explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

3215: Solar Warning

2026-03-05T12:59:33Z

Luciferoussky72:

{{comic
| number = 3215
| date = March 4, 2026
| title = Solar Warning
| image = solar_warning_2x.png
| imagesize = 304x333px
| noexpand = true
| titletext = This replaces the previous solar activity watch, which was issued last month when the sun took off its sunglasses.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This page was created recently :(. Don't remove this notice too soon.}}
Children's drawings and cartoon representations may stereotypically personify objects that are not living, including planets and stars. Often, the {{w|Sun}} is drawn with a smiling face, or other expression. Cartoonised representations are also often used as an easily-recognised and interpreted schema for reporting and prediction services, such as weather forecasts.

This comic pretends this smile is an actual feature of the real Sun. However, the Sun cannot smile as it does not have a mouth.{{cn}} Apparently, the emotion that the Sun is expressing can give an indication of {{w|space weather|solar weather}}, including events such as {{w|solar flare}}s and {{w|coronal mass ejection}}s. The Sun changing its expression has triggered this official announcement of a warning. [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/alerts-watches-and-warnings Similar warnings] are produced by NOAA's [https://www.swpc.noaa.gov Space Weather Prediction Center] because such solar activity can affect communications, power grids, satellites, etc.

The title text indicates that the prior change that provoked a warning was when the Sun's sunglasses were removed. The Sun wearing sunglasses is a further (possibly paradoxical) element of personification often added to images of the Sun. [[Randall]] has previously referred to the Sun's sunglasses in comics such as [[1733: Solar Spectrum]] and a couple of ''What If?'' articles.

The removal of eyewear is used in the "Deal With It" visual meme or as part of the {{tvtropes|TheGlassesComeOff|various other tropes}} that reflect a change in attitude. Another interpretation could be that it is referencing {{w|Minesweeper (video game)}}, where the Sun puts on sunglasses when the game is won and takes them back off when the game is reset (i.e. there is more danger).

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Don't remove this notice too soon.}}

:[Blondie stands at a table with her hands together, resting her arms on the table. Behind her are two pictures of the sun: one with a smiling face, labeled "Last week," and one with a frowning face labeled "Today."]
:Blondie: A warning for solar flares and geomagnetic storms has been issued after new images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory show that the big smiley face on the sun has turned into a frown.
{{comic discussion}}<noinclude>
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Weather]]
[[Category:News anchor]]

Talk:456: Cautionary

2025-10-24T15:44:26Z

Luciferoussky72:

Isn't 'Talk to your kids about...' from a famous Unilever ad? [[Special:Contributions/101.174.52.183|101.174.52.183]] 09:47, 2 June 2013 (UTC)

Is this Megan? Her hair seems awfully curly and it says she's his cousin. Is there an official transcript? [[User:Theo|Theo]] ([[User talk:Theo|talk]]) 20:46, 14 August 2013 (UTC)
:Official transcripts, if they do exist, do not contain names in general. These names are just an invention by some communities like this wiki. So, if you have a better stick figure which would match her, talk about this.--[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 21:16, 14 August 2013 (UTC)
::She is clearly not Megan. I propose to call her ''cousin''. [[User:Xhfz|Xhfz]] ([[User talk:Xhfz|talk]]) 22:20, 13 October 2013 (UTC)
::There exists an official transcript for each comic, available to see in the page's source code. According to a comment in [[1037:_Umwelt]], Randall does apparently not type those, but is seemingly done by Davean, his friend maintaining the server. (Note: this is just a guess) [[User:Vgr|Vgr]] ([[User talk:Vgr|talk]]) 11:22, 22 October 2013 (UTC)
::I don't think that this is Megan either. I propose to call her Alice, though, in reference to cryptography. [[User:Official.xian|Official.xian]] ([[User talk:Official.xian|talk]]) 19:46, 10 July 2014 (UTC)

::I think we're all forgetting something very important here: It's a true story, therefore she has a real name. If we really wanted her correct name, we'd be pestering Randall for it. Anonymous 23:26, 18 August 2014 (UTC)
:::And since it's a true story Cueball here's probably meant to be Randall himself. [[User:Elektrizikekswerk|Elektrizikekswerk]] ([[User talk:Elektrizikekswerk|talk]]) 08:57, 14 November 2014 (UTC)
::::And the hair not reminiscent of Megan.[[Special:Contributions/173.245.55.25|173.245.55.25]] 17:26, 18 March 2015 (UTC)
:::::Then why has nobody fixed it to say Cousin instead of Megan?... [[Special:Contributions/173.245.54.166|173.245.54.166]] 19:42, 3 April 2015 (UTC)
::::::Done. I'm not sure abiut the hyperlinks though, if they're supposed to be on every reference to curball then someone shoulf add those. [[User:Bbruzzo|Bbruzzo]] ([[User talk:Bbruzzo|talk]]) 15:28, 26 August 2015 (UTC)

The last paragraph is taking quite a leap. While she has obviously learned over the 3 months, we have no idea if she is actually building her kernel in a critical and meaningful way. Does not fit with actual comic. [[User:Flewk|flewk]] ([[User talk:Flewk|talk]]) 19:28, 28 December 2015 (UTC)

The part where it says man pages use simple unambiguous language made me laugh[[User:Thaledison|Thaledison]] ([[User talk:Thaledison|talk]]) 17:59, 26 January 2016 (UTC)
: It's called mansplaining for a reason... {{unsigned ip|172.68.59.186}}

Shouldn't it be explained outright that Randall is Cueball (since title text confirms it's a true story)? {{unsigned}}

The [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=456:_Cautionary&oldid=226935 "There's no learning curve..." edit" is not quite right. Though all Man Pages should be accessible, do you remember the first time you came across something like:
URI = scheme ":" hier-part [ "?" query ] [ "#" fragment ]
hier-part = "//" authority path-abempty / path-absolute / path-rootless / path-empty
...and wondered what it meant, or how to parse it? Some of the Man Pages out there are even more technically-inclined, presupposing prior knowledge (or where to go to get it), which may not be their intended philosophy but is nonetheless a fact. Not changing anything, but pointing this out. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.20|141.101.99.20]] 13:22, 12 February 2022 (UTC)

I'm from the future and now desktop Linux makes way too much sense [[Special:Contributions/172.71.184.82|172.71.184.82]] 07:58, 6 November 2024 (UTC)
:Me too. Been using desktop (or laptop) Linux since XP was one year past EOL. I've never compiled a kernel, and the only time I've had serious autoconfig or driver problems was with Fedora, which being upstream of RHEL, is slightly better than experimental. Don't believe me? Try an Ubuntu Live thumbdrive. First one's free... and so are all the rest.[[Special:Contributions/74.124.170.150|74.124.170.150]] 01:33, 23 September 2025 (UTC)
:I swapped to laptop Linux about a month ago and with the modern Package Managers, Proton on Steam, and Linux support for most of the software I use daily; it's just better than Windows! It uses so much less of my CPU and RAM! About a quarter as much! I can play most games without making my CPU fans even turn on now! It's great! Plus, I don't have to restart all the time anymore! Linux reigns supreme! [[User:Luciferoussky72|Luciferoussky72]] ([[User talk:Luciferoussky72|talk]]) 15:44, 24 October 2025 (UTC) luciferoussky72

Talk:456: Cautionary

2025-10-23T23:24:35Z

Luciferoussky72:

Talk:456: Cautionary

2025-10-23T23:22:33Z

Luciferoussky72: