explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

1405: Meteor

2014-08-09T01:24:32Z

Tornadowrangler: /* Meteor & Magma */

{{comic
| number = 1405
| date = August 8, 2014
| title = Meteor
| image = meteor.png
| titletext = No, only LAVA is called 'magma' while underground. Any other object underground is called 'lava'.
}}

==Explanation==
This is one of [[Randall]]'s comics on the topic of [[:Category:My Hobby|My Hobby]]. In this comic the author makes semantically incorrect statements to [[356: Nerd Sniping|frustrate nerds]] who know the correct word, and confuse people who don't know the precise word so they can go on to frustrate more nerds.

[[Cueball]] tells a witness (a fictional stand-in for the author Randall) that he found a piece of a {{w|meteor}}. Randall corrects Cueball, telling him that what he found is called {{w|magma}}, and that that the phrase "a piece of a meteor" would be correct if the object was in the air, once it hits the ground it called {{w|magma}}. In doing so Randall attempts to confuse or annoy Cueball. In truth, {{w|meteorite}} is the expression for a piece of a meteor that has landed just as {{w|lava}} is the expression for magma that has reached the surface.

The word "{{w|pedant|pedantic}}" means being overly concerned with being precise. It is usually a pejorative term used to refer to someone who is overly fussy and corrects someone's word choice even when the more ambiguous or slightly incorrect term they used was fine for informal communication.

The title text expands on the joke, as if the conversation had continued with a confused Cueball responding that he thought magma was underground. Randall attempts to confuse him further. Indeed lava is called magma while it is underground, but it's ridiculous to suggest all other things are called lava when underground.

===Meteor & Magma===
Here is a list the of terminology that is being muddled:
* Small metallic or rocky body from space is called:
** A {{w|meteoroid}} while it travels through space
** A {{w|meteor}} if it enters Earth's atmosphere and produces a streak of light.
** A {{w|meteorite}} if it lands on a planet's surface.
* Molten rock is called:
** {{w|Magma}} if it is flowing underground
** {{w|Lava}} after it has been extruded to a planet's surface, generally through volcanic eruption.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: Check it out -- I got a piece of a meteor!
:Friend: ''Actually'', it's only called that while falling. Once it lands, it's called ''magma''.

:My Hobby: Mixing pedantic terms

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

1405: Meteor

2014-08-09T01:24:06Z

Tornadowrangler:

{{comic
| number = 1405
| date = August 8, 2014
| title = Meteor
| image = meteor.png
| titletext = No, only LAVA is called 'magma' while underground. Any other object underground is called 'lava'.
}}

==Explanation==
This is one of [[Randall]]'s comics on the topic of [[:Category:My Hobby|My Hobby]]. In this comic the author makes semantically incorrect statements to [[356: Nerd Sniping|frustrate nerds]] who know the correct word, and confuse people who don't know the precise word so they can go on to frustrate more nerds.

[[Cueball]] tells a witness (a fictional stand-in for the author Randall) that he found a piece of a {{w|meteor}}. Randall corrects Cueball, telling him that what he found is called {{w|magma}}, and that that the phrase "a piece of a meteor" would be correct if the object was in the air, once it hits the ground it called {{w|magma}}. In doing so Randall attempts to confuse or annoy Cueball. In truth, {{w|meteorite}} is the expression for a piece of a meteor that has landed just as {{w|lava}} is the expression for magma that has reached the surface.

The word "{{w|pedant|pedantic}}" means being overly concerned with being precise. It is usually a pejorative term used to refer to someone who is overly fussy and corrects someone's word choice even when the more ambiguous or slightly incorrect term they used was fine for informal communication.

The title text expands on the joke, as if the conversation had continued with a confused Cueball responding that he thought magma was underground. Randall attempts to confuse him further. Indeed lava is called magma while it is underground, but it's ridiculous to suggest all other things are called lava when underground.

===Meteor & Magma===
Here is a list the of terminology that is being muddled:
* Small metallic or rocky body from space is called:
** A {{w|meteoroid}} while it travels through space
** A {{w|meteor}} if it enters Earth's atmosphere and produces a streak of light.
** A {{w|meteorite}} if it lands on a planet's surface.
* Molten rock is called:
** {{w|Magma}} if it is flowing underground
** {{w|Lava}} after it has been extruded to a planets surface, generally through volcanic eruption.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: Check it out -- I got a piece of a meteor!
:Friend: ''Actually'', it's only called that while falling. Once it lands, it's called ''magma''.

:My Hobby: Mixing pedantic terms

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:My Hobby]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]

Talk:1079: United Shapes

2014-04-03T03:35:17Z

Tornadowrangler:

Hooray, another comic that only Americans will get. Randall, some of us live in *other* parts of the world. '''[[User:Davidy22|Davidy22]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 13:47, 8 January 2013 (UTC)

Wait, so an American artist with a mostly-American audience is supposed to limit himself to cartoons that everyone can understand? And people say AMERICANS are the arrogant ones. [[Special:Contributions/71.229.88.206|71.229.88.206]] 07:59, 24 March 2013 (UTC)

Could someone please explain the stereotypes? I'm American and I don't really see any jokes. As far as I can tell, he just picked images that fit in each state. {{unsigned|71.229.88.206|07:59, 24 March 2013}}

We still have to fix this thumbnail issue. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 16:47, 6 June 2013 (UTC)

For the most part I don't think the shapes have anything to do with the states other than what happens to fit. The Louisiana "boot" and Michigan "glove" are commonly used to describe those states shapes.{{unsigned ip|65.117.250.78}}

People in Michigan actually say things like "I live in the thumb"
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.199|108.162.219.199]] 05:18, 12 December 2013 (UTC)

I'm not sure how this really constitutes an explanation. The current text seems to amount to "Yeah this comic is all perfectly clear and logical everyone gets all the references alright I gotta go have fun now!" I think this needs an incomplete flag, but I don't know if someone who isn't a moderator can do that? --[[User:Mynotoar|Mynotoar]] ([[User talk:Mynotoar|talk]]) 22:32, 26 December 2013 (UTC)

Could the signature in Wyoming be Randalls own one? Compare it to [[1005: SOPA]]. --[[Special:Contributions/108.162.254.160|108.162.254.160]] 09:06, 5 March 2014 (UTC)

He does lotsa comics the rest of us can undrestand, too. After all, though, he IS American. Texas: that's a cat? [[Special:Contributions/108.162.225.160|108.162.225.160]] 16:26, 9 March 2014 (UTC)

<rant> The bear in the state of Alaska is NOT Winnie the Pooh. The most recognizable version is yellow with a red shirt. The original illustrations didn't have a shirt, but were still yellow. Further more, there ARE other cartoon bears to choose from, or it could just be a non-affiliated one that Randall created for the sake of fitting in the state of Alaska. Add to that the fact that Winnie the Pooh never had a jetpack OR a raygun and there is a pretty solid case for that bear NOT being Winnie the Pooh. </rant> Anonymous 04:51, 18 March 2014 (UTC)
:I did correct a former typo done by [[Randall]] himself, but Winnie the Pooh is just what he was thinking about. Please start a discussion on such an edit first, maybe we can say Randall's painting is bad, but that's what is on his official transcript. And SO this does only belong to the explain, the transcript is just only a transcript of the ORIGINAL comic. I'm sorry, but please don't change this until you know what you are doing, please ask for help first. You will get kind answers by many people here. --[[User:Dgbrt|Dgbrt]] ([[User talk:Dgbrt|talk]]) 22:29, 18 March 2014 (UTC)

;Undoing edits

I expanded a bunch of descriptions, especially with an eye for people who may not be able to see the comic. This was the "incomplete explanation of the day" comic the day I started adding to the wiki. For example, Utah was described as "An oven." I changed this to "A white stove" because the entire appliance is called a stove (an oven plus drawer below, cooktop above, and upright piece with controls at the back of the cooktop).

Dgbrt undid all my changes without explanation. Would someone please explain what, if anything, I did wrong? I know I'm new here, but I did look around before making any changes. Is there an "o

Corollary question: Someone also removed the actual text that appears in the various images.

Is there an official-from-Randall transcript somewhere?

Thanks. [[User:Karenb|Karenb]] ([[User talk:Karenb|talk]]) 21:48, 20 March 2014 (UTC)
:Dgbrt replaced the transcript that was present with the transcript that can be found [http://xkcd.com/1079/info.0.json here], or in the page source of the original comic. It's not always perfectly accurate, but I usually just trust in it since Randall probably knows what he drew. If you feel that there's a typo/stuff-up somewhere, feel free to change it. Accuracy trumps the original transcript. '''[[User:Davidy22|{{Color|#707|David}}y²²]]'''[[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>[talk]</tt>]] 00:48, 21 March 2014 (UTC)
::Thanks, David! That makes a lot of sense. [[User:Karenb|Karenb]] ([[User talk:Karenb|talk]]) 01:37, 21 March 2014 (UTC)

Is this ready for the incomplete flag to be removed? Explain section has been updated to explain the shapes that can be explained.[[User:Tornadowrangler|Tornadowrangler]] ([[User talk:Tornadowrangler|talk]]) 03:35, 3 April 2014 (UTC)Tornadowrangler

1079: United Shapes

2014-03-26T03:34:42Z

Tornadowrangler: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1079
| date = July 9, 2012
| title = United Shapes
| image = united_shapes.png
| imagesize = 800px
| titletext = That eggplant is in something of a flaccid state.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This explain doesn't explain the content of this comic.}}

In this comic, each state of the United States of America has been filled-in with an object of similar shape. Due to the size range of the states, some states are too small to clearly make-out in the normal size image. Click on the image above to see the large version, which makes every state perfectly clear.

Very few, if any, of the shapes used are stereotypes of the state; they are merely objects that look like the state. Some of the objects are those which the states are widely known to resemble. For example, Michigan is represented by a mitten or glove, and a pot with handle takes the place of Oklahoma (with the panhandle region of the state filled with a literal handle). Others, however, are more creative. Few would have likely pictured Texas as a dog or Alaska as a bear with a jet pack and laser gun. There are several incredibly simple objects filling some states. Kentucky is filled by a cloud, which conceivably could have been used for any state, and Wyoming, one of the square states, is simply an envelope. There are two pairs of states that are related. Georgia and Missouri each contain an image of the other, drawing attention to their similar shapes, while Alabama and Mississippi are faces facing in opposite directions.

Colorado contains what looks like a Wikipedia article. A close-up of the fake article is provided [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/]. The following references are made in the Colorado article:

*The pronunciation is not that for Colorado, but for {{w|Eyjafjallajökull}}, a volcano in Iceland that erupted in April 2010.
*The way it has a demilitarized zone towards Wyoming resembles {{W|North Korea}} and {{W|South Korea}}. As the two US states are both almost square and borders each other in a way similar to Korea this makes sense. Although here it is the southern part (Colorado) that sound like North Korea.
*Eleven dimensions refers to {{w|string theory}}.
*A {{w|wormhole}} is a theoretical relative of the {{w|black hole}}. This is a reference to the television series {{w|Stargate SG-1}} where a device capable of creating wormholes is located in the {{w|Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker}} in Colorado.
*A {{w|Horcrux}} is a type of magical object in the world of {{W|Harry Potter}}.
*The radiation zones around Longmont are caused by {{w|Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant|radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant}}.

The title text makes fun of Florida which is sometimes called “The penis of America”. Obviously, this penis is somewhat flaccid (not erected). The use of the word “state” is a pun, as it means some particular condition (flaccid state) as well as a political entity (The State of Florida).

==Transcript==
:The '''United Shapes'''
:A map of things states are shaped like
:[Each state has some item wedged to stay inside its borders]

:Alabama: A moai head facing east.
:Alaska: Winnie the Pooh with a jetpack and a ray gun.
:Arizona: A refrigerated shelf containing milk, bread, and pastries.
:Arkansas: A measuring cup.
:California: A vacuum.
:Colorado: The wiki article on Colorado.
:Connecticut: A train conductor's hat.
:Delaware: A meerkat.
:Florida: An eggplant.
:Georgia: Missouri.
:Hawaii: A snowball.
:Idaho: A garden gnome, sitting down.
:Illinois: A gangster with a guitar case, upside down.
:Indiana: The brush of a paintbrush.
:Iowa: A tomato, lettuce, cold cut and cheese sandwich.
:Kansas: A stand-up piano.
:Kentucky: A cloud.
:Louisiana: A boot with some gum stuck to the bottom of it.
:Maine: A Vulcan salute.
:Maryland: A howling wolf, upside down.
:Massachusetts: An elephant, being ridden by a man, carrying tea.
:Michigan: A mitten for the lower portion, an eagle for the UP.
:Minnesota: $160 in $20 USD bills.
:Mississippi: A moai head facing west.
:Missouri: Georgia.
:Montana: One half of a muffin.
:Nebraska: A blue VW type 2 with mattresses sticking out the back.
:Nevada: A clothes iron.
:New Hampshire: A tall brick factory building.
:New Jersey: A bent-over old person.
:New Mexico: A liquid container labeled for something of unusual and silly danger.
:New York: A hybrid transmission with standard manual-style gears and a torque converter sliced in half.
:North Carolina: A bouquet of flowers.
:North Dakota: The top half of an amp.
:Ohio: Underwear (Briefs).
:Oklahoma: A covered pot, dripping with boilover.
:Oregon: A locomotive.
:Pennsylvania: A very thick book with a bookmark.
:Rhode Island: The bow half of a boat's hull.
:South Carolina: A slice of pizza.
:South Dakota: The bottom half of an amp.
:Tennessee: A number of childrens' books, placed in a slightly askew pile.
:Texas: A dog sitting in a bowl.
:Utah: An oven.
:Vermont: A microscope, upside down.
:Virgina: A frog.
:Washington: A whale.
:West Virginia: A stegosaurid.
:Wisconsin: A skull.
:Wyoming: An envelope.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

1256: Questions

2014-03-24T05:23:49Z

Tornadowrangler: /* Section one */

{{comic
| number = 1256
| date = August 26, 2013
| title = Questions
| image = questions.png
| titletext = To whoever typed 'why is arwen dying': GOOD. FUCKING. QUESTION.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Incomplete.}}
{{w|Google}}, a rather popular internet search engine, has a feature known as [https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/106230?hl=en autocomplete] that guesses at search queries before they are fully typed out. These guesses are generally made based on popular searches by other people. From time to time, a particularly strange or hilarious one may be found, as is evidenced in this comic.

The largest pictured questions are: "Why are there slaves in the bible" and "Why are there ants in my laptop".

All of the questions in the comic are "why" questions, so many of them are predicated on false assumptions, such as "Why are there pyramids on the moon".

Regarding the title text: in the Peter Jackson films of {{w|The Lord of the Rings (film series)|''The Lord of the Rings'' trilogy}}, Arwen becomes sickly for unspecified reasons as the plot advances, apparently giving Aragorn a more personal reason to fight. The only explanation given is by Elrond, who says "As Sauron's power grows, her [Arwen's] strength wanes." (This subplot is entirely absent from the {{w|The Lord of the Rings|original novels}}.)

From [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0167260/faq#.2.1.21 IMDB]: <blockquote>
Arwen, like her father (and brothers) is considered to be a Half-Elf, the result of a union between an Elf and a mortal human. The Half-Elven of Middle-earth get a choice, to remain immortal and return to the West (Valinor) or to become mortal and to die as humans do. Elrond chose to remain an Elf. Arwen (like her uncle Elros) chooses to become mortal in order to wed and remain with Aragorn. Elrond senses this; this is what he means when he says that Arwen is dying. It is the same as in The Last Unicorn, when the unicorn is given the form of a human woman and can feel that she is no longer immortal ("I can feel this body dying all around me"). According to Tolkien, though, after Aragorn dies in the year 120 (Fourth Age), Arwen returns to Lórien, where she dies by choice the following winter. </blockquote>

==Selected answers==
===Single panels===
{| class ="wikitable"
|-
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer
|-
|Why aren't my arms growing?||
|-
|Why are there ghosts?||
|-
|Why are there squirrels?||
|-
|Why is sex so important?||
|-
| Why aren't there guns in Harry Potter? || In the {{w|Harry Potter}} universe, Muggle technology (human inventions) are often looked down on by wizards - the majority of half-blooded wizards like Harry won't touch one, let alone a wizard extremist like {{w|Voldemort}}. Not only does any Muggle device more complex than a wristwatch interfere with magical artifacts, but wands are usually more versatile than most guns (a revolver can't shoot lightning or summon items or teleport its user). Finally, while Harry himself may or may not consider using firearms due to his muggle upbringing, ''Harry Potter'' is a children's book (which usually doesn't include guns) set in England (which has stricter gun laws than, say, the United States).
|-
|-
|}
===Section one===
{| class ="wikitable"
|-
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer
|-
| Why do whales jump? || To the whale, it's like going into outer space!
|-
|Why are witches green? || See {{w|Wizard of Oz}}.
|-
|Why are there mirrors above beds?|| Often, these are used by couples to view themselves during coitus.
|-
|Why do I say Uh?||See ''[http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/05/06/the_odd_body_language_fillers/ Why do we say 'um', 'er', or 'ah' when we hesitate in speaking?]''.
|-
| Why is sea salt better? || The question likely refers to the difference between common {{w|Fortified table salt}} and usually more expensive sea salt. While the major part of both of these is sodium chloride (NaCl) the idea behind the claim is the different composition mostly in regards to trace elements of sea salt compared to "normal" salt. Table salt's composition is often influenced by a country's health department and thus addition of trace elements is regulated. While these regulations are based on scientific studies there remain to be debates concerning the additions, such as iodine.
|-
| Why are there trees in the middle of fields? || Many images of fields contain singular trees in the middle of them. While there exist such trees it is likely an artistic choice to give a more pleasing or aesthetically satisfying image compared to just a field. In modern agriculture those would in fact be quite troublesome since they are a hindrance to large machines used and a new tree would be unlikely to grow in a constantly worked field.
|-
| Why is there not a Pokémon MMO? || {{w|Pokémon}} is a popular franchise, spanning game consoles, anime series, a trading card game, and many other things. Among fans, it is a frequent topic of discussion why a Pokémon {{w|massively multiplayer online game}} has not been officially announced by the series' developers {{w|Game Freak}}, as they often [http://www.dorkly.com/comic/52546/be-careful-what-you-wish-for predict] that such a game would be extremely popular, and bring in massive revenue for the company.
|-
|Why is there laughing in TV shows? || Sitcoms were once filmed with an audience, so the actors could respond to their reactions. That's the historical reason why there were laughs in TV shows. The tradition continues, with the difference that now the laughter mostly comes from recorded tapes. See {{w|Laugh track}}.
|-
|Why are there doors on the freeway?||
|-
|Why are there so many svchost.exe running?||See {{w|svchost.exe}}.
|-
| Why aren't there any countries in Antarctica? || {{w|Antarctica}} is the southern most continent and is by large covered in ice and in general pretty cold. While it is a regular target of tourists and researchers it also lacks native human inhabitants. At the moment, the territorial claims concerning Antarctica are mostly handled via the {{w|Antarctic Treaty System}}. In short there are a few countries who claim certain parts of the continent as their own in theory but so far it is considered neutral territory and most maps don't concern themselves with displaying the (in some regards disputed) territorial claims because they do not matter at this point in time. If there are ever any worthwhile resources discovered, this might change.
|-
|Why are there scary sounds in Minecraft?||
|-
|Why is there kicking in my stomach?||See ''[http://www.webmd.com/baby/fetal-movement-feeling-baby-kick Feeling Your Baby Kick]''. Here, ''stomach'' means ''abdomen''.
|-
|Why are there two slashes after http?||See ''[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1220286/Sir-Tim-Berners-Lee-admits-forward-slashes-web-address-mistake.html Sir Tim Berners-Lee admits the forward slashes in every web address 'were a mistake']''.
|-
|Why are there celebrities?||
|-
|Why do snakes exist?|| See "Why are there snakes?" below.
|-
|Why do oysters have pearls?||See {{w|Pearl#Creation of a pearl}}.
|-
|Why are ducks called ducks?||See {{w|Duck#Etymology}}.
|-
|Why do they call it the clap?||
|-
|Why are Kyle and Cartman friends?||Kyle and Cartman are child characters on the animated TV show "South Park." Cartman often berates Kyle for being Jewish and regularly commits other atrocities. However, they most likely remain "friends" because they are in the same class at school and are therefore "forced" to be around one another.
|-
|Why is there an arrow on Aang's head?||See {{w|Avatar: The Last Airbender#Characters}}.
|-
|Why are text messages blue?||
|-
|Why are there mustaches on clothes?||
|-
|Why are there mustaches on cars?||Fuzzy pink mustaches are used to designate cars in the {{w|Lyft}} service.
|-
|Why are there mustaches everywhere?||See {{w|Movember}}
|-
|Why are there so many birds in Ohio?||
|-
|Why is there so much rain in Ohio?||
|-
|Why is Ohio weather so weird?||See {{w|Lake-effect snow}}.
|-
|}

===Section two===
{| class ="wikitable"
|-
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer
|-
| Why are there male and female bikes? || {{w|bicycle|From Wikipedia}}: <blockquote>Historically, women's bicycle frames had a top tube that connected in the middle of the seat tube instead of the top, resulting in a lower {{w|Frame geometry|standover height}} at the expense of compromised structural integrity, since this places a strong bending load in the seat tube, and bicycle frame members are typically weak in bending. This design, referred to as a '''''{{w|step-through frame}}''''' or as an ''open frame'', allows the rider to mount and dismount in a dignified way while wearing a skirt or dress.</blockquote>
|-
|Why are there bridesmaids?||See {{w|Bridesmaid#Origin and history}}.
|-
|Why do dying people reach up?||
|-
|Why aren't there varicose arteries?||Blood moves through veins due to irregular pressure from skeletal muscles combined with valves to control direction. In varicose veins these valves malfunction affecting blood flow. In arteries blood flow is produced directly from pressure caused by the heart.
|-
|Why are old Klingons different?||See {{w|Klingon#Redesign}}.
|-
|Why is programming so hard?||
|-
|Why is there a 0 Ohm resistor?||See {{w|Zero-ohm link}}.
|-
| Why do Americans hate soccer? || Soccer, or football in British English, is rather unpopular in the USA compared to most other regions of the world. Finding a particular reason behind the (dis)like for certain sports, apart from cultural spread, is difficult. One possible explanation is soccer's tendency to have far fewer points scored in an average game and a higher likelihood of draws compared to such things as American Football, basketball or baseball, which are far more popular. In how far this is a legitimate argument for regarding soccer as "less interesting" is up to debate.
|-
|Why do rhymes sound good?||
|-
|Why do trees die?||
|-
|Why is there no sound on CNN?||
|-
|Why aren't Pokemon real?||
|-
|Why aren't bullets sharp?||See {{w|Terminal ballistics}}.
|-
|Why do dreams seem so real?||
|-
|}

=== Other questions ===
(Some questions in the transcript are linked to their answers.)
{| class ="wikitable"
|-
!style="width:20%;"|Question !! Possible answer
|-
| Why are there snakes? || The question is rather general and likely based on a widespread dislike for the reptilians. Be it due to their appearance, their spread, or the danger a few snakes pose to humans (often due to being poisonous) many people have a dislike for snakes and would prefer them to not exist (similar to spiders).
In regards to "why do snakes exist on earth?": Because evolution. Snakes fill a gap in the ecosystem as predators and hunt different species, including vermin. Snakes are in that regard similar to many other predatory animals. The question on why snakes developed with their distinct streamlined shape is still debated but {{w|snakes|likely it either provided an advantage when burrowing or swimming}}.
|-
| Why do oysters have pearls? || {{w|Creation of a pearl|From Wikipedia}}: <blockquote>Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant such as a parasite inside the shell, or an attack from outside, injuring the mantle tissue. The mollusk creates a pearl sac to seal off the irritation. Pearls are commonly viewed by scientists as a by-product of an adaptive immune system-like function.</blockquote>
|-
| Why are ducks called ducks? || {{W|wikt:duck|According to Wiktionary}}, the noun ''duck'' can be traced back to the {{w|Proto-Germanic language|Proto-Germanic}} word {{w|wikt:Appendix:Proto-Germanic/dūkaną|''dūkaną''}} ("to dive, bend down"), and, in turn, the {{w|Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European}} {{w|wikt:Appendix:Proto-Indo-European/dʰewb-|''dʰewb-''}} ("deep, hollow"), which is the origin of the verb ''to duck''. The link between the noun and the verb comes from ducks' tendency to dive under water for short periods of time.
|-
| Why are Kyle and Cartman friends? || The question in all likelihood is addressed towards the TV show {{w|South Park}}. Both are children living in the small titular town in Colorado. Cartman is widely accepted to a be very bad person, one of his many character flaws being his antisemitism. Kyle on the other hand is a Jew. However, both, along with two other kids, Stan and Kenny, are the core focus of the show (or used to be) and to some extent are considered to be friends. While there are episodes which show Cartman being not entirely a horrible person and him holding Kyle in a position of at least a worthy adversary, most of the time the question should be "Why is anyone friends with Cartman?"
|-
| Why is there an arrow on Aang's head? || Aang is the main character of the TV series {{w|Avatar the last Airbender|Avatar - The last Airbender}} and features as part of a large body spanning tattoo an arrow on his head. These tattoos are made to replicate the markings of one of the shows fictional animals, the air bison which are regarded as the original air benders. They are given to human air benders once they attain the status of masters. Because Aang acquired this status very early in life he was already tattooed accordingly.
|-
| Why do dying people reach up? || In many works of fiction dying people are regarded with an outstretched arm, grasping for unseen objects towards the sky. In all likelihood this originates in the idea of heaven as the place where (good) people go after death. People "reach for the light" which is seen when dying according to similar beliefs or possibly for already dead relatives or other associated people waiting for them.
|-
| Why are old Klingons different? || {{w|Klingon Redesign|From Wikipedia}}: <blockquote>For {{w|Star Trek: The Motion Picture}} (1979), the Klingons were retconned and their appearance and behavior radically changed. To give the aliens a more sophisticated and threatening demeanor, the Klingons were depicted with ridged foreheads, snaggled and prominent teeth, and a defined language and alphabet. Lee Cole, a production designer, used red gels and primitive shapes in the design of Klingon consoles and ship interiors, which took on a dark and moody atmosphere. The alphabet was designed as angular, with sharp edges harkening to the Klingon's militaristic focus.[5] Costume designer Robert Fletcher created new uniforms for the Klingons, reminiscent of feudal Japanese armor.</blockquote>
|-
| Why are there 0 Ohm resistors? || A resistor is usually designed to create a certain resistance, measured in {{w|Ohm}} in an electronic device. A 0 Ohm resistor seems pointless as it would only provide the same resistance as a normal cable. However, {{w|Zero-ohm link| Wikipedia gives a sufficient explanation for its uses}}.
|-
| Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus? || {{w|Poseidon}} was the patron deity of the city of {{w|Troy}}, which after a 10 years siege by the Greeks fell due to {{w|Odysseus}}' list of the {{w|Trojan_Horse|Trojan horse}}. As the Greeks were returning home after the Trojan War, Oddyseus' ship accidentally landed on the island home of the cyclops Polyphemus, who imprisoned the crew and ate many of them. In order to escape, Odysseus blinded the cyclops. Poseidon, Polyphemus' father, was extremely angered by his son being blinded, so he cursed Odysseus' ship to prevent him from reaching his home in {{W|Ithaca}}. The adventures which Odysseus encountered during his quest for reaching Ithaca are the main theme of {{w|Homer|Homer's}} {{w|Odyssey}}.
|-
| Why are there two Spocks? || This is probably a reference to the {{w|Star_Trek_(film)|2009 Star Trek movie}} in which the franchise was given a {{w|Reboot_(fiction)|continuity reboot}}. The modified setting is explained in-universe by time travel, with both the villain Nero and the original-timeline Spock being brought back from the 24th century to the 23rd, creating a timeline in which both older Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy) and the younger Spock (played by Zachary Quinto) coexist.

Another possibility is that the question refers to the episode {{w|Mirror,_Mirror_(Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series)|"Mirror, Mirror"}}, which mostly takes place in an alternate universe populated by ruthless versions of most of the characters (including Spock).
|-
| Why aren't there any foreign military bases in America? || ''Further information: {{w|United States military deployments}}''This is a very interesting question, albeit one likely based on a regional misunderstanding. Presumably, this question is asked by Americans who assume that the existence of {{w|Category:Military facilities of the United States by country|U.S. military bases abroad}} is a general trend among countries, as opposed to being the rarity that it is. In fact, {{w|List of countries with overseas military bases|only a handful of other countries}} have military bases outside of their borders, and the three—{{w|France}}, the {{w|United Kingdom}}, and {{w|Russia}}—that have more than one or two are all countries that, like the United States, {{w|Allies of World War II|were on the winning side of World War II}}, have {{w|List of countries by military expenditures|massive military expenditures}}, and have {{w|United Nations Security Council veto power|UN Security Council vetoes}}. In other words, only the most militarily elite countries have bases overseas. The U.S. is unique, however, in that it has far more overseas bases than any other country (and, pretty much, far more of anything else than any other country, when it comes to the military), and in that {{w|List of United States military bases|it has bases in several other highly-industrialized nations}}, including {{w|List of United States Army installations in South Korea|South Korea}} and the United Kingdom, and, most notably, the World War II {{w|Axis powers}}: {{w|List of United States Army installations in Germany|Germany}}, {{w|United States Forces Japan|Japan}}, and {{w|List of United States Army installations in Italy|Italy}}. (France, Russia, and the U.K.'s bases, on the other hand, are almost all within areas that they previously controlled.)These bases can be controversial in some countries, while in others they are a major source of economic and political stability. The U.S. traditionally justifies their presence as a necessary and crucial element in its efforts to promote peace domestically and worldwide. Despite their major role in {{w|U.S. foreign policy}}, and in the general political structure of the globe, the American public often largely ignores them, and they rarely become a major political issue (apart from an occasional mention by {{w|Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian presidential candidates}}).So, essentially, the absence of foreign military bases within the U.S. is primarily because there aren't really any other countries in a position to place bases there. Ironically, although no battles in the traditional sense have been fought within the U.S. since the {{w|U.S. Civil War}} and the U.S. mainland has seen {{w|Mainland invasion of the United States|almost no military action}}, foreign air force bases might have been useful on September 11, 2001. (The {{w|attack on Pearl Harbor}} in 1941 was 18 years before Hawaii became a U.S. state.)There are, however, foreign troops stationed at some continental US military bases. For example RAF (British Royal Air Force) 39 Sqn and 361 Sqn at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada flying Reaper and Predator drones. But this are not foreign military bases, they are just guests.
|-
| Why is there no king in England? || ''Note: For simplicity's sake, "England" here is being read as "United Kingdom." The various name changes, mergers, and splits of kingdoms are complicated.''The basis for this question is that for the past several hundred years, there has almost always been a queen in England, the sole exceptions being when the king has not had a wife. However, there is a distinction between being the queen of England (that is to say, {{w|List of British monarchs|a monarch}}) and being the {{w|queen consort|queen ''consort''}} of England: The former refers to a woman who {{w|Succession to the British throne|succeeded to the throne}} in her own right, becoming sovereign, while the latter refers to the wife of the king. Both roles, though, are commonly referred to as "Queen of England," creating the impression that there is always such a person. The logical question, therefore, is why {{w|Elizabeth II}}'s husband, {{w|Prince Philip|Philip}}, is not considered the king of England. The answer lies in Britain's system of {{w|male-preference cognatic primogeniture}}, which causes the monarch of England to usually be a man, not a woman. As a result of this, British laws were generally built around the presumption that the monarch would be a man (and that said man would be married to a woman, [[223: Valentine's Day|comic 223]] be damned). Since the creation of the modern British throne in 1707, only two women have reigned as queen in their own right; it just so happens that these two women have been two of the most famous and longest-reigning monarchs in world history, {{w|Queen Victoria}} and Queen Elizabeth II. This fact may add to people's enhanced perception of the lack of a British king. Victoria and Elizabeth's respective consorts, {{w|Albert, Prince Consort|Albert}} and Philip, have been styled as princes—Albert as {{w|Prince Consort}} and Philip as "{{w|British prince|Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland}}." Both were explicitly granted their titles by their wives, though Albert was already a prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Philip had previously been a prince of Denmark and Greece, but had renounced both titles before marrying Elizabeth.The title {{w|king consort}} also exists, but has never been used in the United Kingdom.Notably, should {{w|Prince Charles}} succeed to his mother's throne, it has been announced that his wife, {{w|Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall|Camilla}}, will be styled as {{w|princess consort}}, ''not'' as queen consort, just as she has declined the title {{w|Princess of Wales}}, which is strongly associated with Charles's first wife, {{w|Princess Diana|Diana}}. Assuming that Charles succeeds, this means that Britain will not have anyone referred to as "queen," after decades of not having anyone referred to as "king."
|-
| Why are there female Mr. Mimes? || {{w|Mr. Mime}} is a Pokémon introduced in the first generation of the games, and despite its name, it can be either of a male or female gender. As the Pokémon was introduced before the concept of [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Gender gender in Pokémon games], it is likely that the people in charge of translating its Japanese name (Barrierd) did not take this into account during the process.
|-
| Why are there so many crows in Rochester, MN || From a Minnesota Paper, [http://www.startribune.com/local/138902104.html the Star Tribune], "Laws prevent the city from poisoning the crows". "Duffy [Steve Duffy, a co-owner of U.S. Bird Abatement Services, which has contracted with Rochester to get rid of the crows] isn't sure why Rochester has such a bad crow problem; probably a confluence of many bird-friendly conditions that has also made it a magnet for geese. He's seen worse cases, but called Rochester's situation 'hideous.'" And best of all, "The city has twice this winter hired experts to chase them off. They tried lasers and bullhorns -- hey, get out of here, you crows -- and even employed raptors to pick them off, one by one. That worked, for awhile." (Unfortunately, they mean a {{w|bird of prey}}, not a {{w|velociraptor}}).
|-
| Why are the Avengers fighting the X Men || {{w|Avengers vs. X-Men}} was a 2012 Marvel crossover event that, like many other recent comic book events, had heroes fight other heroes. In this case, the {{w|Avengers (comics)|Avengers}} and the {{w|X-Men}} fought over the {{w|Phoenix Force (comics)|Phoenix Force}}, a godlike power that often possesses {{w|Jean Grey}} or her descendants (in this case, her alternate universe daughter Hope Summers). The Avengers believed the Phoenix Force is too powerful for humanity to control and wanted to contain it, while the X-Men believed the Phoenix was the messiah for mutants and could fix all of the Earth's problems.
|-
| Why is Wolverine not in the Avengers || Wolverine ''has'' been an Avenger, in some circumstances. e.g. in the {{w|The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes}} cartoon series, the episode ''New Avengers'' had Wolverine (along with Spiderman, War Machine, The Thing and Luke Cage and Iron Fist) substitute while the 'original' Avengers were unavailable to deal with the current crisis (which of course included the fate of the 'proper' Avengers). However, in general his anti-authority personality makes him a difficult team-member to field, and he has frequently disassociated himself even from the X-Men. But, in Avengers vs. X-Men (see above) Wolverine ''sided'' with The Avengers, and more modern treatments have even included the character in about as much a permanent a membership of the group as Logan is ever likely to have.

But if the question is about why Wolverine didn't appear in {{w|The Avengers (2012 film)|''The Avengers''}}, the answer is that ''The Avengers'' is being produced by Marvel/Disney, while Fox still has the rights to the X-Men and all Marvel mutants in general. Unless there is studio agreement, the two properties cannot cross, except through complicated machinations. For example, there are plans to bring Avengers mainstays Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch to both the ''Avengers'' and ''X-Men'' franchises, but only the Fox films have the right to call them the children of Magneto, and Marvel/Disney cannot even identify them on-screen as "mutants".
|-
| Why is Psychic weak to Bug || In Pokémon, Pokémon of the psychic type (such as Mr. Mime) are weak to three types of attacks: Ghost, Dark, and Bug. The general theory is that Psychic Pokémon, relying heavily on their thoughts for attacks, are weak to fears (which ghosts, darkness, and bugs can be classified as).
|-
|Why are there ants in my laptop? || Ants usually come in your laptop when there are little crumbs of food. It is advised to get screen protectors.
|}

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript}}
:(This strip is a rectangular word cloud, titled 'Questions found in Google autocomplete'. Embedded in the cloud are 5 single panels, with illustrated questions. Questions are grouped by section and given in roughly columnar order for the horizontal text, followed by the vertical text. None of the questions have question marks. The comic links to a [http://xkcd.com/1256/large/ large version] of the word cloud.)

:Title: Questions found in Google autocomplete

:The single panels
:[We see Cueball from the torso up, with arms outstretched.]
:Cueball: Why aren't my arms growing
:[Megan stands with a grey ghost on either side of her.]
:Megan: Why are there ghosts
:[Beret Guy stands, looking at a squirrel.]
:Beret Guy: Why are there squirrels
:[Cueball stands.]
:Cueball: Why is sex so important
:[We see Ponytail from the torso up.]
:Ponytail: Why aren't there guns in Harry Potter

:Section one
:Why do whales jump
:Why are witches green
:Why are there mirrors above beds
:Why do I say Uh
:Why is sea salt better
:Why are there trees in the middle of fields
:Why is there not a Pokemon MMO
:Why is there laughing in TV shows
:Why are there doors on the freeway
:Why are there so many svchost.exe running
:Why aren't there any countries in Antarctica
:Why are there scary sounds in Minecraft
:Why is there kicking in my stomach
:Why are there two slashes after http
:Why are there celebrities
:Why do snakes exist
:Why do oysters have pearls
:Why are ducks called ducks
:Why do they call it the clap
:Why are Kyle and Cartman friends
:Why is there an arrow on Aang's head
:Why are text messages blue
:Why are there mustaches on clothes
:Why are there mustaches on cars
:Why are there mustaches everywhere
:Why are there so many birds in Ohio
:Why is there so much rain in Ohio
:Why is Ohio weather so weird

:Section two
:Why are there male and female bikes
:Why are there bridesmaids
:Why do dying people reach up
:Why aren't there varicose arteries
:Why are old Klingons different
:Why is programming so hard
:Why is there a 0 Ohm resistor
:Why do Americans hate soccer
:Why do rhymes sound good
:Why do trees die
:Why is there no sound on CNN
:Why aren't Pokemon real
:Why aren't bullets sharp
:Why do dreams seem so real

:Section three
:{{w|Cremaster_muscle|Why do testicles move}}
:Why are there psychics
:Why are hats so expensive
:[http://supplement-geek.com/caffeine-hair-loss-thicker-fuller-hai/ Why is there caffeine in my shampoo]
:{{w|Mastodynia|Why do your boobs hurt}}

:Section four
:Why aren't economists rich
:[http://www.alsintl.com/blog/soccer-vs-football/ Why do Americans call it soccer]
:{{w|Tinnitus|Why are my ears ringing}}
:Why are there so many Avengers
:Why are the Avengers fighting the X-Men
:Why is Wolverine not in the Avengers

:Section five
:Why are there ants in my laptop
:Why is Earth tilted
:{{w|Olbers' paradox|Why is space black}}
:Why is outer space so cold
:Why are there pyramids on the Moon
:Why is NASA shutting down

:Section six
:Why are there tiny spiders in my house
:[http://www.burkemuseum.org/spidermyth/myths/comein.html Why do spiders come inside]
:Why are there huge spiders in my house
:Why are there lots of spiders in my house
:Why are there spiders in my room
:Why are there so many spiders in my room
:Why do spider bites itch
:Why is dying so scary

:Section seven
:Why is there no GPS in laptops
:[http://www.md-health.com/Knee-Clicking.html Why do knees click]
:[http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2010/08/e_is_for_fail.html Why aren't there E grades]
:Why is isolation bad
:Why do boys like me
:Why don't boys like me
:Why is there always a Java update
:Why are there red dots on my thighs
:Why is lying good

:Section eight
:{{w|The Bible and slavery|Why are there slaves in The Bible}}
:[http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2004/11/04/1234875.htm Why do twins have different fingerprints]
:Why are Americans afraid of dragons

:Section nine
:Why are there swarms of gnats
:[http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-phlegm.htm Why is there phlegm]

:Section ten
:Why are there so many crows in Rochester, MN
:[http://pokemon.wikia.com/wiki/Pok%C3%A9mon_Types Why is Psychic weak to Bug]
:Why do children get cancer
:Why is Poseidon angry with Odysseus
:Why is there ice in space

:Section eleven
:Why is there an owl in my backyard
:Why is there an owl outside my window
:[http://goodreasonblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-there-owl-on-american-dollar-bill.html Why is there an owl on the dollar bill]
:Why do owls attack people
:{{w|2008–13 United States ammunition shortage|Why are AK47s so expensive}}

:Section twelve
:Why are there helicopters circling my house
:Why are there gods
:Why are there two Spocks

:Section thirteen
:Why is Mt Vesuvius there
:Why do they say T Minus
:Why are there obelisks
:Why are wrestlers always wet
:Why are oceans becoming more acidic
:Why is Arwen dying
:Why aren't my quail laying eggs
:Why aren't my quail eggs hatching
:Why aren't there any foreign military bases in America

:Section fourteen
:[https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1342714 Why is https crossed out in red]
:[https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1342714 Why is there a line through https]
:[https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1342714 Why is there a red line through https on Facebook]
:[[wikipedia:HTTP_Secure | Why is https important]]

:Section fifteen
:Why are my boobs itchy
:Why are cigarettes legal
:Why are the ducks in my pool
:{{w|Race and appearance of Jesus|Why is Jesus white}}
:Why is there liquid in my ear
:Why do Q Tips feel good
:Why do good people die
:[http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Ultrasound-scan/Pages/introduction.aspx Why are ultrasounds important]
:Why are ultrasound machines expensive
:Why is stealing wrong

:Vertical questions
:(The following are vertical.)
:Why is there Hell if God forgives
:Why aren't there dinosaur ghosts
:Why do iguanas die
:[http://gis.stackexchange.com/a/17546 Why is GPS free]
:Why are trees tall
:[http://www.serebiiforums.com/showthread.php?285504-Why-can-Mr-Mime-be-female Why are there female Mr Mimes]
:Why is there lava
:Why is {{w|YKK Group|YKK}} on all zippers
:Why is life so boring
:{{w|Dizziness|Why do I feel dizzy}}
:{{w|Seven-day_week#Origins|Why are there weeks}}
:[http://www.dogsonly.org/stormfear.html Why are dogs afraid of fireworks]
:Why is there no king in England

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Beret Guy]]
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]
[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:LOTR]]
[[Category:Pokémon]]

1079: United Shapes

2014-03-24T05:09:25Z

Tornadowrangler: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1079
| date = July 9, 2012
| title = United Shapes
| image = united_shapes.png
| imagesize = 800px
| titletext = That eggplant is in something of a flaccid state.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This explain doesn't explain the content of this comic.}}

In this comic, each state of the United States of America has been filled-in with an object. Due to the size range of the states, some states are too small to clearly make-out in the normal size image. Click on the image above to see the large version, which makes every state perfectly clear.

Very few, if any, of the shapes used are stereotypes of the state; they are merely objects that look like the state. Some of the objects are those which the states are widely known to resemble. For example, Michigan is represented by a mitten or glove, and a pot with handle takes the place of Oklahoma (with the panhandle region of the state filled with a literal handle). Others, however, are more creative. Few would have likely pictured Texas as a dog or Alaska as a bear with a jet pack and laser gun. There are several incredibly simple objects filling some states. Kentucky is filled by a cloud, which conceivably could have been used for any state, and Wyoming, one of the square states, is simply an envelope. There are two pairs of states that are related. Georgia and Missouri each contain an image of the other, drawing attention to their similar shapes, while Alabama and Mississippi are faces facing in opposite directions.

Colorado contains what looks like a Wikipedia article. A close-up of the fake article is provided [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/]. The following references are made in the Colorado article:

*The pronunciation is not that for Colorado, but for {{w|Eyjafjallajökull}}, a volcano in Iceland that erupted in April 2010.
*The way it has a demilitarized zone towards Wyoming resembles {{W|North Korea}} and {{W|South Korea}}. As the two US states are both almost square and borders each other in a way similar to Korea this makes sense. Although here it is the southern part (Colorado) that sound like North Korea.
*Eleven dimensions refers to {{w|string theory}}.
*A {{w|wormhole}} is a theoretical relative of the {{w|black hole}}. This is a reference to the television series {{w|Stargate SG-1}} where a device capable of creating wormholes is located in the {{w|Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker}} in Colorado.
*A {{w|Horcrux}} is a type of magical object in the world of {{W|Harry Potter}}.
*The radiation zones around Longmont are caused by {{w|Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant|radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant}}.

The title text makes fun of Florida which is sometimes called “The penis of America”. Obviously, this penis is somewhat flaccid (not erected). The use of the word “state” is a pun, as it means some particular condition (flaccid state) as well as a political entity (The State of Florida).

==Transcript==
:The '''United Shapes'''
:A map of things states are shaped like
:[Each state has some item wedged to stay inside its borders]

:Alabama: A moai head facing east.
:Alaska: Winnie the Pooh with a jetpack and a ray gun.
:Arizona: A refrigerated shelf containing milk, bread, and pastries.
:Arkansas: A measuring cup.
:California: A vacuum.
:Colorado: The wiki article on Colorado.
:Connecticut: A train conductor's hat.
:Delaware: A meerkat.
:Florida: An eggplant.
:Georgia: Missouri.
:Hawaii: A snowball.
:Idaho: A garden gnome, sitting down.
:Illinois: A gangster with a guitar case, upside down.
:Indiana: The brush of a paintbrush.
:Iowa: A tomato, lettuce, cold cut and cheese sandwich.
:Kansas: A stand-up piano.
:Kentucky: A cloud.
:Louisiana: A boot with some gum stuck to the bottom of it.
:Maine: A Vulcan salute.
:Maryland: A howling wolf, upside down.
:Massachusetts: An elephant, being ridden by a man, carrying tea.
:Michigan: A mitten for the lower portion, an eagle for the UP.
:Minnesota: $160 in $20 USD bills.
:Mississippi: A moai head facing west.
:Missouri: Georgia.
:Montana: One half of a muffin.
:Nebraska: A blue VW type 2 with mattresses sticking out the back.
:Nevada: A clothes iron.
:New Hampshire: A tall brick factory building.
:New Jersey: A bent-over old person.
:New Mexico: A liquid container labeled for something of unusual and silly danger.
:New York: A hybrid transmission with standard manual-style gears and a torque converter sliced in half.
:North Carolina: A bouquet of flowers.
:North Dakota: The top half of an amp.
:Ohio: Underwear (Briefs).
:Oklahoma: A covered pot, dripping with boilover.
:Oregon: A locomotive.
:Pennsylvania: A very thick book with a bookmark.
:Rhode Island: The bow half of a boat's hull.
:South Carolina: A slice of pizza.
:South Dakota: The bottom half of an amp.
:Tennessee: A number of childrens' books, placed in a slightly askew pile.
:Texas: A dog sitting in a bowl.
:Utah: An oven.
:Vermont: A microscope, upside down.
:Virgina: A frog.
:Washington: A whale.
:West Virginia: A stegosaurid.
:Wisconsin: A skull.
:Wyoming: An envelope.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

1079: United Shapes

2014-03-24T05:08:53Z

Tornadowrangler: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1079
| date = July 9, 2012
| title = United Shapes
| image = united_shapes.png
| imagesize = 800px
| titletext = That eggplant is in something of a flaccid state.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This explain doesn't explain the content of this comic.}}

In this comic, the each state of the United States of America has been filled-in with an object. Due to the size range of the states, some states are too small to clearly make-out in the normal size image. Click on the image above to see the large version, which makes every state perfectly clear.

Very few, if any, of the shapes used are stereotypes of the state; they are merely objects that look like the state. Some of the objects are those which the states are widely known to resemble. For example, Michigan is represented by a mitten or glove, and a pot with handle takes the place of Oklahoma (with the panhandle region of the state filled with a literal handle). Others, however, are more creative. Few would have likely pictured Texas as a dog or Alaska as a bear with a jet pack and laser gun. There are several incredibly simple objects filling some states. Kentucky is filled by a cloud, which conceivably could have been used for any state, and Wyoming, one of the square states, is simply an envelope. There are two pairs of states that are related. Georgia and Missouri each contain an image of the other, drawing attention to their similar shapes, while Alabama and Mississippi are faces facing in opposite directions.

Colorado contains what looks like a Wikipedia article. A close-up of the fake article is provided [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/]. The following references are made in the Colorado article:

*The pronunciation is not that for Colorado, but for {{w|Eyjafjallajökull}}, a volcano in Iceland that erupted in April 2010.
*The way it has a demilitarized zone towards Wyoming resembles {{W|North Korea}} and {{W|South Korea}}. As the two US states are both almost square and borders each other in a way similar to Korea this makes sense. Although here it is the southern part (Colorado) that sound like North Korea.
*Eleven dimensions refers to {{w|string theory}}.
*A {{w|wormhole}} is a theoretical relative of the {{w|black hole}}. This is a reference to the television series {{w|Stargate SG-1}} where a device capable of creating wormholes is located in the {{w|Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker}} in Colorado.
*A {{w|Horcrux}} is a type of magical object in the world of {{W|Harry Potter}}.
*The radiation zones around Longmont are caused by {{w|Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant|radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant}}.

The title text makes fun of Florida which is sometimes called “The penis of America”. Obviously, this penis is somewhat flaccid (not erected). The use of the word “state” is a pun, as it means some particular condition (flaccid state) as well as a political entity (The State of Florida).

==Transcript==
:The '''United Shapes'''
:A map of things states are shaped like
:[Each state has some item wedged to stay inside its borders]

:Alabama: A moai head facing east.
:Alaska: Winnie the Pooh with a jetpack and a ray gun.
:Arizona: A refrigerated shelf containing milk, bread, and pastries.
:Arkansas: A measuring cup.
:California: A vacuum.
:Colorado: The wiki article on Colorado.
:Connecticut: A train conductor's hat.
:Delaware: A meerkat.
:Florida: An eggplant.
:Georgia: Missouri.
:Hawaii: A snowball.
:Idaho: A garden gnome, sitting down.
:Illinois: A gangster with a guitar case, upside down.
:Indiana: The brush of a paintbrush.
:Iowa: A tomato, lettuce, cold cut and cheese sandwich.
:Kansas: A stand-up piano.
:Kentucky: A cloud.
:Louisiana: A boot with some gum stuck to the bottom of it.
:Maine: A Vulcan salute.
:Maryland: A howling wolf, upside down.
:Massachusetts: An elephant, being ridden by a man, carrying tea.
:Michigan: A mitten for the lower portion, an eagle for the UP.
:Minnesota: $160 in $20 USD bills.
:Mississippi: A moai head facing west.
:Missouri: Georgia.
:Montana: One half of a muffin.
:Nebraska: A blue VW type 2 with mattresses sticking out the back.
:Nevada: A clothes iron.
:New Hampshire: A tall brick factory building.
:New Jersey: A bent-over old person.
:New Mexico: A liquid container labeled for something of unusual and silly danger.
:New York: A hybrid transmission with standard manual-style gears and a torque converter sliced in half.
:North Carolina: A bouquet of flowers.
:North Dakota: The top half of an amp.
:Ohio: Underwear (Briefs).
:Oklahoma: A covered pot, dripping with boilover.
:Oregon: A locomotive.
:Pennsylvania: A very thick book with a bookmark.
:Rhode Island: The bow half of a boat's hull.
:South Carolina: A slice of pizza.
:South Dakota: The bottom half of an amp.
:Tennessee: A number of childrens' books, placed in a slightly askew pile.
:Texas: A dog sitting in a bowl.
:Utah: An oven.
:Vermont: A microscope, upside down.
:Virgina: A frog.
:Washington: A whale.
:West Virginia: A stegosaurid.
:Wisconsin: A skull.
:Wyoming: An envelope.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]

1079: United Shapes

2014-03-24T04:58:42Z

Tornadowrangler: /* Explanation */

{{comic
| number = 1079
| date = July 9, 2012
| title = United Shapes
| image = united_shapes.png
| imagesize = 800px
| titletext = That eggplant is in something of a flaccid state.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|This explain doesn't explain the content of this comic.}}
Click on the image above to see the large version, which makes every state perfectly clear. In the large version, all of the items inside the States make sense once you get your head oriented the correct direction.

Very few of the shapes used are stereotypes of the state. They are merely objects that look like the state. Some of the objects are those which the states are widely known as resembling. For example, Michigan is represented by a mitten or glove, and a pot with handle takes the place of Oklahoma. Others, however, are more creative. Few would have likely pictured Texas as a dog or Alaska as a bear with a jet pack and laser gun. There are several incredibly simple objects filling some states. Kentucky is filled by a cloud, which conceivably could have been used for any state, and Wyoming, one of the square states, is simply an envelope. There are two pairs of states that are related. Georgia and Missouri each contain an image of the other, pointing out their similar shape, while Alabama and Mississippi are faces facing in opposite directions.

Colorado contains what looks like a Wikipedia article. A close-up of the fake article is provided [http://xkcd.com/1079/colorado/]. The following references are made in the Colorado article:

*The pronunciation is not that for Colorado, but for {{w|Eyjafjallajökull}}, a volcano in Iceland that erupted in April 2010.
*The way it has a demilitarized zone towards Wyoming resembles {{W|North Korea}} and {{W|South Korea}}. As the two US states are both almost square and borders each other in a way similar to Korea this makes sense. Although here it is the southern part (Colorado) that sound like North Korea.
*Eleven dimensions refers to {{w|string theory}}.
*A {{w|wormhole}} is a theoretical relative of the {{w|black hole}}. This is a reference to the television series {{w|Stargate SG-1}} where a device capable of creating wormholes is located in the {{w|Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker}} in Colorado.
*A {{w|Horcrux}} is a type of magical object in the world of {{W|Harry Potter}}.
*The radiation zones around Longmont are caused by {{w|Radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant|radioactive contamination from the Rocky Flats Plant}}.

The title text makes fun of Florida which is sometimes called “The penis of America”. Obviously, this penis is somewhat flaccid (not erected). The use of the word “state” is a pun, as it means some particular condition (flaccid state) as well as a political entity (The State of Florida).

==Transcript==
:The '''United Shapes'''
:A map of things states are shaped like
:[Each state has some item wedged to stay inside its borders]

:Alabama: A moai head facing east.
:Alaska: Winnie the Pooh with a jetpack and a ray gun.
:Arizona: A refrigerated shelf containing milk, bread, and pastries.
:Arkansas: A measuring cup.
:California: A vacuum.
:Colorado: The wiki article on Colorado.
:Connecticut: A train conductor's hat.
:Delaware: A meerkat.
:Florida: An eggplant.
:Georgia: Missouri.
:Hawaii: A snowball.
:Idaho: A garden gnome, sitting down.
:Illinois: A gangster with a guitar case, upside down.
:Indiana: The brush of a paintbrush.
:Iowa: A tomato, lettuce, cold cut and cheese sandwich.
:Kansas: A stand-up piano.
:Kentucky: A cloud.
:Louisiana: A boot with some gum stuck to the bottom of it.
:Maine: A Vulcan salute.
:Maryland: A howling wolf, upside down.
:Massachusetts: An elephant, being ridden by a man, carrying tea.
:Michigan: A mitten for the lower portion, an eagle for the UP.
:Minnesota: $160 in $20 USD bills.
:Mississippi: A moai head facing west.
:Missouri: Georgia.
:Montana: One half of a muffin.
:Nebraska: A blue VW type 2 with mattresses sticking out the back.
:Nevada: A clothes iron.
:New Hampshire: A tall brick factory building.
:New Jersey: A bent-over old person.
:New Mexico: A liquid container labeled for something of unusual and silly danger.
:New York: A hybrid transmission with standard manual-style gears and a torque converter sliced in half.
:North Carolina: A bouquet of flowers.
:North Dakota: The top half of an amp.
:Ohio: Underwear (Briefs).
:Oklahoma: A covered pot, dripping with boilover.
:Oregon: A locomotive.
:Pennsylvania: A very thick book with a bookmark.
:Rhode Island: The bow half of a boat's hull.
:South Carolina: A slice of pizza.
:South Dakota: The bottom half of an amp.
:Tennessee: A number of childrens' books, placed in a slightly askew pile.
:Texas: A dog sitting in a bowl.
:Utah: An oven.
:Vermont: A microscope, upside down.
:Virgina: A frog.
:Washington: A whale.
:West Virginia: A stegosaurid.
:Wisconsin: A skull.
:Wyoming: An envelope.

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Large drawings]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]