {{w|lip trick}} at the stop of the pipe, such as going high up in the air and spinning around or planting a hand on the edge. Cueball is attempting to make lemonade out of lemons by using his situation to perform an absolutely incredible skateboard trick on the world's largest half-pipe.

Terminal velocity for {{w|Terminal_velocity#Examples|a human falling in a prone orientation}} is about 55 m/s (123 mph). A ramp with a radius of 600 ft, or 180 m, would produce a centripetal acceleration of ''v''2/''r'' = 17 m/s2. With 1 ''g'' (the acceleration of gravity at Earth's surface) being about 10 m/s2, that's 1.7 ''g''. A 300 ft radius ramp would generate about 3.5 ''g''. In both cases, the acceleration vector (pointed radially) will add to the Earth's gravitational acceleration vector (pointed down), and be at a maximum at the bottom of the ramp. Assuming no change in velocity while skating on the ramp, that would be a max of 2.7 ''g'' on the 600 ft ramp and 4.5 ''g'' on the 300 ft ramp. The duration of the acceleration would be π''r''/''v'', about 34 s on the larger ramp and 17 s on the smaller ramp. Humans will generally black out under prolonged exposure to 4-5 ''g'' acting downward, as the forces pull blood away from the brain, so the difference between the 300 ft and 600 ft ramps could be the difference between tragedy and skating immortality. However, if Cueball were to land lying flat on the board, the g-forces would be survivable - [https://www.goflightmedicine.com/post/pulling-gs-the-effects-of-g-forces-on-the-human-body humans can withstand] sustained transverse accelerations of up to 11 ''g''. The opportunities for tricks are more limited in that position, though.{{cn}}

The human record for a controlled skateboard descent on an extremely tall ramp [https://www.redbull.com/int-en/sandro-dias-ultimate-skate-ramp was set on 25 September 2025], about two weeks before this comic appeared, by Brazilian professional skateboarder {{w|Sandro Dias}}. Dias completed a controlled 70-meter skating descent on a skateboard ramp built to match the curved contour of {{w|Centro Administrativo Fernando Ferrari|an office building in Porto Alegre}}, Brazil, with a shape somewhat similar to a quarter-pipe. Dias started from rest, on a platform attached to the skate ramp, rather than first jumping out of an airplane and reaching terminal velocity, but he was able to maintain control throughout the extremely steep and high descent, reaching speeds of over 100 km/h (28 m/s) without falling. Cueball is in a much more challenging position in various ways. Dias's feat actually confirms the conceptual plausibility of a 300-foot halfpipe, although (a) his maximum g-force was lower because he achieved lower maximum velocity after starting from rest, (b) his period of high g-force was much briefer because he started from rest and he's on a quarter-pipe instead of a half-pipe, (c) he is currently the only person in the world ever to have safely descended such a large ramp, (d) the ramp built for his challenge was constructed on the side of an existing building over the course of an entire month, not in a matter of seconds, and (e) he trained extensively specifically for this challenge, including sustaining the g-forces involved.

This comic shares a similar premise, at its core, to the recent example in [[3147: Hiking]], where the timely delivery of a structure was also put to good use — albeit that, in this case, the need is probably more urgent and not just a convenient means of assistance and fun to the respective recipient.

==Trivia==
Although Cueball is falling at great speed, Randall didn't include cartoon-style [https://www.fastcompany.com/1673017/quimps-plewds-and-grawlixes-the-secret-language-of-comic-strips downhites], vertical lines above him that would indicate this.

==Transcript==

:[Cueball falling in the sky facing, his back down, him facing upwards. He has a tall unzipped backpack with a pouch for holding additional items on his back and a skateboard in his hand . Clouds are seen in the background and are in the following panels in different positions]
:Cueball: I guess this is on me. I should really keep my skateboarding gear and my parachutes in different-looking bags.

:[Cueball looking at his skateboard, still falling, now facing downwards]

:[Cueball dialing on his phone, almost completely upside down]
:BEEP BEEP

:[Cueball talking on his phone, back facing upwards, similar to the first panel]
:Cueball: Hello, Pro Skate Parks LLC? I'd like an extremely expedited order for a 600-foot halfpipe.

{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>

[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Skateboard]]

997: Wait Wait

2025-11-25T17:17:32Z

L333A333: added explanation

{{comic
| number = 997
| date = December 30, 2011
| title = Wait Wait
| image = wait_wait.png
| titletext = You can't stab Carl Kasell. He sounds all slow and stentorian, but he moves like a snake.
}}

==Explanation==

{{incomplete|Provide a detailed explanation for all panels.}}

''{{w|Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me}}'' is an hour-long weekly radio news panel game show produced by {{w|Chicago Public Radio}} and {{w|National Public Radio}}. The show is hosted by {{w|playwright}} and actor {{w|Peter Sagal}}. Each episode ends with the panelists making up a potential future news story, usually with implausible "facts". This comic is making puns on the title of the show based on what Peter Sagal might have done that was newsworthy.

{{w|Carl Kasell}}, who also served as the news anchor on {{w|Morning Edition}}, was the show's official judge and scorekeeper until May 2014 (after this comic was published), when he retired and was replaced by Bill Kurtis.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%;"
|+ Headlines
|-
! scope="col" | Headline Explanation
! scope="col" | Column 1
! scope="col" | Column 2
! scope="col" | Column 3
! scope="col" | Column 4
|-
! scope="row" | Row 1
|
|
| The 1st row, 3rd paper mocks classic celebrity scandal articles. In this example, {{w|Peter Sagal}} confesses his feelings towards {{w|Kermit the Frog}}.
| The 1st row, 4th paper may refer to the {{w|Michael_Richards#2006–2012:_Laugh_Factory_incident_and_aftermath| Laugh Factory Incident}} of 2006.
|-
! scope="row" | Row 2
|
|
| When touched, poison ivy causes an itchy, irritating rash on the contact site. In the 3rd paper on the 2nd row, Sagal touched some poison ivy with his face, and is urging people to not look at his unsightly rash.
| The 4th paper of the 2nd row may be inspired by [https://www.npr.org/2011/02/26/134060943/actor-jesse-eisenberg-plays-not-my-job a segment of ''Wait Wait'' in January 2011] in which actor {{w|Jesse Eisenberg}} revealed he had made a Facebook account under Sagal's name, and later deleted it.
|-
! scope="row" | Row 3
| {{w|Lakshmi Singh}} is NPR's national midday newscaster. In the 3rd row, 1st paper, it's revealed that Sagal had an affair with Singh.
| In the 2nd paper on the 3rd row, Sagal's wife divorces him over his affair with Singh.
| The 3rd row, 3rd paper references a protest at {{w|UC Davis}} (on the campus of University of California, Davis) in early 2012 in which sitting, peaceful protesters were calmly pepper-sprayed in their faces by a police officer. That spawned an [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/casually-pepper-spray-everything-cop internet meme of epic proportions].
|
|-
! scope="row" | Row 4
|
| The 4th row, 2nd paper is a reference to the movie ''{{w|Ghostbusters}}''.
| The 4th row, 3rd paper is a reference to {{w|Granny Weatherwax}} of Terry Pratchett's ''{{w|Discworld}}'' novels; Granny Weatherwax is a witch who carries a sign saying "[https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=i%20aten't%20ded I ATEN'T DED]"[sic] while having out-of-body experiences.
|
|-
! scope="row" | Row 5
|
| The 5th row, 2nd paper references an internet meme in which someone leaves out the verb in the sentence. The implication is that the verb is something bad, but ''which'' bad thing is left as an exercise to stew in the reader's mind. See the [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-accidentally I Accidentally ___ meme] for more information.
| The 5th row, 3rd paper is a reference to stories and myths in which an entity known as an {{tvtropes|EldritchAbomination|Eldritch Abomination}} can be summoned, awoken, or alerted to someone's presence when its name is spoken. A well-known example of this is the entity Cthulhu in the Lovecraft mythos.
|
|}

Two years later another New Years comic, [[1311: 2014]], took a similar look at what could happen in 2014, just as this does for 2012. Interesting enough the title of that comic (just the year it was looking at) is more related to the title of the next comic after this one, which is also a New Year comic, and the title is also just the number of the year: [[998: 2012]].

==Transcript==
:Headlines
:Stockpiled in case Peter Sagal, host of NPR's ''Wait Wait Don't Tell Me'', does something newsworthy in 2012.
:[A series of above-the-fold newspapers follows. Each has a headline and a blurb, and most have a picture.]
:[First row, first newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Shoot Me
:NPR's Sagal in Whole Foods hostage standoff.
:[A fierce Peter Sagal in a balaclava brandishes a gun in a supermarket.]

:[First row, second newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Vote For Me
:Peter Sagal quits race for GOP top spot
:[A sullen and defeated Peter Sagal surrounded by supporters admits defeat.]

:[First row, third newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Judge Me
:Sagal opens up about his Kermit fantasy.
:[Stock profile images of Peter Sagal and Kermit the Frog.]

:[First row, fourth newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Fire Me
:Peter Sagal let go after racist tirade.
:[Stock profile image of Peter Sagal.]

:[Second row, first newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Cancel Me
:NPR axing news quiz.
:[NPR spokesperson delivering announcement.]

:[Second row, second newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Interrupt Me
:Sagal stabs Carl Kasell in on-air dispute.
:[Peter Sagal mid-attack with a knife.]

:[Second row, third newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Look At Me
:Peter Sagal's Poison Ivy Ordeal
:[Peter Sagal with a skin condition.]
:Peter Sagal: "My 'Nam"

:[Second row, fourth newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Friend Me
:Peter Sagal deletes his Facebook account.
:[Person holding up a laptop with an "Facebook account not found" screen.]

:[Third row, first newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Seduce Me
:How Lakshmi Singh stole Sagal's Heart.
:[A wistful Lakshmi Singh being left by a sullen Peter Sagal.]

:[Third row, second newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Leave Me
:Sagal's wife out after affair
:[A wistful Peter Sagal being left by a furious Beth Sagal.]

:[Third row, third newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Spray Me
:Police Raid Sagal's Occupy NPR protest
:[Scummy policeman in riot gear spraying Peter Sagal in the face point blank.]

:[Third row, fourth newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Indict Me
:Sagal, five others named in cash-for-tote-bags scandal
:[Peter Sagal doing a perp walk.]

:[Fourth row, first newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Clone Me
:Peter Sagal 'Outraged' over DNA harvesting.
:[Fiery Peter Sagal, missing a small amount of DNA, at a lectern.]

:[Fourth row, second newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Bust Me
:Peter Sagal's ghost captured
:[Ghostbusters, careful not to cross the streams, capture the ghost of Peter Sagal.]

:[Fourth row, third newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Dissect Me
:Snoozing Sagal nearly snuffed in autopsy snafu
:[Peter Sagal running away from from a very surprised pathologist.]
:Peter Sagal: "I aten't dead"

:[Fourth row, fourth newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Objectify Me
:Peter Sagal is more than just a piece of meat
:[No image]

:[Fifth row, first newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Beatify Me
:Peter Sagal Rebukes Pope
:[Peter Sagal shakes his fist at a picture of the pope.]

:[Fifth row, second newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Me
:Peter Sagal Accidentally
:[Peter Sagal on a blank background upside-down.]

:[Fifth row, third newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Don't Speak Its Name
:Peter Sagal wakes Eldritch terror
:[A pair of eyes on a black background.]
:Peter Sagal:"AAAAAAAA"

:[Fifth row, fourth newspaper.]
:Title: Wait Wait Even For NPR This Is A Bit Much
:''This American Life'' to document the road to recovery for those who suffer the trauma of losing on Wait Wait
:[No image]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:New Year]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Comics featuring real people]]
[[Category:Comics with inverted brightness]]
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]
[[Category:Ghostbusters]]
[[Category:Ghosts]]

1212: Interstellar Memes

2025-11-25T16:54:44Z

L333A333: added some explanations

{{comic
| number = 1212
| date = May 15, 2013
| title = Interstellar Memes
| image = interstellar memes.png
| titletext = The strongest incentive we have to develop faster-than-light travel is that it would let us apologize in advance.
}}
A [http://xkcd.com/1212/large/ larger version] of this picture can be found by clicking the comic on xkcd.

==Explanation==
{{incomplete| Need to add the missing explanations for memes.}}

[[Randall]] highlights various memes from popular culture. A {{w|meme}} is a phenomenon, often in this scenario in the form of a movie quote, a musical reference, a catchphrase or other notable saying that spreads quickly by word-of-mouth. Memes become popular because people hear about them and repeat them to others. Randall points out that if the assumed intelligent life from other star systems were listening to the things we said, then they would just now be hearing and popularizing memes started years ago on earth. The delay is due to the time that it takes for expressions of the meme to travel (presumably via radio waves) to distant star systems.

Our solar system, from where the electromagnetic waves are emitted, is located just left of the center of the picture. The other star systems are arranged roughly according to their distance from the sun, while their size corresponds to the size of the star compared with that of the Sun. The meme for Sirius is a pun; it refers to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in which Bellatrix Lestrange kills Sirius Black. Radio waves travel at the {{w|speed of light}}. The title text jokes that these memes are so annoying that it would give us further incentive to develop the technology to travel {{w|faster than light}}, just simply to be able to outrun the radio waves, reach a distant star system, and apologize in advance to the "residents" about the memes, before the memes arrive.

===Table with memes===
The table below lists all the memes described, and the star at which the comics states those memes should be heard by the time when the comic was released in 2013. The year of the meme plus the number of light years to the star should end up close to 2013.

Most end up within the range 2011-2013 which may indicate the meme became popular one or two years later (on Earth or at the distant star system.) Two memes reach the targets in 2014. Some of those errors may be caused by the inaccuracy of the distances.

The ''The Spanish Inquisition'' from Monty Python would have reached its destination in 2006. Because they're still watching ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' in 2013 it must be very popular or maybe it took seven years to decipher that {{w|British humour}}.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Meme !! Star !! Origin !! Year !! Distance to star !! Sum year !! Explanation
|-
| Yabba dabba doo! || {{w|Castor (star)|Castor}} || ''{{w|The Flintstones}}'' || 1960 || 51 ± 3 ly || 2011 ± 3 ||The catchphrase used by ''{{W|Fred Flintstone}}'' in the series ''{{W|The Flintstones}}'' whenever something good happens (like a work shift ending).
|-
| You've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" || {{w|Lambda Aurigae}} || ''{{w|Dirty Harry}}'' || 1971 || 41.2 ± 0.1 ly || 2012 || The famous line from the scene in ''Dirty Harry'' where the titular Harry forces a criminal to surrender by threatening him with an empty gun.
|-
| {{w|Where's the beef|Where's the beef?}} || {{w|HR 1614}} || Slogan for {{w|Wendy's}} || 1984 || 28 ly || 2012 || Catchy slogan used in many Wendy's commercials that caught on and became a meme in its own right.
|-
| And now for something completely different. || {{w|Capella (star)|Capella}}|| ''{{w|Monty Python's Flying Circus}}'' || 1969 || 42 ly || 2011 || "And now for something completely different" was previously used in U.K. magazine shows like ''Tonight'', but its use in Monty Python's material means it has come to be associated with them.
|-
| Here's lookin' at you, kid. || {{w|Kappa Reticuli}} || ''{{w|Casablanca (film)|Casablanca}}'' || 1942 || 70 ly || 2012 ||
|-
| My spoon is too big! || {{w|Kapteyn's Star}} || ''{{w|Rejected}}'' || 2000 || 12 ly || 2012 || The first line of Don Hertzfeldt's surreal animation ''Rejected'', released in 2000. In the story of ''Rejected'', this was meant to be an ad bumper for an educational channel.
|-
| May the force be with you. || {{w|Delta Trianguli}} || ''{{w|Star Wars}}''|| 1977 || 35 ly || 2012 || This is a phrase used a lot in the Star Wars franchise. It is a benediction used to bid a hopeful farewell, mostly by/to/between those who are aligned to the {{w|Jedi}} creed.
|-
| Peanut butter jelly time! || {{w|Luyten's Star}} || [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/peanut-butter-jelly-time an Internet meme] || 2002 || 12 ly || 2014 || "Peanut Butter & Jelly" was the only single by the Buckwheat Boyz, which became popular as a meme when paired with an animated dancing banana.
|-
| Rosebud. || {{w|Alpha Hydri}} || ''{{w|Citizen Kane}}'' || 1941 || 71 ly || 2012 || In the opening scene of Citizen Kane, the eponymous Mr. Kane dies, saying "Rosebud" as his last words. The rest of the movie focuses on the people in his life trying to determine what the meaning of this word was.
|-
| Oh my god, {{w|They killed Kenny|they killed Kenny!}} – You bastards! || {{w|AD Leonis}} || ''{{w|South Park}}'' || 1997 || 15.9 ± 0.2 ly || 2013 || This is usually said whenever the character Kenny from South Park is killed. This is a recurring reference, as Kenny dies in every episode of South Park. In its most referenced form, another of the child characters then swears at the antagonists, fate and/or {{tvtropes|BreakingTheFourthWall|the writer's of the show}}, whichever party may be responsible, but this may be toned down in later depictions.
|-
| ...God kills a kitten! – A what? || {{w|Procyon}} || {{w|Every time you masturbate... God kills a kitten|an Internet meme}} || 2002 || 11.5 ly || 2013 || The full catchphrase is "Every time you masturbate, God kills a kitten". The reply for this meme notes that kittens aren't on any other planets{{Citation needed}}, so the other person is confused about what a kitten is.
|-
| I ''still'' can't believe Bellatrix– – Dude, get over it. || {{w|Sirius}} || ''{{w|Harry Potter}}'' ({{w|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix|book 5}}) || 2003 || 8.6 ly || 2012 || In the Battle of the {{w|Ministry of Magic|Department of Mysteries}}, {{w|Bellatrix Lestrange}} fires a spell at {{w|Sirius Black}}, {{w|Harry Potter (character)|Harry's}} {{w|Godparent|godfather}}. This spell knocks Sirius backward through an archway which is a physical doorway into the {{w|Afterlife|afterlife}} such that, when Sirius fell through it, he left the realm of the living and died. The star Sirius is obviously upset about this, as Sirius Black was named after him.
|-
| Ninjas fight ''all the time!'' || {{w|Epsilon Eridani}} || {{w|The Official Ninja Webpage}} || 2002 || 10 ly || 2012 || {{w|Ninja}} is the Japanese word for {{w|spy}}. In the 16th century, Japanese spycraft was codified into a profession, and spies had a significant influence on feudal intrigue during the {{w|Sengoku period|Japanese warring states period}}. These spies inspired a lot of literature, some fantastical, which over time developed into a popular stock character and a rich array of associated tropes. The Official Ninja Webpage is a satire website written from the perspective of a teenage American boy who is obsessed with the stock character and its associated tropes. One of these tropes, as written on the front page of the website, is that "Ninjas fight ALL the time."
|-
| {{w|D'oh!}} || {{w|HR 753}} || ''{{w|The Simpsons}}'' || 1989 || 23 ly || 2012 || This is what {{w|Homer Simpson| Homer Simpson}}, the father figure of {{w|The Simpsons}}The Simpsons, exclaims whenever he's annoyed.
|-
| {{w|The Spanish Inquisition (Monty Python)|''Nobody'' expects the Spanish Inquisition!}} || {{w|Beta Virginis}} || ''{{w|Monty Python's Flying Circus}}'' || 1970 || 35,6 ly || 2006 || Monty Python was an absurdist sketch show. In a particular episode, a character in a scene (a meeting between a mill-owner and his workers) complained about being asked some questions by saying they "did not expect a {{w|Spanish Inquisition}}", a superlative that was common at the time the sketch aired. At this point, several characters dressed in the uniforms of the Spanish Inquisition burst into the scene declaring that "nobody expects the Spanish inquisition", diverting the original sketch's direction. At the very end of the episode, a different character in a different (courtroom) sketch says that they "didn't expected the Spanish Inquisition" and everyone turns towards the door in expectation. The remainder of the episode follows the Spanish Inquisition rushing to the scene, and barely starting to 'surprise' everyone there before time runs out.
|-
| {{w|All your base are belong to us}}. || {{w|Tau Ceti}} || ''{{w|Zero Wing}}'' || 2001 || 11.9 ly || 2013 || This is a meme resulting from a mistranslated line in the game ''Zero Wing''. The correct translation was "We have taken all of your bases."
|-
| Take me to your leader! – No, Steve. || {{w|Beta Cassiopeiae|Caph}} || {{w|Take me to your leader (phrase)}} || 1957 || 55 ly || 2012 || "Take me to your leader" is a stock phrase attributed to aliens in 1950s science fiction during first contact. The first recorded instance is a New Yorker cartoon where aliens ask this question to a horse, illustrating the weirdness of aliens being able to communicate the phrase but not understanding the structure of society. Later usage was more sincere, with both humans and aliens asking each other to take them to their leaders. Since people near Caph would be aliens, one could ask them to take you to their leader. However, because the aliens on Caph are saying the meme to each other, the second speaker is personally familiar with the one making the request, apparently named Steve, which makes the request pointless. So the second speaker refuses the request because it is not important.
|-
| Chuck Norris doesn't sleep. He ''waits.'' || {{w|Wolf 359}} || {{w|Chuck Norris facts}} || 2005 || 7.8 ly || 2013 || {{w|Chuck Norris}} is an American movie star, typically taking on roles where he would perform implausible feats of physical prowess. People online started making lists of many other implausible or impossible feats that Chuck Norris was supposedly capable of, including this one. Normal humans have a physiological need for {{w|sleep}}, with sleep deprivation having many negative health effects. That Chuck Norris does not sleep but instead waits implies a superhuman resistance to insomnia, while simultaneously explaining his inaction as a form of {{w|theodicy}}.
|-
| ♬ Numa numa ♪ || {{w|Lalande 21185}} || {{w|Dragostea Din Tei|Numa Numa song}} || 2004 || 8.3 ly || 2012 || "Numa numa" is part of the lyrics of the chorus of a Romanian-language europop song {{w|Dragostea Din Tei}}. A webcam recording of {{w|Gary Brolsma}} enthousiastically singing along with the song was uploaded to youtube and widely shared.
|-
| I can haz? || {{w|WISE 1049-5319|Luhman 16}} || {{w|Lolcats}} || 2006 || 6.6 ± 0.5 ly || 2013 || An early image macro meme format was captioning pictures of cats, as alluded to in xkcd [[262]]. One popular image featured an overweight Scottish Fold cat with the caption "I can haz cheezburger?", implying the cat is overweight because it likes eating cheeseburgers.
|-
| ''Internets!'' || {{w|Luyten 726-8|Gliese 65}} || {{w|George W. Bush}} [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/internets Internet meme] || 2004 || 8.7 || 2013|| The word 'Internets' is an incorrect pluralisation of the word, popularised by former US president George Bush, in his response to a question asked by an audience member about the moral state of media in the US, during a debate at Washington University in 2000. His response is as follows: "''[…] We can have filters on Internets where public money is spent […] so if kids get on the Internet, there is not going to be pornography or violence coming in.''" This was majorly overlooked until he made the same mistake during the presidential debate against US Senator John Kerry in 2004. He repeated this as follows: "''I hear there's rumors on the, uh, Internets [pause] that we're going to have a draft. We're not going to have a draft, period.''"
|-
| Look at the tiny dancing Earth mammals! || {{w|Gliese 1}} || {{w|Hampster Dance}} and/or {{w|Dancing Baby}} || 1998 || 14 ly || 2012 || Hampster Dance was a website featuring a set of tiled animated {{w|GIF}}s of cartoon hamsters dancing. The Dancing Baby is an animated GIF of a computer generated human baby dancing in a {{w|cha-cha}} style. Gliese 1 is not familiar with hamsters and human species, but since they are both mammals it refers to one or both as "tiny dancing Earth mammals". It is unclear how Gliese 1 knows that they are mammals, or what mammals are.
|-
| ''Wasssuup!?!'' || {{w|Van Maanen's star}} || {{w|Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)|Budweiser Beer}} advertising campaign || 1999 || 14 ly || 2013 || A compounded way of saying "What's up", a common greeting, with the compounded version being more common in 1990s' African American Vernacular English. In the commercial, two friends are lounging and watching a sports game, calling each other using an analog wired telephone. Using these telephones, multiple people in the same household could pick up phones connected to the same in-home telephone network and all participate in the conversation. Several other friends use this function to join the call and say "Wassuupp!?!" at each other in an escalatingly large group and then hang up to go back to doing their own thing.
|-
| Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker. || {{w|Beta Hydri}} || ''{{w|Die Hard}}'' || 1988 || 24 ly || 2012 || This line gained notoriety for being censored in subsequent releases as "Yippie-ki-yay, Mr. Falcon".
|-
| I pity the fool! || {{w|Groombridge 1830}} || ''{{w|Rocky III}}'' ({{w|Mr. T}}) || 1982 || 30 ly || 2012 || In Rocky III, the main antagonist Clubber Lang expresses pity towards protagonist Rocky Balboa, who is foolish enough to compete with him in a boxing match. The implication being that Lang is obviously going to win and cause Balboa a lot of unnecessary pain. The actor playing Clubber Lang, Mr. T, adopted this as his catchphrase, using it in different media.
|-
| The cake is a lie! || {{w|Alpha Centauri|Alpha Centauri A/B}} || ''{{w|Portal (video game)|Portal}}'' || 2007 || 4.3 ly || 2011 || This is a phrase that appears scrawled on a wall in the video game Portal foreshadowing the ending where, despite being promised cake, the player character is not given it and is almost killed by the antagonist.
|-
| ♪ Never gonna give you up ♫ || {{w|Alpha Centauri|Alpha Centauri A/B}} || {{w|Rickrolling}} || 2007 || 4.3 ly || 2011 || This is a reference to an act of tricking someone to watch/listen to the song "Never Gonna Give You Up" involuntarily.
|-
| I'm on a boat! || {{w|Proxima Centauri}} || ''{{w|I'm on a Boat}}'' || 2009 || 4.243 ± 0.002 ly || 2013 || The hook of a satirical hip-hop single with the same name, by {{w|The Lonely Island}} and {{w|T-Pain}}. The song is about winning a free boat ride and then being ridiculously proud of being on a boat.
|-
| ♫ Chocolate Raaaiiin ♫ || {{w|Barnard's Star}} || {{w|Tay Zonday}}: {{w|Chocolate Rain}} video || 2007 || 6 ly || 2013 || Chocolate Rain is a song uploaded to youtube by Tay Zonday, with video of him recording the voice track. "Chocolate rain" is the {{w|hook (music)|hook}} of the song that recurs every other line, and in the lyrics chocolate rain serves as an analogy for systemic racism.
|-
| Leave Britney alone! || {{w|Barnard's Star}} || {{w|Cara Cunningham}}: [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/leave-britney-alone LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE!] || 2007 || 6 ly || 2013 || {{w|Britney Spears}} is an American singer and pop star, who was ridiculed by the press and popular discourse for drama in her personal life. A highly watched early youtube video featured Cara filming herself in a highly emotional state, begging people to "leave Britney alone" because she had it hard enough.
|-
| You're the man now, dog! || {{w|Epsilon Indi}} || {{w|YTMND}} || 2001 || 11.8 || 2013 ||
|-
| {{w|More cowbell|More cowbell!}} || {{w|Kruger 60}} || ''{{w|Saturday Night Live}}'' || 2000 || 13 ly || 2013 || Saturday Night Live is a famous show that creates comedy sketchs every Saturday night. One of these sketches was the "More cowbell" sketch. This sketch was about the recording of "{{w|(Don't Fear) The Reaper}}", a song by the {{w|Blue Öyster Cult}}. In this skit, Gene Frenkle (a fictional character, played by {{w|Will Ferrell}}) was playing the {{w| Cowbell (instrument)|cowbell}}. However, because the cowbell was so distracting, the band stops playing and tells him to stop. This upsets Frenkel, who starts playing more and more annoyingly as the sketch goes on. {{w|Bruce Dickinson}}, played by {{w|Christopher Walken}}, encourages Frenkel to play the cowbell louder saying the iconic line, "Guess what! I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!".
Christopher Walken later said that the sketch "ruined his life", because of how popular it became.
|-
| Hasta la vista, baby. || {{w|Gliese 892}} || ''{{w|Terminator 2}}'' || 1991 || 21 ly || 2012 || This line originates from the Terminator, said before attempting to destroy an enemy. It has since {{w|Hasta la vista, baby|been quoted in other works}}.
|-
| Let's get ready to ruuumble! || {{w|Zeta Tucanae}} || {{w|Michael Buffer}} || 1984 || 28 ly || 2012 || This meme originated from the main catchphrase of ring announcer Michael Buffer, which he has used since 1984. The catchphrase has also made an appearance in the 1996 Disney movie ''{{w|Space Jam}}''.
|-
| You talkin' to ''me?'' || {{w|Arcturus}} || ''{{w|Taxi Driver}}'' || 1976 || 36.7 ± 0.3 ly || 2013 ||
|-
| Did ''I'' do that? || {{w|Xi Boötis|Boötis}} || ''{{w|Family Matters}}'' ({{w|Steve Urkel}}) || 1989 || 21.89 ± 0.07 ly || 2011 || This is the catchphrase of Steve Urkel, a breakout character from Family Matters.
|-
| Welcome to Good Burger, home of the good burger. – What's a burger? – I don't know. || {{w|70 Ophiuchi}} || {{w|Good Burger}} slogan || 1997 || 16.58 ± 0.07 ly || 2014 ||
|-
| Badger badger badger badger || {{w|Ross 154}} || {{w|Badger Badger Badger}} || 2003 || 9.7 ly || 2013 || One of the most popular videos created by Mr. Weebl, consisting of badgers (and a mushroom and snake) appearing when those words are said.
|-
| {{w|Vulcan salute|Live long and prosper.}} – OK. || {{w|HD 211415}} || ''{{w|Star Trek}}'' || 1967 || 44 ly || 2011 || Said mostly by the Vulcans of Star Trek as a greeting and gesture of good will, most notably Spock during the run of the original series.
|-
| Name's Bond. James Bond. || {{w|51 Pegasi}} || ''{{w|Dr. No (film)|Dr. No}}'' ({{w|James Bond}}) || 1962 || 50.9 ± 0.3 ly || 2013 || James Bond is the protagonist of a series of spy fiction, who has a habit of introducing himself with this exact phrase.
|-
| Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn. || {{w|Alpha Serpentis}} || ''{{w|Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone with the Wind}}'' || 1939 || 74.0 ± 0.3 ly || 2013 ||
|-
| Mr. T ate my balls! || {{w|Altair}} || [http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ate-my-balls an Internet meme] || 1996 || 16.7 ly || 2013 || One of the oldest memes on the Web, with the original website by student Nehal Patel (which consisted of a bunch of Mr. T comic images recaptioned to have him saying he likes eating balls) first appearing in 1996.
|-
| I want the truth. – ''You can't handle the truth!'' || {{w|Delta Pavonis}} || ''{{w|A Few Good Men}}'' || 1992 || 20 ly || 2012 || These lines are given during a climactic testimony near the end of the film. They are versatile enough to be quoted in many situations.
|-
| I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse. || {{w|Beta Trianguli Australis}} || ''{{w|The Godfather}}'' || 1972 || 40 ly || 2012 ||
|-
| {{w|Resistance is futile|Resistance is futile.}} || {{w|Vega}} || ''{{w|Star Trek}}'' ({{w|Borg (Star Trek)|Borg}}) || 1988 || 25 ly || 2013 || The Borg are a fictional hypercollectivist superpower in the Milky Way galaxy depicted in the Star Trek franchise. The Borg expand by violently conquering the hundreds of species that exist in the galaxy, using cyborg implants to force conquered people to work for their collective in body and mind. When a Borg spaceship encounters resistance, it sends out a standard message explaining its intent to add the to-be-conquered people's biological and cultural distinctiveness to their own, and that resistance is futile.
|-
| Oh... My... Gaawd || {{w|Sigma Draconis}} || ''{{w|Friends}}'' ({{w|Janice Goralnik}}) || 1994 || 18.8 ly || 2013 ||
|-
| Ehh, what's up, Doc? || {{w|Epsilon Cygni|Gienah}} || {{w|Bugs Bunny}} || 1940 || 73 ly || 2013 || This is the main catchphrase of Bugs Bunny, one of the main characters in ''{{w|Looney Tunes}}''.
|-
| ''EXTERMINATE!'' || {{w|Alpha Cephei|Alderamin}} || ''{{w|Doctor Who}}'' ({{w|Dalek|The Daleks}}) || 1963 || 49 ly || 2012 || The main catchphrase of the Daleks of Doctor Who, used when they fire their gunsticks resulting in the extermination of whatever was hit. It wasn't actually used in this context in the TV series until Power of the Daleks, three years after {{w|The Daleks|their debut}}, though some of the very first scenes had them discussing amongst themselves the "extermination" of their newly rediscovered (and, at that time, mostly oblivious) enemies.
|}

==Transcript==
:[On a black background yellow circles and white bubbles are shown. Caption above the picture:]
:If other star systems are listening in on our pop culture, given the speed-of-light delay, these are the jokes and catchphrases they just learned about and are currently repeating way too much:

:[On a black background a map of star systems in relation to the Sun, which is roughly in the center, sending out radio waves is shown. Each star is a yellow circle of differing sizes, with a speech bubble (or more). The list is ordered from closest to furthest.]
:Proxima Centauri: I'm on a boat!
:Alpha Centauri A B: The cake is a lie! – ♪ Never gonna give you up ♫
:Luhman 16: I can haz?
:Barnard's star: Leave Britney alone! – ♫ Chocolate Raaaiiin ♫
:Wolf 359: Chuck Norris doesn't sleep. He waits.
:Lalande 21185: ♬ Numa numa ♪
:Sirius: I still can't believe Bellatrix– – Dude, get over it.
:Gliese 65: INTERNETS!
:Epsilon Eridani: Ninjas fight all the time!
:Procyon: ...God kills a kitten! – A what?
:Epsilon Indi: You're the man now, dog!
:Tau Ceti: All your base are belong to us.
:Luyten's Star: Peanut Butter Jelly Time!
:Kapteyn's star: My spoon is too big!
:Kruger 60: MORE COWBELL!
:Gliese 1: Look at the tiny dancing Earth mammals!
:Van Maanen's star: WASSSUUP!?!
:Ad Leonis: Oh my God, they killed Kenny! – You bastards!
:70 Ophiuchi: Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. – What's a burger? – I don't know.
:Altair: Mr. T ate my balls!
:Sigma Draconis: Oh ... my ... gaawd.
:Delta Pavonis: I want the truth. – You can't handle the truth!
:Gliese 892: Hasta la vista, baby.
:Xi Boötis: Did I do that?
:HR 753: D'oh!
:Beta Hydri: Yippie-ki-yay, motherfucker.
:Vega: Resistance is futile.
:Zeta Tucanae: Let's get ready to ruuumble!
:HR 1614: Where's the beef?
:Groombridge 1830: I pity the fool!
:Delta Trianguli: May the Force be with you.
:Beta Virginis: Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
:Arcturus: You talkin' to me ?
:Beta Trianguli Australis: I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse.
:Lamda Aurigae: You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?'
:Capella: And now for something completely different.
:HD 211415: Live long and prosper. – Ok.
:Alderamin: EXTERMINATE!
:51 Pegasi: Name's bond. James Bond.
:Caph: Take me to your leader! – No, Steve.
:Kappa Reticuli: Here's lookin' at you, kid.
:Alpha Hydri: Rosebud.
:Gienah: Ehh, what's up doc?
:Alpha Serpentis: Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

{{comic discussion}}

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