https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=162.158.134.94&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-19T02:16:39ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2493:_Dual_USB-C&diff=215640Talk:2493: Dual USB-C2021-07-27T11:48:07Z<p>162.158.134.94: </p>
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<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
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I guess this is how connector vendors maintain backwards compatibility for USB-C. ----DaveK<br />
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I would have thought it was cursed more from what would happen if you plugged it into a standard ac outlet. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.107|162.158.74.107]] 04:49, 24 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Does USB C actually fit inside an outlet? (As I live in europe, I really have no clue...) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.105.7|141.101.105.7]] 07:42, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:: i'm pretty sure it doesn't (should be wasy to test for any american who owns a USB-C plug), and the third point in the list mentions that currently, which actually renders the first two points immaterial. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.188|162.158.88.188]] 14:41, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::This does not fit into a standard AC outlet. However, I have seen plenty of outlets, especially on extension cords, which might allow one of the USB-C plugs to touch the live contact.[[User:Geek Prophet|Geek Prophet]] ([[User talk:Geek Prophet|talk]]) 18:16, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
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Looks good. But I'll obviously need a BS 1363/Type-G converter! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.211|141.101.99.211]] 09:14, 24 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It's worth noting, Dell already does this with the WD19DCS... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.211|141.101.99.211]] 09:23, 24 July 2021 (UTC) Gargravarr<br />
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Is it worth pointing out that "cursed X" is a meme, c.f. /r/cursedimages? I think this is the first time xkcd has referenced it. --[[User:Esogalt|Esogalt]] ([[User talk:Esogalt|talk]]) 14:59, 24 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:No I do not think so. That something is cursed is not special to a meme. This reminds more of the bad map projections series. Wonder if more will follow. Have added this similarity in title to the explanation. Starting with a very high number just like that series. In that series number 4 comic just came out, so interesting to see if he has planned more of these. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:32, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
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This comic yet has no categories. And I cannot think of any suitable? Something with electronics that is not a category yet? I mean it can be used with smart phones and computers, but is not only used for one of these? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:32, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I was thinking something like 'Spurious Series(es?)'. It could encompass My Hobby and Map Projections as child-categories (they're self-categorised, I'm fairly sure without checking) but any lone "Something-Or-Other #xyz" like this is added as a direct example. And then if "Something-Or-Other #pqr" ever happens and is so categorised it ''highlights'' the need to create a Something-Or-Other category and reassign membership to this instead. If it never gets any direct companions, it can stand out as a spurious to the extent of never being partnered by up to ''xyz-1'' other later examples.<br />
:Non-spurious serieses (xkcdphone, e.g.) that start with example #1 (or even un-numbered, but clearly item 1 in hindsight) might be better to be dealt with as is. But anything pretending to be just one of dozens/hundreds of as-yet-untold examples, especially out of index order (#1 is unlikely to be referenced, for reasons of refusing to establish a truly comprehensive catalogue that doesn't even exist, but would not necessarily disqualify such a leap-frogging/randomly-sampled series if it appeared anyway, after the original asynchro ous+gappy impressions) is probably an intentional Spurious Series.<br />
:Or find an even better term. Or supercategorise Series with subcats of Storytelling/Chronicalling/Chronological (Journal), Upgrades/Revisiting (xkcdphone, also Internet Map?) and Spurious/Ad Hoc (as above), allowing room for future additions to revisit the true nature of the series concerned.<br />
:Would need a proper editorial policy discussion, of course, especially to find better terminology (of whatever form of grouping(s) the final conclusion recommended). But perhaps you can see some glimmer of (a different?) solution in what I have just suggested. Putting it out there so at least it's there to be ignored or dismissed as overthinking the matter. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.183|141.101.99.183]] 16:43, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
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I seem to recall at least one other xkcd strip that was "Cursed". I think it was cursed office chairs. That would make at least two comics in the "Cursed" category. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 14:45, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:There is also the cursed store that beret guy gets all his stuff from, only to find out later that the item is cursed but when he goes back to the store it's gone. Maybe this is one of the items he recently purchased and couldn't return? [[Special:Contributions/127.0.0.1|127.0.0.1]] 21:51, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
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The need of dual plugs could also be a result of the increasing power consumption of some devices, as suggested with the Macbook-compatible high-performance dongles in the explanation. USB-C is limited to 100 W, what is not bad for this tiny pins - [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Power_issues_with_cables Wiki USB-C power issues]. So crude soft- and hardware design, e.g of high performance laptops, leads to dual plugs or an additional power plug next to the dock connector. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.94|162.158.134.94]] 11:47, 27 July 2021 (UTC)</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:2493:_Dual_USB-C&diff=215639Talk:2493: Dual USB-C2021-07-27T11:47:06Z<p>162.158.134.94: increasing power consumption leads to dual plugs</p>
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<div><!--Please sign your posts with ~~~~ and don't delete this text. New comments should be added at the bottom.--><br />
<br />
I guess this is how connector vendors maintain backwards compatibility for USB-C. ----DaveK<br />
<br />
I would have thought it was cursed more from what would happen if you plugged it into a standard ac outlet. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.74.107|162.158.74.107]] 04:49, 24 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:Does USB C actually fit inside an outlet? (As I live in europe, I really have no clue...) [[Special:Contributions/141.101.105.7|141.101.105.7]] 07:42, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:: i'm pretty sure it doesn't (should be wasy to test for any american who owns a USB-C plug), and the third point in the list mentions that currently, which actually renders the first two points immaterial. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.88.188|162.158.88.188]] 14:41, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:::This does not fit into a standard AC outlet. However, I have seen plenty of outlets, especially on extension cords, which might allow one of the USB-C plugs to touch the live contact.[[User:Geek Prophet|Geek Prophet]] ([[User talk:Geek Prophet|talk]]) 18:16, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Looks good. But I'll obviously need a BS 1363/Type-G converter! [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.211|141.101.99.211]] 09:14, 24 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It's worth noting, Dell already does this with the WD19DCS... [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.211|141.101.99.211]] 09:23, 24 July 2021 (UTC) Gargravarr<br />
<br />
Is it worth pointing out that "cursed X" is a meme, c.f. /r/cursedimages? I think this is the first time xkcd has referenced it. --[[User:Esogalt|Esogalt]] ([[User talk:Esogalt|talk]]) 14:59, 24 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:No I do not think so. That something is cursed is not special to a meme. This reminds more of the bad map projections series. Wonder if more will follow. Have added this similarity in title to the explanation. Starting with a very high number just like that series. In that series number 4 comic just came out, so interesting to see if he has planned more of these. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:32, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
<br />
This comic yet has no categories. And I cannot think of any suitable? Something with electronics that is not a category yet? I mean it can be used with smart phones and computers, but is not only used for one of these? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 14:32, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:I was thinking something like 'Spurious Series(es?)'. It could encompass My Hobby and Map Projections as child-categories (they're self-categorised, I'm fairly sure without checking) but any lone "Something-Or-Other #xyz" like this is added as a direct example. And then if "Something-Or-Other #pqr" ever happens and is so categorised it ''highlights'' the need to create a Something-Or-Other category and reassign membership to this instead. If it never gets any direct companions, it can stand out as a spurious to the extent of never being partnered by up to ''xyz-1'' other later examples.<br />
:Non-spurious serieses (xkcdphone, e.g.) that start with example #1 (or even un-numbered, but clearly item 1 in hindsight) might be better to be dealt with as is. But anything pretending to be just one of dozens/hundreds of as-yet-untold examples, especially out of index order (#1 is unlikely to be referenced, for reasons of refusing to establish a truly comprehensive catalogue that doesn't even exist, but would not necessarily disqualify such a leap-frogging/randomly-sampled series if it appeared anyway, after the original asynchro ous+gappy impressions) is probably an intentional Spurious Series.<br />
:Or find an even better term. Or supercategorise Series with subcats of Storytelling/Chronicalling/Chronological (Journal), Upgrades/Revisiting (xkcdphone, also Internet Map?) and Spurious/Ad Hoc (as above), allowing room for future additions to revisit the true nature of the series concerned.<br />
:Would need a proper editorial policy discussion, of course, especially to find better terminology (of whatever form of grouping(s) the final conclusion recommended). But perhaps you can see some glimmer of (a different?) solution in what I have just suggested. Putting it out there so at least it's there to be ignored or dismissed as overthinking the matter. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.183|141.101.99.183]] 16:43, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I seem to recall at least one other xkcd strip that was "Cursed". I think it was cursed office chairs. That would make at least two comics in the "Cursed" category. [[User:Rtanenbaum|Rtanenbaum]] ([[User talk:Rtanenbaum|talk]]) 14:45, 26 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
:There is also the cursed store that beret guy gets all his stuff from, only to find out later that the item is cursed but when he goes back to the store it's gone. Maybe this is one of the items he recently purchased and couldn't return? [[Special:Contributions/127.0.0.1|127.0.0.1]] 21:51, 25 July 2021 (UTC)<br />
<br />
The need of dual plugs could also be a result of the increasing power consumption of some devices, as suggested with the Macbook-compatible high-performance dongles in the explanation. USB-C is limited to 100 W, what is not bad for this tiny pins [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C#Power_issues_with_cables Wiki USB-C power issues]. So crude soft- and hardware design, e.g of high performance laptops, leads to dual plugs or an additional power plug next to the dock connector. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.94|162.158.134.94]] 11:47, 27 July 2021 (UTC)</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2434:_Vaccine_Guidance&diff=2074622434: Vaccine Guidance2021-03-10T14:37:26Z<p>162.158.134.94: think it's clearer now what the "black rectangle with white text" says</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2434<br />
| date = March 8, 2021<br />
| title = Vaccine Guidance<br />
| image = vaccine_guidance.png<br />
| titletext = I can't wait until I'm fully vaccinated and can safely send chat messages in all caps again.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}.<br />
<br />
On the day this comic was published, the {{w|Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}} (CDC) released [https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html new guidelines] relating to COVID-19, lifting many of the existing restrictions for people who have been fully vaccinated for two weeks. [[Megan]], speaking as a CDC spokesperson, is introducing these new guidelines in a video press conference. However, the other participants in the press conference quickly start asking about [[2238: Flu Shot|actions that have little or nothing to do with the vaccine, some of which would be dangerous whether COVID-19 was a risk or not]].{{Citation needed}}<br />
<br />
[[Blondie]] asks whether it would be okay to visit neighbors and drink milk directly from the carton. In most Western cultures, drinking directly from a container that could be shared with others (such as a milk carton) is considered unsafe, due to the risk of diseases being transmitted, and generally gross, as saliva and other biological material is passed that way. To drink directly from your own milk carton is considered crass, to do so with someone else's carton would be seen as unacceptable. While these risks are arguably worse during the pandemic, it was unacceptable before the pandemic and will presumably be so afterward. <br />
<br />
[[Science Girl]] asks whether it would be okay to ride a bike down the stairs of a family member's house, which has a severe risk of injury (and could damage the wheels of the bicycle, although modern bicycle wheels are [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfjjiHGuHoc surprisingly resilient]).<br />
<br />
[[White Hat]] follows up asking whether he can get a horse, and whether it would help for both him and the horse to wear masks. This has basically no relation to anything else that was said (but perhaps he was [[1086: Eyelash Wish Log|promised a pony]] when he got vaccinated). The CDC still recommends masks for humans when in public; however, face masks are not generally made for horses. Instead of answering, Megan tries to deflect the question by saying "Thank you all for coming," and then hangs up.<br />
<br />
In the title text, [[Randall]] mentions that when he is fully vaccinated, he will be able to text people in {{w|ALL CAPS}}. This is generally used to indicate that the typer is shouting, which can spread Covid-19 aerosol particles and cause infection when done in person. However, when texting, there is no risk of spreading diseases via the computer,{{Citation needed}} so this is an unnecessary precaution (although it could be a good idea to get in the habit of not responding to others angrily, both to be polite and to not spread respiratory diseases by shouting when meeting in person).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Megan is seen an face at the bottom of the panel with the CDC-logo slightly above her and to the left; it is a black rectangle with the letters in white, and with a white jigly line to the left of the first C.]<br />
:Megan: Our new guidance: Fully vaccinated people can gather privately with no masks or distancing, and can visit with unvaccinated low-risk people in one household.<br />
:Megan: Any questions?<br />
:Logo: CDC<br />
<br />
:[Blondie, Hairy and Megan are seen at the bottom of the panel in three separate rectangular panels with Blondie and Hairy's panels at the left above one another. Those panels are almost square and also smaller than Megan's, more rectangular panel to the right of theirs. This panel is centered at the middle of those two panels to the left, and the logo is still visible. It is also shown that Megan is standing behind a lectern. Blondie, above Hairy, is the one asking questions to Megan.]<br />
:Blondie: If my neighbors and I are all vaccinated, can I visit them unmasked and drink milk straight from the jug in their fridge?<br />
:Megan: I...You can visit, yes.<br />
:Blondie: And the jug thing?<br />
:Megan: ...Next question?<br />
:Logo: CDC<br />
<br />
:[In a frame-less panel there are two panels at the bottom, with Science Girl in the largest to the left and Megan in the smaller to the right, with the logo still visible, but unreadable still the lectern is shown.]<br />
:Science Girl: I'm fully vaccinated. Can I ride my bike in my sister-in-law's house?<br />
:Megan: In her ''house?''<br />
: Science Girl: Like, down the stairs.<br />
:Megan: I guess? You should at '''''least''''' wear a helmet.<br />
: Science Girl: Even if she's not high-risk?<br />
:Megan: Any ''other'' questions?<br />
<br />
:[White Hat is in a rectangular box at the bottom of the panel. Megan is replying from off-panel to the right from a star burst at the edge of the panel. At the bottom there is a message in a black rectangle with white text.]<br />
:White Hat: I'm two weeks past my second dose.<br />
:White Hat: Can I get a horse?<br />
:Megan: Thank you all for coming.<br />
:White Hat: What if I wear a mask?<br />
:White Hat: What if the horse does?<br />
:Message: Meeting ended by host.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Blondie]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Hairy]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Science Girl]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Food]]<br />
[[Category:Animals]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2414:_Solar_System_Compression_Artifacts&diff=2051332414: Solar System Compression Artifacts2021-01-21T11:16:05Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ Removing wrong part</p>
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<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2414<br />
| date = January 20, 2021<br />
| title = Solar System Compression Artifacts<br />
| image = solar_system_compression_artifacts.png<br />
| titletext = Most of our universe consists of dark matter rendered completely undetectable by our spacetime codec's dynamic range issues.<br />
}}<br />
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==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a MISSING PHYSICAL PHENOMENON LOST DUE TO HIGH COMPRESSION. More on the title text - Dark matter and dynamic range issues need to be explained in more detail. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
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{{w|Voyager 1}} is a [[:Category:Space probes|space probe]] launched by the United States in 1977. Originally designed to study the outer planets of the {{w|Solar System}}, it is now several decades into an extended mission beyond Neptune.<br />
<br />
When images are compressed by a {{w|lossy compression}} format (e.g. {{w|JPEG}}), visual artifacts are created. The Voyager probe has made history for passing many milestones of our solar system. Randall here is suggesting that the probe has passed the artifacts. This cannot be true, as the solar system does not have compression artifacts{{Citation needed}}. However, the slightly discolored regions often created by compression may be a metaphor for the region of space that that solar radiation prevents from being a complete vacuum. Voyager 1 has passed through numerous such boundaries, as mentioned previously in [[1189: Voyager 1]].<br />
<br />
Compression artifacts are often caused by large changes in coloration over a short distance, and Randall could feel that the drastic change in coloration from bright sun to dark vacuum could be creating a compression artifact around the Sun, somewhat like the Sun looking blurry due to low video quality. However, there is no definite region where solar radiation stops, only a boundary where it fades to a level lower than that of radiation from other sources. Some compression methods result in compression artifacts that behave in the same way, fading as the distance from the color boundary increases but never completely disappearing.<br />
<br />
The 'solar system' in the snapshot appears to be a 4-bit greyscale-plane at a more pixelated level than the image given. It can be picked out as being in 16 'banded' levels from the brightest (closest zones, within this image, to the Sun) to darkest (the furthest illustrated expanses, heading into interstellar space), with irregular or non-trivial transitional edges but no obvious or dominant dithering/speckling or 'noise'. The Voyager image (and track) is overlaid at finer resolution in the white 'line drawing' format.<br />
<br />
The 'apparent pixels' seem to be at a resolution of close to the order of 1AU². A rough count of the pixelation boundaries from the craft to the leftmost edge, plus an additional allowance for the likely radius of the 'sun' (or, rather, its solar wind density, or similarly represented measure) still beyond the edge, is surprisingly close to to the 150 AU or so of distance that Voyager 1 is at, currently. (For perspective, the Earth is then ''by definition'' 30ish of the lower-resolution 'pixels' beyond the left of the image just (or within) one 'pixel' from the spot inhabited by the Sun itself. - The overlaid Voyager 'sketch' then stretches out over maybe a dozen such low-res pixels/AU, which is equivalent to slightly more than the radius of Saturn's orbit or the entire diameter of Jupiter's!<br />
<br />
In the title text the mystery of the undetectable {{w|Dark Matter}}, which is makes up most of the mass in the universe, is explained since this dark matter is rendered completely undetectable by our spacetime codec's {{w|dynamic range}} issues.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[Irregular bands of gray are shown, shading from a white circular segment on the bottom left side of the panel to completely black on the right. The bands have pixelated edges. A small white space probe is shown just outside the last dark gray band, in the completely black are. A dotted line starting from inside the dark gray ending at the space probe indicated that it is moving to the right out of the gray area. Close to the white area there are many bands packed closely together and with hard to define edges. But there are five gray areas clearly separated from the white, with a tendency to be elongated towards the space probes direction.]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Milestone: '''''Voyager''''' has passed through the streaming video compression artifacts that mark the edge of the solar system<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Space probes]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2377:_xkcd_Phone_12&diff=2006152377: xkcd Phone 122020-10-27T00:29:31Z<p>162.158.134.94: Sustain pedal explanation</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2377<br />
| date = October 26, 2020<br />
| title = xkcd Phone 12<br />
| image = xkcd_phone_12.png<br />
| titletext = New phone OS features: Infinite customization (home screen icons no longer snap to grid), dark mode (disables screen), screaming mode (self-explanatory), and coherent ultracapacitor-pumped emission (please let us know what this setting does; we've been afraid to try it).<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a PERSON NAMED MAX. Features need more explanation, and MOUSEOVER TEXT needs to be explained. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
This is the 12th in the ongoing xkcd Phone series in which Randall explains his new joke phone designs with many strange and useless features. It is also a reference to the recently released iPhone 12.<br />
<br />
* '''Full drivetrain warranty''' - A common feature on automobiles--see [[wikipedia:Drivetrain]] for more. As a side note, the phone here would be cheaping out on the warranty if it were a car; a "drivetrain" warranty covers everything ''except'' the engine; only if it was a "powertrain" warranty would it cover the engine. A phone typically has none of these things, although this one seemingly does.<br />
* '''Coated for easy swallowing''' - A common feature on solid medicines meant to be taken orally<br />
* '''Surgical-grade apps''' - "Surgical-grade steel" is sometime used as a selling point indicating quality materials.<br />
* '''Built-in 600 lb magnet for magnet fishing'''<br />
* '''Oral-B partnership: hold phone against teeth to ultrasonically remove plaque'''<br />
* '''40 mL emergency water supply''' - Many phones are now water-resistant to some degree; this phone ships with water included.<br />
* '''Security feature: unmarked side buttons'''<br />
* '''3,000,000-volt arc allows wireless charging from a range of up to 36 inches''' - Possibly from a Tesla coil.<br />
* '''99.9% BPA- and hands- free'''<br />
* '''Extended release charge cable'''<br />
* '''Closed timelike curves''' - Given that [[wikipedia:Closed timelike curves|Closed timelike curves]] are usually associated with solutions to general relativity that allow for time travel...<br />
* '''Fits in standard shipping container''' - An {{w|intermodal shipping container}} is large enough to fit vehicles, raising the question of just how big this XKCD phone is.<br />
* '''Interlocking, stackable''' - A quality of, among other things, LEGO bricks.<br />
* '''Nintendo partnership: GameBoy Printer compatibility''' - The GameBoy Printer was a thermal paper printer originally paired with the GameBoy Camera<br />
* '''Sustain Pedal''' - A sustain pedal is commonly associated with a digital keyboard or piano, it lets the note continue sounding when the key is released. It's unclear what purpose it would serve in a phone.<br />
* '''CDC partnership: when in an indoor space with too many people, phone begins playing "We Like To Party! (The Vengabus)" at slowly increasing volume until everyone leaves''' - An allusion to the COVID-19 pandemic. {{w|We Like to Party! (Vengaboys song)|"We Like To Party! (The Vengabus)"}} is a 1998 Eurodance/techno hit by the Vengaboys, and is perhaps most familiar to Americans from a series of Six Flags ads.<br />
* '''Sacrificial anode''' - Useful if something metal (like, say, a boat) will be in a wet environment for a long time. The sacrificial anode is made of a material with higher redox potential, and will corrode faster than the (more valuable) metal object it's attached to. It's unclear if the phone HAS a sacrificial anode or IS a sacrificial anode.<br />
* '''Tactical helium reserve''' - since 1925, the United States has had a [[wikipedia:National Helium Reserve|strategic helium reserve]] - helium is very rare on earth and has important scientific and military uses, so it’s important to have aside just in case. But here we have a tactical helium reserve - which suggests its smaller and focussed on shorter term goals. Compare [[wikipedia:Strategic bombing]] focussed on destroying entire cities or countries and [[wikipedia:Tactical bombing]] aimed at destroying individual targets or military units.<br />
* '''50% below critical mass (2x safety factor)''' - Indicates the phone contains fissile material.<br />
* '''Shake for factory reset''' - A factory reset is often possible on electronic devices, and is usually accomplished either by pressing a button or closing an electrical bridge. This one works like an Etch-a-Sketch. This would not be preferred, as slight disturbances could easily cause massive losses of data.<br />
* '''Norton MacAfee protection: if you're ever attacked by John MacAfee, Peter Norton will come out of retirement to defend you'''<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
* Full drivetrain warranty<br />
* Coated for easy swallowing<br />
* Surgical-grade apps<br />
* Built-in 600 lb magnet for magnet fishing<br />
* Oral-B partnership: hold phone against teeth to ultrasonically remove plaque<br />
* 40 mL emergency water supply<br />
* Security feature: unmarked side buttons<br />
* 3,000,000-volt arc allows wireless charging from a range of up to 36 inches<br />
* 99.9% BPA- and hands- free<br />
* Extended release charge cable<br />
* Closed timelike curves<br />
* Fits in standard shipping container<br />
* Interlocking, stackable<br />
* Nintendo partnership: GameBoy Printer compatibility<br />
* Sustain Pedal<br />
* CDC partnership: when in an indoor space with too many people, phone begins playing "We Like To Party! (The Vengabus)" at slowly increasing volume until everyone leaves<br />
* Sacrificial anode<br />
* Tactical helium reserve<br />
* 50% below critical mass (2x safety factor)<br />
* Shake for factory reset<br />
* Norton MacAfee protection: if you're ever attacked by John MacAfee, Peter Norton will come out of retirement to defend you<br />
<br />
The xkcd Phone 12* and 12 Max**<br />
<br />
<nowiki>*Standard</nowiki> **For people named Max<br />
<br />
"The only phone you'll ever own"®™<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:xkcd Phones]]<br />
[[Category:Comics sharing name|xkcd Phones]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2367:_Masks&diff=1990232367: Masks2020-10-08T17:36:19Z<p>162.158.134.94: Reinstating factual information. It not being in accordance with your world view does not make it political.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2367<br />
| date = October 2, 2020<br />
| title = Masks<br />
| image = masks.png<br />
| titletext = Haunted Halloween masks from a mysterious costume shop that turn you evil and grow into your skin score a surprisingly high 80% filtration efficiency in R. L. Stine-sponsored NIOSH tests.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by a BATMAN WEARING A N95 MASK. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
This comic is a line from top to bottom explaining how good different types of masks are at preventing respiratory virus transmission. As with many comics in 2020, it is a reference to the [[:Category:COVID-19|2020 pandemic]] of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, a virus that primarily transmits through air droplets expelled from the human nose and mouth. This comic may have been inspired from [https://www.polygon.com/entertainment/2020/5/15/21259215/how-to-wear-masks-superhero-costumes-coronavirus-effectiveness a Polygon article published on May 15th].<br />
<br />
===Types of masks===<br />
*'''{{w|Zorro}}'''/'''{{w|Lone Ranger}}''': A strip of cloth around the eye-level. Since it does not cover the mouth and nose, the main ways the virus leaves the body to infect others, or the mouth, nose and eyes, the main ways it enters the body, it is ineffective and no better than wearing no mask at all. {{w|Donald Trump}} said he was [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-53258792 "all for masks"] because they made him look like the Lone Ranger.<br />
*'''{{w|Batman}}''': Batman's iconic headgear has gone through many revisions, and consists either of a simple cloth cowl or a helmet and visor. Does not cover the mouth, but may cover the nose. However, the mask only covers the top part of the face, i.e., not the nostrils. This mask might be slightly more effective than the Lone Ranger style mask due to the intimidation effect keeping other people back.<br />
*'''Theater masks''' ({{w|Sock and buskin}}): Traditionally used as a symbol of performance theater since ancient Greece. The eye and mouth holes are often open, thus exposing the wearer.<br />
*'''Skincare''' ({{w|facial mask}}): A layer of mud or moisturizer. By nature, it does not cover the mouth or nostrils, but it may keep the wearer from touching their face and is usually worn by someone sitting in a chair or lying back on a bed, not out getting in other people's personal space.<br />
*'''Scarecrow''': A burlap sack. While it provides some cover to the mouth and nose, it is heavily porous. This could also refer to the {{w|Scarecrow (DC Comics)|Scarecrow}}, a DC Comics villain. If so, the mask would probably be extremely effective, as that character uses airborne drugs as weapons, and would have to have very good filter ability.<br />
*'''{{w|Guy Fawkes mask}}''': A plastic mask that is a stylized depiction of {{w|Guy Fawkes}}. Most Guy Fawkes masks provide small holes in the front for comfort, thus facilitating spread of the virus.<br />
*'''{{w|Cloth face mask|Cloth}}''': A cloth mask that blocks most large particles, like virus-laden saliva. To be most effective, it must cover nose as well as the mouth. These are much cheaper than N95 masks, and can be reused by washing. Not all cloth masks are created equal, some designs and materials are more effective than others at holding back contagious particles, but Randall lists them under "Effective" on the whole. They are relatively effective at preventing the wearer from infecting others, but are less effective at protecting the wearer from being infected by others, because droplets leaving the body are large enough to block, but small enough to get through cloth after evaporation. The felt-like nonwoven fabric of surgical masks blocks more droplets and aerosols than the same thickness of knit or woven fabric.<br />
*'''{{w|Spider-Man|SpiderMan}}'''<sup>''[sic]''</sup>: A full face covering of spandex-like material (Spider-Man comics rarely if ever specify what material Spider-Man makes his costume from). Would block most virus particles.{{fact}} (The correct spelling is "Spider-Man", with a hyphen, and "Man" capitalized.)<br />
*'''{{w|N95 mask|N95}}''': A standard air filtration mask, commonly used in industry but also used in healthcare. The name "N95" signals that it is not resistant to oil, but successfully filters 95% of airborne particles. It has proven to be one of the more successful masks during the 2020 pandemic. N95 masks usually include non-woven filtration material, which while often stiff like cardstock, is more similar to the felt-like fabric of surgical masks than to woven cloth. N95 masks can [https://youtu.be/eAdanPfQdCA filter particles much smaller] than the gaps between layers and strands in the fabric.<br />
*'''{{w|scuba set|SCUBA}}''': A '''S'''elf-'''C'''ontained '''U'''nderwater '''B'''reathing '''A'''pparatus. Most SCUBA equipment used an open-circuit design allowing exhaled air to vent to the atmosphere. Underwater, this would not be a threat to other divers who would also be breathing air from their tanks. However, on land a typical SCUBA regulator would expose others to virus particles. Closed-circuit SCUBA equipment recirculates the user’s gas supply but they still contain a means of venting extra gas into the atmosphere. Neither system contains expiratory HEPA filters making both ineffective at preventing virus transmission. That all said, SCUBA equipment still covers the face and nose, rather than directly exposing others to unshielded breathing and coughing.<br />
*'''{{w|Darth Vader|Vader}}''': Reference to one of the main antagonists in {{w|''Star Wars''}}, in which he wears a suit of armor with a built-in rebreather. Similar to SCUBA gear, it circulates air back to the user, in order to defend against the spread of the virus to the wearer.<br />
*'''{{w|Mysterio}}''': Reference to one of the antagonists in ''{{w|Marvel Comics}}''’ {{w|Spider-Man}} as part of the {{w|Sinister Six}}. He wears a glass helmet. In the comics Mysterio often uses mind-altering chemicals, and his suit is designed to shield himself from his own weapons. By the same design, it would shield himself and others from the spread of viral infection.<br />
<br />
'''Haunted Halloween Masks''': The [[title text]] is a reference to ''{{w|The Haunted Mask}}'' by {{w|R. L. Stine}}, a book in the {{w|Goosebumps (original series)|''Goosebumps'' series}}. The mask transforms the wearer into a monster, with an open (uncovered) nose and mouth. The test results claim that the wearer is still somehow substantially protected against inhaling virus particles, but this may be a fraudulent test result due to pressure from the sponsor of the test, R. L. Stine, to get more people to wear such masks; it is also possible that the supernatural effects somehow include blocking virus particles, as parasites generally benefit from keeping their hosts alive and healthy, at least in the short term. NIOSH refers to the ''{{w|National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health}}''.<br />
<br />
The high-resolution version of the comic may be found [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/masks_2x.png here].<br />
<br />
==Position on chart==<br />
*[With 0% at the top position of the top arrow and 100% effective at the position of the bottom arrow the masks effectiveness would be approximately as follows:]<br />
:[02%] Zorro/Lone Ranger<br />
:[03%] Batman<br />
:[07%] Theater<br />
:[10%] Skincare<br />
:[15%] Scarecrow<br />
:[18%] Guy Fawkes<br />
:[48%] Cloth<br />
:[52%] Spider-Man<br />
:[68%] N95<br />
:[71%] Scuba<br />
:[80%] Vader<br />
:[90%] Mysterio<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
:[A chart is shown with a title and explanation at the top:]<br />
:<big>'''Masks'''</big><br />
:By effectiveness at preventing respiratory virus transmission<br />
<br />
:[The chart consist of a vertical line going top to bottom with arrows at both ends. There are labels at the top, aorund the middle and at the bottom:]<br />
:Not effective. <br />
:Effective<br />
:Extremely Effective<br />
<br />
:[Along the line there are 12 bullets. From each bullet there goes a line (often with one or two turns) to a depiction of a type of mask. Each mask type is labeled. The first six masks are all close to the top, the last only halfway down to the middle of the line. The next two are right around the middle, then two are halfway towards the bottom from there and the final two are close to the bottom, with the last very close to the botom. From top to bottom:]<br />
:Zorro/Lone Ranger<br />
:Batman<br />
:Theater<br />
:Skincare<br />
:Scarecrow<br />
:Guy Fawkes<br />
:Cloth<br />
:SpiderMan<br />
:N95<br />
:Scuba<br />
:Vader<br />
:Mysterio<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:COVID-19]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring face masks]]<br />
[[Category:Charts]]<br />
[[Category:Rankings]]<br />
[[Category:Fiction]]<br />
[[Category:Star Wars]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2046:_Trum-&diff=1626952046: Trum-2018-09-14T15:35:53Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2046<br />
| date = September 14, 2018<br />
| title = Trum-<br />
| image = trum.png<br />
| titletext = Excited to vote for future presidents Bill Eisenhamper, Amy Forb, Ethan Obample, and Abigail Washingtoast.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Please edit the explanation below and only mention here why it isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
It's referring to Harry S. Truman, who was President from 1945 to 1953.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1869:_Positive_and_Negative_Reviews&diff=1433151869: Positive and Negative Reviews2017-07-29T16:26:39Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ wikilink for "customer review"; may not be universally known</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1869<br />
| date = July 28, 2017<br />
| title = Positive and Negative Reviews<br />
| image = positive and negative reviews.png<br />
| titletext = This restaurant is great! I was feeling really sick, but then I ate there and felt better!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|New page}}<br />
<br />
The comic shows {{w|customer review}}s from people who purchased a made-up {{w|sports drink}} multi-pack containing twelve 20 oz (591 mL) bottles. The people who gave negative reviews are {{w|Merlin}} (the wizard from the legends of King Arthur) and B. Button (from the short story ''{{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button}}'' and its {{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|film adaptation}}). Merlin remembers the future; in the {{w|T. H. White}} novel series ''{{w|The Once and Future King}}'', he was born at the wrong end of time and has to live backwards. Benjamin Button was born with the physical appearance of an old man and grows younger as time progresses. They apparently perceive causation backwards: Merlin was thirsty then he drank the SmartQuench 9000, but he perceived it as drinking and then becoming thirsty, while BButton was {{w|Dehydration|dehydrated}} and was not anymore after drinking 3 bottles, but perceived it other way around.<br />
<br />
Particles of {{w|matter}} can have a positive or negative {{w|electric charge}}. Particles have associated {{w|antiparticle}}s with opposite charge. For example {{w|electron}}s are negatively charged particles, and their antiparticles are {{w|positron}}s, which are positively charged. Antiparticles can be {{w|Feynman_diagram|interpreted}} as if they were the associated particle moving backward in time: positrons are interpreted as electrons moving backward in time. This is analogous to negative reviews being interpreted as positive reviews from people traveling backward in time.<br />
<br />
The caption seems to say that there are only positive experiences&mdash;some going forward, some backward in life. However, Randall gives an example in the title text of a positive review which is actually about a negative experience by a person traveling backward in time (the person ate at a restaurant then got sick). The conclusion is there are both positive and negative events, but the way they are perceived depends on both the event and whether one sees it going forward or backward in time.<br />
<br />
Time-reversed aging is also explored in [[560: Lithium Batteries]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
:[A picture with four small bottles and a larger one is shown. The text to the right reads:]<br />
:SmartQuench 9000<br />
:Sports Drink<br />
:20 oz&nbsp;&nbsp;12-pack<br />
<br />
:[Below is a list with reviews; a picture for the user (avatar) and the name below, the rating (in stars) and the text to the right.]<br />
:---Customer reviews---<br />
:Amy 2015 [4 of 5 stars] Perfect after a run<br />
:Anon513 [5 of 5 stars] My favorite flavor<br />
:Merlin [1 of 5 stars] Drinking this made me thirstier<br />
:Mike63 [4 of 5 stars] Good price<br />
:B Button [1 of 5 stars] Drank 3 bottles on a hot day and got dehydrated!<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the frame:]<br />
:Physics tells us that negative reviews are really just positive reviews from people traveling backward in time.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*The use of the phrase 'physics tells us...' may be alluding to the way people use 'physics' or 'science' to justify nonsense. See [[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] and [[1475: Technically]].<br />
*There are many examples of [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MerlinSickness "Merlin Sickness"] in fiction. Merlin was mentioned earlier in [[270: Merlin]].<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<!-- Include any categories below this line. --><br />
<br />
[[Category:Food]]<br />
[[Category:Online reviews]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1869:_Positive_and_Negative_Reviews&diff=1432761869: Positive and Negative Reviews2017-07-28T07:56:17Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ swap paras; summarize fiction in present tense</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1869<br />
| date = July 28, 2017<br />
| title = Positive and Negative Reviews<br />
| image = positive and negative reviews.png<br />
| titletext = This restaurant is great! I was feeling really sick, but then I ate there and felt better!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|New page}}<br />
Positive and negative {{w|customer review}}s are explained like {{w|matter}} and {{w|antimatter}}. Physically, antimatter can be seen as matter going {{w|Antiparticle#Feynman–Stueckelberg interpretation|backwards in time}}.<br />
<br />
The people giving negative reviews are {{w|Merlin}} (as portrayed in the {{w|T. H. White}} novel series ''{{w|The Once and Future King}}'' and many subsequent works) and B. Button (from the short story "{{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button}}" and its {{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|film adaptation}}). Neither character travels back in time, but Merlin remembers his future life instead of his past, and Benjamin Button grows younger as time progresses. Such [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MerlinSickness "Merlin Sickness"] is a fairly common trope in fiction. Merlin was mentioned earlier in [[270: Merlin]].<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall gives an example of a positive review, which seems to actually be a negative review backwards in time.<br />
<br />
So it gets philosophical and subjective: Are there only positive experiences in life - some going forward, some backwards in life. Or actually only negative ones.<br />
<br />
Or is the positivity of an event not the only deciding property, whether one should see it as going forwards or backwards in life, like {{w|electric charge}} in antimatter: {{w|positron}}s, the antimatter counterpart of {{w|electron}}s have positive, i.e. reversed, charge, but there exist positive and negative matter, and positive and negative antimatter at the same time.<br />
<br />
The use of the phrase 'physics tells us...' may be alluding to the way people use 'physics' or 'science' to justify nonsense. See [[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] and [[1475: Technically]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<!-- Include any categories below this line. --></div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1869:_Positive_and_Negative_Reviews&diff=1432751869: Positive and Negative Reviews2017-07-28T07:47:55Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ wording tweaks</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1869<br />
| date = July 28, 2017<br />
| title = Positive and Negative Reviews<br />
| image = positive and negative reviews.png<br />
| titletext = This restaurant is great! I was feeling really sick, but then I ate there and felt better!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|New page}}<br />
Positive and negative {{w|customer review}}s are explained like {{w|matter}} and {{w|antimatter}}. Physically, antimatter can be seen as matter going {{w|Antiparticle#Feynman–Stueckelberg interpretation|backwards in time}}.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall gives an example of a positive review, which seems to actually be a negative review backwards in time.<br />
<br />
The people giving negative reviews are {{w|Merlin}} (as portrayed in the {{w|T. H. White}} novel series ''{{w|The Once and Future King}}'' and many subsequent works) and B. Button (from the short story "{{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button}}" and its {{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|film adaptation}}). Both characters did not travel back in time, but Merlin remembered his future life instead of his past and Benjamin Button grew younger as time progressed. Such [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MerlinSickness "Merlin Sickness"] is a fairly common trope in fiction. Merlin was mentioned earlier in [[270: Merlin]].<br />
<br />
So it gets philosophical and subjective: Are there only positive experiences in life - some going forward, some backwards in life. Or actually only negative ones.<br />
<br />
Or is the positivity of an event not the only deciding property, whether one should see it as going forwards or backwards in life, like {{w|electric charge}} in antimatter: {{w|positron}}s, the antimatter counterpart of {{w|electron}}s have positive, i.e. reversed, charge, but there exist positive and negative matter, and positive and negative antimatter at the same time.<br />
<br />
The use of the phrase 'physics tells us...' may be alluding to the way people use 'physics' or 'science' to justify nonsense. See [[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] and [[1475: Technically]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<!-- Include any categories below this line. --></div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1869:_Positive_and_Negative_Reviews&diff=1432741869: Positive and Negative Reviews2017-07-28T07:38:59Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ +tvtropes page</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1869<br />
| date = July 28, 2017<br />
| title = Positive and Negative Reviews<br />
| image = positive and negative reviews.png<br />
| titletext = This restaurant is great! I was feeling really sick, but then I ate there and felt better!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|New page}}<br />
Positive and negative {{w|customer review}}s are explained like {{w|matter}} and {{w|antimatter}}. Physically, antimatter can be seen as matter going {{w|Antiparticle#Feynman–Stueckelberg interpretation|backwards in time}}.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall gives an example of a positive review, which seems to actually be a negative review backwards in time.<br />
<br />
The people giving negative reviews are {{w|Merlin}} (as seen in the novel ''{{w|The Once and Future King}}'' and many subsequent works) and B. Button (from the short story "{{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button}}" and its {{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|film adaptation}}). Both characters did not travel back in time, but Merlin remembered his future life instead of his past and Benjamin Button grew younger as time progressed. Such [http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MerlinSickness "Merlin Sickness"] is a fairly common trope in fiction. Merlin was mentioned earlier in [[270: Merlin]].<br />
<br />
So it gets philosophical and subjective: Are there only positive experiences in life - some going forward, some backwards in life. Or actually only negative ones.<br />
<br />
Or is the positivity of an event not the only deciding property, whether one should see it as going forwards or backwards in life, like {{w|electric charge}} in antimatter: {{w|positron}}s, the antimatter counterpart of {{w|electron}}s have positive, i.e. reversed, charge, but there exist positive and negative matter, and positive and negative antimatter at the same time.<br />
<br />
The use of the phrase 'physics tells us...' may be alluding to the way people use 'physics' or 'science' to justify nonsense. See [[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] and [[1475: Technically]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<!-- Include any categories below this line. --></div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1869:_Positive_and_Negative_Reviews&diff=1432731869: Positive and Negative Reviews2017-07-28T07:28:42Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ +wikilinks, misc tweaks</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1869<br />
| date = July 28, 2017<br />
| title = Positive and Negative Reviews<br />
| image = positive and negative reviews.png<br />
| titletext = This restaurant is great! I was feeling really sick, but then I ate there and felt better!<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|New page}}<br />
Positive and negative {{w|customer review}}s are explained like {{w|matter}} and {{w|antimatter}}. Physically, antimatter can be seen as matter going {{w|Antiparticle#Feynman–Stueckelberg interpretation|backwards in time}}.<br />
<br />
In the title text, Randall gives an example of a positive review, which seems to actually be a negative review backwards in time.<br />
<br />
The people giving negative reviews are {{w|Merlin}} (as seen in the novel ''{{w|The Once and Future King}}'' and many subsequent works) and B. Button (from the short story "{{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (short story)|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button}}" and its {{w|The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film)|film adaptation}}). Both characters did not travel back in time, but Merlin remembered his future life instead of his past and Benjamin Button grew younger as time progressed. Merlin was mentioned earlier in [[270: Merlin]].<br />
<br />
So it gets philosophical and subjective: Are there only positive experiences in life - some going forward, some backwards in life. Or actually only negative ones.<br />
<br />
Or is the positivity of an event not the only deciding property, whether one should see it as going forwards or backwards in life, like {{w|electric charge}} in antimatter: {{w|positron}}s, the antimatter counterpart of {{w|electron}}s have positive, i.e. reversed, charge, but there exist positive and negative matter, and positive and negative antimatter at the same time.<br />
<br />
The use of the phrase 'physics tells us...' may be alluding to the way people use 'physics' or 'science' to justify nonsense. See [[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] and [[1475: Technically]].<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript}}<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<!-- Include any categories below this line. --></div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1866:_Russell%27s_Teapot&diff=1430161866: Russell's Teapot2017-07-21T11:56:16Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ +1</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1866<br />
| date = July 21, 2017<br />
| title = Russell's Teapot<br />
| image = Russells_Teapot.png<br />
| titletext = Unfortunately, NASA regulations state that Bertrand Russell-related payloads can only be launched within launch vehicles which do not launch themselves.<br />
}}<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete| }}<br />
{{w|Russell's teapot|Russell's Teapot}} is a philosophical argument that reflects on the difficulty of trying to prove a negative. It involves a hypothetical teapot orbiting a heavenly body, whose existence hasn't been proven. It is very often used in atheistic arguments. Russell's Teapot is an analogy which {{w|Bertrand Russell}} devised "to illustrate that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making unfalsifiable claims, rather than shifting the burden of disproof to others."<br />
<br />
"He wrote that if he were to assert, without offering proof, that a teapot orbits the Sun somewhere in space between the Earth and Mars, he could not expect anyone to believe him solely because his assertion could not be proven wrong." (Wikipedia)<br />
<br />
[[Cueball]] is trying to settle the teapot argument by actually launching a teapot into space via a {{w|crowdfunding}} campaign.<br />
<br />
The title-text refers to {{w|Russell's paradox}}, also formulated by Bertrand Russell. Russell's paradox was a flaw found in {{w|naïve set theory}} where one could consider "the set of all sets that do not contain themselves" (a "set" roughly meaning "list"). The paradox arises with whether this set, in turn, contains itself: if it does, then it cannot; if it doesn't, then it must. Similarly, like in the {{w|barber paradox}}, the vehicle which launches only vehicles which do not launch themselves is impossible: if the vehicle takes off, it must launch itself as well as the teapot, and thus can never be launched (without violating alleged NASA regulations, at least).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is standing in front of a blueprint labeled "CubeSat-Based Design", containing a satellite with a teapot in the top.]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:I'm crowdfunding a project to launch a teapot into orbit around the sun to settle the Russell thing once and for all.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1866:_Russell%27s_Teapot&diff=1430151866: Russell's Teapot2017-07-21T11:54:14Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ add'l wikilinking</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1866<br />
| date = July 21, 2017<br />
| title = Russell's Teapot<br />
| image = Russells_Teapot.png<br />
| titletext = Unfortunately, NASA regulations state that Bertrand Russell-related payloads can only be launched within launch vehicles which do not launch themselves.<br />
}}<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete| }}<br />
{{w|Russell's teapot|Russell's Teapot}} is a philosophical argument that reflects on the difficulty of trying to prove a negative. It involves a hypothetical teapot orbiting a heavenly body, whose existence hasn't been proven. It is very often used in atheistic arguments. Russell's Teapot is an analogy which {{w|Bertrand Russell}} devised "to illustrate that the philosophic burden of proof lies upon a person making unfalsifiable claims, rather than shifting the burden of disproof to others."<br />
<br />
"He wrote that if he were to assert, without offering proof, that a teapot orbits the Sun somewhere in space between the Earth and Mars, he could not expect anyone to believe him solely because his assertion could not be proven wrong." (Wikipedia)<br />
<br />
[[Cueball]] is trying to settle the teapot argument by actually launching a teapot into space via a crowdfunding campaign.<br />
<br />
The title-text refers to {{w|Russell's paradox}}, also formulated by Bertrand Russell. Russell's paradox was a flaw found in {{w|naïve set theory}} where one could consider "the set of all sets that do not contain themselves" (a "set" roughly meaning "list"). The paradox arises with whether this set, in turn, contains itself: if it does, then it cannot; if it doesn't, then it must. Similarly, like in the {{w|barber paradox}}, the vehicle which launches only vehicles which do not launch themselves is impossible: if the vehicle takes off, it must launch itself as well as the teapot, and thus can never be launched (without violating alleged NASA regulations, at least).<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
:[Cueball is standing in front of a blueprint labeled "CubeSat-Based Design", containing a satellite with a teapot in the top.]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:I'm crowdfunding a project to launch a teapot into orbit around the sun to settle the Russell thing once and for all.<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1864:_City_Nicknames&diff=1428601864: City Nicknames2017-07-18T08:56:01Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ {{w|...}} for WP links</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1864<br />
| date = July 17, 2017<br />
| title = City Nicknames<br />
| image = city_nicknames.png<br />
| titletext = This place has so many demonyms. Northlanders. Fair Folk. Honey Barons. Lake Dwellers. Treasurers. Swamp Watchers. Dream Farmers. Wellfolk. Rockeaters. Forgotten Royals. Remote Clients. Barrow-Clerks. The People of Land and Sky.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|stub}}<br />
<br />
Cities often have official or unofficial nicknames. For instance, {{w|St. Louis|St. Louis, Missouri}}, is known as "Gateway to the West" among several other nicknames. The nicknames typically invoke some historical or geographic feature of the city, but can sometime be opaque to those not familiar with the city. [https://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/introduction/fullname.php The full, formal name of Bangkok] includes a long list of superlatives translating as "The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn."<br />
<br />
[[Black Hat]] appears to believe they are near {{w|New York City}}, despite the skyline being clearly recognizable as St. Louis due to the {{w|Gateway Arch}}. However, the nickname he gives is neither a common New York nickname (such as "{{w|List of nicknames of New York City|The Big Apple}}") nor a St. Louis nickname. [[Megan]] tries to correct him, but it becomes clear that Black Hat is making up nicknames. Many of his suggestions are puns for real nicknames of other places.<br />
<br />
The title text contains made up {{w|demonym}}s in the same pattern. A demonym is a word for the people who live in a particular place. They are typically derived from the name of the place (e.g. "St. Louisan" for people from St. Louis), but some regions have an {{w|Demonym#Informal|informal demonym}} that can be used colloquially by those familiar with the place to refer to its residents.<br />
<br />
===Nicknames and Demonyms===<br />
<br />
{| class=wikitable<br />
! City nickname in comic<br />
! Reference<br />
! Explanation<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| The Hot Tamale<br />
| {{w|Hot Tamales}}<br />
| Possibly a reference to the term [http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=big%20enchilada big enchilada] (something of great importance). In the movie <i>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(1996_film) Independence Day]</i>, the phrase "Big Tamale" is used in a similar manner as "Big Enchilada" to describe the alien fighter held at Area 51.<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| The Winged City<br />
| The Windy City<br />
| Chicago. Possibly also [http://www.airport-technology.com/projects/incheon-international-airport/ Incheon International Airport (ICA/RKSI), South Korea]<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| The Gold Trombone<br />
|<br />
| Possibly a reference to the gold standard.<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| Castleopolis<br />
| {{w|Cassopolis}}, or possibly Dictionopolis.<br />
| Literally "Castle city." {{w|Polis}} (from the Greek πόλις for city) is commonly used as a suffix for city names, like {{w|Minneapolis}} or {{w|Alexandroupolis}}; {{w|Metropolis}} can either be a type of city, or one of the real or fictional cities bearing the name. Possibly a reference to The Phantom Tollbooth, which has both castles and cities named Dictionopolis and Digitopolis.<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| The Kissing Kingdom<br />
|<br />
|<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| Sandland<br />
|<br />
| {{w|Sandland}} is a village in northern Norway, most likely coincidentally.<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| The High Place<br />
| {{w|Denver}}<br />
|Denver is known as the Mile High City. Also, in English translations of the Old Testament, the Hebrew term במה (bamah, plural במות bamot) is rendered as "{{w|high place}}," and denotes a place of worship. In modern Jewish synagogues, the "High Place" (bimah) is the elevated platform from which the Torah is read. In Gene Wolfe's ''Free Live Free'', one character claims to come from the "High Place". The others consider this a metaphor, or simply a lie. Eventually this is discovered not to be the case.<br />
<br />
|-<br />
| Ol' Ironhook<br />
| {{w|Old Ironsides}}<br />
| Old Ironsides is a nickname for the USS Constitution (docked in Charlestown, MA). Ol' Ironhook may be a conflation of Old Ironsides (also a nickname for English Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell) with Old Hookey (a nickname for Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, English general and PM) or Old Kinderhook (a nickname for US President Martin Van Buren).<br />
|-<br />
| The Thousand Spires || The City of a Hundred Spires / City of Dreaming Spires|| Prague / Oxford<br />
|-<br />
| The Graveyard of Kings || The Graveyard of Champions || Court 2 at Wimbledon, where former champions are often defeated (the playing environment is very different from Centre Court and Court One, which are larger and where games involving highly-ranked players are preferentially located). The comic was released one day after the 2017 Wimbledon Championships were finished.<br />
|-<br />
| Bloomtown || [[wikipedia: Boomtown|Boomtown]] || Generic term for a town undergoing rapid growth. Used in the 2002 TV series of the same name as a nickname for Los Angeles. Might also be referring to [[wikipedia:Bloom County|Bloom County]], a comic by [[wikipedia:Berkeley Breathed|Berkeley Breathed]], or Dublin, as the setting for Ulysses by James Joyce.<br />
|-<br />
| Lantern City USA || {{w|Tree City USA}} || A designation supporting municipalities that showcase urban forestry, in connection with Arbor Day. Lantern city is a fictional, steam-punk serial.<br />
|-<br />
| The City of Many Daughters || ||<br />
|-<br />
| Big Mauve || [[wikipedia: Big_Red_(drink)|Big Red Soda]] || Big Red Soda. The Cornell teams are known as the [[wikipedia:Cornell Big Red|Big Red]]. The Dartmouth football team is the Big Green. <br />
|-<br />
| The Glass Cradle || [[wikipedia:The Glass Menagerie|The Glass Menagerie]] || A play by Tennessee Williams<br />
|-<br />
| The Road Source ||{{w|Rome}} || From the saying that {{w|All Roads Lead to Rome}}<br />
|-<br />
| London Prime || London || In the DC comics, to incorporate multiple continuties, there were multiple universes. London Prime would be "real London" on Earth Prime. Various cities named {{w|New London}} in the United States and elsewhere are imagined as London in alternate continuities. Alternatively in mathematics, a [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_(symbol)#Use_in_mathematics.2C_statistics.2C_and_science prime mark], x' can be the next iteration of variable x. <br />
|-<br />
| Hamtown || {{w|Boston}}, {{w|Hamburg}}, {{w|Toronto}} || Boston is known as [[wikipedia:Boston nicknames|beantown]], pork and beans are commonly cooked together (as in {{w|Boston baked beans}}), and ham is a form of pork. The German word ''Burg'' means castle or fort and is often used as suffix for town names. The origin of the prefix ''Ham'' is uncertain, but the food {{w|Hamburger}} derives from this city and ''Hamburger'' in German is the demonym of Hamburg. Toronto sometimes nicknamed Hogtown. <br />
|-<br />
| The Salad Bowl || || A theory of cultural integration in the US, one that stands in contrast to the older 'Melting Pot' theory. Could also refer to the [[wikipedia: Dust Bowl|Dust Bowl]]<br />
|-<br />
| God's Boudoir || God's Waiting Room || State of {{w|Florida}}, where many elderly retire then expire.<br />
|-<br />
| The Glittering Swamp || [[wikipedia:Great Dismal Swamp|The Great Dismal Swamp ]] || A large swamp in Virginia and North Carolina. Also, the city of {{w|Washington, D.C.}} has often been referred to as a "swamp," owing partly to its past as a [http://networks.h-net.org/node/28441/pages/36129/swamps-and-city-washington malarial swamp].<br />
|-<br />
| The Steel Forest || The Concrete Jungle || The Concrete Jungle is a name often given to New York's Manhattan area. There was also a book and movie titled ''The Petrified Forest''. <br />
|-<br />
| The Mobius Strip || The Strip || The Strip is a shortened and commonly used name for the Las Vegas Strip, the main area of hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada. A {{w|Mobius strip}} is a one-sided piece of paper created by rotating the short edge of the strip 180 degrees and attaching it to the other short edge. The Vegas strip has more or less only one side as well.<br />
|-<br />
| The Land of Trains and Fog || || Britain was home to early developments in railroading, and some portions are known for fog and mists.<br />
In the webcomic [[wikipedia:Homestuck | Homestuck]] many events take place on various planets named in the format "The Land of X and Y", e.g. "The Land of Light and Rain". The novel by George R.R. Martin, which was made into ''Game of Thrones'', was called ''A Song of Ice and Fire''.<br />
|-<br />
| The Meeting Place || ||<br />
|-<br />
| The Dark Star || || ''Dark Star'' is a 1974 science fiction comedy film.<br />
|-<br />
| The Walled Garden || {{w|Walled garden (technology)}} || A walled garden is a virtual environment where the user can only view content that is published or permitted by the proprietor, e.g. AOL or Facebook. This could also be a reference to walled cities, e.g. from the Middle Ages, or the {{w|Kowloon Walled City}} in the modern era. ''The Secret Garden'' is a book by Frances Hodgson Burnett.<br />
|-<br />
| Skin City || [[wikipedia:Sin City (description)|Sin City]] || Generic term for a city well known for gambling, drugs, or other vices. Also Las Vegas.<br />
|-<br />
| The Horse Rotary || ||<br />
|-<br />
| Turkeytown || Turkeytown || A town in Lincoln County, Kentucky<br />
|-<br />
| The Naked Towers || || ''The Naked City'' was a television series. ''The Two Towers'' is a book by Tolkien, and ''Naked Lunch'' is a book by Burroughs <br />
|-<br />
| The Meta-City || Metacity || A term for a heterogenous, sprawling urban center with multiple dense centers, such as Tokyo or New York City. Metacity was also the window manager in the Linux GNOME 2 desktop.<br />
|-<br />
| The Urban Orb || || The screen name of a Let's Player on Youtube and Twitch. - Also maybe once more: Rome and the Rest of the world, as in the popes adress to the urbi (city: meaning rome ) and orbi (circle: meaning the world)<br />
|-<br />
| The City of Angles || City of Angels || Los Angeles. Also, the titular City of Angles in the web novel [http://stefangagne.com/cityofangles/ City of Angles].<br />
|-<br />
| The Big Wheel || [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041179/ The Big Wheel] || A 1949 movie about a race car driver. Alternatively, a child's plastic tricycle with an oversized front wheel.<br />
|-<br />
| Bird City USA || || A program started by the Audubon Society. <br />
|-<br />
| The City of Seven Crowns || City of Seven Hills || Rome<br />
|-<br />
| Hilltopia ||The Hilltop || May be reference to The Hilltop in AMC's The Walking Dead<br />
|-<br />
| Bug City || || A nickname for the bug-infested Chicago in the roleplaying game Shadowrun. Also, a sourcebook for the game.<br />
|-<br />
| The Bottomless Cup || || There are many mentions of Bottomless Pits in stories. Additionally, restaurants offering unlimited refills on drinks may refer to this offer by terms like "Bottomless Soda."<br />
|-<br />
| Lorde's Fen || Lord's Fen || [[wikipedia:Lorde| Lorde]] is a musical artist from Herne Bay, New Zealand - an area near Waitemata Harbour. A [[wikipedia:Fen| fen]] is a type of wetland, which could loosely connect to Herne Bay. <br />
|-<br />
| The Last Town || || The third book in the Wayward Pines series. <br />
|-<br />
| The Empty Set || || The concert hall in the video game Transistor. In mathematics, the {{w|empty set}} refers to an unique set with no elements, often notated as "{}" or "∅".<br />
|-<br />
| Ghost Harbor || || The name for a brewing company in North Carolina.<br />
|}<br />
<br />
{| class=wikitable<br />
! Demonym in comic<br />
! Reference<br />
! Explanation<br />
|-<br />
| Northlanders || {{w|Norsemen}} || Norsemen, literally men from the north, people from Scandinavia. Could also be a reference to highlanders, the people of the {{w|Scottish Highlands}}, with a similar demonym. The "High" in "Highlands" is a reference to the mountainous landscape, not the geographical position. <br />
|-<br />
| Fair Folk || {{w|Fairy}} || The fair folk is a name for fairies in folklore. The elves in ''The Lord of the Rings'' are referred to as the 'fair folk'. <br />
|-<br />
| Honey Barons || [[wikipedia: Robber_baron_(industrialist) | Robber Barons]], [[wikipedia: Honey_badger | Honey Badgers]], [[wikipedia: Honey bear| honey bear]] || Possibly a play on The Robber Barons, a group of powerful industrialists in the late 1800's known for questionable business ethics, and honey badgers, animals known for their tough skin, bad tempers, and tenacity. Honey bear is a name for a few types of bear, as well as kinkajous. <br />
|-<br />
| Lake Dwellers || ||<br />
|-<br />
| Treasurers || || A {{w|treasurer}} is a person in charge of running the treasury of an organization, for example a governmental department. The Auditors were characters in Terry Pratchett's Discworld books who did the book-keeping for reality, and wanted to simplify the universe by destroying life.<br />
|-<br />
| Swamp Watchers || ||<br />
|-<br />
| Dream Farmers || The Dream Factory || Hollywood, California, in its role as the center of the American film industry.<br />
|-<br />
| Wellfolk || Werefolk || The were folk were people who could change into animals: e.g. werewolves.<br />
|-<br />
| Rockeaters || [[Wikipedia:List_of_The_Neverending_Story_characters#Pyornkrachzark_and_the_other_messengers| Rockbiter]] || In the ''Never Ending Story'', Pyornkrachzark, more commonly known as "Rock Biter" is a large creature made completely of stone, named due to their diet of rocks. <br />
May also refer to {{w|Lotus-eaters}}; while these mythical people slept in narcotic apathy, rockeaters might have a tougher time.<br />
|-<br />
| Forgotten Royals || [[wikipedia:Forgotten Realms | Forgotten Realms]] || Royalty from Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) campaign setting<br />
|-<br />
| Remote Clients || [[wikipedia:Remote_computer|Remote client]] || In computing, a remote client is a program used to access a computer or service over a network.<br />
|-<br />
| Barrow-Clerks || [http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Barrow-wights Barrow-wights] || Wraith like creatures in ''The Lord of the Rings''. The hobbits come across them in the [http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Barrow-downs Barrow-downs]. <br />
Those who keep records of items deposited in a grave mound or barrow.<br />
|-<br />
| The People of Land and Sky || [[wikipedia:Sea_Peoples|Sea Peoples]] ||<br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[Black Hat, Megan, and Ponytail are standing on a hill overlooking a city. The Gateway Arch is visible, as well as a number of skyscrapers in the skyline.]<br />
:Black Hat: Ah, New York. The Hot Tamale.<br />
:Megan: This is St. Louis. Also, that's not–<br />
:Black Hat: The Winged City. The Gold Trombone. Castleopolis.<br />
:Megan: It's none of those.<br />
<br />
:[Close-up of Black Hat]<br />
:Black Hat: The Kissing Kingdom. Sandland. The High Place. Ol' Ironhook.<br />
:Megan (off-panel): Still wrong.<br />
:Black Hat: The Thousand Spires. The Graveyard of Kings. Bloomtown. Lantern City USA.<br />
:Megan (off-panel): Please stop.<br />
<br />
:[Black Hat, Megan, and Ponytail are walking]<br />
:Black Hat: The City of Many Daughters. Big Mauve. The Glass Cradle. The Road Source. London Prime. Hamtown. The Salad Bowl. God's Boudoir. The Glittering Swamp. The Steel Forest. The Mobius Strip. The Land of Trains and Fog. The Meeting Place. The Dark Star. The Walled Garden. Skin City. The Horse Rotary. Turkeytown. The Naked Towers. The Meta-City. The Urban Orb. The City of Angles. The Big Wheel. Bird City USA. The City of Seven Crowns. Hilltopia. Bug City. The Bottomless Cup. [Text size getting smaller] Lorde's Fen. The Last Town. The Empty Set. Ghost Harbor.<br />
:Megan: How long does this last?<br />
:Ponytail: No city has ever let him stay long enough to find out.<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1861:_Quantum&diff=1424911861: Quantum2017-07-11T10:01:03Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ mention schrodinger equation</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1861<br />
| date = July 10, 2017<br />
| title = Quantum<br />
| image = quantum.png<br />
| titletext = If you draw a diagonal line from lower left to upper right, that's the ICP 'Miracles' axis.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Initial explanation of the idea behind the comic, still needs more detail. General relativity not mentioned yet. Seems it is listed as needing as much math as QM but gives less philosophical arguments...?}}<br />
<br />
The comic depicts a relationship between how philosophically exciting the questions in a field of study are, versus how many years are required to understand the answers. For example, {{w|special relativity}} poses very intriguing philosophical questions, such as {{w|Relativity of simultaneity|" can the temporal ordering of spatially separated events depend on the observer?"}}, or "{{w|Twin paradox|can time run at different rates for differerent observers?}}". But it doesn't take a lot of mathematical knowledge to understand the answers - that when objects move very close to the speed of light, {{w|time dilation|time slows down}} and their {{w|length contraction|lengths contract}}: the key {{w|Lorentz transformation}}s ultimately involve little more than high-school algebra. Hence, Special Relativity is very high up on the y-axis but not very far on the x-axis. Basic physics is not very philosophically interesting but also not very complicated. {{w|Fluid dynamics}}, as captured by the {{w|Navier–Stokes equations}} is very complicated, but it's concerned with a very specific topic - how water or other fluids flow around - so it doesn't lead to big philosophical questions.<br />
<br />
The "danger zone" in the top right of the chart is when a field of study is wide-ranging enough to pose broad philosophical questions, and also so complicated that most people can't answer those questions. {{w|Quantum mechanics}} deals with some very strange concepts that readily lend themselves to philosophical questions, such as the idea that merely observing something can change it, or the idea that something can be both a wave and a particle at the same time. However, the explanation for those phenomena is a very complicated piece of math, notably the {{w|Schrödinger equation}}, which means that most people don't have accurate answers to those questions. [[Randall]] suggests that this is the reason why so many people have "weird ideas" about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
[[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] also discusses weird ideas that people have about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
{{w|General relativity}} also presupposes considerable {{w|Mathematics of general relativity|mathematical sophistication}} to understand the {{w|Einstein field equations}}. However, the main contribution of GR – the explanation of {{w|gravity}} in terms of a {{w|curvature|curved}} {{w|spacetime}} – does not seem to induce a lot of philosophical novelty beyond that already seen in special relativity, possibly with the exception of {{w|black hole}}s.<br />
<br />
The title text references the {{w|Insane Clown Posse}} (ICP) song "{{w|Miracles (Insane Clown Posse song)|Miracles}}", made memetic by the lyric "Fucking magnets, how do they work?" An axis is the direction on a graph in which some quantity is increasing or decreasing. So things that are far along the "miracle" axis are presumably more miraculous. As you move from bottom-left to top-right on the graph, items become both more philosophically interesting and harder to understand. It would be fair to describe something that's hard to understand and raises big philosophical questions as a "miracle". The ICP "Miracles" axis would also intersect the topic "magnets" infamously mentioned in the song.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon. NO BULLETS}}<br />
:[A chart with the Y-axis titled "How Philosophically E xciting the Questions Are to a Novice Student" and the X-axis titled "How Many Years of Math are Needed to Understand the Answers". The upper-right portion of the chart is labeled "Danger Zone". The following topics are charted as follows:<br />
:*Basic Physics: low excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Fluid Dynamics: low excitement, high prerequisites<br />
:*Magnets: medium excitement, medium prerequisites<br />
:*General Relativity: medium excitement, high prerequisites (on the border to the "Danger Zone")<br />
:*Special Relativity: high excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Quantum Mechanics: high excitement, high prerequisites (in the "Danger Zone")]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Why so many people have weird ideas about Quantum Mechanics<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1861:_Quantum&diff=1424901861: Quantum2017-07-11T09:58:49Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ bypass redirect</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1861<br />
| date = July 10, 2017<br />
| title = Quantum<br />
| image = quantum.png<br />
| titletext = If you draw a diagonal line from lower left to upper right, that's the ICP 'Miracles' axis.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Initial explanation of the idea behind the comic, still needs more detail. General relativity not mentioned yet. Seems it is listed as needing as much math as QM but gives less philosophical arguments...?}}<br />
<br />
The comic depicts a relationship between how philosophically exciting the questions in a field of study are, versus how many years are required to understand the answers. For example, {{w|special relativity}} poses very intriguing philosophical questions, such as {{w|Relativity of simultaneity|" can the temporal ordering of spatially separated events depend on the observer?"}}, or "{{w|Twin paradox|can time run at different rates for differerent observers?}}". But it doesn't take a lot of mathematical knowledge to understand the answers - that when objects move very close to the speed of light, {{w|time dilation|time slows down}} and their {{w|length contraction|lengths contract}}: the key {{w|Lorentz transformation}}s ultimately involve little more than high-school algebra. Hence, Special Relativity is very high up on the y-axis but not very far on the x-axis. Basic physics is not very philosophically interesting but also not very complicated. {{w|Fluid dynamics}}, as captured by the {{w|Navier–Stokes equations}} is very complicated, but it's concerned with a very specific topic - how water or other fluids flow around - so it doesn't lead to big philosophical questions.<br />
<br />
The "danger zone" in the top right of the chart is when a field of study is wide-ranging enough to pose broad philosophical questions, and also so complicated that most people can't answer those questions. {{w|Quantum mechanics}} deals with some very strange concepts that readily lend themselves to philosophical questions, such as the idea that merely observing something can change it, or the idea that something can be both a wave and a particle at the same time. However, the explanation for those phenomena is a very complicated piece of math, which means that most people don't have accurate answers to those questions. [[Randall]] suggests that this is the reason why so many people have "weird ideas" about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
[[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] also discusses weird ideas that people have about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
{{w|General relativity}} also presupposes considerable {{w|Mathematics of general relativity|mathematical sophistication}} to understand the {{w|Einstein field equations}}. However, the main contribution of GR – the explanation of {{w|gravity}} in terms of a {{w|curvature|curved}} {{w|spacetime}} – does not seem to induce a lot of philosophical novelty beyond that already seen in special relativity, possibly with the exception of {{w|black hole}}s.<br />
<br />
The title text references the {{w|Insane Clown Posse}} (ICP) song "{{w|Miracles (Insane Clown Posse song)|Miracles}}", made memetic by the lyric "Fucking magnets, how do they work?" An axis is the direction on a graph in which some quantity is increasing or decreasing. So things that are far along the "miracle" axis are presumably more miraculous. As you move from bottom-left to top-right on the graph, items become both more philosophically interesting and harder to understand. It would be fair to describe something that's hard to understand and raises big philosophical questions as a "miracle". The ICP "Miracles" axis would also intersect the topic "magnets" infamously mentioned in the song.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon. NO BULLETS}}<br />
:[A chart with the Y-axis titled "How Philosophically E xciting the Questions Are to a Novice Student" and the X-axis titled "How Many Years of Math are Needed to Understand the Answers". The upper-right portion of the chart is labeled "Danger Zone". The following topics are charted as follows:<br />
:*Basic Physics: low excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Fluid Dynamics: low excitement, high prerequisites<br />
:*Magnets: medium excitement, medium prerequisites<br />
:*General Relativity: medium excitement, high prerequisites (on the border to the "Danger Zone")<br />
:*Special Relativity: high excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Quantum Mechanics: high excitement, high prerequisites (in the "Danger Zone")]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Why so many people have weird ideas about Quantum Mechanics<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1861:_Quantum&diff=1424891861: Quantum2017-07-11T09:57:49Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ bit of text on GR</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1861<br />
| date = July 10, 2017<br />
| title = Quantum<br />
| image = quantum.png<br />
| titletext = If you draw a diagonal line from lower left to upper right, that's the ICP 'Miracles' axis.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Initial explanation of the idea behind the comic, still needs more detail. General relativity not mentioned yet. Seems it is listed as needing as much math as QM but gives less philosophical arguments...?}}<br />
<br />
The comic depicts a relationship between how philosophically exciting the questions in a field of study are, versus how many years are required to understand the answers. For example, {{w|special relativity}} poses very intriguing philosophical questions, such as {{w|Relativity of simultaneity|" can the temporal ordering of spatially separated events depend on the observer?"}}, or "{{w|Twin paradox|can time run at different rates for differerent observers?}}". But it doesn't take a lot of mathematical knowledge to understand the answers - that when objects move very close to the speed of light, {{w|time dilation|time slows down}} and their {{w|length contraction|lengths contract}}: the key {{w|Lorentz transformation}}s ultimately involve little more than high-school algebra. Hence, Special Relativity is very high up on the y-axis but not very far on the x-axis. Basic physics is not very philosophically interesting but also not very complicated. {{w|Fluid dynamics}}, as captured by the {{w|Navier–Stokes equations}} is very complicated, but it's concerned with a very specific topic - how water or other fluids flow around - so it doesn't lead to big philosophical questions.<br />
<br />
The "danger zone" in the top right of the chart is when a field of study is wide-ranging enough to pose broad philosophical questions, and also so complicated that most people can't answer those questions. {{w|Quantum mechanics}} deals with some very strange concepts that readily lend themselves to philosophical questions, such as the idea that merely observing something can change it, or the idea that something can be both a wave and a particle at the same time. However, the explanation for those phenomena is a very complicated piece of math, which means that most people don't have accurate answers to those questions. [[Randall]] suggests that this is the reason why so many people have "weird ideas" about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
[[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] also discusses weird ideas that people have about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
{{w|General relativity}} also presupposes considerable {{w|Mathematics of general relativity|mathematical sophistication}} to understand the {{w|Einstein field equations}}. However, the main contribution of GR – the explanation of {{w|gravitation}} in terms of a {{w|curvature|curved}} {{w|spacetime}} – does not seem to induce a lot of philosophical novelty beyond that already seen in special relativity, possibly with the exception of {{w|black hole}}s.<br />
<br />
The title text references the {{w|Insane Clown Posse}} (ICP) song "{{w|Miracles (Insane Clown Posse song)|Miracles}}", made memetic by the lyric "Fucking magnets, how do they work?" An axis is the direction on a graph in which some quantity is increasing or decreasing. So things that are far along the "miracle" axis are presumably more miraculous. As you move from bottom-left to top-right on the graph, items become both more philosophically interesting and harder to understand. It would be fair to describe something that's hard to understand and raises big philosophical questions as a "miracle". The ICP "Miracles" axis would also intersect the topic "magnets" infamously mentioned in the song.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon. NO BULLETS}}<br />
:[A chart with the Y-axis titled "How Philosophically E xciting the Questions Are to a Novice Student" and the X-axis titled "How Many Years of Math are Needed to Understand the Answers". The upper-right portion of the chart is labeled "Danger Zone". The following topics are charted as follows:<br />
:*Basic Physics: low excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Fluid Dynamics: low excitement, high prerequisites<br />
:*Magnets: medium excitement, medium prerequisites<br />
:*General Relativity: medium excitement, high prerequisites (on the border to the "Danger Zone")<br />
:*Special Relativity: high excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Quantum Mechanics: high excitement, high prerequisites (in the "Danger Zone")]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Why so many people have weird ideas about Quantum Mechanics<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1861:_Quantum&diff=1424881861: Quantum2017-07-11T09:45:54Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Explanation */ wikilinks, bit more detail</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1861<br />
| date = July 10, 2017<br />
| title = Quantum<br />
| image = quantum.png<br />
| titletext = If you draw a diagonal line from lower left to upper right, that's the ICP 'Miracles' axis.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Initial explanation of the idea behind the comic, still needs more detail. General relativity not mentioned yet. Seems it is listed as needing as much math as QM but gives less philosophical arguments...?}}<br />
<br />
The comic depicts a relationship between how philosophically exciting the questions in a field of study are, versus how many years are required to understand the answers. For example, {{w|special relativity}} poses very intriguing philosophical questions, such as {{w|Relativity of simultaneity|" can the temporal ordering of spatially separated events depend on the observer?"}}, or "{{w|Twin paradox|can time run at different rates for differerent observers?}}". But it doesn't take a lot of mathematical knowledge to understand the answers - that when objects move very close to the speed of light, {{w|time dilation|time slows down}} and their {{w|length contraction|lengths contract}}: the key {{w|Lorentz transformation}}s ultimately involve little more than high-school algebra. Hence, Special Relativity is very high up on the y-axis but not very far on the x-axis. Basic physics is not very philosophically interesting but also not very complicated. {{w|Fluid dynamics}}, as captured by the {{w|Navier–Stokes equations}} is very complicated, but it's concerned with a very specific topic - how water or other fluids flow around - so it doesn't lead to big philosophical questions.<br />
<br />
The "danger zone" in the top right of the chart is when a field of study is wide-ranging enough to pose broad philosophical questions, and also so complicated that most people can't answer those questions. {{w|Quantum mechanics}} deals with some very strange concepts that readily lend themselves to philosophical questions, such as the idea that merely observing something can change it, or the idea that something can be both a wave and a particle at the same time. However, the explanation for those phenomena is a very complicated piece of math, which means that most people don't have accurate answers to those questions. [[Randall]] suggests that this is the reason why so many people have "weird ideas" about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
[[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] also discusses weird ideas that people have about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
The title text references the {{w|Insane Clown Posse}} (ICP) song "{{w|Miracles (Insane Clown Posse song)|Miracles}}", made memetic by the lyric "Fucking magnets, how do they work?" An axis is the direction on a graph in which some quantity is increasing or decreasing. So things that are far along the "miracle" axis are presumably more miraculous. As you move from bottom-left to top-right on the graph, items become both more philosophically interesting and harder to understand. It would be fair to describe something that's hard to understand and raises big philosophical questions as a "miracle". The ICP "Miracles" axis would also intersect the topic "magnets" infamously mentioned in the song.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon. NO BULLETS}}<br />
:[A chart with the Y-axis titled "How Philosophically E xciting the Questions Are to a Novice Student" and the X-axis titled "How Many Years of Math are Needed to Understand the Answers". The upper-right portion of the chart is labeled "Danger Zone". The following topics are charted as follows:<br />
:*Basic Physics: low excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Fluid Dynamics: low excitement, high prerequisites<br />
:*Magnets: medium excitement, medium prerequisites<br />
:*General Relativity: medium excitement, high prerequisites (on the border to the "Danger Zone")<br />
:*Special Relativity: high excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Quantum Mechanics: high excitement, high prerequisites (in the "Danger Zone")]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Why so many people have weird ideas about Quantum Mechanics<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>162.158.134.94https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1861:_Quantum&diff=1424841861: Quantum2017-07-11T09:13:31Z<p>162.158.134.94: /* Transcript */ understanding -> prerequisites</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1861<br />
| date = July 10, 2017<br />
| title = Quantum<br />
| image = quantum.png<br />
| titletext = If you draw a diagonal line from lower left to upper right, that's the ICP 'Miracles' axis.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Initial explanation of the idea behind the comic, still needs more detail.}}<br />
<br />
The comic depicts a relationship between how philosophically exciting the questions in a field of study are, versus how many years are required to understand the answers. For example, special relativity poses very complicated philosophical questions - something like "Are our observations about the universe true for everyone, or are they merely relative to our current frame of reference?" But it doesn't take a lot of mathematical knowledge to understand the answer - that when objects move very close to the speed of light, time slows down and their lengths contract. Hence, Special Relativity is very high up on the y-axis but not very far on the x-axis. Basic physics is not very philosophically interesting but also not very complicated. Fluid dynamics is very complicated, but it's concerned with a very specific topic - how water or other fluids flow around - so it doesn't lead to big philosophical questions.<br />
<br />
The "danger zone" in the top right of the chart is when a field of study is wide-ranging enough to pose broad philosophical questions, and also so complicated that most people can't answer those questions. {{w|Quantum mechanics}} deals with some very strange concepts that readily lend themselves to philosophical questions, such as the idea that merely observing something can change it, or the idea that something can be both a wave and a particle at the same time. However, the explanation for those phenomena is a very complicated piece of math, which means that most people don't have accurate answers to those questions. [[Randall]] suggests that this is the reason why so many people have "weird ideas" about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
[[1240: Quantum Mechanics]] also discusses weird ideas that people have about quantum mechanics.<br />
<br />
The title text references the {{w|Insane Clown Posse}} (ICP) song "{{w|Miracles (Insane Clown Posse song)|Miracles}}", made memetic by the lyric "Fucking magnets, how do they work?" An axis is the direction on a graph in which some quantity is increasing or decreasing. So things that are far along the "miracle" axis are presumably more miraculous. As you move from bottom-left to top-right on the graph, items become both more philosophically interesting and harder to understand. It would be fair to describe something that's hard to understand and raises big philosophical questions as a "miracle". The ICP "Miracles" axis would also intersect the topic "magnets" infamously mentioned in the song.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:[A chart with the Y-axis titled "How Philosophically Exciting the Questions Are to a Novice Student" and the X-axis titled "How Many Years of Math are Needed to Understand the Answers". The upper-right portion of the chart is labeled "Danger Zone". The following topics are charted as follows:<br />
:*Basic Physics: low excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Fluid Dynamics: low excitement, high prerequisites<br />
:*Magnets: medium excitement, medium prerequisites<br />
:*General Relativity: medium excitement, high prerequisites (on the border to the "Danger Zone")<br />
:*Special Relativity: high excitement, low prerequisites<br />
:*Quantum Mechanics: high excitement, high prerequisites (in the "Danger Zone")]<br />
<br />
:[Caption below the panel:]<br />
:Why so many people have weird ideas about Quantum Mechanics<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>162.158.134.94