Computer Hackles/References
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Cultural references
- The story's title is a pun on:
- The slang term "computer hacker".
- The expression "make hackles rise", meaning to annoy or shock someone (based on the kids' reactions when Martin reaches the Itchy & Scratchy Official Homepage).
- The image on Martin's computer screen (a woman sporting a thin moustache) when Bart first talks to him appears to be Mexican painter Frida Kahlo (1907-1954). Kahlo was famous for her self-portraits, and one of her trademarks was depicting herself with a moustache.
- Bart congratulates Martin by saying, "All right, Brainiac!" when he gains access to the Itchy & Scratchy Official Homepage. "Brainiac" is the name of a supervillain and enemy of Superman in DC Comics, as well as a slang term (sometimes derogatory) for an intelligent and studious person.
Trivia
- Strictly speaking, Martin's actions in the story define him as a cracker, someone who gains access to desired material (in this case, a blocked webpage) by circumventing a computer's security system.