0464: "RBA"

[Contradiction]

I thought this post was comic was going to be about the Reserve Bank of Australia... mightily disappointed!

[pacific14586]

Is it just me, or has the comic lost most of its coding and math content recently? Like, it's all about Morgan Freeman and internet memes and sometimes romance. Where's the nerd humor anymore?

[jeszjesz]

It's a good thing she said "I think" instead of "I know", otherwise she'd have to have a Silkwood. Once women know the truth about men it's all over for the species.

[stormoftara]

I did a reverse Bell-Air once! EVERYONE SAID I WAS DOING IT WRONG! I was just too advanced for them! MWAHAHAHAHAHHA!

[sje46]

Is it just me, or has the comic lost most of its coding and math content recently? Like, it's all about Morgan Freeman and internet memes and sometimes romance. Where's the nerd humor anymore?

Meh. It's still nerdy. And to tell the truth I don't really get all the coding and math ones. But the site has lot a lot of traffic, actually.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traff ... s/xkcd.com

[lysandra]

Is it just me, or has the comic lost most of its coding and math content recently? Like, it's all about Morgan Freeman and internet memes and sometimes romance. Where's the nerd humor anymore?

Meh. It's still nerdy. And to tell the truth I don't really get all the coding and math ones. But the site has lot a lot of traffic, actually.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traff ... s/xkcd.com

What's with the drop then ?

[sje46]

Is it just me, or has the comic lost most of its coding and math content recently? Like, it's all about Morgan Freeman and internet memes and sometimes romance. Where's the nerd humor anymore?

Meh. It's still nerdy. And to tell the truth I don't really get all the coding and math ones. But the site has lot a lot of traffic, actually.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traff ... s/xkcd.com

What's with the drop then ?

I have no idea. I've been trying to figure it out.
Of course, the information is like a week behind. Maybe it went up the last few comics?

[Jenner]

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

Examples of Bel-air vs Reverse Bel-air is as so:

Bel-air:
I ate some pretty bad food at this really dingy diner last night and I think I may have gotten food poisoning. I've been up all night with a stomach ache and lets say nothing about what's been going on below that. I just don't understand /b/, what should I do? I mean, it wasn't like I ate that much of it. I just got in one little fight and my mom got scared and said you're moving in with your auntie and uncle in Bel-air.

Reverse Bel-air:
Now this is a story all about how my life got flip-turned upside down and I'd like to take a minute just sit right there I'll tell you how I got arrested for soliciting a minor while just waiting for my nephew to get out of elementary school with my stereo blaring. It's tragic really, serve and protect my butt.

As you can see, the Bel-air melds the song into the end of the conversation, and you suddenly realize they're singing Fresh Prince. Whereas the reverse starts with Fresh Prince and then merges in the relevant conversation.


"Just sit right there" is usually the best place to start a reverse (as seen in the comic) and "...got in one little fight" is the predominant shift.

For TRUE EXPERTS of Bel-Air though I challenge the COVERT BEL-AIR.

Where you hide the song lyrics in your post:

Just bear with me for a moment people, because, now this, is a story. I was taking a road trip with a friend to Virgina and he was telling me all about how he had been a boy scout in his youth and had gotten all the way up to eagle scout before his life got flipped and he realized he wanted to change his way of living but didn't know how to go about it. So he got all of his prerogatives turned upside-down and really began to re-contemplate his life. Overwhelmed by this moment of existentialness I told him, "If you'd like to take a minute, I'll still be here for you." This seemed to relieve him and it was good to provide him some support in his time of need, perhaps it was a mid-life crisis. Some time passed and we stopped to get gas. He got up before me and told me to just sit right there and that he'd pump the gas for me. So I did, when he returned to the car he told me that he'd finally reached his epiphany and then he apologized for yammering my ear off for all those hours and told me it was my turn. So, I told him all about how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air.

I altered it a bit in places, but not bad for a first try.

[thornae]

My actual, real life initials are RBA.

I had a bit of a weird moment when I saw the title for this one in my feed reader...

[RainbowPony]

I'm in love with this comic.

I always preferred the Bel-Air to the Rickroll. After a family summer trip a few years ago, I came back telling people in a serious manner how I had sex with my cousin and how my mom found out and she got scared and said I was moving with my Auntie and Uncle in Bel-Air. I whistled for a cab promptly after.

I wished I could find the YouTube video of the first time I saw a BA, it was fairly popular /b/tard at the time saying her parents found out what she was doing and then she BA'd.

[broken_chaos]

Is it just me, or has the comic lost most of its coding and math content recently? Like, it's all about Morgan Freeman and internet memes and sometimes romance. Where's the nerd humor anymore?

Meh. It's still nerdy. And to tell the truth I don't really get all the coding and math ones. But the site has lot a lot of traffic, actually.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traff ... s/xkcd.com

What's with the drop then ?

I'm going to guess summertime. Lots of people going on vacations, spending less time on computers, and so on. Probably pick up again when September rolls around.

[Forbidden]

Finally! I understood it! I spent like thirty minutes of searching throughout the Internet but it was oh so worth it. Probably one of my favorite comic (perhaps due to the difficulty to understand it). And thanks to it, I am now fully aware of the rick-roll/bel-air thing!

[McHell]

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

For TRUE EXPERTS of Bel-Air though I challenge the COVERT BEL-AIR.

Well, read that way both the bible and most of Bill Shakey's works are CBA's --- as long as they contain most of the words in the correct order (interspersed with a page or two of plot). I think you need a stricter definition, e.g. each line has to appear in its entirity or at least half of it.

[lysandra]

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

For TRUE EXPERTS of Bel-Air though I challenge the COVERT BEL-AIR.

Well, read that way both the bible and most of Bill Shakey's works are CBA's --- as long as they contain most of the words in the correct order (interspersed with a page or two of plot). I think you need a stricter definition, e.g. each line has to appear in its entirity or at least half of it.

It would be hilarious if someone used the Bible code software and found this in there

[Jenner]

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

For TRUE EXPERTS of Bel-Air though I challenge the COVERT BEL-AIR.

Well, read that way both the bible and most of Bill Shakey's works are CBA's --- as long as they contain most of the words in the correct order (interspersed with a page or two of plot). I think you need a stricter definition, e.g. each line has to appear in its entirity or at least half of it.

You might have a point. I did cheat a bit on mine by altering a few lines. I'll have to see what I can come up with tomorrow later today.

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

For TRUE EXPERTS of Bel-Air though I challenge the COVERT BEL-AIR.

Well, read that way both the bible and most of Bill Shakey's works are CBA's --- as long as they contain most of the words in the correct order (interspersed with a page or two of plot). I think you need a stricter definition, e.g. each line has to appear in its entirity or at least half of it.

It would be hilarious if someone used the Bible code software and found this in there

The hardest phrase to find in the bible from the song is probably going to be "I whistled for a cab and when it came near the license plate said, "Fresh" and there was dice in the mirror..." Especially KJV (King James Version)

"Verily this art a tale all about how thine life be twist turned upside-down and I wouldst like to take a moment just sit right there, I shalt tell thee all about how I became the Prince (of Peace) of a town called Bel-Air"

[michael24easilybored]

leaving aside the reverse bel-air part, I do think randall is summing up the relationship a friend of mine has with his girlfriend quite well in recent comics. Just being in a relationship for the sake of it and being a bit needy. She treats him really badly too and quite a lot of his friends think he'd be better off without her, I'm tempted to show him the xkcd comics

[Red Hal]

OK, so... clearly I've been reading this comic too long. Because at first glance I thought that:

1. The "Reverse Bel-Air" is a sex move, possibly made up for the purposes of this comic;
2. The guy in the strip is using it on the girl in the last panel to try to change her mind.

Let the laughing at what a dork I am commence.

No, I thought the same. I was aware of the BA and the RBA, but I still think the comic works better in your scenario; even better if it applies to both her statements and his response.

[ThemePark]

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

...

Just bear with me for a moment people, because, now this, is a story. I was taking a road trip with a friend to Virgina and he was telling me all about how he had been a boy scout in his youth and had gotten all the way up to eagle scout before his life got flipped and he realized he wanted to change his way of living but didn't know how to go about it. So he got all of his prerogatives turned upside-down and really began to re-contemplate his life. Overwhelmed by this moment of existentialness I told him, "If you'd like to take a minute, I'll still be here for you." This seemed to relieve him and it was good to provide him some support in his time of need, perhaps it was a mid-life crisis. Some time passed and we stopped to get gas. He got up before me and told me to just sit right there and that he'd pump the gas for me. So I did, when he returned to the car he told me that he'd finally reached his epiphany and then he apologized for yammering my ear off for all those hours and told me it was my turn. So, I told him all about how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air.

I altered it a bit in places, but not bad for a first try.

You're doing it wrong.

Ah, references. And referees too.

Anyway, you're all wrong. It is, of course, a wrestling move.

[Mez]

I'd rather be rickrolled in my wedding vows.

[toughlove]

In the Bel-Air and the reverse Bel-Air, do you SING the serious bits or just talk it?

Also, I didn't particularly like this comic mainly due to the fact that it was a very American pop-culture reference and so I felt a bit left out, and confused. Did they show it in Australia? I have no idea.
But I DO know I've never seen Will Smith with THAT hair style before.

[SoNick]

I liked the song before the stupid meme, but now I can't listen to it without thinking of 4chan.
This comic just reminded me all over again.

[strat1227]

I was disappointed with this comic. I really hope this series doesn't continue where it's headed and just become an outlet for 4chan memes. Last weeks "You're doing it wrong" was forced, unrelated, didn't add to the comic, and truly unfunny, but at least it was just a sidebar. This week however the entire comic was centralized on a /b/ joke.

Don't get me wrong, I thought it was hilarious, but that's not what I come to xkcd for. I come here for computer, science, language, and nerd humor. If I wanted 4chan humor I would go to 4chan.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but I had to say something.

[Red Hal]

...except you can't go to 4chan right now as it is down. Allegedly.

[cyberia]

In the Bel-Air and the reverse Bel-Air, do you SING the serious bits or just talk it?

Also, I didn't particularly like this comic mainly due to the fact that it was a very American pop-culture reference and so I felt a bit left out, and confused. Did they show it in Australia? I have no idea.
But I DO know I've never seen Will Smith with THAT hair style before.

Back in the late '90s, Fresh Prince was one of the shows you'd see mid-afternoon on Channel 7 or 9. And I'm sure it's on cable as well.

[jbass357]

I was disappointed with this comic. I really hope this series doesn't continue where it's headed and just become an outlet for 4chan memes. Last weeks "You're doing it wrong" was forced, unrelated, didn't add to the comic, and truly unfunny, but at least it was just a sidebar. This week however the entire comic was centralized on a /b/ joke.

Don't get me wrong, I thought it was hilarious, but that's not what I come to xkcd for. I come here for computer, science, language, and nerd humor. If I wanted 4chan humor I would go to 4chan.

Sorry to rain on the parade, but I had to say something.

no you didnt.

---

when and if i get dumped in public by the current GF, id yell out "Speech, Speech!" then walk out mid-way through the introductory bit about my misinterpreted personality faults. "im getting a sandwich, anyone else want one?"

[Exenon]

I did not knew what a Bel-Air is, and even less what a reverse Bell-Air is, until i read the forum ! Good job guys and thx a lot ! And it took me 5 minutes, unlike some of the readers here !

pacific14586 wrote:Is it just me, or has the comic lost most of its coding and math content recently? Like, it's all about Morgan Freeman and internet memes and sometimes romance. Where's the nerd humor anymore?


Meh. It's still nerdy. And to tell the truth I don't really get all the coding and math ones. But the site has lot a lot of traffic, actually.

http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traff ... s/xkcd.com

This wobsite is quite cool ! And it is totally awsome that xkcd gathers up to 0.1% of the whole internet (somewhere at the end of may) ! Its a whole lot if you think about it !

[marianne]

Damn XKCD for introducing me to memes that I'd not heard of before. And damn my brain for then mingling them with other things in my brain. Because now, all I can think of is...

I first battled the metroids on Planet Zebes. It was there that I foiled the plans of the space pirate leader Mother Brain to use the creatures to attack galactic civilisation...

I next fought the metroids on their homeworld, SR388. I completely eradicated them except for a larva, which after hatching followed me like a confused child. I personally delivered it to the Galactic Research Station at Ceres so scientists could study its energy producing qualities...

The scientists' findings were astounding! They discovered that the powers of the metroid might be harnassed for the good of civilisation! Satisfied that all was well, I whistled for a cab and when it came near the licence plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror...

If anything I can say that this cab was rare but I thought 'Nah forget it' - 'Yo homes to Bel Air'! I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8 and I yelled to the cabbie 'Yo homes smell ya later'... I looked at my kingdom, I was finally there, to sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air!!

I'm very, very sorry, but it *had* to be done. And I've been reading XKCD for ages now, absolutely love it, but the obsessive-compulsive urge to create this is what made me create a forum account

[Shakleton]

I have no idea what the non-reverse Bel-air is. I've heard of the show, but never seen it.

Examples of Bel-air vs Reverse Bel-air is as so:

Bel-air:
I ate some pretty bad food at this really dingy diner last night and I think I may have gotten food poisoning. I've been up all night with a stomach ache and lets say nothing about what's been going on below that. I just don't understand /b/, what should I do? I mean, it wasn't like I ate that much of it. I just got in one little fight and my mom got scared and said you're moving in with your auntie and uncle in Bel-air.

Reverse Bel-air:
Now this is a story all about how my life got flip-turned upside down and I'd like to take a minute just sit right there I'll tell you how I got arrested for soliciting a minor while just waiting for my nephew to get out of elementary school with my stereo blaring. It's tragic really, serve and protect my butt.

As you can see, the Bel-air melds the song into the end of the conversation, and you suddenly realize they're singing Fresh Prince. Whereas the reverse starts with Fresh Prince and then merges in the relevant conversation.


"Just sit right there" is usually the best place to start a reverse (as seen in the comic) and "...got in one little fight" is the predominant shift.

THANK YOU!

Now I understand it completely. I got the Fresh Prince joke somehow but I didn't quite get what a reverse Bel-Air was. Thank you.

Shakleton

[Sprocket]

This is a story all about how I started drinking, badly. I can't even keep my hands on a cup anymore, much less get the liquid to my mouth. Look at it, all over the floor.

[SirMustapha]

Not to start a war or anything, but what I come to xkcd for is the unpredictability. I think the only times I came to read a new strip with a vague notion of what was to come were during "Choices" and "1337", because otherwise, it's impossible to even guess what's coming up; today, it's a rickroll joke, next time, it might be a pop culture reference, and then, it's a really deep and thought provoking work of art. Perhaps there's a kind of "trial by fire" for new xkcd readers sometime, after which he realises it's pointless to demand anything from the comic.

Either way, it's wise to remember that today's comic is not about a 4chan meme - it's about subverting the meme and turning it into something else entirely.

(by the way, would it be too humiliating if I revealed the first time I ever heard about Rickrolling was on the "Rick Astley gets Rickrolled" comic?)

[Plasma Man]

That's what I call a drinking problem - missing your mouth.

I hadn't actually heard of the Bel-Air as a practical joke, but I still laughed at this. What I'd like to see now is a RBA used as a way of asking someone out.

[marianne]

Not to start a war or anything, but what I come to xkcd for is the unpredictability. I think the only times I came to read a new strip with a vague notion of what was to come were during "Choices" and "1337", because otherwise, it's impossible to even guess what's coming up; today, it's a rickroll joke, next time, it might be a pop culture reference, and then, it's a really deep and thought provoking work of art. Perhaps there's a kind of "trial by fire" for new xkcd readers sometime, after which he realises it's pointless to demand anything from the comic.

Either way, it's wise to remember that today's comic is not about a 4chan meme - it's about subverting the meme and turning it into something else entirely.

(by the way, would it be too humiliating if I revealed the first time I ever heard about Rickrolling was on the "Rick Astley gets Rickrolled" comic?)

I have to say I agree, and that I disagree with the complaints so far - today's comic amused me even though I wasn't aware of the meme, and had the typical xkcd style of making my brain go "wtf?". As for humiliation, no, I first heard of rickrolling through xkcd too, along with many memes, which made me then go and research the phenomenon. This comic has actually done a good job of keeping me at least vaguely aware of such things, or making otherwise random seeming comments online suddenly make sense. Now, if only some way could be found of fusing Rickrolls and Barrel rolls....*then* my scheme to take over the world would be complete!

[ehabkost]

(by the way, would it be too humiliating if I revealed the first time I ever heard about Rickrolling was on the "Rick Astley gets Rickrolled" comic?)

I don't know if it is too humiliating, but you are not alone. That was my case, too. And the first time I ever heard of Bel-Air was on today's comic.

It think it would be a real problem if the first time you heard about goatse was on the "Rick Astley gets Rickrolled" comic.

[Sprocket]

today's comic amused me even though I wasn't aware of the meme, and had the typical xkcd style of making my brain go "wtf?"

There's a Bel-Air meme?

Also, I was at ROFLcon, I went to the last Pannel, and barrel rolls still make no sense to me.

[Megatriorchis]

I laughed really hard at this, because the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is on right now and I was singing the theme song in my head.

[Comus]

I registered just for this comic. Not because I have experienced the RBA, but because I was told effectively the same thing last night. By a woman dating two people at once. Cheers to art imitating life.

[Monika]

The Bel-Air is when you tell a really serious story but then finish it unexpectedly with the last half of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song. This is the "Reverse" Bel-Air because she *starts* with the *first half* of the Bel-Air theme song and then leads in unexpectedly to something serious.

Here is an example of the (regular, not reverse) Bel-Air, for people unfamiliar with it: http://images.encyclopediadramatica.com ... rPaper.jpg

Oooh, now I get it. Thank you. I had no idea what a Bel-Air or Reverse Bel-Air is. Of course knowing the Prince of Bel-Air theme song would have helped. (And I didn't know "rickroll", either.)

So, can anyone tell me what "/b/" stands for, what every other person seems to be using in this thread?

[ruskerdu]

Cures what ails ya.

[steek]

at least the guy is a healthy drinker...i'm assuming that's milk he's drinking...i also think he's more likely to cry over the lost relationship than the spilled milk in the last panel

[SandraL]

Heh, this is the first time I can recall not getting xkcd at all. I had to read this forum to find out what it was about - guess that's what I get for not watching much in the way of television for the last 20 years.