https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=162.158.155.56&feedformat=atomexplain xkcd - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T08:22:01ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.30.0https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2821:_Path_Minimization&diff=3227552821: Path Minimization2023-08-30T01:22:16Z<p>162.158.155.56: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 2821<br />
| date = August 28, 2023<br />
| title = Path Minimization<br />
| image = path_minimization_2x.png<br />
| imagesize = 562x559px<br />
| noexpand = true<br />
| titletext = Of course you get an ice cream cone for the swimmer too! You're not a monster.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Created by WAITING AN HOUR BEFORE SWIMMING - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
In this comic, it appears that Cueball, standing on shore, is observing a swimmer who is possibly (but not obviously) in distress. The comic illustrates five potential paths that can be taken to reach the swimmer, each with a different reason to make them viable, in the manner of demonstrating different optimal strategies that can be chosen.<br />
<br />
The first path is a direct line from Cueball, straight to the swimmer, which allows for the minimum possible distance to be traveled, some on land and the remainder in the water.<br />
<br />
The second path travels more obliquely from Cueball to the water and then at a sharper angle to the swimmer. This path would take the shortest amount of time, presuming that Cueball would move faster on land (covering more of the distance) and slower through the water (but less distance). The exact angles would depend on how much faster Cueball is on land than in the water. The relationship between speeds and angles is the same as that in {{w|Snell's law}} for light passing between two media.<br />
<br />
The third path travels at a far more oblique angle to the water, such that the subsequent swimming path is entirely perpendicular to the shoreline, adding to the amount of time spent on land in order to minimize the time spent swimming. Depending on one's swimming ability versus running ability, this could be the safest path to take. It might also be more sensible to keep the target in clear sight for as long as possible, from the land, then aim exactly away from shore when both your head and theirs are barely at wave-height. But this is a completely different reason from the distance or time preferences.<br />
<br />
The fourth path travels nearly parallel to the beach. In fact moving slightly ''away'' from the swimmer but towards an intermediate goal: an ice cream stand. After that, the path turns and aims straight towards the swimmer, as all the others eventually do (although it is not made clear at this point if Cueball will spend time eating his ice cream on the beach, or will attempt to carry and possibly eat an ice cream whilst swimming).<br />
<br />
The fifth and final path, barely recognizable as a path, points off the top of the comic and reappears at the bottom. This path presumably travels around the entire world, likely stopping for many, ''many'' rest breaks. It is labeled as the path that ''maximizes'' time. It should be noted that, by the definition given, it is theoretically possible to stretch the maximum time taken out forever by simply walking away and never returning.<br />
<br />
You could also fulfill the criteria of reaching the target in finite, but arbitrarily long, time by following a {{w|random walk}}(+swim) or even follow a {{w|space-filling curve}} carefully chosen to be the maximally finite scenario. Or you could simply choose any path, and stop for an arbitrarily long time, or travel at a speed approaching zero. In the comic, however, a requirement for simplicity of path may dictate the use of something close to the opposing {{w|great-circle distance}}, or a variation that has a maximal swim-time even without ''undue'' time-wasting detours, and assume equal speeds of travel on all routes.<br />
<br />
The comic pokes fun at two famous physical/mathematical problems that are usually stated as happening on a beach. The first is the Lifeguard problem, used by Richard Feynman in his book ''QED'' to illustrate {{w|Fermat's principle}}, or principle of least time, which states that the path taken by a light ray between two given points is the path that can be traveled in the least time. This is closely related to {{w|Stationary-action principle}} for mechanical systems. In Feynman's words:<br />
<br />
''"Finding the path of least time for light is like finding the path of least time for a lifeguard running and then swimming to rescue a drowning victim: the path of least distance has too much water in it; the path of least water has too much sand in it; the path of least time is a compromise between the two."'' - ''Richard Feynman, QED - The Strange Theory of Light and Matter (1988, Princeton University Press), Chapter 2.''<br />
<br />
The second problem referenced in this comic is the [https://gametheory101.com/courses/game-theory-101/hotellings-game-and-the-median-voter-theorem Beach Vendor Problem], which is stated as follows. Suppose that on a long beach there are two ice cream vendors. Customers are uniformly distributed on the beach and each person will go get the ice cream at the closest vendor. Each vendor wants to maximize the number of customers that buy at their place. To minimize the customer's walking time, the optimal configuration would be to have one vendor at 1/4 of the beach length and the other at 3/4, but {{w|Hotelling's law}} predicts that the two shops will converge to the middle of the beach, in an attempt to steal as many customers as possible from the competition. This is a case of {{w|Nash equilibrium}} that is also related to the {{w|Median voter theorem}}. If the number of vendors is larger than 2, the problem may become [https://gametheory101.com/tag/hotellings-game/ considerably more complicated].<br />
<br />
The title text adds the stipulation, to the ice-cream path, that you also carry an ice-cream to the target swimmer to 'justify' that choice of route. But how this squares with the reason to rendezvous with the swimmer, or the manner in which this would further complicate the swimming stage, goes unsaid. But it makes it clear that ''not'' doing this isn't considered socially permissible, whether or not he had stopped to eat an ice-cream of his own beforehand.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
:Path that minimizes distance [A straight line from beach cueball to ocean cueball, bearing about 135]<br />
:Path that minimizes time [A line from beach cueball to the waterline closer to horizontal, bearing about 120, then angling towards ocean cueball, bearing about 150]<br />
:Path that minimizes swimming [A line from beach cueball to the waterline closest to ocean cueball, bearing about 115, then angling toward ocean cueball, bearing 180]<br />
:Path that minimizes time until you get ice cream [A line from beach cueball to an ice cream stand manned by Ponytail, bearing about 90, then angling toward ocean cueball, bearing about 190]<br />
:Path that maximizes time [A line from beach cueball away from the shore, bearing 0, fading and disappearing at the top of the panel, and reappearing at the bottom of the panel directly below ocean cueball]<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Food]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br />
[[Category:Multiple Cueballs]]<br />
[[Category:Physics]]</div>162.158.155.56https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:1904:_Research_Risks&diff=146876Talk:1904: Research Risks2017-10-19T14:57:22Z<p>162.158.155.56: </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 />
Entymology? Misspelled "entomology" or (more confusingly) "etymology"?<br />
Psychology lower risk than micology? Absolutely hogwash!<br />
:The comic has been updated, so it was just a typo. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.35|141.101.99.35]] 16:05, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
:How do I update picture. Last update always matches first upload for whatever reason --[[User:Trimutius|Trimutius]] ([[User talk:Trimutius|talk]]) 17:24, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Molasses storage is misplaced -- should be in the quadrant to its right. See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood]. 21 dead and 150 injured. [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.52|108.162.219.52]] 14:12, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Agreed that it did get out and kill people. But only once in something like 200 years and only a few. (Is this where the phrase slower than molasses in January comes from?) <br />
I would not expect that this would be a common danger. (unsigned)<br />
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<br />
Ah, but there was another [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honolulu_molasses_spill|spill in 2013 in Honolulu]. (I just learned of it from the "See Also" section of the Wikipedia page on the Great Molasses Flood.) That one didn't kill any people (though it was an ecological disaster) but it speaks to risk. Anyway, the item ''is'' in the right quadrant. Arguably is should be further to the right, but also arguably not, since conducting experiments in the area could lead to more accidents.[[User:Jqavins|Jqavins]] ([[User talk:Jqavins|talk]]) 16:08, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
:Only, even assuming there's such a thing as molasses storage research, it's unlikely that your lab is going to contain life-threatening quantities of molasses. It's not as if a few liters escaping could reproduce and turn into thousands of tons. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.35|141.101.99.35]] 16:27, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Plus how many times have robots escaped from a lab in real life? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.78.70|172.68.78.70]] 12:11, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think entymology is a reference to [https://xkcd.com/1012 1012]<br />
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.91.95|162.158.91.95]] 14:50, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
I think the title text may have a somewhat humorous naming scheme derived from the Great Molasses Flood Wikipedia discussion page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Great_Molasses_Flood<br />
There's a lengthy discussion about changing the name from "Boston Molasses Disaster" to "Great Molasses Flood". I noticed that Randall used both approaches to describing the events in the title text, but maybe that was a coincidence.<br />
<br />
I am not impressed. Movie supervillains often use paleontology (dinosaurs), geology (volcano/earthquake) and astronomy (comets). Also, there is a tendency to pair marine biology with laser-optics. And, to actually dominate the world, a real-life villain will probably need to use cunning linguistics at some level or the other. <sub>--[[User:Nialpxe|<span style="color: #000; text-decoration: none;">Nialpxe</span>]], 2017. [[User_talk:Nialpxe|<span style="color: #000; text-decoration: none;">(Arguments welcome)</span>]]</sub><br />
:I had the same initial reaction, but note how Randall didn't write "movie supervillain", but just "supervillain", so you should only take into account what is currently feasible in technology state-of-the-art, or what we can reasonably foresee for the next decade or so. I don't see any madman being able to revive (and control!) dinosaurs, capture a comet or trigger an earthquake in the next 10-20 years. As for shark-mounted lasers, they are cool to show off and inspire fear, but hardly useful to achieve world domination by themselves. [[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.35|141.101.99.35]] 16:18, 18 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
::When we get into the realm of supervillainy - especially given XKCD's history - we're almost certainly talking fiction. And if we're talking fiction, Randall's forgotten about ''Moonraker'', where astronomy and dentistry both play a significant role in the supervillain's plot, and should thus rate higher on the vertical scale. [[Special:Contributions/172.68.78.16|172.68.78.16]] 02:42, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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<br />
Looks like the "Research Risk" column is just a comment field open for speculation -- can we merge Comments and Research Risk into one column? [[User:Spongebog|Spongebob]] ([[User talk:Spongebog|talk]]) 03:34, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
: I'd suggest it'd be better to have one column for the supervillain risk factors, and one for the escaped research risk factors.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.32|162.158.155.32]] 08:47, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
:: I'd suggest that it would be interesting to have a few examples (movies/TV/real) listed beneath a sentence or two in each of those columns. --[[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 13:38, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Interestingly, I referenced the Great Molasses Flood in a tangential comment to comic 1900 - is Randall now browsing this site to find inspiration for new comics? ;o) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.32|162.158.155.32]] 08:53, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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I feel like the linguistics section is missing an opportunity for a Snow Crash joke...[[Special:Contributions/141.101.99.29|141.101.99.29]] 10:38, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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Surely the risk of escape from Linguistics should be high - language is inherently hard to contain and control, and often ends up infecting the world with dangerous rubbish like 'solutioning synergistic opportunities going forward'.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.32|162.158.155.32]] 11:34, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
<br />
"Fungi cannot move..." - tell that to {{w|Toad_(Nintendo)|this guy}}.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.32|162.158.155.32]] 11:43, 19 October 2017 (UTC)<br />
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If ''Marathon Man'' is anything to judge by, dentistry can be used by a superillain in his bid to take over the world... just not to actually conquer the world. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.155.56|162.158.155.56]] 14:57, 19 October 2017 (UTC)</div>162.158.155.56https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1759:_British_Map&diff=1450051759: British Map2017-09-05T19:49:16Z<p>162.158.155.56: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1759<br />
| date = November 14, 2016<br />
| title = British Map<br />
| image = british_map.png<br />
| titletext = West Norsussex is east of East Norwessex, but they're both far north of Middlesex and West Norwex.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
<br />
This comic is a joke similar to [https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on#q=how%20americans%20see%20the%20world&safe=active&ssui=on "How Americans see the world"] showing how the average American has opinions on the world, often including jokes such as a lack of {{w|Africa}}, etc. This has been used before in [[850: World According to Americans]].<br />
<br />
Many areas of the UK are most familiar to foreigners thanks to their depiction in various fantasy novels and TV series. This map labels some of these, as well as including many silly names that simply sound like real British towns to an American ear. A protractor is shown off the coast of the {{w|Mull of Kintyre}} in reference to the "{{w|Mull of Kintyre test}}" - according to urban legend, the angle of the Mull defines the maximum allowed erectness for a man on films and home video releases in the UK.<br />
<br />
Randall previously posted [https://blog.xkcd.com/2015/11/24/a-puzzle-for-the-uk/ a map of the UK] on his blog as part of the promotion for his book ''[[What If?]]''. This map is from a very similar position and appears to have been traced from the same source, although there are some slight differences. Both maps include a sketch of {{w|Lake Windermere}} with boats on it, and both have the locations of London, Oxford and Cambridge labeled (the blog map also shows Edinburgh and Bristol - in this comic, these are labelled Eavestroughs and Minas Tirith). Both also contain references to {{w|Stonehenge}} and {{w|Watership Down}}.<br />
<br />
Note that in British English, the correct spelling of “labeled” is ‘labelled’.<br />
<br />
The title text plays around with the concept of the compass directions and how numerous regions (such as South "Sussex" and West "Wessex") incorporate such literal names in their description. Randall is creating similar sounding names which are nonsense-ish ("Norsussex" would be the region of the Northern-Southern Saxons), and placing them in relation to each other in ways which would be geographically implausible, similar to this [http://www.netfunny.com/rhf/jokes/92q3/xx19.html old joke about Boston]. However, in Germany there exists the region called ''Westphalia'' (''Westfalen''), and the eastern part of it is often referred to as ''East-Westphalia'' (''{{w|Ostwestfalen}}''), which sounds somewhat ridiculous. Part of the joke in the title text could be the fact that while three of the locations are fictional, Middlesex does actually exist.<br />
<br />
{| border =1 width=100% cellpadding=5 class="wikitable sortable"<br />
!Label on the map !! Explanation !! Actual location !! Notes<br />
|-<br />
| Helcaraxë<br />
|| The "[http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Helcarax%C3%AB Grinding Ice]", an area of {{w|Middle-Earth}}. Like Helcaraxë, northern Scotland is cold, mountainous and in many areas inhospitable.<br />
|| The {{w|Grampian}} region<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Blick<br />
|| Possibly referencing {{w|Wick, Caithness}}, one of the northernmost towns in Great Britain. The real Wick is substantially further north, off the edge of the map.<br />
||Near {{w|Rhynie, Aberdeenshire}}<br />
|| This is the name of a goblin in the movie "Legend" starring Tim Curry. Could also reference the art supply store, Blick Art Materials<br />
|-<br />
| Everdeen<br />
|| {{w|Katniss Everdeen}} is the heroine of ''{{w|The Hunger Games}}'' series of novels and films<br />
|| {{w|Aberdeen}}<br />
|| In colloquial Scots, its pronunciation is very similar to "Everdeen."<br />
|-<br />
| Highlands<br />
|| {{w|Scottish Highlands|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Scottish Lowlands}}<br />
|| Maybe deliberate trolling - Scots have strong feelings about where the Highland-Lowland border is<br />
|-<br />
| Norther Sea<br />
|| Pun on the {{w|North Sea}}<br />
|| {{w|Sea of the Hebrides}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Loch Lomond<br />
|| {{w|Loch Lomond|No joke}}<br />
|| Loch Lomond<br />
|| Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Great Britain, and the third largest lake in the UK. It is the subject of a well-known {{w|The_Bonnie_Banks_o%27_Loch_Lomond|traditional song}}, and was referenced in the "beaming" (teleporter) bit in the movie Spaceballs by the Scotty expy 'Snotty'. It also houses a distillery producing a whisky appreciated by Captain Haddock in ''{{w|The Adventures of Tintin}}''. Thanks to the {{w|Loch Ness Monster|monster}}, {{w|Loch Ness}} is by far the most famous Scottish loch, so naming the second most famous subverts expectations.<br />
|-<br />
| Fjordham<br />
|| {{w|Fjords}} are glacial valleys. "-ham" is a common English placename suffix from Old English, related to the modern {{w|Hamlet (place)|hamlet}}. There are several villages in England named {{w|Fordham}}.<br />
|| Near {{w|Oban}} on the {{w|Firth of Lorn}}<br />
|| The Scottish word "Firth" is related to "Fjord", although Lorn is not a fjord in the strict scientific sense - it was formed along the {{w|Great Glen Fault}} by tectonics, rather than glaciers<br />
|-<br />
| Glassdoor<br />
|| {{w|Glassdoor}} is a website where employees can review their employers<br />
|| {{w|Stirling}}<br />
|| Although it's shown near Stirling, the reference seems to be to {{w|Glasgow}}<br />
|-<br />
| Eavestrough<br />
|| A dialectal word for {{w|rain gutter}}<br />
|| {{w|Edinburgh}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Seasedge<br />
|| Procan's realm in ''Dungeons & Dragons''<br />
|| Somewhere near the Scotland-England border<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Chough<br />
|| A {{w|Chough|species of bird in the crow family}}<br />
|| The {{w|Scottish Borders}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Meowth<br />
|| {{w|Meowth}} is a cat-like Pokémon. Name may allude to {{w|Howth}}.<br />
|| {{w|Ayr}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Glutenfree<br />
|| {{w|Gluten-free}} food lacks the protein {{w|gluten}}. This allows {{w|coeliac disease}} sufferers to enjoy it, but has also become a dietary fad in itself. -free Is a common suffix to add to cities.<br />
|| {{w|Cairnryan}}, {{w|Dumfries and Galloway}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Blighton<br />
|| A mashup of {{w|Brighton}} and {{w|Blighty}}<br />
|| The {{w|Scottish Borders}}<br />
|| The real Brighton is much further south, on the south coast.<br />
|-<br />
| North Sea<br />
|| {{w|North Sea|No joke}}<br />
|| North Sea<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Eyemouth<br />
|| {{w|Eyemouth|No joke}} <br />
|| near {{w|Newcastle-upon-Tyne}}<br />
|| The real Eyemouth is further north, where "Seasedge" is marked on the map.<br />
|-<br />
| Earhand<br />
|| A pun on Eyemouth<br />
|| {{w|Carlisle}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Hairskull<br />
|| A pun on Eyemouth<br />
|| {{w|Teesside}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Belfast DeVoe<br />
|| {{w|Belfast}}, capital of Northern Ireland, mashed up with the rock band {{w|Bell Biv DeVoe}}<br />
|| {{w|Belfast}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Lakebottom<br />
|| The {{w|Lake District}}. "-bottom" is a common placename across Northern England, and refers to a town in a valley.<br />
|| {{w|Lake District}}<br />
|| Below Lakebottom is a sketch of lake with yachts on it. This is {{w|Windermere}}, the largest lake in England, where many boating speed records were set.<br />
|-<br />
| Braintree<br />
|| {{w|Braintree, Essex|Not a joke}}<br />
|| {{w|North Yorkshire}}<br />
|| The real Braintree is much further south, near where "Paulblart" is on the map. Also a possible reference to the [https://www.braintreepayments.com Braintree] online payments platform (widely advertised on podcasts), or a stop at the end of the Red Line in Boston.<br />
|-<br />
| Skinflower<br />
|| A pun on Braintree<br />
|| {{w|Yorkshire Dales}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Bjork<br />
|| {{w|Björk}} is an Icelandic singer<br />
|| {{w|East Riding of Yorkshire}}<br />
|| The reference is presumably to York (historically known as Jórvík), although it's a bit too far east.<br />
|-<br />
| Weedle<br />
|| {{w|Weedle}} is a Pokémon, and also a word meaning "to obtain by trickery or persuasion"<br />
|| {{w|Forest of Bowland}}<br />
|| In the original Pokémon Red and Blue games Weedle is most notably found in '{{w|Viridian Forest}}' which - like the real-life Forest of Bowland - is known for its diverse wildlife.<br />
|-<br />
| Eeugh<br />
|| An expression of disgust<br />
|| {{w|Kingston-upon-Hull}} (generally just "Hull")<br />
|| Pronounced 'ull by locals<br />
|-<br />
| Crewneck<br />
|| A shirt with a {{w|Crewneck|simple round collar}}.<br />
|| {{w|Blackpool}}<br />
|| There is a town called {{w|Crewe}} somewhat further south than shown in Cheshire.<br />
|-<br />
| Paisley<br />
|| {{w|Paisley, Renfrewshire|No joke}}. It sounds funny to Americans because it's associated with {{w|Paisley (design)|paisley}} fabric, a Persian-style print invented in the town. Possibly a pun on {{w|Parsley|parsley}}, a herb.<br />
|| {{w|Burnley}}<br />
|| The real Paisley is in Scotland, near Glasgow.<br />
|-<br />
| Basil<br />
|| Also {{w|Basil|a herb}}, and {{w|Basil Fawlty|one of the most famous British TV characters}}.<br />
|| {{w|Scunthorpe}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Aidenn<br />
|| An apparent pun on the {{w|Scouse}} accent: {{w|h-dropping}} and {{w|th-fronting}} mean the common "hey, then" would be pronounced "ai denn".<br />
|| {{w|Merseyside}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Hillfolk<br />
|| {{w|Hillfolk}} is an RPG. "-hill" (referring to, well, a hill) is common in British placenames, and "-folk" (referring to a tribe or culture) is seen in ''Suffolk'' and ''Norfolk''. Possibly also a reference to {{w|Hobbits}}, a race of little people that live under hills in The Lord of the Rings.<br />
|| {{w|Manchester}}<br />
|| Manchester's name does in fact reference hills: it means "castle on the {{w|breast-shaped hill}}"<br />
|-<br />
| Waterdown<br />
|| To "water something down" is to weaken it. "-down" is common in British placenames and refers to {{w|Downland|chalk hills}}. Possibly a contraction from the book and movie: Watership Down.<br />
|| Near {{w|Grimsby}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Dubstep<br />
|| {{w|Dubstep}} is a genre of electronic music with a heavy bass line.<br />
|| {{w|Dublin}}<br />
|| Dublin is the only non-UK settlement in the map, and one of two on the island of Ireland.<br />
|-<br />
| Borough-upon-Mappe<br />
|| By being recorded here, this is literally a borough upon a map. The "-upon-" is a common element of placenames for towns on rivers, although there's no River Mappe. Possibly referencing the fact that the town is on a "mappe" (map)?<br />
|| {{w|Lincolnshire Wolds}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Fhqwhgads<br />
|| "[http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Fhqwhgads Fhqwhgads]" is a joke from the Homestar Runner internet cartoon. In the cartoon, the main character read a fanmail that was signed only with a random keyboard mash of characters, which Strong Bad shortened to "Fhqwhgads," a name that became a running gag on the cartoon.<br />
|| {{w|Wrexham}}<br />
|| This is on the Welsh border; Welsh names often look like a mish-mash of consonants to English speakers; within a few miles of Wrexham are towns like {{w|Yr Wyddgrug}} ("Mold" in English), {{w|Cefn-y-bedd}}, {{w|Gwernymynydd}} and {{w|Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Cadbury<br />
|| {{w|Cadbury}} is a British chocolate company.<br />
|| Near {{w|Boston, Lincolnshire}}<br />
|| Cadbury actually built a town for its workers... but it's called {{w|Bournville}}. There are several towns called {{w|Cadbury_(disambiguation)#Places|Cadbury}} in the UK (where the Cadbury family presumably got its name), but none are near here.<br />
|-<br />
| Cabinetry<br />
|| The art of making {{w|cabinets}}.<br />
|| Near {{w|Oswestry}}<br />
||Several towns in the English Midlands have names ending in -try, including Oswestry. "Cabinetry" could be a pun on {{w|Coventry}}, which lies further to the east.<br />
|-<br />
| The Shire<br />
|| {{w|Shire (Middle-earth)|The Shire}} is home to the {{w|Hobbits}} in {{w|Middle-Earth}}<br />
|| {{w|Midlands}}<br />
|| Tolkien drew inspiration for the Shire from the {{w|West Midlands (region)|West Midlands}}, although Tolkien was from the southern part of the Midlands (roughly where Dampshire is on the map).<br />
An internet posting titled [http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/revocation.asp "A Letter to the U.S" after the 2016 Presidential Election"], falsely attributed to John Cleese, could also have been inspiration for this map. It in particular says: "3. You should learn to distinguish English and Australian accents. It really isn't that hard. English accents are not limited to cockney, upper-class twit or Mancunian (Daphne in Frasier). Scottish dramas such as 'Taggart' will no longer be broadcast with subtitles.You must learn that there is no such place as Devonshire in England. The name of the county is "Devon." If you persist in calling it Devonshire, all American States will become "shires" e.g. Texasshire Floridashire, Louisianashire." <br />
|-<br />
| Landmouth<br />
|| Literal description<br />
|| {{w|The Wash}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Brandon<br />
|| {{w|Brandon#United Kingdom|Not a joke}}<br />
|| {{w|The Fens}}<br />
|| There are several Brandons in the UK, the nearest being where "Keebler" is on the map. The area shown is borderline-uninhabitable, as it is marshland and lies mostly below sea-level. Only a few farms and isolated hamlets exist here.<br />
|-<br />
| Hamwich<br />
|| A ham sandwich. Both "-ham" and "-wich" are common generic placenames. The village called simply "Ham" and the other called "Sandwich" are fairly close to each other, with a famous roadsign that points to "Ham Sandwich" between them.<br />
|| {{w|Norwich}}<br />
|| Likely to be coincidence but the "Cheese Hamwich" is a breaded cheese and turkey food product sold by {{w|Bernard_Matthews_Ltd}} whose food processing facility is based not far from this map location.<br />
|-<br />
| West Norsussex<br />
|| Mash-up of {{w|West Sussex}} ("South Saxons") with the obsolete {{w|Wessex}} ("West Saxons") and never extant {{w|Norsex}} ("North Saxons")<br />
|| {{w|Midlands}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Redsox<br />
|| The {{w|Boston Red Sox}} are a baseball team<br />
|| {{w|The Fens}}<br />
|| The Boston Red Sox play at Fenway Park. The map location is not far from the British {{w|Boston, Lincolnshire|Boston}} <br />
|-<br />
| Keebler<br />
|| The {{w|Keebler Elves}} advertise cookies in the US<br />
|| {{w|Elveden}}<br />
|| The name of this village in Thetford Forest means "valley of the elves". <br />
|-<br />
| Bloughshire<br />
|| Most British counties have "-shire" in their name. Originally it meant they were administered by a {{w|sheriff}}. However, they are usually no longer known by those names in Wales.<br />
|| {{w|Powys}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Lionsgate<br />
|| {{w|Lionsgate|A film studio}}<br />
|| {{w|Leicester}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Kingsbottom<br />
|| Another "-bottom". A possible reference to {{w|King's Landing}}, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms of {{w|Westeros}} and one of its districts Fleabottom.<br />
|| {{w|Suffolk Coast National Nature Reserve|Suffolk Coast}}<br />
|| Possibly named for the town of {{w|King's Lynn}}, also located in East Anglia but close to its north coast.<br />
|-<br />
| Aberforth<br />
|| {{w|Aberforth Dumbledore}} is {{w|Albus Dumbledore}}'s brother in the ''Harry Potter'' series. The name is sometimes translated as "from the river", but without any etymological references. "Aber" is Welsh for a "river mouth" or estuary, and is widespread in Wales, and occasionally found due to Celtic influence in other parts of the UK (such as {{w|Aberdeen}}).<br />
|| {{w|Aberystwyth}}<br />
|| {{w|Aberporth}} ("Mouth [of the] port" - the Welsh equivalent of the the English name Portsmouth) is a real town located a little further southwest along the Welsh coast. {{w|Forth}} may be a reference to the {{w|Firth of Forth}} in Scotland, where "Firth" means estuary or fjord, and "Forth" is thought to mean "the open air". Aberforth would literally mean "the mouth of the river Forth", which is the location of {{w|Edinburgh}} in Scotland. Alternatively, "forth" in Welsh could be a soft mutated form of the Welsh name "{{w|Borth}}" (the name of a town - but not a river - a little further north along the coast), which is itself a soft mutated form of the word "porth" meaning port.<br />
|-<br />
| South Norwessex<br />
|| Another mash-up of {{w|Sussex}} ("South Saxons") with the obsolete {{w|Wessex}} ("West Saxons") and never extant {{w|Norsex}} ("North Saxons"). Also southwest of West Norsussex.<br />
|| {{w|Birmingham}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Dryford<br />
|| Would refer to a river crossing without water. "{{w|Ford (crossing)|-ford}}" is a common placename element.<br />
|| {{w|Shropshire Hills}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Frampton<br />
|| There are many {{w|Frampton}}s in the UK. It means "town on the river Frome" - and there are also several {{w|River Frome}}s. The name is famous thanks to rock musician {{w|Peter Frampton}}<br />
|| {{w|Bury St Edmunds}}<br />
||see also "Southframpton"<br />
|-<br />
| Cambridge<br />
|| {{w|Cambridge|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Cambridge}}<br />
|| Cambridge and Oxford, the two most prestigious university towns, are correctly marked. Together, they form {{w|Oxbridge}}<br />
|-<br />
| Kingsfriend<br />
|| Possibly a joke about the royal patronage given to certain towns - for instance, {{w|Bognor Regis}} and {{w|Royal Wootton Bassett}}. Also {{w|Knighton, Powys|Knighton}} (a King's friend?) is very close to this locale, and so is {{w|Kington, Herefordshire|Kington}}.<br />
|| Near the England-Wales border<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Cair Paravel<br />
|| {{w|Cair Paravel}} is the castle where the ruler of {{w|Narnia}} lives in the ''Narnia'' series.<br />
|| {{w|Dedham Vale}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Camelot<br />
|| {{w|Camelot}} was (in legend) {{w|King Arthur}}'s court.<br />
|| Near the England-Wales border<br />
|| The King Arthur myth did in fact originate in the Welsh culture. However, most sites associated with Camelot, such as {{w|Winchester}}, {{w|Glastonbury}} and {{w|Cadbury Castle}}, are in England.<br />
|-<br />
| Nothingham<br />
|| A pun on {{w|Nottingham}}, famous for {{w|Sherwood Forest}}, the legendary home of {{w|Robin Hood}}.<br />
|| Near {{w|Northampton}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Cumberbatch<br />
|| A surname, best known as that of actor {{w|Benedict Cumberbatch}}.<br />
|| {{w|Harlow}}<br />
|| The surname of a famous actress is replaced with that of a famous actor<br />
|-<br />
| Dampshire<br />
|| A pun on the county of {{w|Hampshire}}. Generically a joking reference to any county, particularly of the {{w|West Country}}, to imply it is particularly prone to rain.<br />
|| Gloucestershire<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| The CW<br />
|| {{w|The CW|An American TV channel}}.<br />
|| {{w|Pembrokeshire}}<br />
|| Presumably the placement is a reference to Welsh words such as "cwm" which use W as a vowel.<br />
|-<br />
| Whaling<br />
|| The practice of hunting whales. May be a reference to other -ing towns like {{w|Reading, Berkshire|Reading}} (which is actually pronounced "redding", not "reeding"), and also to its location in Wales.<br />
|| {{w|Merthyr Tydfil}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Paulblart<br />
|| ''{{w|Paul Blart: Mall Cop}}'' is a 2009 comedy film starring Kevin James<br />
|| Near {{w|Chelmsford}}<br />
|| Possibly a humorous contrast with Cumberbatch above, a highbrow British classical actor followed by a lowbrow American movie character.<br />
|-<br />
| Oxford<br />
|| {{w|Oxford|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Oxford}}<br />
|| See Cambridge. Surprisingly, Randall made no attempt to troll readers by switching the locations of Cambridge and Oxford.<br />
|-<br />
| Moorhen<br />
|| The {{w|moorhen}} is a waterfowl.<br />
|| {{w|Gower Peninsula}}<br />
|| Possibly punning on nearby {{w|Swansea}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Cardigan<br />
|| {{w|Cardigan, Ceredigion|No joke}} - it seems funny to Americans because of the {{w|Cardigan (sweater)|knitted sweater}} popularised by the {{w|James Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan|Earl of Cardigan}}<br />
|| {{w|Newport, Wales}}<br />
|| The actual Cardigan is on the west coast. The name may be punning on the city of {{w|Cardiff}}, capital of Wales, which is further south-west.<br />
|-<br />
| BBC Channel 4<br />
|| A composite of {{w|Channel 4}} and the {{w|BBC}} (UK TV operators) confusing the meaning of TV channel with a geographic channel.<br />
|| {{w|Bristol Channel}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| London<br />
|| By virtue of being the capital and largest city, as well as a famous {{w|world city}}, London is one of the few cities in Britain that anyone, no matter how ignorant of British geography, can manage to name correctly.<br />
|| London<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| GMT<br />
|| A reference to {{w|Greenwich Mean Time}}. Shown on the map near the London bourough of Greenwich through which the GMT meridian passes.<br />
|| {{w|Greenwich}} (roughly)<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Corbyn<br />
|| A reference to leader of the UK {{w|Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party}} {{w|Jeremy Corbyn}}.<br />
|| {{w|The Cotswolds}}<br />
|| May be a confusion with the town of {{w|Corby}} although it is not near the location shown.<br />
|-<br />
| Tems-upon-Thames<br />
|| A joke about the counter-intuitive pronunciation of {{w|Thames}}.<br />
|| {{w|Rochester}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Minas Tirith<br />
|| {{w|Minas Tirith}} is the capital of Gondor in ''Lord of the Rings'' and is built on the side of a mountain.<br />
|| {{w|Bristol}}<br />
|| Clifton Village, in Bristol, is built on the side of the Avon Gorge so could be compared to {{w|Minas Tirith}}. Nearby {{w|Cheddar Gorge}} is famous for its steep cliffs that resemble the landscape from Lord of the Rings. <br />
|-<br />
| Hogsmeade<br />
|| {{w|Hogsmeade}} is the nearest village to Hogwarts in the ''Harry Potter'' books.<br />
|| {{w|Dover}}<br />
|| The fictional Hogsmeade was in Scotland. Randall shows the {{w|Channel Tunnel}} running from there, a possible reference to Hogsmeade's secret connections to Hogwarts.<br />
|-<br />
| Tubemap<br />
|| The {{w|Tube Map}} is the map of the {{w|London Underground}}, widely considered a masterpiece of design.<br />
|| {{w|Outer London}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Cambnewton<br />
|| {{w|Cam Newton}} is quarterback for the {{w|Carolina Panthers}}. "Cam-" is common for placenames on any of the several British rivers called "{{w|Cam River|Cam}}", while "Newton" means "new town". Also possibly a pun on Camden Town, a touristic district in North London, although not its actual location on the map.<br />
|| {{w|West Country}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Efrafa<br />
|| Efrafa is a rabbit warren in the story ''{{w|Watership Down}}''.<br />
|| {{w|Chidden}}<br />
|| According to the story, the warren is located roughly here - the real {{w|Watership Down, Hampshire|Watership Down}} is in Hampshire.<br />
|-<br />
| Chansey<br />
|| {{w|Chansey|Another Pokémon}}. "-sey" is a common suffix meaning "island".<br />
|| {{w|Dungeness (headland|Dungeness}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Oughghough<br />
|| Playing on common place name elements, "oughghough" has no clear pronunciation under the rules of English. It could be "Uff-guff", "Oo-gow", "Uh-guh" or any combination of these sounds. The name looks similar to the real {{w|Loughborough}} ("Luff-bruh")<br />
|| {{w|Barnstaple}}<br />
|| Legend has it that Loughborough was once pronounced 'Loogabarooga' by a visiting Australian.<br />
|-<br />
| Sundial<br />
|| A {{w|sundial}} is a clock using a shadow to tell the time.<br />
|| {{w|Wiltshire}}<br />
|| The location roughly corresponds with {{w|Stonehenge}}, an ancient stone circle that was likely used to track the sun (though as a ritual calendar, rather than a clock)<br />
|-<br />
| Dobby<br />
|| {{w|Magical_creatures_in_Harry_Potter#Dobby|Dobby}} is a character in {{w|Harry Potter}}.<br />
|| {{w|Southampton}}<br />
|| Similar to {{w|Derby}}.<br />
|-<br />
| Lower Bottom<br />
|| Another -bottom. Also a redundancy, as the "bottom" is the lowest place by definition.<br />
|| {{w|Devon}}<br />
||<br />
|-<br />
| Southframpton<br />
|| A confusion with {{w|Southampton}} which is nearby the location shown. The use of the postfix "frampton" is a reference to the "Frampton" elsewhere on the map, just as Southampton is distinguished from {{w|Northampton}}.<br />
|| {{w|Milford on Sea}}<br />
|| Frampton happens to be a common surname in the area.<br />
|-<br />
| Blandford<br />
|| {{w|Blandford|No joke}}<br />
|| {{w|Cornwall}}<br />
|| The real Blandford is a bit further east, in Dorset, roughly under the m in 'Southframpton'.<br />
|-<br />
| Menthol<br />
|| {{w|Menthol}} is a chemical with minty taste that produces a cooling sensation, and is used in mints and flavoured cigarettes.<br />
|| {{w|Eastbourne}}<br />
|| Possibly a reference to Methil in Fife (but possibly not).<br />
|-<br />
| West Sea<br />
|| Literal description.<br />
|| {{w|Atlantic Ocean}}<br />
|| Historically, this was the name for the ocean off the UK's west coast. According to the {{w|Shipping Forecast#Region names|list of sea areas}} used in the UK's {{w|Shipping Forecast}}, that region of sea is called "Lundy"<br />
|-<br />
| Tarp<br />
|| Tarp, short for {{w|tarpaulin}}, is a waterproof sheet for storage and weather protection.<br />
|| {{w|Teignmouth}}<br />
|| <br />
|-<br />
| Longbit<br />
|| Literal description.<br />
|| {{w|Cornwall}}<br />
|| <br />
|}<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
<br />
: [A black-and-white map of Great Britain. The detail on the map is minimal, showing mainly the outlines of the land, upward-pointing angles<!-- is there a better way to describe these? --> representing mountains, and points representing cities. The only other features are a small drawing of a protractor south of one peninsula, and a lake with two small sailboats on the west side of the largest landmass. The caption in the upper-right states in large letters "A BRITISH MAP," then in smaller letters underneath, "LABELED BY AN AMERICAN." Most of the map's area is covered by labels for various features, which are listed below.]<br />
<br />
<nowiki><br />
In Scotland, from north to south<br />
Helcaraxë<br />
Blick<br />
Everdeen<br />
Norther Sea (to the west)<br />
Highlands<br />
Loch Lomond<br />
Fjordham<br />
Glassdoor<br />
Eavestroughs<br />
Seasedge<br />
Meowth<br />
Chough<br />
Blighton<br />
Glutenfree<br />
<br />
In England, from north to south<br />
Eyemouth<br />
Earhand<br />
Hairskull<br />
Lakebottom<br />
Braintree<br />
Skinflower<br />
Weedle<br />
Bjork<br />
Crewneck<br />
Paisley<br />
Eeugh<br />
Aidenn<br />
Basil<br />
Hillfolk<br />
Waterdown<br />
Borough-Upon-Mappe<br />
Cadbury<br />
Landmouth (to the East)<br />
The Shire<br />
West Norsussex<br />
Redsox<br />
Hamwich<br />
Lionsgate<br />
Keebler<br />
South Norwessex<br />
Kingsbottom<br />
Cambridge<br />
Frampton<br />
Nothingham<br />
Cair Paravel<br />
Dampshire<br />
Cumberbatch<br />
Oxford<br />
Paulblart<br />
Corbyn<br />
London<br />
GMT<br />
BBC Channel 4 (to the West)<br />
Minas Tirith<br />
Tems-Upon-Thames<br />
Tubemap<br />
Hogsmeade<br />
Cambnewton<br />
Oughghough<br />
Efrafa<br />
Chansey<br />
Sundial<br />
Lower Bottom<br />
Dobby<br />
Menthol<br />
West Sea (to the West)<br />
Blandford<br />
Southframpton<br />
Tarp<br />
Longbit<br />
<br />
In Whales, from north to south<br />
Fhqwhgads<br />
Cabinetry<br />
Bloughshire<br />
Aberforth<br />
Dryford<br />
Kingsfriend<br />
Camelot<br />
The CW<br />
Whaling<br />
Moorhen<br />
Cardigan<br />
<br />
In Northern Ireland<br />
Belfast Devoe<br />
<br />
In the Republic of Ireland<br />
Dubstep<br />
</nowiki><br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Maps]]</div>162.158.155.56https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1853:_Once_Per_Day&diff=1416571853: Once Per Day2017-06-21T17:05:20Z<p>162.158.155.56: /* Explanation */ more links</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1853<br />
| date = June 21, 2017<br />
| title = Once Per Day<br />
| image = once_per_day.png<br />
| titletext = I'm not totally locked into my routine—twice a year, I take a break to change the batteries in my smoke detectors.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Stub. Links? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[Cueball]] has made the life choice that his routine consists of only things that the news has told him exactly how often to do. This includes, once per day:<br />
*Eat an [http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-reasons-to-eat-an-apple-a-day.html apple] <br />
*Eat an [http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/11November/Pages/Eating-one-egg-a-day-may-lower-risk-of-stroke.aspx egg]<br />
*Take one [http://www.webmd.com/men/features/aspirin-day-not aspirin]<br />
*Eat a piece of [http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition-pictures/delicious-reasons-to-eat-dark-chocolate.aspx dark chocolate]<br />
*Drink [http://www.lifescript.com/diet-fitness/tips/y/your_weight-loss_solution_drink_6_glasses_of_water_a_day.aspx six glasses of water]<br />
*Drink [http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410287,00.html one glass of red wine]<br />
*Drink [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/17/coffee-health-benefits_n_4102133.html a cup of coffee]<br />
*Drink a cup of tea<br />
*Get 30 minutes of exercise<br />
*Get 8 hours of sleep<br />
And, in the title text:<br />
*Two times a year, change your smoke detector batteries.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[Megan speaking to Cueball]<br />
<br />
Megan: Got any plans for the day?<br />
<br />
Cueball: I'm going to eat an apple, an egg, one baby aspirin, and a piece of dark chocolate, drink six glasses of water, one glass of red wine, a cup of coffee, and a cup of tea, then do 30 minutes exercise. Then back to sleep for another 8 hours!<br />
<br />
[Below panel]<br />
<br />
I only do things that news stories have specifically told me to do once per day.<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>162.158.155.56https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1853:_Once_Per_Day&diff=1416551853: Once Per Day2017-06-21T16:38:00Z<p>162.158.155.56: some links</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1853<br />
| date = June 21, 2017<br />
| title = Once Per Day<br />
| image = once_per_day.png<br />
| titletext = I'm not totally locked into my routineâtwice a year, I take a break to change the batteries in my smoke detectors.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Stub. Links? Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[[Cueball]] has made the life choice that his routine consists of only things that the news has told him exactly how often to do. This includes, once per day:<br />
*Eat an [http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-reasons-to-eat-an-apple-a-day.html apple] <br />
*Eat an [http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/11November/Pages/Eating-one-egg-a-day-may-lower-risk-of-stroke.aspx egg]<br />
*Take one [http://www.webmd.com/men/features/aspirin-day-not aspirin]<br />
*Eat a piece of [http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition-pictures/delicious-reasons-to-eat-dark-chocolate.aspx dark chocolate]<br />
*Drink six glasses of water<br />
*Drink one glass of red wine<br />
*Drink a cup of coffee<br />
*Drink a cup of tea<br />
*Get 30 minutes of exercise<br />
*Get 8 hours of sleep<br />
And, in the title text:<br />
*Two times a year, change your smoke detector batteries.<br />
<br />
==Transcript==<br />
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br />
<br />
[Megan speaking to Cueball]<br />
<br />
Megan: Got any plans for the day?<br />
<br />
Cueball: I'm going to eat an apple, an egg, one baby aspirin, and a piece of dark chocolate, drink six glasses of water, one glass of red wine, a cup of coffee, and a cup of tea, then do 30 minutes exercise. Then back to sleep for another 8 hours!<br />
<br />
[Below panel]<br />
<br />
I only do things that news stories have specifically told me to do once per day.<br />
<br />
<br />
{{comic discussion}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br />
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]]</div>162.158.155.56https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1796:_Focus_Knob&diff=1350151796: Focus Knob2017-02-09T10:32:14Z<p>162.158.155.56: /* Explanation */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{comic<br />
| number = 1796<br />
| date = February 8, 2017<br />
| title = Focus Knob<br />
| image = focus_knob.png<br />
| titletext = Maybe if I spin it back and forth really fast I can do some kind of pulse-width modulation.<br />
}}<br />
<br />
==Explanation==<br />
{{incomplete|Although e-mail details may be applicable to a work project, there is nothing to indicate that this is related to a project. It could just as well be a panic over the big picture of the world today. Alternative interpretation needed}}<br />
<br />
The comic is a pun. Normally, a rotary {{w|control knob}} is used for adjusting parameters in instruments, and the parameter "focus" is used to adjust the {{w|focal length}} on microscopes, telescopes, and other lens-based equipment. Here, however, the "focus knob" is used for Randall's {{w|Attention|personal sense of focus}} -- that is, how focused he is on his work and productivity, with the extremes of focus being towards ''Detail-Oriented'' (small details) and the ''Big Picture'' respectively. (A similar knob was used in [[1620: Christmas Settings]]).<br />
<br />
The healthy balance, Randall suggests, is focusing mostly towards the ''Big Picture'' (two thirds of the way towards the ''Big Picture'' between ticks 24 and 25 out of 37), while keeping an eye on the details by still staying one third ''Detail-Oriented''. Focusing too much on the big picture can ensure nothing gets done, leading to {{w|panic}} and {{w|Existential crisis|existential paralysis}}. Unfortunately, the range of healthy balance appears to be vanishingly small and difficult to reach; additionally, if we assume the knob can only stop at the little ticks marked along the outside, there is no way to set it in the window of ''Healthy Focus''. <br />
<br />
While performing any task (including your daily life), it is easy to get so lost in the details that you forget the big picture. It is also equally easy to think too much about the big picture and make vague plans while missing out on the details.<br />
<br />
It is clear that at the moment Randall is mainly focusing on the small details fiddling with his e-mail settings as the knob is set to the 13th tick only just past one third away from ''Detail-Oriented''. He thus seems to try to avoid seeing the big picture right now, since it is his personal knob to set as he wishes.<br />
<br />
Existential crises stemming from Randall getting worried about realizing how serious the state of the world is today (at the time of the comics release) are a common punchline in xkcd. With all the crises going on around the world, people get bombarded with these negative stories if they follow the news, either on TV, in news papers of on any social media (See [[1773: Negativity]]), especially on Facebook (see [[1761: Blame]]). It can thus become very overwhelming, if people do not focus more on their e-mail settings! This goes especially in a time like this, where many panics on Facebook due to for instance wars and conflicts around the world (like in {{w|Syrian Civil War|Syria}}), talk about [[:Category:Climate change|climate change]], or all the {{w|List of executive actions by Donald Trump|executive orders}} currently being signed by the recently {{w|Inauguration of Donald Trump|inaugurated}} President {{w|Donald Trump}}, who took office less than three weeks before this comic's release. See more about these issues and other recently released [[1756:_I'm_With_Her#Sad_comics|sad comics here]]. <br />
<br />
Getting to deep into all this could cause the kind of panic attacks that could lead to the existential paralysis mentioned on the right side of the knob. It is these that Randall may be trying to avoid by keeping his focus firmly in the realm of e-mail settings rather than anywhere near the big picture.<br />
<br />
The joke in the title text relates to Randall's use of an old fashioned analog control, probably a {{w|potentiometer|potentiometer}}, in the graphic versus a more electronically modern and efficient switching system. Randall imagines a replacement control using {{w|pulse-width modulation}} (PWM), which is a technique often used to control the {{w|Switched-mode_power_supply|regulation in electronic power supplies}} or the [http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/blog/pulse-width-modulation.html speed of electric motors] with far greater power efficiency than simpler analog controllers. This technique consists of shifting between fully on and fully off states so that the average is the expected output, but no power is wasted by holding the control mechanism "partially on". For example switching back and forth between 0 and 1, spending half the time in each position will lead to a mean value of 0.5. To code 0.67 (the ''healthy balance''), Randall would have to spend more time in the extreme big picture position (67% of the time) than in the detail-oriented position. In the real world of course, a person switching so radically and completely between attention states might get diagnosed with some sort of {{w|Mania|mania}}.But the knob might just be switched between the dividers bordering the healthy zone, creating the perfect balance<br />
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==Transcript==<br />
:[Caption above the drawing:]<br />
:Personal Focus<br />
<br />
:[A gray rotary control knob with the range of options divided by 37 small ticks on a black semi circle that extends over 270 degrees from 45 degrees past "6 o'clock" and around to 45 degrees before that "time" on the other side. The first and last tick are a bit larger than the other 35. The knob has a black line that indicates that the knob's setting is on the 13th line from left. This also seem to indicate that the knob can only point to the ticks and not in between them. At the bottom left and right where the semi circle begins and ends there are two labels in normal black text:]<br />
:Left: Detail-Oriented<br />
:Right: Big Picture<br />
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:[Above and all along the black semi circle with the range, another semi circle is drawn in light gray. This has been divided into three sections, with two large sections left and right forming the actual semi circle which here consist of two double ended arrows pointing to four stopping lines orthogonal to the gray arrows pointing at them. The left and right stopping lines are above the larger left and right end ticks below. The other two stops are very near each other, the left just slightly past the 24th tick (from left) and the next is just short of the next 25th tick (but not as near as the other line was to the 24th tick). There is no line or arrow between these two very close stopping lines. There are three labels. The labels for the first section (spanning slightly more than 24 ticks) and the second section (spanning a bit more 13 ticks) have their labels written next to the arrows, which has been broken in order to have the text written next to the black semi circle. The remaining small space lies between the 24th and 25th tick, and it thus have no possible settings within it - i.e. no tick is inside this section, and it is the only part not encompassed by the two double arrows. It is labeled to the right of it, and a line goes from the label down to indicate this small section. All the above including the text is drawn in the same light gray color. Note that Randall has misspelled "existential" in the right section label.]<br />
:Left section: <span style="color: gray;">Fiddling with email settings</span><br />
:Right section: <span style="color: gray;">Panic and <!--NOTE existential misspelled in the comic so leave it here as is, see Trivia-->existental paralysis</span> <br />
:Small section: <span style="color: gray;">Healthy balance</span><br />
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==Trivia==<br />
*Randall has misspelled existential as ''existental'' with only one "i"!<br />
**Maybe because of his paralysis (which he did manage to spell correctly).<br />
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{{comic discussion}}<br />
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