explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:1702: Home Itch Remedies

2016-07-04T16:01:21Z

Monolith:

Taking a hot (enough) shower is actually a remedy as it denatures the proteins causing the itching. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.86.131|162.158.86.131]] 14:14, 4 July 2016 (UTC)
: Why don't you add that in the explanation? It would help. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.83|108.162.218.83]] 14:17, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

: "...hot (enough) shower...." {{Citation needed}} [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.113|162.158.255.113]] 15:42, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

Chiggers are not spiders. [[User:Stealth101|Stealth101]] ([[User talk:Stealth101|talk]]) 15:50, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

: Changed spider to chigger. Chiggers may itch like the devil, but are nowhere as severe as spiders. [[User:Monolith|Monolith]] ([[User talk:Monolith|talk]]) 15:59, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

Talk:1702: Home Itch Remedies

2016-07-04T15:59:22Z

Monolith:

Taking a hot (enough) shower is actually a remedy as it denatures the proteins causing the itching. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.86.131|162.158.86.131]] 14:14, 4 July 2016 (UTC)
: Why don't you add that in the explanation? It would help. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.218.83|108.162.218.83]] 14:17, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

: "...hot (enough) shower...." {{Citation needed}} [[Special:Contributions/162.158.255.113|162.158.255.113]] 15:42, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

Chiggers are not spiders. [[User:Stealth101|Stealth101]] ([[User talk:Stealth101|talk]]) 15:50, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

:Changed spider to chigger. Chiggers may itch like the devil, but are nowhere as severe as spiders. [[User:Monolith|Monolith]] ([[User talk:Monolith|talk]]) 15:59, 4 July 2016 (UTC)

1702: Home Itch Remedies

2016-07-04T15:57:21Z

Monolith: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1702
| date = July 4, 2016
| title = Home Itch Remedies
| image = home_itch_remedies.png
| titletext = In my experience, mosquitos and poison ivy are bad, but the very worst itch comes from bites from chiggers (Trombicula alfreddugesi). They're found across the American south and great plains, so the best home remedy is to move to Iceland.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Basic transcript. Please improve on it.}}

Bug bites, such as mosquito bites, are itchy. Home remedies such as {{w|Alternative medicine}} or {{w|Homeopathy}} are often ineffective, and in some cases very complicated -- think of the number of suggestions you have got on how to cure hiccups. In this case Cueball's suggesting turns out to be insanely complicated, involving finding rare French orchids. In this case Megan is not actually interested in trying out a complex home remedy, but really just wants sympathy.

Megan's answer is a {{w|sarcastic}} comment stating that her own family home remedy is to keep scratching until the skin falls off -- which is a natural tendency to do, although not until the skin literally falls off, and hence it is not a home remedy but a natural reaction.

Most times the simplest solution is the best, and since Iceland had been isolated until the Vikings, there are no spiders or snakes other than those that have been brought with the migration to Iceland -- the title text makes fun of this, suggesting that the simplest cure for chigger bites is to move to Iceland.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:[Megan and Cueball stand as Megan scratches her itches.]
:Megan: Argh, bug bites are the ''worst''. I shouldn't scratch but... so itchy.
:Cueball: Oh, you know what's great for that?

:[Zoom-in to Megan's head and upper torso. Cueball is off-panel.]
:Megan: No, Don't tell me. Everyone always has weird home remedies that never work. I just want sympathy.
:Cueball: No, this one isn't weird, I promise. It really helps!

:[Zoom-out to Megan and Cueball. Megan is still scratching.]
:Cueball: First, take a hot shower. Then dip some ice cubes in vinegar and use them to crush one baby aspirin. Then make some tea, and...

:[Panel expands to show that Megan is walking away while Cueball watches.]
:Cueball: ...Then, you need a rare French orchid-
:Megan (cutting Cueball off): I'm going to try a different home remedy where I complain a lot and scratch until my skin comes off.
:Cueball: Sounds effective.
:Megan: It's an old family trick.

{{comic discussion}}

Talk:234: Escape Artist

2015-09-22T06:53:23Z

Monolith:

So, I'm curious, what is the escape character's other use that wasn't discussed in the comic? [[User:Monolith|Monolith]] ([[User talk:Monolith|talk]]) 06:51, 22 September 2015 (UTC)

Talk:234: Escape Artist

2015-09-22T06:51:39Z

Monolith: Created page with "So, I'm curious, what is the escape character's other use that "will not be discussed in this explanation"? ~~~~"

So, I'm curious, what is the escape character's other use that "will not be discussed in this explanation"? [[User:Monolith|Monolith]] ([[User talk:Monolith|talk]]) 06:51, 22 September 2015 (UTC)

Talk:889: Turtles

2015-02-06T09:38:33Z

Monolith:

Talk:889: Turtles

2015-02-06T09:37:44Z

Monolith:

I don't think turtles possess that level of sentience, but whatever. Seems legit. '''[[User:Davidy22|{{Color|purple|David}}y²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 10:10, 9 March 2013 (UTC)
: :) - [[User:St.nerol|St.nerol]] ([[User talk:St.nerol|talk]]) 23:50, 9 March 2013 (UTC)
:: I think that that may be a tortoise. Either way, they've got it figured out. -- [[User:Monolith|Monolith]] ([[User talk:Monolith|talk]]) 09:37, 6 February 2015 (UTC)