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We have collaboratively explained 5 xkcd comics, and only 3193 (99.84%) remain. Add yours while there's a chance — or extend incomplete descriptions!
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| Double-Pronged Extension Cord |
 Title text: 'Oh, and can I borrow 50 sacks of loose flour, a pile of lithium-ion batteries, a bucket of bleach, and a bucket of vinega--' 'NO!!!!!!' |
Explanation
As ponytail correctly points out, extension cords with prongs on both ends are lethally dangerous. They are also known as suicide cords for this reason.
Ponytail seems to relax when she persuades Cueball to use a regular extension cord instead, but then he elaborates that he is performing an experiment similar to Louis Slotin's infamous "Tickling the dragon's tail" experiment, which proved fatal. Understandably, this horrifies Ponytail even more.
Transcript
- [Cueball is approaching Ponytail from off, who is sitting at a desk, with a laptop.]
- Cueball: Do you have an extension cord with prongs at both ends? Can I borrow it?
- Ponytail: No!!!
- [Close up of Ponytail raising her arms in an exasperated fashion]
- Ponytail: No one should ever buy or make those!
- Ponytail: They start fires, destroy equipment, and risk electrocuting you or grid workers!
- Cueball: OK, OK, I get it.
- [The view zooms back out, showing Ponytail handing Cueball an extension cord.]
- Cueball: Can I just borrow a regular cord, then?
- Ponytail: Sure. Here.
- Cueball: The prongs aren't important. I just thought they'd help anchor it to the wall.
- Ponytail: Wait, what are you-
- [Cueball is walking away from Ponytail, who sits at her desk with her hands to her head.]
- Cueball: I need it to help hold up the top half of the reflector for this plutonium core that I'm-
- Ponytail: AAAAAAAA!!!!
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