Editing 2472: Fuzzy Blob
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| + | {{incomplete|Created by an IRREGULARITY IN THE ZONING PERMITS. More discussion of specifics of comic events (leap to cloaking device from nothing, involvement of historic church by historic committee to raise awareness of historic church being misunderstood as church is cloaked dome by media.) Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | ||
| − | + | Cueball is taking a picture of his house, but sees a large fuzzy blob on the side of the picture. This blob clearly comes from Cueball making the mistake of putting one of his fingers partially in front of the lens. This is a common enough occurrence with smartphones or compact cameras that an ordinary user should immediately be able to identify the problem; however, the comic derives humor from having no one in the comic come to this conclusion, and accordingly taking it very seriously as a perplexing mystery. | |
| − | Cueball is taking a picture of his house, but sees a large fuzzy blob on the side of the picture. This blob comes from Cueball making the mistake of putting one of his fingers partially in front of the lens. This is a common enough occurrence with smartphones or compact cameras that an ordinary user should immediately be able to identify the problem; however, the comic derives humor from having no one in the comic come to this conclusion, and accordingly taking it very seriously as a perplexing mystery. | ||
Likely, this comic stems from the resurgent talk of {{w|Unidentified Flying Objects}} (UFO) now dubbed "{{w|Unidentified Aerial Phenomena}}" (UAP) The topic regained popularity after the {{w|Department of Defense}} (DoD), recently [https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/04/politics/pentagon-ufo-enquiry/index.html confirmed the authenticity of 3 videos] taken by {{w|United States Navy|US Naval}} personnel. It has been much discussed in mainstream news, not just among {{w|extraterrestrial}} enthusiasts or {{w|conspiracy theorists}}, some of whom have created {{w|QAnon}} spin-off theories. | Likely, this comic stems from the resurgent talk of {{w|Unidentified Flying Objects}} (UFO) now dubbed "{{w|Unidentified Aerial Phenomena}}" (UAP) The topic regained popularity after the {{w|Department of Defense}} (DoD), recently [https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/04/politics/pentagon-ufo-enquiry/index.html confirmed the authenticity of 3 videos] taken by {{w|United States Navy|US Naval}} personnel. It has been much discussed in mainstream news, not just among {{w|extraterrestrial}} enthusiasts or {{w|conspiracy theorists}}, some of whom have created {{w|QAnon}} spin-off theories. | ||
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Randall has previously expressed skepticism about claims of witnesses who claim to have seen unproven phenomena (including 'flying saucers', as well as supernatural events and cryptozoological specimens) based on the simple reality enough people carry cameras that they would be constantly captured in photos and videos. (See [[1235: Settled]]). | Randall has previously expressed skepticism about claims of witnesses who claim to have seen unproven phenomena (including 'flying saucers', as well as supernatural events and cryptozoological specimens) based on the simple reality enough people carry cameras that they would be constantly captured in photos and videos. (See [[1235: Settled]]). | ||
| − | In this strip Randall appears cases where phenomena ''have'' been caught on film, but are generally unclear and ambiguous. He appears to be suggesting that there are generally simpler explanations for what we see in the videos | + | In this strip Randall appears cases where phenomena ''have'' been caught on film, but are generally unclear and ambiguous. He appears to be suggesting that there are generally simpler explanations for what we see in the videos that objects of alien origin. Examples in the past have turned out to be things, such as birds, dirt on camera lenses, and lights being reflected of glass windows or bodies of water. The fact that many people seem uninterested in the more mundane and likely explanations and assume these videos are proof of alien crafts is mocked here. |
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| − | + | It's worth noting that Randall is a strong enthusiast for space exploration, and has expressed certainty that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the galaxy. This strip is likely not intended to mock belief that other intelligences exist, but instead to make fun of excessive credulity, and point out that [https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php/2359:_Evidence_of_Alien_Life any definitive conclusion of aliens is overhyped]. | |
The tendency to make unwarranted connections to unrelated but synchronous 'evidence' is shown in the title text. Investigation of this phenomena has brought to light 'irregularities' in the local {{w|Zoning|zoning permits}}. Such irregularities are extremely common in most bureaucracies, and may be the result of mundane corruption, incompetence, honest mistakes in a complex system, or the result of complexities that make consistent documents difficult or impossible. To connect such irregularities to an identified image does not follow logically, as both are pretty normal occurrences. However, conspiracy theories make similar leaps all the time, insisting that some case of corruption, bad decision by a government official, or developing social problem is proof of a conspiracy, rather than a very normal government problem. | The tendency to make unwarranted connections to unrelated but synchronous 'evidence' is shown in the title text. Investigation of this phenomena has brought to light 'irregularities' in the local {{w|Zoning|zoning permits}}. Such irregularities are extremely common in most bureaucracies, and may be the result of mundane corruption, incompetence, honest mistakes in a complex system, or the result of complexities that make consistent documents difficult or impossible. To connect such irregularities to an identified image does not follow logically, as both are pretty normal occurrences. However, conspiracy theories make similar leaps all the time, insisting that some case of corruption, bad decision by a government official, or developing social problem is proof of a conspiracy, rather than a very normal government problem. | ||
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:Click | :Click | ||
| − | :[The picture he has taken is shown below. The picture is lying tilted compared to the panel, and shows the house but with a fuzzy | + | :[The picture he has taken is shown below. The picture is lying tilted compared to the panel, and shows the house but with a fuzzy skin colored blob covering the left part of the picture, just touching the left side of the house. Above and partly over the picture is a small frame with Cueball's response when he sees the picture:] |
:What the... | :What the... | ||
