q_id stringlengths 5 6 | title stringlengths 4 295 | selftext stringlengths 0 34k | document stringclasses 1
value | subreddit stringclasses 1
value | url stringlengths 27 110 | answers dict | title_urls list | selftext_urls list | answers_urls list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6yrdu4 | how does credit score calculators work in the uk? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6yrdu4/eli5_how_does_credit_score_calculators_work_in/ | {
"a_id": [
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"An ELI5 answer is simply:\n\nThe people calculating it will look at your financial past to try and guess how good your financial future would be.\n\nThey do this by looking at incomings (wages, shares etc) add savings or collateral, then look at ... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1zc388 | if nuclear fuel is mined out of the ground and refined, why cant we "de-refine" it with similar substances and just put it back? | As i understand it, uranium is mined from ore and turned into "yellowcake", then further refined into uranium metal/rods, then put to use in a reactor. after x amounts of years the uranium rod is "spent" and billions of dollars goes to building nuclear waste sites for storage in excess of 100 000 years.
Why not just t... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1zc388/eli5_if_nuclear_fuel_is_mined_out_of_the_ground/ | {
"a_id": [
"cfsclhm",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The refined uranium, when it is reacted, changes into other elements. In a reactor you are actually splitting atoms into different, smaller ones that just happen to be bad. Even if we could put them back together, we would n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fission_products_\\(by_element\\)",
"http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FWDvgMlpQV0/TqA_b2PzH0I/AAAAAAAAAz8/IT5Iqtr7he4/s1600/fissionpic.jpg"
]
] | |
1hozhu | kosher salt | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1hozhu/eli5_kosher_salt/ | {
"a_id": [
"cawfepb",
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55,
12
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"text": [
"It's not kosher, neccessarily. It used to be called Koshering Salt because it was used in kosher preparation of meat. It's just coarse salt.",
"Kosher food is food that meets the Jewish dietary... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_salt"
]
] | ||
wg8av | modern day illuminati theory and "new world order" and why to be skeptical of them. | A close friend of mine has been reading a lot of Illuminati conspiracy theories on the Internet and is convinced that there exists a New World Order driven by globalization. Similarly, he's convinced that the Federal Reserve is basically the headquarters of these diabolical operations. I know the idea of a single gover... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/wg8av/eli5_modern_day_illuminati_theory_and_new_world/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5d2grs"
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"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"People like simple answers to complex problems/issues - that's why conspiracy theories are so popular. It is far easier to understand a small group of powerful and motivated individuals controlling the world than to try and understand all the so... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1hwmse | why would landing too slowly be dangerous? | an airplane I mean. Doh. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1hwmse/why_would_landing_too_slowly_be_dangerous/ | {
"a_id": [
"cayn2lv"
],
"score": [
12
],
"text": [
"Planes generate lift by their forward thrust, which moves air over the wings. If a plane loses too much forward momentum, it stalls (meaning that it no longer has sufficient lift), and your plane retains all the flight potential of a fully stock... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
1x235z | why is breathing through your mouth generally considered "bad"? | I've always heard you are supposed to breathe through your nose, but why? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1x235z/eli5_why_is_breathing_through_your_mouth/ | {
"a_id": [
"cf7fpze",
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"score": [
4,
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"text": [
"because breathing through you're mouth is gross, mouth breather. Jk\nYou're nose is meant specifically to prep air air for breathing by filtering partials and moistening the air. Breathing through the mouth can rot teeth and... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
60xn5d | why do (some) scientists say there can be infinite universes? what's the reasoning behind it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/60xn5d/eli5_why_do_some_scientists_say_there_can_be/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfa68h7",
"dfa7qf9"
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"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Multiverse theories (and there are many) are just plausible constructs without much substance.\n\n\"Plausible Constructs\" are a dime a dozen in cosmological physics. String Theory is one. Stephen Hawking's M Theory is anoth... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
x3i3t | what was the primary motivation for settling new cities throughout history? [eli5] | Hey, so I'm working on establishing a setting for a fantasy book series. So far I've got maps and modern day nations all drawn up, and a general play by play of the history for each of the nations and races and what not.
I am starting from very far back however, and most of my civilization begin in a single (typically... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/x3i3t/what_was_the_primary_motivation_for_settling_new/ | {
"a_id": [
"c5iuiev",
"c5izkc4"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"Trade, almost all history is the story of trade. People go places to get stuff they can't get at home, and people start colonies to get rich/powerful off the fact that new areas have stuff that people back home want to trade... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yocja_N5s1I&feature=BFa&list=UUX6b17PVsYBQ0ip5gyeme-Q"
]
] | |
25t6qu | if an artist has not released any song or album, how do people get their hands on it and then release it themselves? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/25t6qu/eli5_if_an_artist_has_not_released_any_song_or/ | {
"a_id": [
"chkhpro",
"chkiewi"
],
"score": [
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Shared studio space, shared sound engineers, cached files, leaving a disc somewhere, secondary recording devices, general carelessness. \n \nOut back behind the venue in a car with some girls showing them your newest tune?... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7l5y9n | how does lactic acid form and just disappear? also how does it not harm any parts of our body? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7l5y9n/eli5_how_does_lactic_acid_form_and_just_disappear/ | {
"a_id": [
"drjrsf5",
"drjuziz"
],
"score": [
4,
5
],
"text": [
"Cells make lactic acid when they don't receive enough energy. It is like the \"Plan B\" of the metabolism. \n\nFor example, during an intense workout, your muscles might make lactic acid to keep up. This is harmless in small... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
dje7av | why are celebrities net worths low when their annual income is so high? | Taylor Swift made $195 mil this year but her net worth is only $360 mil.
Michael Jordan makes $3 billion supposedly from nike annually but his net worth is $1.9 billion. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dje7av/eli5_why_are_celebrities_net_worths_low_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"f44iyse",
"f4554ae"
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"score": [
11,
4
],
"text": [
"Michael Jordan does not earn $3B from Nike, that's what the Jordan Brand sub-brand of Nike makes in revenue. He gets some small cut of that, with the rest going to pay for manufacturing the products, marketing it, paying th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
5lhh73 | why do mobile games suck, even though phones are more powerful than good handheld gaming systems like gameboy? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5lhh73/eli5_why_do_mobile_games_suck_even_though_phones/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
21,
2,
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3
],
"text": [
"This might be a snarky response but: have you purchased any 30-40$ mobile games?\n\nIf you can play a game for free, what you are playing is what someone could create on a fairly ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
c0vzg3 | how is a portuguese man o' war actually a combination of different animals? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/c0vzg3/eli5_how_is_a_portuguese_man_o_war_actually_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"er9fz1s"
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"score": [
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],
"text": [
"[This](_URL_3_) is a sea anemone. Basically a pouch with tentacles, right? [Jellyfish](_URL_4_) are basically the same thing but upside down. This kind of animal is called a cnidarian. Many cnidarians are capable of reproducing by budding, as... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://res.cloudinary.com/dk-find-out/image/upload/q_80,w_1920,f_auto/SPL-C0197444-Leather_coral_eyjqll.jpg",
"https://wshg.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/siphonophore-noaa.jpg",
"https://www.carolina.com/images/product/large/132804_la.jpg",
"https://i.pinimg.com/originals/52/0b/be/520bbe450ddd9... | ||
51odz7 | how are bees able to produce so much honey that we can take some of it and they are still able to survive? what would a wild bee population do with the extra honey? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/51odz7/eli5_how_are_bees_able_to_produce_so_much_honey/ | {
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"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Bees are hoarders. They would store it and store it. It lasts for a very long time in the right conditions. As long as they had room to put it up, they'd continue putting it up.",... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
avma94 | how are we not wasting oxygen when we breathe out carbon dioxide? | Carbon dioxide has oxygen in it, so isn’t it a waste to breathe it out instead of using it to supply oxygen to the bloodstream? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/avma94/eli5_how_are_we_not_wasting_oxygen_when_we/ | {
"a_id": [
"ehg7mna",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"We take in oxygen because when it chemically joins with something, it releases energy. We then use that energy to live.\n\nOnce it has done that, when it has joined with carbon to make carbon dioxide, ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4si02c | why can you feel full after a 600 calorie proper meal, but not feel full after 600 calorie worth of junk food? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4si02c/eli5_why_can_you_feel_full_after_a_600_calorie/ | {
"a_id": [
"d59e2jz",
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"score": [
150,
4,
4,
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51,
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"text": [
"Calories don't make you full! Fibre, protein, bulky food that takes longer to digest makes you full.\n\nThink a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://www.webmd.com/diet/20121231/fructose-hunger"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1e6fci | electricity storage | what can be done if we wnt to store electricty on a large scale and then use it later on?
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1e6fci/eli5electricity_storage/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9x8335",
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"score": [
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"text": [
"We can store it in chemical form, in batteries.\n\nOr we can use capacitors, storing it as changed-up plates.",
"As far as I know the only thing that works on a industrial scale is pumped-storage hydroelectric powerstati... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/graphics/hydro-pumped-storage.gif",
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pumped-storage_hydroelectric_power_stations"
]
] | |
a0ijzy | how is graphene a 2d material, if it's one carbon atom thick (z axis)? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/a0ijzy/eli5_how_is_graphene_a_2d_material_if_its_one/ | {
"a_id": [
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2,
5,
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14,
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"text": [
"Absolutely nothing in the universe is 2D, but graphene is pretty close. With a thickness of 0.335 nm it's basically as close to an inf... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3mla3p | why is it so frowned upon to pirate products, when buying them used is given a blind eye? | [deleted] | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mla3p/eli5_why_is_it_so_frowned_upon_to_pirate_products/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvfw0ne"
],
"score": [
7
],
"text": [
"The laws say that you can resell the product. In the US this is called the [\"First Sale Doctrine\"](_URL_0_). Basically you bought a product and if you want to resell it thats totally fine, you own it. \n\nPirating is different. You *never* boug... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-sale_doctrine"
]
] | |
f7c74l | why does cold chocolate not taste as chocolatey? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/f7c74l/eli5_why_does_cold_chocolate_not_taste_as/ | {
"a_id": [
"fiaf3ux"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Chocolate taste is released generally when the chocolate melts which is just around body temperature so warm chocolate is close to liquid chocolate."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1nm0yu | what is a hadron and why do scientists need to collide them? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1nm0yu/eli5what_is_a_hadron_and_why_do_scientists_need/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccjt3gz",
"cck1wes"
],
"score": [
7,
2
],
"text": [
"There are different kinds of Hadrons but the one you're probably most familiar with is the Proton. Protons, Neutrons and Electrons make up atoms, which are what most all of the familiar \"stuff\" is made up of.\n\nBut in or... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
87w0hv | do objects on earth always have kinetic energy since they are on an orbiting planet? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/87w0hv/eli5_do_objects_on_earth_always_have_kinetic/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwfyvh3",
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"dwg4w4p"
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"score": [
11,
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Yes and no. An object's velocity (and therefore kinetic energy) has to be measured relative to something. In everyday usage, we measure speeds relative to the surface of the Earth, so your cup would ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
zax3b | was there a clinton surplus or not? | I've seen many websites say there is and many that say that there was never a surplus. They include a lot of terminology which a five year old like me can't understand. So explain in simple terms why there was or wasn't a surplus and why. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zax3b/eli5_was_there_a_clinton_surplus_or_not/ | {
"a_id": [
"c62zujy"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"There was a surplus, because the data shows that there was a surplus. Some people think that we should track the government's budget in a different way, under which there might not be a surplus, but that doesn't change the fact that under the sta... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
ao527j | besides shape, what is the difference between different media cables such as ethernet, hdmi, usb and others? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ao527j/eli5_besides_shape_what_is_the_difference_between/ | {
"a_id": [
"efyaud3",
"efyb9ks",
"efybvwp"
],
"score": [
2,
2,
4
],
"text": [
"For the cables themselves, number of internal wires, shielding for those wires, standards for the gauge of wire. Within the confines of \"ethernet\" you have several different standards (cat5, cat5e, ca... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/differences-between-ethernet-cables/"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
12aga2 | how countries like germany and japan rose from ashes to world industrial leaders in less than 40 years? | Japan and Germany lost the war and were totally destroyed. In today's wars for example, in Syria, more than 1.5 million houses destroyed and that's not even a small portion of WWII. So how does a country not only builds itself up, but also become a leader in industry, economy, education...you name it.
Is it educationa... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/12aga2/eli5_how_countries_like_germany_and_japan_rose/ | {
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4,
3,
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2
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"text": [
"No substitute for hardwork. I dont think they took the easy way out of anything. Look at Toyota and Honda. 30 years ago, they didnt stand a chance in the sta... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3ic69g | how do people read their names in chinese? (explained in comments) | Apologies if you find this answer hard to understand due to my limited knowledge of Chinese. From what I know of Chinese, the written aspect of the language is not written like the Latin alphabets and Cyrillic but is instead a sort of "picture-graphic alphabet".
Nouns and what not are described as a character, that I... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3ic69g/eli5_how_do_people_read_their_names_in_chinese/ | {
"a_id": [
"cuf374y"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"From right to left.\n\nAnd how you pronounce 阿扁? It's pronounced how it's written. \n\n > You read the symbol for chair and know you're reading chair. \n\nAnd it's no different in English: \"John Archer.\" \"Yeah, but Archer also means someone w... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3d3507 | it has now been a long time since the ice bucket challenge, where are we now in terms of curing als? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3d3507/eli5_it_has_now_been_a_long_time_since_the_ice/ | {
"a_id": [
"ct1dqnw"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"It's been about one year.\n\nMedical research takes a lot longer than that.\n\nIndividual research grants are typically awarded once a year and last 3 - 5 years - so probably most of that money raised hasn't even been awarded to researchers who h... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
66efp1 | what is exactly happening when our bodies feel a "wave" of dread/anxiety? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/66efp1/eli5_what_is_exactly_happening_when_our_bodies/ | {
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"dgibdoo",
"dgibdyw",
"dgicopm",
"dgicxjx",
"dgiczd9",
"dgie7wh",
"d... | [] | [] | [
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],
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1aifa2 | how do they film the everything-is-frozen-but-1 person scenes in film/tv. | Have been watching this 'House of Lies' show where they use it a lot, and I've seen this effect in some other movies and TV (but of course cannot think of any off the top of my head).
Basically - everything is completely frozen except for 1 character who is walking around talking, and the camera is moving also. I'v... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1aifa2/eli5_how_do_they_film_the_everythingisfrozenbut1/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8xpq4e",
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"score": [
9,
3
],
"text": [
"I haven't watched House of Cards yet, but there's several different ways of doing it. In a nutshell (a very general nutshell), it is mostly smoke and mirrors. Things like particulates, suspended objects, fluids, etc. which a... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO2SirSH7Rg"
]
] | |
16l383 | in the musical scale, what are the sharps and flats of a note. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/16l383/eli5_in_the_musical_scale_what_are_the_sharps_and/ | {
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"c7x3tnj"
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"score": [
3,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"A sharp is a half-tone up, a flat is a half-tone down. They are the black keys on a piano keyboard. \n \nSome notes don't have a whole tone between them on the scale we normall... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://www.danielveazey.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/keyboard.png"
],
[],
[]
] | ||
1fqzeq | why do operating systems and programs on t.v shows look so fake? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1fqzeq/eli5why_do_operating_systems_and_programs_on_tv/ | {
"a_id": [
"cacx18k",
"cacx8z3"
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"score": [
2,
11
],
"text": [
"Because they normally need the screen to do something very specific,and making a program or making a screen that will do exactly what they want isn't as easy as having the art guys whip something up that gets drawn over the... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
90c1l6 | the an actor’s learning process of his lines | Title gore. Scratch that ”the”.
How many scenes can one be training for at once? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/90c1l6/eli5_the_an_actors_learning_process_of_his_lines/ | {
"a_id": [
"e2pndaj"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"Practice practice practice.\n\nYou say the line before (cue lines) and then your lines, over and over and over until your brain starts to form mental connections between the lines.\n\nYou know how songs your hear on the radio alot can get stuck i... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
31lmo4 | why are there so many rich, powerful pedophiles in the uk? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/31lmo4/eli5_why_are_there_so_many_rich_powerful/ | {
"a_id": [
"cq2pr0g",
"cq2ps4o",
"cq2qz82"
],
"score": [
4,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Money and power keeps people quiet. It's happening all over the planet. Only in the UK it's leaked out.",
"There will be some subset of the rich and powerful in every country who are pedophiles. Th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
vhg99 | what is happening when people "speak in tongues"? | I grew up in a christian household and saw people do this all the time at church. Sometimes the pastor would just start speaking in tongues during the service.
My friend told me a story the other day about her friend who was a born again christian. He was speaking in tongues one day at church and just thought - "thi... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vhg99/eli5_what_is_happening_when_people_speak_in/ | {
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"c54j0fx",
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"score": [
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3,
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],
"text": [
"Religious people believe that the Holy Spi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_gift"
],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossolalia"
],
[],
[]
] | |
28il64 | dada | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/28il64/eli5dada/ | {
"a_id": [
"cibahvl"
],
"score": [
6
],
"text": [
"Dada was an art movement that processed the absurd horror of industrialized warfare (WW I) by attacking the decorative aspect of art and artistic sensibility. It was so influential that it even affects modern music (stuff like Devo and Lady Gaga)... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2zsuxm | why does crunchy food becomes less crunchy over time? | When you leave a bag of crisps or cereal unsealed it gets kind of mushy, why is that so? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2zsuxm/eli5_why_does_crunchy_food_becomes_less_crunchy/ | {
"a_id": [
"cplygis"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Moisture from the air is absorbed by the food."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
aoxvzf | when did we start using small denominations of time (sec, min, hour), and why is it so uniform between countries? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aoxvzf/eli5_when_did_we_start_using_small_denominations/ | {
"a_id": [
"eg4pimp",
"eg53dy5"
],
"score": [
8,
5
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"text": [
"Lets start at the front of the Question. The first clocks only hand the hour hand, you guessed the rest, circa 1600 +or-. {some should fact check the date of the earliest consumer clock, for accuracy}. By the 1700's the two ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
6rnq8u | how does buying a house "build equity"? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/6rnq8u/eli5_how_does_buying_a_house_build_equity/ | {
"a_id": [
"dl6eqri",
"dl6eul5",
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"dl6ew9m",
"dl6eyht",
"dl6ftyv"
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"score": [
18,
2,
3,
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2,
2
],
"text": [
"Lets say a house is worth 250K. You borrow 230K and put down a 20K deposit. You now have 20K equity in the house. It's the value of you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
3wfdtf | why does the quality of audio files suffer the louder you make it? | Why is it, that when you make a file louder than 100% it starts to sound worse and worse? How does this process of going beyond 100% volume work? (Hope my question sounds undestandable, lol) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3wfdtf/eli5_why_does_the_quality_of_audio_files_suffer/ | {
"a_id": [
"cxvrehi",
"cxvrqth",
"cxvsifx"
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"score": [
3,
2,
5
],
"text": [
"I think it all depends on the headphones/speakers the sound is played through. For example, I'm currently running a file in VLC and turned the volume to 200%. It sounds alright apart from background noi... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
86itzm | why are some tribes still preserved in a primitive state? | The rest of the human race has advanced together relatively uniformly, but the tribes don't even have the basic fundementals of civilization. They have no technology beyond basic natural tools, no advanced government, no science, and no economy. Have they really been just hunter gatherers for the past million years?
W... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/86itzm/eli5_why_are_some_tribes_still_preserved_in_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"dw5ewjv",
"dw5f8ye",
"dw5frwl",
"dw5gngj"
],
"score": [
3,
5,
3,
10
],
"text": [
"Why do you assume they have no technology, government, science, or economy? Medicine in the 1800's was giving people heroin or opium for pain relief. Is it so hard to believe that... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncontacted_peoples"
],
[],
[]
] | |
20byyk | how do the authorities locate and arrest the idiots who shine laser pointers at airplanes? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20byyk/eli5_how_do_the_authorities_locate_and_arrest_the/ | {
"a_id": [
"cg1qujt",
"cg1s8ac",
"cg1vlaa",
"cg1xuwa"
],
"score": [
3,
5,
12,
6
],
"text": [
"A lot of times the dummies just stay where they are. Other than that good old fashioned police work. ",
"TIL you can do this.",
"Green laser pointers are stupid bright and... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
bdc84o | since the city of denver is a mile high, why isn’t it under heavy fog on cloudy days? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bdc84o/eli5_since_the_city_of_denver_is_a_mile_high_why/ | {
"a_id": [
"ekx7ilh",
"ekx8ovq"
],
"score": [
2,
2
],
"text": [
"[Sometimes it is.](_URL_0_)\n\nBut often the clouds are just higher up.\n\nSometimes the clouds are actually lower, and Denver is *above* them.",
"A lot of it is because the things that cause clouds are relative to the s... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://303magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/1-DENVER-MIST-RISING.jpg"
],
[]
] | ||
3sjmhl | why does it seem that cattle always lay down just before it rains? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3sjmhl/eli5_why_does_it_seem_that_cattle_always_lay_down/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwxs2c0"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Cows will often sit/lay down when the temperature is colder, like when it rains, to preserve their body heat and energy. They will stand when it is hotter to dissipate the heat and lower their body temperature. When cows are too hot, their milk p... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
1q35tg | why do rappers like to name drop cities in their music? | I am familiar with the concept of product placement in rap, where rappers include brand names for money. But why do rappers randomly include names of cities, like this from Kanye's *Good Life*?
> The good life, it feel like Houston
> It feel like Philly, it feel like D.C.
> It feel like VA, or the Bay, or Ye
| explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1q35tg/eli5_why_do_rappers_like_to_name_drop_cities_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cd8pe33",
"cd8pk5i"
],
"score": [
3,
2
],
"text": [
"if your from there you relate and buy their music",
"I don't listen to much rap, but the impression I get from what I *do* listen to is that rap/hip-hop songs are heavily influenced by the artists' past experiences (espe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2b1941 | what is the difference between an act of war and an act of terrorism? why is there a difference? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2b1941/eli5_what_is_the_difference_between_an_act_of_war/ | {
"a_id": [
"cj0sbki",
"cj0sc6r",
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"score": [
5,
7,
3
],
"text": [
"An act of war is an act of violence or an insult done by the government of one country to another that is severe enough to prompt military response, thus starting a war. \n\nA terrorist act is an attac... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
vkpob | why when you listen to the sound of a single note for a long time, it sounds like the pitch is fluctuating? | Pitch? Tone? Not sure, but it doesn't sound uniform. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/vkpob/eli5_why_when_you_listen_to_the_sound_of_a_single/ | {
"a_id": [
"c55h382"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"I believe this can be attributed to the transfer of sound waves from one medium to another. In your ears you have an eardrum, which though the use of 3 small bones, transfer sound waves into a mechanical motion which then transfers sound waves in... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
2p886f | does the north pole rest on the earth's axis or at the very top of the planet? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2p886f/eli5_does_the_north_pole_rest_on_the_earths_axis/ | {
"a_id": [
"cmu8buk",
"cmu8gzq",
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"score": [
3,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"It is on the Northern Most point of the Axis. It is not the top of the planet as the planet's axis is tilted.",
"It really depends on what you mean by \"top\", which is all going to be relative whe... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
uic7j | mlb draft. | Can someone explain what it is and why they do it? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/uic7j/eli5_mlb_draft/ | {
"a_id": [
"c4vmig5",
"c4vr6b4"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Drafts in general or the MLB one specifically? Drafts provide a way to fill up teams' rosters fairly. Each year, teams take turns picking amateur players (usually ~2-6 rounds), most of whom will go on to play professionally.... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
8tmrel | why is it hard to hear people during a plane flight? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8tmrel/eli5_why_is_it_hard_to_hear_people_during_a_plane/ | {
"a_id": [
"e18nyg5"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"There is a constant whoosh in the background from engines and ventilation. And the air's a bit thinner. And sometimes your interior ear canals (Eustacian tubes) get a bit blocked up too."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
df4x7g | how does blood interact with organs/skin if it stays inside veins/capillaries? | Do you understand what I mean? I understand that blood is pumped through the veins to all parts of the body, bringing with it oxygen and other goodies and is then recycled back through the heart. But... how exactly do those goodies get from the blood to the skin, for example? Wouldn't the blood have to leave the tube... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/df4x7g/eli5_how_does_blood_interact_with_organsskin_if/ | {
"a_id": [
"f30w4yg",
"f30x10t",
"f31kkk1",
"f324cn5"
],
"score": [
36,
4,
5,
2
],
"text": [
"the blood cell doesn't have to directly interact with our structures. our capillaries have several capabilities that allows blood to exchange stuff with our cells. capillaries are... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
1ccn56 | why is the question of gay rights so popular and debated these days? | For a year or so, the question of gay marriage and adoption rights to homosexual couples has been raging here in France, and i know it is also extremely vivid in other european countries and in the United States. It is litteraly everywhere, in the media, the politics, advertising etc, and i feel all of this happened al... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ccn56/eli5why_is_the_question_of_gay_rights_so_popular/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9f8hfa"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"Social media probably has a lot to do with it. The wide availability of the internet and the communication it facilitates between individuals around the world means that many more people are exposed to different opinions and lifestyles. \n\nBefor... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
3q2w89 | where did the stereotypical heart shape come from, considering it doesn't look like an actual heart? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3q2w89/eli5_where_did_the_stereotypical_heart_shape_come/ | {
"a_id": [
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3,
20,
5,
2,
38
],
"text": [
"Unclear. But I like the following hypotheses:\n > Various hypotheses attempted to connect the \"heart shape\" as it evolved in the late medieval period with... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_(symbol)"
],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3og1dv/how_did_the_come_to_be_identified_with_love_and/?ref=search_posts"
],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3og1dv/how_did_the_come_to_be_identified_with_love_an... | ||
bysn16 | why is it painful to fully extend a sore muscle? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bysn16/eli5_why_is_it_painful_to_fully_extend_a_sore/ | {
"a_id": [
"eql3d4y"
],
"score": [
4
],
"text": [
"So when your muscle is sore, that means the fibers that make it up are torn. That’s how muscles are built, you work out, tear the fibers, and they are built back bigger than before. So when you extend the muscle, you’re tearing more fibers in the... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
55orly | wikipedia says that the iss orbits the earth "at an altitude of between 330 and 435 km". why is the altitude not fixed? | In the [Wikipedia article] (_URL_0_), it's said that:
> The ISS maintains an orbit with an altitude of between 330 and 435 km (205 and 270 mi) by means of reboost manoeuvres
Why is there a range of its altitudes instead of a particular height? A difference of 5-10 kms might still make sense, but why is the altitude... | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/55orly/eli5_wikipedia_says_that_the_iss_orbits_the_earth/ | {
"a_id": [
"d8ccsdz",
"d8chaae"
],
"score": [
24,
3
],
"text": [
"At that altitude, there is actually still a little atmosphere and so the orbit will slowly degrade (get closer to the ground). Every once in a while they use boosters to raise it back into a higher orbit. The range of altit... | [] | [
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station"
] | [
[],
[]
] | |
bsxf7h | why do cold feet always sting when you enter a hot tub? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bsxf7h/eli5_why_do_cold_feet_always_sting_when_you_enter/ | {
"a_id": [
"eornlur"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Your skin is covered in temperature sensitive cells. They are what tells you that something is too hot or cold. But the way they do so is dependent on the temperature your body has been at recently. If it goes too far in either direction, these t... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4ope5b | why do spinning objects appear blurry when you stare, but when you change your focal point the object appears to "skip" or "freeze" for a split second? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4ope5b/eli5why_do_spinning_objects_appear_blurry_when/ | {
"a_id": [
"d4egngy",
"d4ej9do"
],
"score": [
6,
5
],
"text": [
"Because your sensory memory has a very very short life. It lasts only an instant, really. So when you move your eyes away really, really fast, you only remember the last instant and it pretty much fades from your short-term ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
29bxkn | whats going on in our brains when we "snap" and go crazy? | To expand what exactly is happening to the brain of a person who normally behaves in a normal manner but then snaps and goes crazy maybe violently attacking others or themselves or going on a rampage? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/29bxkn/eli5whats_going_on_in_our_brains_when_we_snap_and/ | {
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"cijfhib",
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"cijgl3l",
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"cijkbzo",
"cijkomk",
"cijxcnx"
],
"score": [
5,
7,
3,
2,
106,
49,
19,
4,
2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"I'd like to preface th... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://psycnet.apa.org/?&fa=main.doiLanding&doi=10.1037/a0019486",
"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlyeMRWlKSM",
"http://psr.sagepub.com/content/11/4/303.abstract"
],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amygdala_hijack"
],
[],
[
"http://m.psychologytoday.com/b... | |
40qwum | when oil was $120+ per barrel, gas was ~$4 /gal, now oil is < 25% at under $30 per barrel, but gas isn't 25% the price. why? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/40qwum/eli5_when_oil_was_120_per_barrel_gas_was_4_gal/ | {
"a_id": [
"cywe3z5",
"cywe9km"
],
"score": [
8,
3
],
"text": [
"There are still what are called fixed costs involved in operating a business. The fixed costs don't fluctuate, they remain constant. In order to pay for those fixed costs, certain items need to remain at a certain price. ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
qhcyq | why didnt the us and nato kill or kick out sadam hussein during the first gulf war? | I mean they defeated his army. They didnt like him and they could have put a pro-Western government in. Today that would seem like an obvious reaction, why didnt they do it back then? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/qhcyq/why_didnt_the_us_and_nato_kill_or_kick_out_sadam/ | {
"a_id": [
"c3xm8iu",
"c3xscb3"
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"score": [
3,
3
],
"text": [
"The coalition they put together included a UN mandate and broad Arab support. They only supported a no fly zone, repelling Iraq from Kuwait, and destroying military institutions inside the border so we couldn't invade and o... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Iraq#20th_century",
"http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush"
]
] | |
3duayd | why are child protective services so notorious for taking children from their allegedly abusive/neglectful parents, only to place them in another similarly abusive/neglectful environment (i.e., situations where physical/sexual abuse is also likely)? | I was watching Wild Bill today and a CPS representative tries to incentivize a neglectful parent to get his act together because children don't "do well" in group/foster homes. If (I'm assuming) the entire point of CPS is to prevent kids from growing up in abusive environments, why doesn't the system make a better effo... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3duayd/eli5_why_are_child_protective_services_so/ | {
"a_id": [
"ct8ow6s",
"ct8t3jx"
],
"score": [
4,
2
],
"text": [
"CPS does the best they can but they have very very limited resources. There are only a limited amount of group homes and people willing to foster, and CPS is overworked to the point where they cannot make check ups and follo... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
1d6amr | on day 1, i search for picnic blankets on a website. on day 2, that website is advertising picnic blankets to me on my facebook. are they somehow spying on me? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1d6amr/eli5_on_day_1_i_search_for_picnic_blankets_on_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"c9naqhi",
"c9nb0s7"
],
"score": [
2,
5
],
"text": [
"You are being tracked, yes. It happens to everyone. Where you go on the web often dictates what type of \"personalized\" ads you see.\n\nYou've never noticed this before?",
"Yup. \n\nGoogle takes your search history an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2lynms | my compsci professor said if anyone ever solves the p vs np problem there would be "chaos in the streets". i've tried to learn it before but it never stuck. can anyone explain what it is and why it's so important? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lynms/eli5_my_compsci_professor_said_if_anyone_ever/ | {
"a_id": [
"clzch96",
"clzci56",
"clzio6v",
"clzrxkc"
],
"score": [
20,
15,
5,
166
],
"text": [
"First of all, there are two* \"solutions\" for P v NP. One is that P = NP, the other is P != NP. Which of those you proves is a big deal, and is one of the most fundemental un... | [] | [] | [
[
"https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2lynms/eli5_my_compsci_professor_said_if_anyone_ever/clzj4d5"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
53ug1w | why does this occur? pic in description | _URL_0_ | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/53ug1w/eli5why_does_this_occur_pic_in_description/ | {
"a_id": [
"d7wbi36",
"d7wd62c",
"d7wo3bk"
],
"score": [
4,
4,
2
],
"text": [
"Depends on where the image is from. Could be two bodies of water intersecting (temporary) in a dead zone: _URL_0_\n\n",
"This photo was reportedly taken at the Gulf of Alaska. \n\nGlacier rivers in ... | [] | [
"https://imgur.com/a/Ozg5U"
] | [
[
"http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/deadzone/index.html"
],
[],
[
"https://www.google.com/search?q=image+mississippi+river+mix+with+ocean&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjOtMXZvqHPAhUK12MKHZ7PBlkQ_AUICCgB&biw=1600&bih=914"
]
] | |
agezsr | when someone gets hit by a bullet, wouldnt the pain cause them to pass out or am i getting something completely wrong? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/agezsr/eli5_when_someone_gets_hit_by_a_bullet_wouldnt/ | {
"a_id": [
"ee5po64",
"ee5ppu5",
"ee5r3gy"
],
"score": [
5,
2,
3
],
"text": [
"Yea, it certainly can do. It also might not. A random person on the street would probably pass out for a few seconds from the pain because they aren’t expecting to be shot. But a soldier on a battlefiel... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
1p1wxi | what causes baby booms? | EDIT: Marked as explained. Oddly, the explanation my high school teacher gave me—that the human race collectively feels a subconscious need to repopulate the Earth after devastating events such as wars—doesn't seem to have come up. Thanks for the responses, guys! | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1p1wxi/eli5_what_causes_baby_booms/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccxvvyg",
"ccxvyo9"
],
"score": [
16,
5
],
"text": [
"All the men went to war for several years. You then had a large group of men who had no contact with women, and a large group of women that had no contact with men.\n\nWhen the war was over and the men and women finally go... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_did_the_baby_boom_happen#slide4"
]
] | |
7966y5 | why is everything imported from china? how does this affect american engineers and workers? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7966y5/eli5_why_is_everything_imported_from_china_how/ | {
"a_id": [
"dozirsd"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Its a by product of globalization and it has its pros and cons. On the upside american corporations still own the their products being created in china so money is still coming in. It decreases labor costs and profit increase because of it. The e... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
epo2mc | why is baseball such a huge deal in america when it's hated in almost every other country? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/epo2mc/eli5_why_is_baseball_such_a_huge_deal_in_america/ | {
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"text": [
"Isn’t it a huge thing in japan?\n\nI used to love baseball, now i can’t stand to watch a single game. I think organized pro sports are d... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[
"https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rosters-feature-251-international-players"
],
[]
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1ozi5b | what's the difference between what cispa would allow, and what the nsa revelations showed the government is already doing? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/1ozi5b/eli5_whats_the_difference_between_what_cispa/ | {
"a_id": [
"ccxc528"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"It would give them permission to do what they're already doing.\n"
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
axlbo7 | how is old time currency being valued compared to the currency we have right now? | For example, I just heard on the radio that to build Versailles it is estimated to have a cost of $2-3 billion. How do they estimate it? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/axlbo7/eli5_how_is_old_time_currency_being_valued/ | {
"a_id": [
"ehu7yne",
"ehu80dm",
"ehuy92v"
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"score": [
15,
3,
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],
"text": [
"They compare prices of common items. A loaf bread cost X then, and Y now. A ton of bricks cost X then and Y now. Etc",
"Well, it's a very rough estimate.\n\nThe precise amount of money (as in, 1... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
15zitl | what's with america and guns? are gun statistics exaggerated/twisted? is it as bad as what foreigners think? | I'm from Australia. The only guns I've ever seen in my life have been on the hips of cops and in films. We've all seen easily consumable graphs on facebook etc about how terrible gun related deaths and the correalation of ownership is in America.
In Australia we've been lead to believe that Americans are dumb hicks w... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/15zitl/whats_with_america_and_guns_are_gun_statistics/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Guns are thought of as a last line of defense against tyranny in the US. The second amendment, in extremely simpl... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[
"http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2012/07/aurora_shooting_how_did_people_commit_mass_murder_before_automatic_weapons_.html"
],
[],
[
"http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-riddle-of-the-gun"
],
[],
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_f... | |
9rvniv | why do falls break human bones so easily? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/9rvniv/eli5_why_do_falls_break_human_bones_so_easily/ | {
"a_id": [
"e8k04z6",
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"score": [
16,
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"text": [
"Because the landing portion of a fall produces massive amount of force... First we are accelerating at 9.81m/s^2 right? So after 1 second you are moving at 9.81 m/s and after the second second you will be travelling at arou... | [] | [] | [
[],
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dcfa67 | in economics growth is good and we want growth. but does that mean the only way for economies to be successful is to continuously get bigger and bigger ad infinitum? to me that will always seem destined to fail. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/dcfa67/eli5_in_economics_growth_is_good_and_we_want/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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"text": [
"You are right about growth. Nobody found a way to keep an economy or a society in an unchanging state, so it's either growth or decline.\n\nit is not \"destined to fail\".\nGlobal economy has been growing for several centuri... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
2egntr | what is the chain of command to launch a nuke from the usa? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2egntr/eli5_what_is_the_chain_of_command_to_launch_a/ | {
"a_id": [
"cjzbmw1",
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"score": [
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2
],
"text": [
"1. The president of the united states and secretary of defense, or their sucessors in the cause either is dead agree to launch a strike\n* They direct the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff to launch a nuclear strike usi... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single_Integrated_Operational_Plan#Executing_the_SIOP"
],
[]
] | ||
srza3 | how the united states presidential primary system works. | I've been watching the West Wing and following Romney's run, but I still don't entirely understand what's happening. Who are these delegates? Does every state get to participate? What happens at the convention if a clear winner hasn't been decided? The whole process is a bit of a mystery to me.
Edit: I'm Canadian. I'... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/srza3/eli5_how_the_united_states_presidential_primary/ | {
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"text": [
"Let me start by saying the primary system is something that isn't included in the constitution, so it has essentially been made up, mostly by the institution of political parties, and kind of based off ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/american-civics/v/primaries-and-caucuses"
],
[],
[]
] | |
3tl8lw | how can my student loan apply literally no money toward principle and only toward interest? doesn't this mean my loan will basically never be paid off? | My loan provider shows how much is applied to principle and how much is applied to interest, and the principle is always 0%. How is this possible/legal? Why is it done this way? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3tl8lw/eli5_how_can_my_student_loan_apply_literally_no/ | {
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"score": [
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"text": [
"The loan is structured so that your payment is first applied to the interest, and then to the principle. If you only pay the interest, then yes, the principle will never reduce an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
35luki | why are humans attracted to gold, diamonds, and other valuable materials? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/35luki/eli5why_are_humans_attracted_to_gold_diamonds_and/ | {
"a_id": [
"cr5l0rw",
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"score": [
4,
10,
3
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"text": [
"gold is shiny, malleable (makeable into jewelry, etc), and doesn't lose its luster. in modern times, its a good conductor of electricity. who doesn't love a material like that?",
" > Kinda hoping f... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | ||
87qdz1 | how come lighting a candle helps not to cry when cutting an onion? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/87qdz1/eli5_how_come_lighting_a_candle_helps_not_to_cry/ | {
"a_id": [
"dwex23s"
],
"score": [
3
],
"text": [
"Onions contain lots of sulfur-based compounds, and lighting a match or a candle helps to burn those off, so they don't irritate your eyes."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
ailv7u | how did ice get on the moon? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ailv7u/eli5_how_did_ice_get_on_the_moon/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"Most likely from water-bearing comets, asteroids and meteors that pummeled the moon for billions of years. Enough water was deposited in craters that don't get direct sunlight over time for it to accumulate and freeze.",
... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
3qbg24 | is it possible to die of thirst while submerged in water up to your neck? (assuming you can't drink water through your mouth) | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3qbg24/eli5_is_it_possible_to_die_of_thirst_while/ | {
"a_id": [
"cwdp7nw",
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"score": [
2,
6
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"text": [
"Yes you would die, your skin can not absorb anywhere near enough water to hydrate you. \n\nSomeone else posted you need the water in your stomach, but this isn't necessarily true. You can survive through a saline IV drip (an... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | ||
7zsp84 | the only two species of alligators are in the usa and china, but nowhere in between. how is this possible? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/7zsp84/eli5_the_only_two_species_of_alligators_are_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"duqgjrm"
],
"score": [
2
],
"text": [
"The Earth has changed a lot since alligators first got going. The basic alligator body form is well upwards of 60 million years old.\n\n60 million years ago North America, Europe, and Asia were all one huge landmass covered in big giant angry liz... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4274ht | if some veggies are bad for cats why does cat food have them in it? | Consensus says that most vegetables are bad for cats. Why does cat food contain then contain some vegetables in it? "Garden greens" are commonly advertised but reading the label all that even resembles vegetables are variations of corn and some rice near the end. Why is this so? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4274ht/eli5_if_some_veggies_are_bad_for_cats_why_does/ | {
"a_id": [
"cz83z2y",
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"score": [
3,
7,
4
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"text": [
"Corn is mostly indigestible by mammals (including humans, hence why your poop looks like a corn cob). It is used in cheap pet food as a filler. Better than sawdust I suppose (which also appears in che... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
] | |
4fit4g | how do waves transfer energy | Im talking about Tsunami waves.
How much energy does it transfer? Where does it come from, where does it go?
How fast do they move? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4fit4g/eli5_how_do_waves_transfer_energy/ | {
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"score": [
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18,
3,
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"text": [
"thermal energy in earths magma below crust > kinetic energy in tectonic plates (earthquakes underwater) > kinetic energy in water. the energy is then lost in a lot of ways, ... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://www.geologyinmotion.com/2011/03/how-much-power-in-japanese-tsunami-of.html?m=1"
],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
3mx7qk | when people say the universe is expanding, do they mean the observable universe, or the entire universe? | If its the entire universe, what happens at the edge of the universe? If there is no edge, then does that make it infinite? What is it expanding into? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3mx7qk/eli5_when_people_say_the_universe_is_expanding_do/ | {
"a_id": [
"cvixukw",
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"score": [
5,
2
],
"text": [
"While studying the Universe, Hubble discovered that all of observable space was red shifted, this observation supported Freidmann's previous predictions of space. This discovery like I said was only for the OBSERVABLE UNIVER... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
2tv84u | is it more or less efficient to close heating vents in rooms i don't use in the winter? | Does it save energy by making other heating vents blow more hot air? Or does leaving some rooms cold make my house colder overall.
Just trying to save a few bucks on my heating bill. | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2tv84u/eli5_is_it_more_or_less_efficient_to_close/ | {
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"text": [
"closing the vents and the doors to these rooms should save you money by leaving just those rooms colder. If you leave the doors open it kind of negates the ef... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
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] | |
fdqtc8 | were people hundreds of years ago, able to view stars at night clearly on a regular basis? how much clearer was it compared to now with all the smoke in the air? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/fdqtc8/eli5_were_people_hundreds_of_years_ago_able_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"fjja5rr"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"Simple answer, yes they would. The smoke /smog etc isn't even the main difference, it's the ambient light. All the street lights, house lights, neon etc etc creates a much brighter world than there was back then.\nThis light that we have all arou... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
19r5uj | college. | Ok, so I know this sounds dumb, but I literally have no idea how college works. I'm a sophomore in high school right now, and I have no idea when I have to apply, how to apply, or what all these "college terms" mean, like undergraduate, early assessment, all that stuff. I'd ask my parents, but they both went to college... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/19r5uj/eli5_college/ | {
"a_id": [
"c8qkvtx",
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"score": [
6,
2
],
"text": [
"Okay, it's really pretty simple. Your senior year is where the magic happens. You'll usually take your standardized tests like the SAT and ACT junior year, then in the fall of your senior year you apply. Most colleges have ... | [] | [] | [
[],
[]
] | |
q0bov | lovecraftian lore | A lot of posts on reddit allude to Lovecraft in some way, almost to the extent that it's its own type of Godwin's Law. So I was wondering, could anyone explain a brief overview of what Lovecraft wrote about? From what I've picked, it seems very hard to organize if you aren't very into it (lots of gods and different wri... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/q0bov/eli5_lovecraftian_lore/ | {
"a_id": [
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"c3tqxug"
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"score": [
13,
12
],
"text": [
"Lovecraft is basically the father of modern horror. Whereas most Victorian horror had to do with ghosts and witches, lovecraft was the first tot deal with space aliens, beings from other dimensions and existential dread.\n... | [] | [] | [
[],
[
"http://images.epilogue.net/users/megaflow/shub-niggurath.jpg"
]
] | |
5evwb2 | if the us post office is funded by the government, why do they charge us to ship something from them? | I asked my dad and he said that would make us Communist and we can't have that =/ not sure if that's the answer I'm looking for. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/5evwb2/eli5_if_the_us_post_office_is_funded_by_the/ | {
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2,
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"text": [
"It's a government department. So is the DMV. They still require you to pay for stuff, marriage licenses, fees for pretty much anything you do, all government, all still require you... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
ehv4pb | what causes television/computer screens to look so bad when recorded with a camera? shouldn't it look closer to what we see? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/ehv4pb/eli5_what_causes_televisioncomputer_screens_to/ | {
"a_id": [
"fclrezz"
],
"score": [
11
],
"text": [
"It's called the moiré pattern.\n\nBasically, you might have known that a TV screen is a grid of dots (pixels), each pixel is made of 3 primary color dots. The digital camera also captures a grid of dots. Now when you try to map your TV's grid to... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
2m1vco | how do surfers survive wipe outs on enormous waves? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2m1vco/eli5_how_do_surfers_survive_wipe_outs_on_enormous/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
5
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"text": [
"They relax until the wave lets them go then they head for the surface. By relaxing they don't get an elevated heart rate and can manage to hold their breath just fine. Remember, huge waves break into deep water so you're not going to get pile dri... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
4m1lab | transcendental numbers. can these numbers not be represented by any rational numbers? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/4m1lab/eli5_transcendental_numbers_can_these_numbers_not/ | {
"a_id": [
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"text": [
"No, because every rational number x = a/b is a root of bx - a = 0. Thus, the rational numbers are algebraic, and so by definition, cannot be transcendental.",
"Algebraic numbers are numbers that ca... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[]
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63o2hk | who decides the names of generations? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/63o2hk/eli5_who_decides_the_names_of_generations/ | {
"a_id": [
"dfvr0tn"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"People would sometimes name cohorts of people in the 20th century, but there wasn't a real rationale for it. This changed in 1991 with the book \"Generations: The History of America's Future\" by William Strauss and Neil Howe. While competing n... | [] | [] | [
[]
] | ||
bksvkc | how is matt stonie’s stomach able to handle 16+ pounds of food at once? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/bksvkc/eli5_how_is_matt_stonies_stomach_able_to_handle/ | {
"a_id": [
"emjg6du",
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"score": [
1279,
99,
4,
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37,
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"text": [
"Constant stretching just like any muscle. Many competitive eate... | [] | [] | [
[],
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aepggh | what goes on during the aging process of alcohol, like wine and whiskey, that can’t be replicated with modern day technology’s? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/aepggh/eli5_what_goes_on_during_the_aging_process_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"edrdq08",
"edre3dj",
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"score": [
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2,
2,
2
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"text": [
"Your question is confusing. We *do* make these products using modern-day technologies. If you go to a large winery or distillery, you'll find a lot of modern equipment.",
"I be... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[]
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64csqy | the supreme court taking on issue of gerrymandering with regards to 1st amendment | Saw some of this in the news lately and was hoping for a good overview. Thanks. | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/64csqy/eli5_the_supreme_court_taking_on_issue_of/ | {
"a_id": [
"dg1cgkz"
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"score": [
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"text": [
"So the skinny you've probably heard is that federal judges slapped the hand of Wisconsin's congressional districting boundaries and said it was a violation of the 1st and 14th amendments with a vote of 2-1. Specifically, in regards to the 1st a... | [] | [] | [
[
"http://wdet.org/media/daguerre/2016/05/25/53c6d8296e7eeb63f3ad.png",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland%27s_7th_congressional_district",
"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Adams",
"https://img.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/imrs.php?src=https://img.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/2014/0... | |
cx8gxi | how did a country as geographically small as england go on to own like 95% of the planet? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/cx8gxi/eli5_how_did_a_country_as_geographically_small_as/ | {
"a_id": [
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2
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"text": [
"An extremely strong navy and well trained ground forced coupled with being an island nation. They were very difficult to invade successfully and thats if you ... | [] | [] | [
[],
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[],
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20yrz2 | how did twitch plays pokemon actually manage to beat the game? | I know with an infinite number of monkeys banging on an infinite number of typewriters may manage to write Shakespeare's entire works, but TPP was beaten in 16 days with 70,000 people on at times. It's a great social experiment, but how is it possible it got beaten in a relatively short amount of time? | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/20yrz2/eli5_how_did_twitch_plays_pokemon_actually_manage/ | {
"a_id": [
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3,
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2,
2,
2
],
"text": [
"Infinite moneys isn't a correct analogy, since it assumes that the monkeys have no idea what they're doing.\n\nTPP was many people giving directions to one co... | [] | [] | [
[],
[],
[],
[],
[]
] | |
74lsfc | why do some places consider people over 55 as seniors while in general 65 is thought of retirement age or seniorhood? | If 55 is a commonly accepted age to be senior, then most politicians I know and professors I had would all be senior citizens | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/74lsfc/eli5_why_do_some_places_consider_people_over_55/ | {
"a_id": [
"dnzbusy"
],
"score": [
14
],
"text": [
"Those \"places\" are typically businesses that are offering something to appeal to older consumers. They decided to expand the category to attract more consumers."
]
} | [] | [] | [
[]
] | |
zk3mz | why this government debt - household debt analogy is horribly wrong | From a National Review [article](_URL_0_):
> **Why S & P Downgraded the US:**
> U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
> Federal budget: $3,820,000,000,000
> New debt: $ 1,650,000,000,000
> National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
> Recent [April] budget cut: $ 38,500,000,000
> .
> **Let’s remove 8 zeros an... | explainlikeimfive | http://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/zk3mz/eli5_why_this_government_debt_household_debt/ | {
"a_id": [
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"score": [
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],
"text": [
"Basically, if you walk into your bosses' office and say, \"I feel like a raise, start paying me more money,\" your boss doesn't have to obey you. Whereas if the government raises taxes people have to pay more. Also, you can't take money out of yo... | [] | [
"http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/277873/bringing-budget-numbers-down-size-carrie-lukas"
] | [
[]
] | |
3p9moh | why aren't there more asians in mma and ufc in the western world? as the birthplace of many martial arts, you'd think there would be a much higher participation by asians? | explainlikeimfive | https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/3p9moh/eli5why_arent_there_more_asians_in_mma_and_ufc_in/ | {
"a_id": [
"cw4cl3d"
],
"score": [
5
],
"text": [
"a couple reasons. Number one, talented Asian fighters stay in fight in Asia. They make more money and have better prestige there. Also, Asian fighters are actually pretty well represented in the lower weight classes, but they don't fight far belo... | [] | [] | [
[]
] |
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