Editing 992: Mnemonics

| titletext = Sailor Moon's head exploded once' and 'Some men have explosive orgasms' both work for the Great Lakes from west to east (Paddle-to-the-Sea order).

A {{w|mnemonic}} is any trick that makes memorization easier. For memorizing a sequence of names, a common type of mnemonic takes the initials of the sequence and invents another phrase to them. For example, the order of operations goes '''P'''arentheses, '''E'''xponentiation, '''M'''ultiplication and '''D'''ivision, '''A'''ddition and '''S'''ubtraction, and the traditional mnemonic goes '''P'''lease '''E'''xcuse '''M'''y '''D'''ear '''A'''unt '''S'''ally. To make them more memorable, mnemonics are usually quite silly and often vulgar. In this comic, Randall invents various scientific mnemonics, some of them as suggested replacements for traditional ones.

The category is listed at the top of the box, the members are listed below that. Then there is the traditional mnemonic that children are usually taught in school to help them remember. Below the comic is one or two options for new mnemonics suggested by Randall. The top one is illustrated in the frame.

*{{w|SI}} Prefixes are the prefixes for the systems of units from large to small and since there are so many, the mnemonic needs two lines.

**{{w|Karl Marx}}, as visible in the comic, was a German philosopher and economist who, among other things, invented the ideas of socialism and communism. Central to his ideas was the {{w|dictatorship of the proletariat}}, or the working class achieved by an uprising of the lower class, which taken literally could be done using zeppelins.

*{{w|Taxonomy}} is the science of identifying and naming species. {{w|Katy Perry}}, portrayed in the panel, is an {{w|United States|American}} {{w|pop music}} singer, whose popular songs are ones like "Fireworks" or "I Kissed A Girl".

*In the geologic periods frame, the illustration is of a month's worth of "the pill" a common contraceptive.

*In {{w|Resistor}} Color Codes, {{w|Glenn Beck}} is in the illustration.  Beck is a far-right conservative commentator in the US, who used to have a show on the {{w|Fox News}} Network.

**The sign Glenn Beck is holding is a reference to [[966: Jet Fuel]].

**The prevailing mnemonic for resistor color codes is pretty terrible (and memorable), hence Randall's comment "none I care for".

*In the Planets frame, the illustration is of Mary and Joseph, who in the story of the Birth of Jesus in the Bible, were mother and father to Jesus. However, Mary's conception of Jesus was from God and Mary was still considered a virgin. This mnemonic shows Joseph not really believing that story. Ironically the upstairs neighbour could have multiple meanings as you can't get more upstairs than heaven and thus God. Given the stance most xkcd comics take on religion, it is likely a corporeal neighbor that is being suspected, but it is curious that a neighbor of the upstairs variety is specifically referenced especially given the lack of urban density in the time of Christ.  

**Most traditional Planets mnemonics include Pluto, which was "officially" considered a planet before 2006.

*The title text offers two {{w|Great Lakes}} mnemonics.

**{{w|Sailor Moon}} is a manga series.

**{{w|Paddle-to-the-Sea}} is an illustrated children's book by Holling C. Holling about a toy boat's journey through the Great Lakes.

XKCD Presents: Some New Science Mnemonics

Pattern goes:  

((Subject

Traditional mnemonic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katy Perry: I'm not sure who doubts this, really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'''Planets'''

 

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

 

Traditional: My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nachos

 

[A pregnant Mary attempting to explain things to an incredulous Joseph]

 

Mary's "Virgin" Explanation Made Joseph Suspect Upstairs Neighbor.