Datasets:
Rahmaa
/
eli5_final

Dataset card Data Studio Files
xet
Community
query
stringlengths
8
249
answer
stringlengths
45
7.8k
Why Americans have certain style of handwriting.
TIL I write like an Italian. But, back to the question at hand, I've noticed that the writing is different between generations. I commented on a lady that I worked with, cause her writing could rival calligraphy it was so fluid and ornate. she said in grade school that while learning, the kids had to balance a penny on the webbing between her thumb and forefinger. when I was in school, we just wrote in block letters and then moved onto cursive. Nothing great as long at we could do the block letters it passed. It may also have to do with the computers. Many people really don't write much anymore, so they never really develope a personal style of hadwriting. I've also heard that some school don't teach cursive anymore, just printing. It's losing it's importance with so many computers around.
Why do you get nauseous when you wake up super early?
I don't get nauseated when I wake up, but I can't eat for the first couple hours after waking up, regardless of how early or late I woke up or how much I slept.
The economic situation in Cyprus and why it's attracting so much attention.
If the Cypriot banks cannot secure enough funding then Cyprus can not qualify for the Eurozone bailout it needs to pay its debts. If Cyprus is declared insolvent in this way it may be forcibly ejected from the Euro. Which means a return to the Cypriot pound, which may mean run away hyperinflation and worthless currency. Germany, the U.K and the other solvent Eurozone countries do not want to bail out Cyprus because they've been providing a tax haven for the dirty money of Russian oligarchs, because corruption is rampant and because Cyprus has been allowing arms to be smuggled to Assad in Syria through its waters. If Cyprus is allowed to collapse confidence in the finances of the other Eurozone countries that are in trouble, primarily Italy and Greece will be damaged because investors will question whether the richer Eurozone countries care enough about the Euro to bail out its members without strict conditions.
The NSA data mining scandal
What's the big deal if I have nothing to hide? ", 'In case anyone wants to know where the NSA server farm is here ya go: 39.117515,-76.768658 Notice the building has no windows and massive HVAC units at the rear of the building? This is where they record everything; Internet usage, land line conversations, cell phone conversations, etc Check it out in bing maps for a better viewing angle. You can see it is surrounded by a 12 foot fence curved outwards, which probably has concertina wire at the top. Edit: Looked at it again, there is also a 2nd 6-8 foot fence between the building and the 12 foot curved fence, with a 10 foot gap of gravel separating the 2 fencesMy big question -- why not AT & T? If I switch to AT & T can I dodge this unwarranted invasion of my privacy for a time?Idiots pass the patriot act idiots realize what patriot act does.Can someone explain to me how this is different from the Patriot Act? Didn't that do the same exact thing?
When looking at the nutrition facts on a food, what am I supposed to be looking for that would indicate it as a healthy food?
Depends how you mean healthy. Your body needs a range of vitamins and minerals, but in general you probably get enough of all of them. If you've been diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency, try to pick foods that list that vitamin. The most important information on nutritional information for most people is the calorie count. Depending on your level of activity, you want your total food intake in a day to be between 1500-3500 calories a day. If you don't work out and your job does not require running or lifting heavy things, probably 1500. If you're getting your vitamins then it doesn't matter what source those 1500 calories are from.There is no piece of information that can determine if something is "healthy" or not. Also, people consider "healthy" to mean "i can eat infinite amounts of it and it will only make me stronger and prettier like Popeye" which is also untrue. You need to look at your diet as a whole. If you aren't getting nearly enough protein, then something with protein would be healthy. If you're getting too much protein, that same item is unhealthySimple ingredient list . Low sugar. Second most important and what I personally believe to be most healthy is low carb, low sodium, preferably high protein and high fatThere is no one indication of what makes a food healthy. Even the general guidelines that people are listing here such as "low saturated fat" and "low sodium" may not be appropriate for people on certain diets. For example people on a ketogenic diet can be perfectly healthy and they consume lots of sodium and saturated fats. Even things like the amount of calories can vary from person to person. An overweight person would want to limit their calories, while a person who does lots of exercise or weightlifting would actually seek out densely caloric foods as their body needs them.
Is it better to leave a car running while idling or to turn it off and on when you need to move?
There are now quite a few cars that turn off your engine while stopped and then restart it when you press on the pedal. This can increase fuel economy in the city by about 1-2 mpg. Of course those cars are designed to do that so I would not recommend doing it with a car not designed for it. Overall idling is better for the engine but you do waste fuel, and only turning it off for a little bit and then starting back up while everything is still warm and lubricated won't hurt the engine much if at all. Yet it is not something you should continually do since your car is not designed for that kind of use .
How can Amazon/online shopping shut down so many brick-and-mortar businesses, only for Amazon to now open their own physical stores?
No, the brick and mortar stores lost because of logistics. They can't get the product to the customer fast enough. Amazon, however, has this on lock. It's pretty much all they do, therefore their stores will not have the same problem.Amazon has been making a push these last few years for same day delivery. The only way this feasible is to have a large network of local warehouses located across the entire country. Once you have that infrastructure, the marginal costs to slap together a store front to sell even more goods are probably pretty low, enough for Amazon to be interested in it. At the same time, other brick and mortar stores without Amazons infrastructure of warehouses are going to have much higher marginal costs when it comes to inventory, so what may not be profitable for them may still be so for Amazon.
Why do humans have baby teeth?
Children don't grow adult teeth. Babies are born with the adult teeth already formed, the come through later pushing the baby ones out of the way Here is a photo of a skull of a young child to help you understand - safe for work _URL_0_ I realise this isn't the answer to your question, but addresses a few misconceptions in other comments.
How can CSI tell the exact time of death
It'll depend on the circumstances. If they're shot, and the bullet goes through an old mechanical alarm clock and stops it, *and* if you can be certain the alarm clock was correct at the time of its demise; yes. I've not watched CSI, but forensic science can do lots with rates of cooling, lividity, blood pooling, insect invasion etc, but exact? Possibly if it was only an hour or two, but exact? Not without time-conditional evidence, like a gunshot recorded on a sound-track somewhere.After a person dies, the corpse goes through certain stages of decomposition with the first stages occuring only after a few hours since death. A trained pathologist can use this to estimate the hours passed. So yes, thats a thing.
Why did women never take to gaming like, or even more than, men did?
Well video game started more in the 70s. The first generation of console were a new product, you usually could only play one game and it wasn't cheap so it wasn't widespread. 1978 to 1982 was called the Golden age of video arcade. The first generation of console wasn't so popular, but arcade were. You could play different game and it was cheap so it took off, but it was view for kids. Console were back by now with a second generation and personnal computer but then the Video game crash of 1983 happen. It was mostly because a bunch of third party company stated to spill out tonnes of horrible game. Even today we can still see some of these game like ET in Top list of worst game in history and there was a lot of those. Several video game in the US went bankrupt. By the time the third generation of console, the Japanese companies had no competition in the US and were able to dominate for a couple of decade. Nintendo mostly decided to advertise mainly to young boy. That was their target audience and decades of advertisement to young boy created the culture image that video game was for young boy only.
How do the self defense laws work regarding weapons and just general defense (in the USA)?
It really depends on the jurisdiction and the situation. Bernie Goetz shot some guys who trying to mug him. He was charged with attempted murder as well as weapons offenses because in New York you're not allowed to carry a knife or a gun in the first place. He was acquitted of the charges except for the weapon charge and he went to jail for it. _URL_2_
Does every single car in the world have a unique key?
I had a 1977ish Mercury Monarch that had the same key as my Dad's brand new 1986ish Ford LTD", 'All international trucks use the same exact key. We have several in our fleet and we all just have a key and it works any truck, including the rentals we occasionally get.I accidentally opened up another rx7 one day. Don't know the maths, but the random occurrence made me think there shouldn't be too many of those 🔑", 'Related question: does every car win an automatic lock have its own unique “signal”? Like can I be in a giant parking lot, press my key and have another car unlock?
Why does airconditioning in my car consume gas but the headlights/radio does not?
If your car is running, then your headlights and radio are also consuming gas via the alternator. If your car is off then they're running off the car's battery.
Why do actual downloads (music, games, etc) never go as fast as a speed test shows my speed?
Just a guess, hoping for a better response later!! Its most likely due to the host servers speed and load. When you're downloading from PlayStations network, you're actually uploading from their servers, and as you know, uploads are slower than downloads. Could be a contributing factor.
If you're not supposed to microwave metal, why are there metal racks in some microwaves?
Metals are microwavable depending on the shape they have. A metal fork for example would be a terrible thing to microwave because of the dielectric fields that would be established between the prongs. When you distribute these fields between one another the potential difference increases and you typically observe a 'spark'.
Why is Ethiopia in its' current state even though it was the only African nation to resist colonization?
Your question implies a lot about colonization, specifically that colonization is inherently a net detriment to a country's long-term development. Because imperialism has taken many forms throughout human history, this isn't necessarily the case. For example, being part of East Africa as it is, Ethiopia- had it been colonized- may have fallen under British rule, which was a form of imperialism that was actually often materially beneficial Korea, to take another example, languished for years under incredibly brutal and exploitative Japanese colonial governance and yet South Korea rebounded phenomenally in the decades that followed. Ethiopia actually very nearly became an Italian colony towards the end of the age of imperialism, however, and this likely would have been quite materially detrimental to the Ethiopians.
How has the steering wheel/accelerator gone basically unchanged throughout the automobile's history while most everything else in a car has been updated or changed?
They may look about the same but the technology *behind* them has changed a lot. There's no reason to change the simple user interface any more than there's a reason to change other very simple interfaces like buttons. You press it, it does something - how would you improve that?
Can anyone explain why housing costs so much?
I see two answers as of now that cite supply and demand as the primary cause, but wasn't the entire housing bubble caused by excessive supply? There's got to be more to it.
Why are younger children so picky about the foods that they eat?
Tell that to my boy. He's 4 and apart from too spicy food he'll eat anything. Favourite snack: a whole raw tomato. Loves veggies, mild curry, risotto, fruit, the works. In retrospect we should have know what was coming when he was a baby and we gave him some tart lemon slices to chew on, hoping for a funny reaction. He ate the lot without a care in the world.
For the average user, why would you not want to upgrade to Windows 10?
It is not nearly as well optimized as Win 8 for touchscreens. That's my main reason for not upgrading.
3D Printers.. how exactly do they work?
The one I saw in action used a reservoir of plastic . There was firmware involved that turned a 3D model made in Maya into a list of instructions based on 3D coordinates. The printer would then follow the instructions and something would eventually be made based on the way in which the plastic was dispensed.It's like a glue gun on a fine-tuned moving holder that lays down tracks of "glue" . A computer tells it what pattern to move the holder in and when to squirt out "glue" to build up the thing you are printing.
Why do people care if other people are vaccinated or not?
What about the flu shot? I understand the arguments as applied to more 'serious' illnesses like polio and hep but the flu shot seems dumb to me. Doesn't the virus mutate pretty frequently anyway? And what is wrong with letting my immune system handle it? This issue came up at work recently because the company was offering free flu shots. I elected not to get one. My brother got it last year and got the flu anyway. Seems stupid to me. Am I way off base here?
How do different shapes of glasses affect the alcoholic beverage taste?
I'm not sure how it works, but if you pour root beer into a square glass it turns into regular beer.I took a wine class in college and a sommelier came as a guest speaker and his answer to this question was: You're favorite wine will taste best in your favorite type of glass. That there was no right or wrong, suggesting how wine as a whole is just the experience you make it. All "science" and snooty sommelier-ness aside. I thought it was pretty cool.Until a better answer comes along: Some glassware has different openings, exposing the beverage to more or less air. Taste is related to smell, so a glass that has room for your nose will allow you to 'experience' more of the drink. In beer glasses, some shapes allow for more foam , and that is often part of the taste of the beer . Different shapes also have different surface areas. Red wine glasses have more surface area because the wine is meant to be tasted at room temp, white wine has less surface area to help keep the wine chilled. Glassware that has stems is so the temperature of your hand doesn't change the temp of the drink.
How do radio stations track the listener count?
1. One of my Majors is in statistical mathematics from UT. And the level to which people don't understand statistical analysis in this thread is hilarious 2. Using random sampling, normalization, rejection of outliers, regression analysis, etc it is easy to build an aggregate that can apply to the whole population with relatively low margin of error
Why I can't use my Netflix account in Australia
The internet is not as international as you might think. A company can choose to show a website only to a certain country and not show it to anybody else. NetFlix are doing just that. You can only watch NetFlix if you are in the USA. The reason they do that is copyright. They have to pay to legally show movies, and the people with the movies want more money if their content is to be shown not only in the USA, but also in Australia. I recommend you use a proxy. A proxy is basically like a middle-man - it's a computer in the USA, which has access to NetFlix. You contact that computer and ask it to get a certain video for you. It gets the video and sends it to you in Australia.
Why is the concept behind Scientology not taken seriously, when most other religions are just as scientifically implausible?
Because *most* religions don't have beliefs that are scientifically, verifiably false. Miracles? Well weird shit happens. A friend's grandfather is in the Catholic big book of miracles because the retina that was detaching spontaneously reattached, *which is not a thing that happens*. So, that's miracle-esque? But some of the most foundational principles of Scientology are that 1) psychology isn't a thing psychology drugs don't work ; 3) Scientology will give you psychic powers , etc. It's not just implausible, it's demonstrably false.
Why do muscles get sore after exercise/hard labor?
As you've grown during your life, your muscles have adapted to a certain level of strain. That's why your legs don't hurt when you get up and walk to the bathroom, or your arm doesn't hurt from lifting a bag of groceries off the floor. However, when you force your muscles to go over that level of strain, say by running/jogging, or weight-training, you actually tear and damage your muscles. Muscle growth occurs when your body, in one of the ways it's smart, creates more tissue to repair the damage you've caused, upping the level of damage they can take.
Why do people regard Seinfeld as a really good show?
Because it was about the everyday minutiae that clogs up everyone's lives. Just random crap that happens to all of us but in a very clever manner. The way five different storylines could all wind up coming together in the last few seconds was genius. Well written, well acted.
Why haven't we seen facial hair on a president is so long?
The last American president to have facial hair was William Howard Taft and his famous [walrus 'stache]. Taft was seen as an ineffective leader and was soundly lost his re-election. Other politicians didn't want to emulate Taft, so they went for the clean shaven look. By the time Taft's legacy was forgotten, professionals had adopted the clean-shaven look, as SJHillman pointed out. I read this is a fictional book so I can't make any claims to its truthiness , so take it at face value .A study was published by a psychologist a long time ago that showed people tend to distrust people with facial hair. I think the nature of the study was bringing people into a line-up with two men there to choose from. The two men were identical in almost every way except for one thing, one man had a thick beard. The participants chose the bearded man as the "criminal" by a huge margin. My recollection of the experiment is fuzzy, but that's the jist of it. It has been repeated with job interviews, opinion polling, and similar situationsFacial hair is not considered professional. This is true both in politics and in business. You will see practically no business or political leaders with facial hair.
why exactly is the US justice system so painfully slow? Taking upwards of years to convict and sentence a criminal?
Aside from the other good answers that are given, simple logistics also factors in. Our courts are understaffed and overcrowded. A couple of years ago there was a series of articles in the NY Times talking about how most local city and county courts are operating at 70% or less of their capacity because they didn't have enough staff or judges to handle more cases.
Why i can't make my land my own country?
Because Canada won't let you. If you found an island isn't within any country's territory , and that no other country claims, you could. But then, in order to be treated like a country you have to get other countries to recognize you. It's not impossible, look up the Principality of Sealand.
Why do spots (Pimples) occur? is it better to 'pop' them or leave them alone?
Your skin is full of glands that keep it moist and healthy by lubricating it with oil. But at some points in your life your hormones make your oil production imbalanced, and you end up with plugs that seal them off and a nice little environment for nasty little greebles to propagate. Or, more rarely, a small hair follicle grows in the wrong direction and pushes into the surrounding skin and creates a mess. So your body identifies that as infection and sends in white blood cells to fight the germs that might or might not be there. You get pressure, inflammation, and white discharge if it grows to visible size. There's a small chance that popping pimples will lead to worse infection that can damage the surrounding tissues more and leave you with scars. Or if the pimple is deep, it could rupture the pore that's experiencing the infection and send those biologicals raging through your bloodstream, which could be very much worse. There's also a chance that removing the pressure and exposing the area to open air will cause the pus and nasty blockage of gross oily wax to flow away and remove a lot of the infection and pressure, giving it a better chance to heal. The general recommendation is not to pop them because there's a chance it'll make things worse. But most of us don't listen to that urge.
How can Disney comfortably afford acquiring Fox for 52 billion dollars?
Disney isn't spending cash, rather both Disney and Fox shareholders will now be shareholders of a combined Disney/Fox company . So Disney issues a bunch of new shares. Balance sheets are intended to measure the worth of a company, but brands are hard to show on a balance sheet, and provide a significant part of the worth of a modern company. How many people would buy a soda that tasted very similarly to Coke, but wasn't Coke at the same price as Coke? So in this case, the $90 billion in assets doesn't really measure the way that Disney will purchase Fox, because they're using their $170 billion in market cap to buy Fox .
Why do we still use the same inneficient body design for semi trucks when significantly more efficient designs exist?
There are more efficient designs but keep in mind these trucks are several dozen tons heavy. Even with major aerodynamic changes they still won't be getting great mileage.Some people simply like the old body style. Owner operators can buy whatever truck they want, most of the large trucking companies use a more aerodynamic truck style.
If Coke Zero has 0 calories why can't companies make food that has 0 calories?
Coke is essentially sugar in water . The sugar is the only thing that has calories. Coke Zero uses ultra-sweet artificial sweeteners instead of actual sugar. This means that in order to get the same level of sweetness as Coke, they only need to use a tiny bit. A tiny bit of artificial sweetener has pretty much no calories. Therefore, it has 0 calories while tasting the same. We can't do that with other foods because we don't have anything that replaces the calories in most items. Other foods have calories from lots of things, not just sugar. So we'd have to find a way to replace all of the calories in everything.Calories are energy, we eat food to get energy. Food with no calories are just filler chemicals and a waste of time.
Why do people pass out at my church?
> **Before posting** > > **This subreddit is for conceptual questions only.** > > E is for Explain. > LI5 means friendly, simplified and layman-accessible explanations - not responses aimed at literal five-year-olds. > Read the rules thoroughly, and perform a keyword search. > **Don't post to argue a point of view.** > Consider looking for your question in the FAQ. > Flair your question after you've submitted it.Just to chime in as a Christian - i believe there's no Biblical base for this, and can go into more detail as well. Just keeping it short for the first post. You said you wanted a scientific answer. I do know that some verses of the Bible talk about "falling down", but it isn't situations that are meant in this way, when people think they are.I don't have an answer, but I can say that I used to almost always pass out in church. Couldn't understand why, everything would turn purple and I would pass out.
What will happen to Mickey Mouse when he becomes public domain in 2023?
Mickey doesn't become public domain. He'll still be trademarked by Disney. Steamboat Willie will become public domain.
Why do people in Hawaii walk around barefoot? Not at the beach, but even at Starbucks.
We don't. This is not a normal thing. Maybe slightly less uncommon than the mainland but the vast majority of people wear slippers when out kf the house. Where did you get this notion?
What is the practical use for integration?
Let's say I know the equation for how fast something is moving and I want to know how far it goes over a certain amount of time. If the equation is linear it's easy: just find the average velocity and multiply by time. Once the equation gets more complicated, you have to integrate it and the result will be how far it has gone. There are many other examples similar to this where you have complicated forces, geometries, etc", 'Differentiation finds a tiny point on a graph which tells you some information about acceleration or velocity. Integration allows you to find the summation of all those points put together. This allows you to find things like volume, area, amount of mechanical force needed to move objects at specific locations, amount of electricity through a circuit -- essentially it deals with finding amounts.I've got a barrel full of whiskey. I know the curvature of the sides and the top and bottom are circles. How do I know how much whiskey the barrel holds?", 'Derivatives tell you how FAST/RATE of change over a period of values Integrals will tell you the NET change over a period of values
How do TV torrent uploaders capture, edit, encode and upload their files so fast and consistently?
This all started back when -LOL was releasing VCD quality tv shows on IRC, back then they had pre-air content which was one of those big satellite dishes and the fox shows would air a few days prior, soon as the show ended they would release the show to the scene. Then when hdtv became the norm and wasn't available on Pre-air they would start recording the show and soon as the commercial would start that would encode that first segment, repeat until all segments were encoded and because the show would end 3 minutes before the end of the hour , they would utilize those 3 minutes to encode the final segment and finally PRE to the scene. This method requires fast upload connection and a fast computer. It's the only way to get out a 30 or 60 min show out on the internet 1 min after it airs. Commercial free. HD. It's the thrill of being first to release it.For all those that are enticed by this amazing way to obtain media, check out /r/cordcutters and software such as [Plex], [Sonarr], and [Couch Potato]It usually isn't the torrent uploaders who cap the shows. There is "The Scene" of which there are many groups, who cap and release shows, movies, whatever. Each release must follow certain rules, file size, codec, etc. The first group to release something wins. Now I haven't been involved in it for many years, but winning would get you credits, which you could use to download other group's releases. From there the releases spread from FTP, and then to Usenet and torrent sitesI just love how efficient pirates are. Not twenty minutes after a show airs, its up there, in various quality profiles , and everything is just so organized. Its incredible.
Why do some people require music or ambient noise to fall asleep while others need complete silence?
I think it's more of a habit than anything. I am, for example used to sleep in dark and quiet room, a noise in my surrounding can make me really restless and sometimes angry because i want my peace when I sleep. I grew up in this so I prefer it much more. I am frustrated when I have to sleep in a room with someone that snores all the time, makes me almost cry. My boyfriend on the other hand grew up sleeping near television or music, so he turns on a movie or a TV shows on his computer before he goes to bed. I usually don't mind when I'm there since I just go to sleep earlier and I am usually in deep sleep when he watches something. A movie never wakes me up.
Why do animal brains tend to operate far more efficiently than even the best computers?
I think there is a bit of faulty reasoning comparing a human brain to a computer. I don't think that the human brain is preforming 4 billion mathematical operations per-second and doubt it will be capable of that any time soon but comparing the brain to the computer assumes that the human brain operates in any way like a CPU does. Even if the brain may carry out instructions in ways that seem like If-then statements or Boolean operations, its pretty unlikely that the brain is using biological logic gates to make those decisions.Brains occupy a huge volume compared to silicon computers. Your brain uses the equivalent power draw of a 40 watt light bulb to function. Your laptop can use that power in an area the size of a stamp, vs a basketball. The human brain is quite big and heavy.Brains are better than computers at complex, abstract things like pattern recognition. Computers are better than brains at logical tasks, like calculating the digits of Pi. ~~Quantum computers have the potential to exceed squishy brain performance at abstract tasks,~~ Quantum computers are theoretically better than digital computers at more abstract calculations, but quantum computing is difficult. You can't program them the same way, and they need very low temperatures to operate. A **lot** more research needs to be done, but in the future computers may utilize traditional digital computing, and quantum computing at the same time to perform more complex tasks more efficiently. We're also looking at successors to silicon for our microprocessors, as we're approaching the limit of what silicon is capable of. Already transistors are measured by how many atoms wide they are. Edit: Fixed for accuracy.
How does Family feud choose its 100 People for the answers and contestens in general.
I noticed that the answers seem to reflect that they're in California and likely asking 100 people there. I watch with my family in the east coast and sometimes the answers that seem obvious to us are not at all represented. For the German OP, America is huge and very diverse. Even stuff like family feud shows how different the coasts and the Midwest and south are.
How do the international football leagues all tie together? Premier, Bundas Liga, etc.? Is there an international club champion crowned?
They have the UEFA Champion League and the UEFA Europa League for international competition between the leagues' teams. Basically every country is ranked by points by UEFA . The top three clubs from countries ranked 1 to 3 automatically gain access to the group stages of the CL. Rank 1 and 2 from countries ranked 4 to 6 and champions from countries ranked 7 to 12 also gain entry into the CL. The UEFA Champions League is the higher ranked one of the two competitions. The UEFA Europa League is for those teams ranked lower than those qualified for CL. In Germany that is places 5 to 7.There is a Europe-wide club tournament every year. Each of the national leagues is given a certain number of spots in the tournament and they then compete against each other.
why are we unaware of the passing of time while asleep?
You're unaware of the passing of time? I can always tell that time has passed when I wake up, even if I don't know exactly how much time that is. Serious question, OP, when you sleep, do you feel as though you've just opened your eyes after closing them for a second or two? Or is it more like you experience laying there, fully conscious--but somehow inexplicably hours have passed? Do you dream? Do you awake feeling rested?
How do scientist know anything about things that are light years away?
Well, you can see them, to start with. This gives you ideas about what they look like and the sort of energies that escape from them. Even better than that, there's a tool called spectroscopy. Light is absorbed and released differently by different sorts of materials. You can see the light that comes from/goes through an object, and by analyzing that light, get an idea of what that material is made from. You can observe how they influence objects in their vicinity, giving clues about their mass.
How are we sure microwaves are safe for us?
Microwaves are in no way safe for us. That's why we keep them in ovens so they don't touch us.
Relating to music, What is Bass and Treble? Also how to understand the equalizer in my audio device to get optimum effect?
jazz" etc, suggesting that you can get better sound by choosing the right preset for the kind of music you're listening to. This is a completely retarded sales gimmick. Just think, if this were true it suggest that the music of any particular genre is mastered in a *consistently* incorrect manner. That's ridiculousAs others have said, bass is deep sounds and treble is higher pitched sounds. As to how your equaliser should be setup, you want it so that your whole system ends up "flat". What this means is that your sound system doesn't introduce distortion into the audio. Even with high quality equipment, you can still get distortion due to the room. One of the best ways to test this is with [pink noise]. This is made up of a sound that is equally loud across all frequncies; you may notice it sounds like the waves breaking on the beach. An easy way to setup your equaliser is to play that pink noise and just tweak the levels so that no range of frequencies sounds louder and it just sounds like waves breaking on the beach.[This] explains the relation between frequencies, instruments, and various notes. Treble is your higher frequency noises . Bass is the lower frequency noises . Humans can usually hear between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz . Frequencies under 20Hz are often felt instead of heard. Most musical recordings, audio equipment, and output devices are biased towards certain frequencies . Equalizing is just a way to personalize it further but don't forget the existing bias in your recordings and equipment.
In Christianity, does one pray to Jesus or to God?
God and Jesus are two seperate people. Deut 6:4 - God is one. Malachi 2:10Mark 10:18Romans 3:29,30 Jesus was created therefore not equal to God. Rev 3:14Colossians 1:15Isaiah 44:6 Son was obedient to father in heaven. John 14:28John 5:19Heb 5:8. As far as who to pray to. God. Lord's Prayer shows that prayers should be directed toward the father.
Why are people uncomfortable with being alone?
I am no psychologist so I can't answer scientifically, but perhaps it is related to the social nature of humans, and that, at least in the wild, individuals are much more vulnerable than groups. This does translate to modern life as well: if you're alone, there's nobody to save you or call an ambulance in case of an accident or medical emergency. But this is hardly a general property. Some people are uncomfortable *not* being alone. And quite a few people, I imagine, are comfortable both alone and in a group.
How does the American Healthcare system work?
Fuck, I live here and *I* don't know how it works. I just don't go, and deal with whatever's wrong. It's bad, but I'm terrified to get charged $750 to piss in a cup.
How is the Affordable Care Act different than auto insurance?
EDIT: Read at your own risk. I have to apologize. I went to the doctor this morning, expense within budget but outcome was not hoped for. I'm sorry for the anger. I used to pay $43/ Week for Health Insurance. I Paid $600/6 months for full car insurance . Both were similar. Small deductible, really no cost if I used either. Someone hit me their insurance covered the cost and I paid nothing. Had to go to the doctor, small cost . With the ACA, I need to pay $700/month to cover 30% of my bill. I have Systemic Lupus which costs $160/month for medication. this is just Maintenance. It's not a cure. I will have Lupus until it kills me. So with ACA, I can pay $700/ Month to only pay $114/Month for what I'm paying $160/month right now. Damn, I'm in a Car wreck! Car Insurance has a level of coverage for the even if it's my fault. Damn, my liver fails, or my lungs, or my body in general. Well, I prefer a hole in the ground rather than a furnace.
How come Google and other search engines can search the entire internet in under a second for a phrase and the document search on my PC takes several minutes with substantially less content?
Google has over a million servers dedicated to indexing websites 24x7. Your computer doesn't maintain an active search index of all files on your computer, and has to dedicate resources to doing other stuff at the same time.
Do many major TV channels really go into commercial breaks at the same time, or is this just a false impression of mine? If so, why?
Well. I recently found out that broadcast stations on the radio are all owned by the same company. That being said- their internet to make money. So it would be wise to have all their different stations air ads at the same time so people can't avoid them and therefore can charge the advertisements company's more. I would assume this is the same case with tv. I would /assume/
What is going on with the UK and the EU?
In addition to the £1.7 billion, migration is a hot topic at the moment. Probably due to the recent gains by UKIP, the current government is making strong representations to the EU about putting a quota on immigration. Angela Merkel is standing firm and saying she would rather the UK leave the EU than allow quotas. My opinion is that we should leave the EU, but it's a tough call.
The arbitrary nature of language
whoosh" or "boom" which sound a little bit like the sounds they describe. But those words are very rareIt would help a lot of you would post some text explaining what you are referring to and what you want to understandThe whole point of language is that it is arbitrary. There are only so many sounds I can make. If I have to make an angry sound to let you know I am angry, and a happy sound when I am happy, that severely limits what I can communicate. But by divorcing a sound from any meaning on its own, I can combine sounds into complex patterns and communicate complex information.
How is it legal for a parent to smack their child?
Gearing up for down-votes:Why is it such a big deal? I don't think you should abuse your child. But most people born before 1990 got slapped by their parents a couple of times in their youth. Are they all abused misfits who are suffering greatly under their abusive past? Nopez.None of that has the force of law, however.I honestly dont see the problem. I was spanked a few times and I dont have PTSD or any stupid shit like that. Obviously there is a big difference from abuse and discipline. You dont fucking hit your kid as hard as you can like in abuse, and you dont do it on a daily basis. My parents weren't abusers by any means. It only happened, 4 times in my life? And I was damned sure never to do what I did again.
why Facebook's valuation at $100 billion is not a bubble (like MySpace).
A bubble is loosely defined, in this case, as a falsely inflated value. People can buy stock or invest in a company, product, or idea at a price that is higher than the actual value. Something that looks like it's going to be big might command a price which is much higher than its current size as people speculate. When it actually falls apart instead of growing, the investors lose money. In the case of Facebook, as much as Reddit and other mildly sapient people detest it, there's a huge base of teens and grandmothers posting pictures of each other's martinis and liking crap, and those happen to be demographics who click on ads. As such, Facebook has a huge revenue. They have also largely consolidated those demographics, so there's no short-term risk of them being abandoned . TL;DR: They're making a lot of money and they're doing it reliably, so they have real value instead of inflated value. No bubble.
What is actually happening and why when a female "Squirts"?
You can talk amongst yourselves all you want. As a squirter, I know it's not piss, and my lover knows it's not piss. It's just about the best climaxing ever.
How will the proposed wall solve any of America's problems?
It won't. The wall is a lie. It might make it harder for people to immigrate, in the sense that they will spend more time scaling it or digging under it, and are more likely to get arrested. But this won't actually solve any real problems in America.
If I buy a house using a mortgage loan, did I really buy the house or did the bank buy the house?
You bought the house with the bank's money. They hold an interest in the house, but they won't own the house unless they foreclose because you don't make your payments.
Why are people (US citizens) in opposition to Edward Snowden? Why be in opposition to someone trying to promote constitutional rights?
TL:DR - Because Snowden did more than just leak info on domestic spying. * He leaked info on international espionage. International espionage has nothing to do with Constitutional rights. Those leaks damaged the USA's ability to spy on foreign nations, hurt the United States economically and severely damaged diplomatic relations. * He fled. And not only did he flee, but he fled to countries who are not on good terms with the USA and who have committed far worse human rights violations. Many people saw this as hypocritical or cowardly. American culture and history favors activists who are willing to face the consequences for their struggle for justice. See Founding Fathers, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez, etc. * He criticized the United States while in countries who are not on good terms with the United States. If you're an American, you can criticize the United States as much as you want but it is extremely taboo to do it while in another country. See Dixie Chicks.
What, if anything, did Occupy Wall St. Change?
Here's a good start _URL_0_ Different Occupations usually do different things that are specific to the place that they are, as far as tangible actions go. And as others have said the wider movement has brought a lot of issues into focus that were swept under the rug )Wealth gap, police militarization/brutality etc etc). I don't know if Occupy will be the vessel of social change it wanted/needed to be, but it was definitely a catalyst", 'The illusion that you can change anything and that we live in a free countryIf you read history this is the best social disobedience can expect. Moving the conversation away from propaganda so that people can think about the facts for a minute out of their day. You are incorrect. OWS succeeded in bringing class back into the conversation.I think the biggest thing they did was show that when people get mad enough, they will join together and protest; something we haven't seen a lot of in quite a few years.
Why are lightning rods not used on buildings as much as they were during the 18th and 19th centuries?
We live near the top of a mountain on the NC/SC border, and just behind a large rock outcrop. When our home was built 17 years ago, I questioned the need for lightning rods, like so many of our neighbors had. Within a year our house was hit, damaging the stereo, microwave, and many other electronic devices. So, we had lightning rods installed and have not been hit since. Perhaps just luck, but I'm now a believer for locations like this. I assume the rods bleed off static charge buildup.
Are Rainbows just a mirage or can I walk under them?
You can't walk under them. They are a mirage based on where you're standing vs. where water droplets and a light source is. Hope that's ELI5 enough. For more advanced answers, see: Every other comment in this thread.
Why do some computers need incredibly complex cooling systems? Why aren't fans sufficient?
Air doesn't absorb heat as well as liquids do. So, instead of heat being dissipated through air, the heat is transferred to a liquid and then cooled off somewhere else. People use liquids to cool computers because the hardware becomes very hot, this is dangerous to the components.
How parallel universes are possible?
it comes from the so-called Many-Worlds interpretation of quantum physics. in the tradition interpretation called the Copenhagen interpretation, a particle inhabits many different states and can be in different places at once, until it's observed, then its 'wavefunction' is said to collapse and it appears to be in just one place. Objections to this theory include the famous Schrodinger's Cat thought experiment, which suggests an absurd situation where a cat is both alive and dead. the Many-Worlds interpretation posits a 'universal wavefunction'. instead of a particle occupying all of the positions described by its wavefunction simultaneously , each possible state or position will correspond to a different reality or universe. This can resolve Schrodinger's Cat by saying, instead of the cat being alive and dead, there's a universe in which it's alive and a universe in which it's dead. Every possible version of the universe described by the universal wavefunction must exist, every possible history and every possible future. people are mentioning physical constants and how there must be universes with different constants, but according to this there would even be infinite worlds with the same physical parameters as our own, just different histories. Basically, there's a universe for everything that has happened or could happen.
Why is alcohol supposedly very addictive, yet so few addicts are around (relatively)? Explain addiction to me.
For a semester in my second year of university I would start my day with a reading then go to class. As soon as I got back home I would pound back scotches until the next day where I would do it all over again. My marks were still good enough to remain in uni, but I was drunk like a skunk every single day. Friends and classmates would simply comment that I was acting anxious when I wasn't drunk, and considered me to be acting normal when I was drunk. It started so harmlessly too. A beer after work, or going out with friends when I had no class the next day. Next thing you know you can't stand being sober because of the withdrawal. From there it spirals out of control, and simply becomes part of your life. The worst part was quitting. Imagine the worst hangover you have ever had, like the ones where you puke up anything you try eating or drinking until the afternoon of the next day. Now imagine that while freezing your balls off and sweating profusely, and being too stressed/anxious to even sleep.The source you linked asked people to self-report their dependance. Even in an anonymous poll, people are going to deny their problem> yet so few addicts are around ? There are a lot of addicts around. I have a cousin who is trying to drop it for decades with little success. Alcohol is a horrible substance.
Why does coffee, wine, etc. stain our teeth darker but there's nothing to "stain" our teeth lighter?
Stains are just dark material stuck on/in the teeth's surface. If our teeth were naturally very dark, there would bound to be lighter things that would stain our teeth lighter. Happens to dark grout between floor/wall tiles.
What does it mean when economists speak of "stagnant wages relative to inflation"?
Back in 2004 I was working in a factory making $16 an hour as a CNC machine operator. Care to guess what the wage is for a CNC operator in a factory today? $16 an hour. Fourteen years have passed and average wages for factory workers has gone up very little, if at all . That's wage stagnation on a major scale. I'm sure it's about the same for other types of jobs as well. Meanwhile, prices for pretty much everything else has gone up, waaaay up, since 2004. For example the price of a new Honda Accord in 2004 was about $18,000. The price of a new Honda Accord today is approaching $27,000. So wages have not gone up in over a decade, but the price of an new car has gone up by 50%. This is somewhat over simplified but this is it in a nutshell and yes, these are real-life examples, I have lived them.
Why do some people's personalities just rub us the wrong way?
We all have things that are morally significant to us. Sometimes there's behavior that rubs us the wrong way because it stirs up subconscious memories of other times someone has rubbed us the wrong way or stepped over the bounds that we set up. Sometimes it's just as easy as simple expectations. When we're taught to do things a certain way, and we struggle physically, emotionally, or personally with conducting ourselves in the way that we believe society should act, it can be difficult. Then, you meet someone who knows the way they should act but completely disregards that all together, it can be irritating. Certain behavior can also take you back to a time where someone else acted in a similar fashion and it caused disorder*, chaos, or psychological discomfort.
How did christianity win over norse religion?
Polytheistic religions tend to be more tolerant, and less concerned with evangelism. If you are belief in a dozen gods, finding out about a new one you haven't heard of isn't so big of a deal, and isn't the sort of thing you are going to start killing people over. Monotheism on the other hand, particularly Christianity and Islam, believe that anyone who worships the wrong god is a dangerous heretic. They are naturally antagonistic towards other religions, and will seek to stamp them out, or die trying.
If the Earth orbits the habitable zone, how come the moon doesn't look like the earth does?
To put it at an absolute eli5 format: a habitable zone is simply the distance from the sun. You must also take into account the atmosphere, the size of the planet, the speed at which the planet rotates, the elements on the planet, and the planet's orbit around the sun.
Why cant all sites be https?
The main downside is expense. For very small sites , the cost of an SSL certificate is significant enough that they generally skip it. For much larger sites, an HTTPS connection takes noticeably more computing power than a regular HTTP connection and has slightly worse latency besides, so they'd rather avoid it if possible.
What is total football? All I know is It's some style of playing football(soccer)
It's a soccer tactic where all players on a team are capable of playing a variety of different positions. If it becomes necessary for a player to switch roles, he can do so, while a teammate takes over his position. For example, if a defensive player sees an opportunity to dribble the ball down the field, he can feel free to do so and go on offense. Meanwhile, a midfielder on the same team will notice what's going on and back up to replace him as a defender. The obvious requirement of this strategy is that it requires a lot of good all-around athletes. Everyone on the team has to be prepared to play both offense and defense.
Why do people get brain damage from inhaling certain gases when it goes to their lungs?
Usually, brain damage occurs from inhaling concentrated doses of non-oxygen gases because the inhalation of these gases eventually leads to the displacement of oxygen in your lungs . We are beings that rely on cellular respiration to sustain our lives so when we take oxygen out of our systems, were are essentially forcing our organs to stop making energy. In prolonged cases, the lack of energy leads to the death of cells in these organs. Brain cells don't really repair, if at all, so that is what makes brain damage a much bigger concern when you do go unconscious from inhaling gases.I know someone who worked on a major study on the effects of inhaling solvents from pain and glue and similar. Solvents are very effective at breaking down fat, and our brains are largely composed of fat. Post-mortem look at the brain shows a significant reduction in brain mass. It is a very specific example, but goes to illustrate how different pollutants can damage the brain more than other parts of the body.The role of the lungs is to put stuff you breath in into your blood for your systems of the body to use. They are good at what the do, but toxic gases can either crowd out the oxygen so your body and brain don't get ebough, or actually replace the oxygen which is also bad.Carbon monoxide can be inhaled and it binds with your red blood cells stopping them from delivering oxygen to cells like your brain cells causing them to die and either killing you or leaving you brain damaged. For more on breathing and carbon monoxide poisoning - _URL_0_
How the personality cult around Kim Jong Il works
This can work in the same way an abusive relationship works. They have been told there is nothing better, so, by comparison, this is great. Remember, your average north korean has nothing to compare their lives with, they are completely secluded from the world. Another thing, nothing is EVER blamed on kim jong-il. If something goes wrong, it is always someone elses fault. Shortage on food? It's Americans sabotaging us. No food today? It's on of Jong-il's workers that is to blame. This kind of constant reaffirmation that kim jong-il is the only good thing to help them would start to warp their minds, especially if you have only ever known that. As far as the weeping and flailing goes, [they did the same thing with his father, kim il-sung]. Part of this is genuine sadness for this person who is practically a god for them dying. The other part is probably because they are forced to weep for the television, as more propaganda. Hope this has answered your question.bbc news did say that they are forced to mourn the previous leader as loud as possible.[This book] is really worth a read if you're interested. It's one of the most amazing books i've ever read!
Why do celebs do local commercial spots? especially when they are apparently super rich. (ie: Shaq doing The General insurance commercials.)
Maybe they do them because it's a change of pace? They might not make much money from them, but it's still name recognition. Remember, they also do charity stuff, and that doesn't make them money either. Not everything is about money.
How did Germany become one of the richest countries in the world after losing two world wars and having to pay huge reparations and recovery costs and having the country split into two.
West Germany's reconstruction and rebuilding was subsidized by the US through the [Marshall Plan]. Being part of NATO meant that their military expenses could be reduced, as they could rely on NATO to help protect them against any attack.
Why do some of us lose all appetite when we feel guilty/sad and others gorge themselves?
i don't think that's something that can be ELI5'd. i don't even think it's something that can be ELI-Doctor'd. i certainly can't explain why it is the way it is. scientists are looking into genetic markers that might have an effect. but some of it has to do with habit, at least in the case of emotional over-eaters. they're used to eating at a sign of distress. distress becomes a cue. eating allows them to feel better for whatever reason. by perpetuating that habit, they become more and more used to it, and likely more and more overweight as a result. hope that answers it a little
Why isn't there a Kurdistan?
These countries are all sovereign nations. You can't just roll in and decide that you make the rules. There isn't some dictator of the world who gets to decide this. Otherwise, who's to say that China and Russia cant just decide that the US is too powerful, and cut it up into smaller nations. Each nation is a sovereign nation, and they will fight tooth and nail to defend that.
What is Germany doing differently then America where America is trillions of dollars in debt while Germany has a several billion dollar surplus?
Let's cut to the chase: Germany has higher taxes. Their citizens agree that it's worth paying more taxes to have shit like healthcare and budget surpluses that can be applied to the national debt. At the same time, they also have a healthy economy with successful industrial, agricultural, and tourism sectors. Big surprise : when you pay for shit, you have less debt.
What are the pros/cons of GMO's?
I think it's a lot of hype. I come from a long line of farmers. And we always weed out the stronger plants and breed them. That's genetically modifying food. So far I think it's great unless somehow we make the plant create poison instead of delicious food.
Why do we eat different types of meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
I can't say I *know* why it is a cultural thing, but I can speculate why it might be based on my own diet and my limited knowledge of biochemistry. In the morning, you focus on eating carbohydrates. You need energy for the day. Monosaccharides and disaccharides tend to be sweet. They are relatively quick to digest, and lead to quick energy. Moreover, simple carbohydrates don't linger in your system. They are either consumed or stored in structures like glycogen. So there isn't much left over since your last meal the day before. Which is why you need to replenish carbohydrates in the morning. For dinner I expect you would eat things like meat and bread in anticipation of going to sleep. A lot of maintenance of body tissue is done during sleep, and these processes require protein. Moreover you'd prefer slower burning energy sources such as polysaccharides and fats to get you through your fast.
Why HIV/AIDS is/was prevalent amongst gay men and in Africa
So, the virus is in the semen. This means that the longer the semen has to sit around, the higher chance a person has of contracting HIV. This is the case with anal. Anal is also an issue because there is often tearing and thinner mucous membranes, which lend to the blood to blood transmission as well as the sexual transmission. Even more fun facts: In Canada, in ages 15-21, there has been a 17 percent increase in HIV with young females. There has also been an incline of heterosexual hiv, which has been linked back to two reasons. First is MSM. This is males having sex with males, but not identifying as gay. They then go home to their wifes, and semen lasts a lot longer in the vagina, so there is a higher risk for those females. There is also issues with the elderly and outbreaks in nursing homes. In Florida, HIV has risen 75 percent and that is specifically do to sex within the elderly community. There just isn't that teaching there. Also, HIV dies when it hits air. Something more to think about is how Hep C can last outside the body anywhere from 72 hours to six days.
Why is everything in the universe spinning?
Thank you for the reply and I understand what you're saying. But what makes/made it start? Is everything spinning from inception? Has everything been spinning since it was thrown outwards by the Big Bang? And what decides direction of spin? TIA.
With sonar, radar technologies so advanced, why is it that we cannot simply scan bodies of water to get a very clear picture of the size/amount/even type of creatures lurking below?
That's exactly what we do. A fish finder is a very common and cheap appliance which uses radar or sonar to help fishermen figure out where the fish are. Scientists also use similar technology to judge fish populations and so on, and cryptozoologists love whipping out radar/sonar to try to look for things like Nessie. Radar and sonar don't get great resolution so you can't really use them to take an accurate picture of something, which makes it hard to identify a species or whatever. You can use them to identify the size of an object but that's about it, you aren't gonna see like fins or anything. That's not a failing on our part, it's simply a limitation of the technology, as sound and radio waves don't have a short enough wavelength to resolve those sorts of detailed features.
Is there any way for Cuba to kick the US out of Guantanamo Bay?
They have three tools at their disposal: * diplomacy - they could try to convince the US to leave, or build up international sentiment against them staying* legal - they could state they case in international court the US lease is not binding* military - evict the US via direct force or embargo At this time, they don't have the means to effectively use any of those methods.
Why do countries in the tropics tend to be worse off economically than countries at higher latitudes? Is it just a coincidence or are there other factors at play?
Have you ever tried to be productive when it's 95 degrees and totally humid outside? Siesta time with mojitos is more like it, right? Whereas when it's cold, the only thing that will really warm you up is to keep moving - churn some butter, bake some beans, dig a latrine, build a house, whatever. Just a theory!
What does it mean when Marijuana is decriminalized or legalized in different states but not federally? (USA)
Generally the government doesn't get involved unless it's over 100+ plants. And this has kind of been their go to rule, but there have been cases where they have gotten involved. I believe in Cali the feds broke up a legit farm that had under 100 plants, were registered with the county sheriff for each plant , and were still shut down. Persumably because the county was getting a lot of press for making a nice chunk of money, keeping crime down, and making an easy inspection system for them. Government didn't like that it was going really well and made an example.Legalization typically refers to changing laws so that anyone over a certain age would be allowed to possess, buy, sell and use marijuana for recreational purposes within the limits of the law . Decriminalization generally means changing laws so that people caught with marijuana would receive warnings or fines but wouldn't face jail time. States like CO and WA that have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes are still trying to implement a regulatory framework to address issues like penalties for driving "stoned", where marijuana sellers are allowed to advertise, whether you should be allowed to smoke pot in public places, etc
What was it about Navajo Code talkers that made their signals so hard to decrypt in WWII?
It should be noted that WWII wasn't the first time America used that trick. Cherokee and Choctaw code talkers were used in WWI. The Germans were aware of that and had sent scholars to America to study native languages prior to WWII. It didn't do them much good since there are too many languages and variations, but since America knew that the Germans had tried to learn the languages, America decided not to implement Navaho code talkers on a wide scale in Europe during WWII.There are 4 sounds in the Navajo language that sound exactly the same to a non native speaker. The difference is so slight as to make them indecipherable.The Navajo language was foreign enough to the Japanese they couldn't even write it down. This is a huge problem when code-breaking normally involves intercepting and transcribing huge amounts of intercepts, and then slowly cracking the code, unlocking thousands of intercepted messages. If you can't even write down what you are hearing, how do you your hundreds of radio operators start transcribing intercepts?", 'it is a lot harder to break a code when the people speaking it can talk naturally.if its not your native language, the odds of catching a navajo's exact words for later decoding are prety slim.wheras japan had plenty of english speakers that could hear the "zero one niner" etcetc used in other codesIn the 1940s, you couldn't just Google "Learn Navajo" or go to Amazon and pick up a Navajo dictionary. It was an obscure language only spoken by a few people & all of those people lived in the US. The study of native languages was mostly ignored, even inside of academia.
Why do Firefighters constantly wear clothing that advertises their career?
Pride. Being a firefighter is a tough job, so just like military, some law enforcement, etc., it's a badge of honor. Additionally some people or places may give preferential treatment for it.
Why do MOBA games require so many nerfs, buffs, and other adjustments while RTS games require so little?
DotA 2 usually buffs heroes that aren't getting picked/played often and nerf ones that are constantly picked/played. SC2 only has 3 races that are pretty equally played but the different strategies employed tend to affect where the buffs and nerfs fall.
Why does Microsoft want me to upgrade to Windows 10?
Imagine you run a company that makes a very popular piece of software that many businesses use. Because this software is so critical to your customers, they're reluctant to upgrade to new versions until they've had a lot of time to evaluate the new version's quality, cost of upgrading all of their employees, and plan for re-training all of their employees on the new version. Because of this, you have 3 major versions of your software in use by customers. Since your software is so popular, it's a target for hackers to find security exploits. Due to the risk of security holes, you have to keep updating the older versions of your software to keep up with the exploits. You have 12 software developers working on the software. 3 of them are currently working on your *next* version, 4 of them are working on updates to your latest version released, 3 of them are working on critical security fixes in the version you released in 2010, and 2 of them are working on critical security fixes for the version you released in 2007. You also have quality assurance, project managers, account managers, and sales folks dedicated to supporting operations for each of these versions. So at this point, about 40% of your workforce is dedicated to supporting a product that is outdated, while only about 25% is dedicated to developing new technologies and the rest is spent supporting your current version. This is a huge drain on resources, and slows down ability for your company to focus on your current and future version.
When I'm about to fall asleep, I sometimes have a semi-dream that I'm walking. Then I stumble and my leg jerks and wakes me up. Why?
I remember reading a paper about this saying that it is some sort of mammalian reflex that primates/apes have as a precaution during sleeping to avoid falls when sleeping up on tree branches. The truth is that there isn't a clear explanation for this other than it's a reflex but what triggers it depends from on a lot of different hypothesis.I always heard it was a mechanism where your brain was verifying whether or not you were asleep before you started dreaming to prevent you from getting up to act out your dreams. Your body goes into a state of sleep paralysis to prevent just such a thing from happening, so the jerk is simply a verification to see if the paralysis has kicked in yet.
Porn scenes, who's determines the order of the positions during the movie and is there any room for improvisation? [NSFW probably]
now from behind!" etc. This happens a lot more in "scripted" porn with characters, "acting" etc, where they have shots planned out extensively. Smaller operations are just a couple camera/lighting crew that move around the action mostly just following the talent. This is more along the lines of generic Bangbros, gonzo type flicks. Source: I should probably find a girlfriend.Maybe I'm alone in this, but I do wish ELI5 hadn't turned into /r/answers.
Why does China control Tibet and why don't they let the Tibetan people have autonomy?
They are imperialists, much like us American's. We see something we need, we first try to be diplomatic, but when that fails we use force.
Why is it "healthier" to drink room temperature water than cold water?
It's not a fact. It's also not a fact that walking barefoot on cold floors will make you sick. It's just an uncomfortable chill. Avoid too many extremes, however: Too much very cold water or too much time on very cold floors isn't going to have a positive effect. But within usual ranges, there is no effect.Not "healthier," but for singers warm water is preferred as your vocal cords contract/shrink when you hit them with cold water.I always learned the opposite. That you're only supposed to drink cold water because otherwise there was a bigger risk of particles being carried over from old pipings. I dunno about that, but I do know that cold water always tasted way better than any other temperature of water anyway. 😋
When you have the last male/female of a species and use it to save the species, how do you get around the genetic defects from inbreeding?
One thing people have not mentioned is the concept of mutational load. Inbreeding is only bad if you have accumulated deleterious mutations in the breeding population. There are a number of species that inbreed naturally, and as a result, they don't carry large mutational loads in the species. However, inbreeding is an evolutionary strategy usually of non-animal organisms. Plants, specifically, that generally do not travel to reproduce, often have low mutational loads. If you only have two individuals left of an animal species, though, that species is not expected to survive more than a few generations. Genetic bottlenecks others are talking about generally occur at much higher number of individuals in the population .
Were people smarter back in Shakespeare's day?
> I find that it has so many layers to it that I need to reread his works multiple times to get the meaning out of it Not too different from today, then. A lot of modern popular entertainment can be very intellectual. To pick a random example, the recent *Ant-Man* movie is more than just a CGI-filled action adventure: it critiques the US justice system and how it fails to rehabilitate criminals, and explores such themes as the misuse of technology, as well as charting the personal redemption of the hero. > I still often struggle with READING his works Two reasons for this. First, they weren't meant to be read, they were meant to be performed. Second, they're in 17th century English, which is quite different from 21st century English: there are many words and grammatical constructions that are unfamiliar to you, but in Shakespeare's day it was all pretty much standard English. > It just seems way too much material to take in all at once. The problem very often is that in English literature classes, you basically analyze and dissect every single line, which isn't what Shakespeare intended. When Shakespeare wrote in iambic pentameter, he didn't do so in order that audiences would admire his exquisite command of the English language; he did so so that cast members and audiences alike would more easily remember the lines. Half of what English teachers tell you would probably surprise Shakespeare greatly. What you personally take away from a Shakespeare play is up to you, and you're not required to take *everything* out of it that the writer put in.